by iPhone-Tips-Tricks.com - People blame me for that I always favor the Apple products when talking about new Android devices. And to be honest, that is often true. So you guess what? I bought an Android device to do a review. It is the Google Nexus 7 that I am holding right in my hand. So what are my findings as Apple Fanboy?
Here is my experience of 1 week playing with it. To start with, the price is great! US $200 for the 8 GB and US $250 for the 16 GB version of Googles first own tablet. Nope, no 3G or 4G on board. However Wifi, bluetooth and NFC is built-in. I haven't tested the latter 2 radios yet, sorry. The unboxing of Google's only 7 incher is unfortunately not as smooth as an iPad. The box was based on a matchbox package. You have to slide out the box with a friction that didn't went very smooth.
However, I have managed to continue the unboxing. There it is, a 7 inch tablet smiling at me in his coffin-like box. (click to "Read More" link below to see the full article)
You can take the device out easily like an iPad. So lets find the power switch, but where is it? Ahhh right-hand side is the small switch. The system boots. This is the first Google machine that runs on the newest "Jelly Bean" aka Android 4.1. Unfortunately I needed a scissor and a sharp stanley knife to get loose the mini usb cable and the charger. To conclude the unboxing part, it is not exactly the smooth iPad unboxing experience, but hey Google (or ASUS the OEM) can learn from our suggestions: For unboxing devices, we don't like to use a scissor and / or a knife.
The 7 inch size is good? Yes it is, it just feels right to me! With an 10 inch iPad, you need 2 hands to hold it, often need a table or your lap to support it. The Nexus fits in one hand, like hold it like a phone. The other hand can be used to drive your car ehhh I mean, to touch the 7 inch multitouch screen.
The "tapping to enlarge document" works in Android 4.1. Well, yesterday Samsung lost the $1Billion lawsuit, Apple blames Samsung it had copied his patent 163 . I am not very familiar with legal stuff, but if Apple wins, Google/Asus might also get forced to remove this 'copied' functionality?
Android works very smoothly, the 3 Android buttons are onscreen buttons. Actually, they eat a part of your screen, leaving you have less working space on your multitouch screen for the apps. Flicking around the Android user interface is nice. One annoying thing, if you are scrolling to the end of an page, Android does not has the "bounce back" feature notifying then user. Well Google is not likely to add it in 4.2 because this is also a Apple patent 381.
Running apps is easy. Goto Google Play (formally known as the market place) and select some apps you like. download and install it and you are good to go. However, I keep the feeling, Android apps are more dangerous than iOS apps because the source is not always known. So I directly installed a free virus scanner (mcafee app) that checks my apps against a big known virus database somewhere at mcafee HQ. However, after some days it is started complaining that I have to pay money. What a bummer! All with all the apps mostly works smooth on the Tegra 3 quad (= 4) core nexus 7. One annoying thing is with media players. When you run two music players at the time, you actually also hear both music playing. In iOS, the latest music player prevails and the other will fade out. With Android you need to find the icon of the first music app, kill it, confirm to kill it. many steps.
The camera. There is one front facing camera. However, Android 4.1 does not provide you with an camera app. What a shame! Instead you need to download a camera app before you can take your first picture. Weird google! Okay, it is a 1.2 web camera. The light sensitivity is good, the shutter speed is ok. You can not easily take pictures like a normal camera because there is no rear facing camera. For business use like service people who needs to take pictures for their processes, it is simply a no go. A pity!
The standard apps. The email client is excellent and as good as the mail app in iOS. I configured my corporate email, which is Microsoft Exchange 200X. I just filled in my corporate email account and my Active Directory password, and it works. Ofcourse you get the security policy pushed from the exchange server. Remote wipe, unlock Passcode and more. Actually the client will warn for all possible policies, but does not exactly know the security policy which are configured in MS Exchange. Just accept, and it will work like a charm. Also the Global Address List is available when creating a new messages. When you type a character in the TO box, it will suggest email addresses from the GAL.
Alle Google own apps are working fine Gtalk, Gmail, Maps, Locations, Earth, Chrome, Plus and a navigation app all work fine. But the sweetest thing in Jelly Bean Android 4.1 is of course 'Google Now!' This is a voice command and response app very very similar to like Apple famous log time beta equivalent named "Siri". The results are amazing and may be as good as Siri. Just press the Google Now button and ask a question. And Google now will give an voice answer back.
