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Tag: Nexus 10

  • More HTC Nexus 10 Rumors Surface

    More HTC Nexus 10 Rumors Surface

    Apple and Samsung still dominate the tablet segment, but Google has managed to maintain a foothold in the industry in recent years through its Nexus tablet line.

    Through multiple iterations now Google has stuck with Asus as the manufacturer for its Nexus 7 tablets, a relationship that seems to have worked out well for both companies. Current industry rumors hold that Google and Asus have teamed-up once again on an upcoming eight-inch Nexus tablet.

    Google’s larger Nexus 10 tablet, on the other hand, was manufactured by Samsung. However, it now appears Google is turning to a different manufacturer to keep its 10-inch tablet line alive.

    A new DigiTimes report this week backs up rumors last week that HTC will be making the next Nexus 10 for Google. According to the report’s unnamed “industry sources,” the news is surprising given HTC’s revenue woes in 2013. The move also seems strange given the earlier talk that HTC might abandon the tablet market as a whole.

    As DigiTimes notes, HTC was Google’s first choice of partner for the Nexus 7 as the companies had previously teamed-up on the early Nexus One Android smartphone. HTC’s refusal to work with Google on the tablet led to the successful Asus/Google partnership and it now appears that HTC wants back into the fold. Given the limited success of the Samsung/Google Nexus 10, however, HTC may be too late to the Nexus party to make any impact.

    Image via Google

  • HTC Is Making A Tablet For Google [Report]

    HTC Is Making A Tablet For Google [Report]

    HTC isn’t doing so hot despite having one of the best reviewed smartphones of the year in 2013. While the company will try to turn it around in 2014 with a successor, it also may be working with Google on a new Nexus product.

    Focus Taiwan reports that HTC has won the bidding war that will see it produce the next high-end Google Nexus tablet. By high-end, we assume they mean the Nexus 10 which Samsung currently produces and has been producing since late 2012.

    If the above report is true, this would be big news for both HTC and Google. For HTC, it represents a chance to finally prove itself in the tablet space after its HTC Flyer and HTC Jetstream were both duds. For Google, it’s a chance to finally update its 10-inch tablet with something that can compete with the tablets that were revealed at CES back in January.

    Of course, this is merely a report out of a Taiwanese news channel. Its legitimacy can’t be discerned and HTC isn’t saying anything. For all we know, HTC could be only focusing on the M8 for the time being. Despite that, it’s hard to believe that HTC would pass up the chance to make a device for Google’s Nexus line. LG’s mobile business was in a similar state until it started producing Nexus handsets for Google starting with the Nexus 4. With a Nexus tablet under its belt, HTC might finally be a serious contender in the mobile space.

    The last we heard of the Nexus 10 was a leak from @evleaks back in October stating that Asus was making it. If this report is legit, something may have happened between then and now which led to HTC making it.

    Image via HTC

  • Google Is Having Asus Make The Nexus 10 [Rumor]

    Google Is Having Asus Make The Nexus 10 [Rumor]

    Asus and Google are the best of pals. The former makes the Nexus 7 for the latter, and the two couldn’t be happier with the sales. Now it looks like the two will be joining forces on Google’s upcoming 10-inch tablet as well.

    On Wednesday, @evleaks did what he does best and leaked some new information regarding Google’s Nexus 10:

    As you can see, the screenshot clearly says Asus Nexus 10. If true, that means Google has ditched Samsung in favor of having Asus make both of its Nexus tablets.

    What would necessitate this change in partner? It might be due to which tablet Google wanted to copy for its Nexus 10. Samsung has the Galaxy Note 10.1 while Asus has the new Transformer Pad Infinity. Both devices have a 2560×1600 display which the Nexus 10 is expected to also sport, and both sport similarly powerful CPUs. The Galaxy Note 10.1 rocks a 1.9GHz octa-core CPU while the Transformer Pad Infinity is equipped with Tegra 4 quad-core CPU clocked at 1.9GHz.

    If both tablets are so similar, is there any reason for Google to switch to Asus? My guess is that Asus offered Google the better deal on pricing. It could also be that Google just likes working with Asus and wants to involve the company in more of its hardware design. It’s all up in the air at this point, but we can probably say with little doubt that the Nexus 10 will be a rebranded Transformer Pad Infinity.

    [Image: @evleaks/Twitter]
    [h/t: CNET UK]

  • Google To Introduce A New 11-Inch Tablet This Year [Rumor]

    At Google I/O last year, Google showed that it was serious about making Android a serious contender in the tablet space with the Nexus 7. It inched in on Apple’s turf later that year with the Nexus 10, a Samsung-built tablet sporting the largest resolution yet seen on a mobile device. Now Google may be teaming up with Samsung to do it all over again.

