First Impressions: The Nexus 7

[Overmind One]

I would get a totally stock ROM of Jelly Bean first. The whole thing is very uniform in its thematic approach.

Is it? Of course I will try it. The stock ICS layout is so slick in operation, but aesthetically I veer towards the more austere look. I am a big fan of folders, I love grays, blues, deep greens and simple, uncomplicated icon designs. I replace the icons with the theme icons that better match this look. Which brings me to my next question...how are you getting those screenshots? Are you using ScreenshotIt?

EDIT:

http://www.xda-developers.com/android/jelly-bean-for-the-acer-iconia-a500/

Doing that right now....

RE-EDIT

Um...no.

When a developer here on XDA is credited as having helped with not just one, but two Jelly Bean ports for the hottest devices on the market, people start to notice. XDA Senior Member randomblame has not only succeeded in doing that, but also in making his own port for the Acer Iconia A500, leading it to claiming the title of first non-Nexus tablet to have Jelly Bean.
Already on it’s second version (damn he’s fast), the only things not currently working are:

No audio
No wifi
SD card
USB not mounting flash drives​

Deal breakers. Ill wait for his next build.

 

[Joelist]

Jelly Bean has a built in screenshot capability. I just simultaneously depress power and volume down.

 

[Bluce Ree]

Is it? Of course I will try it. The stock ICS layout is so slick in operation, but aesthetically I veer towards the more austere look. I am a big fan of folders, I love grays, blues, deep greens and simple, uncomplicated icon designs. I replace the icons with the theme icons that better match this look. Which brings me to my next question...how are you getting those screenshots? Are you using ScreenshotIt?

EDIT:

http://www.xda-developers.com/android/jelly-bean-for-the-acer-iconia-a500/

Doing that right now....

RE-EDIT

Um...no.



Deal breakers. Ill wait for his next build.

Dude, that list pretty much eliminates every usable feature.

Maybe they should have said:

When a developer here on XDA is credited as having helped with not just one, but two Jelly Bean ports for the hottest devices on the market, people start to notice. XDA Senior Member randomblame has not only succeeded in doing that, but also in making his own port for the Acer Iconia A500, leading it to claiming the title of first non-Nexus tablet to have Jelly Bean.
Already on it’s second version (damn he’s fast), the only thing working is:

Power-on button

​

 

[Illiterati]

I've been reading about the issues some people have been reporting with the Nexus 7. Stuff about the screen not being screwed/glued down tightly enough, and the touchscreen having sensitivity issues.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/259624/google_nexus_7_display_problems_reported.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...blet-users-report-screens-glued-properly.html

 

[Joelist]

Both articles are citing individual isolated examples of issues that happen in the production of any computing device - even Apples. I got my hand burned before with a Macbook Pro with a bad logic board that made the CPU temperature control nonfunctional. But I'll still vouch for Apple hardware build overall.

In the same vein, the vast majority of Nexus 7 units are like mine - no issues whatsoever and everything works as advertised. It is a killer tablet that both packs in a lot of functionality not usually seen in a 7 inch unit and marks the maturity of Android as a mobile OS.

 

[Overmind One]

Dude, that list pretty much eliminates every usable feature.

Maybe they should have said:

Ya think? To me, that build would not even qualify as a pre-Beta. If any of those things were happening on my tablet, I would consider it "broken". By contrast, the ICS Taboonay ROM which I am running on my tablet runs everything flawlessly. The ICS on my phone is a stock ROM which I rooted with adb. Funny, not a whole lot of incentive to root the phone with the later versions of Android. But I absolutely MUST have root on my tablet because I have Ubuntu loaded and Terminal.

No audio
No wifi
SD card
USB not mounting flash drives

Really?

 

[Joelist]

Good point. As Android matures the reasons to root are reducing - probably because you can customize your experience a lot even without needing to root. Nowadays I think the main reasons left to root if you're on something like ICS (or JB when it rolls out to phones) will be to remove carrier skins and/or bloatware. And even on ICS the bloatware is getting less intrusive. For example Sense 4.0 on ICS is a VERY light skin. Likewise Motorola has basically retired Blur on ICS phones. Only Samsung is still applying a heavy skin.

 

[Overmind One]

Good point. As Android matures the reasons to root are reducing - probably because you can customize your experience a lot even without needing to root. Nowadays I think the main reasons left to root if you're on something like ICS (or JB when it rolls out to phones) will be to remove carrier skins and/or bloatware. And even on ICS the bloatware is getting less intrusive. For example Sense 4.0 on ICS is a VERY light skin. Likewise Motorola has basically retired Blur on ICS phones. Only Samsung is still applying a heavy skin.

Yes. I do not like it and that is why I have never used the stock Samsung skin on my Epic phones. And yes, a big reason was to remove bloatware and the Sprint stock apps I will never ever use like NASCAR and Sprint Radio.

 

[Joelist]

Perhaps you should go for Sprint's Galaxy Nexus? It is straight Android and will have Jelly Bean by the time you buy it.

 

[Overmind One]

Perhaps you should go for Sprint's Galaxy Nexus? It is straight Android and will have Jelly Bean by the time you buy it.

