Google had an event planned today to reveal the next version of the Nexus 7, but you probably didn't have to watch it if you're looking to learn about the tablet. That's because Best Buy scooped Google by putting the unannounced device up for pre-order, specs and all. Whoops.
And if you're into the sort of thing, Android Police managed to score an early unboxing video (above).
The original Nexus 7 is still the best tablet in the $200 range, and its successor looks like a solid, iterative improvement.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
While the original came only with a front-facing camera, the new version notably packs a 5-megapixel rear camera. While using a device as unwieldy as an iPad to take pictures is generally frowned upon, the Nexus 7's compact size is better served for the occasional snap or two.
It also comes with a 1.5Ghz Snapdragon processor, 2 gigs of RAM, and best of all, a 7-inch HD screen (1,920 x 1,200 resolution with a 323 ppi pixel density), which is a nice bump up display-wise from the original. The new version is a shade lighter, too — 11.2 ounces versus 12 ounces — and it'll float Android 4.3 software, which as The Verge notes, will still be demarcated as Jelly Bean (it rolls out today). Google says that if you snag an LTE version, that it can work on AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile.
Best Buy is selling pre-orders for the 16GB version for $229.99, while the 32GB version is $40 more. Although those prices are a tad more expensive than the 2012 model, which starts at $199, it's still a great value for a great tablet that's thinner, faster, and higher res.
