Today’s mobile news roundup features Google’s two new Nexus devices, Apple paying a $2.6M bond, a software that lets users play Android apps on Macs, and Vodafone’s efforts at restructuring their company.

Google Nexus 7 and Q

At the Google I/O 2012 event, the search giant unveiled two new devices on their Nexus line: the Nexus 7, deemed as a Kindle Fire and iPad competitor, and the Nexus Q, which is a media player.

The Nexus 7 will also serve as the launching device for the Android 4.1 a.k.a. Jelly Bean.  The Nexus 7 was built by ASUS and features a 7” 1280×800 high-resolution display protected by scratch resistant Corning glass, NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 1.2MP front-facing camera, 1 GB RAM, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, Microphone, NFC (Android Beam), Accelerometer, GPS, Magnetometer, Gyroscope but weighs only 340 grams.  Though small, it will deliver up to 8 hours of active use or 8 hours of HD video playback, 10 hours of web browsing or 10 hours of e-reading.  It will be available in 8GB and 16GB.  The Nexus 7 will be available by July for only $199.

As for the Nexus Q, the world’s first social streaming media player, it streams entertainment directly from the cloud to your living room.  This dome-shaped player is not just an ordinary black box as it features an LED ring that changes color in time with the beat of the music.  It also acts as a speaker and features 1GB of LPDDR RAM, 16GB NAND flash memory, Rotating top dome volume control and Capacitive touch sensor for mute.  The Nexus Q runs Android 4.0 ICS, supports Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth, NFC, 32 RGB perimeter LEDs, 1 RGB LED for mute indicator, and supports apps such as Google Play Music, Google Play Movies and TV, and YouTube.

Apple pays $2.6M bond

Apple was granted a preliminary injunction against Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1.  US Judge Lucy Koh ruled in favor of Apple stating that Samsung has no right to flood the market with infringing products.  But in order for the injunction to take effect, Apple must first pay a $2.6 million bond that would cover potential damages in case the ruling is overturned.

Apple was quick to pay the bond so the injunction would immediately take effect, but Samsung requested that the ban on product be postponed until their appeal was heard.

BlueStacks’ Android App Player

Apple and Google are certainly out to eliminate each other, but developers have another thing in mind: make the two work together.  Well, not physically work together, but rather let their OS’s do the talking.

BlueStacks developed software that allows Mac OSX users to access Android apps.  Unfortunately, there are only 17 apps available to choose from, mostly from their developers but they promised that more would be released.  The question now is, how many Mac users with access to iTunes’ massive app portfolio will need Android apps?

Vodafone restructures company

Vodafone Group split their European unit into two divisions: the north and eastern. European regions including Germany, U.K. and Turkey, will be led by Philipp Humm from Deutsche Telekom AG (DTE)’s T-Mobile USA; while the southern European businesses such as Spain will be led by Paolo Bertoluzzo, the chief executive officer of Vodafone Italy.

“The division of the role in two parts tells you that Colao will stay on for a couple of years,” said Robin Bienenstock, an analyst at Sanford C Bernstein in London. The Europe chief was seen as a deputy to the CEO, she said.  Now, “there may be a less clear-cut path to the top.”