Google gunning for the iPad with Nexus 10 tablet

Google is stirring a hurricane of their own today, announcing a new Nexus 10 tablet that is no doubt their attempt to squash Apple’s iPad 4. Interestingly, while Google chose LG for the Nexus 4, they opted for Samsung for this 10.055-inch tablet.

The Nexus 10 will join Samsung’s fleet of high-end Android devices, packing a better-than-Retina display of 2,560 x 1,600, measuring 300 ppi. According to Google, the Nexus 10 will offer up to nine hours of battery life, thanks to a 9,000 mAh hunker.

Unfortunately, the Nexus 10 doesn’t run a quad-core processor, rather opts for Samsung’s dual-core 1.7 GHz Exynos 5250 CPU with quad-core graphics. Under the hood you’ll also find 2 GB of RAM, an NFC chip, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi with MIMO, Bluetooth 4.0, among other components.

On the front of the tablet lies a 1.9-megapixel camera suitable for Skype calls, with a higher 5-megapixel shooter on the back. Port-wise, the Nexus 10 sports your typical microHDMI and microUSB connectors, in addition to your standard 3.5mm headphone jack, plus Pogo Pin.

Google touts the Nexus 10 as being the world’s highest resolution display, which is quite a zing for Apple. Google shouldn’t speak too early… this display will likely eat battery life rather quickly. Nonetheless, the screen is taking center stage in their marketing campaign for the Nexus 10 tablet.

Pricing: Nexus 10’s Fatal Flaw

Up until now, the Nexus 10 was sounding pretty sweet, right? Enjoy this while it lasts, because the 16 GB Nexus 10 will set you back $399 bananas. That’s a lot of green for an Android tablet, considering Amazon’s 8.9-inch Kindle Fire only costs $299. And if you want 32 GB of storage, you’re looking at $499, approaching iPad territory.

Perhaps Google truly believes the Nexus 10 is better than the 8.9-inch Amazon tablet. Maybe it is, but it’s a long shot at best. Besides a clean version of Android, it doesn’t offer anything so revolutionary that it’s worth spending the extra $100. If the extra 1-inch of screen real estate is important to you, you owe it to yourself to wait until both devices go through the product review limelight.

Too Little, Too Late?

Google’s pricing on the Nexus 10 is less than stellar, however; pricing aside, does the Nexus 10 stand a chance? Amidst the Kindles and iPads of the world, is there room for a flagship Android tablet? Samsung’s track record isn’t spectacular with regard to their Galaxy 10. And Galaxy Note 10.1 devices. Come Nov. 13, we shall see.