Google's Own Nexus Tablet Leaks Into the Wild 224
lukehopewell1 writes "Days out from Google's I/O conference, training documents have been issued to resellers all over the world detailing Google's new Nexus tablet. It's a 7-inch device with an optimized Tegra 3 chip inside and it's going to be the first device to run Jelly Bean, the new version of Android, that, among other notable features, will see Google manage device updates. The device will be priced at $US199 and is aimed as a direct competitor to Amazon's Kindle Fire."
Sad... (Score:5, Insightful)
Sad that even Google is afraid to take on the iPad in it's territory. Almost all the 10" Android tablets have seen dismal sales, HP Touchpad was sold in a firesale,
Playbook's having a tough time and Amazon and Google are forced to play in the sub $200 territory. All of these devices are oriented towards only consumption. Maybe Microsoft Surface will get traction by doubling as a device that you can actually do some light work on, but lets see what price it launches at.
Re:Sad... (Score:5, Insightful)
All tablets are "oriented towards consumption". You have neither a keyboard nor even a stylus; you have all the input capabilities of a kindergartner's finger-painting. The iPad is not an exception to this, despite the sweet-ass picture you made in that game of Draw Something.
Most people are more or less okay with this and know what they're getting into when they buy the thing. When I buy a hamburger, I don't complain that it isn't steak.
Re:Sad... (Score:5, Insightful)
When I buy a hamburger, I don't complain that it isn't steak.
Exactly. When you buy a bicycle, don't complain it doesn't have A/C and triple exhaust!
People who won't buy a tablet until it has a keyboard don't actually realise what they want is a normal notebook because they can't envision the use-case for a tablet (at least until they own a decent one).
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To be fair, with tablets like the transformer prime, which has a keyboard and a trackpad, as well as almost any android device with usb host being able to take a usb mouse and keyboard, you can have both.
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Yeah I know. There's a market for tablet keyboards but I really think it distracts people from understanding what a tablet is best at doing. It should have the easy of a smart phone (just grab and use -- no setup, not desk, etc). If you're constantly changing its configuration it won't have the unmeasurable thing that makes using a tablet a pleasure IMHO.
I'm a big fan of having multiple complementary devices. I do my data creation and productivity/developmennt work mostly on a notebook. I read/write em
Re:Sad... (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't think it is an issue of capability. You can watch movies on all these things. You can check email and surf and post on twitter.
The problem is that there is no innovation going on here on the Android side. The Android devices all are trying to be "Well it's no an iWhatever, but it's good enough and it's a bit cheaper". Where is the 10" screen tablet at a similar price point and hardware specs? That's really all it would take, and yet we still have none.
Now a few years later we have moved on from "meh" copies of Apple to trying to copy Amazon? This doesn't make any sense to me.
People want an iPad with Android on it. That's all. It's really just that simple. Why shuffle the deck chairs? Give people what they want.
Re:Sad... (Score:5, Interesting)
The problem is that there is no innovation going on here on the Android side. The Android devices all are trying to be "Well it's no an iWhatever, but it's good enough and it's a bit cheaper".
To which I say to you Asus Transformer [asus.com]. It's quite a bit better than an iPad on quite a lot of measures - faster, longer battery life, better build quality - and, with the addition of the clip-on keyboard, a useful replacement for a laptop for light office tasks and internet surfing. OK, it's more expensive than an iPad, but you're getting what you pay for.
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Yeah but I think people are forgetting that in the end the software is everything. iPad has 100s of thousands of tablet optimised apps whereas Android has thousands at best (and most are very poorly thought out). iOS also is much smoother than Android and Windows 8 when it comes to animations and responsiveness which is key for a touch screen interface.
I'm sure the Asus Transformer has better specs on papder than the iPad but the iPad has better UX and software (IMO). Plus the retina display is amazing.
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The key phrase is "tablet-optimized". As in, the UI/UX is designed to take advantage of the additional capabilities of a tablet, rather than just looking like a larger phone app. Even for many of the apps you can find on both Android and iOS, this is true. The iOS app will take advantage of the tablet to present additional information in a way that makes sense, whereas the Android version will look exactly the same as the phone version. If that's the case, then why do I have an Android tablet?
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Except it falls extremely short of the iPad in one very important department: Software. Most Android developers are not interested in optimizing their apps for tablet use. So you end up using the exact same applications on your tablet that you would on your phone, just slightly bigger, rather than actually taking advantage of the additional screen real estate you have.
