Google Nexus 7

[Tajmaster]

I got one of these yesterday' I quite like it! Its very fluid and the touch accuracy is perfect.

I was originally concerned with the screen size and lack of SD slot would bother me but it works really well. I still think it should have an SD slot but hey ho.

The screen is brilliant on it too, sharp and high resolution, just how I like it. I would have like a thinner bezel but Ive never liked anything with a bezel over 0.5cm thick.

It comes Android 4.1 and there are slight differences such as holding your finger on the main screen to add a widget is no longer how you do that, you go to All Apps and select the widgets button and add it from there. I was also surprised there wasnt a digital clock widget included, nor a camera app, possibly because it only has a front facing camera but the app should still be there. The email client is brilliant! It picked up my Hotmail account straight away and supports push connectivity from it too, something my other Android devices default clients dont support.

The device feels like its of high quality, and it certainly wreaks of quality from the packaging to the screen to the slick OS. One major disappointment is that the screen has lifted up about half a millimetre on the left hand side, something others have apparently had issues with too. Im getting the device replaced on Tuesday however.

 

[Harrison]

I've been considering getting one too. Really nice price point that could really start eating into Apple's market.

So, do you think Android 4 is a good improvement over 3?

And where did you order yours from?

 

[Tajmaster]

I never had an Android 3 tablet so I cant say but I had 2.3 on my phones and 4.1 is a whole world better than that.

I got mine from Carphone Warehouse, been tryin to get one for ages from the likes of Currys an Tesco but they never seemed to have any or I always missed them. I got the 16GB version, I wanted the 8GB version but found out you can only buy it direct from Google.

 

[Hitek]

I got the Nexus 7 too, and I love it. I had a Notion Ink Adam that I had updated from 2.3 to 3 and then to 4.0 a few weeks ago. The Adam was nice with 3 and 4 on it, but the Nexus 7 is absolutely brilliant. Smooth like butter, the size is perfect and the screen looks amazing. Battery life is really good too.

 

[Tajmaster]

Im not sure about the battery life yet, Ive not run it down a few times yet so I dont think the battery is conditioned correctly yet. On the charges that I have had, its seemed to drain "visibly", meaning that I saw percentage drops after each usages sessions (where I am typically just web browsing or on the eBay app). Ill be gaging the charge time after I get my replacement and condition the battery properly, but from what Ive read its very good.

 

[Tajmaster]

Well, I got my replacement on the 3rd August.

So far Im loving it! The batter life isnt as good as an iPad, I get 2-3 days with moderate usage. I find very little to fault the device other than that and I would really have liked a rear facing camera. I can live without the SD slot but it definitely should be on the next version.
My laptop has had little use since I got the Nexus but theres no way a tablet will replace my computer, desktop or laptop.
They need to work on getting more apps to work on Jelly Bean. I dont bump into it frequently but its annoying when your favourite apps done work (eg. iPlayer,accuweather and speedtest.net)
Im looking forward to the next Nexus tablet, but in the meantime im loving this one

 

[moijk]

My laptop has had little use since I got the Nexus but theres no way a tablet will replace my computer, desktop or laptop.

I have a 32gb hp touchpad. bought it cheap because they had a firesale. loved webOS and refrained from getting android on it because of that. but when 4 came out for it and have been out in stable nightlys for a while i took the leap and boy was android 4 great. I miss the card system from webOS, beside that android 4 is slick. i'm eagerly awaiting a just as complete 4.1 for the same device. it isn't exactly new, but i can't imagine upgrading to anything yet. it has never felt slow in any setting.

it also doesn't have a sd slot and i don't miss it. i mean... 32gb.. if i fill that i can remove something. and with a sd slot and possibly reduced internal memory i get less app space for the protected apps.

as for tablets replacing laptops. for those who just do read facebook and whatnot. yes. for us power users. no. but it has its uses. i do however reccomend a 7" over a 10" based on weight alone. and when i thought my hp touchpad was a heavy beast, hp is now out soon with a new tablet with windows 8 that is even heavier (same size).. lol. when competing with the likes of ipad, try at least make the device lighter, not lot heavier.

