Hasta La Gadget!

We’re here at Google’s Breakfast event with Android and Chrome boss Sundar Pichai and company, and they have just unveiled the new Nexus 7 as well as Android 4.3. This is the latest version of Jelly Bean that will be arriving for users, and Google announced that an OTA update of Android 4.3 will arriving today for the latest Nexus devices.

Android 4.3 comes with a lot of improvements, including multi-user support along with restricted profiles for kids and such (as well as for demo purposes at retail stores and such). The newest update also supports Bluetooth Smart technology that’s compatible with various accessories like a heart rate monitor (for which Google demoed on stage).

Android 4.3 also introduces a new set of DRM APIs that take advantage of HD content on the tablet, and Netflix has signed on to become one of the first partners for this, with more partners to come in the near future. There’s also support for OpenGL ES 3.0, which allow for better graphics for games and animations.

The update will be rolling out today for the latest Nexus devices. Google was clear on what exact devices would get the update, but we’re guessing that means the Nexus 4 and the Nexus 10. As for other Android devices, it’ll be up to the manufacturer and the carrier.

Android 4.3 arriving today for latest Nexus devices is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.

With the reintroduction of the Nexus 7, complete with the same name as it had in its first iteration, Google revealed that Android 4.3 would also be called Jelly Bean. This system’s detailing began with a boost to Multi-User abilities with Restricted Profiles – this is for parents, for the most part, allowing and dis-allowing bits and pieces of the operating system depending on the user. From there, Google launched directly into Bluetooth Smart – also known as Bluetooth Low Energy, this coming alongside Bluetooth 4.0.

Google’s Android 4.3 will be coming in with OpenGL ES 3.0 for developers – this will open a lot of doors for next-generation games in an environment that brings a lot of support for higher-definition graphics and 3D gaming. Demoing 3D abilities with a showing by the folks at Silicon Studio, then moving on to a futuristic motorcycle game powered by the Unity gaming engine, Google made the case for Android being a prime spot for the next generation in groundbreaking mobile gaming graphics.

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean will be coming with a new set of DRM which will benefit hardware-based encryption for video. Google flashed one of the biggest names in video streaming – Netflix – on stage along with a note on how they’ll be taking advantage. This new DRM will allow Netflix to play 1080p video with any device working with Android 4.3 – and of course, the Nexus 7 (the new Nexus 7) will be able to take full advantage of it.

This update to Android will be appearing today – starting with Google’s Nexus devices like the Nexus 7, Nexus 10, and Nexus 4, then rolling out to Google Play edition smartphones “very soon”. Stay tuned as we have a more in-depth look at this system update today, right here on SlashGear’s Android Hub!

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean official as Google takes a half-step is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Google’s head of Android and Chrome Sundar Pichai is on stage at the company’s Breakfast event where they’re planned to unveil some new products dealing with both Android and Chrome. But before that, Pichai is talking about some figures and numbers that are pretty Earth-shattering, especially when talking about tablets and PCs.

According to the IDC, Tablets will outnumber PCs by the end of this year. Pichai showed a chart on stage that shows a relatively slow-moving upward trend for both consumer and corporate PCs, but the growth of tablets has an incredible exponential growth, and in just a few months, it’s predicted that tablet sales will outperform PC sales.

Pichai says that by the end of 2013, 225 million tablets will have been sold, leading to more tablets being sold than PCs. As for total Android tablet activations, the end of 2012 saw almost 40 million activations, but that number is over 70 million. He also notes that almost one in two tablets sold worldwide is based on Android, with the rest being iPads.

Of course, this news isn’t too surprising, seeing as how we’re entering a post-PC world. PCs will still exist, but smartphones and tablets seem to be overtaking the market and are selling more than computers. 225 million is a lot of tablets to go around, and that number is expected to keep rising.

Tablets sales to outnumber PCs by the end of the year is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Coming as no surprise at all, Google’s just unveiled its newest Nexus 7 tablet at a breakfast meeting in San Francisco this morning. What has caught us off guard, however, is news that the Android 4.3 tablet will bow on three of the US’ top wireless carriers — that’s AT&T, Verizon* and T-Mobile — as a single SKU and with support for LTE. No release date or pricing has yet been announced for the 7-incher, but when it does launch, it’ll be the premier device to ship with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.

Update: Google’s just released pricing and availability for the new Nexus 7, pegging the WiFi version for a July 30th bow in-store and online. There’ll be two configurations — a 16GB and 32GB — that’ll retail for $229 and $269, respectively. Users that prefer to wait for the LTE-enabled version will have to fork over $349 for a 32GB model, although this variant still doesn’t have a solid street date; Google’s saying it’ll hit retail in the “coming weeks.”

*the Nexus 7 LTE will not support CDMA (read: 3G service) on Verizon

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Google, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile

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The original Nexus 7 launched in a relative vacuum — there were other low-cost, 7-inch Android tablets before, but few with the full support of a major manufacturer. The 2013-era Nexus 7 is entering a far more crowded marketplace with many recognizable names, and even more aggressive pricing. With that in mind, we’ve compared Google’s latest tablet with three of its newest 7-inch peers — ASUS’ MeMo Pad HD 7, HP’s Slate 7 and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 — to see whether it’s as strong a value as its predecessor.

Ironically, the new Nexus 7 occupies the high end in this space. It’s the most expensive tablet here, with the sharpest display, the fastest processor and the most built-in storage. However, that doesn’t mean it’s priced out of contention. The $30 you save with the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 just isn’t worth it; Samsung’s tablet is a big step down in every aspect outside of expandability. And you’re clearly getting what you pay for with the Slate 7, whose low price doesn’t excuse a poor display and sluggish performance.

The Nexus 7’s real competition comes from its own manufacturer, ASUS. While the MeMo Pad HD 7 has a lower resolution screen and a slower CPU, its cameras, display quality, processing power and storage are superb for the price. If you don’t crave the Nexus 7’s technology or stock Android 4.3, it may be wiser to save $80 and buy the good-enough MeMo Pad instead. Full specifications for all the tablets are available after the break.

Filed under: Tablets, Samsung, ASUS, Google, HP

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