By Rumors of an affordable Google tablet have been running rampant now more than ever. They detail a plan of Google teaming up with ASUS to provide a tablet that will be powerful, yet will cost just about $250. It was due in May. Well, new rumors, courtesy of The Verge‘s sources, say otherwise. The tablet is now scheduled for July, apparently, but the so-called “delay” isn’t without reason.
They report Google’s looking to make a few design changes and changes that would allow them to get the cost of the tablet even lower. We’re not sure what allowed them to get to the reported $250 price point in the first place, and to think that they want to go even lower is pretty crazy to think about. It’s not impossible – Archos was able to bring some decent affordable, yet modern Android tablets to the market.
All we hope for is that Google’s mission to bring the device’s price down doesn’t affect their mission to bring a quality device. We’re sure the success of the Amazon Kindle Fire (and the reason, price, behind it) is their driving motivation for doing so, but I think we’d all prefer a quality device over an extremely affordable one.
Just in time for I/O
As long as they don’t cut every corner. needs a ffc, heptic feedback, ect, they can do without back camera stuff like that
The back camera is actually very useful. It’s much more stable to hold than a phone (without a dedicated camera button). On my Transformer Prime, I’ve used it for scanning documents taking photos and videos of Powerpoint presentations in meetings. Of course, the Prime’s keyboard dock helps greatly since it is effectively a camera stand.
Do they know that the Kindle Fire is so cheap because Amazon ate some of the costs?
Absolutely not. They have no idea. They are clueless and incompetent.
You should apply for CEO of both ASUS and Google. I’m sure they will hire you immediately.
Hmm, good idea! I will.
Your insight is the equivalent of discovering yesterday’s lotto numbers.
Can you imagine if I had a time machine?!
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Maybe Google will be ‘eating’ some of the costs of this tablet to help get a better foothold in the tablet market? A tight Google Play integration would surely generate some revenue for them.
I don’t know if “eating the cost” is a general business term or just one we made up in my office for when we have to sell something for less of a profit to make more down the road, but I digress.
If they did eat some of the costs but kept it fairly high end they would sell plenty and of online content.
I will buy a tablet made by Google only if it is both high quality, affordable and if it comes with the latest Android OS version. Asus is also launching their own $250 tablet this summer in July/August.
There were rumors that the Google tablet may have derailed that project, with ASUS focusing on the Google tablet instead of their $250 Tegra 3 tablet, we will see.
I’m all for paying less for something, but the $250 price point sounds great for a Nexus tablet as long as they keep decent/higher end specs. Sure you have to compete with the KF and I suppose the majority of consumers buy a KF because it has Amazon standing behind it. The more I think about it the more Google needs their Nexus tablet to be successful against the KF so they can further the Android tablet platform and eventually take on the iDevice head on (like they did in the smartphone space). Oh well, what I want from the tablet is probably not what they will put together, but it gives me more hope for the Android tablet platform as a whole.
This just in: Technology gets cheaper with time.
Or more powerful for the same price.
i think they might be going with a tegra 3, nvidia reported 7 months ago that their chip will be allot less expensive( around half the cost) in a years time.
Until you look at phone prices off contract. Or even on contract for some.
Technology “should” get cheaper with time.
Exactly! I hope they aren’t going to the extreme in gutting the device. I already have a 10″ tablet, but I want an Android tablet cheap enough to buy as presents, yet still quality enough to be proud of.
THIS. I was all up for buying the K Fire when it came out. Then figured wait a bit. When they get CM9 stable on it im buying 5 at a time as xmas presents for all. That is unless goole gets theirs out before then :)
jelly bean tablet
“RUMOR”. Oh my gosh I was actually looking forward to this. Hmm…
I really don’t want to wait. =.P
By the time this is released they may have a lot more content on Play and in a lot more countries so it could make sense on that front too. Won’t hold my breath though..