nexus 7 - 9/12 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Jul

[Update: Here Are The Winners!] Giveaway: Win One Of Three 16GB Nexus 7s From Android Police And Beansoft

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Contests / Giveaways, News, Nexus 7

Last Updated: August 5th, 2012

If you haven't already picked up a Nexus 7, then you're missing out on what's easily the best Android tablet on the planet. And I don't say things like that lightly.

So, you poor Nexus 7-less soul, here's you chance to snag one for free. Thanks to our friends over at Beansoft, we have a few (read: three) 16GB models to give away. For free. To you.

Thumb Keyboard

If you don't already know who Beansoft is, pay attention. They make one of the best tablet-optimized keyboard that you'll find on the market: Thumb Keyboard. If you have a tablet, and you haven't at least tried TK as your software keyboard, you're seriously doing it wrong.

Jul

Nexus 7 16GB Now In Stock On The Play Store

Posted by Cameron Summerson in News, Nexus 7

If you've been patiently waiting for the 16GB version of the Nexus 7 to make its way back into the Play Store, the wait is now over. The tablet dropped its "coming soon" status for "in stock" just a bit ago, and Google has already started sending out emails to users who signed up for updates on the device's status.

Still, if you don't want to wait for shipping, you may be better off hitting up the local Staples or Office Depot - we're still hearing word that many stores still have a stock of N7s to share with the world.

Jul

Jelly Bean Factory Images Are Now Available For Several Nexus Devices, Including GSM Galaxy Nexii And Nexus 7

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Google, News

The time has come friends. Factory images are now available for several Nexus devices. The current factory image (JRO03[C-E] depending on the device) is available for most Nexus S variants, though the Korean and Sprint versions are conspicuously absent. Similarly, the Verizon-branded Galaxy Nexus is still off the list, but all other Galaxy Nexus versions are accounted for. And, of course, the carrier-less Nexus 7's factory image is available.

For those who prefer bullet points, here are the devices with factory images available as well as the build number for each:

Nexus S (soju): Android 4.1.1 (JRO03E)

Nexus S (sojua): Android 4.1.1 (JRO03E)

Galaxy Nexus (yakju): Android 4.1.1 (JRO03C)

Galaxy Nexus (takju): Android 4.1.1 (JRO03C)

Nexus 7 (nakasi): Android 4.1.1 (JRO03D)

If you need to get back to the way things were when you first got your device, you can download the images from Google's download site right here.

Jul

ARCHOS' 97 Carbon Tablet Is Now On Sale, Costs $249, Redefines Cheap Tablets (As 'Expensive')

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in 97 Carbon, ARCHOS, News

I hate to be the Negative Nancy or the Debbie Downer here. Mostly because I hate those disgustingly cute terms for "pessimistic". However, the ARCHOS 97 Carbon tablet arrives at a particularly rough time. Today, ARCHOS' newest tablet is available via the company's web store. ARCHOS has a history of being the leader in inexpensive tablets. Unfortunately, with the advent of the Nexus 7, the competition just got a lot stiffer.

Take a look at the spec list for the 97 Carbon:

1GHz single-core ARM Cortex A8 processor

1 GB of RAM

21.8 ounces

0.45" thick

9.7" IPS display

16GB of internal flash memory

microSD card slot

Google app access, including the Play Store

Android 4.0

Yes, you read that right.

Jul

Google Gigabit Fiber's Kansas City Rollout Includes Free Internet Or A Free Nexus 7, Nationwide Envy At No Extra Charge

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in Google, Google TV, News, Nexus 7

To the residents of Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri: we hate you. Sincerely, every Internet user in the United States.

We've known about Google's plan to roll out its very first fiber optical Internet and cable service in the twin Midwestern cities for months, but today the full scope of Google's plans has been revealed on the fiber.google.com page. The options are staggering, the technology is drool-inducing, and the extras are enough to make even Google I/O attendees jealous. Beginning in September, Google will begin to roll out its fiber to neighborhoods in both cities that have rallied enough residents to request the service on the Google Fiber website.

Jul

The Nexus 7's Software Buttons: Designed For Gaming

Posted by Ron Amadeo in Design, Jelly Bean 4.1, Nexus 7

"The playground is open."

That's the declaration attached to every piece of Nexus 7 advertising on the internet. The point Google's trying to get across is that the Nexus 7 is, first and foremost, a media device. Reading, watching, listening, and gaming - those are the use cases Google had in mind when they designed the N7.

The result is that the Nexus 7 is not just a new device, it's a new type of device, at least as far as the Android UI is concerned. When Google set out to design a 7 inch tablet from the ground up, they completely blew up the standard Android tablet conventions.

Jul

[Deal Alert Roundup] Kindle Fires For $140, Unlocked LTE Skyrocket For $385 And More eBay Daily Deals

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Deals, News

We've got a bunch of deals for you folks today! To start things off right, refurbished Kindle Fires are currently available from eBay Daily Deals for a mere $140. The Amazon-branded slate, as you will no doubt recall, was one of the hottest selling Android-branded tablets prior to the advent of the Nexus 7. While both tablets are priced to ship, the Kindle Fire is the closest to impulse-buy we've ever seen it. While the Nexus 7 absolutely blows the Kindle Fire out of the water in terms of raw functionality, if you're looking for an Amazon-centric device for a steal, it's hard to beat this one.

Jul

16GB Nexus 7 Is Now Listed As "Coming Soon" On The Play Store, Likely Backordered Into The Next Century

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in News, Nexus 7

The Nexus 7, everyone's newest favorite tablet, has already had more than its share of problems shipping from the Play Store. Today, the new shenanigans are that the 16GB model is currently unavailable from the Play Store at all. The best Google has to offer is a "coming soon" button that offers to let customers sign up to be informed when the device comes back in stock.

The 16GB model, so far, has been particularly hard to find from Google, and particularly easy in retail locations. The best we can assume is that Google allotted more 16GB models to be shipped out for retail shipment, since the margins are higher on the 16GB model.

Jul

Video: Developer Shows Off The Latest Chameleon Launcher Build On The Nexus 7

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in Applications, News

Ask any five Android fanatics you know the following question: "What's the most exciting tablet-based launcher project in the world right now?" And you're likely to get five identical responses. The Chameleon launcher has captured the imagination of Android tablet aficionados after a successful Kickstarter campaign and plenty of coverage from news outlets like this one. Today the developers posted two videos showing off Chameleon's impressive complexity and flexibility, and naturally they're showing it off on the hottest Android tablet going: the Nexus 7.

Of the two videos on display, the one above is of the most interest, since it gives us a good look at Chameleon's fascinating widget engine.

Jul

[Deal Alert] OfficeMax Has The 16GB Nexus 7 In Stock For $219.99 With Phone Order Coupon Plus Free Shipping

Posted by Liam Spradlin in Deals, News, Nexus 7

UPDATE: Many readers are reporting that the Nexus 7 is now on backorder from OfficeMax and that the coupon may not work any more. That being said, the website still indicates that the tablet will ship in 1 to 3 days. Let us know if you have any luck getting the discount.

There's no doubt that Google's Nexus 7 has been exceedingly hard to find since its launch. From nebulous shipping schedules to stock problems at brick and mortar stores, customers everywhere have had a hard time getting their hands on the device.

Luckily, it has been discovered that OfficeMax has Google's hit 7" tablet in stock (shipping in "1 to 3 days") for $219.99 when you apply a coupon code over the phone.