Tablets Nexus 7 vs. Ipad Mini

[maflynn]

I have an iPad mini on pre-order and yes, pricing is sticking in my craw a bit.

One thing that I'm confused about is the display between the two tablets. The Nexus 7 has a higher DPI and resolution but is smaller physically.

Now during the keynote we saw that the iPad mini was able to display 35% more content then the Nexus (in portrait mode), while the Nexus display is smaller, the resolution is higher so I'm confused over this - I'd thought it would be about the same or better or am I over thinking the matter.

Since the iPad mini is prepping for shipping I have to wait until I have it on hand to determine if its worth the price.

I'm interested in a smaller tablet the the iPad for reading, notes, surfing and emailing. I like that the mini has both iBooks and kindle since I have books in both.

I don't think I'm bothered by the fact that the screen is not HD and I think the text on the iPad mini may be a bit larger given the larger size and resolution which my 47 year old eyes will be happy about.

 

[flameproof]

iPad Mini is IMHO same as the big iPad and nothing new. For 7" I would wait till Samsung comes out with an S-Pen pad, S-Pen is really the coolest thing in the pad world these days.

 

[Rodster]

Maflynn, I bought a Nexus 7 yesterday and it is pretty awesome. I have NO issues reading text whatsoever and i'm older than you with poor eyesight. Gmail is well integrated with the N7.

One of the things I like about the N7 is that you can actually fix it and replace the battery. It's built like a giant cellphone. The infamous screen lift is gone and now Google added the unlocked 3G Nexus 7 and it looks really stylish. It's a much better deal for me as opposed to the Mini.

I'll probably get a Mini when the specs take a justifiable leap for me.

 

[ChazUK]

I find in portrait mode the Nexus 7 displays more than our iPad 2 (thanks to the additional length) but the sftware buttons and bars can really get in the way in ladscape (see the last screenshot).

I'd wish that Google would remove the status bar at least when Chrome was running or (even better) allow a full screen mode like they did with the AOSP browser and enable the thumb controls.

There can be a lot of screen real estate wastage on the N7 so that is something to take into account. I'm very tempted to try Cyanogenmod 10 on my N7 to utilise the feature they just added to remove the status and soft buttons on demand (taken from the Paranoid Android ROM).

 

[MikeAK]

I'm telling you that the Nexus 7 is one damn fine device and @ $199 it's a steal. No device is perfect but I have been pleasantly surprised by it. I just can't get over how nice it is to use.

 

[mattopotamus]

I'm telling you that the Nexus 7 is one damn fine device and @ $199 it's a steal. No device is perfect but I have been pleasantly surprised by it. I just can't get over how nice it is to use.

I have a question. I have a few magazine subscriptions....is there are app similar to newstand?

 

[paulsalter]

I have a question. I have a few magazine subscriptions....is there are app similar to newstand?

If you are in a country that has Google Magazines they do it, or you can use Zinio

For me this is a plus for the iPad Mini, The wider screen is better for magazines, I find the screen on the N7 to small for reading them

 

[MikeAK]

I have a question. I have a few magazine subscriptions....is there are app similar to newstand?

Google Reader comes to my mind right off the bat but I must admit that I don't read mags. The Android apps are not as limited as some would lead you to believe so I am positive there are a number of options.

 

[SpyderBite]

It really just comes down to whether you prefer the iOS or Android OS. If you don't care , and you have no needs that are unique to one or the other, then just flip a coin.

People are going to argue about specs, app selection, and more when you offer them such an open ended request.

It's a tablet not a NASCAR automobile.

 

[aldo82]

as I understand it the mini will run normal ipad apps on the smaller screen so text will therefore be smaller for a given app than the full size ipad. Personally I can often find text on the ipad a bit on the small side and safari doesn't reflow text appropriatly for me so I can end up side to side scrolling all the time. The great thing about android is there is a system wide font size adjustment plus browsers can adjust text size and reflow text which i believe will make it more useable if small text is a concern. I haven't tried an android tablet yet so I don't know for certain but I'm considering N7 or N10 next rather than an ipad partly for this reason so hope I'm right! When I moved to the S3 I was concerned about font size as I had to give up the inbuilt system wide zoom feature on the iphone yet in general I've found android infinitely more useable with bigger more legible font size than iOS

 

[sneaky butcher]

google are being so aggressive on price its difficult to ignore the n7. UK prices

32gb N7 wifi+3g = £249
32gb ipad mini wifi+3g = £450

and the spec is just as good if not better than the mini. Its just crazy prices

 

[coldmack]

I haven't checked prices recently, but there is the Samsung Galaxy 7.7 is a sort of a compromise. I don't like Samsung too much, but the Galaxy 7.7 is a 7.7in device with same res at the Nexus 7 so you sort of get best of both worlds. I am sure you can install ASOP build be it 4.0 or 4.1. Just saying.

