Review: Google's Nexus 7 tablet with Android 4.1

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  • Reply 21 of 116
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by RichL View Post


     


    +1. Good to see something see something as objective as this on AppleInsider.


     


    I've been impressed with the Nexus 7 myself - the performance is excellent and the price is very attractive. I agree that its shortfall is the quality and quantity of apps though.



     


    I agree.  I've played with a few of these since they were released and my impressions are pretty much the same as the article.  


     


    I do think the "bad" of the software selection is not really emphasised enough though.  Every review of an Android tablet mentions it, but it really needs to be highlighted as it keys right in on what the tablet is useful (or not useful) *for*.  


     


    The fact is that Android not only has "very few tablet quality apps", it is also completely lacking in any "serious" or "productive" tablet apps within that small group.  If you buy an Android tablet, especially a 7" one, you are buying it for media consumption. Period.  


     


    There are no decent Android word processors, no drawing or image editing programs even close to iPhoto or Photoshop.  There is nothing that even approaches Garage Band or iMovie.  These tablets are for reading books and light fooling around.  


     


    Anyone wanting to buy a tablet for a friend of family member can easily chose between iOS and Android by asking some simple questions about what the intended use is.  If your relative or friend just wants to read books, watch the occasional movie and cruise the web, then Android.  If It's intended to actually replace a computer, then iOS.  


     


    Android == Consumption, iOS == Production.  

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  • Reply 22 of 116

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gazoobee View Post


     


    I agree.  I've played with a few of these since they were released and my impressions are pretty much the same as the article.  


     


    I do think the "bad" of the software selection is not really emphasised enough though.  Every review of an Android tablet mentions it, but it really needs to be highlighted as it keys right in on what the tablet is useful (or not useful) *for*.  


     


    The fact is that Android not only has "very few tablet quality apps", it is also completely lacking in any "serious" or "productive" tablet apps within that small group.  If you buy an Android tablet, especially a 7" one, you are buying it for media consumption. Period.  


     


    There are no decent Android word processors, no drawing or image editing programs even close to iPhoto or Photoshop.  There is nothing that even approaches Garage Band or iMovie.  These tablets are for reading books and light fooling around.  


     


    Anyone wanting to buy a tablet for a friend of family member can easily chose between iOS and Android by asking some simple questions about what the intended use is.  If your relative or friend just wants to read books, watch the occasional movie and cruise the web, then Android.  If It's intended to actually replace a computer, then iOS.  


     


    Android == Consumption, iOS == Production.  



     


    That's what makes the Nexus 7 great. It runs all android phone apps natively at full screen. It has literally hundreds of thousands more apps than the iPad does because of this. And, I have never come across an app that my iPhone had that my Galaxy Nexus does not.

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  • Reply 23 of 116

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post





    Actually, iOS, Android and OS X are all based on 'Nix and are structurally similar. Windows is completely different.


     


    I meant in terms of the end user experience, interaction, capabilities and overall feel. But you are correct from a technical side.

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  • Reply 24 of 116
    nexusphan wrote: »
    I meant in terms of the end user experience, interaction, capabilities and overall feel. But you are correct from a technical side.

    Agreed. It's easier for someone who is completely comfortable with Windows to use OSX than someone who si completely comfortable with Android to use iOS and vice versa.

    I say this as someone who is well versed in Android and Windows and it took me longer to get use to my iPad than my work Mac.
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  • Reply 25 of 116


    The 7 inch screen just a tad too small. Out of all the tablets I've owned: iPad 2, new iPad, Transformer Prime, and Galaxy Tab 7.7, the 7.7 inch screen fits my needs the best. Definitely looking forward to the iPad Mini.

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  • Reply 26 of 116
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    nexusphan wrote: »
    That's what makes the Nexus 7 great. It runs all android phone apps natively at full screen. It has literally hundreds of thousands more apps than the iPad does because of this. And, I have never come across an app that my iPhone had that my Galaxy Nexus does not.

    Pure FUD.

