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Early last month, Canonical announced the Ubuntu OS for smartphones, which will be coming later this year in October as opposed to the initial timeline of a 2014 release. However, we still haven’t heard a word about a tablet OS until now. Canonical unveiled the tablet version of Ubuntu today during the same time as HTC’s event, and while the news might have gotten drowned out by the new HTC One smartphone, open-source fanatics are no doubt excited for a tablet version of Ubuntu.
We knew a Ubuntu tablet version would be coming, but it’s nice to finally see it in its official form, ready to be consumed by various tablets. In fact, the new OS will be available in a developer preview form for the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 this Thursday. This is the same day that Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 4 users will be able to grab the smartphone preview as well.
Just like the smartphone version, Ubuntu for tablets is optimized completely for touch, and it relies on screen-edge gestures for navigation rather than physical buttons. For the most part, everything looks to be the same, except for the obvious change in screen size when using the tablet version — the interface itself is pretty similar to the phone version.
Canonical moving towards smartphones and tablets is a big and bold move for the company, but it’s nothing too surprising, and frankly it was expected at some point, with more and more users switching over to tablets and smartphones for computing needs. While Ubuntu for mobile devices may not gain a ton of market share, we sure that open-source enthusiasts and computer geeks of all kinds will take advantage of the new OS on their smartphones and tablets soon.
Ubuntu for tablets unveiled, coming to Nexus devices this Thursday is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
IRiver has announced a 7-inch tablet for consumers in South Korea. IRiver is known for making multimedia devices and this seems its first step in the tablet market. The device seems to be identical to the Google Nexus 7 tablet, both in terms of look and feel as well as pricing and specification. (more…)
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We’ve heard that Google was rolling out Android 4.2.2 to Galaxy Nexus owners, but it seems that the update is also making its way to Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 devices. At this point, we can confirm that the Nexus 7 got it since we just upgraded ours. Android 4.2.2 is supposedly a minor update that addresses some bugs and bring performance improvements.
Google has not provided public details about the update, and we’ve been getting mixed signals from the industry. For example, TheInquirer says that the Nexus 4 is getting the update, while Information Week said that “there is no word on if or when the update will reach the Nexus 4 smartphone”.
By the looks of it, this may be the last Android 4.2x update before the Google IO Conference in May 2013 (we will be there, so keep your eyes open for that one) where the company is expected to announce the next big thing for Android. Traditionally, Google has introduced new devices at Google IO along with a major Android update and roadmap. This year should not be any different.
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There are whispers in the wind that this year’s edition of Google I/O that is happening in May would deliver a refreshed version of the high resolution Nexus 7 tablet, where initial impressions of the next generation Nexus 7 would be a thinner bezel in addition to a Full HD 1080p display. Well, we have gotten whiff from an analyst who suggested that Google and Asus might actually decide to drop NVIDIA as the company of choice to supply the tablet’s chipset, and will be casting their eyes in the direction of Qualcomm for its component.
According to Pacific Crest’s Michael McConnell, this will most probably be the next move that Google and Asus will take, employing a Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset for the new Nexus 7. Sure, it will be unable to deliver similar performance levels as newer A15-based designs, but it should still be a noticeable jump compared to the Tegra 3 that sees action in the existing Nexus 7 tablet. What do you think of this rumor – does it have enough basis to stand on its own?
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This week the Google Nexus lineup has been tipped to see a slight overhaul for its second coming, with hardware upgrades coming to the Nexus 7 tablet and the Nexus 4 smartphone in large and small doses. The Google Nexus 7 tablet has been on the market since July of last year as it was first shown off at Google I/O 2012, the company’s official developer conference, while the Nexus 4 has only been on the market for a few months – still having supply issues as we speak. The upgrades come to the color in which you’ll be able to pick up the smartphone and the sharpness of the display of the tablet.
