The original black OUYA game console has been out on the market since earlier this year, and here in the Autumn of 2013, the team has released a white edition with double the internal storage space. This machine works with the same hardware besides – Android inside, a wireless controller for games, and a box […]
This week at Computex, ASUS has revealed the MeMo Pad HD 7, a direct competitor for the Google Nexus 7, both of them working with a 7-inch display and both of them made by the same company. Though it may seem strange at first for ASUS to create a tablet that’s so extremely similar to the machine they’ve got in their deal with Google, the different bits and pieces offered with this new machine may make all the difference. And it all starts with color choices.
With the ASUS MeMo Pad HD 7, users will get the choice of several different color back panels – yellow, pink, gray, and white are included in this initial release. The Nexus 7 comes in black – or white, if you’ve got the limited edition Google I/O 2012 iteration. If you put color aside, this machine looks so similar to the Nexus 7 that it is, at first, difficult to tell the two apart.
Both devices have the same display size and resolution, 7-inches and 1280 x 800 pixels strong, that being 221 PPI. Both machines work with Android, but the MeMo Pad HD 7 works with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box with ASUS’ own custom user interface on top.
It’s important to note here that the Nexus 7 benefits from being part of Google’s Nexus program, meaning that it works with Google’s most basic non-skinned version of Android and receives regular updates whenever Google brings new versions of Android to the market. The MeMo Pad HD 7, on the other hand, still works with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and has no such promise of updates on any schedule.
The new ASUS tablet works with an unnamed ARM Cortex-A7 quadcore processor while the Nexus 7 employs the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quadcore processor we know to have support from its manufacturer. While for most common users the brand of the processor has little effect on their end experience, here we know the Tegra 4 to be reliable in its ability to conserve battery life (with 4-PLUS-1 technology, that is), and it has a whole dedicated gaming environment to boast in the NVIDIA TegraZone, as well.
One thing the ASUS MeMo Pad HD 7 has that the Nexus 7 doesn’t is a back-facing camera. While the Nexus 7 famously had its camera axed because ASUS said it wasn’t necessary, the MeMo Pad HD 7 works with a 5 megapixel camera on its back and a 1.2 megapixel camera on its front. The Nexus 7 works with just the front-facing camera on its front for selfies and video chat.
The original release of the Nexus 7 was bafflingly cheap when it was launched, but here in 2013 it appears that the price point is ready to drop once again. While you’ll pay $199 USD for the smallest version of the Nexus 7 (small in 16GB of internal storage, that is), the MeMo Pad HD 7 starts at $129 for an 8GB model. There’s also a $149 model incoming with 16GB internal storage, though there’s still a question of availability.
ASUS hasn’t been clear quite yet on where the MeMo Pad HD 7 will be available, while the ASUS-made Google Nexus 7 is available, and has been available for some time, in both the USA and in international markets. Because of this, the question of which machine is better for your living room is academic: you’ve only got one choice (for now).
ASUS MeMo Pad HD 7 vs Nexus 7: what you gain and what you lose is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
If you’re all about the burning up of your zombie enemies and have a hankering to do so on your Android device, your time has arrived. The game Dead on Arrival 2 has announced that their next beta testing round will be beginning tomorrow – all users need to do is agree that they’ll never tell what they saw: this game wont be out for a while. It has, on the other hand, been demonstrated more than once on NVIDIA SHIELD.
This game has been created by the folks at N3V Games with additional assistance from NVIDIA, who’ve helped this game become extra optimized for devices with NVIDIA Tegra processors inside. While the minimum specifications for running this game tell us we wont necessarily have to use Tegra processors to run it, it’s certainly recommended: “minimum spec equal to or better than Tegra 2, recommended Tegra 3 or higher.”
Of course that means that the NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor inside SHIELD will be all the better. Devices aiming at running this game need Android 3.0 or better with Android 4.0 recommended. The developers behind this game have also suggested the following, straight from the Android Beta Signup instructions:
• Have a stomach for wave after wave of bloodshed and mayhem!
• Aren’t scared of the dark.
