Tag Archives: price tag

Aug 23

Official: Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition ...

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The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition Bundle (what a name!) has been making rounds through the rumor mill for a few weeks now. one of our readers managed to purchase one ahead of release, but that was obviously not supposed to happen, as Samsung has officially announced the device’s release date to be this August 19th.

The education-oriented bundle comes with the tablet (of course) in white, a keyboard dock and a USB adapter for the same $249.99 tablet’s original price. it is a great deal for those looking to get a portable tablet with some extra functionality without breaking the pocket. Some might still prefer the power and quick updates the Nexus 7 offers, but the general consumer wouldn’t mind getting $100 in added value (price of the accessories) in exchange of paying $50 over the Nexus tablet.

Samsung’s official press release confirms the $250 price tag, but also brings a bit of sad news. this offer will only last two weeks (while supplies last), so you better get to your nearest participating store if you want this student bundle. you can get it starting this Sunday at best Buy, Amazon, Tiger Direct, Costco and Fry’s Electronics.

It might not be the high-end device every gamer is looking for, but the added keyboard and USB adapter will come in very handy for light school tasks. So what is it going to be, Nexus 7 or Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition Bundle?

SAMSUNG Brings the Galaxy Tab 2 Back to School with Student Edition Bundle adding Keyboard Dock and USB Adapter at no Extra Cost

For Two Weeks Only Beginning 8/19, Bundle delivering $100 in added value to be available at participating retailers

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J., August 17, 2012 – Samsung Electronics America Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today announces that its Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 device will be available in a special Student Edition, beginning 8/19 and for two weeks only. The Special Edition includes a Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 in a unique white color, a keyboard dock and USB adapter in the box – a retail value of $350 – for an SRP of just $249.99.

Students will realize substantial benefits from the bundle, which will add a physical keyboard to the device as well as a USB adapter that supports plugging in USB thumb drives as well as peripherals such USB mice. With these accessories and the preloaded Polaris Office, the Galaxy Tab 2 is perfect for typing research reports or even creating presentations. in addition, the multimedia features on the Galaxy Tab 2 are perfect for enjoying movies and music.

“The education market is a significant priority for Samsung, and we are very pleased to deliver a bundle that is sure to be appealing to just about any student at a very competitive price point,” explained Travis Merrill, Director of Marketing, Galaxy Tab, Samsung Electronics America. “A busy student can achieve a PC-like setup in the dorm room, yet still pop the Galaxy Tab 2 out of the dock and slip it into a pocket for usage while on the go. it truly is the smarter way to learn.”

The special packaging for the new bundle also includes an insert with a series of recommended cool educational apps from Google Play.

Galaxy Tab 2 – Powerful, Smart, Easy to use

The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is a powerful dual-core tablet running Android 4.0. The devices features an integrated IR blaster for universal remote capabilities, as well as an easily accessible memory card slot for convenient loading of multimedia files in a range of supported file formats.

The tablet also offers endless content access in a sleek design that can maximize the home entertainment experience. The Smart Remote App and built-in IR Blaster turns the Tab 2 into a universal smart remote, helping users easily find their favorite shows. Users can choose from over 450,000 apps, surf millions of web pages with Adobe Flash™ support, and access favorite movies and TV shows from Google Play or Media Hub.

In addition, the Galaxy Tab 2 is fully Google certified for complete access to Google Play and is competitively priced at $249.99, so students don’t need to compromise when selecting a tablet.

The bundle will be available while supplies last, from 8/19 through 9/1. Participating retailers include best Buy, Amazon, Tiger Direct, Costco and Fry’s.

[Source: Samsung]

Official: Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition Bundle launching on August 19 for two weeks only

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Aug 13

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition now in ...

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The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 may be a bit old after being released last Spring – but slap a “Student Edition,” add a keyboard and a USB dongle accessory and it becomes a heck of a deal at $249. This student bundle costs the same as the tablet’s original price, with word around the internet saying it would be available around August 19. but with some luck, you might be able to get yours now.

At least one of our readers managed to. Android Forums member jd78 was able to purchase one straight from best Buy. he mentions simply strolling around the store when he saw a box laying around one of the store’s metal storage cages. he then proceeded to ask an associate about it, only to prove the rumored $249 price tag was in fact real.

