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GameStop plans to sell Nexus 7, starts taking Android tablet trade-ins
Google's Andy Rubin suggested the Nexus 7 would reach third-party US stores eventually -- we just didn't think it would be this quickly. GameStop says it's taking pre-orders for the 16GB version of the Android 4.1 tablet starting today. At $249, it will cost exactly what it does in its currently exclusive Google Play home; in other words, one of the parties involved could be taking a voluntary hit on the already razor-thin profit margins. The 7-inch slate should be arriving roughly at the same mid-July timeframe as it is for those ordering straight from the Google source. It wouldn't be GameStop if there weren't trade-ins involved, and sure enough, the game retailer is using the Nexus 7 as the lure. Confirming an earlier leak, the chain is now accepting Android tablet trade-ins worth up to $200 in cash (or $250 in store credit) depending on how pristine the hardware is coming into the store. Play your cards right, and you're very nearly getting the Google-blessed tablet for free. As an extra incentive, any gear whose exchange goes directly towards buying the Nexus 7 will get a 30 percent boost in value. Knowing the buzz surrounding the price-to-performance ratio of the ASUS-made Nexus, we won't be surprised if GameStop suddenly faces a glut of older Android tablets in its backrooms.
PayPal to add mobile payment features, hopes to redefine how we shop (till we drop)
Like the side ponytail craze of the '80s, the newest trend is turning out to be the mobile wallet -- especially as major players like Google, MasterCard, Verizon, Discover and now PayPal board the bandwagon. Our old buddy -- best known for its love affair with eBay (and ripping our own Darren Murph off a solid two large) -- has plans to implement new payment features primarily for (but not limited to) mobile. On the to-do list are things like QR / barcode scans, hyper local deals, fast checkout via NFC, etc. The company is adamant that it's not "just shoving a credit card on a phone," but rather planning to change the whole shopping experience. We'll know more when PayPal releases more details in early October, and when it launches the pilot product sometime later this year. Until then, check out the semi-cryptic video while brushing up on old episodes of SuperMarket Sweep after the break.