Examples: Who's the president of the United States? Do I need a raincoat today ? What is the capital of Mali? How many people lives in China? What is an iPad? For all these questions you get an voice answer back! You can give commands to the Nexus 7 to doe things like: notify me in 15 minutes. Wake me at 7 AM, Locate San Francisco. Plan meeting tomorrow at 9 am. It will set the timer alarm, add meeting in the calendar, set alarm clock etc. All for that low price from $200 !
The battery use is ok. May not last as long as the iPad, but long for a working day to read and sent emails. The charging cable connector is a micro USB, and it is horrible to plug to your Nexus 7. That comes because it is a very small connector.
Now the ecosystem part. In iOS, if you take a picture with your iPhone or iPad, the photo will be available on any Apple device without doing anything. I often view photos I took earlier, on my Apple TV with Photostream. I can't do it easily with Android. So that ecosystem of iCloud, iTunes, Airplay, AppleTV, Remote app, iBook app. I think that is what is really missing on the Android, a ecosystem where you can count on and that works.
Conclusion:
The Nexus 7 is a good and well built device. Nice and soft materials are used. The low price from $200, you get the best and newest android tablet device you can imagine. And it is from Google, the father of Android. I can't imagine the rumored Apple's iPad mini will come close to 200 -250 dollar mark. So for that price I would recommend you to get one.
The usability is enhanced very much, all user interface features are core technologies of Android Jelly Bean itself. No skins, OEM helper tools. For that reason, I can recommend it. However, if you very used to Apples iOS user interfaces, you will miss some natural look and feel like the bounce back features.
Business use, If you only use corporate email, calendar functions, I can recommend the nexus 7. The mail client works well. However, Android is known for more open to let malicious apps in, that can steal other Apps information like your email. Take that into account, and be careful to select a suitable Mobile Device Management (MDM or EMM) solution to reduce risks of losing sensitive information. Same thing for Enterprise applications. That are applications that queries your corporate backend databases via a connection to your DMZ. In these cases, you must carefully select a Mobile Enterprise Application Platform (MEAP) with strong sandboxing implementation and encryption technologies. For business processes that is using the camera taking pictures, it is not recommended. There is simply no rear camera on board.
For the Apple Fanboy who already has all iDevices at home, wait for the rumored 7 inch Apple iPad Mini or simply stick with your iPad 2 or iPad 3. Why? Because you will simply be missing the Apple ecosystem including iCloud, Airplay, AppleTV, Remote App, Photostream, Mac integration etc etc that makes Apple products works so well with other Apple products. What are your thoughts?
iPhone-Tips-Tricks.com
Here is my experience of 1 week playing with it. To start with, the price is great! US $200 for the 8 GB and US $250 for the 16 GB version of Googles first own tablet. Nope, no 3G or 4G on board. However Wifi, bluetooth and NFC is built-in. I haven't tested the latter 2 radios yet, sorry. The unboxing of Google's only 7 incher is unfortunately not as smooth as an iPad. The box was based on a matchbox package. You have to slide out the box with a friction that didn't went very smooth.
 |
| The Google Nexus 7 has a Match box style box - Unboxing by sliding it open - It didn't went smoothly when sliding it open, little bit to tight by iPhone-Tips-Tricks.com . |
You can take the device out easily like an iPad. So lets find the power switch, but where is it? Ahhh right-hand side is the small switch. The system boots. This is the first Google machine that runs on the newest "Jelly Bean" aka Android 4.1. Unfortunately I needed a scissor and a sharp stanley knife to get loose the mini usb cable and the charger. To conclude the unboxing part, it is not exactly the smooth iPad unboxing experience, but hey Google (or ASUS the OEM) can learn from our suggestions: For unboxing devices, we don't like to use a scissor and / or a knife.
 |
| There it is, a 7 inch tablet smiling at me in his coffin-like box. by iPhone-Tips-Tricks.com |
 |
| 7 inch Google Nexus vs 10 inch iPad. It is lighter and fits in my left hand, enble my other hand to freely use the multitouch screen. |
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| The back is black soft plastic. It feels very nice like leather. It does not feel cold, and adapts the temperature of your hands. I think is is less durable as aluminum but it will |
Android works very smoothly, the 3 Android buttons are onscreen buttons. Actually, they eat a part of your screen, leaving you have less working space on your multitouch screen for the apps. Flicking around the Android user interface is nice. One annoying thing, if you are scrolling to the end of an page, Android does not has the "bounce back" feature notifying then user. Well Google is not likely to add it in 4.2 because this is also a Apple patent 381.
