nexus 7

Top 5 must-have Android tablet apps

Even the most die-hard Android fan has to admit that it has taken Android quite a while to catch up to Apple when it comes to quality tablet-optimized apps. You can't blame Google entirely, though. With the dramatic launch of their tablet-only Honeycomb OS, Google tried hard to rally Android developers around building great tablet apps. Why it took developers another year to answer that call for tablet apps is another whole story.

The good news is, Android tablet owners now have a fantastic assortment of apps to choose from. Apps that don't merely scale up the Android … Read more

More 8-inch Android tablets on the way, says analyst

Android tablets have largely been a 7- or 10-inch affair to date, but 8 inches could be the new sweet spot, according to NPD DisplaySearch.

Dell and Lenovo are among the tablet makers preparing 8-inch Android tablets, according to a blog post Tuesday from NPD DisplaySearch.

Supply chain indications point to production of Android-based tablet PCs with 8-inch, 1,280x800 displays in Q3'13 [third-quarter 2013]. Brands including Acer, Asus, Dell and Lenovo are expected...Initial panel production plans suggest that the 8-inch tablets will make up between 5 to 10% of the total tablet PC market by the end … Read more

Here comes Google's next-gen Nexus 7, says IHS

Google may get its second-generation small tablet into consumers' hands before Apple does.

Market researcher IHS told CNET that Japan Display Inc. and AUO are expected to make the display for the next-gen Nexus 7, while Quanta will make the tablet itself.

"As far as I know, JDI and AUO didn't start to supply this panel to Quanta yet. However, they are saying it will start from June and July," Ricky Park, who heads research for TV, Tablet, Monitor and Notebooks display at IHS, told CNET. He is based in South Korea.

The "launch...of the … Read more

What to expect at Google I/O 2013

CNET Update gets ready for a new batch of Google goodies:

Google will announce new products and software updates at its annual Google I/O developers conference, which kicks off Wednesday in San Francisco. Today's Update gets you prepared with a look at what's expected, such as developments around gaming, social and Google Now.

For those hoping to see Android Key Lime Pie, you might have to settle for an update to Jelly Bean with Android 4.3.

It's expected Google will show off new hardware, including an updated Nexus 7 and possibly a new Nexus smartphone. … Read more

New Nexus 7 may debut at Google I/O with same $199 price tag

The follow-up to the Nexus 7 tablet may get a slew of upgrades but still keep its $199 price tag.

That's the opinion of KGI Securities analyst Mingchi Kuo, who believes that Google may unveil the upgraded tablet at its Google I/O conference next week.

The upgrades include a faster Qualcomm APQ 8064 processor, a 1,920x1,200 7-inch display with narrower bezel, a 5-megapixel camera, wireless charging, and a body that's 7.5mm to 8.5mm thick. It is expected to be lighter. Blog site 9to5Google picked up on the analyst's report.

The analyst also … Read more

Android dominated smart devices in Q1, says Canalys

Android dominated the global smart mobile device market in the first quarter, according to a new report from Canalys.

That market -- which combines smartphones, tablets, and notebooks -- hit 308.7 million units in the first quarter, representing year-on-year growth of 37.4 percent, according to Canalys, which released the report on Thursday.

By operating system market share, Android was on top with 59.5 percent of all smart mobile devices shipped. Apple was second with a 19.3 percent share, while had Microsoft had an 18.1 percent share.

Global tablet shipments grew 106.1 percent year-on-year to … Read more

Why the Nexus 7 succeeded where others failed

The Nexus 7 is the most popular pure Android tablet available. How do I know? Well, data compiled by Handset Detective and a bit of clever maths by analyst Ben Evans are certainly strong indicators. But also, everyone and their mother seems to have one. Especially in the U.S., but other markets have also been strong supporters.

I'd even say that the Nexus 7 deserves a decidedly corpulent chunk of credit for giving the overall Android tablet market a boost. Yes, Amazon found success with the first version of the Kindle Fire, but the lack of expected tablet … Read more

What to expect from Android Key Lime Pie

With Google's I/O developer conference just a week away, all eyes are on the company's plans for the next version of Android.

For much of the last year we expected to see Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie. After all, leaked slides from a January Qualcomm presentation showed a midyear debut for this next build, but they were immediately pulled from the Web site.

But now, recent rumors suggest that we might actually see the debut of 4.3 Jelly Bean instead of Android 5.0. Details found in various server logs show that a JWR23B build … Read more

Apple fail should be a lesson for Microsoft

Apple is good at addressing design oversights. Will Microsoft be as adept?

The Retina iPad, for example, violated Apple's design creed: products should get thinner and lighter -- aka, cooler. Not thicker and heavier.

But Apple fixed this quickly (six month later) with the iPad Mini trifecta: thinner, lighter, cheaper. And the iPad, reinvented as the Mini, has been a runaway success.

Now that Microsoft is in the business of making tablets, can it act fast when it commits product-design sins?

Surface is not a success -- yet. The Surface Pro is too big and heavy (and expensive), according … Read more