Re:Sad... (Score:5, Insightful)
The problem is that there is no innovation going on here on the Android side. The Android devices all are trying to be "Well it's no an iWhatever, but it's good enough and it's a bit cheaper".
I'm curious what you think innovation looks like. There's a dozen form factors with focus on various improvements such as better cameras, brighter screens, longer battery life, better performance, lower prices, detachable physical keyboards with their own supplemental battery supply, SD and MicroSD card slots, USB ports, dongle-less micro HDMI ports, and more.
Where is the 10" screen tablet at a similar price point and hardware specs? That's really all it would take, and yet we still have none.
Wait, so "innovation" in your mind is "the same thing only different"? That's not innovation, that's knockoff-ism. And you're not looking very hard if you haven't found an Android tablet that offers similar specs. Transformer Prime is the same price point, with added features, better battery life, better performance, thinner, lighter, and some interesting other bonuses. Also the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is so much the same thing that Apple has been suing Samsung over it.
People want an iPad with Android on it. That's all. It's really just that simple. Why shuffle the deck chairs? Give people what they want.
And they have it several times over, plus other options that try less to be an iPad and do a commendable job of being their own thing, often for a lot cheaper.
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I actually like the 7", fits in a big pocket, form factor better than 10" for a lot of use cases.
Now, if they would make the screens daylight readable....
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The trend nowadays is very much in the opposite direction: separate specialty devices merging into a single multifunction device. Hell, I no longer even wear a wrist watch anymore... my phone has taken over that role, along with browsing the web, reading ebooks, listening to music, watching movies, managing my calendar, taking photos, and (of course) making calls.
Separate specialty devices still do some of these functions better (I still keep a camera around for when I care about taking good quality photog
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As long as the OS you're targeting has hooks for inserting keyboard/mouse/touch events, you can. I've done a similar thing using an iPhone as a trackpad/keyboard shortcut thingy for a Mac, by hooking into the Assistive Devices API. I know Windows has something similar.
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Ps3 keyboard works quite nicely with android even if it has a nipple for a mouse and it is relatively cheap. Since it is bluetooth you need no dongles and can just hit the ps3 button and connect.
It is the smoothest solution to the sometime problem of wanting to write at length on a tablet.
It is also handy when your tablet is connected by hdmi for use as a media centre/ tv web browser ect.
It really makes a difference as to what you can use a tablet for.
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You can do the same thing with the iPad. Just about any bluetooth keyboard works for it, as well as the Android tablets.
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Oh of course. On Android any random USB keyword works too. Where it gets interesting however, is the mouse part. How's ipad mouse support these days?
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A better analogy would be; "When I buy a spoon, I don't complain that it isn't a fork." The iPad was never designed to completely replace the PC for all use cases. This is why tablets have failed in the past, and why the Surface will suffer the same fate.
Re:Sad... (Score:5, Funny)
you're a retart if you can't type on the ipad. I have Pages on mine and can type hundreds of works without any problem.
Twice cooked tart? (Score:4, Funny)
That retart sound delicious - that is a twice cooked tart, no?
Re:Sad... (Score:5, Funny)
you're a retart if you can't type on the ipad.
Most awesome typo ever.
Re:Sad... (Score:5, Insightful)
Most awesome typo ever.
It wasn't a typo.
In other words: wooosh!
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Most awesome typo ever.
It wasn't a typo.
In other words: wooosh!
Bullshit. If you're going to do the intentional-typo kind of post, you do it with multiple and obvious words, not 1. This was a legitimate crow-eating moment.
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Thanks for killing it, guys. Gotta explain and analyze the joke (or lack thereof) until it's dead and half buried underground.
It's funny irrespective of whether it's intentional or not. 'nuff said.
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I have Pages on mine and can type hundreds of works without any problem.
..but all your works are belongs to Apple!
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Whe air yuo clalling a retart, retart?
Re:Sad... (Score:5, Funny)
Whose!
Sent from my IGimmick
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And the thing is, they will fail against the Fire, too. People buy Fire because of Amazon, not Android.
Re:Sad... (Score:5, Interesting)
The 7" form factor works great for me. The 16:9 aspect ratio also has benefits, I can fit the tablet into a pocket and it's nice for watching movies. I used to have an ipad, which I found too heavy and big to carry around.
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The 7" form factor was the main reason I got the Nook Color... I think it's the ideal cross between big enough to play angry birds/draw shit/type on the virtual keyboard but small enough it can fit into the pockets of some of my pants or easily into my GF's purse. It's also a more comfortable weight for holding up for long periods of time (IE: in bed, where I use it a lot). I think half of the iPad's success is branding... the exact same device from any other company would probably not have met with nearly
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Playbook's having a tough time...