Purchasing the tablet bundle was just as simple, according to jd78. he was simply rung up and walked away with a brand new tab.

If you would like to test your luck, just head over to your nearest best Buy and see if they have this bad boy laying around. it won’t be on display, though. Just look for it behind counters, inside those cages and even under rocks if you must. you just might find it, so let the scavenger hunt begin!

Gotta love it when an adventurous owner of an unreleased product makes an unboxing video! our friend jd78 has taken it upon himself to be the first person to unbox the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition. Enjoy!

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 Student Edition now in stock at Best Buy, Android Forums user purchases one before release (Update: unboxing video!)

Jul 29

Kindle Fire 2 vs iPad Mini: One analyst said ...

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If you believe analysts, here’s the latest from the world of finance and speculation. Amazon’s Kindle Fire will be destroyed by Apple and its rumored iPad Mini tablet computer.

According to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, Amazon is willing to spend in the tablet PC market because the “opportunity is massive,” however, Apple’s 7-inch tablet, reportedly arriving by the end of this year, will crush Amazon’s tablet dream. for starters, analysts and rumor-mongers claim that Apple will release the new iPad Mini by the end of October. It is worth noting that iPad Mini rumors started to appear online right after the launch of a popular 7-inch Android tablet, the Nexus 7.

Speaking of the Nexus 7, Munster’s interview with Bloomberg fails to mention the biggest tablet PC rival of Apple — the search engine giant, Google. Apparently, Google’s new Android Jelly Bean tablet is the hottest Android device in the United States right now thanks to its cheaper price tag, freebies and premium build quality, apart from its moderate marketing.

Retailers report that the Nexus 7 is sold out, especially the 16GB model. Google recently halted sales of the high-end model mainly due to underwhelming supply from Asus, the maker of the tablet, and the obvious overwhelming demand. Google and third-party retailers still offer the 8GB model. according to Google, its Play Store will expand to more markets apart from adding more content “in the next coming months” to generate more revenue, and to attract more customers.

Back to Amazon, the online retailer is expected to introduce a new tablet computer before the holiday season, the Kindle Fire 2, and latest rumors suggest that Amazon will introduce up to six models, reportedly with different screen sizes, capacities and price tags.

Via Bloomberg.

Kindle Fire 2 vs iPad Mini: One analyst said Amazon “will be destroyed”

Jul 29

BlackBerry may launch PlayBook 4G on July 31

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New Delhi: Research in Motion, the manufacturers of BlackBerry range of smartphones, earlier this year had spilled the beans about the launch of the 4G version PlayBook. now a website, Mobilesyrup, has claimed that the 4G version of the BlackBerry PlayBook is set to be launched on 31st of this month for around $549.95 or Rs 32,000 approximately. The website has claimed this quoting an internal document of a Canadian mobile service provider – Bell.

Apart from being a fully cellular network capable device sans the calling functionality, the 4G version of the BlackBerry PlayBook will feature a dual core 1.5 GHz processor and a faster graphic processor as well. there will be no change in the features and the display will still be the same 7 inch capacitive one with a 1024 x 600 pixel resolution.

The device will feature the same 5 megapixel rear camera and a 3 megapixel front camera. only this time the rear camera will feature full HD (1080p) video recording as well. Following the launch, the new PlayBook is expected to be available in multiple variants starting with a 32 GB of onboard storage and going up to 64 GB.

The 4G version of the PlayBook tablet is expected to carry a price tag of Rs 32,000.

Along with that the 4G version Playbook will be based on LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology, offering blistering fast speeds and connectivity.

For Indian users, the PlayBook might be made available in the months of August-September but a final word regarding the same is expected from BlackBerry India after the launch of the tablet only.

BlackBerry may launch PlayBook 4G on July 31

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Jul 23

Google Nexus 7: A Review

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The Google Nexus 7 is the best thing to have happened in the 7 inch tablet category ever since the Amazon Kindle Fire had first lit up the segment at the end of last year. The Kindle fire is almost history now, and the Nexus 7 has hit all the right chords so far. Surely a super affordable starting price tag of $199 has helped immensely, but also being packed with the latest bits of tech hasn’t hurt. Add to that the recently released Android version Jelly Bean and what you have is the latest hardware and software at rock bottom prices.

