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Tag: nexus 7

  • Google Gets Into The Tablets For Education Business

    The education sector has become big business for tech companies in recent years thanks to classrooms embracing new technologies like tablets and educational software. Apple and Amazon are both big players in the tablets for education arena, and now Google is tossing its hat in as well.

    Google announced today its launching a new education initiative called Tablets with Google Play for Education. As the name implies, Google will be working with schools to supply students with Android tablets and the necessary educational software for each grade.

    Here’s how Google describes it:

    Google Play for Education is an extension of Google Play designed for schools. Here educators can discover apps approved by teachers for teachers, as well as educational videos and a collection of classic books for their classroom. Teachers can search for approved apps by grade, subject and standard, including Common Core, pay using a purchase order, and deploy the content to students instantly.

    So, what about the tablets? Starting now, schools can purchase Nexus 7 tablets from Google starting at $229 per tablet. Early next year, Google’s offerings will expand to include the 10-inch ASUS Transformer Pad and the 8-inch HP Slate 8 Pro. Google will also charge a $30 management fee for every tablet running Google Play for Education.

    While this program will now be rolling out across the U.S., Google had New Jersey’s Hillsborough Township Public School system try out Tablets with Google Play for Education a while back. Here are the results:

    If you want to learn more about Google Apps for Education or the tablet program, check out Google’s education Web site.

    [Image: Google in Education/YouTube]

  • New Nexus 7 Won’t Work On Verizon Until It Gets KitKat

    This year’s Nexus 7 supported 4G LTE networks right out of the gate on AT&T, T-Mobile and any other GSM network. As such, it should have been as easy as buying the unlocked tablet and activating it for Verizon subscribers. What those subscribers found, however, was that Verizon was giving them the run around as it refused to activate the tablets on its network. Now the carrier finally has a reason.

    Speaking to Android Police, a Verizon spokesperson said that its refusal to activate the Nexus 7 on its network all came down to a “systems issue” discovered in Jelly Bean. Instead of working together to fix the problem, Verizon claims Google told it to hold off on certifying the device until it got KitKat.

    Here’s the full statement:

    During the certification process for the Nexus 7, Google, Asus and Verizon uncovered a systems issue that required Google and Asus to undertake additional work with the Jelly Bean OS running on the device. Since Google was about to launch its new Kit Kat OS, rather than undertake this work, Google and Asus asked Verizon to suspend its certification process until Google’s new OS was available on the Nexus 7.

    So, what does this mean for the Verizon subscriber with a brand new LTE-capable Nexus 7? You’re probably going to have to wait for a few more weeks as Google’s rollout of new Android versions to previous Nexus devices usually takes a long time. My Nexus 7 from 2012 didn’t get Android 4.3 until three weeks after it debuted in July. While my experience may vary from yours, you may be in for a long wait until you can activate your new tablet on Verizon. As for AT&T and T-Mobile subscribers, you can just buy a Nexus 7 with a carrier-specific SIM already installed.

    [Image: Google Play]

  • 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]

  • New Nexus 7 Predicted to Sell 3.5 Million This Year

    Since Google’s first 7-inch tablet, the Nexus 7, was announced last year, shipments of Android tablets have risen quickly. Though the iPad Mini provides strong competition, a slew of low-priced, 7-inch Android devices led by the Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire have begun to take over living rooms across the western world.

    Last month, Google announced the first refresh of the Nexus 7. The new tablet will have a faster CPU, a much faster GPU, and a full 1080p display. With the mini-tablet market now fully established, the new version of Google’s device is expected to sell well.

    Taiwanese publication DigiTimes is reporting that predictions for the Nexus 7’s 2013 sales are as high as 3.5 million units. The original Nexus 7 has sold around 6 million units since its debut one year ago.

    The report’s unnamed “sources with Taiwan’s supply chain” are cited as saying Google could sell even more Nexus 7s, if they were to offer the tablets in China. Though Taiwanese company Asus is the hardware partner for the Nexus 7, the device is not likely to be approved for sale in China. This is due to Google’s highly-publicized break from the Chinese market in 2010 over internet censorship concerns.

    (via DigiTimes)

  • Your Nexus 7 Getting A Little Slow? Android 4.3 Should Fix That

    Google introduced the new Nexus 7 last week, and some consumers will have already upgraded to the latest model. Others, however, will hold onto last year’s Nexus 7 even if its performance has diminished somewhat over the last year. Fret not, frugal consumer, as the promised Android 4.3 update will make your old Nexus 7 feel brand new again.

