A few months ago it had been rumored that Google may be asking ASUS to build their tablet for them and now we have some more details on this likely partnership. Digitimes have claimed that Google’s tablet is well near completion and that shipments will be starting in June in preparation for a release sometime in July.

Just to remind you, this isn’t a rumored product as Google chairman Eric Schmidt already revealed last year that the company would be releasing a tablet within the next six months. While they may have fallen a little bit short of that estimation, a July release would still ensure that Google has maintained their word and the tablet could force Apple to step up their plans on a renewed iPad effort with upgrades made to the existing ‘new iPad’ that launched just a few months ago.

If a July release wasn’t exciting enough for you, we’ve also heard that Google will be unveiling their new tablet at Google I/O which starts in June. Potential specs of the device that have been speculated include a Tegra 3 quad-core processor and Google’s brand new unseen Android 5.0 Jelly Bean OS. What do you make of the decision to allow ASUS to build the device though? The Transformer Prime is obviously a lovely piece of kit, so are you happy that Google has given the Taiwanese manufacturer a chance to become a global brand in the US?

Samsung would have been another obvious choice since they built the Galaxy Nexus, but we’re pleased to see that Google is trying out different things. How does a quad-core, Jelly Bean effort from ASUS sound to you this Summer? Instant buy for you, or will you hold out to see if Apple has something in the pipeline?

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To put that in context, that means having multiple ‘pure’ Nexus devices with Android 5.0 Jelly Bean installed on each device, obviously giving you much wider choice than previous years. The move has been detailed in a report by the Wall Street Journal and the devices will be available from a selection of different manufacturers and available to buy all from the Google Play store.

You may already be aware that Google is now back in the business of selling smartphones online, with the Galaxy Nexus available to buy off-contract for $399 in the US only. It now looks clear that they are looking to expand on this, and the idea of having multiple Android 5.0 devices on sale at the same time is nothing short of mouthwatering.

Further whispers from WSJ state that this venture could be ready by Thanksgiving this year, i.e Black Friday, which would be a perfect time to unleash such a statement of intent. While the Galaxy Nexus is obviously a great handset, not everyone is happy with it and it looks like Google is looking to offer more options. We could see Jelly Bean devices from Motorola, HTC, Samsung and LG all available on the same date at launch – what an exciting prospect that is. If this does indeed come to light, what manufacturer would you opt for and why?

Google is yet to comment on this, but we have a feeling they may now have to – don’t forget that their Nexus tablet is already out in the open and all eyes are on when they’ll decide to release that as well.

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It’s not the first time we have heard such whispers of course, as a 7-inch or ‘Mini’ iPad have been rumored for quite some time actually. However, Google’s Nexus tablet is a reality and should become available later on in the year.

It would be a logical assumption for Apple to offer an alternative to this and the good news is that not only may we be seeing a 7-inch version of the popular iPad, but also an iPad that will be priced significantly cheaper than the $499 new iPad as well. A rumor posted by iMore suggests that the 7-inch iPad will debut in October and will be priced at the $200 – coincidentally the exact same figure that the Amazon Kindle Fire sells for online at the moment. It’s also the same price range that Google are rumored to be targeting for their Nexus tablet as well, so could we see an almighty battle of the budget tablets towards the end of the year?

We’re also hearing that the $200 7-inch iPad will be offered with an 8GB capacity, meaning that it will fall in line with current pricing for the 8GB iPod Touch. Whether this means that a price cut is on the way to the iPod Touch remains to be seen, but it would seem pretty strange if Apple kept iPod Touch prices the same – who would pick up the 8GB iPod Touch ahead of a brand new 8GB iPad with a possible A5X or A6 processor?

Would you like to see Apple bring out a direct rival to the Kindle Fire and Nexus tablet? More importantly – would you be willing to buy one if this is real? Apple wouldn’t want Google to share all the limelight of course when they eventually release the Nexus Tablet, that isn’t their style.

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The latest offering takes Ugly measuring to new scientific levels – the cheaper version launched around 2 years ago is more of a joke, but the latest “Ugly Meter Pro” will scan a photo and measure more than 100 points to give you a score up to 100. This version released within the last two months and has been in the making for around one year, which received an update to v1.1 a few days after launch.

