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aerok

macrumors 65816
Oct 29, 2011
1,491
139
The iPad is still the king of the tablet world. The apps make the difference for me. I don't want to spend $3-400 on a tablet just to browse the web.

You can make it sound as if the Nexus 7/10 does not have apps at all.

You can downlaod many of the most popular apps that are on the iPad:

Netflix, Angry Birds, Zinio, Kindle, etc
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,156
I ordered my N10 32gb yesterday. I'm a heavy tablet user.

I bought a Xoom in Mar/Apr 2011, had buyers remorse from all the iPad hype so I bought an iPad 2 when that came out. Quickly went back to the Xoom, and let the gf use the iPad 2. Then I sold the iPad 2 and bought an iPad 3. Another mistake, this time I gave the iPad 3 to my gf to keep.

I've been using my Xoom (on it right now) for a year and a half and I really enjoy it. I've just been waiting for something I actually consider better to come along. Basically the N10 is a modernized Xoom, they've seemed to address the issue I had with my Xoom. Things like the stereo speakers being on the front and not the back. The micro USB/slim port and micro HDMI ports are on the sides in landscape mode not the bottom. Better front facing camera and a brighter flash on the rear facing camera. NFC front and rear to sync when another NFC device is laid on it. Plus Android 4.2 on a nexus wifi device, my Xoom is an LTE model thru Verizon who yet to push the Xoom's 4.1 update through.

I think the iPad is a great device but I like to use a tablet a bit more like a laptop then an iPad can handle.

----------

The iPad is still the king of the tablet world. The apps make the difference for me. I don't want to spend $3-400 on a tablet just to browse the web.

Instead you use apps like Facebook, twitter, etc etc and browse the web in a more restricted format....
 

ChrisTX

macrumors 68030
Dec 30, 2009
2,686
54
Texas
You can make it sound as if the Nexus 7/10 does not have apps at all.

You can downlaod many of the most popular apps that are on the iPad:

Netflix, Angry Birds, Zinio, Kindle, etc
There are apps, but the number is very limited compared to the level of quality, and quantity for the iPad.

Instead you use apps like Facebook, twitter, etc etc and browse the web in a more restricted format....
Facebook iPad app is horrible, I still use Safari for that.

As for browsing the web in a restricted format, hasn't flash been disabled for Android all together now? My Galaxy SIII doesn't have it, so I'd assume their tablets don't either. Either way, there just aren't enough tablet optimized apps for Android to get me away from the iPad just yet.
 

ReanimationN

macrumors 6502a
Sep 7, 2011
724
0
Australia
There are going to be next to no apps optimised for the N10's resolution. The Android tablet app situation is bad enough as it is, now the N10 is going to suffer from both that and from having blurry assets everywhere (until more developers get on board with it).
 

jsw

Moderator emeritus
Mar 16, 2004
22,910
44
Andover, MA
As for browsing the web in a restricted format, hasn't flash been disabled for Android all together now?
Officially, yes, but my Nexus 7 can run it via a Firefox plugin.

Everyone wants it to die, but some websites still require it, which is truly unfortunate. However, at least I can run it, even if I don't want to run it.
 

jsw

Moderator emeritus
Mar 16, 2004
22,910
44
Andover, MA
The iPad is still the king of the tablet world. The apps make the difference for me. I don't want to spend $3-400 on a tablet just to browse the web.
You've clearly spent little to no time on Android 4.x tablets. There are plenty of apps which are either tablet-centric or which look good on tablets.

As many as for iPads? No. But it's far from some wasteland, either.

For $400-$500, I'd still likely get an iPad, as I'm unsure of the value of the N10 (I say this as an N4 and N7 owner), with one major exception: media. Movies will sound far better on the N10 than the iPad (any generation).
 

Rodster

macrumors 68040
May 15, 2007
3,177
6
Awesome review and my biggest concern was confirmed..."It's too BIG". I still have the original Galaxy Tab 10.1 and that thing is HUGE.

Come on Google gives us a Nexus 8.9" tablet. That to me is the perfect size. :)
 

blackhand1001

macrumors 68030
Jan 6, 2009
2,600
37
There are going to be next to no apps optimised for the N10's resolution. The Android tablet app situation is bad enough as it is, now the N10 is going to suffer from both that and from having blurry assets everywhere (until more developers get on board with it).

You clearly don't understand android development. The nexus 10 is XHDPI which means it uses XHDPI assets. The galaxy nexus, galaxy s3, one x, rezound, and many other phones already use XHDPI assets so most apps already have them. Android also uses xml layouts and is independent of resolution.
 

ReanimationN

macrumors 6502a
Sep 7, 2011
724
0
Australia
You clearly don't understand android development. The nexus 10 is XHDPI which means it uses XHDPI assets. The galaxy nexus, galaxy s3, one x, rezound, and many other phones already use XHDPI assets so most apps already have them. Android also uses xml layouts and is independent of resolution.

