News - Nexus 7 tablet shown at Google I/O, runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

[Biscuit]

Meh I kind of want one because they are so incredibly cheap - similar to why I bought my playbook...but at the same time that's why I can't buy one - I don't need it when I already have a 7" Tablet, and in any case it's running Android which is a massive downside.

For those that do get one though this is exactly the right form factor - 7" is the perfect size for a tablet for most uses - light enough to be held comfortably with one hand, big enough to type on with two hands if/when you need to create as well as consume content, great size as an ebook reader (I HATE e-ink screens, so ugly!), and fast enough to cope with lazy developers writing poor quality apps (which is really key on android!).

If you don't want a playbook then this is the next best thing, and at this price if you are in the market for a new tablet and can cope with it running Android then I would go for one in a snap!

You mention poor android coding then state you have a blackberry device....

Honestly i have never encountered so many bugs in apps as i have with my work phone (Blackberry Italic.... no Underscore.... oh wait no its a Bold). I do encounter them in my android yeah, but its usually the one off apps from random developers whereas its the more popular apps on BB that are bad such as Evernote or Photobucket.

[Spud1]

You mention poor android coding then state you have a blackberry device....

Honestly i have never encountered so many bugs in apps as i have with my work phone (Blackberry Italic.... no Underscore.... oh wait no its a Bold). I do encounter them in my android yeah, but its usually the one off apps from random developers whereas its the more popular apps on BB that are bad such as Evernote or Photobucket.

Blackberry phones are awful. App support for current BB phones is awful. The playbook is amazing ;D Massive difference, completely re-written/re-designed OS (It's QNX, not blackberry OS)..you just can't compare them.

So don't think of the playbook as a traditional, boring blackberry device from the 90s..because it's not.

[crossy]

Definitely, my aim is to be able to read news and email on it while I am at Uni and be able to access files from my computer easily using Dropbox/Ubuntu1/Google Drive depending on which I find better to work with.

It should do that - the only (major?) drawback would be data compatibility - especially if you're planning to use fancy .docx or .pptx's. I use Docs2Go, it wasn't expensive and it's quite adept at using files on the Transformer, on my desktop PC (via D2G's sync app) or in the cloud (in my case Drive)

By the way do you use your Transformer as a tablet often? What is your ratio between docked and un-docked and don't you think just moving to a desktop for the times when it is docked would be easier?

With the recent good weather I've used the Transformer a lot in "tablet" mode - I find it a nice size (not too heavy) to sit outside with a cup o' coffee and enjoy the sun (although not this week obviously), doing a bit of light web browsing. I also find that undocked mode is very handy if I'm planning to use it to show something to someone - actually think it looks kind of cool with the HDMI lead connected and me controlling a video/presentation from the tablet sitting on my lap.

As to ratios, I'd say 60:40 docked to undocked - but some of that is purely because the keyboard also contains that backup battery. I'm not 100% convinced by the keyboard - but then again it's no worse than a netbook's. On the other hand - that keyboard makes the Transformer superior (imho of course) to any other tablet - on-screen keyboards are fine for a quick "hunt and peck", but if I'm doing something more (blog or Hexus post) then that proper keyboard is nice. You also gain the ability to use keyboard shortcuts (^C/^X/^V, shift to select) in some apps, which saves me a phenomenal amount of hassle.

Oh, and if the keyboard isn't good enough - maybe there's a really big doc to do - then of course I can use the USB ports (the old TF101 has two) to add a proper keyboard and mouse. I did that recently and was able to use the mouse's thumbwheel to scroll around the interface - which was "interesting" . The keyboard (a cheap Logitech K340 with Nano receiver) worked great - and surprisingly most of the "extended" functions of that keyboard also worked - so pressing the key combo for calculator launched the calculator app, WMP button launched Music Player app, etc. So if you had an HDMI TV and either one of these "desktop" combo's that uses one receiver or a USB hub, then I think it'd be possible to "extend" the docked Transformer to give yourself a low powered desktop.

A real desktop PC, or "proper" laptop, would - without a shadow of a doubt - be a better deal for software compatibility and overall flexibility. On the other hand they're less portable than the little Transformer, which fits with room to spare in a netbook bag, (I've got an HP briefcase style bag that holds the Transformer and all it's peripherals), even when it's in docked mode. Remember that the docked form factor is comparable to a (more expensive!) Ultrabook.

In short, the Transformer is - in my opinion - an interesting compromise between netbook, tablet and low end laptop. I still have a desktop and laptop (the former for Windows-based games, the latter because I need to have a powerful Linux system for development), but I can't see me having any desire to buy a low-end laptop or netbook or iPad anytime soon. Apologies if this sounds like a gushing, (and totally biased), "mini-review" but to be honest it's been a surprise to me how useful it's become. Although, conversely, my new SIII might fulfill some of the roles the Transformer's been doing so far - however, even though the SIII apparently can also support keyboard/mouse I can't really see myself taking advantage of that feature - if I need the keyboard then I'd also be wanting a large screen.

Oh, and to briefly get back on track, the Transformer also has a uSD slot - so it's memory expandable, unlike the Nexus7!

[j.o.s.h.1408]

Can u connect a external hdd anda dslr camera on the transformeR?

[crossy]

Can you transfer read and edit and convert raw files for a dslr like a 5d3?

I've not got a DSLR to be able to try (a bridge camera is as "pro" as I go). Most of my cameras use SDHC-resident JPEGS, which load fine into Photoshop Express etc.

