Google Nexus 7 2 Release Date: Tablet Available Through Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon Ahead of July 30

Google announced the next-generation Nexus 7 tablet Wednesday, and while the device was supposed to begin retailing July 30, it looks like some retailers have already jumped the gun.

Thanks to a report from The Verge, we've learned that Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon have all started selling the new Nexus 7. Apparently Best Buy is already shipping out pre-orders as of Friday, July 26, and the retailer even has some units in its brick-and-mortar locations for those who want to pick one up in person. Walmart is also selling the new Nexus 7 at some of its stores, and Amazon will have it shipped by Monday with the one-day shipping option enabled. Other major retailers such as Staples, Gamestop, and Radioshack seem to be adhering to the July 30 release date, probably because that's when it will become available through Google Play.

As usual, it's best to call and confirm with your local store that stock is available before making the trip out.

The 16GB Nexus 7 can be bought for $229, while the 32GB model runs $269. There are only Wi-Fi-only variants available at the time, although Google is expected to release a 4G LTE Nexus 7 sometime down the line.

The new Nexus 7, despite being more expensive than the original (which started at $199 and kickstarted the budget tablet wars), has most reviewers raving. The tablet comes with an impressive 7-inch display with a resolution of 1920X1200, allowing it playback video at 1080p. Underneath the hood lies a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor and 2GB of RAM. Google and ASUS have included a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera this time around and the front shooter still stands in at 1.2 megapixels. The Nexus 7 also features NFC, wireless charging, and Android 4.3 all right out of the box.