    Anandtech reports that Android 4.3 includes support for a feature called fstrim. Think of it like a defragmentation tool for the flash memory inside your Nexus 7. In Android 4.2, the OS would continue to look at memory blocks that used to house data even if the data in question had been deleted. This could lead to serious performance issues, but that’s all been fixed in Android 4.3.

    In the latest version of Android, the fstrim tells your OS that it no longer has to monitor data blocks that used to hold data. This allows the OS to focus on data blocks that actually house data instead of the ghosts left behind by deleted games, movies and music.

    As you can probably already guess, the advantages to Android users are immediately apparent. You will no longer have to deal with decreased performance as you download, install and delete apps, music and movies.

    The new feature isn’t just restricted to the old and new Nexus 7 either. Any device that’s upgraded to Android 4.3 will be able to take advantage of better data management. You should see performance increases in devices like the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 4 as well.

    Of course, you may be wondering where your Android 4.3 upgrade is. At the new Nexus 7 reveal, Google said it would start pushing out the upgrade later that day, but these things happen in waves. It could be a few weeks before you get Android 4.3, but it will definitely be worth the wait.

    For all the other new stuff in Android 4.3, check out our previous coverage.

  • Tablet Sales to Pick Up Later This Year, Shows Analyst Survey

    It’s taken only a few short years since the debut of the iPhone for U.S. smartphone adoption to begin to slow, and now it appears that tablets are saturating the U.S. market just as fast.

    The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) this week revealed its market research outlook for the tablet market in the coming quarter. The report shows that 41% of “online U.S. consumers” already own a tablet. A further 40% intend to purchase a tablet within the next two years, and 72% plan to purchase a tablet at some point.

    Many U.S. consumers appear to be waiting until the fall to make their tablet purchases, though. New tablet lineups from Amazon and Apple are expected for the holiday season. Google just this month unveiled its refreshed Nexus 7 tablet.

    “Tablets faced a relatively stagnant second quarter in 2013, after several consecutive quarters of strong growth,” said Kevin Tillmann, a senior research analyst at CEA. “However, an increase in consumers’ purchase intent indicates optimism. Many consumers are waiting for the next generation of models to upgrade their existing devices.”

    The CEA report also covered how U.S. consumers are using their tablets. Gaming has now surpassed social networking as the top tablet activity. Watching movies and messaging were the second and third most popular tablet pastimes, with social networking and shopping also making the top five.

    “With nearly half of U.S. households expected to own a tablet in the next 12 to 18 months, tablets are undeniably impacting how consumers view and enjoy digital content,” said Tillmann. “As we move through 2013, anticipation runs high this year for the next wave of tablets to include new and innovative features. Striking the right chord with consumers’ expectations will be imperative to resuming the growth trends we’ve seen prior to this quarter’s purchase stagnation.”

  • Here’s All The New Stuff In Android 4.3

    At an event yesterday, Google announced the new Nexus 7 and the Chromecast. New hardware is always exciting, but many more were just as exciting to see that Android 4.3 was finally revealed. While not a huge upgrade from previous versions, this new flavor of Jelly Bean has its fair share of interesting features.

    The most compelling new feature by far is the addition of restricted profiles. As you may recall, Google introduced multi-user accounts on Android tablets in Android 4.2. This allowed families to set up multiple accounts for each member of the family on a single Android tablet. With restricted profiles, the admin can control what other accounts on the device can access. For example, a parent can prevent their child from seeing certain apps, or even prevent them from being able to see items for purchase in apps.

    Another small, but welcome, feature is the addition of Bluetooth Smart support. With this, Android devices can now interact with Bluetooth Smart devices, like fitness sensors, while using very little energy. Google says that the makers of Bluetooth Smart devices are working to make them compatible with Android 4.3.

    Of course, gamers will be happy to know that Android 4.3 is the first mobile OS to support OpenGL ES 3.0. This new rendering platform brings with it a number of enhancements that will make the mobile games of the future look even better than before. Here are the demos from the Google event that demonstrate what OpenGL ES 3.0 is capable of:

    Other small improvements include dial pad autocomplete, which suggests phone numbers upon typing in numbers, and improved support for more languages like Hebrew, Arabic, Hindi and more. If you want to see every new feature in Android 4.3, hit up Google’s Jelly Bean site.

