The series of new products all run Android 4.2, what the company called a "new flavor" of its mobile operating system code-named Jelly Bean.
The products were initially planned to be unveiled at a media event in New York, but Hurricane Sandy prompted the search company to cancel its media presentation. As such, the new products were simply unveiled via a press release on Monday.
As far as we know, the higher-end of Google's tablets–the Nexus 10–was built to go toe-to-toe with the iPad. How does it compare to Apple's market-leading slate? Let's take a look …
Dimensions
The Nexus 10 is thinner than the iPad, with slightly more oblong dimensions.
Weight
The Nexus 10 is a bit lighter than the iPad, despite its slightly larger display.
Display
The display is where things get real interesting here. The 10.055-inch Nexus 10 has a 300ppi display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600. The slightly smaller 9.7-inch IPS LED display on the iPad 4th generation model has 264ppi and a display of 2048 x 1536.
There are other differences, as the Nexus utilizes Super AMOLED technology, next to the iPad's IPS. We look forward to getting these remarkable displays next to each other for some real-world comparisons.
Processor
The Nexus 10 packs Samsung's dual core Exynos chip, while the iPad 4 carries the Apple A6X (also manufactured by Samsung). This will also get more interesting with hands-on time, but one thing we can make sure is that both tablets should perform well.
Cameras
At least on paper, cameras look close. Both sport 5MP rear shooters, with the Nexus 10 having a higher-megapixel front-facing camera.
RAM
The 4th-generation iPad's 1GB of RAM is unconfirmed, but we suspect it carries the same amount as the 3rd generation iPad. The Nexus 10, meanwhile, brings a full 2GB.
Storage
Apart from the iPad's pricier 64GB option, storage options are even. The big story here is that the Nexus 10 undercuts the iPad's equivalent models by US$100.
Wireless
The Nexus 10 launches as a Wi-Fi only affair, but it's possible that Google will later offer a mobile data-equipped version. The iPad is available in both Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 3G/LTE models.
Intangibles
The Nexus 10 ships with the updated version of Jellybean, Android 4.2. It's a relatively minor update, but it adds some new features like Photo Sphere (a 360 degree panorama photo tool), updated Google Now, and multiple user accounts. It also adds a Swype-like trace keyboard, built right into stock Android.
The biggest weakness of Android tablets, though, is still their native tablet app selection. This is where the iOS App Store excels, with its 275,000+ library of tablet-specific applications. If the Nexus 10 – along with its little brother, the Nexus 7 – is popular enough, that gap could soon shrink. It already has, to some degree. For now, however, too many Android tablet apps are still stretched-out smartphone apps.
For many shoppers, the most important category will be price. Here the Nexus 10 has a big advantage. Google and Samsung wisely undercut the iPad, selling the 16GB model for US$399. A tablet is a big purchase, and it will be interesting to see how many holiday shoppers opt for the cheaper – yet arguably more powerful –Nexus 10.
Summing up:
The Nexus 10 are getting it into customers' hands on Nov. 13 at a price of $399 for 16GB of storage and $499 for 32GB..
With the top-notch hardware, aggressive pricing, updated version of Jellybean, the device could position itself as a long-term threat to iPad.
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