Connect with us

Android

Nexus 7: 5 New Things to Know

Published

on

Last July, Asus and Google released the Nexus 7 tablet, a 7-inch Android powered Nexus device that was one of the surprise hits of the year. Yesterday, at Google I/O, the keynote came and went without a Nexus 7 2 announcement as had been predicted. That means that the Nexus 7 is as relevant as it ever has been and it means that there are some new things consumers should know about the aging Android tablet.

Last year’s Google I/O marked the arrival of two major Android products. The first, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, a piece of software that has arrived for most Android devices and a piece of software that was so good, Google saw it fit to issue a major update to it in the form of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Both pieces of software represent the best Google has ever offered with Android.

Read: Nexus 7 2: 5 Things to Know.

Asus-Nexus-7-Desktop-Dock

The Nexus 7 2 did not arrive at Google I/O.

Of course, Google needed some new hardware to help ring in Jelly Bean’s debut and that new hardware was not a new Nexus smartphone, but the first Nexus-branded tablet, the Nexus 7.

A collaboration between Google and Asus, the Nexus 7 started as an Asus tablet but soon shifted to its current state, a 7-inch slate rocking vanilla stock Android, swift updates, an unlocked bootloader and more. Those features and many others were the reason that the Nexus 7 caught on with consumers last year.

Later in the year, Apple released a 7-inch tablet of its own, the 7.9-inch iPad mini, which arrived just ahead of the holidays to compete with the Nexus 7 for the hearts and minds of consumers.

And with the iPad mini pushing the competition, speculation and rumor suggested that Google would announce a new Nexus 7 at this year’s Google I/O to replace the aging Nexus 7. Not the case. Instead, the company focused on many of its other services while also announcing a new Nexus version of the Samsung Galaxy S4.

That means that the Nexus 7 lives to fight another day. Here, we take a look at the five new and most important things people should know about the Nexus 7, a day after Google decided to keep it alive.

Nexus 7 2 Release Won’t Come Soon

google-nexus-7-review-7-620x580

Don’t expect a Nexus 7 2 release soon.

Those that are on the fence about whether to buy the current Nexus 7 or wait for the Nexus 7 2 just saw that decision complicated a bit by Google’s lack of an announcement yesterday. And despite not having a clear cut answer as to when Google might release the Nexus 7 2, if at all, those who were leaning toward waiting for the Nexus 7 2 are likely going to have a bit of a wait ahead of them.

Rumors peg the Nexus 7 2 release as coming in July, or, a year after the Nexus 7 arrived. The source of the rumor, Digitimes, is extremely hit or miss, so it’s impossible to say whether or not this will be the case. Plenty of people believed the Nexus 7 2 would come at Google I/O and it didn’t.

To us, it would be extremely odd to see Google skip the attention of Google I/O and announce the Nexus 7 2 at a smaller event two months later. Stranger things have happened, however.

It’s also entirely possible that the Nexus 7 2 could arrive alongside a Nexus 5 at Google’s other likely big event in 2013. Whatever the case may be though, the Nexus 7 2 won’t come tomorrow, or the next day, or the week after.

At the very least, consumers are looking at more than a months wait.

Almost a Year Later, Still Solid

Those that simply can’t or don’t want to wait aren’t going to be walking into a bad product, even a year later. In fact, the Nexus 7 has withstood the tests of time fairly well and it will continue to do so for a long time to come.

The Nexus 7 came out in July of last year but it remains an extremely solid option for those that aren’t enamored with the iPad mini. It features a gorgeous HD display that isn’t 1080p but still gets the job done, a speedy Tegra 3 quad-core processor that is perfect for just about everyone but gamers looking for top-notch quality, and it comes with a durable and easy to grip design.

All in all, the Nexus 7 is a fantastic piece of hardware and one that truly has aged well. What’s more is that it will surely get any major Android updates that arrive this year. That means Android 4.3 and Android 5.0, should Google choose to release them.

The new software will breathe new life into the Nexus 7 and ensure that those who opt to buy the device today or tomorrow, don’t feel cheated when they do.

Bugs Linger

Of course, for some current Nexus 7 owners, bugs remain a problem, even after Google released Android 4.2.2, the latest version of its Android 4.2 Jelly Bean software.

While the Nexus 7 3G arrived with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean on board, the original Wi-Fi Nexus 7 arrived with Android 4.1, meaning it needed an update to the latest version. That update came around the time that Android 4.2 was first released and Nexus 7 owners excitedly installed the update. However, it wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be.

Speck FitFolio Nexus 7 Case Review - 4

Nexus 7 bugs linger, though it shouldn’t be surprising.

The software was buggy and Nexus 7 owners were greeted with problems right off the bat. Google tackled one with the release of Android 4.1.1 and tackled a few others in Android 4.2.2, but Nexus 7 owners are still mired in a handful of issues, waiting for an update to Android 4.2.3.

More than a few Nexus 7 owners on Android 4.2.2, the latest software, are complaining about abnormal battery drain, issues with the heat of the device, Bluetooth issues and a problem that we ourselves have been dealing with, slow charging.