    So, when can you get your hands on Android 4.3? Google said yesterday that it would start rolling out to Nexus devices – Nexus 7, Nexus 10, Nexus 4 and Galaxy Nexus – immediately. That rollout may be taking longer than expected as my 2012 Nexus 7 still hasn’t received the update as of this morning.

  • Google Thinks The New Nexus 7 Will Make Middle School Less Awkward

    Google Thinks The New Nexus 7 Will Make Middle School Less Awkward

    Did you hear? Google finally unveiled the new Nexus 7 during an event this morning. The successor to last year’s Nexus 7 comes with a number of hardware and software enhancements, but the real benefit comes in the form of making our children’s lives easier.

    As part of the Nexus 7 reveal, Google shared an ad that shows how the new Nexus 7 can make the life of a young boy struggling with public speaking just a little bit easier. Using the tablet, he can read books on the subject, watch The King’s Speech and listen to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s famous speech on fear. Sure, he could do all these things with other tools, but the Nexus 7 is the all-in-one device for all your awkward teenage needs.

    This ad is the latest in a string of Nexus 7 ads that shows how living in Google’s world can help make you more artistic or imaginative.

    The new Nexus 7 will be released in two models on July 30 with the 16GB costing $229 and the 32GB costing $269. A 4G LTE capable Nexus 7 will launch in the coming weeks for $349.

  • Netflix Immediately Supported By Google’s Chromecast, New Android App For Nexus 7 On The Way

    As you probably know by now, Google revealed both the Nexus 7 tablet and the Chromecast device at an event in San Francisco today. Netflix announced that it has new experiences that cater to both devices.

    For the Nexus 7, Netflix is working with Google on a new Android app that supports 080p HD video.

    “Today Google demonstrated the Nexus 7, the first tablet to support this new Netflix app. More phones and tablets will be coming later this year, letting Netflix members enjoy TV shows and movies in the best possible quality on their mobile devices,” write Netflix directors of product management Roma De and Brady Gunderson in a blog post.

    The Chromecast is a dongle device that looks basically like a thumb drive, and plugs into your TV to let you watch video.

    Netflix is immediately available on the device, simply because it’s compatible with Netflix on Android, iOS and laptops.

    16GB and 32GB Wi-Fi models of the Nexus 7 will be available on July 30th, with a 32GB 4G LTE model available in the coming weeks. The Chromecast will be available today from the Google Play Store, Amazon and BestBuy.com. It will hit Best Buy stores next week.

  • Google Announces New Nexus 7, Chromecast

    Last week, it was revealed that Google would be hosting a breakfast this morning with Sundar Pichai. It was assumed that he would spend the morning talking about Android and perhaps a new Nexus 7. He and other Googlers did that, but they also announced what amounts to a refresh of last year’s Nexus Q.

    Pichai kicked off the event talking about the success of last year’s Nexus 7. He said that Nexus 7 accounted for more than 10 percent of all Android tablets sold in 2012. With the new Nexus 7, they’re hoping to capitalize on that growth even further.

    Google Announces New Nexus 7, Chromecast

    When the new Nexus 7 was finally unveiled, Google confirmed much of what we’ve already seen these past few weeks through a number of leaks. In short, the new Nexus 7’s CUP is 1.8x faster than the previous model, and its GPU is 4x faster than the previous model. It sports a full 1080p HD display – the first of its kind on a 7-inch tablet. They were also quick to note that the new Nexus 7 now features stereo speakers and virtual surround sound.

    All that’s well and good, but what 4G LTE connectivity? The new Nexus 7 will ship unlocked with 4G LTE support for AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile on a single model. The days of having to buy an AT&T or T-Mobile Nexus 7 from the Google Play store are now gone.

    As expected, the new Nexus 7 will ship with Android 4.3. This latest version of Jelly Bean doesn’t offer any major changes, but it does improve already existing software. For starters, the multi-user accounts for tablets that was introduced in Android 4.2 have been upgraded with restricted profiles in 4.3. What that means is that you can restrict certain profiles from accessing certain content. The example used is that a child’s profile won’t have access to in-app purchases inside of their apps.

    Other additions include support for Bluetooth Low Energy and OpenGL ES 3.0. They noted that the new Nexus 7 is the first Android device to support the OpenGL ES standard and developers are already taking advantage of it to build beautiful games for the device.

