Nexus 7 (2013) Review

When the original iPad was released, it had its fair share of flaws and design quirks. And yet when Steve Jobs showed it off and declared it was “magic,” no one argued. But the magic that the iPad possessed had little to do with the practicality or accessibility of such a device. In the end, it was the iPad 2 that really cleaned up the hardware and had the tablet ecosystem to make it a device worth having on you at all times.

When the original Nexus 7 hit shelves last year, many users had that same “magical” experience. There was just something special about a completely stock, well-designed 7” Android tablet—the way it looked, the way it felt in your hands—it achieved something that other Android tablets had been trying to nail for years.

This year, Google released a new Nexus 7 that doesn’t have a new name, but maybe it should—because the new Nexus 7 is Google’s iPad 2. This isn’t just a flashy toy—it’s a device worth putting money down for.

HARDWARE: A sleek 7” tablet with an incredibly high-res screen

The new Nexus 7 is a beautiful and meticulously crafted device. Although it’s made of plastic and glass, the Nexus 7 has a durable and premium feel. This 7” tablet also features a new soft-touch back that replaces the hideous rubber that plagued the back of the original Nexus 7. But most importantly, Google has managed to make the new Nexus 7 far thinner and lighter, which is exactly what you need in a tablet made for content consumption. It’s gone from something that feels like a toy to a thing you’ll want to show off to your friends.

Weighing in at just 2 pounds, it feels comfortable to use with one hand—even to use leisurely in landscape mode with two hands. When you first pick up this tablet you’ll know exactly what to do with it—lounge on your couch to browse your favorite websites, catch up on Twitter on the bus, or do some late night before-bed reading. There are a few curious choices that take some getting used to—mostly that the side-mounted buttons don’t stick out at all and the strangely huge top and bottom bezels. For the most part though, you’d be shocked to learn that such a well-designed device was made in conjunction with Asus, the company responsible for devices such as the Transformer and the MemoPad.

But the real shocker here is the display. You won’t find a tablet display with better viewing angles, color reproduction and brightness. But the screen isn’t just vibrant, it’s also incredibly accurate—far better than the iPad Mini and miles ahead of any other 7” tablet. Add on to that the fact they’ve boosted the resolution up to 1900×1200 (a significant leap over the original), and you’ve got a tablet display that simply has no competitor. And while the Nexus 7 doesn’t look particularly notable just sitting on a table—a problem that the Nexus line of products has always had—it’ll turn some heads once that display is unlocked.

SOFTWARE: A no-frills Android tablet experience

The Nexus 7 runs stock Android JellyBean 4.3, the newest version of the operating system that few non-Nexus tablets will get this early. What you get with 4.3 is designated profile modes for parental controls, as well as other minor features such as an improved Google Now. Beyond that, you won’t see a ton of visible differences in 4.3—but what you do get is a significant boost in performance. That could also be due to the much-needed extra GB of ram in the Nexus 7 (two total) pushing the very capable Snapdragon 600 processor.

With no bloatware or extra features to speak of, the end is result is a device that can focus solely on pushing the OS and your favorite apps as fast as they can go. That also means that battery life is fairly dependable despite the high-res screen—as long as you don’t have the brightness turned up all day.

Although the Android ecosystem has almost caught up to iOS in some ways, one of the big problems with Android tablets has always been a lack of quality tablet apps. While that matters a bit less on a screen that’s only a couple inches bigger than most Android smartphones (or even less sometimes…), it was still a big concern of mine heading into using the Nexus 7. Fortunately, the timing of this Nexus 7’s release has really been perfect in that the state of Android tablet apps in the Google Play Store is better than it’s ever been. Apps like Evernote, Netflix, Plume, Pocket and Pinterest all look great on the Nexus 7—a testament to the depth that the Android ecosystem now has.

As a side note, there have been a few serious bugs reported since the launch of the Nexus 7—most notably reported problems with the device’s keyboard and GPS. Although I didn’t run into any of the problems with my device, Google has already acknowledged the bugs and has vowed to take care of them.

The Nexus 7 is not only the best Android tablet to be released, it’s also the best 7” tablet money can buy period. And although an updated, Retina Display-enabled iPad Mini is probably just around the corner—the 2013 Nexus 7 is sure to hold up to its competitors throughout the year. If you’re looking for a device that will let you get away from work in the evenings and let you just unwind with your favorite articles, music, books, and games—look no further. Did I mention that this thing sells at a starting price of $229.99?

