Google Launches Nexus Player In The UK

Google has launched its Nexus Player, which is built by Asus and runs Android TV, in the UK today. The box costs £80 and an optional game controller is also available for £35 extra.

The Nexus Player has to compete with Amazon's Fire TV and Apple TV, both of which offer a similar form factor and access to streaming services from Netflix, the BBC and other on-demand content providers. Apple TV is rumoured to be getting a big revamp soon though, and there are strong rumours the firm is going open the device to third-party apps.

The Nexus Player has a quad-core CPU, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. It also sports 802.11ac wi-fi, which should allow you to stream high-quality 1080p video over your home network with minimal buffering, as long as your router supports that standard - most modern ones do.

Google also provides a remote control which can be controlled via voice command. This is similar to how Amazon's Fire TV operates, but Google's Android TV service offers more functionality - much like you'd find on phones.

People who have used Chromecast will also be pleased to know you can stream to the Nexus Player using the same system as you do for Google's streaming stick.

The Nexus Player is for sale at Argos, and Amazon will also offer it. It's not yet offered on the UK Play store, but that should change soon.

:story: PC Magazine