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The 2013 Nexus 7 LTE, now known as the bastard child of the living Nexus family, has not received any updates in the recent round of Android 4.4.3, and subsequently 4.4.4, releases. All of a sudden just now, the 4.4.3 factory image finally showed up, and we can only speculate how long it'll be before we see 4.4.4. For those who are counting, that's 22 days since the Nexus 4, 5, Wi-Fi 7, and 10 have all had their respective factory images available.
While the majority of Nexus and GPE devices have received their Android 4.4.3 OTAs relatively quickly, the rollout for certain other devices has certainly been... unusual. We still haven't heard anything about the 2013 Nexus 7 LTE, the LG G Pad 8.3 GPE, or the Moto G GPE, and until today, the OTA for the 2012 Nexus 7 Wi-Fi (I've been waiting for it to post both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi+3G links together).
Yesterday was a relatively big day for Android, at least compared to our regularly scheduled programming - Google sent us a gift in the form of the 4.4.3 update, available immediately via factory images and in AOSP. The problem with factory images, however, is that they require an unlocked bootloader to flash, so many of you opt in to wait for the respective OTAs.
If you're in the market for a new gadget but can't justify paying full price, refurbished hardware is a good way to get the most bang for your buck. While the word "refurbished" is somewhat tainted with a negative mental association, the odds are that you'll get a problem-free unit that will provide the same life as if you bought it new (in some cases the unit has simply been returned and can't be re-sold as "new"). If you can leap over the mental barrier and pick up a refurb, you can get a 16GB Nexus 7 for $150 from eBay right now.
[Update: Winners] Giveaway: Win One Of Ten Nexus 7 Skins From dbrand And Android Police
Giveaway: Win One Of Ten Nexus 7 Skins From dbrand And Android Police
If you're looking for a way to set your Nexus 7 apart from the pack, dbrand has the solution: custom adhesive skins. These skins come in a variety of colors and textures – everything from pink leather to white carbon fiber or metallic titanium. They're pretty badass. Of course, we would expect nothing less from a site with such fantastic design.
Adding more fuel to the Nexus 7 rumor fire, Google has just pulled the 7" slate's 16GB variant off its virtual shelves, listing the device as "coming soon."
We've been following the 32GB Nexus 7 meticulously over the past few weeks, and we're pretty sure it's going to be announced soon, possibly alongside a 3G variant of Google's hit 7" tablet. Of course, one of the most significant aspects of the 32GB N7's story is that it's expected to ring in at a $249 price-point, with the 16GB variant dropping down to $199.
It's that time again - rumor time. This one's from our favorite "industry sources" rumor-monger, the venerable Digitimes. They're saying that, according to industry sources, Google is making two new models of the Nexus 7 that are expected to be thinner. Sounds credible.
OTA Update JRO03C Pushing To Nexus 7 Now, Brings Android 4.1.1, Speeds Up A Few Things, Squashes Bugs
Our I/O Nexus 7s just received update notifications that a new software build is available for download - this is very likely the final retail build users
Our I/O Nexus 7s just received update notifications that a new software build is available for download - this is very likely the final retail build users will see when they receive their devices.
Nexus 7 Review: The Android Tablet, Rebooted
Android tablets, for the last year plus they've existed, haven't been anything to get excited over. At least that's my opinion on the matter. And even
Android tablets, for the last year plus they've existed, haven't been anything to get excited over. At least that's my opinion on the matter. And even if you've wanted one (a good one), most of them have been sort of expensive. But now that Google has unveiled the first true Nexus tablet (XOOM who?), for a mere 200 of your dollars, you can get in on the computing revolution. At that price, Google isn't shooting for the premium market. It's targeting first-time tableteers, boldly going where only Amazon and various Chinese knock-offs have gone before - into the sub-$200 slate market.