I own and have used a Nexus 7- a lot of apps that I've used on it feature blurry assets that are clearly meant for phones and don't translate well to a larger screen. You're saying that the N10 won't suffer from the same problem? I doubt that.
 

blackhand1001

macrumors 68030
Jan 6, 2009
2,600
37
I own and have used a Nexus 7- a lot of apps that I've used on it feature blurry assets that are clearly meant for phones and don't translate well to a larger screen. You're saying that the N10 won't suffer from the same problem? I doubt that.

What apps?
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,156
I own and have used a Nexus 7- a lot of apps that I've used on it feature blurry assets that are clearly meant for phones and don't translate well to a larger screen. You're saying that the N10 won't suffer from the same problem? I doubt that.

Which apps look blurry or have blurry assets?
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,156
There are apps, but the number is very limited compared to the level of quality, and quantity for the iPad.


Facebook iPad app is horrible, I still use Safari for that.

As for browsing the web in a restricted format, hasn't flash been disabled for Android all together now? My Galaxy SIII doesn't have it, so I'd assume their tablets don't either. Either way, there just aren't enough tablet optimized apps for Android to get me away from the iPad just yet.

I meant using web based apps instead of the browser. Btw you can side load flash if you really want too. I am trying to avoid it, sometimes its tough...
 

marc11

macrumors 68000
Mar 30, 2011
1,618
4
NY USA
I own and have used a Nexus 7- a lot of apps that I've used on it feature blurry assets that are clearly meant for phones and don't translate well to a larger screen. You're saying that the N10 won't suffer from the same problem? I doubt that.

Which apps please. I use about 15 or so and they are as good on my nexus as on my wife's iPad.
 

ReanimationN

macrumors 6502a
Sep 7, 2011
724
0
Australia
What apps?

Which apps look blurry or have blurry assets?

Which apps please. I use about 15 or so and they are as good on my nexus as on my wife's iPad.
Here you go.

The first is Plants vs Zombies.

Second is the TAB Australia app, there's some blurry/stretched assets throughout, the Runners/Pools buttons are just one example.

Third is the Billabong Live app. The magnification buttons are blurry (the nice couldn't-be-more-obvious-that-this-is-a-crap-iphone-port 'back' button isn't exactly sharp either), as are the background textures used in other screens of the app.

Fourth is one of my homepages, I picked this one as it has a real mix of sharp and blurry icons (and none of my email widgets). Compare how sharp Horn, TDKR and Swiftkey are to Vevo, Firefox, Plants vs Zombies, the useless League Now, Dominos (I got this for a pizza deal they were doing for Android devices and it didn't work properly :mad:) etc.

Fifth is the Commonwealth Bank's app. There's some pretty obvious stretched and blurry assets there.

I can only attach five at a time, so that will do for now.

Arstechnica also noted that "icons and images that haven't been optimized for high-resolution displays are still going to look a bit blurry" and gave this as an example:

icon-blurriness.png


Btw, I know the iPhone and iPad still suffer from this in a few places too, but does that bode well for the multitude of Android resolutions out there? If iOS developers, who only have to do a tiny handful of resolutions, still can't get it 100% right, I wouldn't exactly be feeling confident about Android getting close.
 

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cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,156
Here you go.

The first is Plants vs Zombies.

Second is the TAB Australia app, there's some blurry/stretched assets throughout, the Runners/Pools buttons are just one example.

Third is the Billabong Live app. The magnification buttons are blurry (the nice couldn't-be-more-obvious-that-this-is-a-crap-iphone-port 'back' button isn't exactly sharp either), as are the background textures used in other screens of the app.

Fourth is one of my homepages, I picked this one as it has a real mix of sharp and blurry icons (and none of my email widgets). Compare how sharp Horn, TDKR and Swiftkey are to Vevo, Firefox, Plants vs Zombies, the useless League Now, Dominos (I got this for a pizza deal they were doing for Android devices and it didn't work properly :mad:) etc.

Fifth is the Commonwealth Bank's app. There's some pretty obvious stretched and blurry assets there.

I can only attach five at a time, so that will do for now.

Arstechnica also noted that "icons and images that haven't been optimized for high-resolution displays are still going to look a bit blurry" and gave this as an example:

Image

Btw, I know the iPhone and iPad still suffer from this in a few places too, but does that bode well for the multitude of Android resolutions out there? If iOS developers, who only have to do a tiny handful of resolutions, still can't get it 100% right, I wouldn't exactly be feeling confident about Android getting close.

I'm not seeing the blurring in any of your pics. Maybe I'm fortunate and I'm immune to see it. Matter of fact plant vs zombie looks pretty sharp. I'd like to see a side by side with the mini I guess.
 

ReanimationN

macrumors 6502a
Sep 7, 2011
724
0
Australia
I'm not seeing the blurring in any of your pics. Maybe I'm fortunate and I'm immune to see it. Matter of fact plant vs zombie looks pretty sharp. I'd like to see a side by side with the mini I guess.