    SamMobile reports that Samsung and Google are teaming up in 2013 to bring a Nexus 11 to market. The rumored tablet would feature an 11-inch display, a 8MP back-facing camera, a 2MP front-facing camera, and an Exynos Octa-core processor. The CPU is notable as it would be the first tablet to feature an octa-core processor. Samsung’s newest octa-core CPU has only been made available in the international Galaxy S4 thus far.

    Of course, Samsung doesn’t intend to let Google have all the fun. The company is rumored to also be releasing an 11-inch tablet under its own Galaxy Tab brand. The rumored Galaxy Tab 11 would feature the same specs as the Nexus 7, but it would be powered by a dual-core Exynos CPU to cut down on costs.

    As for other tablets, the report says that Samsung is planning to release a new Galaxy Tab 7 and Tab 8 later this year. The company is already releasing a Wi-Fi and 3G capable 7-inch Galaxy Tab 3 in May, but the rumored Galaxy Tab 7 would come with dual-sim support for those who frequently travel or want to operate on two carriers.

    All of this is just a rumor for now, but most of it sounds pretty legit. The Nexus 11 sounds like a natural evolution of Google’s Nexus line. As for Samsung’s other tablets, it loves to release its Galaxy Tab and Note hardware in multiple sizes. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more Galaxy Tabs in the coming months.

  • Tumblr Android App Now Supports Tablets

    Tumblr Android App Now Supports Tablets

    Social networks that sprung up and became popular before the mobile boom are now working to move onto mobile. One such service is tumblr and its mobile presence just got a little stronger on Android.

    Tumblr announced today that it has released an update for its Android app that adds compatibility for tablets. Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 users can rejoice as they can update their blogs straight from their mobile devices. It’s assumed that the app will also work with a variety of Android tablets from Samsung, Acer and Lenovo. As for other changes, the updated app brings a new Following screen and a few design updates.

    Tumblr Android App Now Supports Tablets

    While Android tablet owners can now have an optimized Tumblr experience, iPad owners are left out in the cold. Tumblr on iOS is still only available for iPhone and iPod Touch. Sure, the app will work on an iPad, but it’s not been optimized.

    That being said, an iPad app should be available soon. It would be a little strange to only release tablet optimization for Android and not the iPad. There are too many “artists” who frequent Tumblr via iOS to ignore that part of the user population. At this point, however, you should probably hope that a Christmas miracle gets that iPad app out before the end of the year.

    Android users can grab the latest update to the Tumblr app from Google Play right now. Those who use Tumblr on their Android phones will want to update as well for the new Following screen and small design updates.

    [h/t: The Next Web]

  • Google Is Fixing The December Bug In Android 4.2

    The latest mobile OS from Google – Android 4.2 – has been found to contain a few bugs that ruin the experience for some Nexus device users. The bugs seem to be specifically affecting those on the Nexus 7, Nexus 10 and Galaxy Nexus. One bug in particular deleted December from the People app, but Google is already on it.

    Google acknowledged the bug yesterday on the Android Google+ page, and said that the Android team was already busy on a fix. The team also clarified that the bug only affects the people app, and that December is still available on the calendar app.

    Android

    Android1 day ago

    We discovered a bug in the Android 4.2 update, which makes it impossible to enter December events in optional fields of the People app (this bug did not affect Calendar). Rest assured, this will be fixed soon so that those of you with December birthdays and anniversaries won't be forgotten by your friends and family. 2784    500 Powered by socialditto

    Google is fixing the most visible bug in Android 4.2, but users are hoping that Googles gets a few more fixes in before the end of the year. As we reported yesterday, some users are experiencing everything from random crashes to batteries that drain faster than usual.

    It should be noted that commenters in yesterday’s story let us know that their devices running Android 4.2 aren’t actually giving them any problems. The issues don’t seem to be widespread just yet, but the fact that they’re affecting more than just a few users is a problem.

    [h/t: Droid Life]

  • Google Nexus 4 Sells Out In Less Than An Hour

    As promised, Google’s Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 both went on sale this morning. Both devices have proven to be pretty popular, but the Nexus 4 may just be Google’s most popular device yet.

    The Next Web reports that the Nexus 4 sold out on the Google Play store in about 50 minutes this morning. If you check the store, both the 8GB and 16GB variants are sold out. Customers who missed out can enter their email address so they’ll be the first to know when it’s back in stock.