• Don’t need aspirin for headaches.
• Have no problem shooting your zombie friend in the head if you had too.
Features like motion-captured animation and dynamic physics will certainly be adding to the realism of this game, and from what we’ve seen on SHIELD already, it’s going to be a no-jokes sort of situation, no matter what device you’re working with. This beta test is for both single player and multiplayer action, so get ready to go blasting into the night.
NOTE: The beta may not begin at dawn, exactly – you never can tell with the undead. Tomorrow in general would be a bit better a bet.
PSA: Dead On Arrival 2 Android zombie horror beta begins at dawn is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
There’s chatter of a brand new iteration of the Google Nexus 7 appearing this afternoon alongside talk of not just a new version of Android, but another “Google Edition” smartphone as well. While Android 4.3 continues to appear in our very own traffic logs here on SlashGear, so too has it been tipped that this update will upgrade features like the system’s camera software. In the tablet universe, it’s a reissue of the Nexus 7 that’s popping up as a possible reality for as soon as next month.
According to a report from DigiTimes, shipments of a brand new upgraded Nexus 7 have already begun. This version of the device will have a lovely new 1920 x 1200 display on its front along with a new set of innards – retaining the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor too, we must expect.
This same tip suggests that this new display is a low-temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) panel that, again, sits at 7-inches diagonally. This means that this device will have 323.45 PPI, that being significantly sharper than the “Retina” panel on the standard 9.7-inch iPad. Meanwhile the sharpest display on a mobile smart device on the market today remains 468.7 PPI, that coming from the HTC One.
The new Google Nexus 7 will continue to be made by ASUS, of course, and the same source as mentioned above have said AU Optronics are the team behind this generation’s displays thus far. Future users can expect this device to be appearing right around June 10th – though there’s been no official confirmation of this from Google thus far.
If you’re wondering what the big deal is with this device, look no further than this Conduit HD review. Or if you want to look a little further anyway, have a peek at this Real Boxing review, it and the other game having been demonstrated on the Nexus 7, nearly a year after its initial release – still kickin!
Nexus 7 refresh coming quick: HD display on tap is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Today the folks at Hisense and NVIDIA have formally introduced the world to the Hisense Sero 7 tablet family, machines that work with specifications ready to take on the likes of the ASUS-made Nexus 7 straight from Google. The Google Nexus 7 works with the same processor as the Pro version of the Sero 7, that being the NVIDIA Tegra 3, here coming in with a few different bits and pieces surrounding this SoC to differentiate the offering.
This device works with a 7-inch IPS LCD display at 1280 x 800 pixel resolution, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB internal storage. One of the first big differences between this machine and the Nexus 7 is the inclusion of a microSD card slot – that’ll allow you to expand the tablet’s storage space by an additional 32GB.
This machine works with a mini-HDMI out port so you can play videos or games straight to your high-definition television or computer display, and it works with two cameras. While the Nexus 7 works with a single front-facing camera, the Hisense Sero 7 works with a 2 megapixel front-facing camera and a 5-megapixel camera on its back. The back-facing camera also has a single LED flash for photos in the dark.
Wireless connectivity features include Bluetooth, NFC, and wifi. This device measures in at 7.9″ x 5″ x 0.43″ and will be released with Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean. With a 4,000mAh battery to keep it running for what Hisense says will be 10 hours, this machine is certainly prepared to do battle with the Nexus 7. It’ll be out for $149 USD in stores this week – or if you’re at the right Walmart store, you might be able to find it today.
The Lite version of the Hisense Sero 7 brings similar specifications, but the Pro is just a bit of a step up. This Lite version also comes in at a $99 rather than $149, so it’s a bit of a value/abilities trade. The Hisense Sero 7 LT brings Android 4.1 and a dual-core processor at 1.6Ghz with 1GB of RAM. Up front is a 1024 x 600 pixel display that’s also IPS LCD.
This smaller tablet has a smaller internal storage at 4GB, but it also works with a microSD card slot for 32GB of storage expansion. This machine is also a bit smaller physically with a size of 7.9″ x 4.8″ x 0.41″ – and it’s got just one camera, too. This machine works with a 0.3 megapixel camera on its front, much like the Nexus 7.
