Just when I thought I’d decided that I was going to buy the Microsoft Surface tablet, Google (kind of expectedly) have popped out the little nugget – the Google Nexus 7, made by Asus.
What makes Google’s Nexus 7 different?
What makes it unique is that it’s cheap. Really cheap. At $200 (for the 8gb version) it’s cheap enough to compete with Amazon’s Kindle Fire, but it’s got much better specs.
But it’s not just cheap and powerful, it’s also got Google’s latest version of it’s Android OS – 4.1 Jelly Bean, a nifty upgrade from Ice Cream Sandwich. This flavour of Android is quicker, saves on battery life, has a new camera app, better ‘actionable’ notifications and just looks a bit prettier.
And it’s got Google Now
This looks pretty cool. Google Now is s a bit creepy but using your GPS co-ordinates it provides predictive information when you need it so you can be one step ahead.
For example it can tell you today’s weather before you start your day, how much traffic to expect before you leave for work, your flight information, or your favourite team’s score while they’re playing. The information is all displayed on ‘Cards’ which appear throughout the day at the moment you need them. Clever stuff!
The verdict
It wasn’t what I thought I wanted – it’s got a small screen, and with a quad core processor, the downside is that the battery seems a little wimpy. But it’s so cheap. So yes, I’ve just pre-ordered. Whoop.
Full Google Nexus 7 Specs
Screen
- 7” 1280×800 HD display (216 ppi)
- Back-lit IPS display
- Scratch-resistant Corning glass
- 1.2MP front-facing camera
Weight
- 340 grams
Memory
- 8 or 16 GB internal storage
- 1 GB RAM
Battery
- 4325 mAh (Up to 8 hours of active use)
CPU
- Quad-core Tegra 3 processor
Size
- 198.5 x 120 x 10.45mm
Wireless
- WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth
USB
- Micro USB
OS
- Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
Features
- Microphone
- NFC (Android Beam)
- Accelerometer
- GPS
- Magnetometer
- Gyroscope