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Nexus 7 (Google Tablet by ASUS)...

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by ny_rob, Jul 6, 2012.

  1. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    (It came up in another thread- but it deserves it's own thread....)
    The Nexus 7 scheduled to be released by the end of July 2012 is the new 7" tablet made by ASUS for Google.
    Very impressive specs, especially at a can't beat price of $199 for the 8GB model or $249 for the 16GB model. Nothing else in the 7" Android tablet stable is even close to the Nexus 7 spec wise with a quad core Tegra 3 CPU and 12 core GPU, coupled with a 1280 x 800 pixel display. Also has real GPS (rather than A-GPS like many tablets) and an impressive list of other hardware features. It's also currently the only Android tab running 4.1 (Jelly Bean) right off the shelf.

    Biggest knock against the Nexus 7 is the lack of SD cardslot- but that's been addressed already (tablet has been rooted and it's micro-SD port supports OTG-USB so standard USB Flash Drives will be supported with a $2 Micro USB OTG to USB 2.0 Adapter Amazon.com: SANOXY Micro USB OTG to USB 2.0 Adapter: Cell Phones & Accessories).

    Here's the specifications rundown.....



    Google Nexus 7 (by ASUS) specifications
    Nexus 7 (8GB) - Google Play

    Device type:Tablet
    Physical size:7.00 inches
    OS:Android (4.1 Jelly Bean)

    Display:
    Resolution:1280 x 800 pixels
    Pixel density:216 ppi
    Technology:IPS LCD
    Touchscreen:Capacitive, Multi-touchFeatures:Light sensor, Proximity sensor, Scratch-resistant glass

    Battery:
    Stand-by time:12.5 days (300 hours)
    Video playback:9.00 hours
    Capacity:4325 mAh

    Hardware:
    System chip:Tegra 3
    Processor:Quad core, 1.3 GHz
    Graphics processor:NVidia GeForce 12-core GPU
    System memory:1024 MB RAM
    Built-in storage:8GB $199 version/ 16 GB $249 version

    Connectivity:
    Bluetooth:Yes
    Wi-Fi:802.11 b, g, n, a
    NFC (Android Beam)
    USB:USB 2.0
    Connector:microUSB
    Features:USB Host
    Headphones connector:3.5mm
    Charging connector:microUSB
    Computer sync, OTA sync

    Technology
    Positioning:GPS- Navigation:Yes
    Sensors:Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer/Compass
    Microphone:Voice recording & Voice commands

    Camera:
    Front-facing camera:Yes, 1.2 MP
    CamcorderFeatures:Skype Video calling
    Rear Facing Camera: None

    Other features:
    Notifications:Music ringtones (MP3), Polyphonic ringtones, Vibration, Flight mode, Silent mode, Speakerphone

    Music player:
    Supported formats:MP3
    Video playback:
    Supported formats:MPEG4, H.263, H.264
    Streaming:Audio, Video
    YouTube player:Yes

    Browser:
    Chrome
    Supports:HTML, HTML5
    Built-in online services support:YouTube (upload), Picasa

    Phone Features:
    Phonebook:Unlimited entries
    Organizer:Calendar, Alarm, Document viewer, Calculator
    E-mail:IMAP, POP3, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange
    Instant Messaging:Google Talk
     
  2. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    I've also (pre)ordered the 16GB version.
    Although my main uses for it will be Google Sky for astronomy and for controlling my Z-Wave Home Automation devices- I feel more internal memory is still better than less memory.


    FYI- There's a whole section now dedicated to the Nexus 7 over at XDA Developers (IMO the leading tablet forum) Nexus 7 - xda-developers
     
  3. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    Release should be sooner than the end of July. I ordered mine on June 28th and they said it would ship in 2 to 3 weeks. If they were being factual about the shipping date I should get mine in mid July.
     
  4. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    Wow- everything I've read (including my pre-order from B&H) indicated end of July.
    I certainly hope you're the one with the correct info :)
    Did you order it from Google or a third party?

    Another issue that's now been addressed is the lack of included launcher for the front camera- one of the chaps over at XDA has created a camera launcher app for us [APP] Nexus 7 Camera Launcher - xda-developers.
     
  5. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    I ordered direct from Google Play. I will put more faith in their delivery schedule when I have my Nexus 7 in my hand.
     
  6. ProximalSuns

    ProximalSuns Senior Member

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    7" screen is kind of a show stopper. I find the 9.7" iPad screen a bit too small. On pricing $249 vs. $399 for bigger iPad2, you'd pretty much have to be an "Android only" purist to not go for the iPad.

    Plus Android devices seem to get orphaned fast when new Android OS's come out.
     
  7. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Looking forward to mounting one of these on the Dash in front of the steering wheel in my GenII Prius... Then I'll use a Blutooth OBDII reader and Torque and I'll finally have all the instrument data I could ever want in one screen. Of course I don't know the results of this plan yet...

    What do ya'll think?

    Is this configuration going to lack anything that CAN, ScanGaugeII and other systems offer?
     
  8. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    Guess it depends on your intended use- for web browsing 7" is a bit small, but for Google Sky, and my home automation stuff 7" is perfect (I already have a custom rom 7" Nook Color so I know 7" size is good for those apps).

    At $199- you can get the Nexus 7 with 8GB internal memory instead of the $249 16GB version. That's half the price of the $399 iPad2. For an occasional use appliance- that's a substantial savings.

