Google's Nexus 7 tablets dying early due to defective hardware and software [u]

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  • Reply 121 of 191
    I bought a Nexus 7 more a year ago and it is still performing very well. Not a single problem. It is performing so well then my wife is using more it than her iPad. Sharing Nexus 7 is not a problem since it supports multiple accounts. I like it very much. I can put it in the pocket of my jacket, it just fits. I will buy the Nexus 7 2 for sure since my wife is using more often. There is absolutely no reason to pay more for an iPad mini since I am not a fan. I buy whatever it is best for me.
  • Reply 122 of 191
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Corrections View Post


     


    So in the last 2.5 years that Android 3.0 has existed, you've gone through half a dozen different tablets? And you cite this as an example of how great Android tablets are? This is a curious argument to make. A tablet should last at least a year or two. Why are yours needing replacement every few months, because they are so great?


     


    As for your ebay claim about the Xoom II selling used for the same price as new: bullshit. In current auctions, a 16GB 10.1 WiFi Xoom 2 new is $698 and a used one is asking $250. This is a model that's less than a year and a half old.


     


    The Xoom was so underwhelming throughout 2011 that Google went to Asus to pop out the Nexus 7 in 2012. 


     


    And Google isn't even rolling out last year's Android 4.1 to most Xoom models, let alone the latest 4.2 jelly bean. 



    Oh, I have the LTE version, forgot to mention that, it holds it's value. I buy a new tablet every 6 months regardless of the state it's in, I sell them for 100 - 150 less then I paid for them and for the same price as one tablet I can have 4 in two years. Some tablets like the Samsung 7.7 were sold for the same price as I bought it, I buy tech from the US which is always cheaper then in Switzerland. I have an addiction to tech, I don't do it because there was a problem with the device. I did keep the Xoom II though as it's one of the best tablets I have ever owned.


     


    I never, ever, use the default Android install for any of my tablets. I always use a small footprint ROM, the one I'm using now only uses 96MB of space, Android 4.2.2, has telephone and SMS functionality and is extremely quick(overclocked CPU & GPU with only 5% reduction in battery). The notion that only geeks do custom ROM because it's difficult is no longer an issue. There are now apps that install custom recovery software within the OS making it as easy as downloading a ROM, navigating to the download directory, selecting the ROM, clicking install, reboot. XDA has everything you need, it's fun, makes your tablet really fast and you'll always have the newest Android version. They make Android 4.2.2 ROM's for the 2009 HTC HD2 which was originally a Windows 6.5 so you can imagine that your devices will have support for at least 5 years. Even more extreme, do you have the original Android phone, HTC G1, no problem. Android 4.1.1 is available now with 4.2 to be released soon. This notion of once you go Android you will be stuck with the same version for all eternity is bogus.


     


    Yes this isn't for everybody(requires a little tinkering), yes everyone on this forum will probably be better off with an iOS device but some of us still like Android regardless of your hatred. When I'm tired of Android I will probably install Ubuntu Touch, maybe Arch Linux, maybe Tizen, if it runs on ARM I can install it. By the way I feel the same way about iOS, Windows 8, Linux, Unix(Solaris, Irix, AIX, HP-UX, OSX), Amiga, RiscOS, BeOS, OpenVMS, I love OS's, I have never used an OS that I didn't appreciate or couldn't use, well maybe Windows ME but even that had it's uses. You might like one better then the other which is cool, but if you say you absolutely hate one then you just don't know how to use it or most likely never used it.image

  • Reply 123 of 191
    os2babaos2baba Posts: 262member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by trumptman View Post


    I owned one for a while. I also owned a Samsung Galaxy s3. It seems like every Android device deteriorates in performance after a while, especially if you load a large number of apps on them. I've sold them all on over time because I hate lag and do not enjoy dealing with the issues that seem to crop up in a short timeframe of a few month.




     


    I can definitely confirm the lag on the Nexus 7.  This happened immediately after I crossed over the last 3GB free mark.  It's definitely a problem with the IO.  And I'm pretty sure the problem is with Asus.  The Transformer Prime had the same issue.  But my Galaxy S3 and nexus 10 are just as blazingly fast and responsive as they were on day 1.  I have tried all the lag fix and wipe-zero tools.  None of that stuff worked.  Interestingly, the 4.2.2 update seems to have improved the situation.  It's still nowhere near as smooth and fast as it was when I first got it or the Nexus 10.  My iPad mostly gathered dust, but even my first gen iPad got slow after a few months.  My friend's 32GB Nexus 7 is still just as fast - because he's not filled up his disk yet after months of use.


