£199 from Carphone Warehouse, £159 from Google (for the smaller 8GB version)… how are you feeling about the Google Nexus 7 tablet? Are you going to let it pass you buy or are you curious to get a look and add a secondary living room or kitchen tablet to your collective device strategy?
Certainly for only £159, it’s a seriously good deal.
Matt over at The Telegraph describes the tablet as “cooly utilitarian” and gives it 4 out of 5 stars.
Battery life is supposed to be around 9 hours — on par with the iPad — however, Matt didn’t get a chance to verify that.
Is it all about price though?
Are we going to see legions of people sitting with Nexus 7s on the train home?
I wonder.
I certainly think it could turn heads, especially in the likes of Carphone Warehouse or in an operator’s own store. The fact it’s HALF the price of the iPad will make it an easier decision for many.
My view: I think it’s time to get one and have a look. I’ve just clicked ‘order’ — it’ll be here tomorrow.
Note: Like the chump that I am, I didn’t look properly at the Amazon website I was browsing when I wrote this story earlier. I actually ended up buying a 7″ Samsung Tab by mistake. I’d searched for the Nexus 7 and that was the first or second result. I just never noticed. Which is, quite possibly, bad news for the Nexus 7. It took some readers below to point my mistake out in the comments. I’m grateful they did, otherwise I’d be taking delivery of the Tab tomorrow morning. I cancelled the order with Amazon and then used the link in the comments to by direct from Google. I chose the 8GB £159 version. I will let you know how I get on.
That’s a Samsung Galaxy Tab. Amazon aren’t selling the Nexus 7 as far as I’m aware.
Whoooops
Well I’m pleased you and the other commenter were quick enough. I searched for the Nexus and got that from Amazon!
Not good!
I’ve cancelled that. Now I need to visit CarPhone Warehouse…
£159 from Google
https://play.google.com/store/devices?feature=microsite
That’s where I shall buy then…
Well, I already have the New iPad and the Kindle Fire. I reckon I’ll wait and see what the new Kindle Fire brings this fall, then compare the reviews on all four, (iPads, Fires, Galaxy, and Nexus), then make a decision from there.
The novelty has worn off at this point in the tablet market. I’m not as intrigued anymore when new tablets hit the market. When I need a replacement, I’ll certainly look at the Nexus, but won’t be rushing out just to get a third in the house…
My kids play with them all the time. Because I like a normal keyboard, I am still primarily on my laptop…
Giff
Which is more popular in your household?
The kids prefer the iPad because of its larger size over the Kindle Fire. I prefer the Kindle Fire over the iPad because of its smaller size.
When one child is on the iPad and the other wants to play on a tablet, they both have no issues at all with grabbing the Fire and playing on it. They both have games and music on both. They prefer both tablets over their iTouch’s. They both much prefer the tablets to the desktop computer and my laptop.
I, on the other hand, take the Kindle Fire when traveling for easy web and email access. The size makes it convenient to carry around. However, I still prefer my laptop over either because of the superior keyboard. I am rarely on the tablets as my laptop is always on at home.
good feedback!
I’m currently in possession of one
As the rumours crept in, the Nexus 7 struck a chord with me because I have taken issue with the value proposition of tablets. I hold the view that the more sophisticated the technology setup one has, the more the tablet has to be regarded as a luxury as it occupies a small functionality niche. The cost of, for instance, the iPad coupled with the idea that for it’s size, I would find the realities of iOS rather limiting, means I personally have a low valuation of “slate functionality”. For a tablet to make sense for me it either has to be pushing the paradigm that a device from the “ArmDroid” school can genuinely mimic the functionality and feel of a “Wintel” device (of which I feel the Asus Transformer has most closely achieved) or the device pushes the slate concept at low cost in a form factor which better suits the current dynamics of mobile OS’s (and it’s usage models, such a “second screen” etc)
I genuinely think that the nexus achieves the later. Branded tablets of this size, power and cost would have inevitably eventually appeared on the market by virtue of commoditisation, but the two factors which excite are:
This product appeared in 2012 and it doesn’t feel cheap
Please do not misunderstand Ewan, I personally can’t paint this as a functionality revolution. It being my third Android device, and the fact I’ve already got Jellybean on my Gnex, receiving and setting it up has been a mundane experience which I wouldn’t normally associate with a new gadget. But when I feel how lovely it is in the hand, how responsive it is, how nice the screen is etc, it creates a warm glow to think I only spent £160 on it. I imagine that if Apple’s rumored 7.85 inch tab comes to fruition at a competitive price, it would push the envelope even further. But as someone who when buying a new piece of technology paints himself into a corner with a long list of demands leaving only a very small range of options, sometimes just one, I’ll chalk my Nexus purchase up as a win
Fabulous feedback!
Ewan,
Today I had an interesting revelation directly related to this string. In our home we have
1) My laptop
2) Desktop for the kids
3) iPad
4) Kindle
5) 2 iTouches
6) Android Phone
Since the purchase of the iPad, my children have yet to go on the desktop computer. At times they use my laptop, which is always on. However, as to their desktop Windows PC unit, they have yet to go back on…in six months now. I find that very interesting and wonder about the future of desktops for future generations…
Giff