ASUS Nexus 7, $99 tablet running Android 4.1, will be introduced at CES 2013?

A set of pictures uploaded to Picasa from an ASUS related account revealed EXIF data for a unreleased model, ME172V.  That model number matches a device that was put through GL Benchmark last month and could very well be the rumored ASUS Nexus 7. Unlike the Google Nexus 7 built by ASUS, the ASUS Nexus 7 is supposed to be priced at $99 and run Android 4.1.1. A WonderMedia 1GHz CPU is purportedly under the hood along with a Mali 400MHz GPU and the resolution on the 7 inch screen is expected to be 1024 x 600. 1GB of RAM is allegedly on board and the 1MP front facing shooter is confirmed by the EXIF data. A microSD slot is supposedly included.

Back in September when the rumors started, ASUS said that it was not making a $99 7 inch tablet. If ASUS was throwing us a curve and there is truth to this leak, we wonder why the manufacturer would want to compete against the more heavily promoted Google Nexus 7 tablets which it already builds. Most likely it comes down to pricing and ASUS wants to capture buyers at the absolute low end of the market. The ASUS Nexus 7, or whatever the tablet will be called, is expected to be revealed to the public at CES 2013 in Las Vegas, next month.

source: AndroidCommunity 

The ME172V model number was also found on a tablet being tested at GL Benchmarks