Google Says Goodbye to Nexus Player

With Android TV boxes like the Nvidia Shield now on the scene, Google is doing some spring cleaning and giving its year and a half old Nexus Player the boot.

As was first reported by Droid Life, the Web giant has pulled the Asus-manufactured Android TV set-top box from its Google Store. The report notes that the puck-shaped device has also been unavailable at most third-party retailers for months.

In a statement to PCMag, a Google spokesperson said the media streamer is still available "on some retail sites," acknowledging that Google is no longer directly selling the device. As of now, you can still get the Nexus Player via Newegg, though it looks to be out of stock pretty much everywhere else, including Best Busy and Walmart.

Google first introduced the Nexus Player in late 2014; at the time, we called it the company's "best stab at the TV so far." As we noted in our review, the device was Google's first truly direct answer to media hubs like the Roku 2 and the Amazon Fire TV.

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The Player let you access any movies or shows you purchased from the Google Play store, offered Google Now-powered voice search, had apps for most major online services, and supported games. On the down side, we highligted its "anemic" app and game selection and noted that "the experience isn't quite as smooth or responsive" compared to competitors.

About Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

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