nexus 7

With no 4G LTE support, new Nexus devices irk early adopters

For all the wonderful hardware and software that comes with the new Nexus 4 and the rejiggered Nexus 7, there's one glaring feature that keeps them from being truly leading-edge: lack of 4G LTE support.

That means that as of today, early adopters who want the latest and greatest in Android will have to be content with an HSPA+ network. Yes, T-Mobile's HSPA+ can sometimes be as fast as LTE, but unlike with the iPhone, Android has always been good about including cutting-edge features. That's why this one hurts. Cue snickering from the Apple crowd.

Google did … Read more

For holidays, T-Mobile goes big on Android and Windows Phone 8

Hurricane Sandy forced T-Mobile to cancel a Holiday Showcase event planned for New York City today, but the storm didn't prevent the carrier from announcing its 2012 product lineup for the holiday season. The iPhone is absent, of course, but T-Mobile will deliver a strong lineup of Android and Windows Phone 8 tablets and smartphones. As you'd expect from the carrier, some devices, like the LG Optimus L9 and Nokia Lumia 810, are decidedly midrange. Yet, other handsets, like the HTC Windows Phone 8X and new LG Nexus 5 are top of the line.

Here's the skinny … Read more

Nexus 7 out of stock at Google Play; 16GB spotted at $199

Google could be clearing the way for a new 32GB Nexus 7 tablet as it takes its current models offline.

The $199 8GB and the $249 16GB versions are both out of stock on the Google Play site. The page lists the status of both models as "coming soon." A text field prompts you to enter your e-mail address to be notified when they're available.

Google is reportedly prepping a 32GB version of the Nexus 7 that would replace the 16GB as the high-end model. The 32GB model would adopt the same $249 price tag as the … Read more

32GB Nexus 7 tablet spied at Office Depot for $250

It looks like the 32GB version of Google's Nexus 7 tablet has moved from rumor to reality, at least according to one blogger, who says his local Office Depot has one in stock for $250.

The 32GB configuration of the tablet has been talked about for a while now, with, most recently, reports of price cuts to the 16GB model in the U.K. fueling speculation of the arrival of a beefier Nexus 7.

Some expected Google to unveil the device on Monday at a big Android event in New York City, which has since been canceled on account of Hurricane Sandy.… Read more

Phil Schiller: Optical drives are 'anchors on where we want to go'

Fresh off the introduction of its latest products, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller explained his company's abandonment of built-in optical drives in its new Macbooks and iMacs. 

"These old technologies are holding us back," he told Time. "They're anchors on where we want to go. We find the things that have outlived their useful purpose. Our competitors are afraid to remove them. We try to find better solutions -- our customers have given us a lot of trust." 

Full coverage of Apple's iPad mini and other announcements

The senior vice president … Read more

Apple CEO Cook: We will never make a 7-inch tablet

But seriously, Tim Cook, how do you really feel about smaller tablets?

The Apple CEO let loose on 7-inch tablets during a conference call with investors, insisting that the company would never build one. "We would not make a 7-inch tablet," he said today. "We don't think they're good products."

Cook, of course, is staying true to the late Steve Jobs' proclamation that a tablet that's smaller than the original 9.7-inch iPad was too uncomfortable, and that consumers would have to shave off parts of their fingers to actually use it.

But … Read more

Purported Samsung Nexus 10 tablet manual leaks online

Images of a purported Nexus 10 manual have shown up online several days before Google is expected to announce the device.

The photos, posted on Korean site Seeko, show few details beyond a sketch of the expected 10 inch tablet. Not surprisingly, the sketches include features common to most tablets, including front- and rear-facing cameras.

Unlike its smaller cousin, the Nexus 7, the Nexus 10 appears to have a strip on the back (plastic?) where the camera is located.

It's not certain where these images came from or if they're real (who gives out hardbound manuals anymore, anyway?), … Read more

Retailers clearing 16GB Nexus 7 stock for 32GB model?

Google's Nexus 7 line might soon have a new entrant.

According to reports out of the U.K., some retailers are cutting the price of the 16GB Nexus 7 tablet. Android Authority, which earlier reported on the pricing, found a handful of retailers who have cut the price. One retailer, named Comet, is currently offering the tablet for 179.99 pounds, down from its initial price of 199 pounds.

CNET checked several retail sites in the U.S., but found that the 16GB Nexus 7 was still being offered for $249.

Still, the U.K. retailers' drop in price … Read more

The logic of Apple's premium-priced iPad Mini

On Tuesday, Apple unveiled its well-received holiday lineup of products and saw its stock continue to sink. Stock analysts are predicting that like Google, Apple will miss consensus estimates for the current quarter, mostly due to lower-than-expected iPhone sales and production delays for the iPhone 5. Apple reports its quarterly earnings after the bell tomorrow.

Read: Apple earnings preview: All eyes on iPhone, iPad

But now the analysts have some fresh meat, and are considering how the iPad Mini will impact Apple's fortunes, especially its pricing. The mini-tablet space is becoming a hot spot, one crowded with competitors. … Read more