That's the kindest description of it I've ever seen. RIM have cut the price in half (presumably selling the thing at a loss) in an effort to make _some_ money back on inventory that's taking up space in their warehouses which is not what most people would describe as "having a tough time" - most would describe that as "a total failure."
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Sad that even Google is afraid to take on the iPad in it's territory. Almost all the 10" Android tablets have seen dismal sales, HP Touchpad was sold in a firesale,
Playbook's having a tough time and Amazon and Google are forced to play in the sub $200 territory. All of these devices are oriented towards only consumption. Maybe Microsoft Surface will get traction by doubling as a device that you can actually do some light work on, but lets see what price it launches at.
Yeah, the Asus Transformers sold so badly that they could barely keep them in stock at launch. Damn those poor sales!
I imagine Google went for the ~$200 territory as there are far far more people who will spend that on a tablet who don't already have one of those "poor selling" Android tablets or iPads. I'd be willing to bet that the $400+ tablet market is nearly saturated. So, where would you go? The high end of cost dominated by people who tend to choose style over power and flexibility, or the part of th
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Sad that even Google is afraid to take on the iPad in it's territory. Almost all the 10" Android tablets have seen dismal sales, HP Touchpad was sold in a firesale,
Playbook's having a tough time and Amazon and Google are forced to play in the sub $200 territory. All of these devices are oriented towards only consumption. Maybe Microsoft Surface will get traction by doubling as a device that you can actually do some light work on, but lets see what price it launches at.
Yeah, the Asus Transformers sold so badly that they could barely keep them in stock at launch. Damn those poor sales!
Really? Selling out all 10,000 tablets at launch doesn't count. Do you have any hard numbers on sales?
http://goodereader.com/blog/tablet-slates/asus-issues-transformer-prime-update-sales-reported-to-be-dismal/ [goodereader.com]
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I would go where the profits are.
Cheap hardware will sell the first generation of devices very well. If the software isn't there though, it's pretty tough to sell the next generation of devices. So far, the Android tablet experience hasn't met expectations and I suspect this is why Google decided to sell a reference device.
Without Apple's supply chain, it's going to be very difficult for any Android tablet maker to compete. I think the tablet market could very well end up looking like
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How many Asus Transformers were available at launch time? It doesn't really count as "not being able to keep them in stock" if each store only got a handful.
How many Transformers have been sold vs the iPad?
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They've said the cheaper Surface will be priced comparably to similar ARM tablets, which means it'll likely be around the price of the iPad, while the one based on Intel chips will be priced comparably to ultrabooks in the market, which means that it's at least $800, possibly quite a bit more. And at those price points, they're starting to go head-to-head against the iPad and MacBook Air (not to mention the devices from their own OEMs). You've already pointed out the trouble 10" tablets have been having, so
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What's the problem then with the current generation of Windows 7 tablets? Is Metro really better for business than Aero? I can think of a bunch of compelling reasons for using Windows 7 in a corporation over iOS, but in reality they aren't compelling enough. I don't see how Metro changes the equation.
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I don't think it's the difference between Windows 7 and 8 that matters, so much as the hardware they'll be bringing to bear. The higher-end Surface tablet is supposed to be on par with ultrabooks, meaning it may have performance that will allow it to actually be useful, rather than being a novelty. Metro doesn't change much, but I do think that throwing more powerful hardware at the situation might.
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The Samsung Windows 7 tablet comes with a Core i5 CPU. That's plenty of horsepower for the kinds of things people do on tablets and still nobody is buying them. For a business user, it should be a no-brainer to pick one of these over the iPad, but that isn't happening.
So, if the next generation is going to be significantly different, Metro must have something special and I don't see what that is. Maybe it's marketing? Is it that PC hardware is going to stop feeling cheap and disposable? The ARM tablets will
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You have compared Apple's market cap, revenue, and profit to Google haven't you? You do know that only three of the public companies selling phones are making profits and Apple makes over 2/3rdd of the profit (worldwide) in mobile phones with Samsung making most of the rest -- HTC comes in third with one or two percent.
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You really only think "yuppies" can afford a $399 iPad?