 |
| I really like the iOS icons more, they are more intuitive to organize than the smaller Android icons. When you want to delete an Android app, you have to drag the icon to an delete area on top of the screen. Unbelievable complex gesture if you ask me! In Apple iOS, you Hold till the icon whiggels - Then tap to delete, is much more intuitive. |
The camera. There is one front facing camera. However, Android 4.1 does not provide you with an camera app. What a shame! Instead you need to download a camera app before you can take your first picture. Weird google! Okay, it is a 1.2 web camera. The light sensitivity is good, the shutter speed is ok. You can not easily take pictures like a normal camera because there is no rear facing camera. For business use like service people who needs to take pictures for their processes, it is simply a no go. A pity!
The standard apps. The email client is excellent and as good as the mail app in iOS. I configured my corporate email, which is Microsoft Exchange 200X. I just filled in my corporate email account and my Active Directory password, and it works. Ofcourse you get the security policy pushed from the exchange server. Remote wipe, unlock Passcode and more. Actually the client will warn for all possible policies, but does not exactly know the security policy which are configured in MS Exchange. Just accept, and it will work like a charm. Also the Global Address List is available when creating a new messages. When you type a character in the TO box, it will suggest email addresses from the GAL.
Alle Google own apps are working fine Gtalk, Gmail, Maps, Locations, Earth, Chrome, Plus and a navigation app all work fine. But the sweetest thing in Jelly Bean Android 4.1 is of course 'Google Now!' This is a voice command and response app very very similar to like Apple famous log time beta equivalent named "Siri". The results are amazing and may be as good as Siri. Just press the Google Now button and ask a question. And Google now will give an voice answer back.
Examples: Who's the president of the United States? Do I need a raincoat today ? What is the capital of Mali? How many people lives in China? What is an iPad? For all these questions you get an voice answer back! You can give commands to the Nexus 7 to doe things like: notify me in 15 minutes. Wake me at 7 AM, Locate San Francisco. Plan meeting tomorrow at 9 am. It will set the timer alarm, add meeting in the calendar, set alarm clock etc. All for that low price from $200 !
The battery use is ok. May not last as long as the iPad, but long for a working day to read and sent emails. The charging cable connector is a micro USB, and it is horrible to plug to your Nexus 7. That comes because it is a very small connector.
Now the ecosystem part. In iOS, if you take a picture with your iPhone or iPad, the photo will be available on any Apple device without doing anything. I often view photos I took earlier, on my Apple TV with Photostream. I can't do it easily with Android. So that ecosystem of iCloud, iTunes, Airplay, AppleTV, Remote app, iBook app. I think that is what is really missing on the Android, a ecosystem where you can count on and that works.
Conclusion:
The Nexus 7 is a good and well built device. Nice and soft materials are used. The low price from $200, you get the best and newest android tablet device you can imagine. And it is from Google, the father of Android. I can't imagine the rumored Apple's iPad mini will come close to 200 -250 dollar mark. So for that price I would recommend you to get one.
The usability is enhanced very much, all user interface features are core technologies of Android Jelly Bean itself. No skins, OEM helper tools. For that reason, I can recommend it. However, if you very used to Apples iOS user interfaces, you will miss some natural look and feel like the bounce back features.
Business use, If you only use corporate email, calendar functions, I can recommend the nexus 7. The mail client works well. However, Android is known for more open to let malicious apps in, that can steal other Apps information like your email. Take that into account, and be careful to select a suitable Mobile Device Management (MDM or EMM) solution to reduce risks of losing sensitive information. Same thing for Enterprise applications. That are applications that queries your corporate backend databases via a connection to your DMZ. In these cases, you must carefully select a Mobile Enterprise Application Platform (MEAP) with strong sandboxing implementation and encryption technologies. For business processes that is using the camera taking pictures, it is not recommended. There is simply no rear camera on board.
For the Apple Fanboy who already has all iDevices at home, wait for the rumored 7 inch Apple iPad Mini or simply stick with your iPad 2 or iPad 3. Why? Because you will simply be missing the Apple ecosystem including iCloud, Airplay, AppleTV, Remote App, Photostream, Mac integration etc etc that makes Apple products works so well with other Apple products. What are your thoughts?
iPhone-Tips-Tricks.com
Labels:
7 inch,
Android,
Android 4.1,
Google,
Google now,
iPad Mini,
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iPhone TIPS and TRICKS,
Jelly Bean,
Nexus 7,
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