Googles Nexus 7 tablet discussion, reviews

[Kid_Eternity]

Less than 200 quid? Sold.

That's the big news of the day for me, really great news to see a decent looking tablet for under 200 quid. Should be a nice kick in the ass to Apple.

 

[elbows]

Should put a massive dent in Kindle Fire sales. Not sure if it will have all that much impact on the iPad, depends if Apple really have a 7" model up their sleeves (not entirely convinced of this myself)

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

That's the big news of the day for me, really great news to see a decent looking tablet for under 200 quid. Should be a nice kick in the ass to Apple.

For that price I can justify it simply as something I can take out on the road as an email/web reader. I might still end up getting an iPad for the work related apps though.

 

[maldwyn]

It's no massive challenge to the ipad, but the fire must be pissed off.

And people will assume the Apple 7" is just to get back at google.

 

[skyscraper101]

Yep, something for me to take to bed, read a book on, watch a movie, check emails, etc. There's definitely a market for something smaller than the ipad. It will hit kindle fire the hardest I think. Was never really that keen on Amazon overlaying their shit on the kindle. What I like about the Nexus 7 (as with the Galaxy Nexus) is that its pure google with no skinning from hardware manufacturers.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Should put a massive dent in Kindle Fire sales. Not sure if it will have all that much impact on the iPad, depends if Apple really have a 7" model up their sleeves (not entirely convinced of this myself)

Reckon this will kill the Fire. Apple are going to feel the heat on this too, I'm convinced we'll see an iPad mini before the year is out.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

It's no massive challenge to the ipad, but the fire must be pissed off.

And people will assume the Apple 7" is just to get back at google.

There's a lot of people that want a tablet but don't want to pay iPad prices. This is going to eat into Apple's market share if you ask me.

 

[skyscraper101]

Basically, until the Google Nexus Q integrates with TuneIn Radio, Spotify, and possibly Netflix too, there's no way I'm getting one and being limited to Google Play.

 

[elbows]

There's a lot of people that want a tablet but don't want to pay iPad prices. This is going to eat into Apple's market share if you ask me.

If we want to look at tablets of all sizes as being the same market then yes, this should help rebalance things away from Apple domination.

Personally Im tempted to look at 7" tablets as their own market.

My best hope for the Nexus 7 is that since the price is right, they will sell loads and really help the android software dev scene to expand. I'd be mad not to look at developing for a 7" tablet that sells by the bucketload due to being cheap but powerful, subject of course to the sort of apps Im developing.

I am presently developing a music visualizer for the iPad 2 & 3 and am quite keen to get a Nexus 7 and consider doing a version for that too, especially as the GPU looks quite beefy.

 

[Crispy]

Google will tell you when the next bus or train will arrive?

Unless that's based on GPS tracking on each vehicle - it's about as useful as those countdown timers at London bus stops.

(excuse the 5 page quote)
Which use GPS tracking on each vehicle. When were you last in London?

Why am I forever waiting at bus stops in London then, with the countdown saying my bus is 'due' when it's clearly nowhere to be seen

it goes 2min -> due, as the traffic can't be predicted that well. But it does adapt the timings - ie. it's not slaved to a timetable. If your bus is genuinely delayed, then the time will not count down. I use countdown (webpage, text, bus stops) all the time and it's 99% dependable.

Aaaaanyway. The Nexus 7 is a nice bit of kit, and Android is looking very capable these days. The price is right and it deserves to sell very well. A lot depends on marketing and availability. You can walk into an Apple store and have a perfectly curated hands-on experience with the ipad. It's very seductive. Google need to get the nexus into peoples' hands so they can want it.

However, I don't see it as a big iPad competitor. Someone who was considering an ipad will probably still want one. The Nexus could capture the market that considers an ipad as too expensive or too large.

 

[editor]

Looks pretty good too.

 

[editor]

Reckon this will kill the Fire. Apple are going to feel the heat on this too, I'm convinced we'll see an iPad mini before the year is out.

It will dent sales but it won't 'kill' the Fire in the States because a lot of folks are hooked into Amazon's content services.

 

[editor]

Specs:
7-inch device screen, with a 1280 x 800 IPS LCD/ 400 nits of brightness.
NVIDIA Tegra 3 T30L quad-core processor running at 1.2GHz.
Wireless connectivity is 802.11b/g/n
Bluetooth
1GB of RAM and either 8 or 16GB of storage.
$199 for the 8GB model, 16GB for $249.
Nine hours battery.

 

[RaverDrew]

I really can't see anything to get excited about tbh.

A medium-specced, budget tablet... meh

A cut-down and overpriced Boxee... meh

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Amazon must be bricking it right now, Google's content ecosystem, while not as strong as Apple, will give them a real kicking.

 

[elbows]

I really can't see anything to get excited about tbh.

A medium-specced, budget tablet... meh

A cut-down and overpriced Boxee... meh

In regards the tablet if you feel that way then it shows how far we've come in just a couple of years. OK its missing a couple of things but I wouldn't call it medium-spec, and the price is excellent.