While it is odd that the Samsung-made Nexus 10 has not been tipped for any sort of upgrade (beyond this one) for this Winter/Spring 2013 season, the Nexus 7 (made by ASUS) has seen its fair share of competition since its initial $199 reveal. This price point and the fact that it’s got a quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor under the hood have all but blasted the machine into space with popularity, prompting waves of competitive 7-inch tablets (and the like) to attempt to syphon the cash. The upgrade tipped by Digitimes suggests that this machine will have an upgrade from its 1280 x 800 pixel display to an immensely dense 1728 x 1080 or even 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution.
Meanwhile the Google Nexus 4 (made by LG) has been selling like hotcakes since it was first put on the market at the end of 2012. Here near the end of January 2013, the device is just now seeing availability flicker on (and more often off) online and in retail locations across the USA. Have a peek at a column by the name of “Why the Nexus 4 is selling like mad by Robert Nelson on Android Community to see why this beast continues to kick the market’s butt.
The newest word on the Nexus 4 is that it’ll have a white case in its next release. That’s it, that’s all, that’s all there is. That tip was sent to PhoneArena with the photo you see above – look pretty real to you? Looks pretty real to us – expect that device to be appearing in that color before the second quarter of this year rolls around – bank on it!
Google Nexus 7 and 4 tipped for spring refresh in White and HD is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Every device that has done well for itself deserves a second – and subsequent goes at the mass market, and the hugely successful Nexus 7 tablet is no different. It seems that there are whispers of Google working with Asustek yet again to churn out the successor to the Nexus 7.
So far, what do we know about the second generation Nexus 7? It goes without saying that better and superior hardware specifications will be thrown into the mix, but will be be enough to make current Nexus 7 owners bite the bait and take the plunge for an upgrade? That remains to be seen, although we do know that the newer Nexus 7 will carry a Full HD display to keep up with the rest of the Joneses, and perhaps it is a cheeky pre-emptive strike against a possible iPad mini refresh.
It is also said that the Nexus 7’s successor will maintain the rather sensitive $149 to $249 price range so as not to scare the current market away, taking a page out of Apple’s book along the way when it comes to pricing sensitivities.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Priced At 391.99 Euros [Rumor], iPad 4 128GB Model Officially Announced, 
The Nexus 7 has already seen its fair share of victories here and there. But it seems that the tablet isn’t resting on its laurels yet. Google’s 7-inch tablet, which proved to be an eye-turner in our review last year, is selling very well in Japan. In fact, as reported by Nikkei, the Nexus 7 is gaining market share in the country and has even surpassed Apple’s own iPad. In December, market research firm BCN conducted a survey and asked around 2,400 consumer electronics stores in Japan which is the best.
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Good news for all T-Mobile subscribers out there! If you’ve been dreaming of the day when your carrier will finally start supporting Google’s very own Nexus 7, today’s your lucky day because T-Mobile is now offering a T-Mobile SIM for the tablet on Google Play. It will set back with the same $299 price tag for the 32GB HSPA+ model. If you’re interested, head over to Google Play to get it. (more…)
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Up until now, Google was only selling the Nexus 7 with AT&T SIM cards bundled with it, but since the device is unlocked and runs on HSPA+ cellular technology, Google decided that there was no harm in offering T-Mobile SIM cards with the 7-inch tablet, so customers can now buy a Nexus 7 for T-Mobile on Google Play right now.
Google added a new page for the Nexus 7, specifically for the new T-mobile version. It’s the same 32GB unlocked version as before, but this time it comes with a T-Mobile SIM card. So, just as with the AT&T version, you can now open up your tablet the minute you get it and connect right away to T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network.
Sadly, though, a 32GB version is only available for those wanting a T-Mobile variant, but we’re hoping a 16GB version will come to T-Mobile eventually. Google has a special relationship with the carrier, offering the Nexus 4 and Nexus 7 only on T-Mobile, so we wouldn’t be surprised if the company brought more versions of their products to the carrier.
In related news, T-Mobile announced today that the Nexus 4 will be more widely available in its larger retail stores across the US, and the device will eventually reach all of the carrier’s retail stores in the coming weeks. Furthermore, the Nexus 4 will become available once again from T-Mobile’s website starting January 23.
[via Phone Scoop]
T-Mobile Nexus 7 now available on Google Play is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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