According to some rumors, Google wants to offer a tablet for those with shallower pockets, priced at around $99. The tablet would be similar to the current Nexus 7, produced by Asus, but it would have weaker hardware. How did we reach the hardware characteristics? On the web appeared a GLBenchmark for a certain tablet under the name "Asus ME172V", which some consider to be a future entry-level Nexus 7 (or one that has been assigned the name) from Asus’ workshops.
By this benchmark is seems that the tablet has a 7-inch screen with a resolution of 1024x600 pixels, the processor runs at 1 GHz, there is 1GB of RAM, 8 GB of internal flash memory and a battery capacity of 4270 mAh. On the tested tablet, there is a microSD slot. Remember, the current Nexus 7 is not expandable in such a way; there is no SD card slot. The operating system is Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean on these tested tablets.It should be noted that Asus, in September, denied that Google is developing a cheaper version of the Nexus 7, and there has been rumors that Google is working on a new Nexus, which it will develop in collaboration with Asus. Under whatever trademark it comes to market, we can expect a new Asus tablet with modest characteristics and an accordingly lower price.
[Ed – nVidia showed off a tablet at CES 2012 that was aimed at the lower end price of $149.99. It was not a Google product though so it is possible that this tablet could be what we saw then, but with even lower specifications. This would fit nicely into the 7-inch market at the bottom. A fully featured tablet like this could impact sales from companies like Amazon and Barnes and Nobel (actually Microsoft).]
What do you think about the possibility of a cheaper 7-inch tablet? Tell us in our Forum.