I've played with the N7 and I do like the size, but the cpu is a bit dated, and screen I wish was a bit better; not to also mention the original Asus device that was suppose to come out had a microsd card slot, which I think is useful(though not as useful as a full size sd).

 

[zbarvian]

Depending on how invested you are into the Apple ecosystem, I'd almost say get a Nexus 10. For 70 bucks more than the baseline iPad mini, it's really quite a bargain.

 

[maflynn]

Depending on how invested you are into the Apple ecosystem,

I'm pretty heavily invested, but my question really is why does the nexus display less content in the browser then the mini (at least highlighted in the keynote) since the Nexus has a higher resolution

 

[MRU]

I'm pretty heavily invested, but my question really is why does the nexus display less content in the browser then the mini (at least highlighted in the keynote) since the Nexus has a higher resolution

You need to ask Schrödinger's cat

 

[cynics]

I think it was dumb of Google to utilize the same set up as a phone on a tablet. They should have done what they did with the 10" tabs and combine the upper and lower status bar to preserve usable screen space. Move the time and battery info to one side and the back, home and multitasking to the other.

Keep in mind though I still think its better then Apples home button idea. If there were capacitive buttons the device would get bigger or the screen would get smaller or both.

It does disappear when watching movies and viewing pics. However I don't know if that space is actually ever "usable". It's nice that the distracting buttons disappear but as you can see in this screenshot the pic still can't use that area.

The dots are those buttons. It's the same way with movies but widescreen format doesn't go down that far anyway so it's not an issue.

 

[marc11]

I haven't checked prices recently, but there is the Samsung Galaxy 7.7 is a sort of a compromise. I don't like Samsung too much, but the Galaxy 7.7 is a 7.7in device with same res at the Nexus 7 so you sort of get best of both worlds. I am sure you can install ASOP build be it 4.0 or 4.1. Just saying.

I've played with the N7 and I do like the size, but the cpu is a bit dated, and screen I wish was a bit better; not to also mention the original Asus device that was suppose to come out had a microsd card slot, which I think is useful(though not as useful as a full size sd).

CPU dated and you wish for a better screen...compared to the cutting edge stuff in the mini? BTW, while a sd card slot would have been great, at least you can use USB OTG to access and stream media from sd cards. I have a little device that plugs into the USB port and with that I can plug in micro and normal sd cards, USB sticks, USB keyboards, mice, game controllers and even USB 2.0 hard drives. Not ideal, but a HUGE option for memory expansion that the mini cannot offer.

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I find in portrait mode the Nexus 7 displays more than our iPad 2 (thanks to the additional length) but the sftware buttons and bars can really get in the way in ladscape (see the last screenshot).

I'd wish that Google would remove the status bar at least when Chrome was running or (even better) allow a full screen mode like they did with the AOSP browser and enable the thumb controls.

There can be a lot of screen real estate wastage on the N7 so that is something to take into account. I'm very tempted to try Cyanogenmod 10 on my N7 to utilise the feature they just added to remove the status and soft buttons on demand (taken from the Paranoid Android ROM).

Yep all Google needs is a full screen mode for Chrome and problem solved. Other apps, like Kindle and video streaming apps can go full screen and hide the menu and status bars, Google just needs to do this with Chrome. I suspect that is an update in the works...

 

[zhenya]

I'm pretty heavily invested, but my question really is why does the nexus display less content in the browser then the mini (at least highlighted in the keynote) since the Nexus has a higher resolution

In part it is because of the excess controls Google is using in that orientation and in part it depends on how a particular site is designed. We've had several extensive discussions about it if you look around.

Here's one, I can't think of the other main thread at the moment. https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/16169091/

 

[Jasper84]

Maflynn, I bought a Nexus 7 yesterday and it is pretty awesome. I have NO issues reading text whatsoever and i'm older than you with poor eyesight. Gmail is well integrated with the N7.

Image

One of the things I like about the N7 is that you can actually fix it and replace the battery. It's built like a giant cellphone. The infamous screen lift is gone and now Google added the unlocked 3G Nexus 7 and it looks really stylish. It's a much better deal for me as opposed to the Mini.

