What’s not to like about the Nexus 7? It’s the first device to run Jelly Bean and updates will definitely come. There are 4 cores at the centre of the show and that’s pretty rare in a 7 inch tablet. The only other 7 inch tablet with Quad Core processor is the Toshiba Excite 7.7 and you will only go for it if your pockets are deep enough.
The Nexus 7 design doesn’t scream cheap in any way. In fact it has a premium finish to beat even the most expensive tablets out there. It also fits perfectly in the hand and even though tablets cannot be used in one hand, you won’t get tired holding up this guy. It’s also light weighing about 340g which is the same as holding two phones. There is a front facing camera for video chat. There is no rear camera and that’s a big deal for only a few. There is no SD slot so 16GB will be most storage you will ever get. That will definitely limit your media files and apps but it really isn’t a deal breaker. Remember the famous iPad series? Well, those don’t have SD support either. But the Nexus 7 is really pretty. I bet you will spend more time staring at it than actually using it. If you want a tablet you can show off with then look nowhere else.
Back of the nexus 7- No camera but a pretty design
The software on the Nexus 7 is Vanilla Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) meaning there is no Touchwiz or Timescape or HTC Sense….there are no manufacturer customizations. Geeks love pure android and that’s exactly what they get with the Nexus 7. The only downside, at least for me, is that the software is phone-like. If you have used a phone running Ice Cream Sandwich then it’s pretty much the same outlook only that there is much more functionality including a new drop down notifications menu. If you don’t like the phone-like overlay then you can root the Nexus 7 and do a few things that will enable you get that refined tablet look. The tablet look is absolutely stunning. Jelly Bean is really fluid and thanks to project butter, the Nexus 7 is very fluid. Add the quad core processor and the fluidity is unparalleled. Games will play with no lag at all and thanks to Tegra 3 gaming is a pleasure and very graphic intense.
fits well in one hand
Chrome browser is the stock choice and it brings the full desktop experience to the tablet. You will never go wrong with the browser. Heavy websites load fast and scrolling and pinch to zoom is fluid. I know I’ve used the word fluid a lot but it really is.
The Play Store has an ever increasing dedicated tablet apps and games. You will easily be tempted to fill up your storage with apps. Get the right apps and your experience becomes even better.
The Nexus 7 has a lot to like, it has a very fast processor, nice build quality and it’s affordable. Of course there are downsides like no rear camera, no SD slot and there will be no 3G version. But again you think of the $200 price tag and you feel better again. This is the best 7 inch tablet at the moment. It is also the best affordable tablet.
There is major bad news though. The Asus Nexus 7 will not launch in Kenya. That means you won’t walk into Safaricom or PhoneXpress shops and pick it up like you would with the Samsung Galaxy S3. But I have a good feeling about this. I think independent Smartphone and Tablet importers will bring it to our market. The prices may be higher but it shouldn’t be too high to break the deal. Also if more importers import it then prices will go down. The S3 is also imported by these independent traders and prices are lower than Safaricom prices. Now we can only admire from far and hope that the Nexus 7 makes an appearance.
~Eddy
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