Nexus 7 & Some of its Accessories

Google Nexus 7 by Asus - The value-oriented TL/DR review Colour: Black Buying Price (as reviewed): AED 1,100 Full technical Specifications: Here In the Box: Nexus 7 tablet, charger, USB/ Micro USB cord, user manuals.

Clearly, this is not exactly an early adopters review, but rather something targeting users who buy gadgets a while after they are released, to get better pricing and a solid idea about what they are getting. Myself, I had this Nexus 7 since November 2012 till today, which is not an early adoption as well since at the time this is being written, it has been around for about 1 year. Let's get started:

Asus or Google?

Just to get this confusion out of the heads of the common buyer, let's demystify this first: Google is not a hardware device manufacturer, so any phone or tablet that Google presents as an "Official Android Device" is not actually manufactured by Google, however it is manufactured by someone else, loaded with official Android and gets direct support from Google rather than the manufacturer. This means, stable performance, Google-standard compatibility with applications that you get, and being the first to get updates. So to simplify things, having a Google device is like having an Apple device, while having a Samsung/ HTC/etc.  phone/ tablet is like buying buying a Nokia loaded with IOS. Clear? Now, for this tablet, Google worked with Asus to give us the Nexus 7, the first "Official Google Android Tablet".

If you don't know Asus, they make some of the best PC motherboards in the world, and they made the very first netbook, so they are trust-worthy and you are generally very safe with this purchase.

That said, a tiny bit of trivia: Previous Google phones were made by HTC & Samsung, while the current Nexus 4 is made by LG. A bit of  similar trivia that is not widely known by the majority of Apple fanatics, Apple doesn't manufacture the iPhones and iPads either. Foxconn does.


Features Verdict

1. Nexus 7 is easy to hold with one hand in terms of dimensions and weight, which means you can use it for reading books (practically, not only technically)
2. Has a better screen than iPad 2, which costs more (same resolution in smaller size screen = higher PPI)
3. The external speaker is loud.
4. Processor & GPU enable you to play any 3D game available today. You don't even need to think about this. And gaming with good hardware and good screen is not a bad thing.
5. Firmware-wise, no bloatware. This is a very decent thing; no clutter and no icons you will never use.
6. Battery life is acceptable; if you want to use it for 3D gaming you can get about 2 hours of continuous game play with it, if you want to use it for video you get more, reading & browsing you last for days.
7. Build quality is not bad at all. The device feels solid. I haven't dropped it (yet) but I think it can take a couple of falls on its back and many more if it is in a pouch.

My advice: This is a safe, good buy. You get value, you get performance, you get updates right from the source. Even if you are considering other tablets and can afford to shell out the extra money, I would tell you to consider getting this instead, and buying all the accessories you want with the money left in your budget.



Some Accessories ( From Amazon.com  & UAE.Souq.com )

1. Cover/ Pouch: you cannot be serious about valuing your gadget without this, especially if you take it with you in transportation. You don't have to get an expensive one though.
2. Screen protector: you might want to get one that is anti-fingerprint if you hate greasy fingerprints on the screen. Me, I got a fancy one that provides extra protection and scratch resistance from Amazon. I don't mind the grease.
3. Dock: You should consider this an extra charger that can hold your tablet in an upright position while charging. It is not much more than this. Practically, only useful if you want to watch something from a close distance while charging. My advice, don't get it at first. (Edit: If you do get one, get one with an open-box shaped housing rather than one that has just a charging plug. Makes a lot of difference regarding ease of insertion. pulling out.
   
4. Bluetooth keyboard: I hate typing on touch screens, so this was an important thing. Keep in mind that this might be also used as a cover/ pouch. My other advice here, test the keyboard before buying it if you can. My fingers were too big for the one I got, so I ended up not using it much.

TL/DR: for the features/ price of Nexus 7, you would be missing out if you don't at least consider it. And I wouldn't recommend another Android 7" tablet.

Last updated August 3rd, 2013.