Nexus 7 Hardware Overview

Overview

• Board name: grouper
• Variants:
  • nakasi (3g+wifi)
  • nakasi (3g+wifi)
  • bach (3g+wifi)
  • me370tg

Specs

• System chip: NVIDIA Tegra 3 T30L
• Processor: 1.3 GHz quad-core Cortex-A9 (T30L)
• Graphics processor: ULP GeForce @ 416MHz
• System memory: 1 GB RAM DDR3L
• Built-in storage: 8, 16, or 32 GB flash memory

Linux support

• Board name: grouper
• Kernel: https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/tegra/
• Android device support: https://android.googlesource.com/device/asus/grouper/
• Firmware: https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/drivers#grouper
• Wifi, Bluetooth: BCM 4330
  • Firmware files are in AOSP, can be redistributed.
• GPS: Broadcom
  • BCM47511 or BCM4751
• Firmware files are only needed to be installed for Wifi and bluetooth (according to Ubuntu Nexus 7 project)
• use of libhybris is possible through the Android graphic drivers
  • https://dl.google.com/dl/android/aosp/nvidia-grouper-jzo54k-56de148f.tgz
• Telephony Modem (X-GOLD) uses AT commands as communication interface
  • uses /dev/ttyACM0 serial port
• ELAN Touchscreen
  • Needs firmware but not loaded on every boot, only flashed one time
• Std. ALSA interfaces for audio configuration

Ubuntu porting to the Nexus 7

• https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu-nexus7
• https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Nexus7
• Ubuntu Nexus 7 kernel: http://kernel.ubuntu.com/git?p=ubuntu/ubuntu-nexus7.git;a=summary

Summary

Overall the device is a very nice porting target as it provides all common linux interfaces we need. Firmware is mostly the same as on the Galaxy Nexus and utilizing the Android graphic libraries should be easily possible through libhybris. Furthermore we can profitate a lot from the Ubuntu Nexus 7 porting project.