    Keep in mind that there are hundreds of thousands more iOS apps than Android apps. So for your statement to be correct, there must be MANY hundreds of thousands of iOS apps that won't run on the iPad.

    I'll settle for you naming just 10.
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  • Reply 27 of 116
    muppetrymuppetry Posts: 3,331member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Mazda 3s View Post




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleZilla View Post


     


    There wouldn't be, if Google hadn't ripped off Apple so blatantly. 



     


    I wouldn't say that. There always seems to be animosity from Apple-folk against ANYTHING that competes with Apple products no matter who they are.


     



     


    Historically the animosity (and ridicule) was mostly in the other direction. Having been using Macs since the original, I know from first hand experience. There may be a bit of "payback" going on now that Apple is so successful.

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  • Reply 28 of 116
    jragosta wrote: »
    Pure FUD.
    Keep in mind that there are hundreds of thousands more iOS apps than Android apps. So for your statement to be correct, there must be MANY hundreds of thousands of iOS apps that won't run on the iPad.
    I'll settle for you naming just 10.

    I'm pretty sure he's referring to how apps scale on Android vs how they scale on iOS
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  • Reply 29 of 116
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member


    This review just makes me want an iPad Mini that much worse.  The picture where the iPhone, Nexus 7, and iPad are all stacked is a thing of beauty.... a small iPad would be PERFECT for my use... the iPad isn't too big really- but I would prefer it to be smaller.

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  • Reply 30 of 116


    Nexus 7 is a great product. Yes android has a tablet app problem, but I see that getting fixed daily.Because the way apps function on android one app is all you need, as long as you build it right, it will translate correctly to any android screen size. Perfect examples of this include netflix, evernote, Beyondpod, TED, IMBD ect.. there are thousands upon thousands of apps like this in google play. One single app includes phone ui, 7 inch screen ui, and 10.1 inch ui. 


     


    I think androids method is easier and more modern. If apple ever start including more screen sizes as they are with the ipad mini. Having an app for iphone, a seperate one for ipad, and then another one for ipad mini seems ridiculous. I hope apple copies android's methods. 


     


    The bigger problem android apps have is that they look like shit and don't follow google's ui guidelines. That is changing too, but some apps make me want to throw my android products out the window. On my ipad my apps look great and function great. On android they function great as well but look like crap. Its changing one of the biggest offenders was pandora and it went holo (the name for android's ui). 


     


    Android has gotten to the point where its pretty much on par with ios as far as apps go, it just that ios apps look much much better. 

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  • Reply 31 of 116

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jragosta View Post





    Pure FUD.

    Keep in mind that there are hundreds of thousands more iOS apps than Android apps. So for your statement to be correct, there must be MANY hundreds of thousands of iOS apps that won't run on the iPad.

    I'll settle for you naming just 10.


     


    I hate to be the one to tell you, but you're wrong. Android has 600,000 apps in the Play store as of June 2012.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_market) iOS has 650,000 as of June 11, 2012 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/App_Store_(iOS)) This seems to be very common among Apple users. They don't realize how much the Play store has caught up. Android has seen insane growth. Apps seem to be the thing Apple users always point to as a reason not to switch and I think it no longer applies anymore.


     


    Edit: And P.S. based on current growth of the number of apps, the Play store is going to take over the lead for number of apps this year. This doesn't even include the other app stores available to android. I'm not going to argue quality of the apps because that is too subjective and there are far too many apps to make a blanket statement.

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  • Reply 32 of 116

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NexusPhan View Post


     


    I hate to be the one to tell you, but you're wrong. Android has 600,000 apps in the Play store as of June 2012.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_market) iOS has 650,000 as of June 11, 2012 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/App_Store_(iOS)) This seems to be very common among Apple users. They don't realize how much the Play store has caught up. Android has seen insane growth. Apps seem to be the thing Apple users always point to as a reason not to switch and I think it no longer applies anymore.



    Yep when it comes to phone apps, ios and android app ecosystem are equal. 

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  • Reply 33 of 116
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,759member


    http://www.neowin.net/news/bloomberg-ipad-mini-arrives-in-october-with-785-inch-screen


     


    Well, that'll be it for the Nexus (not that it's got much of a shot against the current iPad.) Hope Google can sell as many as possible in the meantime. 

