Listen up, Android fans: To quote the synth-loving 80s band Europe, it's the final countdown.
Google's annual I/O developers' conference is now just over two weeks away. Yep -- two weeks. Can you believe it?
Google I/O is the place where Google tends to announce big news for the year in Android. Last year, we got our first look at Ice Cream Sandwich and saw the launches of Android 3.1, Google Music, Google movie rentals, and the first commercial Chromebooks.
This year, rumors suggest we could see a $150 to $200 Google-branded tablet, made by Asus; we might also get a peek at the next version of Android (the one a lot of people think will be called Jelly Bean). And hey, you never know: We could even hear something about that army of Nexus devices everyone's expecting.
To help kick off the I/O celebration, Android Power is giving away awesome Android prizes every week leading up to the event. We've already handed out two top-notch Android tablets and a ton of sweet Android swag. This week, we've got another scrumptious item just waiting to find a new home.
The Google I/O Countdown Contest: This week's prize
Up for grabs this week is a brand spankin' new Acer Iconia Tab A510 Android tablet, courtesy of the folks at Nvidia. The Iconia Tab A510 runs a near-stock version of Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich. It has a 10.1-inch, 1280 x 800 LCD display and 32GB of internal storage. And it's powered by Nvidia's quad-core Tegra 3 processor along with 1GB of RAM. The Iconia Tab supports the full range of Tegra-optimized games, all accessible via Nvidia's own TegraZone application.
The Iconia Tab A510 normally costs $450; this one, however, can be yours for free. So, to borrow the words of a certain high-tech company, are you feeling lucky?
The Google I/O Countdown Contest: How to enter
For this week's giveaway, you have four different ways you can enter to win. You're welcome to enter up to one time per method per day.
• Entry Method #1: Leave a comment on this page, below. Any ol' comment will do; just be sure to use a valid email address or social media account so we can reach you if your name is drawn.
• Entry Method #2: Follow @AndroidPower and @NVIDIATegra on Twitter and tweet the following:
The Google I/O Countdown Contest: Win an Acer Iconia Tab A510 tablet! http://bit.ly/TabTime #AndroidPower
• Entry Method #3: Publicly share this page on Google+. (If you like chatting about all things Android, feel free to circle me while you're there, too.)
• Entry Method #4: Like my Facebook page and Nvidia's Facebook page and leave a comment on the Countdown Contest post on my wall. (NOTE: You need to leave a comment on the post in order to enter; comments left on the wall itself will not make it into the drawing.)
Easy enough, right? You have until 2:00 p.m. ET this Friday, June 15, to enter. Again, you can enter up to one time per method per day -- so yes, you're more than welcome to enter once in the comments, once on Twitter, once on Google+, and once on Facebook each day, if you're so inclined. Any entries beyond that will not be counted and will risk disqualification and/or repeated physical contact with Gary Busey.
Now for the always-fun fine print: You must live within the U.S. to win (sorry, international readers -- limited shipping budget!). You must be following @AndroidPower and @NVIDIATegra in order to be included in the drawing on the Twitter side; you must be an active member ("liker") of the JR Raphael Facebook page and Nvidia Facebook page in order to have your Facebook entries counted; and you must share this page publicly in order for your entry to be counted on Google+ (if it isn't shared publicly, we have no way to see and thus include it in the drawing). If you work for IDG, you can't win. Finally, if you've won any other Android Power giveaway within the past six months, sorry -- you aren't eligible.
We'll compile all the entries and then randomly pick a winner shortly after the end of the contest period. If you win, you'll be notified directly via social media or email, depending on how you entered. You'll have 24 hours to respond and claim your prize; if you don't respond within 24 hours, your win will be forfeited and we'll draw another name. The winner will also be announced on Twitter, via @AndroidPower, and posted on this page.
Good luck! And remember to watch Android Power next week for the final phase of our Google I/O Countdown Contest. Still more good stuff ahead!
UPDATE [6/15/12]: Congrats to Android Power reader John Cassero, who won the drawing! One more big giveaway to go -- keep your eyes open next week for details.
