The device that will get the most ink (pixels?) is the Nexus 7 tablet that includes a Tegra-3 chipset from Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA), a 12-core graphics processor, and a 1280×800 HD display. The entry level Nexus 7 retails for $199. No company has been very successful at denting Apple’s iPad whirlwind, although the Kindle Fire from Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) could sell nearly 15 million units this year. Apple sold nearly 12 million iPads in the first quarter alone.
Google starts in a big hole with its Nexus 7 tablet, but the Nexus Q streaming device is really the first of kind. The Nexus Q is intended to make audio and video streaming social. The device is connected to external speakers or a TV set, and then anyone with an Android-based phone or tablet can add a song or video to the Nexus Q for the whole group to enjoy. It’s sort of a cloud-based jukebox.
A cool idea, but at $299, the Nexus Q may be a bit pricey. And support is limited to Google Play, YouTube, or the owner’s own songs and videos. By way of comparison, a Sonos Play:3 device costs the same amount and provides access to various music streaming services, like Sirius XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI), Pandora Inc. (NYSE: P), and Spotify. Another difference: the Sonos device does not allow a user to connect to external speakers. User’s choice.
Google’s tenacity in attacking Apple on every front could pay off someday, but the Nexus 7 is not likely to knock Apple off its perch at the top of the tablet heap and the Nexus Q, essentially the first device of its kind, is going to need a sizeable marketing push if it’s going to catch on. All in all, not a bad day for Google, but not a great one either.
Paul Ausick
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