Apple comes up with many of the processes being used by Foxconn. Apple designs pretty much down to the last details of every product, including custom screws as it's been reported. Foxconn are a contract manufacturer, an off-site plant as far as Apple are concerned. But that's getting away from the point now and not the issue I had with this tablet.

The issue here is that the product in question is an ASUS tablet and is labeled as such. Google isn't even using ASUS as an ODM here, which is what I find strange as hell. They could have gone to a number of places to build/assemble a Google tablet designed by Motorola people or designed by an ODM. Hell, they could have branded this tablet as their own. They're not rebadging this design beyond the "Nexus" monicker. These Nexus products do insignificant volume and do very little to build the Android brand. They also don't make Google any money when they're selling them at wholesale/cost.

If they were reference platforms then you'd think they'd be called such. As it stands it just all seems very confused and, as many are pointing out, a big "F you!" to other Android licensees.

Google announced almost a year ago they were acquiring Motorola - plenty of time to create a new tablet

Bitt: contract manufacturing isn't the issue. It's the fact this is just some other tablet that's the issue. The novelty, from Google's perspective, is that it's being sold pretty much at cost. But who will win the race to the bottom? Samsung? ASUS? ACER? I'm sure they'll love people comparing their other products to the price of the Nexus. The consumer? Not likely when the tablet is abandoned in a few months.

Look at the other Nexus products. Who has a bonafide long-term stake in them? Google? Samsung? Google doesn't have proper customer support. They don't have a sales channel. Samsung, ASUS, HTC or the flavor of the month aren't' going to give a rat's ass because they know they probably won't be picked for the follow-on device. There's no upgrade path, no continuity, no stability.

IMO, Google is wasting bucket loads of cash running in circles instead of concentrating on core strengths.