Google Announces $199 Nexus 7 Tablet, $299 Nexus Q Media Streamer

[MacRumors]

At its Google I/O conference today, Google unveiled several new products intended to compete in the tablet and home entertainment markets, squarely targeting Apple's iPad and its rumored push into the living room for which the Apple TV has served as a foothold.

Google's presentation began with a spotlight on Android, noting that it is now activating more than one million Android devices per day and showing off Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean". The new version of the operating system offers a number of enhancements, including a faster interface, cleaner home screen design with resizable widgets, offline voice dictation, a new camera app, enhanced notifications, Siri-like voice search, and more.

A new "Google Now" feature keeps tracks of users' locations to automatically offer information relevant to their real-life experiences, whether it be information on subway schedules, menu recommendations at a restaurant, or other situations.

As for Google's hardware announcements, they leaked out ahead of time through the company's own Google Play site, which confirmed that the Google Nexus 7 will be an ASUS-manufactured tablet priced at $199 for 8 GB of storage and $249 for 16 GB of storage. The device's 7-inch IPS display offers 1280x800 pixels and a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera is included. The Nexus 7 will use a quad-core Tegra 3 processor and incorporate Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC connectivity.

On the home entertainment front, rumors from earlier this year are coming to fruition today with the introduction of the Google Nexus Q, a spherical $299 "social streaming media player". The Nexus Q will allow users to wirelessly stream music, video, and YouTube content to their home entertainment systems. Also serving as an amplifier, the Nexus Q can be connected directly to speaker systems such as Google's new $399 Triad speakers.

Google's keynote is still ongoing, and we will update this post with additional information as it is released.

Article Link: Google Announces $199 Nexus 7 Tablet, $299 Nexus Q Media Streamer

 

[mac.cali]

Very Interesting.

 

[Nevzorus]

Well, that design looks nicer then the Surface but will NOT even come close to the iPad or the Surface.

 

[nickn]

Quad core plus decent screen for only 200?! I'm in for one!

 

[lee14160]

Another hat. . .

 

[zzLZHzz]

nexus 7 pricing is very competitive for it spec. totally blow off most existing andriod tablet.

nexus q is google answer to apple tv?

 

[MacHiavelli]

I want to vomit. Loathe EVERYTHING Google does.

 

[SteveSparks]

1. Not enough local storage. Even if expandable you need more so you don't need to expand. Don't always expect online/cloud to be available.

2. Battery Life?

 

[Tinyluph]

The tablet seems neat but $300 for a device that just streams playback from other devices? Calling DOA on that one.

 

[herocero]

it needs a bigger bezel

 

[smoledman]

Another me-too tablet. At least the Surface tries to be original.

 

[Aidan5806]

First the nexus 7 doesn't even come close to the iPad and there isn't really anything special about it. It's pretty much just a kindle fire with cameras and a barebone os, and we all know how that went.

 

[lilo777]

At this pace

Google will soon have more hard wares to sell than Apple

 

[iDuel]

Let's hope Google updates their own phone immediately when they release a new Android OS version.

 

[mono1980]

I find it hilarious that people say Apple is so expensive, yet this "Nexus Q" costs 300% more than an AppleTV. Hmmmm.

 

[adcx64]

I hope the Nexus Q gains the installed base of Apple TV. It seems it has a lot of potential and I might just pick one up.

 

[rmwebs]

I want to vomit. Loathe EVERYTHING Google does.

Good for you. Care to share a logical reason for your somewhat childish view other than "they know I went shopping last thursday because they recorded my location"?

 

[zemoleman]

Do folks think these are for real or are we looking at another Zune-like failure?

8GB? 16GB? Seems a bit skimpy in the storage dept.

I have to think that ultimately Google is no Apple in the hardware department, but let them take a tilt at the windmill.apple. Only time will tell.

 

[KPOM]

Google Now sounds a bit creepy. Privacy advocates will have a field day with it. That said, I suspect others will implement similar features.

Part of Google Now are obviously a direct reaction to Siri, though. It will be interesting to see how the improved Siri stacks up against it.

 

[bushido]

it needs a bigger bezel

then everyone would complain again that it looks just like an iPad OR like the definition of a Tablet

Let's hope Google updates their own phone immediately when they release a new Android OS version.

the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus S and another device which i forgot get it mid july

 

[rmwebs]

First the nexus 7 doesn't even come close to the iPad and there isn't really anything special about it. It's pretty much just a kindle fire with cameras and a barebone os, and we all know how that went.

You got all that from 1 article?

 

[BMNB1tch]

looks like an overgrown iPod Touch

how is this not copyright infringement just like Samsung?

googblows

 

[daviesified]

Someone want to explain to me what I can do with the Nexus Q that I can't do with Apple TV & Airport Express?

$299 seems way overpriced.

Nexus 7 has just killed the Amazon Fire though, think Google have done well there.

 

[Patriot24]

Yikes, why in the world is the Q $299? Seems like it doesn't offer a lot more than an Apple TV at $99?

 

[KPOM]

Do folks think these are for real or are we looking at another Zune-like failure?

8GB? 16GB? Seems a bit skimpy in the storage dept.

I have to think that ultimately Google is no Apple in the hardware department, but let them take a tilt at the windmill.apple. Only time will tell.

It's going after the Kindle Fire more than the iPad, though that won't stop comparisons to the iPad. For $199 the Nexus 7 looks like a better deal than the Fire.