I'll probably get a Mini when the specs take a justifiable leap for me.

I bought a nexus 7 yesterday 32gb $250 just WiFi and I'm using it now for this post. I've been buying iPads since 2gen I still have my iPad 3 I wanted to try a droid tablet I was considering the iPad mini but decided on a nexus 7 its great the back has this leathery feeling material give a nice grip traction etc the only rub for me is I have some iTunes purchased content I don't think I can get it on my nexus 7 haven't used the droid beam feature yet but it sounds useful I just seen a nexus 7 32 GB price tag compared to a iPad mini base unit $330 so I figured if I don't like the nexus 7 I can return it well I've decided to keep it and its been great so far

 

[zbarvian]

The iPad mini is getting rave reviews.

 

[MikeAK]

The iPad mini is getting rave reviews.

have you read them? Almost all of them mention pixelation and bluryness. Most of the reviews also mention the price. The mini will be decent for some but it's far from great. If you must have an iPad I would wait for rev 2.

 

[marc11]

The iPad mini is getting rave reviews.

Of course it is. Apple could develope an aluminum and glass crap bag holder for camping trips and those sites would give it rave write ups "the stink stays in the box", "if you gotta carry your poop, might as well carry it in style", "much nicer than a plastic bag" and then Tim Cook would say "isn't this crap holder cool, the way the bevel on the lid meets the top, its amazing isn't it", "we hold 30% more crap than a plastic bag"...and then when a site like this takes just the best points and posts them, what else do you expect.

The iPad 2 was a nice device with warts compared to the iPad 3, the mini is an iPad 2 but smaller and lighter, so, it stands to reason it is a decent device. Worth $130 more than a Nexus 7, no way IMHO. Shame really as with Apple products you used to not have to compromise, pay more/get more...not anymore.

 

[coldmack]

CPU dated and you wish for a better screen...compared to the cutting edge stuff in the mini? BTW, while a sd card slot would have been great, at least you can use USB OTG to access and stream media from sd cards. I have a little device that plugs into the USB port and with that I can plug in micro and normal sd cards, USB sticks, USB keyboards, mice, game controllers and even USB 2.0 hard drives. Not ideal, but a HUGE option for memory expansion that the mini cannot offer.

Yes, Tegra 3 is a bit dated, specially vs the competition. Even the dual core S4 is a better performer than it. You have to remember Android doesn't fully utilize quad core cpus, at least not yet. So, the extra core advantages are not seen. As for the screen, the nits are a bit low, as is color gamut. I am sure the next gen N7 will fix some of these. As for usb I have to access them with an adapter, like the iPad, which is inconvenient. I right now have the Android Thinkpad Tablet(and iPad 1), and I really like the features of the device; like fully usb port, SD slot, digitzer(it's N-Trig, but better than nothing), but the 10.1in(and 9.8in) size is a bit to large for my taste for a tablet. Just saying.

 

[BuryMeInSmoke]

I bought the nexus 7 a little while ago since my woman took over the iPad 3. For me it's the perfect size and I really love jelly bean. IMO the iPad mini is over priced for what you get, but to each their own. Having used jelly bean for awhile now I'm considering selling my iPhone 5 to get some money back and pick up the nexus 4.

 

[marc11]

Yes, Tegra 3 is a bit dated, specially vs the competition. Even the dual core S4 is a better performer than it. You have to remember Android doesn't fully utilize quad core cpus, at least not yet. So, the extra core advantages are not seen. As for the screen, the nits are a bit low, as is color gamut. I am sure the next gen N7 will fix some of these. As for usb I have to access them with an adapter, like the iPad, which is inconvenient. I right now have the Android Thinkpad Tablet(and iPad 1), and I really like the features of the device; like fully usb port, SD slot, digitzer(it's N-Trig, but better than nothing), but the 10.1in(and 9.8in) size is a bit to large for my taste for a tablet. Just saying.

I suppose what I was saying is, compared to the iPad mini I wouldn't say the Tegra is dated, that makes it seem like it is more dated than the processor in the mini, which I do not think it is.

Yes the USB OTG is inconvenient, but at least there is the option; I like the idea that I can plug a 64 or 128 GB USB card and access the content. The reality is, most people who have so much content do not need it with them all the time; so once a week or when taking a long trip its no big deal to me to load up a card and go; using the content stored on the device for day to day apps and data.

However I agree that a built in sd card slot would have been ideal.