     


    Quote:



    I'd bet money that these tablets would have their issues clear up if they were wiped and they started fresh on them. It says something terrible that an option like that has to be considered and unlike Apple, there's no iTunes or even iCloud to help them get everything back to the same state again.


     




     


    What are you talking about?  Everything on Android is backed up to the cloud.  From Android 1.x.  Long before iCloud was available.  The only exception is SMS and Call Logs.  I use Google Voice, so SMS is not an issue for me (backed to the cloud) and I can backup my call logs using any number of apps if I desire (I never bother).  I also have multiple copies of my apps (+data) backed up using Titanium Backup Pro locally.  I can do a full image backup (although probably not useful in this case).

  • Reply 124 of 191
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member


    It's unsurprising that in order to reduce costs Asus was forced to cut corners and put sub-optimal hardware in the Nexus 7. But if you consider the original price of $200 and that it lasted 1 year, consider it a tablet that you rented for $17 a month.


     


    The real shame is that it's not even worthy of handing down to your kids or a friend.

  • Reply 125 of 191
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,563member
    jragosta wrote: »

    So is this Apple issue with new Macbooks and WiFi common or unusual JR? Curious what empirical evidence you're using to make a determination which is which.
    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5100655?start=0&tstart=0
    http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/apple-macbook-air-wifi-issues-reportedly-affecting-owners-20-06-2013/
    http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?p=24427383

    Personally I don't consider a few hundred posts reporting an issue to be proof whether a problem applies to most devices or just a few. You seem to claim differently.
  • Reply 126 of 191


    As a developer I own a large number of iOS devices. 


     


    I also buy an Android device each year to track the market. Last year I bought Nexus 7, this year I bought Kindle Fire HD, 8.9"


     


    The iOS devices are trouble free, though the iPad 1's feel slow. I've given one to my Mum to tide her over till I have a spare iPad 3 I can give her.  My other iPad 1 will finish its days as a clock/radio/web surfing/recipe book in the kitchen on a Wallee wall mount. This other iPad 1 was dropped onto concrete a couple of years back, it bounced on its corner and was slightly scratched, almost imperceptibly in fact. 


     


    My Nexus 7 is working, but I thought it was dead because of its user-hostile behaviour when the battery runs low. It does some strange things when charging which make it look as if it's faulty (strange noisy screen flashes). 


     


    I like the Nexus 7 for bedtime ebook reading. Why?  Its got a warm feeling plastic rear case. I prefer this to the touch of an iPad mini sometimes because of the warmth. 


     


    My Kindle Fire HD broke after 7 days. No need to go into the ins-and-outs.  I bought it from Best Buy and then took it home to the UK. It broke in the UK.  A quick phone call to Amazon and another one was sent to me from the US as a warranty fix. I had it in 4 days.  Superb customer service. 


     


    The iPad reigns supreme. The quality is undeniable. However if Nexus could fix its user-hostile power management it would be a very nice tablet. Shame I won't want to develop for it as I don't think its economical for a non-games independent developer. 


     


    Apple needs to watch out for Amazon, the customer experience is predominantly the device itself, but when that fails Amazon are well ahead. 

  • Reply 127 of 191
    The Nexus 10 also has crippling problems which Google have failed to fix https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/mobile/VFYnt7uN9d0[1-25-false].
  • Reply 128 of 191
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    The Nexus 10 also has crippling problems which Google have failed to fix https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/mobile/VFYnt7uN9d0[1-25-false].

    It's a problem with the Mali GPU driver, it only affects a few units. Google and Mali have both recognized the problem, there is a new driver available and Google is going to release a new Firmware in the coming days.
  • Reply 129 of 191
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    Apple needs to watch out for Amazon, the customer experience is predominantly the device itself, but when that fails Amazon are well ahead. 

    Amazon has great customer care, I buy almost everything from them. They don't ask many questions, the turn around is the fastest of any company I have ever dealt with and their the cheapest. I bricked a BB Playbook once, my fault but they didn't care, had a new one in 3 days.
  • Reply 130 of 191
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,927member
    relic wrote: »
    I bricked a BB Playbook once, my fault but they didn't care, had a new one in 3 days.

    Perhaps they just wanted to get rid of them.
  • Reply 131 of 191
    I am a Nexus 7 owner from the preorder days. I had low expectations for the device as nothing was known about it, and i think i am was not alone. So when we finally got them and they were so usable, people obviously gave reviews based on those low expectations.

    Fast forward to now, and i think people forgot this tablet was never super snappy to begin with. Add that with the fact that google has jammed in some new things that in the OS that has slowed it down a tad more, and that leads to frustration from some of the user base and conspiracy theories abound.