    The biggest addition to Android 4.3 is what Google calls DRM APIs. They’ve been working together with Netflix to provide full 1080p streaming on the new Nexus 7. Previously, Netflix streaming on tablets was restricted to SD video due to a lack of strong protection software. The Netflix app has already been updated to take advantage of this new functionality, and is now waiting upon the Android 4.3 update to use it.

    Google Announes New Nexus 7, Chromecast

    Speaking of which, when will Android 4.3 be out? Google says that it will start updating the original Nexus 7, the Nexus 4, the Nexus 10 and the Galaxy Nexus to Android 4.3 starting today. It will also be coming to the Nexus editions of the HTC One and Galaxy S4 soon.

    As for Google Play, the only two major additions are the Google Play Games app and Google Play Textbook category. The former adds a hub where players can see all of their games and all of their Google+ friends playing games in a central location. The latter adds interactive textbooks to Google Play from all five major textbook publishers in the U.S. It will also support textbook rentals.

    So, when will you be able to get your hands on the new Nexus 7? Google says the 16GB and 32GB Wi-Fi models will be available via Google Play and retailers on July 30 for $229 and $269 respectively. The 32GB 4G LTE model will be available in the coming weeks for $349.

    After the new Nexus 7 business was concluded, Pichai took the stage again to talk about the importance on online video. He said that Google is looking for a way to bring everybody’s favorite video content to the big screen from the comfort of their mobile devices. Well, that’s where Chromecast comes in.

    Chromecast can be thought of as the successor to last year’s Nexus Q, but it does a little bit more. For starters, it’s a tiny two-inch long dongle that connects via your HDMI port. Instead of Android, it runs a slimmed down version of Chrome OS. It also supports pretty much every device in the house, including Android devices, iOS devices, Chromebooks and Windows notebooks.

    Google Announces New Nexus 7, Chromecast

    Chromecast works by essentially pushing the content that’s currently playing on your mobile device onto your TV. It doesn’t use up your phone’s resources, however, as it pulls the video straight from the cloud. In other words, you’re free to do other things on your mobile device after you queue up a video to play on the TV via the YouTube app.

    Of course, YouTube isn’t the only application that Chromecast supports. It also supports Netflix, Google Play Movies, Google Play Music and Google+ Photos. It can also put your current Chrome tab up on the TV from a Chromebook, Windows laptop or Macbook.

    Google wants Chromecast to support more apps and devices so it will be releasing a developer preview of what it calls the Google Cast SDK today. The SDK will allow developers to build Chromecast support directly into their app so users can project their apps onto the TV.

    So, when can you get your hands on the Chromecast? It will be available later today from the Google Play Store, Amazon.com and BestBuy.com for $35. It will also be available at Best Buy retail locations next week.

  • Best Buy Jumps The Gun On New Nexus 7 Pre-Orders, Confirms Android 4.3’s Existence

    Google will be hosting an event this morning with Android and Chrome boss Sundar Pichai. We all kind of assumed it would have something to do with Android, but the specifics were still a mystery until Best Buy jumped the gun.

    Best Buy launched the pre-order pages for both the 16GB and 32GB variants of the Nexus 7 this morning way ahead of Google’s announcement. The retailer quickly pulled the devices from appearing in search results, but you can still access the product pages via a direct link.

    Of course, we already pretty much knew the new Nexus 7 was being announced today. What we didn’t know were the official specs. Now we do thanks to the Best Buy product listing.

    According to the product page, the new Nexus 7 comes equipped with a 7-inch 1920×1200 display, a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 5MB rear camera, a 1.2MP front camera and Bluetooth 4.0.

    The product listing also confirms that the new Nexus 7 will ship with Android 4.3. Unfortunately, it doesn’t detail any of the new features coming to the updated OS, but it does confirm that it’s still called Jelly Bean.

    Here are some of the official product shots from the pre-order page:

    Best Buy Jumps The Gun On New New Nexus 7 Pre-orders

    Best Buy Jumps The Gun On New Nexus 7 Pre-Orders

    Best Buy Jumps The Gun On New Nexus 7 Pre-Orders

    It should be noted that the pre-order page confirms the leaked prices from last week – the 16GB Nexus 7 will cost $230 and the 32GB will cost $270. What the pre-order page doesn’t say is when we’ll start seeing it in stores. That’s not too big of a deal, however, as a leaked Best Buy ad from earlier this week said it will become available on July 30.