Really? :confused:

I don't have an iPad, so here's the iPhone version to compare to (keep in mind the relative screen size each version is for). Look at the text on the Help & Options vases, the Nexus 7 version looks like it's been smeared with vasoline.
 

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cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,156
Really? :confused:

I don't have an iPad, so here's the iPhone version to compare to (keep in mind the relative screen size each version is for). Look at the text on the Help & Options vases, the Nexus 7 version looks like it's been smeared with vasoline.

Maybe the problem is I'm looking at it on my iPhone and they both look sharp. But if I were to just compare that everything looks "sharper" on a small screen. Movies look sharper on my iPhone then they do on my HDTV, so do pictures. Plants vs zombies looks better on my iPhone then it does on my gf's iPad 3.

EDIT: After looking at it on my tablet I can see the blur around the letters. I'll need to pull it up on my N10 when it arrives to compare to the ipad. You are comparing very high ppi to not as high. I think N10 to iPad 3 would be a closer comparison...
 
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Lindenhurst

macrumors 6502a
Aug 24, 2011
612
0
The iPad is still the king of the tablet world. The apps make the difference for me. I don't want to spend $3-400 on a tablet just to browse the web.

Actually form me a tablet is used for just that...to browse the web. I have had Ipads and a Nexus 7 and liked them both, but I felt the N7 was a bit too small to view web pages without scrolling often. I'll be trying out the N10 next. If I don't like it, I'll sell it as I have with all my gadgets I no longer use.

I do like the front speakers because I do watch Netflix often on the tablet, so I hope the N7 has great sound.
 

ReanimationN

macrumors 6502a
Sep 7, 2011
724
0
Australia
Maybe the problem is I'm looking at it on my iPhone and they both look sharp. But if I were to just compare that everything looks "sharper" on a small screen. Movies look sharper on my iPhone then they do on my HDTV, so do pictures. Plants vs zombies looks better on my iPhone then it does on my gf's iPad 3.

EDIT: After looking at it on my tablet I can see the blur around the letters. I'll need to pull it up on my N10 when it arrives to compare to the ipad. You are comparing very high ppi to not as high. I think N10 to iPad 3 would be a closer comparison...

If you think it would be a fairer comparison, I found a shot of the non-retina iPad version's title screen. Compare it to the Nexus 7's title screen, the N7 still has the vasoline filter.

And the original iPad/iPad 2/iPad mini actually has a lower ppi than the N7, 132 (163 for the mini) vs 216 for the N7.
 

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dalbir4444

macrumors 6502a
Oct 30, 2012
572
0
If you think it would be a fairer comparison, I found a shot of the non-retina iPad version's title screen. Compare it to the Nexus 7's title screen, the N7 still has the vasoline filter.

And the original iPad/iPad 2/iPad mini actually has a lower ppi than the N7, 132 (163 for the mini) vs 216 for the N7.

That second image looks more like a stock image rather than taken from an iPad, especially with that logo on the bottom. I don't own the game but from this video, I can't really tell the difference between the iPad mini and the N7 version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lX7yVlZ3U8&t=6m51s

Maybe it's just me.
 

ReanimationN

macrumors 6502a
Sep 7, 2011
724
0
Australia
That second image looks more like a stock image rather than taken from an iPad, especially with that logo on the bottom. I don't own the game but from this video, I can't really tell the difference between the iPad mini and the N7 version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lX7yVlZ3U8&t=6m51s

Maybe it's just me.

It's not a stock image, Moby Games sticks that watermark onto any image people upload to the site. It's in the 1024x768 non-retina iPad resolution too.

If you doubt me, I grabbed two screens from my brother's iPad 2. The background on the iPad version has been changed since that Moby Games screenshot, but you can still see that it's much sharper than the N7 version.
 

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dalbir4444

macrumors 6502a
Oct 30, 2012
572
0
It's not a stock image, Moby Games sticks that watermark onto any image people upload to the site. It's in the 1024x768 non-retina iPad resolution too.

If you doubt me, I grabbed two screens from my brother's iPad 2. The background on the iPad version has been changed since that Moby Games screenshot, but you can still see that it's much sharper than the N7 version.

Yeah it does look better on the iPad from those images. I was just mentioning that from the video, I can't tell the difference. Maybe I just need to see them up close.

Edit: Is the one on the right the N7?
 
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ReanimationN

macrumors 6502a
Sep 7, 2011
724
0
Australia
Yeah it does look better on the iPad from those images. I was just mentioning that from the video, I can't tell the difference. Maybe I just need to see them up close.

Edit: Is the one on the right the N7?

From that post you just quoted? Nah, they're both from the iPad 2. All the N7 screenshots have the navigation bar on the bottom of them.

Yeah, it's more pronounced with the device in hand. I thought I'd done something wrong and bought the phone version of the app instead of the tablet version, but there's only one for both. It's very playable, it's just blurrier than the iOS versions.
 
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