Tag Archives: googlebreakfast2013

The new Nexus 7 vs. last year’s model: what’s changed?

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The new Nexus 7 vs last year's model what's changed

Google's second-generation Nexus 7 hasn't been the company's best kept secret -- we've seen leak after leak, after leak and, well, you get the point. Still, now that the revamped 7-inch slate is officially out the bag, we can finally leave speculation behind and attach some formal specifications to the thing. As expected, the new Nexus 7 brings a number of internal upgrades to the table, while its outer shell has seen a few minor aesthetic changes. All signs point toward it being a worthy successor to Mountain View's popular tablet, but how big of an upgrade are we talking about, exactly? Those answers await after the jump, where we break down the specs and spell out what's different between the old and new Nexus 7.

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Android 4.3 Jelly Bean official: shipping with new Nexus 7, available OTA for select devices today

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A healthy stream of leaks in the last several months indicated that the latest version of Jelly Bean was right around the corner, and at its press event today Google pulled back the curtain on Android 4.3. Unsurprisingly, the latest software will debut on the new Nexus 7, which was also announced on stage. In addition to shipping with that tablet, the software will be available as an over-the-air update for the Nexus 4, Nexus 10, Galaxy Nexus and first-gen Nexus 7 today. No word on when the larger world of Android devices will receive the latest version, though.

The new software adds a restricted profile feature, which lets parents control what content children can view. According to Hugo Barra, who demoed the OS on stage, apps act differently depending on a given user's restriction settings, and the new feature also blocks in-app purchasing (we know how disastrous that can be for unwitting toddlers). Beyond that, the newest version of Jelly Bean adds Bluetooth Smart technology, and there's support for OpenGL ES 3.0, enabling improved details in graphics. A Unity game demo showed us how 3D objects can cast shadows on themselves, along with the ability add lens flare.

Perhaps the sweetest feature of all, though, is Netflix streaming in 1080p -- that in and of itself could leave non-Nexus owners more than a little jealous. This goody comes thanks to a new set of DRM APIs to take advantage of HD content on the Nexus. Also on board are Bluetooth AVRCP, dialpad autocomplete, and easier text input. Click through to the source for more info from the Android dev blog, and make sure to follow along with our liveblog.

Gallery: Android 4.3 unveiled

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Source: Android Developers Blog

Google announces thinner, lighter Nexus 7 with higher-res screen, arrives July 30th for $230

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Google announces thinner, lighter Nexus 7 with higher-res screen, arrives July 30th for $230

When we reviewed the Nexus 7 last summer, we said it was the best tablet $200 could buy. A year later, that still might be true if it weren't for the fact that there's a new Nexus 7 in town. One that's a bit better specced and a bit more expensive than the OG model. Today Google took the wraps off an updated version of its smaller tablet offering, this one also made by ASUS, which takes everything you know and love about the original and makes it just a little bit better. For one, the already-solid screen has been bumped to 1,920 x 1,200, giving the new Nexus a pixel density of 323 ppi. The 7-point touch IPS panel sports glass that's not only scratch resistant, but also fights off fingerprints and smudges (we'll believe that one when we see it). Of course, putting a stunning display on a device is pointless if you don't have the horsepower to serve up lots of smooth, high-quality content. So, Google gave the CPU a bit of a bump, moving to a 1.5GHz quad-core S4 Pro from Qualcomm that comes paired with an Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB of RAM. Oh, and all those wonderful new components should be well utilized by Android 4.3, the exciting (if incremental) OS update released alongside Google's new tablet.

Gallery: Nexus 7 (2013)

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Source: Google Play

Google reports 70 million Android tablet activations as it confirms app downloads have passed the 50 billion mark

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It seems like just 10 weeks ago that Google was reporting a total of 900 million Android activations. Well, now the company's back, once again outdoing itself with some fresh figures. Today, we're hearing that more than 70 million Android tablets have been activated to date. Meanwhile, Google has surpassed 50 billion app downloads in the Google Play Store across all Android devices, and there are now more than a million applications available in the store. Additionally, the company claims that in the first half of this year, one in two tablets sold worldwide was an Android product. With no way of confirming that figure ourselves, we'll stand on that tablet activation figure, as it represents a pretty sizable jump for Google: at the end of 2012, tablet activations were still somewhere below 40 million. That's all for now as far as stats go. We'll leave you to gawk at that super tempting new Nexus 7.

Gallery: Google reports more than 70 million Android tablet activations

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