JUNE 27, 2012 • During its Google I/O developer conference, the search giant introduced a $199 1GB quad-core Android tablet with a seven-inch screen, the Nexus 7, due in July. More of a direct challenge to Amazon’s Kindle Fire and the Barnes & Noble Nook Color than Apple’s iPad, the device’s major attribute is significantly stronger hardware specs. Designed in conjunction with PC maker Asus, the Nvidia Tegra 3 processor comes with a 12-core GPU that boosts graphics performance to the 1280-by-800 screen.  Connection to the Internet is via Wi-Fi only, with no 3G or 4G cell network connectivity. Also lacking is a SD card slot. For those who desire more that the $199 model’s 8GB, a 16GB model is available for $249. Google also showed off a social streaming device, the Nexus Q, and a wearable computing device called Google Glass. The latter two devices have no release date as of yet.

Impact: By all accounts Google and Asus have delivered a seriously powerful and fast Android tablet at a very low price. There is a question whether all of that processing speed is necessary for a tablet going after the Kindle Fire and Nook Color, Yet as Sony has found with the Xperia PLAY, new versions of Android don’t play nice with modest hardware specifications where gaming is concerned. As we don’t see the Kindle and Nooks as gaming platforms, Google may have a niche to fill in delivering a stepped-up gaming experience on tablets compared to the iPad. The question is can Google find a way to assure developers they can make the money necessary to warrant creating better games specifically for the Nexus 7.  It is the old chicken and egg question.  However, the low price, powerful specs and the fact retailers like GameStop are eagerly promoting the system, means the Nexus 7 has the potential to be a game changer in the tablet market.