    Google Nexus 4 Sells Out

    The Nexus 4 isn’t just doing well in the US. There are reports that that the new smartphone has sold out in the UK and in Germany. Germany was by far the most impressive with its initial allotment selling out in about 15 minutes.

    The Nexus 10, Google’s new 10-inch tablet, is doing pretty well for itself too. The 16GB variant is still in stock, but the 32GB variant sold out this morning. The Next Web reports that the Nexus 10 has also sold out in the UK.

    The rate at which Nexus devices sell out proves that Google is doing something right. It’s probably the combination of solid hardware with low prices, but the devices being equipped with stock Android may have something to do with it too. There’s something to be said about having a pure experience, and Android on Nexus devices provide that kind of experience.

  • iPad Market Share Falling, Samsung & Amazon Rising

    iPad Market Share Falling, Samsung & Amazon Rising

    New shipment data from IDC shows that Apple’s share of the overall tablet market has fallen to just over 50%. Meanwhile, Samsung, Amazon, and Asus have seen their shares of the tablet market explode. The entire market for tablets grew 49.5% since the third quarter of 2012.

    “After a very strong second quarter, Apple saw growth slow as both consumer and commercial (including education) shipments declined, and rumors of a forthcoming iPad mini began to heat up,” said Tom Mainelli, research director for tablets at IDC. “We believe a sizable percentage of consumers interested in buying an Apple tablet sat out the third quarter in anticipation of an announcement about the new iPad mini. Now that the new mini, and a fourth-generation full-sized iPad, are both shipping we expect Apple to have a very good quarter. However, we believe the mini’s relatively high $329 starting price leaves plenty of room for Android vendors to build upon the success they achieved in the third quarter.”

    Apple just today announced that it has sold three million new iPads (iPad 4) during its first three days of availability. The iPad Mini has failed to garner the same excitement other Apple product have seen. Android tablet makers have capitalized on this fact, with Amazon even running an aggressive homepage comparison between the iPad Mini and its Kindle Fire HD.

    Still, Apple is shipping over half of all tablets. Samsung is racing to catch up and currently has an 18.4% share of the tablet market. This is up from 6.5% just one year ago. Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets account for a full 9% of tablets shipped, with Asus, the makers of Google’s Nexus 7 tablet, close behind with 8.6%.

    It’s clear that the low-priced mini-tablet market is going to become a big part of the overall tablet market in the coming year. It’s also clear that Apple was late to the mini-tablet game, and that it may have priced itself too high for that particular market.

  • Is The Nexus 10 Better Than The Fourth Generation iPad?

    Is The Nexus 10 Better Than The Fourth Generation iPad?

    Apple fired a shot across Google’s bow last week with the reveal of the iPad Mini. The company even went as far as directly comparing its new mini-tablet to Google’s Nexus 7 tablet. Google fired right back on Monday with the Nexus 10, a new 10-inch tablet that just might beat the recently upgraded fourth generation iPad at its own game.

    Droid Life created a handy comparison chart between the two devices that stacks up each device’s respective specs side-by-side. There are some differences that shoppers will need to take into account as we head into the holiday shopping season.

    Nexus 10 Better Than Retina Display iPad

    Let’s start with the Nexus 10’s main selling point – the display. The Nexus 10 has a resolution of 2560×1600 which puts it a hair above the iPad’s 2048×1536 retina display. Both displays are going to look gorgeous no matter how you look at it. Android and Apple fans will tell you one is better than the other for a variety of reasons, but know that you’re getting a quality display out of either device.

    Beyond display, performance is where things really matter. The new iPad features an A6X dual-core processor that Apple claims is twice as fast as the A5X that powered the third generation iPad. The Nexus 10 is powered by Samsung’s top of the line Exynos 5 A15 processor. Both of these processors are extremely powerful, but we’ll have to wait until benchmark tests come out to declare a definitive winner.

    For now, many iPad games and other applications may run better since they are built specifically for the iPad. A lot of Android apps are built specifically for smartphones and upscaled for tablets. Google needs to get Android developers to start making apps specifically for tablets if they want to compete on a fair level with the iPad.

    Everything else is pretty similar across both tablets except for price and network abilities. The Nexus 10 will only have a Wi-Fi option at launch whereas the fourth generation iPad can take advantage of LTE networks for mobile communications. Of course, going the LTE route jacks up the iPad price to $629 for the 16GB model.

