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Nexus Q grabs unsuspecting lifeline from unofficial Android 4.4 ROM

Google may want the Nexus Q forgotten like many of its other failed projects, but others like CyanogenMod and hackers have looked at upgrading the odd cube to the latest version of Google’s mobile software, Android 4.4, adding a bit of life into the old TV project.

The Nexus Q, for anyone that does not know, was Google’s first attempt to take on the TV. It had a large array of weird ports and a design fit for the future, but lacked any real content to put it up against the Apple TV and Roku TV and it was also incredible expensive compared to the competition.

Instead of trying to upgrade and work on the Nexus Q, Google made sure the project just drifted away from anyone’s sight, making sure they never made official announcements about if and when the next Nexus Q would return and if they would implement any new patches or updates.

Now the Chromecast is available, Google has basically snapped the Nexus Q project’s neck and left it out to die, but the new Android 4.4 ROM gives a little bit of extra life to those that still have the futuristic cube sitting in their house catching dust.

The Nexus Q may still lack the core content, but for those that took the plunge and spent $300, it may be worth checking out the update. Android 4.4 brings a whole host of features, not to mention and up-to-date content library Nexus Q users can sink their teeth into.

While the Nexus Q project may be dead and gone, the Chromecast is alive and well, with Google saying they will be adding more channels onto the TV USB stick in the near future, branching out into even more online content to fight against Apple and Roku’s dominance.

Chromecast expected to get Pandora support very soon

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It is fair to say the Chromecast still has a barren amount of support, currently Hulu, Netflix and YouTube are the only supporting apps for the small HDMI streaming dongle. Without the ability to watch any video from a browser on the Chromecast, we doubt it would be such a big sell.

Google may be adding Pandora to the small list of apps currently on their list, this would be the first real music app on the Chromecast. Pandora has been a strong supporter of cross platform compatibility wherever it can get it and the Chromecast is a popular platform right now.

Pandora originally pledged support when the Chromecast was first announced, but like HBO and others who said they would be making an app, nothing has come from the companies yet. Pandora has finally stepped up and added an application on the Chromecast, to be unveiled in a few hours.

Even though Google has its own music service, they will no doubt love to have more official apps on the Chromecast. Pandora has a huge selection of songs and is one of the biggest streaming radio stations, but is starting to get hit by new competition from Google, Apple and Spotify.

We may see some other apps coming to the Chromecast at their event or in the new few weeks, hopefully HBO Go and Vimeo will be available sometime in the near future, we also heard about RedBox Instant preparing to support the media streaming device.

Google had a big Chromecast buy in on the first few weeks, making people believe it was a hugely popular product. Mountain View have not disclosed any details on how many units have sold, but we expect it to be in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions.

Amazon expected to launch FireTube TV box before Christmas

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Amazon has always been dead-set on becoming the number one content provider, after taking over the book market, the e-commerce giant has tried to push movies, games, TV shows and other content on the Kindle Fire more than a normal platform.

This has proven to be a success, with sales on the average Kindle Fire surpassing most Android devices, especially in terms of books and movies. The usage of Kindle Fire tablets has also surpassed most tablets, with the iPad and Nexus 7 the only two competitors.

Amazon wants to take the next step in media, adding a TV box to their list of products. This means Amazon will have the Kindle for books, Kindle Fire for apps and content and the FireTube for TV and streaming.

According to recent reports on the FireTube, it will be a mix of the Apple TV and Chromecast. We do not believe it will use the Chromecast feature, allowing users to stream Chrome tabs through WiFi onto the TV, but it may come with the same Chromecast design.

FireTube will grab content from all types of providers and the current deals Amazon has on the Amazon Prime Instant may elapse onto apps on FireTube. We will also see Netflix and other providers step in to add their applications, for more support.

All this is getting prepared as we speak and Amazon has a target to get the FireTube out before Christmas this year. A big ask, but if we believe reports, Amazon has been working on this TV box for some time, before the Chromecast was around.

The question is will the FireTube only show TV shows and movies or will we see a gaming console similar to the Ouya TV. Amazon has been expanding their social video games in the past few months and we may see it turn into a small gaming console.

This would be a big move by Amazon, entwining TV and games into one box, similar to the Xbox One or PS4. It would also push Apple to do the same with Apple TV or risk getting overlapped by products that do both TV and video games.

Roku TV the most popular video streaming device in the US

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Roku TV has always been pegged as the underdog to the Apple TV, with Roku selling the device at a cheaper price and the Apple TV garnering greater support, however, a recent study by Park Associates tells a different story.

The study found that Roku TV is the most popular video streaming device in the US and there will be double the sales of media streaming devices in 2017. This looks like a great future for Roku and for new players in the market, like the Chromecast.

We are also likely to see a rise in cheap media devices, like Roku and the Chromecast, instead of expensive devices that offer multiple experiences. Gaming consoles and smart TVs will drop in sales, as people look for cheap alternatives that fit around their lifestyle.

This study does not take in the fact of how many people bought an Apple TV or Roku TV, it actually looks at usage, the same way Apple looks at web usage when comparing iOS to Android. It seems on this figure, Roku wins hands down.

The Roku TV is sold at a cheaper price than the Apple TV, but Apple recently said they had sold about 14 million devices, a number unmatched in the industry. It seems however Apple is taking a hit in usage, while Roku users love to stream directly from the device.

Roku TV does have a wide selection of streaming channels available, including Amazon Prime, one channel only available on the Roku box. We may see Roku add Chromecast-like functionality, allowing users to essentially mirror the projection on the laptop to the TV.

This move by Google with the Chromecast is interesting, it comes at a cheaper price and removes the need for the UI to be on the TV. Instead it can be on a portable device that also acts as the remote. This means media streaming developers do not need to create a custom app for the users on that particular platform, although they do need to plug in the Chromecast SDK.