Google's First Tablet Lights Fire Under Kindle
Google (Nasdaq: GOOG)'s first own-brand tablet is following in the footsteps of the popular low-cost Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN) Kindle Fire rather than attempting to tussle for the high-end with Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL)'s iPad.
The search giant revealed its Nexus 7 tablet at its developers' conference in San Francisco Wednesday afternoon. The tablet is made for Google by AsusTek Computer Inc. and will start at US$199 for an 8GB model.
Specifications for the tablet include:
- Google's latest Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system
- An Nvidia Corp. (Nasdaq: NVDA) Tegra 3 quad-core processor
- A 7-inch display
- "Android Beam" Near-Field Communication (NFC) support
- Up to eight hours of active battery use
- "Tons of free cloud storage"
- Tight integration with Google apps
Why this matters The sleek and inexpensive Wi-Fi-only tablet is a flagship for the latest cut of the Android OS and a streaming signpost for Google's "Play" content and app store. The device appears similar to the Kindle Fire, but sports a faster processor and more optional storage while lacking Amazon's speedy Silk browser. It is rumored that Amazon may respond with a new tablet launch as early as the end of July.
For more
- OS Watch: Google Shuns the Wireless Operators
- Google & Moto: What's Next?
- Ballmer: 'I Don't Think Everybody Wants a Tablet'
- T-Mobile Preps its First Android 3.0 Tablet
- CES 2011: The Daily Tablet
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