google nexus 7

Consumers eyeing Google's Nexus 7 tablet have until the end of the month to grab a special $25 credit good for anything in the Google Play store.

To lure in new Nexus 7 buyers, Google launched the offer at the same time the tablet debuted in June. But the company tweeted yesterday that the deal will end on September 30.

The announcement isn't a big surprise, as Google has long said the offer had a definitive sell-by date. It gave Nexus 7 owners $25 to spend on music, books, magazines, videos, and apps in the Google Play store. … Read more

In the Season 2 premiere of Always On, the Google Nexus 7 takes a beating. Well, it wouldn't be fair to say it takes a beating. It receives a beating, and frankly, doesn't handle it very well. It's one of our more dramatic Torture Tests, and I think it points out that sometimes, you do get what you pay for when it comes to quality and durability. The Nexus 7 is a great tablet in many respects but, well. It's not the toughest little thing. You'll see what I mean.

We'll find out in … Read more

When Amazon launched the original Kindle Fire in 2011, the $199 tablet was a surprise hit that reigned as one of the top budget tablet options. But that reign came to a dramatic end with the introduction of the Nexus 7, Google's flagship Android 4.1 tablet.

To keep things interesting, Amazon just upped the ante with a Kindle Fire HD, offering several key hardware improvements, overhauled software, and that same $199 price tag. And while it's not likely to send Google back to the drawing board, the Kindle Fire HD does offer an interesting alternative to the pure Android experience of the Nexus 7.

Which of these $199 tablets is right for you? It's a tough call, so let's weigh the pros and cons and check the specs.… Read more

We've all watched Google's evolution from student idealist to strident actuary like uncles at successive weddings.

Once Google was shy and disdainful of ancient, grubby ways. Now it embraces them as if it's worried about its 401(k) -- that's $401,000 profit for every ad run on Google.

The concept of doing no evil has taken on a dreamy, nostalgic quality. The concept of brand advertising, once derided as faintly sad, is now at the core of Google's attempt to gain some Apple-y emotions.

Still, this morning some were vaguely stupefied that the company … Read more

Google really wants people to take a look at its Nexus 7 tablet.

The $199 tablet started popping up on Google's home page today, a rare instance in which Google is actively promoting one of its own products. It's similar to the way Amazon's front page is often dominated by Kindle advertising.

That Google would go to such lengths underscores the company's desire to make a bigger dent in the burgeoning tablet market, one still dominated by Apple's iPad. Given the traffic that goes through Google, the home page would be one of the most … Read more

Google has delivered its Nexus 7 tablet to more European countries.

The company revealed today that the Nexus 7 is now available in France, Germany, and Spain. The device, which includes a 7-inch display and runs Google's Android platform, is already available in a host of countries, including the U.S., U.K., and Canada.

The 8GB Nexus 7 is available for 199 euros, while the 16GB option goes for 249 euros.

Google launched the Nexus 7 tablet last month. Since then, the device has sold exceedingly well and solidified itself as an iPad competitor. In CNET's review … Read more

Microsoft conceived Windows RT and Surface to compete with the iPad.

And IDC's Bob O'Donnell believes that will dictate pricing. For both Microsoft-branded Surface RT and other Windows RT products from companies like Asus and Dell.

The 32GB iPad (currently $599) has a big bull's eye on its back, O'Donnell told me yesterday. For both Surface and RT devices from Microsoft partners. And throw Windows 8 Pro devices based on Intel's power-efficient system-on-a-chip, aka Atom, into that mix too, said O'Donnell.

Remember, RT tablets use power-frugal ARM chips and come with a version of … Read more

I've had a Google Nexus 7 tablet for a little while now, and I'm a bit worried that my hands may soon just merge with the slick touch screen, transforming me into a 21st century Inspector Gadget.

Unlike previous Android tablets and my much-scorned Nook Tablet, I've had trouble putting down my Nexus 7 in recent weeks. I've also found that -- unlike the iPad -- it's just small enough to slip into the pocket of a pair of baggy pants and always have at arm's length.… Read more

Steve Jobs' slander of the 7-inch tablet was, in effect, a nice bait-and-switch. One problem: rivals didn't take the bait.

Too much ink (yeah, me too) has been wasted on Job's proclamation against the viability of a 7-inch tablet (See Jobs' October 2010 comments below).

But that was hardly an absolute repudiation of a smaller tablet. Jobs' extemporaneous analysis of 7-inch tablets was merely a snapshot of what he was thinking on that day. Or maybe that month, at best -- as internal Apple e-mails now show.

Amazon, Samsung, and now Google have successfully ignored his sandpaper analogy (&… Read more