Nexus 7 tablet owners are in for some good news, as the docking station is finally available via the Google Play Store.
The Nexus 7 dock has been available through third-party retailers and has now finally made its way to the Google Play Store and will set consumers back by $29.99, which is $10 cheaper than the price demanded by other retailers.
Earlier in December, the Nexus 7 Dock from ASUS was available for pre-order from U.S. retailer B&H Photo for $39.99 and was expected to ship by Jan. 10. However, the retailer's website now shows an April 5 shipment date with the accessory being back-ordered.
In February, Canadian retailer Vision Electronics began selling the Nexus 7 dock for $39.99, leaving consumers to wonder when Google would officially start retailing the accessory.
It is not known why the Nexus 7 dock has taken so much time to become available on the Play Store, especially considering that the tablet was released in July 2012. Better late than never!
The docking station provides a landscape docking solution for the Nexus 7 tablet. The docking station measures 220 x 65 x 30mm and weighs 9.9 ounces (280 grams). Users can charge their Nexus 7 using the docking station, which has four pins on the side and a microUSB port on the rear.
"Charge and dock your Nexus 7. This dock is expertly angled for optimum viewing of your Google Play movies and television shows. It comes equipped with an audio jack that is ideal for a powered speaker system. The Nexus 7 Dock features a polished exterior and a rubberized base for a sleek look and a secure hold. The micro USB port in the Nexus 7 Dock makes charging easy, so the fun never has to end!," notes the Google Play Store description of the Nexus 7 Dock.
Even though the docking station has an audio out via a 3.5mm jack on the rear of the device, no video connectivity option exists. The lack of video connectivity means that users cannot use it to stream Google Play Store content on a bigger screen like their TV.
Another downside to the docking station is that when users try using it with a Nexus 7 that has its case on, they will find the process a tad problematic due to the bulk.
Moreover, it seems that like the Nexus 4, Google is encountering supply issues with the Nexus 7 docking station as well. According to a Phone Arena report, the $29.99 Nexus 7 dock is "temporarily out of stock" in the U.S. Google Play Store despite Google's efforts to allow only two docks per order.
Nevertheless, at the time of writing, the dock was available on the Play Store in the UK for £24.99 and will ship in one to two weeks.
To optimize your viewing experience of movies, emails, photos and Web pages on your Nexus 7, order the docking station on the Google Play Store.
