Google unveils new Nexus 7, price starts at $229

Google on Wednesday unveiled a sleeker version of its Nexus 7 tablet at an event in San Francisco. The launch is seen as a move to escalate its battle with Apple and Amazon.com in the mobile computing market.

The new Nexus 7 device will go on sale in the US from Tuesday. It's available in Google's online store and various other retailers.

Google has added extra firepower to the second generation of Nexus 7 tablets and also priced it higher than the original Nexus 7. A model with 16 GB of storage will sell for $229. That's still 30 per cent below the $329 that Apple Inc. charges for its iPad Mini. A comparable Kindle Fire HD tablet from Amazon.com Inc. currently sells for $199. A 32 GB version of the Nexus 7 is for $269.

The new line of Nexus tablets boasts of a higher-definition 17.5-centimetre display screen and a processor that promises to be nearly as twice as fast. Dual stereo speakers have been added for richer sound, and the device's battery duration has been extended by about an hour.

The new tablet will also be the first device to get the 4.3 version of its Android software.

With inputs from AP