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Tablets New Nexus 7 (Merged)
- Thread starter Truefan31
- Start date
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First impression of the Nexus 7 is very good.
The bezels are really not that big of a deal in person. I love the way the device feels in the hand.
Power button is sort of hard to push though. Am I the only one? It's like the device curves too soon so it's hard to get a feel for the button... or something.
The bezels are really not that big of a deal in person. I love the way the device feels in the hand.
Power button is sort of hard to push though. Am I the only one? It's like the device curves too soon so it's hard to get a feel for the button... or something.
I'm very impressed with the Nexus 7, but I have to say this:
I really REALLY wish iOS was better and that Apple didn't skimp on the specs of the iPad Mini (and hopefully not on the next one again).
Because it feels weird having an Android phone and an Android tablet that's only slightly bigger. It just feels excessive and unnecessary.
I rather have an Android phone and an iOS tablet (the Mini) except iOS plain sucks when trying to do anything serious beyond browsing and gaming, is so much more expensive to own, and not a guarantee to have future-proof specs (in fact, almost a guarantee to have aged-specs if anything!).
Using the Nexus 7, ironically, makes me even more frustrated with Apple and iOS. I don't applaud the Nexus 7 for triumphing over the iPad Mini, but I just feel shame that the iPad Mini (and possibly the iPad Mini 2) can't measure up the Nexus 7. Am I making sense?
Damn Apple.
EDIT: Let me explain a little better.
I guess I'm not happy that I have to get rid of my iPad because Apple won't give me what I want in a tablet experience.
EDIT 2: And, as I've said many times before, I don't know if the ANdroid tablet experience measures up and/or is even necessary. Probably making less and less sense as I go.
I really REALLY wish iOS was better and that Apple didn't skimp on the specs of the iPad Mini (and hopefully not on the next one again).
Because it feels weird having an Android phone and an Android tablet that's only slightly bigger. It just feels excessive and unnecessary.
I rather have an Android phone and an iOS tablet (the Mini) except iOS plain sucks when trying to do anything serious beyond browsing and gaming, is so much more expensive to own, and not a guarantee to have future-proof specs (in fact, almost a guarantee to have aged-specs if anything!).
Using the Nexus 7, ironically, makes me even more frustrated with Apple and iOS. I don't applaud the Nexus 7 for triumphing over the iPad Mini, but I just feel shame that the iPad Mini (and possibly the iPad Mini 2) can't measure up the Nexus 7. Am I making sense?
Damn Apple.
EDIT: Let me explain a little better.
I guess I'm not happy that I have to get rid of my iPad because Apple won't give me what I want in a tablet experience.
EDIT 2: And, as I've said many times before, I don't know if the ANdroid tablet experience measures up and/or is even necessary. Probably making less and less sense as I go.
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I agree. I feel having both an Android phone and a 7 inch tablet is a bit redundant. But I love having the mini along with an Android phone. The screen on the mini could be better and the 512mb of RAM just plain sucks but other than that it's a pretty solid tablet. If the Nexus 7 was actually 7.9 or 8 inches I would be much more enthused and probably wouldn't have the Mini or it wouldn't get used much.
You're not the only one. I have the same "issue" with mine and I have seen the same complaint on some Android specific forums. It's probably the only complaint I have with the new Nexus 7 at this time.
Bezels are annoying if you try and type in landscape.
Power button does seem rather odd. Not very easy to hit. Makes me miss the home button on my iPad to easily turn it on when laying flat on my desk.
Yeah I had little trouble hitting it at first but you quickly get used to the position of it. The good thing is that its not easy to accidentally hit it which is the case on some other phones/tablets.
Now imagine owning a Note II (or a Note III when its released) and a Nexus 7. I'm pretty sure I'll be picking up a new iPad this fall.
It makes me miss smart covers. Are there smart covers for the new Nexus 7?
I never had to hit the home button ever on my iPad 3 -- gestures and the smart cover took care of everything. And rarely did I have to hit the power button on top, too.
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Exactly to my point why it's so frustrating wanting an Apple product. You are quite literally paying more for less -- sometimes a lot less! -- just to have a few iOS exclusive experiences.
Yet, Android phone and Android tablet feels oddly excessive. I feel like I have to pay attention to not make my Nexus 7 look or feel too much like my HTC One (Nova launcher looks nearly stock). It's... bizarre.
It's frustrating thinking about Apple.
You know what else is weird? I feel like Android is too complicated of an OS for a tablet.
Weird, right?
Weird, right?
I am starting to like my iOS (iPhone 5)/Android (Nexus 7 2013) combo a lot. Nexus 7 is my first Android tablet/device and I am already used to it. I have already customized it with Apex launcher and have downloaded quite a few apps. The whole experience has been pretty stable so far (except for 1-2 crashes).
Just to let you all know, I recently sold my iPad 2 as I was hitting the "memory limit" a lot.
I've got my email, calendar, contacts, and notes synchronized between my Macbook Pro, iPhone 5, and Nexus 7. This just feels awesome!