Design and Appearance

The Nexus 7 is an absolute stunner. It has a textured rubbery back with the Nexus logo engraved in bold letters, lending a sense of strong character to the device. a metallic trim further adds to the design, though the bezel around the 7 inch display might be considered a bit too thick at the top and bottom of the device. Overall, the design is simplistic yet classy. a lone power/sleep button makes up the front, with a volume rocker switch finding place along the side. a microUSB port and a 3.5mm jack are both included along the bottom.

The tablet’s front consists of a 7 inch capacitive touch screen Corning glass display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. this translates to 216 ppi, which is respectable in its own right, though less than the corresponding figures for iPad 3. however, while images rendered are sharp and a pleasure to view, it can still be considered a bit less striking than the AMOLED displays we have been seeing lately. Viewing angles are quite impressive though, which means you can share the display with a few others when, for example, you are watching a movie. The speaker at the back is a single large unit, and while they are perfectly satisfactory, its best when external speakers are brought into the picture.

Hardware

The star attraction here is the Nvidia Tegra 3 quad core chip rated at 1.3Ghz. Assisting it is a 1 GB RAM, while on-board storage amounts to either 8 or 16 GB. All of these figures translate to zippy performance with virtually no lag time. Whether it is handling HD movies, 3D games, or general tasks such as web browsing, the Tegra 3 backed Nexus 7 handled all with ease.

However, while most tablet makers have tried to cram their devices with the best of photography hardware and supporting software, Google has steered clear of that. The Nexus 7 only has a 1.2 megapixel camera that can be found at the front, which should be enough for video chat. The camera is also capable of 720p video recording.

The tablet measures 7.8 x 4.72 x 0.41 inches, which shows the Nexus isn’t out there to vie for the thinnest tablet award. rather, it’s functionality that the tablet aims to achieve.

Software

The Nexus 7 simply excels on this aspect and is the only tablet right now to run the latest Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. It’s a bold step ahead of the Android ICS and does make things a lot more simple and effective. Jelly Bean incorporates a number of important improvements over the Ice Cream Sandwich it is built on. The Nexus tablet owes much of its ultra smooth performance to the Project Butter initiative that has made the Jelly Bean sheer fun to work with. Also, for a product from Google, it’s only natural for the Nexus 7 to come pre-loaded with  Google software, such as the Chrome browser, Gmail, Google+, and YouTube.

Users will also have access to the TegraZone, Nvidia’s very own gaming zone that is available exclusively to users of Tegra hardware.

An earlier post, What is Jelly Bean?, will let you have an in depth view of the new Android version.

Reading Experience

The display is bright, clear and vibrant. Needless to say, ebook reading is a fun experience on the tablet, something that is aided further by the easy availability of million of titles from the Google Book Store. The tablet’s compact dimensions and light weight make ebook reading easy and convenient. The wide viewing angles will also let you settle down in a comfortable position without have to worry about the holding it directly in front of your face.

Battery Life

A 4325mAh battery unit does good work. An 8 hours of runtime for “active use” is pretty decent, especially for a Wi-Fi enabled device.

Wrap Up

The Nexus 7 marks Google’s first entry in the hotly contested tablet segment. however, Google has never been into developing the hardware aspects and has left it to Asus to churn out the tablet. Asus has always been known for delivering high quality products and has lived up to its reputation with the Nexus 7. so what you have with the Google tablet is high quality hardware loaded with the best software, while still being priced at just $199 and $249 for the 8 and 16 GB versions. no one is complaining (except Asus, though as it had to comply with the stringent Google specifications with the little financial freedom they’ve been allowed to operate in) and the stupendous response the tablet is ample proof of that. The standard here was first set by the Kindle fire, though the baton has clearly passed on to the Nexus 7. The tablet has surpassed the Kindle fire, though the same might not be applicable to the iPad 3. Then again, the Apple and Google tablets are from two completely different genres and might not be seen as poaching on each others’ markets by a huge margin. so if you are looking for a tablet in the budget segment, the Nexus 7 is the device to buy. Amazon will come back hard with the Kindle fire 2, though that won’t be market ready for some time. until then, the Nexus 7 is the king among the 7 inch tablet brigade.

