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Topic: Processors

$199 Google tablet from Asus coming this week?

Summary: Google I/O is this week and rumors have Google announcing its own 7-inch Android 4.1 tablet

Joel Evans

By for The Mobile Gadgeteer |

According to our friends at CNET, there have been a number of reports that Google will be launching a $199 tablet at its Google I/O event this week.

The tablet Nexus device is expected to support "Jelly Bean", which is Android 4.1, and sport a 7-inch screen, quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, and 1GB memory.

The interesting part about these specs, is that at the price point and size, it will compete with the Kindle Fire. That said, it will be faster and will feature a true Android experience, not an Amazon-Android one.

James Kendrick brought up a good point around why Google may want to make its own tablet this time around. It seems that it has been struggling with its Android update process across OEMs and carriers, so maybe the company just wanted to handle this one on its own. We saw similar things happening with Microsoft over the years, where the flexibility of what amount of memory could go in a handset, the form factor, and even the processor speed could differ widely. This may also be why Microsoft is going it alone with its Surface device.

I wonder if the device will be announced on Wednesday or Thursday, and also if this will be the device that developers are given to start developing on straight away. It would be a great way for Google to force it into the channel, with new apps being created even during the conference.

Topics: Processors, Android, Google, Hardware, Laptops, Mobility, Tablets

About

With more than 15 years of mobile, Internet and wireless experience, Joel specializes in taking existing brands and technologies into the mobile and wireless space. Joel is currently the VP of Strategy Integration for Mobiquity, an enterprise-class mobile solutions provider.

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22 comments
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  • How is this different...

    to the Nexus phone?

    The Nexus tablet, and the MS Surface, should be seen for what they are: a reference platform, which spurs the partners to produce better products.

    The Nexus handsets come out and show how the next generation should look and feel, a couple of months later, the next generation of handsets from other manufacturers appear and trump the Nexus.

    I don't see how either the Nexus 7 or the Surface is any different, they are just setting the bar for their partners to reach.
    wright_is
    Reply Vote

    • LOL there is huge diff Nexus 7 is here its Android it works!

      Surface is vapor ware and you pay MS yealry Tax for OS updates (see what it costs you now for Win8????, Win7, Win XP, and the list goes on) and most likely lots $$$ for Apps.

      Android works and it has proven useful for us, and its extremely cost effective. At 400 dollars for a Transformer, it was a high cost. Keep it at 200 and you have a real deal. If they could lower it to 150 or less they would most likely reach critical mass.

      I'll buy a lot of these for my business if it works as its stated. Surface wont be considered as its not even here until 2014!
      Uralbas
      Reply Vote

      • I asked...

        how is the Nexus 7 tablet different to the Nexus phones, they use Android as well. ;-)
        wright_is
        Reply Vote

      • @ wright_is

        This one (if true) will not (hopefully) have any carrier restrictions.
        Seeing the last Nexus carrier restrictions/crap was a serious disappointment.
        rhonin
        Reply Vote

      • Today, you call the Surface, "vaporware", when it's launched, you'll be

        calling it, "useless" or "expensive" or "unnecessary" or "a solution without a problem", or some other such nonsense.

        Then, when it's been in the market for a year, with many millions in sales, you'll be calling it "a competition killing" device for which MS should be investigated and charged with monopolistic practices.

        Face it! You hate the fact that, MS is now competing in a space in which your true loves, Google and Android, haven't really been making a dent, and will likely be squeezed out of once the Surface "surfaces".
        adornoe
        Reply Vote

  • Spinning

    Why is everything from MSE either vaporware or from the dark force? Who is makink a profit from selling it's clients to the highest bidder?
    primartcloud
    Reply Vote

    • Here is why...

      "Vaporware is a term in the computer industry that describes a product, typically computer hardware or software, that is announced to the general public but is never actually released nor officially canceled. The term also generally applies to a product that is announced months or years before its release, and for which public development details are lacking."

