Google is making a videogame console.

[Daozang]

Well Apple is not that expensive if you look at the overall quality of their products, the constant complain on their prices is a tad exaggerated and coming from people that do not want to buy their product anyway. I don't like their products be it Mac or Mobile, though I see the value, if anything they support their products which is far from the standard in the mobile realm.

The quality of their products, is unquestionable. (The software is an other matter... I hate iTunes).
But it's not, in my opinion, that much of a leap compared to the competition, so that they can justify asking an arm and a leg for it.

You can get a Chinese 7" tablet for less than 100 euros. Apple is asking four (or is it five???) times that price for a 7" tablet made in China.
They can't even tell me that they have no child labor in their factories, as an incentive to buy their product...

 

[Rangers]

The quality of their products, is unquestionable. (The software is an other matter... I hate iTunes).
But it's not, in my opinion, that much of a leap compared to the competition, so that they can justify asking an arm and a leg for it.

You can get a Chinese 7" tablet for less than 100 euros. Apple is asking four (or is it five???) times that price for a 7" tablet made in China.
They can't even tell me that they have no child labor in their factories, as an incentive to buy their product...

Far be it from me to defend Apple, but isn't it a 8.something inch tablet? And it's 349 at least here in the states...

I hate Apple, but I do admit they make quality workmanship products. My brother's iPad 1 is still trucking along brilliantly despite only 256 MB of RAM and a big dent in the back. I have to admit he got his moneys worth.

 

[betan]

Well Apple is not that expensive if you look at the overall quality of their products, the constant complain on their prices is a tad exaggerated and coming from people that do not want to buy their product anyway.

Apple products are definitely expensive (compared to competition), the question is whether they are overpriced as well.

Though Google is another matter, Google ships hardware as good as it can get for the lowest price it can get. I think that is why ultimately they did not green light their Nexus Q.
...
If they enter the market they will be cheap, online will be free, with sane hardware I' willing to see what people on budget will do.

I do not want to see an Ouya like console from Google, which seems to be what you are describing.
Give me some next-gen competitor with innovative stuff.

Far be it from me to defend Apple, but isn't it a 8.something inch tablet? And it's 349 at least here in the states...

Ipad mini is 7.9-inch and you can find it for ~$300 now.

I hate Apple, but I do admit they make quality workmanship products. My brother's iPad 1 is still trucking along brilliantly despite only 256 MB of RAM and a big dent in the back. I have to admit he got his moneys worth.

Their products seem to have a lot going for them at least in terms of build quality when you first 'experience' them, but having gone through iphone 4, ipod nano, ipod shuffle, ipad mini and many headphones/headsets, I feel like the only product I end up liking is ipad shuffle (3rd gen).

 

[ERP]

I don't see the point of Google making a Ouja like console, they'll never sell enough to make any significant difference to the monetization of their App store.
I guess if their concern is Apple and a TV presence it might make sense.

My best guess is they're trying to get more traditional games on whatever device they are working on, probably with a business model closer to the app store, which probably means they aren't aiming at $1.99 games.

 

[liolio]

Apple products are definitely expensive (compared to competition), the question is whether they are overpriced as well.

That is an argument that has been beaten to death in the core section, I won't even go there.

I do not want to see an Ouya like console from Google, which seems to be what you are describing.
Give me some next-gen competitor with innovative stuff.

I don't think that is what I'm describing at all, I stated they need hardware, above the Wiiu, and that is doable for cheap (or will on 22nm).
Competition in the highly subsidize, on the verge of unsustainable, segment won't happen in my opinion. Something bridging the gap between the PS180 and the mobile realm, I wish it does.

Ipad mini is 7.9-inch and you can find it for ~$300 now.

Their products seem to have a lot going for them at least in terms of build quality when you first 'experience' them, but having gone through iphone 4, ipod nano, ipod shuffle, ipad mini and many headphones/headsets, I feel like the only product I end up liking is ipad shuffle (3rd gen).

I'm not objective with Apple, be it their phones, mac or what not, I just don't get it why people like it, think it is easy, etc. Let say it doesn't ring with me at all.

 

[dagamer]

I don't see the point of Google making a Ouja like console, they'll never sell enough to make any significant difference to the monetization of their App store.
I guess if their concern is Apple and a TV presence it might make sense.

My best guess is they're trying to get more traditional games on whatever device they are working on, probably with a business model closer to the app store, which probably means they aren't aiming at $1.99 games.