Below is a Nexus 7 unboxing video:

Watch complete video review of the Nexus 7:

Google Nexus 7: A Review

Jul 21

Lenovo IdeaPad U310 Review – Watch ...

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The ultrabook revolution of 2011 has become a deluge in 2012, which means one thing: lower prices. if you were hunting for a reasonably thin Windows laptop with good battery life at a reasonable cost, you couldn’t have picked a better time. The Lenovo IdeaPad U310 is a perfect example: it’s an update of sorts to the IdeaPad U300s, one of the first Windows ultrabooks we reviewed last fall that carried a MacBook Air-like $1,195 price tag. This time, the cost is a mere $799 — but, with some compromises made along the way.

The IdeaPad U310 is a different machine: it’s got a significantly heavier and thicker chassis and a standard magnetic platter-type mechanical hard drive instead of a solid-state drive (SSD). However, its internal specs are very good, with a third-gen 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U processor, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and all the ports you’d need (Ethernet, USB 3.0, SD card reader, HDMI). It’s still an ultrabook by definition, but not quite as sleek a product.

It’s a pretty similar package to what the identically priced Sony Vaio T offers, although the Vaio T is lighter and has a better battery life. It’s also similar to what the new Dell Inspiron 14z offers, although the Inspiron 14z also has dedicated AMD graphics.

(Credit:Sarah Tew/CNET)

So, where does that leave the IdeaPad U310? It’s not a bad deal for what’s under the hood, but the U310 doesn’t feel as surprising as last year’s U300s. nor is it. It’s really the smaller cousin of the IdeaPad U400: a MacBook-like Lenovo laptop with a good keyboard, a solid set of features, and a pleasing design that could make an excellent back-to-school computer. Students should look into the IdeaPad U310, especially if it’s on sale. You might want to comparison-shop the growing landscape of affordable ultrabook-alikes at the time of purchase and see if you can do better, but the bottom line is this: be happy. Ultrabooks have larger hard drives (without SSD), and are cheaper than ever. That’s a good thing.

Price as reviewed $799 Processor 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U Memory 4GB, 1,333MHz DDR3 Hard drive 500GB 5,400 HDD Chipset Intel HM77 Graphics Intel HD 4000 Operating system Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) Dimensions (WD) 13.1×8.8 inches Height 0.7 inch Screen size (diagonal) 13.3 inches System weight / Weight with AC adapter 3.68 pounds / 4.2 pounds Category ultrabook

At 0.7 inch thick and 3.68 pounds, the IdeaPad U310 is thin and light, but not quite as thin and light as other 13-inch ultrabooks. It’s somewhere between “normal” 13-inch laptop and ultrabook, and feels more like the former. It’s heavier than the Sony Vaio T ultrabook, and lighter than the new Dell Inspiron 14z.

Unlike the sleek, black IdeaPad U300s, the U310 is both whitish and candy-colored. Its larger cousin that it looks the most like is the IdeaPad U400, a machine that was closer in size and function to a 13-inch MacBook Pro. The U310 is more backpack- and small-bag-friendly, but also ditches the slot-loading DVD drive in the process.

(Credit:Sarah Tew/CNET)

You’d better get used to hearing, “Hey, you’ve got a new white MacBook!” because you’re going to hear it a lot at coffee shops. The IdeaPad U310 is MacBook-like, and there’s no way around it. Sure, the outer wraparound Aqua Blue aluminum on the lid and underside (also available in Graphite Gray and Cherry Blossom Pink) is distinctive, but open the lid and the white surfaces, black raised keyboard, and large touch pad — even the bezel around the screen and keyboard — practically scream “MacBookalike.” The anodized, colored-aluminum exterior sandwiches the slightly off-white plastic interior when closed, giving the laptop a two-tone look and a booklike profile.

It’s a comfortable laptop to use, too: the palm rest is spacious, the multitouch clickpad gigantic, and the keyboard nearly as excellent as most Lenovo keyboards.