One thing that people often forget about Nexus devices is that the Nexus means they are developer devices. This means that users are, in a sense, guinea pigs for Google.

This is something that buyers of the Nexus 7 and Nexus 7 2 need to know about before making a purchase. These are not regular consumer-grade devices, despite appearing to be.

Google will likely fix these issues in a later update but just know that bugs are part of the program with Nexus devices, even a year after their release.

iPad mini Remains Best Alternative

iPad mini 2 rumored already

The iPad mini is still the best alternative to the Nexus 7.

The Nexus 7 2 didn’t arrive at Google I/O and that means that the plans of many were likely foiled. For those that are now weighing buying the Nexus 7, know that there is good competition out there, and the best competitor, by a mile, is the iPad mini from Apple.

Indeed, the display size is a bit larger than the Nexus 7’s but the build quality, the features and the software are all solid competition for Asus and Google’s slate.

Maybe best of all, Apple never leaves its tablets behind which means that buyers can comfortably buy the iPad mini, or the Nexus 7, and know that they will be supported for the years to come.

Keep in mind though, the iPad mini 2 is likely coming this year though like the Nexus 7 2, it’s not close to arrival.

Price Drop Won’t Occur

The Nexus 7 launched for $199 for an 8GB and $250 for a 16GB model. That’s extremely cheap considering the benefits that the Nexus 7 offers. In November, Google changed things around, offering the Nexus 7 16GB for $199 and introducing a 32GB Nexus 7 that is $250.

Those prices are extremely cheap and undercut the iPad mini’s starting price of $350. Those hoping for a price drop now, or in the future, at least through Google Play, likely aren’t going to get one.

Google seems content at offering these devices at this price and there have been no signs of wavering. When the Nexus 7 2 does arrive, it will likely completely replace the older Nexus 7 at these price points, instead of the older device seeing a price drop.

14 Comments

14 Comments

  1. QK

    05/16/2013 at 11:29 am

    F**k

  2. John Green

    05/16/2013 at 11:40 am

    Please stop writing this rubbish.

    I’ve had a Nexus for over six months and it has been incredibly reliable.

    You don’t seem to know the first thing about them.

  3. Some User

    05/16/2013 at 12:51 pm

    My wife and I each have a Nexus 7, and they both perform very well. We use them repeatedly every day, and we enjoy that they were very affordable.

    The iPad Mini is certainly a nice tablet, and if you have bought into the Apple ecosystem, then you will be right at home with all your other (expensive) Apple products. But we have not. We have Android phones and now we have compatible and complimentary Android tablets. We have found NOTHING that impedes our enjoyment of these devices.

  4. George

    05/16/2013 at 1:55 pm

    This is the same site that was practically guaranteeing a new Nexus would be announced this week….talk about back-pedalling. And now it’s July apparently. Keep giving new dates – you’ll get it right eventually. Bunch of clowns.

  5. Doug

    05/16/2013 at 2:22 pm

    “…Apple never leaves its tablets behind….” Did you really just write that? Apple left the 1st gen Ipad behind rather quickly and it’s usefulness is questionable at this point.

  6. DG

    05/17/2013 at 7:03 pm

    Poor review. Reliability & stability were never a problem for Nexus 7. Outside of the apple fan club, iPad mini has little value.

  7. carol cressy

    05/18/2013 at 11:44 am

    Love my Nexus 7.

    Can I access Rosetta Stone Italian that is loaded onto my desktop computer?

    CC

  8. atiilahblah

    05/19/2013 at 12:22 pm

    the nexus 7 goes on sale all the time.. I see it at $200-220 for the 32gb all the time on the internetz.

  9. Jeff Rodman

    06/02/2013 at 11:01 am

    Good personal experience doesn’t mean that a device is bug-free, it means your path hasn’t crossed the buggy spots. I’m having multiple Bluetooth problems with a 4.2.2 Nexus 7: doesn’t pair with an Apple wireless keyboard, and doesn’t receive data with two other brands although it pairs with them. Also unable to get a simple email account working, although I’m still hoping that’s something I am doing wrong.

    • Jeff Rodman

      06/02/2013 at 11:59 am

      Update to my previous note: Two of the three keyboards are now working – it was a matter of the “Make visible to all Bluetooth devices” function. The Nexus continues to recognize, but not communicate with, the Apple wireless keyboard. And email’s still not working with my mindspring.com account, although I’m confident the details are entered correctly.

  10. Matt

    06/13/2013 at 2:39 am

    Slow charging: Turn off USB debugging if it is on.

    • sumair

      06/27/2013 at 10:48 am

      From we can USB debugging off

      • sumair

        06/27/2013 at 10:50 am

        From where we can turn USB debugging off

        • Tom

          07/09/2013 at 9:42 am

          To check if it’s on , Go to Settings \ Developer Options .To access this, drag down top of screen and touch the icon with the 3 bars and lines.Sorry if I’ve explained in too much detail :-) Hope this helps !!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.