Staples just dropped a Nexus 7 bomb: both the 16GB and the 32GB versions of the tablet are now available for a discounted price.

The ASUS-made Google Nexus 7 proved to be a very popular tablet, particularly for its affordable price and decent specs and features. While other 7-inchers are constantly popping up on the market sporting even lower price tags, the Nexus 7 often proves superior in terms of specs, features and software updates.

With Staple's new offer, the 16GB Nexus 7 is now available $179.99, dropping $20 off its initial price tag, while the higher-capacity 32GB model drops $50 off its initial price tag, now selling for $199.99.

Staples' new price cuts for the Nexus 7 are no doubt intriguing, especially since they prompt new speculation regarding the much-rumored second-generation Nexus 7. Google has yet to make an official announcement, but such substantial price cuts seem to indicate that Staples is making room for a new product.

Retailers often apply discounts to older products when a new iteration is on its way, so the Nexus 7 price cuts might mean that Staples is clearing inventory to welcome the new-generation. Other brick-and-mortar retailers, however, seem to stick to the original pricing, at least for now.

Whether Staples is preparing for the second-generation Nexus 7 or it's just feeling generous with these new discounts remains to be seen. The deal is pretty attractive nonetheless. Google sells the 16GB Nexus 7 for $199.99 and the 32GB model for $249.99, so Staples' offer is considerably below Google Play's price.

Interested buyers can either pick up the Nexus 7 in their desired storage configuration from Staple stores or order online and have the tablet shipped for free. It's also worth mentioning that potential shoppers who have a Discover card can get an additional 5 percent off at Staples via the ShopDiscover service.

All in all, the Nexus 7 is a budget-friendly tablet with good specs and features and it just got more affordable. For those unfamiliar with the slate, the Nexus 7 has a 7-inch 1280 x 800 high-resolution display, a quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor and the latest Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, among others.