    Most Android apps are backward compatible with older devices and OS's except some graphics based games that are designed to take advantage of new (at that time) hardware that was just introduced. Most of the apps that run on my ICS based (Andriod 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich) Acer A100 (dual core Tegra 2 cpu) will run on my Gingerbread (android 2.3?) based Nook Color.
     
  9. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    That's one of my planned uses for it.
     
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  10. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    That's not what it says on the Apple iKool-Aid packets.:ROFLMAO:
     
  11. ProximalSuns

    ProximalSuns Senior Member

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    I think that is a great idea vs. the installed nav for $2K(?).
     
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  12. ProximalSuns

    ProximalSuns Senior Member

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    That's not what I said. Looks like it grabbed the wrong quote. On the Android devices getting orphaned vis a vis the operating system. While the apps might continue to work, usually whatever Android device you buy, whatever the version of the Android OS you have is what you will always have. The phone and device mfg's customize it so they have to create new customized version of new Android OS and there is no money in it for them. They tend to abandon in place and offer new devices to get the new Android OS.

    Apple is pretty good about delivering new mobile OS to all devices for free and on regular basis.

    iCloud nightmare was the iKook-Aid antidote. Realized you better not depend solely on Apple or one ring will rule them all. I have Windows installed on my iMac and I'll be replacing the iPad and HP Mini (XP) with a MS Surface Windows 8 tablet.
     
  13. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    I fixed the attribution, that's not the first time the board softweare has screwed up on that.

    My Android phone was automatically upgraded from Android 3.whatever to Android 4, all I had to do was tap allow on the screen. I upgraded my Nook color from Barnes and Noble's crippled version of Android to a full up version of 2.3. 4.o is still buggy on the Nook but is getting better, I would have moved to that except I am going to a Nexus 7 and my wife is getting the Nook Color to keep her Kindle company.

    My son does some heavy duty control systems programming with software that runs in the Windows environment but runs it on his iMac.
     
  14. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Why do Apple users act like zombie-advertising robots? How far out of the way will an Apple geek go to promote products that they don't get paid to promote? Apple Fanboys are one of the primary reasons I don't like Apple products. Also Apple hardware is overpriced and the iTunes store requires you to feed it money just to be able to use your hardware. It's a closed-source walled garden that makes Apple rich at the expense of everyone else. Yuck! And sure Android has its own problems but "not Apple" and definitely "not Microsoft" is way more affordable and enduring in the long run.
     
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  15. ProximalSuns

    ProximalSuns Senior Member

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    Because the Android Kool-Aid hasn't worn off and they are still halluncianating zombie-advertising robots?

    The $399 iPad2 has proven a good value purchase. A 9.3" 16 GB iPad vs. a $249 7" Nexus would favor the iPad2 for everyday usage. That's a very small screen for websurfing and reading or video.

    The issue with Android devices being orphaned vis a vis Android OS updates is a real problem while Apple has been good about iOS updates and it applying to all devices going back a few years.

    My next device will be the MS Windows 8 tablet, replacing my iPad2, so hardly an "Apple fan-boy".
     
  16. ProximalSuns

    ProximalSuns Senior Member

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    Not a problem.
    That's a lot to put up with on consumer device.
    I have Windows Parallels running inside my iMac also. That's why I'll get the Windows 8 full OS tablet to replace iPad2, HP Mini and probably Windows/Parallels on the iMac also.
     
  17. wick1ert

    wick1ert Senior Member

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    I thought about the Nexus 7, but for a "real use" tablet, I'm still waiting on the Surface solely on the fact that it's a "nice to have" for me and my Uncle works for MS so probably a substantial discount on it :D. I did just get a 10" MID Android tablet on Amazon for about $150, and figured it would be a good "trial" to see if it is something I'll even continue to use long-term. I figure it's the in-between of my 4" Thunderbolt Screen and my 15" ASUS laptop screen.

    Cost for me is the main factor for a device that isn't necessarily an every-day "must have" device for me. Admittedly, typically for reliability and "ease of use" I direct people to Apple. They tend to have much better device support and because they have the iron clamp on hardware and software, things tend to rarely be buggy compared to other devices.
     
  18. SquallLHeart

    SquallLHeart The Techie Guy

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    best quote i've heard:

    iPhones are smartphones for dumb people...

    i suppose a majority of Apple products are similar to that.. thus easily explaining the typical Apple fanboy.
    (there's always exceptions of course.. but.. yea..)
     
  19. wick1ert

    wick1ert Senior Member

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    My Android phone doesn't have a compatible release yet from HTC to upgrade. I believe I'm at 2.3. Supposedly, they may not release the upgrade. I could root the phone, but I'd rather not have to deal with doing that and potentially screwing it up and being responsible for it. I think in that regard, Apple is superior, but it's also easier when you only have a couple different items to make the upgrade compatible.
     
  20. SquallLHeart

    SquallLHeart The Techie Guy

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    rooting an Android device.. imho, opens up a lot more doors than "jailbreaking" an Apple product..

    but also.. unlocks the true potential of Android... and is one of the primary reasons why the OS is far superior to anything else available. the developers.. the community.. and the limitless support.. is all made available to you.. if you only take a little effort in seeking it out.

    people are too concerned about screwing up their device that they are missing out. there's no harm in rooting a device... sure.. you might "mess up".. as there's always risks to bricking a device, however in most situations.. there's always a way to recover. so... what you do? is find those methods first and have it as a backup.

    and yes, in most situations, you can also "unroot" your device... so nothing to be concerned about.