    But I'm still a happy, everyday user of the device.
  • Reply 132 of 191
    drblankdrblank Posts: 3,385member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Fake_William_Shatner View Post


    This is a law of the Universe; "fast, cheap and good -- pick any two."


     


    Google should have known better.



    Google isn't known for anything other than cheap or free.  They cater to people that either don't have any money or not willing to spend much on a computing device, but they'll think it's better.

  • Reply 133 of 191
    make sure theres 3 gigs of free memory in the nexus 7 and itll be buttery smooth. my brother has his n7 still its been over 7 months and his hasnt had a hick up. he onl uses it to play emulaters and check fb so he doesnt use much memory. my old n7 was constantly acting up with the memory maxed out till i took off the 1 gig games and had 3 gigs left it was smooth but now i have the note 8 . this is the best tablet ive owned.
  • Reply 134 of 191
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    Well two years is outside the Nexus 7's factory warranty period, correct?

    Depending on what that period is. Then again if you bought it in the EU you might be able to apply the consumer laws against sellers.
  • Reply 135 of 191
    nexusernexuser Posts: 1member


    I'm too a Nexus 7 user, almost since Day one for the 16 Gb model. And I got my "mysterious failure" almost a soon as I got it. Then I got it fixed. Fact is daywalker is dead right, and he nailed the issue. I'd just add a couple of suggestions:


     


    Quote:



    1.) Verify the issue


    Download AndroBench and run it, if your "Random Write Speed" is below 0,20mb/s, you're probably affected.


     


     


    2a.) Resolve the issue on a Nexus 7


    Make sure you are on Android 4.2.2.


    Wiping does not help, instead fill your device completly with data and afterwards remove it again to "free" the flash blocks.


    After a reboot the performance (AndroBench) should show better "Random Write Speeds".





    1. If you've not got Androbench, you can download AnTuTu, and do the "Database IO Test". If your score is 550 or similar value, you're set. If it's much lower, you're affected.



    2a. If you dont want to manually fill your device, you can use one of those software meant to delete data by overwriting it, like "Forever Gone". In the end it'll fill the device and free it, resetting the data.

  • Reply 136 of 191
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member
    nexuser wrote: »
    I'm too a Nexus 7 user, almost since Day one for the 16 Gb model. And I got my "mysterious failure" almost a soon as I got it. Then I got it fixed. Fact is daywalker is dead right, and he nailed the issue. I'd just add a couple of suggestions:


    1. If you've not got Androbench, you can download AnTuTu, and do the "Database IO Test". If your score is 550 or similar value, you're set. If it's much lower, you're affected.


    2a. If you dont want to manually fill your device, you can use one of those software meant to delete data by overwriting it, like "Forever Gone". In the end it'll fill the device and free it, resetting the data.

    ...or you could just NOT buy a cheap piece of crap that doesn't let you make full use of it.
  • Reply 137 of 191
    I disagree heavily with this article. For anyone that IS experiencing this, there are plenty of steps you can take to ensure maximum performance. One being, root your fucking device! A handful of people are going to focus much more on issues pertaining to common usage and listen to forums much more than a corporation. There are several different options for ROMS and kernels for your device. Two, if you're experiencing lag and believe it to be because of your RAM, add a swap space to expand memory capabilities. Very efficient. Three, don't sit there and think it's going to do ALL the work for you, get Android tuner and maintain what's going on. If you're interested in learning a little about kernels, invest time into Franco updater, and fine tune your kernel. Of course if your don't stick your baby in a fucking bath, herm will get overly stinky and dirty.
  • Reply 138 of 191
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    [quote name="7HMPSNHN7" url="/t/158118/googles-nexus-7-tablets-dying-early-possibly-due-to-cheap-memory/120#post_2361551"]...steps you can take to ensure maximum performance. One being, root your fucking device![/QUOTE]

    [IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/28325/width/500/height/1000[/IMG]

    Never mind that absolutely nothing you said can do anything to prevent CRAP NAND from DESTROYING ITSELF.
  • Reply 139 of 191
    http://t.co/rM0UtYMBiJ

    I Found the cheapest price and also the most complete review of the new Google Nexus 7 FHD Tablet. Just click here to check it out :

    http://t.co/6QI1NALFja
  • Reply 140 of 191
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,563member
    It was found today that the latest Android update, 4.3, includes a fix for the memory issue on the old Nexus7. Rather than cheap memory it seems it was a software bug all along. Another bonus: Android 4.3 reportedly brings significant improvements in battery life too. Don't toss those old Nexus 7's yet.

    http://www.anandtech.com/show/7185/android-43-update-brings-trim-to-all-nexus-devices
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