Nexus72013
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Google pulls the Nexus 7 tablet from its online store (updated)
In case you were on the fence about grabbing one of Google's affordable Nexus tablets, you'd better jump off it pretty soon. The Nexus 7's been pulled from the Google Store, as spotted by TalkAndroid, and it almost assuredly isn't coming back -- especially since the Nexus 9 exists. That means if you still want one of the consistently updated 7-inch slates you'll have to hit places like Amazon while supplies last or wallow in regret for all that could've been. Namely, owning a tablet that (to me at least) is more comfortable to hold than the IPad Mini 2 and is essentially just as capable.
Xiaomi launches MIUI for tablets, new Nexus 7 gets first dibs (Update: WiFi version only)
While Xiaomi has yet to launch its very own tablet (the Eden Tab doesn't count), you can now get a first taste of its tablet-friendly MIUI Android ROM, which is available as an open beta for the 2013 edition Nexus 7. According to the company, this isn't merely a scaled up version of MIUI V5, as it has a "brand new architecture" with content -- including native apps, system menus and new screen animations -- optimized for both screen orientations. Interestingly, CEO Lei Jun added that tablet vendors can get in touch if they want to ship their devices with MIUI preloaded, which would be a first for non-Xiaomi hardware. Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean Lei's not making his own tablets in the near future; but as of now, there are no reliable rumors of such plan. If you have a new Nexus 7 lying around and don't mind giving MIUI a go, then head over to MIUI's website to grab the 278MB download. Update: Reader @KellicTiger pointed out that this ROM is only good for the WiFi version of the Nexus 7, as mentioned in the flashing guide. Bummer.
Google Shopping Express starts selling gadgets, continues same-day delivery until December 24th
Hey, Bay Area residents: Mountain View's hoping you'll bring its online shop your business instead of braving the crowds for some last-minute holiday shopping. Google's Shopping Express will continue doing same-day deliveries until 5PM Pacific on December 24th, so long as you place an order before noon. Even better, the portal now sells gadgets straight from Google Play. The selection's pretty slim at the moment, but if you have a relative dying for a Nexus 7/10 or a Chromecast, then you've got it made. Sadly, the service has yet to expand to other locations, so everyone else will have to find an alternative, or, you know, grab a Red Bull on the way to the mall.
The best tablet deals of the week: 12.13.13
With Engadget's new tools, you can track price drops on thousands of devices every day, and once a week we feature some of the best deals right here. But act fast! Many of these are limited-time offers, and won't last long. Tablets may not be on your shopping list this holiday season, but there are a few tempting specials that may make you reconsider. This year's Nexus 7 model sees a $50 price cut with three other options for slate-style media consumption to help avoid annoying relatives in a couple weeks. Be sure to visit our product database to monitor prices on these gadgets and more as they move around. Join us and add the gadgets you're shopping for to your "Want" list; every time there's a price cut, you'll get an email alert!
Refresh Roundup: week of September 30th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Refresh Roundup: week of September 16th, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Verizon speaks out on Nexus 7 LTE activation, expects it will be certified 'shortly'
Despite the wide LTE support featured on the Nexus 7 2013's cellular modem-equipped model, early buyers have found Verizon won't activate it for a new line on the Big Red Network. The company responded officially on the matter today, explaining that its 4 - 6 week certification process must be completed first. The process apparently began in August, and spokesperson Debi Lewis said the company expects that to happen "shortly." The whole process is actually laid out on Verizon's website and shows how the testing is undertaken by a third party lab of the manufacturer's choosing -- feel free to read through it during the days / weeks your new Nexus 7 isn't connecting to LTE.
New Nexus 7 with LTE now available for purchase from Google Play in Canada, UK, France and more
Live outside of the Sates and eagerly awaiting a LTE-enabled Nexus 7? Well, Google has just obliged by making the 7-inch slate available in a handful of locales through its Play Store. The 4G tablet is now for sale to willing customers in Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, UK, Japan and Korea. In the US, a lone 32GB option that's compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon networks is available for $349. Those itching to part with their funds can do so via the source link below.