Why nearly? because the keyboard’s not backlit, and the keys themselves have an ever-so-slightly lower-quality feel compared with the high bar of ThinkPads. It’s still good, but I found keys not registering every once in a blue moon, and the column of keys on the right side makes the Backspace key very hard to locate by touch. to make matters worse, the keyboard exhibited some flex on our review model. At least the function keys are reversed (the media-control buttons for volume and screen brightness work without the Fn key held down).

(Credit:Sarah Tew/CNET)

The very large touch pad is the same size as that on a MacBook, but not as good. Pinch-to-zoom and two-finger scrolling are less instantly responsive and more prone to jumpiness. Chalk that up less to Lenovo than to Windows 7.

The audiovisual experience on the IdeaPad U310 is similarly adequate but not outstanding. a glossy 13.3-inch screen has an utterly normal 1,366×768-pixel resolution, but is prone to screen glare. The screen isn’t all that bright at its highest setting, and off-axis viewing angles are poor. It’s fine for a budget computer. The stereo speakers are louder than you’d expect from an ultrabook, but sounded hollow and flat when playing back music or movie trailers.

On the other hand, the included 720p Webcam looked sharp via the preinstalled Cybervision YouCam software.

Lenovo IdeaPad U310 Review – Watch CNET’s Video & Read Our Review

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Jul 19

Google Nexus 7: First look

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The Google Nexus 7 should change your opinion about Android tablets.

From the moment you take the Nexus 7 out of its box it’s clear that this device is going to be a significant game changer in the tablet market. it sells from just $249 in Australia, but its build quality compares to rival (and in most cases, inferior) devices that fetch well over $500. the screen is superb, perhaps lacking the true clarity of the iPad when it comes to super fine text, but the iPad is significantly more expensive, starting at $539. the Nexus 7, again, can be bought for just $249. yes, two hundred and forty nine dollars.

At the risk of sounding repetitive, the Nexus 7′s low price is really the killer feature of this tablet. the critical factor here is that the build quality really defies the low price tag. the Nexus 7 may be a cheap Android tablet in terms of cost, but it’s not anywhere near cheap in terms of quality.

We particularly love the soft feeling plastic on the back of the Nexus 7. the small indents printed all over the rear make it look and feel a little like leather. more important than looks, the material makes the Nexus 7 comfortable to hold. This is a tablet that’s easy to use single-handedly without the risk of it slipping out of your hands. further, its light weight makes it a perfect device for reading books and the smaller form factor means it can fit in places where bigger tablets can’t, such as the inside pocket of your suit jacket, or in a ladies handbag.

There will be an ongoing debate between the validity of 7in tablets versus larger 10in tablets. in my opinion, however, the Nexus 7 is near perfect for portability. We’ve mentioned books, but the Nexus 7 is also great for reading magazines, playing games and browsing the Web. For more productive tasks, like editing documents, or taking long sets of notes, you’ll probably prefer a larger screened tablet.

I’ve only played with the Nexus 7 for a few hours, but there are a few touches that simply make it a pleasure to use. It’s software is Google’s best yet. Android Jelly Bean, the latest iteration of Android is smooth, slick and fast, with no evidence of any lag or slowdown during use.

Not long after I turned on and set up the Nexus 7 for the first time, I received a software update to Android 4.1.1, which claims to improve performance. a big advantage of opting for the Nexus 7 over rival Android tablets is these software updates. regardless of what model Nexus 7 you own, you’ll always receive the updates as soon as Google makes them available. other Android tablets, like Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 7.7, the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime and Toshiba’s Tablet AT270 are currently stuck on older software versions of Android. some may not ever see the latest updates.

The Nexus 7 isn’t a perfect device. the home screen won’t rotate into landscape mode, even though many Android apps will. Google seems intent on encouraging users to hold the tablet in portrait mode, except when viewing multimedia content. While the natural tendency is to hold the Nexus 7 this way, we would have appreciated a bit of flexibility.