      So, for now - it's vaporware... And would Nexus tablet be actually - but it's not officially announced.
      vgrig
      Reply 1 Vote

  • Price and specs

    [i]The interesting part about these specs, is that at the price point and size, it will compete with the Kindle Fire. That said, it will be faster and will feature a true Android experience, not an Amazon-Android one.[/i]

    Yeah that's it, specs! The very reason Android tablets haven't been selling all these years was because of horrible specs. And the lack of a "true Android experience" whatever that means to consumers. s/
    dave95.
    Reply Vote

    • Agreed.

      I actually hated and despised the three Android tablets I had owned. I haven't been impressed with any others which I've played-with in the stores. I agree with what you're saying, dave95.
      camcost@...
      Reply Vote

    • ...

      Horrible specs? What tablet did you buy??? The Transformer prime is one of the highest speced tablets out there and it is android and cheaper then a less powerful ipad 3 .
      Fletchguy
      Reply Vote

      • *Facepalm*

        So the Transformer prime is not only one of the highest speced tablets out but it is also cheaper than an iPad 3. And yet no one (besides niche geeks) are buying? Proves my point, specs are irrelevant and not the reason the iPad took off.
        dave95.
        Reply Vote

  • Google throws their OEM's under the bus, again

    by building a Google branded tablet.

    Google's partners are not going to take this lightly, or sitting down. I'm sure they're furious!
    William Farrel
    Reply Vote

    • Huh?

      What left field are you playing in?
      It looks like ASUS (an OEM) is making this one.
      For Nexus phones, HTC (OEM) and Samsung (OEM) made those.
      The only OEM I have seen with an innovative tablet has been ASUS.
      ACER looks to be trying......
      rhonin
      Reply Vote

      • Never mind Will...

        ...he keeps re-posting this...
        vgrig
        Reply Vote

    • Just having some fun with the blogger

      as this was all we heard from them on the Surface.

      I'm curious as though there seems to be different standards for reporting on different companies.
      William Farrel
      Reply Vote

    • so

      Who cares those partners have had 4 years to get it together and can't seem to do it. Verizon, sprint, tmobile, at&t cant get updates together in any form so if it means screw them since they are to lazy then so be it. Google will pay the hardware corps such as asus, htc, and samsung to buid it for google and roll on out.
      Fletchguy
      Reply Vote

    • "Partners"???

      Calling OEM's partners when they the take Android OS which Google gives them, modify it...read: 'stuff it with junk that nobody (or almost nobody) wants.' Then they can call it an Android device and profit from Google's efforts, but make little effort to keep their customers up-to-date with Android's OS because they've crapped it up so much instead of building hardware compatible with what Google gives them. With partners like that Google doesn't need competitors. I have a 10" "Honeycomb" tablet manufactured by a major OEM and the runaround that they've been giving users about updating to Ice Cream Sandwich is ridiculous. At this point, I've pretty much resigned myself to sticking with Honeycomb, which is pretty good (once I got rid of MOST of the crapware). Looks like the only way my tablet will see ICS is if I root it and use a Cyanogenmod or other mod.
      bunkport
      Reply Vote

  • Finally there might be a half-decent Android tablet.

    So far Android has proven to be worse on a tablet than the old WinCe tablets were back in the 90s. Maybe with Google producing their own product, their OS might finally be optimized for a tablet.

    We'll have to just wait and see.
    camcost@...
    Reply Vote

    • ...

      Obviously you have not used android tablets. The asaus prime is untouchable. The galaxy tab line is very solid.No issue more capable then the ipad. Cheaper, and better looking.
      Fletchguy
      Reply Vote

  • Asus makes some rocking Android products.

    The Transformer line is excellent and now the pricing is better than the competition. The Transformer 300 32GB wifi @ $384 on Amazon is excellent. Mid July will see the Transformer Infinity TF700 available in stores with 1920 x 1200 FHD display, Quad-core CPU @ 1.6Ghz with 12-core GPU.

    So who is making (manufacturing) the Surface ... ??? ... there is a resemblance to the Infinity.

    Google by Asus should be interesting.
    greywolf3
    Reply Vote
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