There is a distinct purpose served by the Google Nexus phones, they are the lead devices for their platforms at release, showcasing just what the new versions can do – its features, its capabilities – in a completely vanilla form. To that end, it is not very surprising that a Google Nexus tablet is rumoured to be in the pipeline. The rumours are quite fair – after HTC and Samsung, Google has given LG the chance to make the Google Nexus tablet. LG has shown it can handle the hardware with the LG Optimus Pad – being the first to squeeze in a 3D camera, a hi-res 1280x768 resolution 3D-capable display, 4G connectivity, and a dual-core processor in a Honeycomb tablet. That leaves all the fine-tuning of an all-vanilla Nexus tablet up to the geeks at Google. Related Stories Our top picks of MWC 2011 LG unveils Optimus Pad tablet, 3D mobile smartphone Google to hold back 'Honeycomb' from phones LG Optimus One due for Android 2.3 Gingerbread update in May Since Honeycomb is already out, it stands to reason the LG Google Nexus tablet will run the rumoured phone-tablet OS – Ice Cream Sandwich or, version 2.4. This is the OS that Google seems to be prepping the Nexus One and S for, with the Android 2.3.3 update.

Tantalizing bits of Windows 8 have been revealed since June last year, and at CES 2011, Microsoft officially revealed the hardware agnostic nature of the upcoming platform, touting support for both ARM and x86 designs. Now, accompanying the latest leak of a Windows 8 System Reset feature, come reports that Microsoft has already begun shipping early builds of Windows 8 to key OEMs, such as HP.

Microsoft is supposedly distributing build 7971.0.110324-1900 (Windows 8 Milestone 3) through its Connect external testing system. The OEMs who have received this build are part of what is known as the Windows 8 and Server vNext Pre-Release program – companies that will help Microsoft test builds and offer feedback. Microsoft is expected to release a full-fledged beta of Windows 8 by September 2011, ahead of its release candidate and launch sometime in 2012. As for the System Reset feature, it looks to be a quick way for users to restore their device back to the original OEM settings, without re-installing the OS or re-formatting the HDD.