Everyone’s all abuzz about Google entering the tablet market with its new Nexus 7, which is set to be released at the end of July. Based on its specs, this latest bit of gadgetry is primed to douse the flame of Amazon’s Kindle Fire, though it isn’t likely to take much of a bite out of Apple’s iPad sales. Even so the new Google tablet has renewed the rumors that Apple may soon release a 7” iPad mini.
Both the Kindle Fire and the Nexus 7 are priced at $199 for the 8GB model. Google also offers a $249 16GB version, but the appeal of the Google tablet goes beyond its affordability. Some of the features early enthusiasts are excited about include:
* Processor: 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3
* Weight: .75 lbs
* Thickness: .41”
* OS: Jelly Bean/android 4.1 with improved voice recognition and responsiveness
* Screen: Vibrant HD display
* Pixels: 1280X800 (216 ppi)
* Storage: 8GB or 16GB
* Battery: 9+ hour battery life (Some bloggers have reported as much as 10 hours of battery life.)
* I/O: 1.2 megapixel forward facing camera, Microphone, NFC, GPS
* Extras: Google NOW virtual assistant (think SIRI), Wi-Fi 802 11b/g/n, Bluetooth
* Available: End of July
* Pricing: $199-$249 (Up to 30% discount with GameStop trade-in.)
Nexus 7 Limitations
Although the Google Nexus 7 offers a lot of features designed specifically to tempt those seeking a tablet at an affordable price, there are few downsides. Of course some sacrifices are to be expected with any modestly priced tablet.
Storage: Although Google is offering both an 8GB and a 16GB version of the Nexus 7, neither tablet has a microSD slot, which means no expandable storage. Some have complained that the lower-cost $199 8GB version will be full after downloading just 3 to 5 movies, suggesting that the $249 16GB version may be the smarter choice.
Wireless: The lack of storage is supposedly solved by streaming media and files through Google Play and Google Drive; however without 3G / 4G cellular wireless options, the content stored in the cloud won’t always be accessible, which may become a source of frustration for those using their tablet on the go.
Media: Like the Amazon Kindle Fire, the primary function of the Nexus 7 is to encourage users to purchase media from the Google Play store; however the range of choices is somewhat small by comparison.
Increasing Nexus 7 Media Options
Even so, the company does offer approximately 500,000 apps at Google Play, thousands of movies, over 3 million free eBooks and hundreds of purchasable eBooks. In addition, millions of songs are available for purchase on Google music and the company is continually adding to its collection. And if these “limited” offerings aren’t enough Nexus 7 users can easily build upon these media options by installing a Kindle eBook app, Amazon Cloud music app, and any Android-compatible apps.