New Nexus 7 32GB with LTE now available on Google Play in the US for $349
Back in July Google promised a version of its Nexus 7 (2013) with LTE would be available soon, and today is the day. Those interested can pick up the 32GB tablet with a T-Mobile SIM (and 2GB of data service for one month) for $349 on the Google Play Store right now, and in T-Mobile stores next month. It's also compatible with other carriers, featuring LTE service on Verizon, and GSM / HSPA / LTE ready for AT&T and T-Mobile (check the bands after the break).
Refresh Roundup: week of September 2nd, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
New Nexus 7 gets update to fix buggy multitouch (update: and wonky GPS, too)
If you're one of the 2013 Nexus 7 users who's experienced some wonkiness with multitouch, this is (hopefully) your lucky day. Over on Google's product forums today, Mountain View staffer Paulw confirmed a system update that addresses the touchscreen issues. Build JSS15Q is reportedly rolling out now -- if you've received the update, be sure to let us know if your Nexus 7 is finally screen freakout-free. Update: Looks like the update addresses an issue with the unit's GPS sensitivity, too.
Some 2013 Nexus 7 users report buggy multitouch, Google is investigating
A muddled sense of direction isn't the only problem affecting the new generation of Nexus 7 slates, it seems, as some users are also reporting issues with multitouch on the 1,920 x 1,200 display. The clip below the fold demonstrates the bug, and shows the touchscreen registering phantom inputs before freaking out for a couple of seconds. Over the past few weeks, chatter on the XDA Developers and Google Product forums suggests it's fairly common, with a response from Google on the latter stating: "The Android team is aware of this issue and investigating." We haven't had the same troubles with a 2013 Nexus 7 in our possession (running Android 4.3 build JSS15J, FYI), and while the root of the problem is still up for discussion, let's hope funky software is to blame -- no one wants the hassle of replacing faulty hardware, especially Google, when an OTA fix will do.
Users report new Nexus 7 suffering from GPS issues
The urban-hunchback shuffle is usually demonstrated by commuters slouching over a phone, in search of a pre-meeting coffee-house. But, if you're attempting something similar with the latest Nexus 7, maybe leave a little earlier. Why? Because word is that some users are reporting funky behaviour with the tablet's GPS -- perhaps causing a little deja vu for ASUS slate owners. Issues vary from total flake out, to halting after 10 to 30 minutes. Several attempted fixes -- including complete reinstalls -- haven't fixed things. Google is aware of the problem, and working on a fix -- but no details on when this might be delivered. It's suggested that disabling Google Play Services might help things. This component of Android is used by other apps though, so proceed with caution. Is it affecting you? Let us know in the comments.
This week on gdgt: the new Nexus 7, the Leap, and two-step authentication
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their most recent picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
Nexus 7 review (2013)
More Info Nexus 7 hands-on (2013) Android 4.3 Jelly Bean official Nexus 7 with LTE headed to AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile Who knew affordable tablets could be so good? That was our reaction after reviewing the original Nexus 7 when it went on sale last year for $200; at the time, comparably specced products were going for at least $100 more. So, when this year's follow-up came out at a slightly higher price ($229 and up), we were a little concerned the higher cost would dissuade penny-pinching shoppers from taking the plunge. After we got a good look at the spec sheet, though, we quickly forgave Google and ASUS for their decision. For the money, you get a gorgeous 1,920 x 1,200 IPS display, 2GB of RAM, a rear camera, a quad-core processor, wireless charging and the latest version of Android, Jelly Bean 4.3. Now that we've had the opportunity to take the new and improved Nexus 7 for a spin, we're ready to tackle all the obvious questions: is this still the best budget tablet on the market? How does it compare to the iPad mini? And does the spec sheet actually reflect real-world performance? Let's find out. %Gallery-194844%
Refresh Roundup: week of July 22nd, 2013
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Second-generation Nexus 7 gets the iFixit teardown treatment
We're sure glad there's iFixit to take apart new gadgets so we don't have to, and it comes as no surprise that the next-gen Nexus 7 is one of its latest experiments. If you've read our hands-on with the device, you won't be surprised by much of what the folks at iFixit saw while tearing it down. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the new version has huge improvements when it comes to repairability. Its huge battery is glued to an adhesive tray, and like its predecessor, its display seems to be the biggest problem -- you'll need a heat gun to get it out. Still, iFixit gives it a score of 7 out of 10, because all they needed to pry it open was a plastic tool.