Ugly Meter Pro is average on iOS and extremely disappointing on Android – while the hype surrounding this app helped it reach the top spot in the US, the same cannot be said for reviews from users. We had a play with the $5 version and found it fun but pretty average just as the ratings show (3 stars), although the Android version (now confirmed as a knock off and not official) has a low rating of 1.5 stars and many complaints in the comments found on Google Play. These complaints seem to come with problems including Ugly Meter crashing on Android, and users claiming it’s “a waste of money” and “needs a fix right away“.

Have you used Ugly Meter Pro on iPhone/iPad, and if you’ve used the Android version did you realize it was unofficial? We’ve included a video below this article, which gives you a quick overview of the iOS Pro version.

UPDATE: We’ve just found out that the Android version is not official, hence why it’s plagued with crashing and other problems.

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The last time we spoke about the Google Tablet project, it was understood that ASUS had been chosen to build the device and that one of Google’s primary objectives was to introduce the device around the $199 mark to compete with the popular Amazon Kindle.

Now though, new information published by The Verge reveals that Google are planning to delay the release of their tablet slightly, pushing the launch back by a few months from May to July. Furthermore, we may see a possibility where the tablet is actually priced at above the $200 mark, rather than below it – the new Apple iPad currently retails at $499 after all so Google will need to find the right balance.

What about hardware specifications though? There’s a general consensus that this device will ship with an NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, but the operating system included is still up for debate. Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 is obviously a high possibility, but there are some whispers that Google could be planning to go all out and make this the world’s first device with Android 5.0 Jelly Bean.

In our opinion, that’s exactly what they need to do as well. Ice Cream Sandwich isn’t exactly brand spanking new any moment and ironically it is ASUS that first had the honor of building a tablet with the OS on via the Transformer Prime. If ASUS is really building the Google tablet and Google are looking to go on the direct offensive against Apple, then Jelly Bean is exactly the kind of ‘wow’ factor they need to entice consumers into a purchase.

There is also the possibility of Apple releasing a follow-up device to the new iPad before the end of the year, and it may be moment when the world finally sees a quad-core capable iPad for the first time. Aside from Android 5.0 Jelly Bean, we would also like to see some other unique features from Google as we would be disappointed if it turns out to be ‘just another Android tablet’ with Google branding slapped on the back.

Are you looking to pick up Google’s effort later on in the year? Do you agree with us that they need to launch it with Android 5.0 Jelly bean? What other features would you like to see in the device in order to buy it ahead of future products from ASUS, Samsung and Apple?

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You can get a better idea on these augmented reality glasses in the video below this article, which Google has produced to provide insight into an idea that is currently in the concept stages. These Google Glasses will allow the user to share and explore the world around them, and Google are looking for feedback via their social page on G+ here.

We spoke about new virtual reality technology from Forth Dimension Displays last month, and this looked good for future FPS games although there had been questions raised by certain gamers. Some people feel that being totally immersed could cause problems with bumping into your surroundings, and when the tech is improved to allow the user to use VR headsets and see around them it would be a massive leap forward.

While Google has not pushed Project Glass for gamers, you can see in the video below that this technology would partly answer the issue of seeing content and your surroundings at the same time. It would be interesting to see how this develops in the coming months and years, especially considering some reports suggest a release later on in 2012. If this does happen we wonder how close the technology in the video will be to the real Google Glasses?

Do you think these glasses could cause more accidents if used while walking as seen in the video?

Update: We’re hearing that the prototype still needs a lot of work; so don’t expect anything this year.

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What should the next Google+ app update bring for iPhone and iPad users – our most wanted feature would be real iPad support, and not the lazy “2x” button in the lower right hand corner. The iPad is the biggest selling tablet by a mile and lacking true support for it’s resolution seems crazy, so we’d like to see an update release this month that includes real iPad support and not a small screen that needs enlarging (see the screenshot we took below).

It does seem that Google is dragging their heels with the Google Plus iPad app, although it’s worth pointing out that they might like to support Android more considering this is their platform. We had a quick look on the Google Play Store and can see the ratings are much higher for the Android version of this app, which shows 4.5 stars, although the app screenshots focus on phones and not tablets. Do you own an Android tablet, and if so can you confirm support with a native resolution?