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Yep! Remember that the device was "officially" released today so it will be some time before we see a lot of options, but, here are some current options:
http://www.amazon.com/i-Blason-Goog...=1375238613&sr=8-2&keywords=nexus+7+2013+case
http://www.amazon.com/MoKo-Slim-fit...=1375238613&sr=8-7&keywords=nexus+7+2013+case
Just to let you all know, I recently sold my iPad 2 as I was hitting the "memory limit" a lot.
I've got my email, calendar, contacts, and notes synchronized between my Macbook Pro, iPhone 5, and Nexus 7. This just feels awesome!
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Yep! Remember that the device was "officially" released today so it will be some time before we see a lot of options, but, here are some current options:
http://www.amazon.com/i-Blason-Goog...=1375238613&sr=8-2&keywords=nexus+7+2013+case
http://www.amazon.com/MoKo-Slim-fit...=1375238613&sr=8-7&keywords=nexus+7+2013+case
Here's what I don't like:
-The device is oddly heavy. It's hefty, like a lot of weight is condensed in the center. Battery, I assume.
-Landscape mode sort of sucks. I wish the on-screen keys would actually stay on the right and just rotate the icons like on Nexus phones. Moving the on-screen keys to the bottom center in landscape mode makes them hard as heck to reach. Is there a setting I'm missing to just have the icons stay on the right and just rotate? I rather have my right hand nearby pressing them there.
-Power button a little hard to press, but I plan to use Power Toggles' screen-off widget to minimize having to use the power button too much. Would love a smartcover for the Nexus 7. Are there any?
-The two pull down notification thing (left for notifications, right for quick settings) is a little annoying. There's a way to turn this off, though, I believe. Haven't really looked hard yet. But it's annoying cause I typically pull with my right hand/thumb, and that always catches the quick settings instead of the notifications. Just got to get used to it, I guess?
-Websites just don't look very good in mobile form on the tablet. And the screen is sort of too small to enjoy desktop version. This may be a big problem for me.
-The keyboard is a little high up thanks to the on-screen home keys. I love on-screen keys but this will take some getting used to. (again, little stuff like this makes me feel differently about the Android tablet experience. I didn't have this issue on my Nexus 4).
-I gotta say, I find myself missing my iPad. Again, if only iOS had more functionality, more freedom, and was more affordable (ie. isn't a rip off).
Maybe I just need time...
-The device is oddly heavy. It's hefty, like a lot of weight is condensed in the center. Battery, I assume.
-Landscape mode sort of sucks. I wish the on-screen keys would actually stay on the right and just rotate the icons like on Nexus phones. Moving the on-screen keys to the bottom center in landscape mode makes them hard as heck to reach. Is there a setting I'm missing to just have the icons stay on the right and just rotate? I rather have my right hand nearby pressing them there.
-Power button a little hard to press, but I plan to use Power Toggles' screen-off widget to minimize having to use the power button too much. Would love a smartcover for the Nexus 7. Are there any?
-The two pull down notification thing (left for notifications, right for quick settings) is a little annoying. There's a way to turn this off, though, I believe. Haven't really looked hard yet. But it's annoying cause I typically pull with my right hand/thumb, and that always catches the quick settings instead of the notifications. Just got to get used to it, I guess?
-Websites just don't look very good in mobile form on the tablet. And the screen is sort of too small to enjoy desktop version. This may be a big problem for me.
-The keyboard is a little high up thanks to the on-screen home keys. I love on-screen keys but this will take some getting used to. (again, little stuff like this makes me feel differently about the Android tablet experience. I didn't have this issue on my Nexus 4).
-I gotta say, I find myself missing my iPad. Again, if only iOS had more functionality, more freedom, and was more affordable (ie. isn't a rip off).
Maybe I just need time...
I had to look twice at who posted this comment as I couldn't believe my eyes! (and yes, I'm just playing
) Actually, I generally feel the opposite, that the expanded flexibility and customization of Android is better put to use on the larger device. I'm enjoying my experience with this Nexus quite a bit more vs. last year's model but noticed a few things that bother me:
- I have previously expressed my opinion about the display size and ratio previously so I won't belabor the point further--I think it's inferior to the mini. That one extra inch and wider dimension makes a big difference in the users experience.
- Along those lines, while I find the new Nexus to be beautifully made and the materials feel great, the size of the device is just awkward. It's too narrow in portrait and too flat in landscape. It suffers most in landscape--typing is difficult and the flat dimension, coupled with the on screen keys, really limits what can be displayed.
- I'm having a very difficult time typing. I'm using SwiftKey as I do on my HTC One but I'm making so many mistakes it's ridiculous--half my keystrokes are off. I don't know of if it's the absence of haptic feedback or the keyboard software or something else but I have to be so deliberate and I'm still having missed keystrokes while I slowly type staring at the keyboard. I type well on my Android phone and when using its on my Mini but can't type to save my life on the new N7.