I did look at it. The first Nexus still could not wow me after hand-on with my previous Epic 4G with the keyboard, and the newest Nexus S could not impress me enough to justify the premium over the Galaxy S III which will most likely be my next phone if they do not get the Samsung Note. Both the Nexus and the Galaxy S III are made by Samsung, but the Galaxy S III has a larger screen (4.5" as opposed to 4" on the Nexus S). My current phone has a 4.5" screen, and I am quite happy with it. The Note has a 5" screen. Also, I was not aware of the curvature of the Nexus S touch screen until I put my hands on it. I don't like it. I don't want a curved screen. I also don't like the rounded corners which give it a "soap bar" shape. I actually prefer the more "rounded brick" shape.

Beyond those obvious differences, the Nexus S cannot be expanded with a miniSD card, whilst the Galaxy S II and III and previous are all expandable. I have 48GB on my Epic4G Touch (16gb + 32gb expansion). The Galaxy SIII has 32 onboard, and accepts up to a 64gb miniSD giving it 96gb maximum. On top of that, it will get Jelly Bean in an OTA update. I cannot understand why Google charges such a premium over the Galaxy phones. I do get it that Google has its best OS features on the Nexus phones it co-brands with Samsung, but the premium is not worth it in my personal opinion.

 

[Joelist]

Okay you're confusing me. I am referring to this phone:

http://www.google.com/nexus/#/galaxy/specs

It has a 4.65" HD AMOLED display. Also it will have pure Jelly Bean - the SIII will get a HEAVILY skinned version (full out Touchwiz obliterating the Jelly Bean UI).

 

[Overmind One]

Okay you're confusing me. I am referring to this phone:

http://www.google.com/nexus/#/galaxy/specs

It has a 4.65" HD AMOLED display. Also it will have pure Jelly Bean - the SIII will get a HEAVILY skinned version (full out Touchwiz obliterating the Jelly Bean UI).

Nice! But Sprint does not have that one. They have something they call the Nexus S. Still, the specs on that phone you link to has the curved screen. I do like the screen size at 4.65, but that is not enough larger than my current 4.5" to make it worth it to switch. I completely agree with you on the "Touchwiz" UI. It sucks to me, and is wasteful. I am certain I will love Jelly Bean, but since all of the Galaxy phones will get it eventually, I am still not feeling the need to go to Nexus. I am salivating for that Galaxy Note! Once I have that, it will be a while before I get anything else. At a full 5" of screen, 32gb onboard RAM and expandable with 64gb more, it will be both a tablet and a phone. Comes with a stylus even! I know, seems like a step backwards with the stylus, but I actually use my stylus to allow clients to sign their digital transaction slips in Square. Also, I frequently have "stuff" on my fingers and the stylus allows the screen to stay clean.

I may grab one of those Nexus tablets though. The size is perfect for portability. My Acer tablet seems to stay at home more. I use it to watch movies and to read.

 

[Joelist]

Actually Sprint does have this phone:

http://shop.sprint.com/mysprint/sho...&flow=AAL&planSKUId=null&tabId=dt_phones&ptn=

 

[Overmind One]

Actually Sprint does have this phone:

http://shop.sprint.com/mysprint/sho...&flow=AAL&planSKUId=null&tabId=dt_phones&ptn=

OMG! They certainly do...but they did not when I went into the store last week. They had a different Nexus phone called the Nexus S. This phone is much different looking. It even has the "rounded brick" shape I love.




I could have it for only $99.00 according to this. Now I am VERY interested. But if it has that curved "contour" screen on it, that would be a dealbreaker.

 

[Joelist]

Just do some calling around and find a store carrying one. Not just Sprint stores - check Best Buy too. Then you can walk in and check it out to your content.

 

[Overmind One]

Just do some calling around and find a store carrying one. Not just Sprint stores - check Best Buy too. Then you can walk in and check it out to your content.

My local store does not have this phone. They only have the Nexus S I looked at last week. But there is a demo phone at the Sprint section at Best Buy. Do you know if the newest one has a curved screen or not? It is very disconcerting to have that curved screen.

 

[Joelist]

I'm not sure what you mean by curved screen - I looked at one and it seemed flat not convex.

Of course if you have located one in a Best Buy you can take a trip down to look and determine for yourself. My main plus for it is that it has 100% pure Android with no bloat or skins - also its updates come from Google not the carrier so you don't have to wait until doomsday to get updates.

 

[Overmind One]

I'm not sure what you mean by curved screen - I looked at one and it seemed flat not convex.

Of course if you have located one in a Best Buy you can take a trip down to look and determine for yourself. My main plus for it is that it has 100% pure Android with no bloat or skins - also its updates come from Google not the carrier so you don't have to wait until doomsday to get updates.

They call it the "Contour Screen", and although the curvature is only slight, light plays on the screen in strange ways and I found it distracting. Once I knew the screen was curved, it no longer seemed as subtle to me. This is the profile of the Nexus S which preceded the new Nexus



http://www.techfreakstuff.com/2010/12/contour-display-nexus-s-about.html

 

[Joelist]

As far as I can tell Samsung reduced the amount of "curve" in the Note, Nexus and S3 - I can see the curve in the picture you posted instantly while on the others I had to really stare to see it.

 

[Overmind One]

As far as I can tell Samsung reduced the amount of "curve" in the Note, Nexus and S3 - I can see the curve in the picture you posted instantly while on the others I had to really stare to see it.

All of the S2 and S3 phones have flat screens as the Note does. Have you seen that device hands on? It is truly a crossover device. I am really liking that Nexus phone with it's 4.65" screen. I am going to check it out at Best Buy tomorrow.