While Hurricane Sandy put a halt to Google’s plans to unveil its three new shades of Nexus devices at a glitzy event in New York, that didn’t prevent the internet giant from unveiling them anyway … by blog.
Google mobile boss Andy Rubin went ahead and revealed Google’s new hardware line-up – three new Nexus devices in small (an LG smartphone), medium (a 7-inch tablet with added HSPA+ mobile connectivity) and large (a 10-inch Nexus device manufactured in partnership with Samsung).
Rubin also revealed that the company has added new content, such as movies and TV shows from 20th Century Fox to Google Play, as well as magazine deals with titles like People, Time, InStyle and others.
“On 13 November, Google is bringing Google Play to the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain and consumers there will be able add up to 20,000 songs for free,” Rubin explained.
“We’re also launching our new matching feature to streamline the process of uploading your personal music to Google Play. We’ll scan your music collection and any song we match against the Google Play catalogue will be automatically added to your online library without needing to upload it, saving you time. This will be available in Europe at launch on 13 November and is coming to the US soon after,” Rubin said.
Nexus 10
Rubin claimed that the new Nexus 10 tablet computer is the highest-resolution tablet on the planet with a 10.055-inch display at 2,560 x 1,600 (300ppi).
“That’s over 4m pixels right in your hands. It comes with a powerful battery that will get you up to nine hours of video playback and more than 500 hours of standby time,” Rubin said.
The new device will come with a set of front-facing stereo speakers. With Android 4.2, users can add multiple users and switch between them instantly from the lockscreen.
The Nexus 10 will come in the following flavours: 16GB for US$399; 32GB for US$499; available on 13 November in the Google Play Store in the US, UK, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan. Consumers will also be able to purchase the 32GB version in more than 2,000 Walmart stores in the US.
Nexus 7 with HSPA+
Designed to be a portal for content from Google Play, YouTube, Chrome, Gmail and Maps, the Nexus 7 will come in 16GB and 32GB configurations.
Google has also added HSPA+ mobile data connectivity that can operate with 200 GSM providers worldwide, including AT&T and T-Mobile in the US.
The Nexus 7 with 32GB and HSPA+ will go on sale for US$299 unlocked on 13 November in the US, the UK, Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Canada.
Nexus 4
Last but not least is Google’s latest smartphone, the Nexus 4, developed in partnership with LG. The 4.7-inch screen has a 320ppi display and is capable of wireless charging.
Powered by Android 4.2, a new Photo Sphere technology lets users capture 360-degree images.
The device also features Google Now, the new technology that provides users with cards of useful information before they even ask – such as reminders for dinner dates, nearby attractions, interesting photo spots, movie times at nearby theatres or concerts by your favourite artists.
The Nexus 4 will be available in 8GB for US$299; 16GB for US$349; available unlocked and without a contract on 13 November on the Google Play store in the US, UK, Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Canada. The 16GB version will also be available through T-Mobile for US$199, with a two-year contract.