Hisense Sero 7 tablets brings NVIDIA Tegra 3 to take on Nexus 7 is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Hisense, a company known for making budget Chinese tablets, will soon be releasing their Android tablets stateside. Late last month a new Hisense Sero 7 tablet was spotted clearing the FCC here in the US, and today we have all the details. Their first official Google Play certified Android tablet to go on sale stateside is pretty impressive. It has more to offer than the Nexus 7, and only comes in at $99. Read on for more details on this exclusive first look.
Thanks to an eagle-eyed reader we’re getting the first official details, specs, and pictures of what is called the Hisense Sero 7 Pro. This tablet aims to deliver Nexus 7 like performance to the masses for only $99, and will be hitting retailers like Walmart shortly. According to our tipster, it’s already for sale extremely early at some select Walmart stores.
The Hisense Sero 7 Pro is a pretty impressive tablet in every sense of the word, especially given the price. You’ll be enjoying a 7-inch 1280 x 800 IPS HD display, and quad-core power thanks to NVIDIA‘s Tegra 3 clocked at 1.3 GHz. The same as the Nexus 7. You’ll enjoy 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, but hey, unlike the Nexus 7 this has a micro-SD slot. Oh and it also sports a mini-HDMI out port as well. Two things sorely missing from ASUS and Google’s Nexus 7.
That isn’t all this has going for it either. The Hisense Sero 7 Pro not only runs on Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean, but it also rocks two cameras. A 5 megapixel rear (with LED flash) and 2 megapixel front facing camera. You’ll enjoy the usual WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, and sensors, as well as NFC and a 4,000 mAh battery. So basically everything you’ll get from the Nexus 7, plus 4 or 5 things we wish it had like cameras and micro-SD, all for only $99.
Hisense has been popular in China with their well-rounded tablets, and it looks like the same is about to be true here in the US. The company, Hisense, sells some TVs and other things here in the states but this is their first tablet to officially go on sale. According to our reader, who has the tablet in hand after purchasing it from a local Walmart, said the link to their US tablet site doesn’t even work. Claiming it says www.hisense-usa.com/tablets on the box, which at the time of writing isn’t an active page. Their new slate just cleared the FCC in late April, and shouldn’t be available for sell yet, but we’d recommend you run down to your nearest Walmart and try to snag on up before they sell out.
With those specs, that design and build quality, all for $99 we expect this tablet to do quite well. Running the latest version of Android and having full access to the Google Play Store doesn’t hurt either.
– Thanks Selim for the tip
Hisense Sero 7 Pro Tablet leaks to take on the Nexus 7 is written by Cory Gunther & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
The original Google Nexus 7 tablet (as manufactured by ASUS) has been tipped to be getting a refresh with new hardware and a launch time around June or July. This updated piece of equipment would, if this set of predictions turns true, have the tablet ready to be re-introduced at Google I/O 2013, the company’s developer conference. This conference begins next week, starting on Wednesday the 15th of May, ending Friday.
It was just one year ago that Google I/O 2012 revealed the Google Nexus 7 originally, giving it there to every developer attendee so that they might develop games and apps for the device with ease. That original Google Nexus 7 remains on sale today with the specifications it came with in the first place.
The original Google Nexus 7 worked with a 7-inch IPS LCD display at 1280 x 800 pixel resolution, that ending up bringing on a 216 PPI screen density. This device was 198.5 x 120 x 10.45 mm large and was released in both wifi-only and 3G-capable iterations, having Bluetooth, NFC, and GPS inside. The original Nexus 7 worked with 8GB of internal storage – this was quickly upgraded to 16GB of internal storage in the smallest, standard model, while another 32GB internal storage iteration was released as well.
Perhaps most important of all, this original Nexus 7 was – before it was scooped up by Google – an ASUS/NVIDIA collaboration. As a low-cost quad-core processor-toting tablet, NVIDIA had it announced at CES 2012 with ASUS without a formal release date. This device was quickly spotted by Google and brought on as an exclusive release under the company’s Nexus brand. Fun fact: we also predicted this collaboration – albeit with the wrong price attached.
