Nexus 7 Review

By: Greg Woolston

Twitter: gregwoolston

The Nexus 7 is an incredible device. There is no doubt about that. With not much experience in the tablet space other than dabbling with various iPad demos, I have found a new piece of tech that I can use everyday. In last weeks article I outlined the reasons why I wanted to get the Nexus, and this tablet definitely satisfied most of my wants and needs. I won’t really focus on the specs of the tablet or what it brings to the table, because I have already done that. I will, however, discuss the tablet and the user experience. Let’s begin with what the tablet does well.

The speed of the device is one of the first things I noticed as I began to play with the tablet. Most of the commands were executed quickly and buttery smooth. This is most likely due to the Jelly Bean Butter initiative that Google has used to make the Android operating system faster and smoother. I haven’t had much experience with previous Android versions, but the OS runs very well. There have been occasional hiccups every now and then but these can be overlooked. Sometimes the page doesn’t swipe to the next as smoothly as it should, which leaves the page in a back and forth limbo until you can swipe it away. I just have to make sure my finger swipes are precise, and accurate. I believe that this could easily be fixed in a future update. The OS is also very easy to navigate; I was worried that I would have issues coming from iOS to Jelly Bean, but the only thing that has bothered me is the layout of the keyboard. With time I will be able to overcome this minor annoyance. Overall the OS is very good, and offers minimal problems. My experience with Jelly Bean has been very good, and should be seen as a worthy competitor to Apple’s iOS. 

Apps are probably the biggest part of any tablet experience. Luckily there are tons of apps available for the Android platform. There are apps for everything from games to productivity apps to social networking apps, and they all run well. Some of the tablet apps seem to be stretched out from their phone versions to fit the tablet screen. I haven’t really noticed any issues related to the stretching and all of the apps that I have used look good on the Nexus’ HD screen. My favorite has probably been Comixology and the Walking Dead comic books. This tablet functions as a very competent reader as well. The Chrome web browser for Nexus and, I presume, all Android tablets works exceptionally well. Users are able to connect their PC Chrome experience with the mobile experience so that the same tabs can be accessed on both devices. So, if you have a certain tab open on your PC that same tab is available on your Nexus. The seamless experience is really fantastic, and looks just like the PC experience.

Every app I have run starts up quickly and runs smoothly. The Tegra 3 quadcore CPU definitely helps to make graphically intense apps run with clarity and precision. I’ve played a couple games including some mobile essentials, but I don’t think that this device will be used as my primary mobile gaming solution. However, if that is a draw for you this tablet will handle games without trouble.  This includes both games on the hard drive or streaming from a service like Onlive. Onlive worked well with the touch controls provided, but most gamers will want a controller. I tried connecting a Sony Dualshock 3 controler to the Nexus, but as of this moment the Nexus isn’t able to find the Dualshock. If you are adventurous you can root the device, and use an app called “Sixaxis Controller” that pairs Sony Playstation 3 controllers to Android devices. I haven’t tried rooting the Nexus just yet, but hopefully I’ll be able to pair a PS3 controller or mouse/keyboard to the Nexus in the future. I wasn’t able to try pairing a mouse or keyboard to the device, because I don’t have a Bluetooth mouse or keyboard. If you can deal with the touch controls on Onlive I see that as a very good option for gaming on this tablet. I personally find the touch controls a bit awkward to use, but the opportunity to play full-featured AAA titles on the go is a very big draw. As long as you have a fast, steady Wi-Fi connection streaming games is solid.  

I will mostly be using the Nexus for keeping myself organized at school and work.  By using the tablet for the past few days it integrates easily with both my Gmail account (of course), and my work Exchange account. It is very easy to read, and keep all email organized. The Google Calendar app works very well, and everything from my work and personal calendars sync up perfectly. It remains to be seen whether this will work out in the long run, but the experience I’ve had so far promises to yield a very productive future. Google has done a very good job of allowing users to integrate their activities with the Google ecosystem. 

Music and movies work very well on the Nexus. Music streams very easily from my Google Play account. The option also exists to download music to the device for offline use. This whole system works very well and you can use the Play cloud to keep up to 20,000 songs for free. Google has provided a very attractive method for listening to music on this beast. Movies also work well on the device. I have tried movies both from the hard drive and using Netflix. Both methods work very well. Movies can easily be stored on the Nexus for traveling or the Nexus can be used for streaming when you are at a Wi-Fi hotspot. This is an excellent media device for when you are on the go. Wherever your media is needed this tablet will be there to provide the entertainment.

The Google Play store works very well, and is the main source for all apps, music, and movies for digital purchase. I am unsure if the Amazon app store or any other options will become available as time goes on, but for now the Play store offers most of what users could ever want or need. I have found that some things aren’t available on the Play store including some movies and music. I imagine that the store will be updated as time goes on, but for now the options may be limited when compared to iTunes or the iOS app store. If having a greater selection of media options is the biggest tablet draw than the more expensive iPad options may be the better fit. When compared to my time with my iPhone and Apples ecosystem the Google experience is very close. I think that the Android tablet market needs to expand, and I hope that the Nexus with Google’s ecosystem gain popularity so that Google is able to fill their play store with more content.

I haven’t really touched heavily on battery life, because it is very good for this type of device. I haven’t done any formal battery life tests, but I have had the Nexus for 6 days and have fully charged it twice. The battery holds up very well with heavy use like streaming, and on stand by mode. 

The major issues I have found with the device so far have been outlined already. I haven’t found any game breaking faults in the hardware or the software. There are only the minor annoyances. The Nexus 7 is amazing, and I am so glad that I made the decision to get one. I can see the tablet becoming a crucial part of everyday life. Sure most of us have smart phones and laptops, but this tablet is perfect the hybrid of both. It is a lightweight powerhouse that will be able to do everything that you need. This tablet is worth full retail price whether you decide on the 8GB or 16GB. I look forward to discovering all there is to know about the tablet, and using it more and more.