I think Google's Nexus phone/tablet approach of partnering with manufacturers, co-branding the devices, but ultimately having it sold as a Google product first and foremost is a great idea, and is in keeping with Google's A/B testing philosophy. You try one manufacturer, then the next one, etc. and see what works. The manufacturers are forced to compete for your business, which leads to better products. I've read that Apple does this on some level with some of their suppliers -- though Foxconn has pretty much become the go-to facility, many other suppliers and manufacturers have worked to gain Apple's business in Shenzhen. Obviously the end result is an Apple-branded product with no Foxconn logo on it, and, yes, Apple does micromanage the design details more than Google has with the Nexus phones, but ultimately, I think the approaches have more similarities than they do major differences.

Re: the Nexus Q, one interesting point I heard on NPR today that I don't think has gotten a lot of mention is that the device is going to be assembled in the U.S. with U.S. labor, which explains why it's so expensive relative to comparable devices. It's an interesting decision, and should help root out how many people will put their money where their mouth is when it comes to being against cheap foreign labor (my guess is it won't be that many.)

I think people know that Android == Google, and that HTC, Samsung, Motorola, etc. are all just people who make "Android phones" (the recent Moto acquisition notwithstanding -- still not sure exactly how that will play out long-term.) The manufacturers have tried to differentiate with UIs and whatnot, but it's all part of the Google mothership, and I think there's broad recognition of that. Maybe an individual manufacturer won't like that deal, but ultimately I think it works for both parties, and there's nothing really to be gained by Google in scratching off the Asus name, or by Asus in minimizing the Google branding.