Yesterday at Google I/O ‘s opening note, the company announced its first tablet carrying the ‘Nexus’ branding. The tablet is the first 7-incher to house a 1.3GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core CPU, which includes a 12-core GPU. With all the kickass aspects and an added front camera, the good news is yet to be disclosed.
Its just $199! Yeah, so the ASUS manufactured device is basically a major competitor to the Amazon Kindle Fire. But both have their ups and downs. The Nexus 7 (Thats what the tablet is called) comes preloaded with the latest version of Android, named ‘Jelly Bean’. Though there haven’t been drastic changes from Ice Cream Sandwich in it, but it does incorporate smoother UI and other performance enhancements.
Compared to the Kindle Fire, the hardware and software of Nexus 7 are definitely something to drool for, but its not a leap ahead. Kindle Fire still leads as a Media Consumption device while the Nexus 7 is more of a mainstream tablet. Contrary to popular belief, Nexus 7 might not be a Kindle Fire killer, but can hurt the sales of the Galaxy Tab series by Samsung. I being a Kindle Fire owner, am not tempted even the slightest to buy it just for a Camera and Microphone upgrade (Kindle Fire doesn’t have both of them! :( )
Courtesy : SlashGear
While features such as Google now and other tablet optimizations do make it a good contender, but it has got its quirks too. The UI as termed by many who reviewed it, as ‘Claustrophobic’. But then, there’s also a SIRI like assisted built into it which responds very well.
So far, so good. Compared to the iPad, it’d still need to gather a universe-sized amount of app support as just its first step. The Nexus 7 isn’t an iPad-killer, but it but it could be the first step on the road to a much more competitive tablet market.
The Nexus 7 is available now from the Google Play store starting at $199 for the 8GB storage configuration and $249 for 16GB. Units will ship in mid-July.
TECH SPECS
More information can be found here.
Oh come on. You might be a Kindle fire owner but own up!! Nexus 7 totally kicks Kindle’s ass. 4th generation OMAP vs Tegra 3, is not even a comparison. OMAP 4 used to get benchmarked against Tegra 2s and barely caught up. Remember Tegra 3 is the one on Asus Transformer prime, arguably the best Android tablet out there. Coming to GPU, PowerVR on Kindle too is a generation behind the 12 core geforce on Nexus 7. Nexus 7 comes with double the RAM Kindle has, a superior pixel density (264ppi against kindle’s 169), NFC and most importantly full play store. On any day if I have 199 USD I would go for a nexus 7 than a Kindle.
The Kindle is currently a generation behind nexus 7. Amazon will up their game and come up with a new device soon as is rumored. But as of now Kindle fire comes nowhere close to Nexus 7. Lets wait for the brutal benchmarks if you insist.
I am not saying its not better, I am saying its not much better. You can do all of the tasks in Kindle too. Besides, if you are an Amazon prime subscriber, you would prefer it still. I said its better off as a Media consumption device.
It *is* so much more better. I mean just check out a few Tegra 3 benchmarks. Or maybe just google Nexus 7 vs Kindle Fire. Its not about doing tasks, doing it better. Its when hardware is upped that better software comes up. So nexus 7 is a next gen device compared to the kindle fire. If you just want a browsing/reading device with secondary gaming options, there are cheaper tablets in the market (Ainol Novo ones). But Nexus 7 is *the* device in the 200 USD range.
Also Amazon subscription content can be accessed with any android device. Would not be a reason to buy a kindle fire though.
I think you are mistaken, there is no Amazon video app for android, hence no Prime subscription. It has been ported to ICS yes, but not everyone is willing to do that.
Moreover, I am talking about upgrade options, Its not still upgrade material for someone who bought a Kindle recently. In Future, maybe.
For someone new, I have already written better hardware and software than fire. Regarding the sales of Kindle Fire, it has already been proved that it wins due to content. Despite the Nook colour’s better offering than Kindle, it didnt thrive.
For an average person, tablet is about Infotainment, not getting faster speeds (compared in milliseconds). IMO, the day Google Play’s content gets better than Amazon’s collection, they have the field.
This new tablet from Google looks good but I guess there’s a mistake in the spec image you posted above. Under the OS column, it says Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and as far as my Android knowledge goes, Android 4.1 is ICS and 5.0 is Jelly Bean.
Rest everything is perfect ;)
Hello Arjun,
The specs is a screenshot I posted from Google Website, 4.1 is Jelly Bean not 5.0 .
You can check it at : http://www.google.com/nexus/#/7/specs
Amazon has store app and mp3 app on playstore. Ofcourse kindle app is there. Rented videos can be viewed online on browser or be downloaded (except for instant videos which can be only watched online).
For infotainment there are cheaper ICS tablets in market as I pointed out earlier. There is probably no point buying a nexus 7 for someone who owns a kindle already. But it is superior hardware/software, it is a Kindle Fire killer.
Instant videos work on the Amazon Video app on Kindle fire. There is another Fire in the making too, will be rolled out soon.
True. Dedicated app is good. With Kindle Fire 2, Amazon will have to seriously up their game. Open up the device a bit more with the Kindle android spin than it is now maybe. And they have to do it quick before all pounce on nexus tablet.
I also hear they might sell the current version of Fire for a $50 less. That will just really make tablets a household electronics item soon !!
Another question in my mind is what *is* the actual production cost of these devices? Are they underpricing these products counting on play store revenue? If yes by how much? One can only guess!!
Yeah, Kindle Fire’s production cost is about $210, and they are selling it at $199, Google must be doing more.
Maybe thats why they do not release these in India. We Indians do not pay for Internet stuff ;)
i m eagerly waiting to buy this Google Nexus 7 in India. Hope they launch as fast as possible in Indian market.
i will not buy this for sure… just don’t wanna make GOOGLE RICHER LOL
Google Nexus 7 is surely going to take over the Amazon Kindle Fire and the real-world tablets despite the omission of micro SD Slot.
i totally agree with the above user (kelvon yeezy). furthermore, the cost is affordable.
I appreciate your work on this info, this is certainly useful – thanks…..