It'll be a media device that just happens to play games, not a game device that plays media. The former is easier to mass market than the latter.

And the reason for this is that we are ripe for an upheaval in the way content is delivered to televisions at home. As great as YouTube is for a monetization platform, YouTube ads still aren't on the two largest players in the $99 set top box arena: Apple TV and Roku (heck, they have no YouTube at all). And while YouTube is a great backend for playing video, it's a terrible front-end for discovering content, because we think of YouTube as short clips, not for full-length shows.

Google also lacks a smartphone-to-living room play which Apple and Microsoft both have. It's the next logical step.

 

[ERP]

Whatever play they are making they seem pretty serious about the game side of it, they're hiring people with history in the console market and talking to at least some publishers.
They could make a play for the living room, much the same way apple has without that investment.
I don't doubt that media integration is a big part of their strategy though.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

What Google should do is release a controller that works with all the existing Google devices, comes with a load of games, and support TV out (either from device or some extra wireless video dongle thing). I tried my ASUS FT101 on TV and it worked fine, but Dungeon Defenders was a mess to play. If I could do that, using it's HDMI and a controller, and play like a PS3, the potential for PSN type games is enormous IMO. Many of the games I play these days aren't AAA 3D uberfests, and an Android device would be enough. It's just the control scheme that sucks and lack of unified TV out. Heck, mandate HDMI as standard and every mobile device becomes a console in waiting.

 

[dagamer]

What Google should do is release a controller that works with all the existing Google devices, comes with a load of games, and support TV out (either from device or some extra wireless video dongle thing). I tried my ASUS FT101 on TV and it worked fine, but Dungeon Defenders was a mess to play. If I could do that, using it's HDMI and a controller, and play like a PS3, the potential for PSN type games is enormous IMO. Many of the games I play these days aren't AAA 3D uberfests, and an Android device would be enough. It's just the control scheme that sucks and lack of unified TV out. Heck, mandate HDMI as standard and every mobile device becomes a console in waiting.

The problem is that their current laissez faire approach to Android is pretty much proof that will never happen. They can't even get their OEMs to drop the freaking menu button which Google stopped officially supporting in Android 4.0. Or mandating that OEMs have the same buttons in the same order on every Android phone (why on earth the back button is on the right on the Galaxy S3 and S4 just annoys me). Not to mention you'd need to deal with draining the battery while gaming on your phone. You get maybe 5-6 hours max on most smartphones.

It's a complicated web as Ouya learned the hard way. If only it was as simple as just throwing some parts together, making a controller, and releasing an SDK.

 

[Proelite]

The console is basically a lower powered Xbox One clone. There is voice and motion controls. The device is smaller than Ouya.

It's not a high end gaming product.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Not to mention you'd need to deal with draining the battery while gaming on your phone. You get maybe 5-6 hours max on most smartphones.

You plug it in, like any other console.

It's a complicated web as Ouya learned the hard way. If only it was as simple as just throwing some parts together, making a controller, and releasing an SDK.

Ouya's shot itself in the foot by having no software. Google already has the software. By rolling out a controller and OS update, they wouldn't need to carefully manage the platform. There may be some buggy games and apps, but the sheer number of devices means they can ignore the problem and still get zillions of customers. The problem Android has is games can't rely on a controller-base to make decent controller games. Solve that and the rest should take care of itself.

 

[tuna]

The problem is that their current laissez faire approach to Android is pretty much proof that will never happen. They can't even get their OEMs to drop the freaking menu button which Google stopped officially supporting in Android 4.0. Or mandating that OEMs have the same buttons in the same order on every Android phone (why on earth the back button is on the right on the Galaxy S3 and S4 just annoys me).

What incentive have Google to do all that? They have the absolute #1 OS in the world right now, they do not want to kill that.

 

[wco81]

#1 OS but not making any money from it.

So if they leave behind some older devices, what have they got to lose?

Or exclude a lot of cheap devices sold in the developing world or for low-end markets (sub $150 devices).

 

[liolio]

#1 OS but not making any money from it.

So if they leave behind some older devices, what have they got to lose?

Or exclude a lot of cheap devices sold in the developing world or for low-end markets (sub $150 devices).

Does Google care about making money on Android?
For them Android is just a mean for the users to get to their online services and their Appstore.
They want to maximize those profits that bad that they give it for free.
Idem with their hardware, they give it for "free" /make no money on it.