Only rich people can afford to replace their $499 device every time they drop it. Tablets are in the ultra-portable category which means it's going to get dropped and/or stolen at regular intervals. I might be able to afford a $499 device every few years, but not every few months. That's why people like me would not even consider a tablet which costs more than $200. In fact, $200 is pushing it. There are loads of (Chinese) 7" tablets with many of the features of the iPad and the Nexus for $150 - $170 USD in
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If Apple were selling a tablet that cost 4 times the cost of an equivalent competing tablet, I guess this comparison would make some kind of sense; also if Samsung or Asus's consumer electronics divisions were as remotely profitable as Apple, it might make sense too. In the context of your observation, Ferrari (Apple) is actually the company making "more money" (by multiples), while the companies that make products for "real people" are the ones losing their shirt and
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And when Apple does with the iPad what it started doing with the iPhone 4S, there goes that magical $199 price point: "The new iPad starts at $499. Last year's model is now $199, and the model before that is now $99." And for what it's worth - my first generation iPad is working just fine with the latest iOS release on it, I use it daily. 2 year old iPads would still work quite well for "light" usage.
It's also worth noting that the introductory price for the iPad - $499 - has yet to be significantly cha
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It is also worth noting that the introductory price for the [Bugatti Veyron Super Sport] - [1.65 million Euros] - has yet to be significantly challanged by any Veyron-killer coming to market. If it's really "overpriced" at that point, where are the host of competitors that offer the same (or better) features for a lower price?
I am guessing that your income is orders of magnitude higher than my own. For me $500 is a lot of money. I can buy a perfectly good 7" Chinese tablet for $150. Why should I spend more
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And for what it's worth - my first generation iPad is working just fine with the latest iOS release on it, I use it daily.
To be fair, and I use my iPad daily too, iOS 6 won't see the light of day on it. Also, there are many apps in the app store that require an iPad 2 and above to even install.
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That's why they are getting ASUS, the maker of the Transformer to build their Nexus. The transformer is a great competitor to the iPad.
Instead of a smaller/cheaper, why not bigger? (Score:2)
Disclaimer: I'm on my second iPad (1, 3) and I really like it for what it is, and about the only two things I wish it had were bluetooth mouse support for my RDP app and a touch-lock functionality that kept the screen active but locked the touch functionality so accidental touches wouldn't activate whatever the screen touch would do.
That being said, why not a bigger touch screen instead of focusing on smaller? IMHO, going smaller just further cuts functionality. Yes, more DPI enables you to do more thing
nVidia Tegra 3 - any source code? (Score:3, Informative)
Hmm, seeing as nVidia doesn't have such a great track record with releasing source code in general (for which they deservedly received the Linus' finger) and a quick Google reveals that devs are still waiting for Tegra 2 source code [nvidia.com], I wonder what drove them to choose the Tegra 3 for a "Nexus" branded device, which supposedly would mean a "developer friendly" device with all the features and hackability that the Nexus devices have come to be known for.
What do you need the source code for? (Score:4, Interesting)
I'm being serious. What benefit will you get from having source code for a graphics CPU on an Android tablet?
The only reason you need the drivers at all is to build a custom rom for the system, which I doubt Google is particularly eager to support. Not saying they want to stop you, I'm sure the system won't have a locked bootloader or anything stupid like that, but they don't have to waste time/money helping you either. Besides, you don't need the source for that, you just need a binary driver. Granted, last I checked nVidia hadn't released those for ICS, either...
Anyway, the type of "developer" you're thinking of is not the one Google is worried about. They want people making apps for the Play Store, not custom rom images.
Finally... Maybe, just maybe, they went with the nVidia chip because of the price/performance ratio?
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While I wouldn't be militant about the source being there or not, there is no denying that a tablet which has it stands a far greater chance of becoming community supported when the official support goes than one which doesn't.
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Custom ROMs means longer-term support. My phone is officially up to 2.2 and has a semi-official developer-only 2.3 release. It supported by GyanogenMod 7.2, which is based on the latest 2.3.x series release. It will never get an official Android 4.x release. To be supported by CyanogenMod 9, based on Android 4.0, it needs updated drivers. The manufacturer has provided an updated driver blob, with no official support and no commitment to provide updates to it in the future.
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I wonder what drove them to choose the Tegra 3 for a "Nexus" branded device, which supposedly would mean a "developer friendly" device with all the features and hackability that the Nexus devices have come to be known for.
Sales.
The tablet is a mass market consumer product.
You could lock the hacker out completely and his departure would count for less than a rounding error in the stats,
Going 7" is a smart choice (Score:5, Interesting)
By going with a 7" device that has a relatively low price point Google is offering up a device that that people will buy IN ADDITION to owning an iPad, not INSTEAD of an iPad. Why compete directly against the iPad with your first iteration of a tablet?