As for the Nexus Q TV/speaker box, the price is all wrong, just as with Google TV.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

What it is is a massive subsidy by Google to try to boost the Android tablet market. They must be bargaining on the (not at all inconceivable) idea that they have the money to sell this at a loss to lots of people for long enough that developers will start writing Android tablet apps in any reasonable number. At which point, spending the same money on a high-end Android tablet as you would on an iPad becomes a reasonable proposition for people.

 

[magneze]

I'm surprised Amazon haven't made the Fire more widely available. Maybe the huge post Xmas drop in sales in true and they're worried about unsold stock.

 

[editor]

I really can't see anything to get excited about tbh.

A medium-specced, budget tablet... meh

A cut-down and overpriced Boxee... meh

For a lot of people, 'budget' is all they can afford, and this will do just about everything that most consumers use an iPad for.

 

[elbows]

Well they had to try something, since their relative lack of tablet momentum threatens their broader agenda somewhat.

When I was saying it isn't medium-spec I was forgetting how limited the storage options are. The only way to stop this being an issue is for people to embrace the cloud more comprehensively. My experience of iTunes match & iCloud when it comes to my rather large music library is starting to point me in this direction, to the extent that Im only going to get the 16gb iPad 3.

 

[editor]

However, I don't see it as a big iPad competitor.

Not directly, but like the cheaper Android phones before it, people will realise that this cheap tablet will do almost everything an iPad can do for a fraction of the price. Well heeled users will still go for the iPad, but those further down the financial scale may look rather keenly at this budget offering.

 

[elbows]

I'm surprised Amazon haven't made the Fire more widely available. Maybe the huge post Xmas drop in sales in true and they're worried about unsold stock.

I think they put most of their focus into their core market.

Listening tot he Google keynote its pretty obvious they see a lot of potential in the developing world, which makes sense given that one of their biggest weapons against Apple is price. Its just a shame so many of the map/social type features are only really compelling in a limited number of cities around the world around this point, with a lot of US-centric cultural aspects. San Francisco fancies itself too much.

 

[editor]

Video:

 

[elbows]

Not directly, but like the cheaper Android phones before it, people will realise that this cheap tablet will do almost everything an iPad can do for a fraction of the price. Well heeled users will still go for the iPad, but those further down the financial scale may look rather keenly at this budget offering.

But they were never likely to go for Apple in the first place. So what will change is that they will end up with a cheap tablet thats actually good, as opposed to now where I've seen people at work spend £100 on a load of rubbish and then regret it, but still not be in the market for an iPad.

Mind you I shouldn't assume too much about Apple not caring about the lower end of the market, since eventually they will end up with a growth problem.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

But they were never likely to go for Apple in the first place. So what will change is that they will end up with a cheap tablet thats actually good, as opposed to now where I've seen people at work spend £100 on a load of rubbish and then regret it, but still not be in the market for an iPad.

Mind you I shouldn't assume too much about Apple not caring about the lower end of the market, since eventually they will end up with a growth problem.

Apple will go where there's money, simple.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

I'm surprised Amazon haven't made the Fire more widely available. Maybe the huge post Xmas drop in sales in true and they're worried about unsold stock.

Big mistake on their part too, now they have this to contend with...

 

[editor]

Early hands on: sounds very positive.

Google just let attendees to today's hardware-filled I/O conference love up on the new Nexus 7 tablet. It's light, it's compact, and holy crap, it's faster than hell. In short, you won't believe this is a $200 tablet.

First thing you notice is that it's incredibly solid. There are hard aluminum edges, and a rubberized back that feels soft and grippy. It easily fits in a jacket pocket, and even (just barely) in a jeans pocket (though that's not recommended). It has a front-facing camera, but no rear camera, which is good because you shouldn't be taking photos with your freaking tablet anyway. Volume up/down rocker, power button, micro USB and a headphone jack. Sadly, there's no expandable storage, but Google is emphasizing its cloud portfolio, so that makes sense.

The boot time is very quick. The screen is bright and vivid at first glance. Then you start scrolling around the operating system and it's perfectly smooth. Google used the word "butter," and so far, that looks pretty apt.
Jellybean is rather lovely, and it really utilizes the tablet-sized screen much better. For example, there are six shortcuts (plus the app drawer), in the home row.

Plenty more time with the Nexus 7 is needed before a full review, but snap judgement: There is zero reason to buy a Kindle Fire over this. It's brighter, sharper, faster, and infinitely more capable. Your move, Amazon.

http://gizmodo.com/5921827/nexus-7-tablet-hands-on-brave-new-world/gallery/1

 

[Crispy]

Apple will go where there's money, simple.

It's not like Apple are strangers to the low end. The iphone 3GS is free on a £20 contract, which is right down there in normal land. Their ipod range starts at £40. So I would be surprised if they get into the 7" £200 tablet market as well, now that it can be done well (and profitably) at that price.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I will eat a hat-shaped object if Apple release a 7" tablet.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

It's not like Apple are strangers to the low end. The iphone 3GS is free on a £20 contract, which is right down there in normal land. Their ipod range starts at £40. So I would be surprised if they get into the 7" £200 tablet market as well, now that it can be done well (and profitably) at that price.

Exactly. Apple go for the high end/ aspiration then evolve their product line down toward middle incomes. They did it with the iPod, they've done it with the MacBook Air, they did it as you say with the iPhone and they'll do it with the iPad too.