There’s no rear facing camera to take photos on the Nexus 7 and the front-facing camera for video calls is of very poor quality. it works in apps like Skype and Tango Video Calls but the quality is best described as lacklustre. There’s a very handy app in the Play Store called Camera Launcher for Nexus 7 that allows you to use the front camera to take photos, but again, the quality is poor.

There also remains an issue with many Android apps. Most apps haven’t been designed specifically for tablet use. This means many apps won’t work as well as they should on the Nexus 7. some won’t work at all. there are examples both ways. the excellent Flipboard media aggregator, the Pulse Reader app, Pocket and Evernote all work fantastically well on the Nexus 7. On the other hand, the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Spotify work, but there are instances where it is painfully obvious these apps were designed for a smartphone rather than a tablet.

We’ll be publishing a full review of the Google Nexus 7 in the coming days.

Google Nexus 7: First look

Jul 18

How a smaller iPad could still have a 9.7-inch ...

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There’s increasing speculation that Apple is planning to release a smaller iPad, dubbed the ‘iPad mini.’ taking a closer look at the iPad 3, a smaller iPad could still sport a 9.7-inch screen.

The argument in favor of a smaller iPad is rather weak at best. The idea is that because Amazon and Google have a small tablet, Apple needs the same, despite there being no real evidence to suggest that there’s anything more compelling about either the Kindle Fire or the Nexus 7 than the $199 price tag.

Yesterday, The new York Times published a piece which contained quotes by Leslie Grandy, a former Apple manager who is now a consultant and an adviser to start-up companies. according to Grandy, a smaller iPad could be “appealing to people who do not now carry their iPads with them because they are too large and heavy.

While a 7-inch device is too big for most pockets, Grandy said, it is a good size for women’s purses. ”I really do feel like this is the sweet spot for them.”

But a 7-inch tablet is fraught with problems. Not only is the screen of such a size that it becomes tricky to develop a user interface that works — because while you can scale the display down, you can’t scale people’s fingers down in the same way — the content that we consume is designed for three different types of screen: full-sized desktop screens, tablets in the 9- to 10-inch range, and smartphones.

While Amazon has been able to take the Kindle Fire and make it the most popular Android tablet on the market, commanding a market share greater than 50 percent, it’s likely that this is down to the price tag rather than a pent up demand for a tablets that are a bigger than a smartphone but smaller than an iPad. $199 is, after all, quite a leap away from the $399 of the iPad 2 or the $499 starting price of the iPad 3.

But if people do indeed want a tablet that’s smaller than the current iPad, there’s a way that Apple could reduce the overall footprint of the iPad without having to tinker in any way with the screen. In fact, it’s so simple that I’m surprised that no one has suggested it before.

So how could this be done? take a look at the current iPad:

Notice that thick bezel all around the screen? That bezel adds about 1.5-inches to the overall width and height of the iPad. while a bezel of some sorts is needed in order to make the iPad easier to handle, and to accommodate the Home button and camera, it doesn’t need to take up the space that it currently does.

Reducing the size of the bezel would be one way to trim down the footprint of the tablet without affecting the screen size.

Is it plausible to cut down the size of the bezel? Sure it is. If the current crop if iPhone 5 rumors are true, then it is exactly how Apple plans to increase the screen on the iPhone 5 without dramatically altering the size and shape of the smartphone. much of that bezel is down to legacy and the way that screen used to be manufactured. Screens can now be manufactured with a much smaller surround, meaning that the bezel can now be dropped.

This small design modification could allow Apple to deliver all the benefits at a 9.7-inch screen has to offer, but cut down the footprint of the device down dramatically.

A smaller iPad with no loss of screen size or functionality. It’s a win-win situation.

How a smaller iPad could still have a 9.7-inch screen

Jul 17

Apple to release 7.85-inch iPad this year says NYT

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Reports that Apple is planning to release a smaller version of its iPad tablet are continuing to build steam, and The new York Times is the latest to contribute to the fray. according to anonymous sources reporting to the NYT, Apple will launch a 7.85-inch version of the iPad at some point this year.

this new version of the iPad would be significantly smaller than the current 9.7-inch model, and it would come with an appropriately smaller price tag. the current iPad starts at $499, though customers can still purchase last year’s iPad 2 for $399.

the 7-inch tablet space isn’t empty, however, and Apple will be going head to head with Google’s new Nexus 7 tablet should it release an iPad in this size class. the Nexus 7 is priced starting from $199, and many reviews (including our own) say that it is easily the best tablet in the 7-inch space. Seven-inch tablets have proven to be easier to use with one hand and while walking around as compared to their 9.7 and 10-inch counterparts.