New Nexus 7 to arrive today at Best Buy, ahead of schedule (update: confirmed)
A tipster has told us that the latest Nexus 7 from Asus and Google will hit Best Buy stores today, and a pre-order we placed earlier for the device seems to confirm that. We put our money down for one when the order page first went up, and while the confirmation originally said it would arrive on the original July 30th launch date, it's now telling us that we can expect our tablet later today. That jibes with info we were given by a source claiming to be the manager of a Best Buy store. He said that while pre-orders started yesterday, "there were few (of them) in my region," meaning that "if you are present at a (Best Buy) location today at opening, you have a good chance of buying the tablet." He added that some stores don't have stock yet due to agreements with Google, but pre-orders are still possible at those locations. Until we receive confirmation, however, you may not want to make a long journey to one of the outlets. Meanwhile, we've reached out to both Google and Best Buy. Update: Best Buy has touched base, telling us "we can confirm that the Nexus is available at all Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores and BestBuy.com now." [Thanks, Anonymous]
New Nexus 7 vs. the competition: battle of the budget 7-inch tablets
The original Nexus 7 launched in a relative vacuum -- there were other low-cost, 7-inch Android tablets before, but few with the full support of a major manufacturer. The 2013-era Nexus 7 is entering a far more crowded marketplace with many recognizable names, and even more aggressive pricing. With that in mind, we've compared Google's latest tablet with three of its newest 7-inch peers -- ASUS' MeMo Pad HD 7, HP's Slate 7 and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 -- to see whether it's as strong a value as its predecessor. Ironically, the new Nexus 7 occupies the high end in this space. It's the most expensive tablet here, with the sharpest display, the fastest processor and the most built-in storage. However, that doesn't mean it's priced out of contention. The $30 you save with the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0 just isn't worth it; Samsung's tablet is a big step down in every aspect outside of expandability. And you're clearly getting what you pay for with the Slate 7, whose low price doesn't excuse a poor display and sluggish performance. The Nexus 7's real competition comes from its own manufacturer, ASUS. While the MeMo Pad HD 7 has a lower resolution screen and a slower CPU, its cameras, display quality, processing power and storage are superb for the price. If you don't crave the Nexus 7's technology or stock Android 4.3, it may be wiser to save $80 and buy the good-enough MeMo Pad instead. Full specifications for all the tablets are available after the break.
New Nexus 7 press shots leaked, spotted in Best Buy ad
The new Nexus 7's official unveiling might still be a few days away, but impatient tablet fans can get a peek right now: @evleaks seems to have come across the alleged device's official press render. The image doesn't do much to confirm the 7-inch tablet's internal specifications, but what we can see matches previous leaks, giving us a clearer view of the device's rumored 5MP rear-facing camera and and a branded backside -- now lacking the dimples of the original. A pair of speakers can be seen on the rear's north and south ends and volume, power and a microphone input line the tablet's right edge. On the front we can see an offset front-facing shooter, an underlining notification LED and what is most likely Android 4.3. Although the press shot doesn't reveal anything about the device's screen, a Best Buy ad featuring it pegs it as a 1,920 x 1,200 display, pricing the 16GB variant of the upcoming tablet at $229 --$40 less than the reported price of the slate's 32GB model. Phone Arena says the leaked ad is scheduled to run next week, placing the circular's promised Tuesday availability for the Nexus 7 on July 30th. We'll wait for Google to give us the full story on the 24th before jumping the gun, but if you just can't wait, feel free to ogle Best Buy's unreleased insert after the break. Update: Android Police has nine additional press shots, showing a clearer view of the device's sides (and SIM card slot) as well as an updated background. Check them out at the source link below.
