Google today announced the refreshed Nexus 7 and just revealed it will ship by the end of the month, on July 30. The device will come in three flavors: 16GB Wi-Fi for $229, 32GB Wi-Fi for $269, and 32GB LTE for $349.
That launch date (and pricing) is naturally for the US. In addition to being able to order the tablet on Google Play, Americans will be able to buy it from the following retailers (“more than ever before” Google says): Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart, Staples, OfficeMax, Office Depot, Amazonom, HSN, RadioShack, J&R, and B&H.
As can be expected with most tablet launches, those retailers will mainly carry the Wi-Fi versions of the device. Google also mentioned T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon as partners, but wouldn’t share a date for when they will carry the LTE device.
Google is also promising the three models will be coming to Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Japan, Spain, South Korea, and the UK, in the coming weeks. Unsurprisingly, there is an even broader international rollout in the months to come, but Google wouldn’t detail which countries or when.
https://www.youtubeom/watch?v=5LysTmwDan8
The new Nexus 7 comes with the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system: Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. It is almost 2mm thinner than the original Nexus 7, 50 grams lighter, and has an even longer battery life.
The biggest update is undoubtedly the screen: a 1080p HD (1920×1200) display. The device also features surround sound with 5.1 audio, a front-facing 1.2 megapixel camera, a 5 megapixel rear facing camera, all powered by a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset and 2GB of memory.
See also: Google officially unveils Android 4.3 with restricted profiles and Bluetooth Low Energy support Google announces 70m tablet activations, claims 1 in every 2 tablets sold in 2013 runs Android Google unveils Chromecast, the $35 HDMI plugin that streams online videos to your TV Best Buy rains on Google’s parade as it begins pre-orders for new Nexus 7 ahead of official launch
Nokia unveils new Lumia 520 and Lumia 720 Windows Phone handsets
You might have already seen the leaked renders floating around the Web, but Nokia has made its new Lumia 520 and 720 Windows Phone handsets official at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Follow our live blog of Nokia’s MWC launch event for the latest updates.
The Lumia 720 sports a 4.3-inch screen with a 1GHz dual-core processor. It has 512MB of RAM and 8GB of memory, as well as a front and a 6.7 megapixels rear camera. It’s expected to cost 249 euros ($328) and will come in five colors. The company is planning to release the device in Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore this quarter, with further expansion to China and key markets in Europe, Asia, Africa and India in the second quarter.
The Lumia 520 , Nokia’s most-affordable Windows 8 smartphone, has a 4-inch screen (800×480), a 1GHz dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM and a 5-megapixel rear camera.
The Finnish handset maker will release the 520 in Hong Kong and Vietnam this quarter before rolling out to markets in Europe, Asia – including China and India – Latin America and Africa in the second quarter. The 520 will also land on T-Mobile in the US.
Nokia’s new Lumia phones flesh out its Windows Phone lineup as follow-ups to its 510 and 710 smartphones. Its Lumia 920 and 820 are its current high-end Windows Phone handsets, while the Lumia 620 is positioned as a budget device.
During Monday’s event, Nokia also released new featurephones , the 105 and 301. The company called the 105 the “entrypoint into the Nokia brand”.
TechStars alum Karma launches its $79 social hotspot: Share your Wi-Fi, earn free data
After demoing in New York and raising $1 million, TechStars alum Karma is launching its “social hotspot:” a $79 device which rewards you with free data when you share your Wi-Fi connection with strangers.
Yes. You read that right.
Karma, which calls itself “a simple and honest mobile provider,” isn’t trying to sell you on speed or hardware — the startup touts (what appears to be) a branded Voyager hotspot , running off of Clear ‘s WiMax U.S. network via Simplexity — instead, Karma’s magic lies elsewhere, in a concept called “social bandwidth.”
Upon connecting to your hotspot for the first time, two curious things happen: first, the device’s network takes on your name (e.g.: “Harrison’s Karma”), second, that network refuses to be password protected, because when a stranger, friend or even a lover connects to your Karma device, you’ll both earn 100MB of free data.
Now, let that idea sink in for a moment. The concept is surely tempting, especially in a city like New York, where a menagerie of freelancers fill every coffee-house, in search of open Wi-Fi networks. Simply bring one these bad boys into a busy, laptop-ridden workspace, and you could…in theory…never pay for bandwidth again, or, at the very least, end up earning free gigs here and there to lower the overall cost. The latter is, of course, far more likely.
Karma offers a 4G connection across 80 major U.S. cities . In our own tests, we found Karma’s connection to be a bit faster than Clear typically provides in New York, clocking in as high as 8.53 Mb/s downloads and 1.29 Mb/s uploads during the night, while conversely pulling in 6.80 Mb/s downloads and 0.43 Mb/s uploads during the morning. Once again, there’s nothing face-melting about Karma, but that’s not the point. Your connection speed will definitely vary by location, but Karma says its devices should pull in 6 Mb/s downloads.
Karma’s on-boarding process for new customers is dead-simple. Join the open network, connect your Facebook account (cue privacy rants) and collect your free gig of data. Your Karma network will rename itself and is ready for use.
Inside Karma’s dashboard , which blows its competitors away in terms of design aesthetic, you’ll be able to see how much data you’ve used and earned, in addition to purchasing more data by the gig once you run out. Karma charges a flat rate of $14/gig; it’s neither cheap nor pricey.
On its monogamous relationship with Clear, potential users will be glad to know that Karma considers itself carrier agnostic. The company may support additional networks soon, but for now there’s no public timeline available.
If you ask us, a polygamous arrangement between Karma and 3rd party carriers — rather, dumb pipes — is imperative to Karma’s long-term success, as it could find strength in numerous providers, while multiplying its potential user-base.
As with comparable mobile hotspot offerings like Verizon’s MiFi , Karma’s device isn’t priced to be your sole Internet connection…unless you get lucky and really pile up on free bandwidth, an unlimited, hard-wired provider is your best choice in terms of overall speed and your wallet.
But for many working within and outside of the tech scene, having access to a mobile connection is a must, affording the ability to work and browse whenever and wherever the need arises. With just a $79 price tag and zero commitments, this is the perfect companion for that use-case.
Bonus points for the wild concept, which we truly hope lasts and grows.
➤ Karma (ships in 2-3 weeks)