Google’s big event got washed out by Hurricane Sandy, but the company has pushed ahead with expected announcements: a Nexus 10 tablet with multiuser support, a Nexus 4 phone & Android 4.2. Google is also launching a music matching service.
The news is now up on the Google Blog. Here’s a fast rundown.
Nexus 4 & Photo Sphere
This will be the latest flagship phone from Google, built by LG, as expected. Google says:
It has a quad-core processor which means it’s super fast, a crisp 4.7″ (320 ppi) display that’s perfect for looking at photos and watching YouTube, and with wireless charging you just set the phone down on a charging surface to power it up, no wires needed.
The phone will have “Photo Sphere,” which seems Google’s match to the iPhone’s panorama mode (Android phones have had a similar thing for ages but not as fast) or Microsoft’s PhotoSynth:
Starting with the camera, we’ve reinvented the photo experience with Photo Sphere, which lets you capture images that are literally larger than life. Snap shots up, down and in every direction to create stunning 360-degree immersive experiences that you can share on Google+ with friends and family—or you can add your Photo Sphere to Google Maps for the world to see.
The phone will also feature Android 4.2
Android 4.2 brings other great goodies like Gesture Typing, which lets you glide your finger over the letters you want to type on the keyboard—it makes typing fast, fun and a whole lot simpler. Android 4.2 also adds support for Miracast wireless displays so you can watch movies, YouTube videos, and play games right on your HDTV wirelessly.
Pricing & Availability:
8GB for $299; 16GB for $349; available unlocked and without a contract on 11/13 on the Google Play store in U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Canada. The 16GB version will also be available through T-Mobile for $199, with a 2-year contract (check here for more details).
Nexus 10 & Multiple User Support
As expected, Google is releasing its own branded 10″ tablet, the Nexus 10, built with Samsung:
Nexus 10 is the highest resolution tablet on the planet at 2560-by-1600 (300ppi), that’s over 4 million pixels right in your hands. It comes with a powerful battery that will get you up to nine hours of video playback and more than 500 hours of standby time. With a set of front-facing stereo speakers, you can watch movies right from your Nexus 10 and they simply sound awesome.
Matching Microsoft Surface (and beating the iPad), the tablet will allow for multiple users:
But what makes Nexus 10 unique is that it’s the first truly shareable tablet. With Android 4.2, you can add multiple users and switch between them instantly right from the lockscreen. We believe that everyone should have quick and easy access to their own stuff — email, apps, bookmarks, and more. That way, everyone can have their own home screens, their own music, and even their own high scores.
Pricing & Availability:
16GB for $399; 32GB for $499; available on 11/13 in the Google Play Store in U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan.
Nexus 7 Made Thinner? More Storage & Mobile Data
To help counter the iPad Mini, Google’s perhaps has made the Nexus 7 thinner:
Nexus 7: Thin, light and now even more portable Nexus 7 brings you the best of Google–YouTube, Chrome, Gmail, Maps–and all the great content from Google Play in a slim, portable package that fits perfectly in your hand.
However, there are no specs that support this, so I think Google means the Nexus 7 is more portable compared to the Nexus 10. The 7″ tablet is getting more storage and mobile data:
You can now get Nexus 7 with 16GB ($199) or 32GB ($249) of storage. But we also wanted to make this highly portable tablet even more mobile. So we added HSPA+ mobile data. Nexus 7 is now also available with 32GB and HSPA+ mobile ($299), which can operate on more than 200 GSM providers worldwide, including AT&T in the US.
Pricing & Availability:
16GB for $199 and 32GB for $249; available in U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada and Japan, and also through our retail partners Gamestop, Office Depot, Office Max, Staples, Walmart. 32GB and mobile data: $299 and unlocked, on sale 11/13 in the Google Play store in U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Canada.
Google Play Expands for Canada & Europe; Warner Music Added; Music Matching
Those outside the US looking to buy content through Google Play for their devices now have more options:
Today we’re bringing movie purchasing to more countries – Canada, the U.K., France, Spain and Australia. On November 13, we’re bringing music on Google Play to Europe. Those of you in the U.K, France, Germany, Italy and Spain will be able to purchase music from the Google Play store and add up to 20,000 songs—for free—from your existing collection to the cloud for streaming to your Android devices or web browser.
Warner Music’s catalog is available:
We’ve partnered with Warner Music Group who will be adding their full music catalog with new songs coming each day. We’re now working with all of the major record labels globally, and all the major U.S. magazine publishers, as well as many independent labels, artists and publishers.
And a new music matching service similar to iTunes match is being offered:
We’re also launching our new matching feature to streamline the process of uploading your personal music to Google Play. We’ll scan your music collection and any song we match against the Google Play catalog will be automatically added to your online library without needing to upload it, saving you time. This will be available in Europe at launch on November 13 and is coming to the U.S. soon after. This will all be for free—free storage of your music, free matching, free syncing across your devices and free listening.
New Cards For Google Now
Finally, Google Now is getting new features
Today we’re adding more cards that we hope you’ll find useful. Flight information, restaurant reservations, hotel confirmations and shipping details…. You’ll also get cards for nearby attractions, interesting photo spots, movies times at nearby theaters or concerts by your favorite artists.
See our separate article on this: Google Adds More Content Categories & Cards To Google Now
Google has a video with its news, as well:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHuoDqcIyqk
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