Amazon is also said to be working on a significant update to its 7-inch Kindle fire tablet, further crowding the space. the updated Kindle fire is expected to be released later this year, as well.

Apple to release 7.85-inch iPad this year says NYT

Jul 07

Google Nexus 7 Tablet Leads ‘Rag-Tag ...

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The good news is that Google’s Android tablet — the Nexus 7 — is a small, inexpensive device for users looking for an alternative to Amazon’s Kindle fire and unwilling to pay a premium for Apple’s iPad, analysts say.

The not-so-good news: Google still has a long way to go in creating an ecosystem of media and apps to challenge Apple and Amazon.

Google unveiled the 7-inch tablet, which is being produced by PC maker ASUS, at the start of I/O, its three-day developer conference in San Francisco today. The device weighs in at 340 grams (about 12 ounces), has an Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core CPU, runs the new Android 4.1 operating system – codenamed Jelly Bean – features a front-facing camera, supports HD quality video and carries a price tag of $199. it ships in mid-July.

“Learning a lesson from Amazon, Google can see that the only way to beat the premium-worthy iPad is to go for the millions of customers who are ready for smaller and cheaper tablets and then grow those customers into more Android-powered devices and, more importantly, Google-powered services like Google Play and whatever paid video experience YouTube will likely create,” said James McQuivey, an analyst at Forrester. “That range of services will be the secret to stitching together this rag-tag fleet of Android gadgets into a platform that can compete with Apple for minutes of user’s attention rather than premium device dollars.”

Forrester estimates that the iPad, built around Apple’s iOS mobile operating system, will lead the tablet market for the next four years. The research firm predicts that there will be 760 million tablets in use globally by 2016, up from 191 million this year. The iPad is expected to capture a 68 percent share of the market in 2012, with that number dropping to just more than half the market — 53 percent — in 2016. meanwhile, Google Android devices, which are projected to take a 16 percent share this year, will see that drop to 8 percent in 2016 as other tablets makers introduce new gadgets, including those based on Microsoft’s Windows 8.

Topeka Capital analyst Brian White says the iPad can “relax” with Google’s announcement of “just another Android-based tablet” that is more of a challenger to the Amazon Kindle. while Apple has more than 650,000 iOS apps in total, with 225,000 apps that are native to the iPad, Google has 600,000 apps in total for mobile users and an “insignificant amount that are native for tablets.” He also expects Apple may release an “iPad Mini” later this year to win over price-conscious buyers.

“Apple’s 9.7 inch iPad starts at a price of $499 and the iPad 2 starts at a price of just $399. At the same time, we believe an “iPad Mini” could be released this September at a price point of $250-$300, providing a more cost competitive product for Apple and opening up a new market segment. The resolution (1280-800) of the Nexus 7 does not compare to the new iPad (2048-1536) with Retina display, while the new tablet is only available in Wi-Fi versus 4G and Wi-Fi for the iPad,” White said in an investor note today. “We believe the combination of Apple’s expanding digital grid, innovative design, unmatched aesthetics, leading App availability (with 225,000 native iPad Apps), intuitive user interface and expanding technology innovations will continue to keep the company on top of the tablet market for many years to come.”

Frank Gillett, also from Forrester, sees challenges ahead for Google. “Google’s user base for music, books, and movies is not nearly as strong as Apple or Amazon, so it will take time to build a strong customer base,” he said. “But Google’s real tablet problem is the lack of compelling tablet optimized apps and Google has yet to address how to motivate developers to fill the gap. Nor has Google addressed the continuing and growing fragmentation problem where few devices are updated to the current OS, because carriers and device makers don’t push out the new versions or users don’t take them.”

Google Nexus 7 Tablet Leads ‘Rag-Tag Fleet’ of Android Devices