Entry-level Google Nexus 7 hinted again, “has not yet been announced”

When the first rumors broke out that Google would introduce a 32GB Nexus 7 model, many people assumed that Google would be keeping the 8GB an 16GB models in place, with the former to be sold at just $99.
A $99 Google Nexus 7 tablet would definitely be a great competitor for the competitors’ iPad mini and entry-level Kindle Fire model, but Google did not keep the 8GB version around – in case you don’t know, Google made official the new Nexus devices just recently, 32GB 7-inch tablets included.
But does that really mean that Google isn’t ready to sell the Nexus 7 for just $99? According to Digitimes Research James Wang, an entry-tablet model is still in the cards for the company:

Since Google has prepared a full-range of tablet products, Wang believes the company’s entry-level Nexus tablet, that has not yet been announced, will have the strongest influence on its competitors.

That’s all the information Digitimes provides on this yet-to-be-unveiled device, and considering the publication’s questionable track record on such rumors you shouldn’t get all too excited yet.
However, the same analyst predicts that Google will sell 19 million of Nexus units next year, or around “50% of non-Apple tablet shipments.”
No matter how many tablets Google sells next year, it will be interesting to see what Nexus model users will like better now that various versions are going to be available in stores, and yes, we’re counting the Samsung Nexus 10 too.
Would you buy a $99 Nexus 7 even if that meant compromising on storage?

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Ubuntu installer for Nexus 7 will make it easy to run Linux on your tablet

Canonical, the company that develops Ubuntu, has made it clear that it set its target on mobile devices, working to make the Linux distribution as mobile-friendly as possible. Among other initiatives, Canonical has made the Google Nexus 7 a reference device for Ubuntu, to help developers optimize the distro for ARM touch-based devices.
Now, Canonical has released a tool to help users and developers easily install a full version of Ubuntu on the Nexus 7. The only prerequisite is to have an unlocked bootloader, but, if you’re interested in running Linux, I don’t think that would be a problem.
The idea behind the installer is to allow regular folks to run Ubuntu on their tablet, so developers can get a feel of what works and what needs improving. As such, expect a fair number of bugs and glitches, and more importantly, make sure to report them to Canonical so devs learn about them. Among the kinks that need ironing out at this point, the most severe seem related to memory consumption, rotation, and scrolling issues; the webcam and the Bluetooth don’t work either. A full list of problems is available here.
To give the installer a try, head to this link. Note that you will lose all your data, but it’s easy to return to stock Android if you want to.
Are you interested in the convergence of Linux and Android? Would you like to run Ubuntu on your Nexus device?

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32GB Google Nexus 7 $269 from Best Buy in Canada

The 32GB Google Nexus 7 has drummed up interest from tablet buyers who think 16GB is not enough for their storage needs. But even before any official announcement, rumors and leaks of the pricing have sprung up, such as the $249.99 pricing from Office Depot, which was quickly pulled out. This time, it looks like the 32GB variant has landed on some retail stores, and some lucky buyers already have their hands on the tablet for $269.
A 9to5Google reader sent in a few photos of his receipts and serial number stickers clearly indicating a price of CAD 269 for a 32GB Google Nexus 7 by ASUS, bought from Best Buy. Now since this is in Canada, that’s 269 in Canadian dollars, which is equivalent to about 269.30 in US greenbacks.

To confirm the model variant, the product label has several references to the storage capacity, being “1B32″ instead of “1B16″ for the 16GB variant or “1B8″ for the 8 gig one. Given this pricing, we might expect the same price levels once Google officially launches it on Google Play in the coming week.
Is anyone excited for the 32GB Google Nexus 7? Or do you think Google has something more interesting in store for us come October 29th?

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32GB Google Nexus 7 listed by Office depot at $250, promptly pulled out

A 32 gigabyte capacity Google Nexus 7 has been long rumored to be in the pipeline. But even before Google’s official announcement, some retailers seem to have inadvertently listed the product already. For one, Office Depot was reported to have listed the 32 GB Nexus 7 on its retail site, priced at US$ 249.99.
What’s interesting to note here is that the 32GB model is priced the same as the 16GB model, which also sells for $249.99 at various retail stores and on Google’s own Play Store. Google is expected to announce new products this coming October 29, which may include the 32GB Nexus 7 model, as well as a rumored 10-inch Nexus tablet and Android 4.2. With the Office Depot leak, we might expect Google to reduce prices for the current 16 and 8GB models. Some international retailers have already discounted the 16GB model in anticipation for the upgrade.
But Office Depot seems to have pulled out the item. As an update, the retailer has de-listed the 32GB Nexus 7:

We’re Sorry. We are unable to process your last request.
Rest assured we are working diligently to resolve this issue. If you’d like to place an order by phone or speak with one of our Customer Service representatives please contact us:
Call 1-800-GO-DEPOT

Listing may have just been a mistake, although with just a few days before the expected launch, the pricing seems plausible. Perhaps folks interested in buying a 16GB Nexus 7 should hold off until we get an official announcement. You might get a better-spec’d tablet for the same price by Monday.
Is anyone excited for a 32 GB Nexus 7? Or does the prospect of a Nexus 10 appeal to you more?

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Google Nexus 7 market share still small, but growing

While Android is today’s top platform in terms of smartphone numbers, tablets are an altogether different proposition. The Apple iPad still leads the game in terms of tablet use and mobile access for tablets. But Google’s Nexus 7 may already be making a dent on Apple’s sales, although in a small way.
Chitika reports that Google’s tablet offering still has a long way to go to the top. Apple’s iPad (various models) still enjoys 91% of all web traffic from tablets. The rest of the pie is shared among the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy tab, along with other Android tablets and the BlackBerry Playbook. The Nexus 7 itself has a 0.33% share of tablet traffic. But don’t be fooled by the paltry figures, as the Nexus 7 is inching its way up, with a 135% growth since July.

Still, iPad figures are difficult to beat. Cnet notes that Apple’s offering still leads the game, and Android has not yet succeeded in grabbing a significant market share from iOS in the tablet market. “In order to make the graph readable, we had to measure other tablets on a ‘per 100 iPad impressions’ scale,” said a Chitika spokesperson in an interview.
The Chitika figures might indicate that Apple may be on the decline, albeit quite slow, with a 0.34% decrease in web traffic in the same period. But with the launch of the latest Apple iPad Mini, should Android tablet makers be concerned that Apple will continue to reign supreme in this market? 

SOURCES Chitika Cnet

TAGS Apple iPadChitikaGoogle Nexus 7

 

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