Few are the manufacturers who can
force the mighty Apple onto the back foot but, by shrewdly deciding to launch
this smaller device rather than attempt to muscle in on the iPad’s territory;
Google not only offered consumers a viable Android alternative but also gave
itself a real head start on the iPad Mini.
Unsurprisingly, it took the resources of
more than one company to pull this off. That’s why the Nexus 7 is produced in
partnership with Asus, which knows a thing or two about Android tablets. Thanks
to this alliance, the Nexus 7’s 1280 x 800-pixel HD screen is driven by the
latest version of Android – 4.1.2 (aka Jelly Bean).
Google
Nexus 7
Excellent across the board
And a very impressive tablet it is, too. As
is the Asus way, build quality is superb: it doesn’t feel plastic or cheap
despite being very light and super-slim, and the textured rubber case feels
pleasingly solid. It’s easy to hold in one hand and makes full-sized tablets
feel a bit cumbersome.
The Jelly Bean operating system and
quad-core Tegra 3 processor combine to deliver a fast, fluid experience, and
the selection of apps available from Google Play is pretty good – staples like
Magzter are in place, and there’s an extensive selection of books, games, music
and movies (including HD offerings to rent or buy) available.
Nexus
7’s 1280 x 800-pixel HD screen is driven by the latest version of Android –
4.1.2
Its performance is excellent and the
price is right. If you require an alternative to the ubiquity of Apple and its
iPads, your search is over
HD streaming delivers fine black tones, in
terms of depth and detail, and a well-judged color palette. Contrasts could be
punchier, but whites are clean and detailed, and the fairly regulation screen
ratio keeps black bars to a minimum when watching widescreen movies. And with
its support for MP3, WAV and FLAC music files, the Nexus 7 makes its spacious,
balanced and commendably dynamic music reproduction available at a variety of
quality levels.
So, performance is more than up to scratch
and the super-competitive price confirm the five-star rating. If you require an
alternative to the ubiquity of Apple and its iPads, your search is over.
Less is more
At just 340g the Nexus 7 weighs little more
than half a full-sized iPad. It still feels solid and built to last, though.
What are my options?
The battery isn’t replaceable, but it
provides a claimed nine hours of HD video playback, 10 hours of web browsing or
300 hours on standby – all pretty much par for the course. These figures are
true for all three versions: the 16GB model reviewed here, a 32GB variant and a
top-of-the-line 32GB cellular model.
Killer apps: Don’t leave home without
these…
Onavo Extend ($free): Using 3G? This
crunches down the data you use for apps, email and web surfing to make your
data usage come down and stretch your allowance further.
Pocket ($free): Whenever you find an
interesting link during your adventures in the world wide web, send it to Pocket
and it’ll be saved offline on the Nexus so it can be read later.
IVSO Slim-Fit Folio Case ($23): There are
plenty of Nexus 7 cases around, including those you get off the street, but we
like this thanks to the good price and integrated stand.
IVSO
Slim-Fit Folio Case
Rating: 5/5
For: Price; build quality; well-realized
OS; good sound; detailed video
Against: Needs more tablet-specific apps
Verdict: Portability, price and performance
give the Nexus 7 serious appeal
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Specifications
§ Price:
$283 (16GB)
§ Operating
system: Android 4.1.2
§ Screen
size: 7in
§ Resolution:
1280 x 800 pixels
§ Processor:
NVidia Tegra 3 quad-core
§ Storage:
16GB, 32GB
§ Expansion
card slot: No
§ HDMI
output: No
§ Battery
life (music/video): 8 hours
§ Wi-Fi:
802.11b/g/n
§ 3G:
Optional
§ Bluetooth:
Yes
§ Dimensions
(H x W x D): 20 x 12 x 1cm
§ Weight:
340g
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