 

[mjnurney]

I've flashed the Nexus OS on to an Arnova 10 inch tablet , works well and is fairly stable for an Android device. iplayer and apps seem to work better than on gingerbread.

mike.

 

[Harrison]

Arnova? Is that the Archos tablets? I've noticed how cheap they are at the moment. Are they any good? I didn't know you could flash the Nexus OS onto them. What are their specs like?

 

[nkarytia]

I have bought mine yesterday (16GB). It looks great, works great and it is to replace my Asus TF101 (had died for no apparent reason, does not charge, does not turn on, no signs of life at all).
I love it!

 

[mjnurney]

@ Harrison

Yes I have just given my bro my arnova 9 g2 flashed with the nexus os on it. It can be flashed to ice cream sandwhich too..

Check out arctablet on google - I don't want taj telling me off for hi jacking his thread , I've seem him angry

 

[Tajmaster]

@ Harrison

Yes I have just given my bro my arnova 9 g2 flashed with the nexus os on it. It can be flashed to ice cream sandwhich too..

Check out arctablet on google - I don't want taj telling me off for hi jacking his thread , I've seem him angry

Since its your birthday Im gonna let this slide....just once

 

[Amiga Forever]

Since its your birthday Im gonna let this slide....just once

LOL

 

[Tajmaster]

I keep thinkin of Biff when I read that back

 

[ratfink]

I bought a nexus 7 the other week, along with an asus transformer. I'd been dithering about an ipad for months but couldn't work up the necessary enthusiasm.

The transformer is great - I got it mainly to provide an easy interface to photos and music for my wife, who finds pc's a bit daunting and OTT for this kind of thing. It also has an sd slot, a micro-sd slot, an micro-hdmi port and apparently is flash-compatible. I understand I can stream netflix to our tv on it.

The nexus is obviously smaller, lighter, but no sd slots, no hdmi, no flash. Less installed software out of the box. No keyboard. But half the price. It is brilliantly portable and easy to use when you want to check mail or browse standing up etc., but I still find myself having to zoom in, so it comes across a bit like a bigger version of my lumia phone though with only wifi. I expect it's really going to come into it's own when the kids are back at school as no end of their homework involves web searches.

 

[AmiNeo]

I keep thinkin of Biff when I read that back

Hey McFLYYYYY!!!


Sometime later...

SHT!!!

---------- Post added at 00:26 ---------- Previous post was at 00:18 ----------

I like the look of the Galaxy Tab 2 7" more personally, it has upgradable storage.

 

[Harrison]

I tried out the Nexus 7 and was really impressed with its screen. Very sharp and crisp with vivid colours, and putting the current Samsung 7" tablets next to it, their screens looked quite blurry and dated. It was also running 4.1, whereas they were still on 4.0.

I do however think the 7" screen is a bit limiting for web browsing, although it is still a very nice size when on the move as it just about fits into a pocket, whereas a 10" wouldn't.

Not sure what to do... These are only £199, which is quite a bargain. The current Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7" are however even cheaper, at £169 in Currys. Bargain!

Also noticed the Blackberry Playbook is down to £129! Must be doing badly.

Here's a questions... what is the actual difference between the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 and Note 10.1" tablets? Or that the price obviously.

 

[AmiNeo]

From what I know the screen on the tab 2 is the only thing holding it back vs the google nexus 7. It does have a more powerful processor and better storage capacity.

 

[Tajmaster]

From what I know the screen on the tab 2 is the only thing holding it back vs the google nexus 7. It does have a more powerful processor and better storage capacity.

The Nexus has a quad core cpu and Tegra 3 graphics, what does he tab 2 come with?

 

[AmiNeo]

From what I know the screen on the tab 2 is the only thing holding it back vs the google nexus 7. It does have a more powerful processor and better storage capacity.

The Nexus has a quad core cpu and Tegra 3 graphics, what does he tab 2 come with?

oh: Ignore me I was thinking of Samsungs Galaxy sIII vs the HTC Nexus phone icard WTF they all using the same names for? :dry:

The Tab 2 has a dual core 1GHz processor, PowerVR SGX540 GPU and 1GB RAM.

It does have expandable storage in its favour though. And I doubt you'll really notice dual vs quad core performance much.