Google has a page explaining what apps support the iPad and this can be seen here, which shows Google Earth, Sync, Search, Maps, Catalogs, YouTube, and Gmail. We cannot see the Google+ app on there and while the iOS app works on iPad’s, it’s not natively supported and understandably not on the above page.

Do you want improved support with Google+ for iPad, and what improvements do you feel Google need to make with their social app? You can find other solutions for the iPad that not only support Google+ but also other services like Twitter. One of these apps is called G-Pad and while it’s free the ratings are pretty much the same as the official G+ app, so if you’ve used G-Pad feel free to leave a comment below.

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The main problem at hand was the inability to add the pre-paid card back to your wallet if you had previously removed it. Google had officially removed the option to add it back temporarily, but they have just sent out a very nice email to customers informing them that the service is now back up and running as normal.

To make up for the inconvenience caused, they have handed out yet more money as a way of saying sorry. You’ll now find your pre-paid credit has been given an additional $5, so if you were previously sitting on $0, feel free to indulge in a $5 spending spree at your local 7-11.

It’s not the first time that Google has handed out cash credit to Wallet customers of course. Back in December of last year, Google were even handing out a $10 welcome credit for those who installed the app on their Galaxy Nexus devices for the first time. That’s $15 completely free – you really can’t argue with that can you?

Our only gripe is that Google Wallet isn’t available in other countries – like Hong Kong. We want to join in on the fun as well Google, we have 7-11 stores here too you know!

If you have Google Wallet, let us know if the $5 extra credit has already been applied to your Wallet or not. Have you already spent the extra cash? Feel free to let us know what you bought below.

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Systrom made their way onto the stage at SXSW and showed a Galaxy Nexus with Instagram installed, which this prototype certainly made some Android users jealous and excited at the same time. It has been a long wait for Instagram to make its way onto the Android platform, and with the iOS version getting a lot of press it has not made the situation any easier.

Expectations are extremely high for the Android version – it looks like Systrom want to improve on the iPhone app in many ways, so Android phones are likely to get some nice extras for waiting. This has been hinted at during SXSW when they said, “it’s better than our iPhone app“, although they did explain only “in some ways“. This could be enough for Android users that are sitting on the fence to see what the fuss is about.

We reported earlier that the app is in private beta, although information given out during SXSW shows that it’s already fast, working great on a range of Android displays, and shares photos will a number of the best social networks.

Do you think it’s right for Systrom to disregard the iPhone app that helped Instagram reach more than 27 million users, or are both platforms likely to be enhanced at the same time when the Android app releases? We’ve included a video below showing some facts and figures for Instagram on Android, which also include details from SXSW and well worth a watch.

Instagram for Android recent news: The Android demand met a new high last month with excitement building towards a launch, and we also saw Instagram’s popularity not go down well with pros, which has been quickly followed with beta testing within the last few days. During the last month we’ve also seen the iPhone app receive two updates, v2.1 and v2.2 earlier this month.

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Don’t forget that this the same ASUS that were in the headlines just hours ago for apparently confirming to the world that Android 5.0 will indeed be known as Jelly Bean and that the Taiwanese company may be one of the first to support the new software.

Now a rumor over at AndroidandMe claims that Google has approached ASUS to build their highly anticipated Nexus tablet, with a key area of focus trying to get the tablet to enter the market at the golden $199 mark, which would obviously send consumers into delirium. Further details also add weight to the idea that the Google Nexus tablet will feature a Tegra 3 quad-core processor as well as a stock version of Ice Cream Sandwich as standard.

Eric Schmidt was recently quoted as saying that their tablet was ‘six months away from release’, which means that we could be seeing this just after Summer of this year. This may be a long shot, but we wouldn’t rule out the possibility of this Google Nexus tablet being the first device to run Jelly Bean either.

We’re not saying that it will launch with Jelly Bean, but it would obviously be very logical for Google’s own branded device to run the new software before any other device, rather than the Motorola Xoom which carried Honeycomb first before it. This rumor also seems to intertwine with the ASUS Jelly Bean report as well, so we’re looking forward to hearing some more gossip soon.

What are your thoughts on this upcoming Nexus tablet from Google? Has Samsung been shunted out of the picture for good after the Galaxy Nexus, in favor of ASUS – makers of the impressive Transformer Prime?

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