    Best Buy may have spoiled the fun, but we’ll still be bringing you any and all news from Google’s big event this morning. Who knows – Pichai might have something more for us besides Android 4.3 and a new Nexus 7.

    [h/t: Engadget]

  • Asus Expects Tablet Shipment Boost From New Nexus 7

    Details about the upcoming refresh of Google’s Nexus 7 are now being leaked at a fast pace. Photos of the device even surfaced earlier this week. The new Nexus 7 is expected to have a 1920×1200 resolution display, a 1.5GHz S4 Pro CPU, a 5MP rear camera, and is expected to ship running Android 4.3.

    Though it is no Kindle Fire, the original Nexus 7 was a strong player in the 7-inch tablet market. Now, it appears that Asus, the manufacturer of the Nexus 7, is expecting the new version of the tablet to boost its sales numbers later this year.

    According to a report from DigiTimes, Asus is expecting the new Nexus 7 to improve its tablet sales in the third quarter of 2013. The report cites unnamed “sources from the upstream supply chain” as saying Asus expects the Nexus 7 to make up for poor sales of its other tablets. According to DigiTimes, Asus has already shipped 5.7 million tablets this year, and is aiming to ship 12 million total units for 2013.

    The report also states that Asus had originally expected the Nexus 7 refresh to appear as early as May 2013, but that the tablet was delayed by Google over original Nexus 7 inventory numbers. Asus’ second quarter 2013 tablet shipments were affected accordingly, with the manufacturer shipping around 10% fewer tablets than in the first quarter.

    (via DigiTimes)

  • This Is What The New Nexus 7 Looks Like

    This Is What The New Nexus 7 Looks Like

    Later this week, Google will be hosting an event with Android and Chrome boss Sundar Pichai. It’s pretty much a given that he’ll announce something related to Android, and some think that something may be the new Nexus 7.

    Everyone’s favorite tech leaker, evleaks, now has the official press render of the new Nexus 7 up. The leak doesn’t confirm if Google will be showing off the new tablet this week, but the existence of a press render strongly suggests that we’ll be seeing it very soon:

    This Is What The New Nexus 7 Looks Like

    As you can see, Google has made a number of noticeable changes to the design this time around. For starters, it finally got ride of those annoying rubber dimples on the back on the back of the device. The Nexus logo is now vertical across the back instead of horizontal as well. It’s also hard not to miss the inclusion of a rear-facing camera.

    As for the specs, the new Nexus 7 will reportedly sport a 1.5 GHz S4 Pro CPU, a 7-inch 1920×1200 display, a 5MP rear camera, a 1.2MP front camera, 16 or 32GB of storage and Android 4.3. Unfortunately, like the original Nexus 7, it does not have a microSD slot so you’re stuck with whatever storage size you go with.

    The fancier specs will come at a cost, however, as the new Nexus 7 will be a bit more expensive than the current model. The 16GB model will reportedly retail for $229 and the 32GB model will retail for $269. As for availability, a leaked Best Buy ad shows the new Nexus 7 going on sale July 30. It’s not known, however, if this is the universal launch date, or if Google will ship the device from its own Play store earlier. Either way, we’ll probably find out this Wednesday.

    [h/t: DroidLife]

  • New Nexus 7 To Cost $229 For 16GB, $269 For 32GB [Rumor]

    Are we going to see the new Nexus 7 at next week’s Google event? There’s a good possibility, and it’s becoming even more likely after the latest leak.

    Android Central received a tip and photographic evidence from an unnamed retail source that claims to have the prices of the new Nexus 7. The image shows that the 16GB model of the new Nexus 7 will cost $229 and the 32GB new Nexus 7 will cost $269.

    As you can already see, the rumored prices are a slight bump up from the $200 and $250 price tags on the current Nexus 7 devices. Even then, the new prices are still insanely affordable, especially when you consider what’s reportedly inside the new tablets.

    Last week, supply sources within China said that the new Nexus 7 would come equipped with a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 CPU, a 1980×1200 display, a 5MP rear camera and a 1.2MP front camera. The new CPU is definitely the star of the show as its a pretty sizable upgrade from the Tegra 3 CPU in the original Nexus 7.

    Unfortunately, the leak doesn’t give us any more information. We’re still waiting to hear on whether or not Google will launch the new Nexus 7 alongside Android 4.3. There’s a good chance as Google typically announces new Android versions alongside announcements of new Nexus hardware.

