iPad user view of nexus 7

[BostonDan]

Hi all. I'm considering the purchase of a Nexus 7 and would like to know how iPad users view the Nexus 7.

I currently have an iPad 2 and looking at the Nexus 7 for the form factor. I'm not getting rid of my iPad 2, I'm planning to use both. Taking the iPad when traveling without my laptop and the Nexus 7 when traveling with it. I will be using both devices for accessing gmail, google calendar, salesforce.com, Dropbox, etc. I'm not gaming.

I'd appreciate any thoughts and suggestions. Thanks all.

 

[AQ_OC]

I have the iPad 3 and the Nexus 7 (also a Kindle Fire and an Acer Iconia A500). I like both (both of these are way better than the other two, IMO). IMO, the Nexus 7 is the best Android tab around. Jelly Bean is a big part of it, but the form factor (size and weight) and responsiveness really make this a great little machine. I do wish it had iOS and its apps, but for what you get, it is not a bad deal at all. Several of my Android apps wouldn't load on it for one reason or another. JB is way better than ICS, for example. Another thing I like about it is that the back of it feels really good in your hand, too. I recommend the 16 GB version, however.

One downside to it is that you can't really read full-page magazines (like Distro, which is available on both Android and iOS) on it in portrait mode as the resolution is simply not high enough. It is not iPad 3 replacement in terms of the high-res screen for reading text. At least not for me, but there are a lot of things I use it for so I really can't be too hard on it. If Apple were to release a similarly-sized device with the same weight (this is big) but with a true retina screen similar to the 2012 iPad, I would prefer that. But as I own quite a few Android apps, this is really going to be my go-to device for Android. I see myself giving away my other two Android tablets just so I can lighten my load in my home office.

I was viewing some photos. I noticed that if I hold the iPad in landscape mode, what i see on the screen is almost exactly the same size as what I see if I view that same image in portaint mode on the GN7, assuming the image is formated to take up the entire GN7 screen in portrait mode (that same image would be much larger if viewed in portrait mode on the iPad). I hope that makes sense.

 

[BostonDan]

Thanks AQ_OC
Do you know if there is better integration with the cloud? Apples support of the Dropbox and Google Drive, the ability to open and save directly to the cloud is terrible IMHO.

 

[AQ_OC]

I use mine with the cloud, but I can't be sure if it is better or not. I have the dropbox app, Google Drive, etc. installed. Obviously, the integration with google drive is better, and since you can get to files you can move any file anywhere, as one expects from Android. Of course, it plays your music from Google and Amazon Cloud, and movies from Google. There is no GoodReader, which really opens up the cloud on iOS, IMO, as well as using apps that talk to iCloud (and note, iOSs use of the cloud is about to improve greatly with the soon-to-be released iOS 6) and many of these features are already in the new OS X 10.8 ML.

Bottom line: this is Android Jelly Bean. This is the best you can get from Android and this device supports it all. Remember, Google is sort of counting on users using this tab with the cloud. You can stream from and save to the cloud. It is still not a PC, though, but I think the simple fact that you can get to files will make it seem better integrated with the cloud.

 

[AQ_OC]

Another thing: surfing websites is not ideal either as the text is very small. IMO, this is the price you pay for a hand friendly
tab.

 

[BostonDan]

Thanks again for all of this. Very helpful. I'm fairly confident I will buy the Nexus 7 once the quality issues are better resolved.

 

[twerppoet]

I've been thinking about the Nexus 7, and if I have spare money laying around at the right moment an impulse buy is entirely possible. I'd like to have an Android device, just for comparison, and this looks like the unit to have. At least it is the first Android tablet (other than the Kindle Fire) to tempt me.

However, I won't be buying one as a primary device. To me the 7 inch form factor is all about increased mobility. In my mind (what there is of it) the lack of a cellular data option cancels most of the advantages of the smaller size.

We don't have a ton of wi-fi hotspots in my area, which means it would be mostly a home device, and I'd rather have the larger screen if I'm not going to have to lug it around anyway.