Source: http://www.pastemagazine.com

Nexus 5 Could Get LTE, 5-Inch Display And Snapdragon 800 Processor, Per FCC Filing For New LG Device

Rumours about Google’s next Nexus device are heating up in the wake of a perceived leak via the company’s own promotional video for Android KitKat earlier this week. Today, a filing from the FCC (via Engadget) that details a new, unreleased LG device making its way to the U.S. offers up what could be some more granular information on Google’s next Android reference smartphone.

The Nexus 5 could be the “D820″ from the filing, a chance made more likely by the fact that the images shared with the U.S. wireless standards regulator line up closely with the sneak peek revealed in Google’s video, and by the knowledge that it contains wireless charging based on the Qi standard, a feature of its forerunner the LG Nexus 4. And per the filing, this supposed Nexus 5 would offer 7-band LTE, 802.11ac WiFi networking, a 5-inch display, and come with Android 4.4 preloaded (which is named “Key Lime Pie” in the filing’s firmware name string, a sign the KitKat arrangement was one made late by Google).

Measurements of the device place it at 131.9 mm tall and 68.2 mm wide per the document, which is slightly thinner and shorter than the Nexus 4 despite the 0.26-inch larger diagonal display, so expect top and bottom bezel to be shaved slightly with the Nexus 5 if these reports do indeed describe that smartphone. The new Nexus phone as seen in the commercial can be seen in the screenshot below from 9 to 5 Google, and a fan-made render by Philippine site Yugatech, pictured above, provides a better idea of what that device might look like up close.

Google started selling the Nexus 4 way back in November 2012, after announcing it at the end of October, so it’s nearly due for a refresh. At the time, the lack of LTE was a noteworthy admission, so the fact that its successor could get fairly broad LTE band support is big news, and the Snapdragon 800 is definitely no slouch in the processor department. We’ll likely have to wait a while yet to see what shape the next Nexus takes, but if this is it, and if Google can keep unlocked pricing in the same ballpark it managed for the Nexus 4, this could be a very good option for Android smartphone shoppers.

Source: http://techcrunch.com

Nexus 5 Render Brings Leak to Life

When Google announced Android 4.4 KitKat, it also erected a statue to commemorate the occasion. And while the company wanted the focus of the raising of the Android 4.4 KitKat statue to be the focus, the event also seemed to reveal an unknown Nexus smartphone that some believe could be the rumoured Nexus 5.

The video, which showed Google putting the Android 4.4 KitKat statue up on its campus, showed a man holding a Nexus device that didn’t and doesn't resemble any known Nexus smartphone on the planet. The brief sighting led Google to mysteriously pull the Android 4.4 KitKat video for unexplained reasons, leading many to wonder whether it had just shown off a new Nexus smartphone.

Rumours have been swirling in regards to a Nexus 5, possibly built by LG, possibly built by Motorola, that will be coming later on this year with a new version of Android. Whispers have suggested a launch in October and thus, this sighting has brought about a ton of excitement in the Android world.

While we still aren’t sure if the device in question is the Nexus 5, Yugatech has created a Nexus 5 render that is based off of the device that we saw emerge in the video. The device features the large Nexus lettering on the back, a large camera sensor in the top left corner, and it even features the disputable LG logo that many believe was on board the device in the video.

The device features a black finish like the device from Google’s video and ultimately, it offers a fantastic up close look at what might just be Google’s new Nexus smartphone.

Of course, this is still unconfirmed and it could be that the device was a prototype or a device within a protective shell to shield the actual design from view. it could also have been Google trolling ahead of the real Nexus 5 unveiling. It is, however, telling that the company took down the video shortly after the device was discovered and started making the rounds.

Whatever the case may be, Google typically announces and releases a new Nexus smartphone in the fourth quarter of the year so we should get a glimpse at the actual Nexus 5 in the weeks ahead.

Rumors suggest that it will either be a Motorola Nexus that isn’t like the Moto X or perhaps an LG Nexus 5 that is based, in part, upon the LG G2 that is scheduled to hit the United States in the month of September.

Source: http://www.gottabemobile.com

8GB Nexus 4 sells out on Google Play, and it isn't coming back

After Google gave its Nexus 4 a $100 price cut last week, the 8GB version of the phone is now sold out on the Play store. It appears that the price reduction was more of a clearance sale, however, as Google tells The Verge that the cheaper model will not be restocked.

The 16GB variant is still available for $249, and the 8GB version may remain on the Play store in other countries while stocks last, but it looks like those in the US have missed their chance to pick up a sub-$200 smartphone from Google. The Nexus 4 was originally announced last October and lacks LTE connectivity, so a future update could well be in the cards.

Source: http://www.theverge.com