It’s finally official, the Google Nexus tablet is real and it’s made by ASUS. Simply called the Nexus 7, this 7-inch tablet is both feature-rich and affordable. The blogosphere has been speculating about it for quite some time now, so let’s dive right in and find out exactly what Google and ASUS have to offer.

First things first: this is not an iPad killer! Please refrain from saying, believing or thinking that it is. With that out of the way, let’s take a look at what $199 will get you.

• 7-inch 1280×800 HD display (216 ppi)
• Quad-core Tegra 3 processor (12‐core GPU)
• Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
• Back-lit IPS display
• Scratch-resistant Corning glass
• 1.2MP front-facing camera (no rear facing camera)
• 8GB internal storage (16 GB for $249)
• 1 GB RAM
• Micro USB
• First Android device to come with Google Chrome as its default browser
• 4325 mAh (Up to 8 hours of active use)
• Microphone
• NFC (Android Beam)
• Accelerometer
• GPS
• Magnetometer
• Gyroscope
• 340 grams
• 198.5 x 120 x 10.45mm
• WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth

That’s not too shabby for $199. Any sub $200 quad-core Android tablet is worth a look, but one that has Jelly Bean, well… you simply can’t beat that.

After watching the demos and checking out all that’s been going on today, it really looks like the Google Nexus 7 was made for the cloud. Its 8GB internal storage really is dismal, and even if you opt for the 16GB model, it’s really not a lot of space for a device made to consume media.

That’s where the cloud comes in. Google refers to the Nexus 7 as a device made for Google Play, and this is true when using the Nexus 7 as a cloud-based media hub. Combine all that with the new Nexus Q and you’ve got yourself one heck of a media sharing device (as long as you have a connection).

Take the cloud away, and it’ll be a clear day alright — clear of any content. Sure, you can download content for offline viewing, or load the content onto the device directly, but let me tell you, that 8GB internal storage will fill up quicker than a vespa at the gas pump.

If you’re considering picking up the Nexus 7, I recommend going for the 16GB, and at $249, that’s still a good price.

It also looks like Google is going the wireless streaming route as they have omitted any HDMI/Media Outputs to bring your media over to the big screen (see Nexus Q).

You can pre-order a Nexus 7 starting today, and for a limited time, Google will thrown in $25 worth of Play Store credit as well as your own copy of Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

If you agree, hit up the source link below and pre-order yours today.

• SourceGoogle Play