Nexus 7 anyone?

[tcat]

Just ordered the Nexus 7 16GB tablet... looks like may be a killer for my SGP5. Has all the bells and whistles I want (except an SD card), but I think I can get by with 14GB.

[CrowdAds]

[Hook]

While I think the Nexus 7 is a fine bit of kit, for me the trouble with tablets is I don't need on more thing that doesn't fit in my pocket. That is the appeal of the SGP5. It is my PDA and that needs to be in my pocket wherever I go. I'd love a better specced 5"device, but 7" is too much.

That's just me, of course.

[tcat]

I tend to agree, that's why I bought the SGP... but in the past 6 months I don't think I've had it in my pocket once. I end up just carrying it, so I went for the specs and current OS (and much better display).

[Syndrome]

Does it have any sort of verizon 3g or anything like that?

[saratoga]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

Does it have any sort of verizon 3g or anything like that?

No its Wifi only.

[sanchezhacker]

I was really excited when the Nexus 7 was announced, but that excitement quickly died when I found out there was no microSD slot. I've had players and phones with no microSD slot before and it was terrible, I won't go back to that. I have already used up more than 16GB with my SGP5.0.

It would seem that a tablet's main purpose is for movies and TV shows with large files sizes, more so than our players because of the larger screen. So it makes no sense to limit the storage like they did, I'm not sure what Google and Asus were thinking. The NFC chip probably cost more than a microSD slot and won't be used as much on a tablet.

At least one good thing for everyone is that this will probably start a price war between android tablet makers. It will be interesting to see how Samsung and Amazon respond to the Nexus 7. I do hope that Asus releases a similar device with expandable storage later, I would have paid extra for the microSD option.

[saratoga]

Originally Posted by sanchezhacker

It would seem that a tablet's main purpose is for movies and TV shows with large files sizes, more so than our players because of the larger screen. So it makes no sense to limit the storage like they did, I'm not sure what Google and Asus were thinking.

It makes perfect sense, they want you to stream music and movies from Google's services, rather then play your own files. Its not about saving 10 cents on the SD card, its about pushing their services and ecosystem, which is the point of the nexus devices.

If you don't want to do the Google thing, you're not the kind of person who is supposed to buy Nexus devices, and you should probably look at a third party product.

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by saratoga

It makes perfect sense, they want you to stream music and movies from Google's services, rather then play your own files. Its not about saving 10 cents on the SD card, its about pushing their services and ecosystem, which is the point of the nexus devices.

So in essence they've created a better-hardware version of the Kindle Fire....lol.

[Olley]

Far more than a Fire. Yes, it's the same price and can do the same things a Fire can do. It also has GPS, Bluetooth,NFC, the Google Play store, a higher resolution screen, and so on. With downloadable maps available now the GPS in the unit makes it a great navigation device. NFC isn't common yet, but as devices supporting it roll out you'll be able to use the N7 as your Google Wallet, and hopefully for several other things no one has imagined yet. All my music is already on Google's cloud, so I have no need to park it directly on the device. 16gb has room for a few movies, which is all I would ever put on one anyway. A few thousand e-books too.

I'm guessing the N7 will be the new Kindle. Not heard of any plans from Amazon to come out with a new one, but knowing them I would predict it to be hobbled just like the current one is.

[Zapp]

If you have to leave a wifi device at home, it can't do anything for you anywhere else. 5" is about my limit for device size, I like to carry a wifi device on my person. The Nexus 7 stikes me as the Google version of Apple's "walled garden". I suspect there is no SD card slot so that you HAVE to depend on the cloud.

What about the Asus MeMo 370t? Rumors are still swerling around the device, it might not be dead. If the MeMo 370t is ever actually released it might be a better choice than the Nexus 7. Anyway, I'm holding on to my Galaxy 5.0 until a better 5" device is released.

[dfkt]

Thread moved.

No SD slot = instant 100% dealbreaker, for my needs. The 16GB internal memory (of which only 12GB or so are actually usable, cause of the various OS partitions) of my Galaxy Tab 7.7 are filled to the brim with app data, Titanium and CM backups, etc - no audio/video/books/comics at all, they're all on the external SD card.

[sanchezhacker]

Originally Posted by saratoga

It makes perfect sense, they want you to stream music and movies from Google's services, rather then play your own files.

I suppose you're right, I'm just sad to see Google take this route. Android was always about offering more options and customization than it's competitors and not having to rely on any one service or brand. It just seems like Google is forgetting what made Android devices so great.

Originally Posted by Zapp

If you have to leave a wifi device at home, it can't do anything for you anywhere else.

