Just got my Google Nexus 7 (16GB) by special delivery. Great looking device, set it up to charge and on switching it on it welcomed me by my name as my google apps account was already associated with this device. Had to enter my google apps password to get all my e-mail, contacts and calendar on the device. This did not take long maybe 2-3 minutes.
The OS (android jellybean) is pretty easy to use specially if you have been using any of Google's other android products. In my case I was comparing most of the navigational features with the IPad and found it stood up to it.
The 7" screen is great, the resolution is also very good. The touch screen works very smoothly, no jerks etc. It's very comfortable to hold
I was very keen to try out 'Google Play' their online store for Books, Movies & Apps. Oh forgot to mention the Nexus came with a free Movie (Transformers Dark of the Moon) and one free book.
Cannot watch movies on this device for too long as it gets very tiring unless you have it propped up on a desk. The sound quality is good and works better with headphones like most portable devices.
Google Play had most of my favourite apps like Dropbox, Kindle, Zinio, BBC News, Catch, Google Drive, Evernote, Fring, Kobo, Skype that were installed on my IPad. Google's Talk works brilliantly the voice is very crisp and clear and the video is also good.
Transferring movies or music to the device can be done via the USB cable supplied as this device does not have an SD/USB slots nor does it have any other connector ports except for the power and headphones port.
As soon as you plugin the UBS cable to your computer it's picked up as another storage device. Navigate to it and copy your music to the music folder, movies to the movie folder, pictures to the picture folder etc.
There are some issues like you cannot view flash sites as Adobe is not developing a version of the flash player for the latest android version called jellybean. So BBC iPlayer does not work and neither does 4od. Oh and Lovefilms instant movies does not work on this device as yet.
Keeping aside the above drawbacks the biggest ommission I feel is that of a 3g connectivity. Google is clearly a company in the cloud and by not providing a 3g option it has shot itself in the foot.
Yes new versions might have this option but it might be too late as the tablet race (10") has already been won by Apple. If Apple decide to release an IPad with a smaller screen then they have won this section of the tablet too.
Overall I would give it 7/10. Good upgrade to a Kindle but cannot replace the IPad as yet .
P.S wrote this entire blog on the nexus.
The OS (android jellybean) is pretty easy to use specially if you have been using any of Google's other android products. In my case I was comparing most of the navigational features with the IPad and found it stood up to it.
The 7" screen is great, the resolution is also very good. The touch screen works very smoothly, no jerks etc. It's very comfortable to hold
I was very keen to try out 'Google Play' their online store for Books, Movies & Apps. Oh forgot to mention the Nexus came with a free Movie (Transformers Dark of the Moon) and one free book.
Cannot watch movies on this device for too long as it gets very tiring unless you have it propped up on a desk. The sound quality is good and works better with headphones like most portable devices.
Google Play had most of my favourite apps like Dropbox, Kindle, Zinio, BBC News, Catch, Google Drive, Evernote, Fring, Kobo, Skype that were installed on my IPad. Google's Talk works brilliantly the voice is very crisp and clear and the video is also good.
Transferring movies or music to the device can be done via the USB cable supplied as this device does not have an SD/USB slots nor does it have any other connector ports except for the power and headphones port.
As soon as you plugin the UBS cable to your computer it's picked up as another storage device. Navigate to it and copy your music to the music folder, movies to the movie folder, pictures to the picture folder etc.
There are some issues like you cannot view flash sites as Adobe is not developing a version of the flash player for the latest android version called jellybean. So BBC iPlayer does not work and neither does 4od. Oh and Lovefilms instant movies does not work on this device as yet.
Keeping aside the above drawbacks the biggest ommission I feel is that of a 3g connectivity. Google is clearly a company in the cloud and by not providing a 3g option it has shot itself in the foot.
Yes new versions might have this option but it might be too late as the tablet race (10") has already been won by Apple. If Apple decide to release an IPad with a smaller screen then they have won this section of the tablet too.
Overall I would give it 7/10. Good upgrade to a Kindle but cannot replace the IPad as yet .
P.S wrote this entire blog on the nexus.
An update: BBC iPlayer has released a new version that works on the Nexus 7.
ReplyDeleteAlso, a Nexus 7 version with 3G is to be released on the 13th of Nov 2012.
The Apple IPad Mini has also been released but at quite a high price point specially for the 3G/4G version so I guess the Nexus 7 is safe to capture the top spot for the 7 inch tablet market.