Retailer, Staples has said that it has started taking orders for the Google Nexus 7 tablet computer through its stores later in the month.

The retailer has started taking orders for the tablet computer on its website. The tablet is expected to begin on July 12. Staples is one of the first major retail stores to announce the launch of Google's first tablet. It is now selling the Nexus 7 with 16GB of storage for $249.

The tablet directly competes with the similarly priced tablets from Amazon, Lenovo, Research In Motion and Barnes & Noble. The Nexus 7 table computer is powered by the latest ARM processor and Android 4.1 OS and lacks expandable storage or dual-cameras. The tablet allows users to easily browse the Internet, check social media, read news and magazines and watch videos.

Google is offering an easy access to apps and entertainment available in the Google Play store on the tablet. The tablet will run the latest version of Google's open source Android software, Android 4.1, code-named Jelly Bean. The tablet is the first branded hardware and was developed with Asus.

The Nexus 7 is 10.16 millimeters thick, weighs 317 grams and displays images at a 1280-by-800 pixel resolution. It comes with a front camera and has inbuilt Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC. The device offers nine hours on video playback and 300 hours of standby time on a single battery charge.