    Now the only question is whether or not Sundar Pichai will announce both, just one or neither at the Google event next week. Previous reports have pegged both Android 4.3 and the new Nexus 7 for a July launch so it’s only natural for one to assume that next week’s Google event and today’s leak are no mere coincidences.

    Of course, we’ll be watching out for any announcements out of Google next week regarding software and hardware. They still owe us for that relatively boring Google I/O keynote so here’s hoping they have something good in store.

  • Google To Host Event With Sundar Pichai On July 24

    Google To Host Event With Sundar Pichai On July 24

    Sundar Pichai is wearing a lot of hats these days. He’s no longer just the head of the Chrome team, but the Android team as well. That’s why any event with him leaves us guessing as to what he’ll talk about.

    Google announced today that it will be hosting a press event/breakfast on July 24. The invitation, courtesy of JR Raphael, specifically mentions Pichai so people are already speculating whether or not Google will have something Android related to show.

    Google Event Sundar PIchai Android Chrome

    So, what are the chances that we’ll see something from the Android team? I’d say they’re pretty high based upon previous reports and rumors. It’s been rumored that we’ll see both Android 4.3 and the new Nexus 7 in July. We haven’t heard anything on either yet so it wouldn’t be too surprising if Pichai unveiled a Nexus 7 running Android 4.3 at the event.

    While an Android announcement is more likely, we can’t discount the idea that Pichai might have some Chrome related announcements for us as well. There’s not as many rumors to go on, but there were earlier reports that Google was working on a Chromebook that runs Android instead of Chrome OS. The report specifically stated that Pichai was behind the initiative so he could be using the event to announce Google’s latest stab at the notebook market.

    Either way, Pichai is going to announce something. I’m pretty sure Google isn’t hosting the event just so Pichai can have a chat with the press over biscuits and coffee.

    [h/t: Engadget]

  • Nexus 7 Refresh Coming Soon, Specs Leaked

    Nexus 7 Refresh Coming Soon, Specs Leaked

    Though Android fans were disappointed that no new hardware announcements were made at Google I/O, rumors of an impending update to the Nexus 7 tablet.

    Today Digitimes, the Tiawanese publication that closely follows Chines tech manufacturing, all but confirmed the new Nexus 7‘s existence and leaked a few of its specs. The rumored mini-tablet is reported to have the same 7-inch screen as the previous version, but an HD 1980 x 1200 display. Rumors of the switch from an Nvidia Tegra processor to a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor seem to be true, with Digitimes’ unnamed “industry sources” reporting the new device will get a Snapdragon 600 processor. A 5-megapixel rear camera with an accompanying 1.2 megapixel front camera is also rumored. The new tablet’s launch is reportedly only weeks away, at the end of July or the beginning of August.

    It seems that the success of the Nexus 7 is also making Google confident about this year’s new version, even with increased competition on the market. Manufacturers are reportedly estimating that as many as eight million new Nexus 7 tablets could be sold this year. However, they are also warning that the reported $199 to $249 price of the Wi-Fi model of the tablet could hamper sales, as other tablets will be priced lower.

    (via DigiTimes)

  • New Nexus 7 Makes A Stop At The FCC

    New Nexus 7 Makes A Stop At The FCC

    Google confirmed before its annual developer conference that no new hardware would be shown, but it was still disappointing to see the company not introduce the oft-rumored new Nexus 7. It’s fine now, however, as the FCC has pretty much revealed the new tablet for us.

    A new 7-inch tablet from Asus bearing the Nexus moniker has recently made its way through the FCC. The filing reveals pretty much everything about the new tablet and it’s looking good so far.

    The new Nexus 7, according to the FCC, has been outfitted with a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro, rear camera, a 3,950mAh battery and LTE. The processor confirms previous rumors that Google and Asus have ditched Nvidia in favor of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon series while the inclusion of LTE will undoubtedly elicit a few “About time” reactions from consumers.

    Here’s the full breakdown courtesy of the FCC:

    New Nexus 7 Stops By The FCC

    The FCC is great at revealing the tech specs of new hardware, but it doesn’t gives us a date or price. We might have an idea thanks to rumors and speculations though. Droid Life says that the Nexus 7 might launch on July 30. Knowing Google, the company will either announce the new Nexus 7 on that very same day, or only a few days prior.