    Going with Wi-Fi alone, the Nexus 10 also presents the better deal. A 16GB Nexus 10 will run you $399 whereas the Wi-Fi 16GB fourth generation iPad costs $499. At that price, you could get the 32GB Nexus 10.

    Chances are you’re going to be shopping for a tablet this holiday season. As far as 10-inch tablets go, the iPad 4 and Nexus 10 are the best you can get. You can’t go wrong with either one. It’s either going to come down to price or the quality of apps when deciding between the two. Go with the Nexus 10 if you want a cheaper tablet that has the potential to outperform the fourth generation iPad. On the other hand, you should go with the iPad if you want a large collection of apps that are built with the retina display in mind.

  • Google Announces Its New Line Of Nexus Devices

    Google Announces Its New Line Of Nexus Devices

    Google’s Android event set for this morning was canceled due to the vicious weather currently hitting New York City in the form of Hurricane Sandy. Some wondered if Google would also delay the expected announcements such as the Nexus 4 and Nexus 10. Thankfully, Google knows that we can’t wait and decided to unveil the new devices via their blog.

    First up, Google confirmed the rumors that LG would be making the Nexus 4 smartphone. All the specs are also confirmed including the 4.7-inch display. The device will come equipped with Android 4.2, which is still called Jelly Bean. It features Gesture Typing, which Google says “lets you glide your finger over the letters you want to type on the keyboard.” The new Jelly Bean also adds support for Miracast wireless displays so you can watch movies, YouTube videos and other media on an HDTV without the use of cables.

    The Nexus 4 will be available in two flavors – 8GB and 16GB. The unlocked 8GB will set you back $299 while the unlocked 16GB will cost $349. T-Mobile will be offerring the 16GB Nexus 4 for $199 under contract. It will be available from the Google Play store on November 13.

    All of the rumors concerning the Nexus 10 have also been confirmed. The device sports a massive 2560×1600 resolution. They claim it has a powerful battery that offers up to nine hours of HD video playback. It also features two front-facing stereo speakers.

    Android 4.2 on the Nexus 10 will have the previously rumored sharing feature. It allows multiple accounts to be created on one tablet so every family member can custom tailor the device to their needs.

    The Nexus 10 will also be available on November 13 from the Google Play store. The 16GB version wil cost $399 while the 32GB will cost $499.

    As for the Nexus 7, Google confirmed the size increase. The 16GB Nexus 7 will cost $199 and the 32GB will cost $249. In even better news, Nexus 7 is also going mobile with HSPA+. The 32GB HSPA+ Nexus 7 will cost $299. Current owners of the Nexus 7 will be upgraded to Android 4.2 in the near future.

    Google Play is also getting a new feature in the form of music matching. Every Android device will now scan your personal music collection and match it against the music catalog on Google Play. All matches will be made immediately available for streaming from Google Play. The feature will be available in Europe on November 13 and in the US soon after.

    Here’s the first look at the new Nexus devices:

  • Google Android Event Canceled Due To Hurricane Sandy

    Google Android Event Canceled Due To Hurricane Sandy

    Hurricane Sandy has been slowly moving its way up the east coast. It’s expected to hit New York City later tonight or early Tuesday morning. The impending storm has halted anything and everything in and around New York City.

    Google has canceled its Android event due to take place this morning in New York City. The company has yet to reschedule the event, but I can’t see it being delayed over a week. Apple and Microsoft already had their events last week so Google can’t afford to hold it off for much longer.

    Leaks and rumors suggested that Google was going to show off a number of new additions to its Nexus line of tablets and smartphones. First up, it’s already been pretty much confirmed that LG is making the Nexus 4. The phone sports a 4.7-inch 1280×768 screen and it’s powered by a 1.5GHz Quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor. Even more interesting, it sports the newest version of Android – 4.2.

    The other major hardware addition to the Nexus line is rumored to be the Nexus 10 – a 10-inch tablet built by Samsung. The device has been pretty much confirmed as images of the manual and the device itself have leaked to the Web. It’s rumored that the Nexus 10 will sport a resolution of 2560×1600. It will also be equipped with the Android 4.2 operating system.

    On a final note, it was rumored that the event would bring some upgrades to Google’s current Nexus line as well. Specifically, the 8GB Nexus 7 would be getting the axe while the 16GB Nexus 7 would be dropped to $199. Taking its place would be a 32GB Nexus 7 for $249.

    Google will most likely have a new date for its Android event before the end of the week. We’ll let you know when the new date is and we’ll be sure to bring you all the news from the rescheduled event.

