Aside from the Nexus 7, Google unveiled the Nexus Q, a small computer it’s touting as the world’s first social streaming media player.  The point of the device is to allow users to stream media directly from the cloud (namely Google Play) to your living room, eliminating the need for a spiderweb of wires that masks the beauty of your home.

So what would the Nexus Q bring to your home entertainment?

Here are the Top 5 features:

Made for Android – Using your Android phone or tablet, you can stream music and videos via Google Play or YouTube to your home’s entertainment system.

Get the party started – During a party, you can allow other Android users to stream their desired content without having to download any plugins.  So you never have to worry about not finding the right tunes to set the mood.  But if you only want your content to be streamed, just turn off “Guest Mode” and you’ll be the sole DJ at your party.

Music Manager – Nexus Q uploads your iTunes or Windows Media Player library to Google Play so that your collection is available anytime, anywhere.

As loud as you want – It features a state of the art, built-in audiophile-grade amplifier so you can hook your speakers to it or use an optical or HDMI cable to connect Nexus Q to your AV receiver or HDTV.

Volume control – Once the Nexus Q is hooked up, you can either control the volume by physically turning the top half of the Q or via your smartphone or tablet.  And if you want everything to be silent, as the cops are already outside because your neighbors are already complaining, just hit the top LED to completely mute the sound.

Google’s certainly inching its way into the living room, vying for your attention in a rapidly crowding space that’s been dominated by the game console for several years.  Apple, too, is hoping to edge out its rivals with a closed-loop system that runs your content across iDevices and streams them to your TV or stereo.

One perk Google can already boast is its cloud support for competing services like iTunes, and the Nexus Q itself is being prompted by Googlers for its “general hackability.”  There’s no telling what will come of the Nexus Q, or if it will even appeal to mainstream consumers.  As one of the earliest of Google’s hardware offerings, there’s a lot riding on this tiny sphere-shaped computer.