Beefed-up Google Nexus 7 escapes the tablet factory

One of the shortcomings of the otherwise well-received ASUS Nexus 7 tablet -- unique among Android tablets for having been designed in league with Google as a flagship Nexus device, and also the first Android to run 4.1 Jelly Bean -- is the fact that it only shipped in two rather short-on-space versions, an 8GB model for $249 or a slightly roomier 16GB unit ($299). Now, we say 'shipped' because it seems the Nexus 7 is branching out, with Engadget reporting that a customer in Japan claims to have received an unheard-of 32GB version of the tablet by mistake in the mail (they ordered the 16GB option). If rumours are true, this pleasant surprise could be the first of a wave of new Nexus tablets expected to be announced by the end of the month. In fact, we're halfway to suspecting ASUS and Google might have idly let this one slip out on purpose just for the publicity... and when you think about it, the Nexus 7 will probably need all the help it can get against the rumoured iPad Mini expected to be announced this month.