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I am actually been waiting to buy one as an addition to my Asus Iconia. The Iconia is much too nice to carry to work every day and great for travel. I want to use something with a smaller price point for day-to-day work.
16:9 screens on a tablet (Score:5, Interesting)
I have an Android tablet, and I don't use Apple products, but I have come to believe that the 16:9 format is not that good for a tablet. For one, it is too short vertically in landscape format to accommodate an on screen keyboard and have a generous amount of viewing space available. If one wants to type with one hand while holding the tablet in the other, the keys on the sides also seem a bit too far away (my experience is with a 10" screen). In portrait mode, the keyboard gets a bit too narrow. The screen also seems to be a bit too narrow when reading books in portrait.
On the other hand, I now find the 7" screen size to be much more handy, and probably the keys would not be too far away. Has anybody any idea about how easy or difficult it is to read books on such a screen?
Another thing that has me wondering is the price tag: how can Google afford to sell the tablet for $199 / $249 with a Tegra 3 board, while Samsung charges around $800 (in India, where I live) for the Galaxy S III?
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Nook Simple Touch and Kindle lines are 6". Nook Color and Tablet, along with the Kindle Fire are 7". I don't think screen size will be an issue at all.
Screen type however is a personal preference. I don't have too much problem reading for some time with the LCD display on our Transformer, even in the dark. My wife prefers her Simple Touch with GlowLight over the Transformer.
Re:16:9 screens on a tablet (Score:5, Interesting)
I own a Nook Color (7" screen) and have spent a lot of time with other people's iPads. I find the 7" to be more comfortable for reading in portrait mode. The 10" device the lines just feel a little on the long side. However, if you prefer larger text or reading in landscape (where it typically shows as two pages) then the larger form factor is more comfortable.
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1) A multiband radio system and UMTS/GSM baseband adds a LOT of cost to devices. Look at the price deltas between the original GalaxyS series and the Galaxy Player series. Remove the 3G and price goes WAY down.
2) SAMOLED screens are gorgeous but expensive. LCD is far cheaper.
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http://www.merimobiles.com/HAIPAD_I7_IPS_1024_600_Multitouch_Screen_with_Andr_p/meri4253.htm [merimobiles.com]
Why spend even $199 when you can get a perfectly good tablet with an IPS screen for only $129? Spending $500 for an iPad 3 is crazy enough. Spending any more than $500 for a tablet is completely ridiculous.
Jellybean (Score:3)
Not really related to the story or actually important in any way, but I notice that the next Android is named "Jellybean". I wonder what comes after that. I'm hoping for Koeksister [wikipedia.org].
Might pick one up! (Score:5, Funny)
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My wife just picked up an ASUS 7" for $199 and while it's nice and she's happy with it, the only reason she went with it was the Amazon Fire has large sections which refuse to work outside of the US. With it being Google-branded and not tied to US-centric companies (such as B&N & Amazon) I hope that it will just do it's thing anywhere on earth. Of course, by the time the Nexus gets to Canada she can buy it and I'll end up with her ASUS, and just flash the thing to JB an
Product Confusion (Score:2)
Cisco Nexus 7k
This is going to be annoying for people that work with Cisco products.
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Rear facing camera please! (Score:2)
I cannot recall the last time I have used the front facing one or know anyone who uses it, but getting my iPad2 back from the kids or even grandparents was more difficult than expected because of its ability to take photos and record video.
As for the form factor, I love the smaller size. You would be surprised how heavy an iPad gets after an hour
Re:Hardware? (Score:5, Informative)
RTFA, they're not - the thing is to be manufactured by Asus.
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Oh, but they are getting into the hardware business. This isn't an example of it, but they are. After all, they bought (well, are in the process of buying) Motorola.
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Re:Motorola? (Score:5, Informative)
This is made by ASUS.
Google does not control when phones are moved from GB to ICS. They can only update Nexus devices. They will update those devices from ICS to JB.
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Google does not control when phones are moved from GB to ICS.
So? It doesn't really matter who's fault it is. At the end of the day, the iPhone still receives updates for up to 3 years. Most Android devices are lucky to get one update.
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According to this article (http://www.engadget.com/updates/devices-ice-cream-sandwich/) on Engadget, devices with 512 MB ROM or less will be left out of ICS coolness. My GB phone is in the left out list too.
funny, my 6 year old kyocera flip phone (Score:3)
still makes and receives calls as well as it did on day one.