    [h/t: Droid Life]

  • Samsung Nexus 10 Tablet Photos Leaked

    Samsung Nexus 10 Tablet Photos Leaked

    In the current tech climate, it’s a given that no device will stay truly secret until its announcement. This is especially true with Apple, where nearly every detail of their devices is known before they are announced. As Samsung continues to sell smartphones at an incredible rate and consolidate its hold over the Android device market, it too has become the subject of analysts who pour over every aspect of the Chinese manufacturing industry for device rumors.

    Google is expected to announce several Nexus devices at its big event on Monday, October 29. Perhaps the most anticipated of those devices is Samsung’s Nexus 10, a 10-inch tablet reported to be positioned as a rival to Apple’s iPad. Today, BriefMobile posted over a dozen leaked photos of the device.

    In general, the tablet looks like a larger version of the Nexus 7, but it also bears some resemblance to Samsung’s recently released Galaxy Note 10.1. Of course, being a Nexus tablet gives the Nexus 10 an advantage when it comes to software, since it will undoubtedly run a purer version of Android than can be found on many Android devices. In fact, the Nexus 10 is rumored to come with Android 4.2, which hasn’t even been announced yet. Also, Nexus devices have historically been among the first devices to receive operating system upgrades, which can be a frustration for users who wait months (or forever) for Android updates.

    No other details about the device have been released, but a leaked manual for the product that hit the web earlier this week shows the tablet will have front and rear cameras and a Micro HDMI port.

    (Photo via BriefMobile)

  • Samsung Nexus 10 Manual Leak Hits The Web [Rumor]

    Samsung Nexus 10 Manual Leak Hits The Web [Rumor]

    One of the more persistent rumors regarding Google’s Android event next week is the existence of a 10-inch tablet from Samsung. Its rumored name is the Nexus 10 and will give the new retina display-equipped iPad a run for its money. The name might not be a rumor anymore thanks to a leak.

    Korean site Seeko recently published two images of what appears to be the user manual for the Nexus 10. The pictures only show the front of the manual and two pages from the inside, but it’s enough to see that Samsung is indeed making what looks to be a 10-inch tablet from Google.

    Samsung Nexus 10 Manual Leaked

    Samsung Nexus 10 Manual Leaked

    It’s important to note that these images can’t be verified. This is still all a rumor at this point as Google has not many any announcements in regards to a new tablet. With that being said, the manual does look legitimate enough.

    It’s a little unfortunate that the latest leak can’t confirm the latest rumors on the device’s specs. It’s rumored to have a massive 2560×1600 display. The device is also rumored to be running the next generation of Android – version 4.2.

    The pictures in the manual make it look like the Nexus 10 will be a Galaxy Tab in Google makeup. It remains to be seen if the innards of the device will be comparable to the Galaxy Tab though. The massive screen resolution suggests that the specs will be similar, if not superior, to that of the Galaxy Tab 2.

    [h/t: The Verge]

  • Google Is Working With Samsung On A 10-Inch Tablet [Rumor]

    Google Is Working With Samsung On A 10-Inch Tablet [Rumor]

    There were rumors back in June that Google was preparing to launch a 10-inch version of its Nexus 7 tablet. There was little info at the time beyond the size of the display. Thanks to an analyst with NPD, we now know much more.

    Speaking to CNET, an analyst with NPD’s DisplaySearch said that Google would be launching a 10-inch tablet with Samsung in the future. It would be different from the Nexus 7 in that it would be marketed as a high-end device. The Nexus 7 is currently marketed as a cheap alternative to other tablets on the market.

    So what would go into a high-end tablet from Google and Samsung? The analyst says the tablet would sport a 2560×1600 resolution with a PPI of 299. That’s significantly higher than the retina display on the new iPad. As for other specs, we’re still in the dark.

    The Nexus 7 is ostensibly a Google device even though it was manufactured by Asus. Google will not take the same approach with its 10-inch tablet as the company will reportedly co-brand the tablet with Samsung.

    Unfortunately for Motorola, it’s looking more and more like Google just acquired the company for their patents. Google seems to be more interested in producing hardware with other manufacturers instead of its own manufacturing arm in Motorola. It might be for the best as Samsung is now the most trusted and well known name in the Android marketplace.

    In other news, the analyst also confirmed to CNET that Google is indeed working on a $99 tablet. He wouldn’t say who is making the tablet or any specs, but it is indeed coming. Production will start in December, however, which leaves Google out of the lucrative holiday season. It does spare the rumored tablet from the wrath of the iPad Mini which is expected to launch later this month or early next month.