Google’s Nexus Tablet Render Leaked

Render me this, render me that, is this a Nexus tablet, or are we full of crap? Honestly, we can’t answer that one, as the render above looks like any other Android tablet we’ve seen before. While we do know the tablet is very real, we still can’t say for sure that we know anything other than the fact that the device will soon be announced. For now, feel free to soak in the picture above.

Rumors have pegged the device to launch sometime between May and June, which puts it in the prime position to be announced either sometime at CTIA Wireless in early May, or at the Google I/O conference in late June. Specifications for the tablet have been switched up once or twice, as we were initially expecting the device to ship with NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 processor, but now it seems that the search giant has opted for a cheaper, dual-core processor to keep costs down.

What’s odd about the render above is the size. As PocketNow points out, the tablet looks like it’s of the 10.1 inch variety and not the 7 inch tablet we’ve been expecting this whole time. (However, the amount of icons on the tablet indicate that this is a 7 inch device) We’d really like to see Google announce two tablets; one 7 inch and one 10.1 inch, but we have our doubts that will happen. I for one would welcome a 7 inch device, as I prefer the smaller form factor. I have two tablets on my desk – the Asus Transformer Prime and a Toshiba Thrive 7, and I use the latter frequently. Crazy, right?

Said to be made by Asus and possibly cost under $200, the Google Nexus tablet could very well sway some potential Kindle Fire buyers, easily. If Google has actually created a 10.1 inch device with some decent specs for under $200, that would be an impressive feat. That said, the tablet could actually have a 7 inch screen — with an annoyingly large bezel.

From what we can see in the render, the tablet looks to sport the standard affair of ports. Micro USB, full-sized SD, and micro HDMI are all a go, along with stereo speakers and a port for a dock.

But we can't rule out a 10-inch version as seen in the render. Google could be attacking the tablet sector on both the low-end and high-end fronts, taking on Amazon's Kindle Fire while also addressing Apple's iPad 3 with a premium Android offering. If Asus is building the smaller device, it's not difficult to imagine Samsung producing a device similar to its Galaxy Tab. The latter is what Apple will likely fear most as it currently views the Galaxy Tab line as the iPad's true competitor.

We expect to hear more about the Nexus tablet(s) during Google's I/O conference in June.