I bought a Nexus 7....

[Gix1k]

I've been carrying an iPad mini on release day. At first the screen resolution seemed perfect for me. I sold my iPad 3 the very day I got it. Without noticing, I was zooming to read things, which was fine. I realize that an iPad mini with retina would be the greatest tablet ever!
I went out Saturday and grabbed a Nexus 7. The build quality is great, just a hair thicker than my mini. Height wise it's about the same. Width it's about an inch shorter. That's been the hardest part to deal with. Granted you don't lose any screen with the loss. The screen quality is amazing...I don't have to zoom at all to read anything. It's crisp everywhere.
Cons: The software....I love Android, I use an S4 daily, but in a tablet it just doesn't seem to have it. It freezes in places. Chrome is having issues on various sites, so I've been forced to Firefox.
Battery - It's nowhere near as good. Funny because people on the Nexus forum are excited they are getting a full day on a charge. I chimed in and said how my mini stays charged for up to 6 days.

 

[ZBoater]

I upgraded mine to the new model. It is a significant upgrade from last year's model, and with NFC, wireless charging and an awesome screen, its a great gadget. Android 4.3 really shines on the Nexus 7.

But at the end of the day it does little to change the landscape vs iOS. I love Android because of the live wallpapers, Widgets, customizable keyboards (customizable almost anything), file system access (I can reply to an email and attach any file I want. Yay!), etc. etc. etc. But iOS still has a substantial app advantage. Most regular users will prefer iOS. Android is still a geek's OS. And I mean that as a high positive compliment.

Movies look awesome on this thing BTW...

 

[.Asa]

Android is still a Greek's OS.

I have to disagree with you there, a lot of people outside of Greece use Android.

 

[ZBoater]

I have to disagree with you there, a lot of people outside of Greece use Android.

LOL! Let me fix that...

 

[Woodcrest64]

LOL! Let me fix that...

Lmao! I love using a Greek OS.

 

[cdmoore74]

A stock Nexus device is only the beginning. Go to the site below.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2383617

You enter a boy and you come out a man. Best to start understanding early because the ride is going to get crazy good. I'm already using a custom rom and I got my cpu back to the 1.7ghz rated speed (Google downclocked it to 1.5ghz). The tablet is not even officially released and the party is still going on!!!

Google just rocked Apples ship!!! Apple's turn to respond.

 

[raccoonboy]

I tried the Nexus once and i couldn't find many basic apps that were suppose to be planted on the device e.g. camera, weather etc. They were there im sure but i dont know where they located them.

Just Android is so unorganized. In ios, you can pretty much use the device open box. Android, you need to download your prefered keyboard, organize your homescreen, set up your account. Im sure its easy after that but too complicate for me. I much prefer Ios as my tablet but i think Ipad mini shouldn't be a tablet. The screen is too ugly to be one. Apple should name it I gaming or Gaming Pad. Its doing good at gaming but you can't read anything with that screen.

 

[marc11]

I tried the Nexus once and i couldn't find many basic apps that were suppose to be planted on the device e.g. camera, weather etc. They were there im sure but i dont know where they located them.

Just Android is so unorganized. In ios, you can pretty much use the device open box. Android, you need to download your prefered keyboard, organize your homescreen, set up your account. Im sure its easy after that but too complicate for me. I much prefer Ios as my tablet but i think Ipad mini shouldn't be a tablet. The screen is too ugly to be one. Apple should name it I gaming or Gaming Pad. Its doing good at gaming but you can't read anything with that screen.

So you couldn't find the weather on the home screen and couldn't find the apps button on the home screen and touch the camera app? That is not androids fault....

 

[keysofanxiety]

So you couldn't find the weather on the home screen and couldn't find the apps button on the home screen and touch the camera app? That is not androids fault....

No, but it says a lot about the usability of Android. It's simply not intuitive to the majority of first-time users.

 

[marc11]

No, but it says a lot about the usability of Android. It's simply not intuitive to the majority of first-time users.

No, it says a lot about the user. Weather is the entire home screen, I mean, it is the ENTIRE HOME SCREEN. You cannot miss it and opening the camera, is NO different than iOS, touch apps, touch the one that just happens to look like a camera.

In iOS??? Find the folder with the camera app, find the app that starts with a "C" or looks like a camera and touch it. No different....if anything Android is easier as you do not need to use Finder or search for the folder to find the app you want.

It is okay not to like one os over the other, but to say you cannot find the weather or the camera app on a stock Android device is just laughable.

 

[EdwardC]

I have both the iPad 2 as well as a Nexus 7 and find myself using the Nexus most of the time. The Nexus is my only Android device and I can say I have all the same apps on both devices but really prefer Android for the customization it allows the user. I will mention that the keyboard that comes with Android is very nice as is and at least there is an option to change it if you don't like it, can't say the same for iOS.

Regards......

 

[keysofanxiety]

No, it says a lot about the user. Weather is the entire home screen, I mean, it is the ENTIRE HOME SCREEN. You cannot miss it and opening the camera, is NO different than iOS, touch apps, touch the one that just happens to look like a camera.

In iOS??? Find the folder with the camera app, find the app that starts with a "C" or looks like a camera and touch it. No different....if anything Android is easier as you do not need to use Finder or search for the folder to find the app you want.