    As for the price, you can probably expect Google to stick close to the price of the current Nexus 7. The addition of LTE may jack up the price for some of the models, but I suspect Google will be releasing a Wi-Fi only model at the same $199 price that the 16GB Nexus 7 retails for now.

  • Don’t Expect Any Hardware Announcements At Google I/O

    Don’t Expect Any Hardware Announcements At Google I/O

    People are expecting big things out of this year’s Google I/O. Last year’s conference introduced the world to Glass, the Nexus 7 and the ill-fated Nexus Q. What could Google possibly do to top that? It seems that they aren’t even going to try.

    In an interview with Wired, Android and Chrome boss Sundar Pichai, who had just recently taken over Android from Andy Rubin, said that this year’s Google I/O is going to focus on developers, and what Google can do for them:

    It’s going to be different. It’s not a time when we have much in the way of launches of new products or a new operating system. Both on Android and Chrome, we’re going to focus this I/O on all of the kinds of things we’re doing for developers, so that they can write better things. We will show how Google services are doing amazing things on top of these two platforms.

    Pichai’s wording implies that not only are we not going to see any hardware announcements, but we also won’t be seeing any new versions of Android announced at the show either. Both seem at odds with rumors and speculation from the past few months that suggested Google would be showing both a new version of Jelly Bean and a new Nexus 7 at the annual conference.

    It would seem strange to not announce at least a new version of Android at I/O, but Google may be holding off on that for a separate event later this year. We also can’t ignore the possibility that Pichai is intentionally misleading us.

    Either way, we’ll know for sure on Wednesday when Google I/O kicks off with a three hour keynote beginning at 9 a.m. PST/12 p.m. EST.

    [h/t: Engadget]

  • 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.

  • Nexus 7 Successor With Qualcomm CPU To Launch In July [Report]

    It’s pretty much assumed at this point that Google will be showing off the new Nexus 7 at Google I/O next month. Now we just need to know its specs, and its launch date. Lucky enough, a new report out today tells us just that.

    Sources told Reuters that the Asustek-made Nexus 7 successor will be launching in July. If true, the next Nexus 7 will be launching a year after its predecessor hit the scene. It would also give Google plenty of time to build up excitement for the tablet after a reveal at Google I/O.

    As for specs, Reuters’ sources say the tablet will indeed be ditching Nvidia’s Tegra CPU in favor of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon. The previous rumor said Google chose Snapdragon because Qualcomm gave the company a better deal, but this latest report chalks it up “power reasons.”

    Beyond a change in CPU manufacturer, the report also says that the new tablet will feature a higher resolution and a thinner bezel design, both of which suggest that we may see a larger screen in the Nexus 7 as well.

    Apple lambasted the Nexus 7 last year during its iPad Mini reveal event for having a smaller display, while conveniently failing to mention that Google’s tablet still had a higher resolution. The new Nexus 7 could give Google a chance to create a tablet with a higher resolution while matching the 7.9-inch display of the iPad Mini.

    We’re sure to hear more details on the new Nexus 7, including its assumed use of a new Android operating system, at Google I/O or soon after.

  • Next-Generation Nexus 7 May Drop Nvidia For Qualcomm [Rumor]

    Rumors have been building for a while now that Google will be introducing a new Nexus 7 this year. It will reportedly launch in May and feature a full HD display. Beyond that, we don’t know much else about the rumored hardware, but a recent report provides a few more details.

    Pacific Crest analyst Michael McConnell recently said that the next-generation Nexus 7 will be ditching Nvidia’s Tegra chip in favor of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Pro. The change in processor appears to be motivated by Qualcomm offering Google a better deal, as well as the S4 Pro featuring better integration with 3G/4G modem technologies.

    So, what does this mean for Nvidia? We’ve already heard rumors that OEMs were not committed to Tegra 4, and that Nvidia’s new mobile chip might be facing a hard time with adoption. At the time, I said the next-generation Nexus 7 may help the Tegra 4 get a leg up on the competition, but that may not be the case anymore. As for its financial impact, McConnell says that Nvidia stands to lose about $200 to $250 million if its booted out of the Nexus line.

    Still, all of this is rumor for now, and we won’t know anything for sure until the next-generation Nexus 7 is officially announced. When will that announcement be? McConnell backs up previous rumors by saying it will be announced at Google I/O in May, and start shipping shortly after.

    [h/t: ZDNet]