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Google Nexus 7 Review
2012 was always going to be the year of the tablet. As soon as the Nexus 7 and a slew of other Android tablets were announced earlier this year I knew I was going to buy something in the months that followed. My big dilemma was whether to hold out for the Asus Transformer Prime Infinity or buy the new Nexus 7 which was a fraction of the cost. It was a recent trip to the local JB Hi Fi store where I had my first demo of the Nexus 7 that I decided it was the tablet device for me. In particular, it was the snappiness of the new operating system, Jelly Bean, how comfortable it felt to hold, and the ultra affordable price tag of ~$300.
Hardware, design and features
The Nexus 7 comes in 8GB and 16GB models. I got the 16GB version as my primary use for it would be to watch videos, movies, play a few games and read ebooks (although ebooks wouldn’t take up much space). There is no way to increase the capacity of the device which is a shame since I have a 16GB microsd card which will now have to find another home, such as in my Galaxy phone.
Powered by a Tegra 3 quad core CPU, with an extra dedicated core for battery management, nothing feels laggy or slow on this device. I put this down to a combination of the powerful hardware and the new Android operating system.
Connectivity wise the Nexus 7 can only connect to the internet using Wifi. Although it doesn’t have 3g or 4g I have found I am nearly always in a Wifi area anyway. Also, when I’m out, tethering with my phone works equally well. The device is also equipped with Bluetooth and NFC. There are no other ports besides a micro-usb port used for charging (or connecting a USB device if you have an OTG cable) and a headphone jack. On the right side is the usual power button and volume rocker.
Made primarily of plastic and gorilla glass, the Nexus 7 might look cheap however it is very nice to hold and doesn’t at all feel like a lesser quality product. Weighing in at 340 grams it’s light and ultra portable. It is still too large to carry in a pocket though, so when a smartcase comes out it will be next on the purchase list. This one has caught my eye - Poetic Slimline Portfolio Case for Google Nexus 7
Display and camera
Sporting a 7″ 1200×800 HD backlit IPS display, the Nexus 7 tablet is crystal (but not retina) clear. The colours are very vibrant and the brightness range has lots of depth. I turned my brightness down to just above the minimum to conserve battery life and even at this level it still looks fine.
There is no back camera on board but it is not missed. On the front is a 1.2mp camera which is great for Skype and google+ hangouts. I would have liked a better quality camera but for me it’s not really a big deal as I don’t use the feature that much. In fact there is no camera app. The functionality is there and can be enabled by installing this app – Camera Launcher for Nexus 7
Software
Firstly I have to say how refreshing it is to have a pure Google operating system installed. Being used to a Galaxy S2 smartphone it is really nice to now use a device that doesn’t come preinstalled with manufacturer crapware apps and widgets. Secondly, Jelly Bean is amazing. Project butter has made app transitions so smooth and the experience feels very fast, fluid and responsive. I think this alone was what made me decide to buy the unit in the first place.
One thing that has come under criticism is that the home screen is fixed in portrait view. I’ve found that besides watching videos I keep the Nexus in portrait most of the time anyway. Don’t fret though if you do want to change the orientation to landscape then there is an app for that – Ultimate Rotation Control
The other new feature present in Jelly Bean is Google Now. This is a card themed assistant which will answer your queries and show upcoming items in card form. So far mine has only popped up with the weather and upcoming calendar events. Here is a list of commands you can use with Google now - Android 4.1: How Many Voice Actions Have You Tried?
Battery
The battery life on the Nexus 7 is very solid. I haven’t kept it on watching a video to see how long exactly it lasts but with my moderate use and turning airplane mode on when I’m not using it for long periods of time (such as overnight) I can get around 2-3 days out of it.
Conclusion
I think I made the right choice in choosing the Nexus 7 over some of the other 10 inch tablets I had my eye on buying. It is extremely comfortable to hold and a pleasure to use while relaxing on a couch, in bed or while travelling. Sure, it has a few shortcomings such as lack of expandable memory, however for the price it is well worth it. You even get $25 credit to use in the Google play store when you buy the device.
Nexus 7 on Amazon
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I carry my Nexus 7 around in my pocket. I used to always carry it in my back pocket, but when I visited New York City, I discovered it fits comfortably in my front pocket, even wearing jeans, 33 inch waist.
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