I completely agree. There's no way to stream music of movies on road trip and most hotel's wifi are too slow for even a youtube video. I could understand pushing Google's streaming if it had the option of a data plan, but with it being wifi only and no expandable storage it just seem like Google is limiting the Nexus 7's potential.

[tcat]

I've had the SGP for more than 6 months and have never played or streamed a movie or TV show, so not a big deal for me. I'm on wifi at home and work, and there's 15 hotspots between. I also have a Virgin Mobile OV that I can tether if I got in a bind (I don't use that much at all). I first thought the no SD was a dealbreaker, and I do have 14GB on my SGP, but it's mostly my music, which I also have all on Google Play. I'll probably only load 4GB of favorites on the N7.

My primary use for a larger screen is email, games, and browsing. Jelly Bean, speed, and high res./Gorilla glass screen is what sold me. Sound quality of speaker of N7 is better, but I'm sure headphones are much better on the SGP. I'm sure something similar with an SD card slot will come out the day after I receive the N7 and I'll wish I had the next best thing.

[zacp2]

Originally Posted by sanchezhacker

I suppose you're right, I'm just sad to see Google take this route. Android was always about offering more options and customization than it's competitors and not having to rely on any one service or brand. It just seems like Google is forgetting what made Android devices so great.


I completely agree. There's no way to stream music of movies on road trip and most hotel's wifi are too slow for even a youtube video. I could understand pushing Google's streaming if it had the option of a data plan, but with it being wifi only and no expandable storage it just seem like Google is limiting the Nexus 7's potential.

I think google's way of doing thing is like you said. They want you to use their online services. Also if you see the other nexus devices, they don't have a micro sd card slot at all (take exemple of nexus s or galaxy nexus.) So I think they make this on purpose.

[saratoga]

Originally Posted by sanchezhacker

I suppose you're right, I'm just sad to see Google take this route. Android was always about offering more options and customization than it's competitors and not having to rely on any one service or brand.

Android was supposed to be open does not imply that all Android hardware must have an SD card slot. SD cards are not the unit of openness. Being open does not force one to have an SD slot or for that matter anything at all.

If you want a device with an SD card slot, go buy one. Or just root the Nexus 7 and use a USB thumb drive.

[tcat]

Do you know for a fact this will work? That's a huge plus. But I can't really see going over the 16gb on mine.... although paying $50 for an extra 8gb did not make me happy.... would have been nice if they upped it to 32gb for that price (wonder if you can take it apart and swap a 32gb card).

Originally Posted by saratoga

Or just root the Nexus 7 and use a USB thumb drive.

[sanchezhacker]

Originally Posted by saratoga

Android was supposed to be open does not imply that all Android hardware must have an SD card slot. SD cards are not the unit of openness. Being open does not force one to have an SD slot or for that matter anything at all.

I never implied that android hardware was required to have a sd card slot. I only meant that android devices in general usually had an sd card slot and that is what made them great. I am aware that android is just the OS and hardware makers are free to do as they please.

[saratoga]

Originally Posted by tcat

Do you know for a fact this will work?

Yeah, people at GoogleIO reported doing it. Even if they didn't, its a fully unlocked device with an open source operating system. Not like Google could do anything to stop you from downloading an MSC driver (or at most a patched kernel) and installing it with root

That is why the Nexus devices are so great. If you don't like the Google stuff, you can use something else.

Originally Posted by tcat

(wonder if you can take it apart and swap a 32gb card).

No its all soldered together.

[Jack4L]

Well my current Evo View is working great as a media device. Large storage and long battery life is all I need. The only thing this really has over it is the Tegra 3 chip- but gaming isn't that good on smartphone/tablet devices.

Still I would consider buying these for my parents. I mean for the price and features it seems pretty ideal, only problem is theres no easy keyboard option. In that reguard the windows 8 tablets would make a whole lot more sense, I just don't see them selling those for 200$.

[nathan]

Originally Posted by Jack4L

Well my current Evo View is working great as a media device. Large storage and long battery life is all I need. The only thing this really has over it is the Tegra 3 chip- but gaming isn't that good on smartphone/tablet devices.

Still I would consider buying these for my parents. I mean for the price and features it seems pretty ideal, only problem is theres no easy keyboard option. In that reguard the windows 8 tablets would make a whole lot more sense, I just don't see them selling those for 200$.

It has the on screen keyboard which isn't that hard to figure out and you could easily connect a bluetooth keyboard to this device like every other Android device. The Nexus 7 does has bluetooth right?