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My Nexus One was orphaned at Gingerbeard. I mean, I understand the technical reasons why they couldn't fit Ice Cream Sammich on there (flash partitioning issue), but it's still irritating.
The device is more than two years old now, though, so I guess it getting left behind isn't that unexpected.
I'd prefer that than what I've seen from a serveral iPhone 3G owners now, an upgrade into uselessness. Their phones are so slow with the new OS that they are virtually unusable.
Re:Motorola? (now, was Nokia) (Score:4, Insightful)
At least you hopefully haven't bought a Nokia Lumia 900 that was just Osborned last week when Microsoft announced all current Win 7 phones on the market will not run Wp8 when it is released in the fall.
This happened the same week that Elop let go his entire 'stealth' low-cost linux-for-emerging-markets-sans-Microsoft-License project. Gotta love the guy for consistency.
But wait, current Lumia 900 owners will be able to enjoy a new Start Screen that sort of looks like a Windows 8 phone, although technically it will be known as 7.8.
Personally I am pleased as punch with my Nokia N9 that looks like a Microsoft-enabled Lumia 900 but with better hardware specs, like 64gb RAM, front-facing camera that works with Google Talk, SIP, SSH/PGP, Firefox 13, flash, Swipe (OS and) keyboard, and also its own html5 browser. Contact integration (with Google using MailForExchange gateway) in the Notification area is awesome; weather is a nice touch. It is a keeper, and thank goodness it is also durable as Hell. SportsTracker w/ bluetooth is also very good.
The Maemo guys are also supporting my N900 with regular OS updates, and the keyboard is solid. I'm invested for awhile, just sitting on the sidelines trying to get work done, (scripting via SSH FTW!).
Elop could raise a lot of cash if he'd ever sell the N950 properly, but that would be inconsistent.
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I bet good money it does not have 65GB of RAM. My GN has only 1 GB and the SGS3 has 2GB and is a super phone.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_N9#Processors_and_memory [wikipedia.org]
Nokia N9 Unlocked GSM Phone with 64 GB Internal Memory--International Version (Black) [amazon.com]
Re:Motorola? (now, was Nokia) (Score:4, Informative)
That is storage not RAM.
Flash is not RAM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_N9 [wikipedia.org]
Has 1GB of ram and 64GB of storage.
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I stand corrected. Thanks.
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And Jelly Bean - I haven't yet see everyone move from GingerBread to ICS, and already they are in JellyBean?
Well, my Archos tablet came with Honeycomb and got an upgrade to ICS early this year.
A few smartphone that where sold with Gingerbread have upgrade to ICS.
So if you haven't seen anybody upgrade the problem might be yiour sample pool.
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I think the problem most people are concerned with is all these Android devices get orphaned by their manufacturers after a release or two, so you're probably going to be stuck at some point and eventually you won't be able to run the newest apps.
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Most apps are still written to be compatible with Android 2.2 (Gingerbread), as that's the lowest common denominator for a lot of devices in circulation. The issue isn't "users can't run the newest apps" it's rather "nobody is writing apps that take advantage of the nifty new features because then the apps won't run on everyone's phone".
In fact, I'm struggling to think of any ICS-only apps; anyone know one off the top of their head?
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Still no ICS on my Galaxy Tab. I don't have any plans to buy any more Android devices.
ICS fo Galaxy Tab (Score:2)
Here you go [pcworld.com]
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Great, I've only waited a good chunk of a year for it.
It amazes me that this isn't a bigger issue for the Android base.
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Because so many of them simply do not want to hear anything bad about Android.
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As the owner of a Galaxy SII, I would tell the parent poster not to believe that story until it actually happens.
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The vast majority of devices have not been upgraded to ICS. Most people only get 1 update, if that. Anything that didn't come with GB, it is highly unlikely that it will get ICS.
Re:But will it run Linux? (Score:5, Informative)
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The real question is, will nVIDIA allow it to run Linux satisfactorily?
Unlike the Harmony reference design on Tegra 2, for which it has stopped offering Linux (L4T - and Android driver) support, if the design Google chooses sells in large numbers, nVIDIA might be compelled to make specifications and drivers available for porting Linux on it.
Which brings us to the next question: is Linux ready to work on a full touch environment, or will we be forced to carry a keyboard or a dock wherever we go?
Re: (Score:3)
Linux is just a kernel. Some DE's are more touch ready than others.
If you just want a typical linux distro type userland you can already use a chroot and vnc.
Re: (Score:2)
Define what you mean by real multitasking. As far as I can tell android has done real multitasking for quite a while.