EDIT
People speaking of Ouya are just wishing Google to fail or to be stupid imo. Ouya doesn't have the hardware necessary to run multiple instances of some "demanding" Android games. I don't see low budget game developer starting to develop for split screen, etc. even if Google has a "console", it will be useless on a lot of (most) Android devices. The console would have imo to be able to runs multiple instances.
An obvious leverage of Google position (and market share in the OS and phones/tablets realm) would be to have multi-session, people in a room can sign into the device with their phone and play for example 4players MP (split screen) + giving the option to more player be it locally or not to join it playing through other devices (from phones to tablets or other consoles).

That is for Android games, imo it should be doable to push more and if their negotiations with publishers go well they could get port for the big AAA games, this year the ps360 will get ports, technically it is doable especially as I don't think Google will launch anytime soon.

Google has a lot of work to do, from the OS to put to good use their cloud infrastructure to the publishers, though I don't think that they are stupid enough to waste time on shipping a Google Tv +. That will get them nowhere and is a waste of time and money.
All Google devices get you a lot for the price, if you look at a 99$ Google TV, it is their worst deal (if you compare to what you get for 199$ with the Nexus 7 or 299$ with the Nexus 4) and yet add 50$ and you could do something interesting.

I think that they have a clear shot and partners would be willing to follow if Google sets the path, you have Ouya but also Madcatz and more interesting Nvidia shield.
To me the display of negativity about something still unknown, when ERP stated that they are working on something "game oriented", etc. says nothing about what Google will do or could do but only about hard core geeks people conservatism or biaises.
Google is in an interesting position there is a lot they can do or try, I see plenty of opportunities for them, if I go with the SWOT approach, I see relatively few "weaknesess" and ~no threat tobusiness bottom line. Imo they almost have "free shot" at trying, whatever progress they make on the process even if it fails ultimately will be useful for Android devices (cloud infrastructures, better API, more stremlined MP integration, change wrt OS), those R&D expenses should be easily leverage in the field they are already dominant.

 

[Daozang]

Far be it from me to defend Apple, but isn't it a 8.something inch tablet? And it's 349 at least here in the states...

I hate Apple, but I do admit they make quality workmanship products. My brother's iPad 1 is still trucking along brilliantly despite only 256 MB of RAM and a big dent in the back. I have to admit he got his moneys worth.

You are correct, it's 360 euros here. (just checked)
And I did say that they are unmatched when it comes to quality!

 

[wco81]

Google ultimately cares about making money off Android. They want to drive mobile ad revenues and the more devices there are, the more that potential market is.

They're a for-profit company. They're not developing and giving away Android for altruistic reasons.

 

[tuna]

Google ultimately cares about making money off Android. They want to drive mobile ad revenues and the more devices there are, the more that potential market is.

They're a for-profit company. They're not developing and giving away Android for altruistic reasons.

They also want to make sure that nobody else have them by the balls. If there were lots of other mobile OSs out there we might see a lot more Apple maps situations.

 

[wco81]

Well they still made more money off iOS than Android, as of the testimony in the Oracle case.

A lot of those Android devices are bought by people who don't use too many apps. or browse too much on their phones.

 

[patsu]

The quality of their products, is unquestionable. (The software is an other matter... I hate iTunes).
But it's not, in my opinion, that much of a leap compared to the competition, so that they can justify asking an arm and a leg for it.

You can get a Chinese 7" tablet for less than 100 euros. Apple is asking four (or is it five???) times that price for a 7" tablet made in China.
They can't even tell me that they have no child labor in their factories, as an incentive to buy their product...

I have one of those 99 bucks Chinese 7" tablet. I don't think you want to compare it with the iPad mini. The OS can lock up if you do the wrong/unexpected thing. Battery life is terrible after a while (1-2 hours for me). Build quality is lousy. Display is blurry. Don't drop it !

I dropped my iPad mini 5-6 times on concrete flooring (at chest height) and it's still running. One of my most favourite devices these days.



iTunes on PC and Mac is indeed getting bloated. The iOS music player is so so, not bad or outstanding. The one in iOS7 is very useful and simple because of iRadio.

Edit:

Far be it from me to defend Apple, but isn't it a 8.something inch tablet? And it's 349 at least here in the states...

I hate Apple, but I do admit they make quality workmanship products. My brother's iPad 1 is still trucking along brilliantly despite only 256 MB of RAM and a big dent in the back. I have to admit he got his moneys worth.

8 inches because the screen is wider for better reading experience.

 

[wco81]

HOw are the ads in iRadio?

Well maybe in a beta it's not bad but it's just visual ads or will there be audio ads inserted?