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Google Nexus 7 Tablet Unveiled – This Could be a Kindle Fire Killer (video)

The most leaked tablet in the history of Android was officially unveiled today and it turns out there was almost nothing that we didn’t already know.

This is indeed a 7″ tablet with a 1280×800 IPS display with a Corning Gorilla Glass layer on top. It’s running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on a 1.3 GHz Tegra 3  quad-core CPU. It has Wifi, Bluetooth, GPS, an NFC chip, but no 3g/4g connectivity (no surprise there). There’s also a speaker/mike, g-sensor, and a magnetometer. It has just the one 1.2MP front-facing camera, which is pretty much what I expected.  That camera is not as good as the one found on premium 7″ tablets but it is better than any tablet selling at the same price point.

Like we’ve heard before, the Nexus 7 tablet is going to cost either $199 or $249. It’s going to come with either 8GB or 16GB of Flash storage. Both listing pages are up in the Google Play Store but the product pages are still in limbo.

All in all, I’m impressed.  This tablet has so far lived up to the leaks.  It has killer specs at a killer price, and that makes me wish I could see the panic at B&N and Amazon headquarters right now. I think we could see every other Android tablet drop in price in the next few weeks. And yes, this is a direct competitor to the Kindle Fire. It carries Google Play, so it sells a better selection of content (apps, music, ebooks, and video) than Amazon.

But let’s not get our hopes up too high; no one has actually seen it yet. The first hands on posts won’t be out until this afternoon.

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Comments


burger flipper June 27, 2012 um 1:24 pm

sd?

Nate Hoffelder June 27, 2012 um 1:51 pm

It doesn’t appear to have one.

Timothy Wilhoit June 27, 2012 um 1:55 pm

Nope. Without that, I wouldn’t replace my KF with it. I can think of better ways to spend my money.

Logan Kennelly June 27, 2012 um 4:34 pm

But if both had been available when you got your Fire, which would you have chosen?

Timothy Wilhoit June 27, 2012 um 5:31 pm

The KF was announced 9 months ago. If it were being announced today, it very well could have had similar specs as the Nexus. If so, I would have chosen the Fire. Why? The KF is integrated very well with Amazon’s ecosystem and that works for me. However, an SD card would have given the Nexus an edge.

Thomas June 27, 2012 um 5:13 pm

No memory card slot, no purchase. Pass.


Gary June 27, 2012 um 1:26 pm

Talk of this tablet has got me wondering about these Android Wi-Fi tablets (ie the non-cellular devices). We’ve all heard that Android smartphones are heavily tied down by the supplying network carriers and that upgrading the pre-installed OS can be … problematic.

Are the Android tablets also tied down like this? Or, if I bought one of these Nexus devices, could I download Android 4.2 when it comes out and install that – on my own schedule?

Syn June 27, 2012 um 1:37 pm

It’s a google tablet, so you are getting vanilla android. When google updates you can get update.

This tablet is good news.. But I’m already tied into Apple and Amazon, I won’t be adding a third even if it has better content.


Mister Steve June 27, 2012 um 1:54 pm

My only disappointment so far is it’s being reported that there’s no SD card slot.

On the other hand, this looks much better than the current fire. Looks like I’ll be ordering the 16gb model.


digital reader fan June 27, 2012 um 2:13 pm

Maybe there is a Micro USB to SD adapter, I don’t know. Connectivity says GPS, does this mean the chipset is built in the device? If so, its there a USA mapset to download? I wondered hot many gig’s that would take up. Thanks.


Jimmy Suggs June 27, 2012 um 4:59 pm

I don’t understand why they wouldn’t include an SD card slot. How much more could it possibly cost?

Without the ability to expand the memory, I don’t care how fast or thin the thing is- it doesn’t suit my needs. I’m guessing this is just another device to push content, except this time it’s Google’s instead of Amazon’s. So is my Nook, but at least they had the decency to stick an SD card slot in there so I can add my own content if I really want to.

Looks like a great device but I just don’t like the idea of the space being so finite. I’d like a little breathing room and this offers none of that.


Richard Adin June 28, 2012 um 6:48 am

The screen interests me. They show it being used outdoors. Is the screen viewable in sunlight like an eInk screen or is it like an LCD screen that washes out?


SteveH June 28, 2012 um 2:43 pm

You can get it now at the GooglePlay Store:
https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_7_8gb

Have a Kindle Fire, but like that this tablet has
a) GPS (Geocaching apps to come pehaps..?)
b) Bluetooth – so you can use other wireless accessories, especially keyboards for writing as opposed to using a laptop.


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