 

[HappyPelican]

Thanks for the review AQ_OC! I've been thinking about the Nexus 7 myself simply because I'm a bit of a gadget junkie I didn't care for the Kindle Fire at all (returned it and happily used the $200 for a beach pass for my truck). the whole carousel feature turned me off among other things. Since my previous phone was an Android, I have quite a few Android apps and would like to access too.

 

[AQ_OC]

I've been thinking about the Nexus 7, and if I have spare money laying around at the right moment an impulse buy is entirely possible. I'd like to have an Android device, just for comparison, and this looks like the unit to have. At least it is the first Android tablet (other than the Kindle Fire) to tempt me.

However, I won't be buying one as a primary device. To me the 7 inch form factor is all about increased mobility. In my mind (what there is of it) the lack of a cellular data option cancels most of the advantages of the smaller size.

We don't have a ton of wi-fi hotspots in my area, which means it would be mostly a home device, and I'd rather have the larger screen if I'm not going to have to lug it around anyway.

Turn on the hotspot on your iPad and connect your nexus to it. Your iPad is stowed out of sight. Or get a 4g myfi. Or get it on your phone. . I think it better to have one mobile 4g device that works with all your gear.

 

[Kaykaykay]

Turn on the hotspot on your iPad and connect your nexus to it. Your iPad is stowed out of sight. Or get a 4g myfi. Or get it on your phone. . I think it better to have one mobile 4g device that works with all your gear.

I agree with twerppoet about lack of cellular being unappealing. I ruled out tethering because I don't want my tablet(s) draining my phone battery, and I wouldn't carry two tablets out normally (so I wouldn't tether a tablet to my iPad). I also don't want to carry and charge a myfi device.

For me, carrier bucket plans (which let you share data among devices) seem more appealing when adding more devices to my collection, but any new mobile device I buy must have a cellular option.

 

[twerppoet]

Turn on the hotspot on your iPad and connect your nexus to it. Your iPad is stowed out of sight. Or get a 4g myfi. Or get it on your phone. . I think it better to have one mobile 4g device that works with all your gear.

I've gone the hotspot router before. It was good at the time.

But for me, it is now a second best solution. Something I will probably do if I do get the Nexus 7, or some other wi-fi only device. I would still rather purchases a best solution device that does not depend on me having second device handy; a second device that while perhaps not perfect for the situation would do the job by itself.

I'm spoiled I guess; but I just can't bring myself to go back to using hotspots, except as a backup solution.

 

[s2mikey]

I personally can't see me ever being comfortable with a tablet or device with a screen smaller than the iPad. There is something just so perfect about the iPad screen size. Anything smaller is just too small and anything larger kills the portability and handling factor. Kind of like a goldilocks and the three bears thing.... The iPad sized screens are just right. Its also the reason I can't use cell phones for games or media consumption. Too darned small.

 

[valeyana]

Nexus 7 is a good tablet, I am using it and like it very much. But we cannot compare this with ipad because each tablet has their own benefits.

 

[AQ_OC]

Nexus 7 is a good tablet, I am using it and like it very much. But we cannot compare this with ipad because each tablet has their own benefits.

You can always compare. That is how you determine the relative merits of each.

 

[DrHouse]

The 7 inches form is a dead end for me. I would be more interested in a 10' version of the Nexus (or any other tablet). I got my self a Playbook a while ago when the price was at 200$. It's a nice device but the screen is too small or too big at the same time. Browsing the net is about the same thing as surfing on my iPhone as I have to zoom out/in most of the time. The virtual keyboard is just too small for writing long text and you end up using your thumbs as you would do on an iPhone.

I already "struggle" with the small size of the iPhone when using it. But that's the price of being able to carry it around in my back pocket. A 7' form is also just too big to be easy to carry around, at least, when you don't have a purse

The 10' form, while being less practical to carry around compensates with a large enough screen to view contents at the right size. It's easier to use the virtual keyboard with both hands making it possible to write for long period of time and in a more "natural way"

7' form is good for games and movies, too big for as a Music player and too small as a work machine...

My 2 cents