It is okay not to like one os over the other, but to say you cannot find the weather or the camera app on a stock Android device is just laughable.

Just going from my experiences and other people's experiences, marc. From what myself and everybody I know has encountered, iOS>Android in regards to usability. YMMV.

 

[TacticalDesire]

Android, you need to download your prefered keyboard, organize your homescreen, set up your account. .

You don't arrange your homescreens (folders) or sign into your iCloud account? And downloading a keyboard is optional.

 

[JackieInCo]

No, but it says a lot about the usability of Android. It's simply not intuitive to the majority of first-time users.

The 2012 Nexus 7 didn't come with a camera app installed by default. Yes, there was no way to use the camera without installing a camera app from the Play store.

 

[nancyfromafrica]

Great to know you brought the nexus congratulations, if you are having problem with Chrome browser try clearing the cache.

 

[AppleRobert]

If your Mini stays charged for 6 days, I question how much you use it to begin with.

The new Nexus trounces the Mini is most every way. If one's preference is IOS, then that is another story. I probably have used the new Nexus more than anyone at this point. I have no issues that you listed above.

Yes there may be a learning curve but that depends on the user per se and their familiarity with Android. I'd say for most that this isn't their first entrance into the OS.

 

[Oohara]

I have to disagree with you there, a lot of people outside of Greece use Android.

Yup. And if anything, it's iOS that is the greek OS

 

[blackhand1001]

The 2012 Nexus 7 didn't come with a camera app installed by default. Yes, there was no way to use the camera without installing a camera app from the Play store.

All the camera apps did was add a launcher shortcut for the camera app that already was on the device. I do think it was weird of google to leave the shortcut out but its easy to fix and apps like skype, etc worked fine without it. The new nexus doesn't have this issue.

 

[Dalton63841]

I LOVE my Nexus 7. The very first day I rooted it, installed Slimbean ROM and a custom kernel(can't remember which one), installed CarHome and a few other apps and replaced the Double DIN stereo in my car with it.

 

[Breaking Good]

A stock Nexus device is only the beginning. Go to the site below.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2383617

You enter a boy and you come out a man. Best to start understanding early because the ride is going to get crazy good. I'm already using a custom rom and I got my cpu back to the 1.7ghz rated speed (Google downclocked it to 1.5ghz). The tablet is not even officially released and the party is still going on!!!

Google just rocked Apples ship!!! Apple's turn to respond.

Um, I think your post above just made ZBoater's point about Android being a Geek's (or Greek's) operation system.

I've got a Nexus 7 1st Gen which I just bought about three weeks ago when Staples was having a sale. It is an OK little tablet. But I prefer my 2nd Gen iPad to it any day.

I installed Android 4.3 on it last night. It doesn't look any different than Android 4.2.

 

[Hawkeye16]

Like the OP I grabbed the Nexus 7 on Saturday. I have been using it more than my Mini just cause it is new I think. Personally I think it holds up to the mini very well, especially considering the difference in price.

Personally I only picked it up to be able to run Torque with my new bluetooth OBD2 scanner, well worth it already. Sad I couldn't find any compatibility with any of my apple products.

 

[TacticalDesire]

I installed Android 4.3 on it last night. It doesn't look any different than Android 4.2.

It's not supposed to. It mostly provides lots of under the hood improvements and some small new features. Kinda like iOS 6 to 6.1

 

[Dontazemebro]

Um, I think your post above just made ZBoater's point about Android being a Geek's (or Greek's) operation system.

I've got a Nexus 7 1st Gen which I just bought about three weeks ago when Staples was having a sale. It is an OK little tablet. But I prefer my 2nd Gen iPad to it any day.

I installed Android 4.3 on it last night. It doesn't look any different than Android 4.2.

No really it didn't, all it did was prove android comes with choices.

 

[jsw]

No, but it says a lot about the usability of Android. It's simply not intuitive to the majority of first-time users.

I have to agree with this. I love Android and in particular Google's pure version of it, but... it is not as intuitive as iOS, period.

Your average anyone can get an iPhone and start using it. It's clear how to use the phone, the contacts, and so on. Sure, there's stuff which isn't so intuitive, but for the most part you can hand an iPhone to your grandmother and she can likely use it.

An Android phone isn't as intuitive. Weather is not the entire screen on a stock Nexus (for example). When you first get it, you've got a clock, the camera, browser, SMS, and phone apps, the Play Store, and a folder of Google apps. I know, because I just fresh-wiped a Nexus 4. Other vendors might make things friendlier, but the N4 is as pure Android as you can get, and out of the box it just isn't as user-friendly as an iPhone. I'm not sure how someone could argue otherwise.

Yes, a click gets you the rest of the apps, but it's not as friendly as iOS.

That said, once you do get used to it, there are a lot of advantages to Android. Even the casual user can take advantage of the fact they can put their often-used apps in groups on their home pages and keep the rest stashed away - but easily and alphabetically findable with the touch of a button (yes, it's as easy to search for apps on iOS as Android, but it's a hell of a lot easier to see what you've got installed on Android). All the other oft-quoted plusses are there. I love Android, and the last (*counts in head*) eight or more portable devices I've purchased have been Android ones.

But iOS is more intuitive. It just is, and it's very difficult to argue otherwise if you've used both.