This ASUS Eee Pad MeMO was announced with NVIDIA’s own Tegra 3 quad-core processor inside and continued to carry that processor through to its re-naming as the Google Nexus 7. In an analyst report with 9to5Google by Mingchi Kuo from KGI securities today, the new Google 7 tablet will be bringing with it a quad-core Qualcomm processor.
The processor this new Nexus 7 is tipped to bring with it is the same APQ8064 Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor carried by the Google Nexus 4, the current hero smartphone for Google (manufactured by LG). This would be a relatively major blow to NVIDIA as the Nexus 7 allowed their chipset to reach a relatively large cross-section of users over the past year.
This new Nexus 7 would be manufactured by ASUS as the first iteration was and will have 7-inch LTPS display with 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution. That puts the density of this display at 323 PPI, far greater than the original device. This new Nexus 7 is also suggested to be coming with a thinner bezel than before, Qi standard wireless charging, and a back-facing camera sitting at 5-megapixels strong.
We’ll know one way or the other next week – if Google is aiming to re-introduce the Nexus 7 with new specifications for this year, Google I/O 2013 is the ideal place to do it. Stick with SlashGear in our Google I/O portal for more information on the event and head to our Facebook event page to sign up to remind yourself to join us!
Nexus 7 refresh tipped for summer; how it differs from the original is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
The Android-toting game console known as OUYA has had its first teardown appearance this week, a piece-by-piece de-construction showing that it will be a relatively easy repair job for future users. The console and gaming controller are taken apart bit-by-bit with open-source and free-to-modify aims in mind – the creators of this system appear to have stuck to their word when it comes to simple modifications.
Inside the iFixit teardown the innards promised by the manufacturers of the OUYA, including – but not limited to – the NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor with 4-PLUS-1 technology (meaning there’s 5 CPU cores, not just 4). Under the hood two Samsung 4Gb DD3 SDRAM modules sit next to one another, these two 4Gb modules together creating 1GB total.
Also inside the OUYA box is a single fan, easily removable and attached with just four standard screws and a wire. As noted by iFixit, this is good – especially since its the only moving part in the whole amalgamation of metal and plastic. The fan is, for those of you looking to stock up, a SUNON MagLev HA40101V4 DC brushless and you’ll be rolling with 12 volts at 0.8 W of power.
Perhaps oddest of all is the addition of weights to this machine. Inside the bottom of the console are five miniature metal plates added to keep the device weighed down and solid on a flat surface. Each of the five plates weighs in at 0.39 ounces, creating nearly 2 ounces of staying weight for the bottom of the box. The gaming pad coming with the OUYA is a similar bit of ease in tear down – only a few screws and you’re in!
Have a peek at SlashGear’s OUYA tag portal to see more information on this machine’s innards as well as its connections to the gaming universe at large. You’ll be able to see this device on the deck of your own TV stand later this year, if all goes as planned, and for right around a hundred bucks, too!
[via iFixit]
OUYA teardown shows near-perfect ease in repairability is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
The gaming community seems to be exceptionally excited about the upcoming released of the Android-powered video game console, Ouya. We recently heard the Ouya will be supporting older console emulators and is excepted to be made available on June 4, but we have yet to hear just how powerful the Tegra 3 powered console will be.
As you could have guessed from the ever-changing smartphone market, the Ouya’s Tegra 3 underperforms current generation of mobile devices in Futuremark’s 3DMark benchmark, landing it a score of 4077. Its score has put it ahead of the Nexus 7, although its performance isn’t as powerful as the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity. When compared to recent handsets, such as LG’s Nexus 4, its 4077 score is completely crushed as the Nexus 4 more than doubles its performance with a score of 10,201 in 3DMark. (more…)
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Playfun Program Learns How To Play NES Games, Nintendo Wii U Sales Believed To Reach Only 55,000 In March [Analyst], 
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