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  • Reply 34 of 116
    shidellshidell Posts: 187member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Quadra 610 View Post


    http://www.neowin.net/news/bloomberg-ipad-mini-arrives-in-october-with-785-inch-screen


     


    Well, that'll be it for the Nexus (not that it's got much of a shot against the current iPad.) Hope Google can sell as many as possible in the meantime. 



     


    Yeah yeah, you're a diehard Apple junkie, won't consider anything else, everyone else is bad, so forth, so on, etc...


     


    Everyone knows your ruse, Quadra. Thanks for contributing.

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  • Reply 35 of 116

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Quadra 610 View Post


    http://www.neowin.net/news/bloomberg-ipad-mini-arrives-in-october-with-785-inch-screen


     


    Well, that'll be it for the Nexus (not that it's got much of a shot against the current iPad.) Hope Google can sell as many as possible in the meantime. 



    Google will still sell them, people will still by them, $200 will still be the base price. Yes the ipad mini will sell way more but google will also sell a lot. Its a great product at a great price point. It might even be better than the ipad mini. who knows?

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  • Reply 36 of 116

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jpokorny View Post


    I bought one for my wife. She was using my iPad 2 (32gig) as an e-reader. A $600 device for reading. So I wanted to her get something cheaper but yet, could do a little more than just reading kindle books. I broke down and bought this android device. As it turns out, it's great for her and yes the interface is very snappy. Great for reading and the occasional facebook and web browsing. Im actually impressed with it. I personally would like a different form factor as Im used to the iPad aspect ratio. But for $199, if my iPad suffered a terrible death. Maps on it is way better than iOS 6, lets hope the official release gets it right.


     


    I would consider the Nexus as a cheap replacement...Until the iPad mini, IF, there is going to be such a thing.


     


    Oh and she likes to too. However, I think she's only installed 2 apps on it. That's the very reason why i got it for her, the iPad was overkill for reading ebooks.

     



     


    I find myself in a similar position.  I've got an iPad 3, and I can't remember the last time I opened anything other than Mail, Safari or iBooks.  Really, $600 has proven to be a lot of money for just that, and while the iPad 3's screen is stellar for reading, the size and weight of it makes it not that pleasant of an experience.


     


    I'm holding out to see if the iPad mini rumors are true.  If they turn out not to be, in 6 months or so I can see myself selling the iPad and getting a Nexus.

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  • Reply 37 of 116
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    zozman wrote: »
    Personally i think apple with hit the $299 mark, just my guess.
    I have 2 android tablets & an iPad, motorola xoom & the samsung galaxy tab 7.7, honestly i haven't found one app (android) that feels like it takes advantage of the screen size (not including games) they really feel like stretched phone apps.
    just for fun i'll take some screen shots in a sec just to compare them.

    Ps. i liked the review, i really wanna give jb a play now see how it feels different to ics

    Your Xoom should've been updated to jb.
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  • Reply 38 of 116

    Quote:


    The music playing in the background is Humouesque... Made popular in 1963 by Alan Sherman with his recording of Camp Grenada....



     


     


     


    The Alan Sherman reference is dead on, but the piece is "Dance of the Hours" from Amilcare Ponchielli's long-winded and rarely performed opera La Gioconda. The dance was also used to great effect in Disney's Fantasia (in the segment with the dancing hippos) and a parody by Spike Jones, which was in turn used as the theme to the original, syndicated (half-hour) version of SCTV.

     

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  • Reply 39 of 116

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dasanman69 View Post





    Your Xoom should've been updated to jb.


     


    Unless its a Verizon zoom. That's one thing that Apple wins hands down on. Access to direct updates to end users. Google has gotten better but it's still nothing compared to Apple's ability to roll over the carriers.

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  • Reply 40 of 116
    boeyc15boeyc15 Posts: 986member
    So does this thing have a built in GPS chip?
    IMO that would be a great feature... GPS without cellular contract... And built in google maps.
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