- I still enjoy Safari on the iPad far more than any browser in Android. I find it smooth, rarely miss touching link, and love having my bookmarks in the toolbar. I want all of my bookmarks synced across all of my devices, making Chrome my only option and IMO, while Chrome is very good on a computer, it's pretty awful on iOS and just serviceable on Android. There are other good options on Android but nothing that I can use and keep synced across all platforms.
- Not to beat another dead horse but the app experience on Android tablets is significantly inferior to iOS. I'm making a point of testing out apps I use most frequently on my Mini and some of the Android versions are sorry efforts or are absent entirely.
My other issues have to do with leaving the Apple ecosystem (i.e. Photostream is very convenient way to keep my photo library on my tablet.) so I won't put that on the N7. I plan on using my entire 14 day return window to determine if I swap it out for an LTE model and leave iOS entirely or stay with the Mini until the new iPads are released.
Its definitely a very good device, IMO the best Android tablet available. I'm just not certain it's best for me.
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This is a sentiment I find kind of funny. When the iPad launched it was at a price that competitors were having a very hard time matching. Now competitors are selling their products at or below cost to compete and doing otherwise is considered being a rip-off.
Here's another issue, and I'm fairly certain this is a Chrome app issue but as I'm using it on my N7 I'll ask here. When viewing threads here in MR, text is showing up in varying sizes within posts in the same thread. I'm sure I'm not explaining it well so I'll include a screenshot. Any idea why it's doing this?
Attachments
Do you have Swiftkey for tablets? It's a separate app. I can't believe the keyboard can't be split out in landscape mode?
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What the heck is that.
Why is the Android tablet experience so... different... from the Android smartphone experience? The heck.
Yes, there are similar smart cover like cases for the Nexus 7.
And thanks to gestures I rarely used the home button as well. But if my iPad was sitting on the table and the cover opened with the screen off, hitting the home button to turn on the device was very easy. Much easier than on the Nexus 7.
I don't. My thoughts were that the tablet app is primarily for larger tablets. Considering my Nexus 7 is nearly the same resolution as my HTC One and only 1.5" bigger than the Note 2 I previously also used SwiftKey on, I didn't think the tablet version was needed. The size and spacing of the keys is perfectly acceptable, looks pretty much exactly as it does on my One. Why I'm having such a hugely different experience is beyond me.
I guess I may load the free version of the SwiftKey tablet app to see if the experience is improved. I also did switch over to the Google keyboard and while things seem to be a little better, they're still not great and because the backspace/delete button is located in a different place from SwiftKey, I'm making mistakes for an entirely different reason.
Received mine today. I'm very impressed. Fast. Very fast, smooth and, dare I say, near iOS in terms of fluidity. The screen is similar to the full-sized Retina iPads in terms of text sharpness. The tablet itself is only slightly thicker than an iPad mini and much thinner (and surprisingly slightly taller) than the Nexus 7.1.
The side bezels are slightly too small IMHO, especially since Android 4.3 doesn't have the iPad mini's thumb-on-screen rejection feature. The large size of the top/bottom bezels (and the sideways "Nexus" on the back, suggest to me that Google expects people to use it a lot in landscape mode.
But all said and done, of give it a 9 out of 10. Definitely one of the best, if not THE best, Android tablets on the market right now. I've not used a Nexus 10, but I expect that to best the 7.2 in size only.
The side bezels are slightly too small IMHO, especially since Android 4.3 doesn't have the iPad mini's thumb-on-screen rejection feature. The large size of the top/bottom bezels (and the sideways "Nexus" on the back, suggest to me that Google expects people to use it a lot in landscape mode.
But all said and done, of give it a 9 out of 10. Definitely one of the best, if not THE best, Android tablets on the market right now. I've not used a Nexus 10, but I expect that to best the 7.2 in size only.
Yes, smart covers are everywhere for both first gen and second gen Nexus 7's. I use Moko covers from ebay. So far I have had one for a year and still working well.
Android only feels excessive at first, when coming from such a minimal and constrictive OS like iOS. Same thing happened to Russians when the wall came down. The idea of freedom was foreign for those institutionalized by soviet doctrine.
Very pleased with the new nexus 7, the screen, processor, and overall quality of the product for the money is amazing. while i do wish the screen was a tad bit bigger, when laying in bed this tablet is very easy to handle one handed and is awesome for reading. it puzzling that google decided to declare the processor a snapdragon of last gen, it does have krait 600 cores inside. wonder how apple will respond, yes ios has more tablet apps but for the price point the nexus 7 is gonna be tough to beat.
There are smart covers just like the Apple smartcovers? Meaning, they sort of clip onto the side and cover only the front?
I don't want my Nexus 7 to get bulkier than it has to be. Just need a front cover, so to speak to protect screen when not in use and to easily wake/sleep device.
I don't want my Nexus 7 to get bulkier than it has to be. Just need a front cover, so to speak to protect screen when not in use and to easily wake/sleep device.
http://www.asus.com/Tablet_Mobile_Accessories/Premium_Cover_for_Nexus_7_2013/
i think it comes out next week, thats what i am waiting for.