Making a set-top box with the Google TV Streamer was a design departure for modern Google hardware — there was of course the Nexus Player — and the team today explained some of the decisions they took.
“We were bringing it out from behind the television set, so it needed to be something people are happy to have on their credenza,” says Isabelle Olsson, VP for home design.
Google says the oval shape makes the “device extremely stable.” Specifically, “extra weight wasn’t necessary to make sure it sat solidly.” The oblong pill design also “maximized heat dissipation to protect its internal components.”
Before the launch, we were speculating that the wide surface would be ideal for Tap to Cast functionality with your phone, but there is no Ultra Wideband (UWB).
That slight slant of the top surface helps make the device appear thinner and lighter, with Google not wanting to distract from your television:
“So if someone has to have their television sit lower on the wall or on a table, the streamer isn’t in the way,” Isabelle says. “We have to consider all of the different ways a living room is set up.”
Google designers are also proud about a “floating effect that helped [them] hide a lot of the bulk of the cables,” with HDMI particularly hefty. You obviously need power (the USB-C port to USB-A charging brick is unfortunate), while Ethernet is optional.
With the new Voice Remote, Google didn’t want to drastically change it:
“People really like the remote, but we just thought, ‘Where can we do better?’” Isabelle says.
The longer shape makes it easier to handle, with Google moving the volume rocker to the face so that you can grip the remote using either hand and not make accidental adjustments.
Google also says it “refined” the curvature of the underside so it “doesn’t wobble when it’s set down.” It is still curved though, while there’s a textured back.
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