As to RAW readers/viewers there's apps in the market - e.g. check out RawDroid Beta, which seems to support a wide variety of formats, seems pretty well rated, and is FREE.

Of course, if you're that serious about your photography (I'm not) then you probably also want to think about spending <£6 for Chainfire's "DSLR Controller" app. I'm not in a position to use it myself, but I've seen comments from folks who have, and they like it very much indeed.

[Lord Midas]

Nice, very nice. But don't need. Got a Galaxy note which is plenty powerful, has no lag, and is a beautiful piece of tech. And it can make phone calls.

Nexus 7 can't make phone calls! In your face Nexus 7!

[HalloweenJack]

[The Hand]

I'm getting one... and that's simply a fact.

Edit: To be honest, I would have thought £159 for a 16GB version would have been fair, rather than 8GB but there you go.

[kingpotnoodle]

Because my desktop pc is too heavy to carry around when traveling and my laptop is not light either and thanks to the 6kg limit or less on most airflights. i can go lugging around my laptop and my dslr with me anymore.

The you sir need an Ultrabook or similar? Waaaay better than a tablet for what you suggest and only ~1.5Kg - you must have a monster laptop?

[jimbouk]

Nexus 7 can't make phone calls! In your face Nexus 7!

Well not over the cell network, but I'm sure it could do Internet telephony and video calls...

[Biscuit]

Blackberry phones are awful. App support for current BB phones is awful. The playbook is amazing ;D Massive difference, completely re-written/re-designed OS (It's QNX, not blackberry OS)..you just can't compare them.

So don't think of the playbook as a traditional, boring blackberry device from the 90s..because it's not.

From what I have seen, genuine support of popular apps even on qnx isn't particularly widespread and the android app support is hit and miss.
Perhaps when/if the bb app store ever scratches the surface with regards to quantity of both cross platform or otherwise that are available on both the play or istore you might be able to prove your point, at the moment there just isn't the same kind/size of user base or Dev base.

[TheAnimus]

Because my desktop pc is too heavy to carry around when traveling and my laptop is not light either and thanks to the 6kg limit or less on most airflights. i can go lugging around my laptop and my dslr with me anymore.

Wow. I've brought two bodies 8 lenses + two laptops as my carry on many airlines with no hassle. Oh travelling economy too mind!

Thank god for checkin girls who love a british accent

[Spud1]

From what I have seen, genuine support of popular apps even on qnx isn't particularly widespread and the android app support is hit and miss.
Perhaps when/if the bb app store ever scratches the surface with regards to quantity of both cross platform or otherwise that are available on both the play or istore you might be able to prove your point, at the moment there just isn't the same kind/size of user base or Dev base.

Oh definitely - the number of available apps just isn't anywhere near the App Store or any of the available android ones - but the major players are all there and the quality is generally good..Blackberry's approval process is not as good as Apples but it's more secure than Google's, and most of the 3rd party providers.

Each to their own, but my point was that the QNX system is so differen to BBOS6 for example, and the apps that are there do just work, it's not as hit and miss with "will it run or not" like you get on BBerry phones (or indeed many, many, many Android devices that have not been updated to the newer versions).

It's not perfect by any means, but then that depends what you want a tablet for..I'm not fussed about having millions of apps that I never use, I just want something with a good screen (the playbook's is excellent), good browser + email client, and enough space to take a few 1080p movies onto a plane with me..so does the job for me

[Biscuit]

Oh definitely - the number of available apps just isn't anywhere near the App Store or any of the available android ones - but the major players are all there and the quality is generally good..Blackberry's approval process is not as good as Apples but it's more secure than Google's, and most of the 3rd party providers.

Each to their own, but my point was that the QNX system is so differen to BBOS6 for example, and the apps that are there do just work, it's not as hit and miss with "will it run or not" like you get on BBerry phones (or indeed many, many, many Android devices that have not been updated to the newer versions).

It's not perfect by any means, but then that depends what you want a tablet for..I'm not fussed about having millions of apps that I never use, I just want something with a good screen (the playbook's is excellent), good browser + email client, and enough space to take a few 1080p movies onto a plane with me..so does the job for me

I think the whole point of android versions 4.0 and beyond was interoperability. Whilst your experience of android and early bb might be quite poor and your experience of qnx quite good, how is your experience or understanding of android devices using v. 4.0? Whilst I had some app issues on my desire when I got it, and on my desire s, I haven't had anything on my one X.

[j.o.s.h.1408]

Wow. I've brought two bodies 8 lenses + two laptops as my carry on many airlines with no hassle. Oh travelling economy too mind!

Thank god for checkin girls who love a british accent

And all that weigh less the same 6gb lol

[Spud1]

I think the whole point of android versions 4.0 and beyond was interoperability. Whilst your experience of android and early bb might be quite poor and your experience of qnx quite good, how is your experience or understanding of android devices using v. 4.0? Whilst I had some app issues on my desire when I got it, and on my desire s, I haven't had anything on my one X.

Oh it's much better, but this is part of the point..the majority of Droids out there already won't support 4.0+..so many are stuck on 1.6 or 2.1 etc etc..and with Android updates/new versions are constantly rolling out, making life very difficult for developers (who wants to support 10 different software profiles and 1000s of device profiles), so of course you get compatibility issues. It's not an issue whilst your device is current, but after 1-2 years it gets more difficult. This problem simply doesn't exist with iOS or QNX *yet*. The main reason I dislike android is it's stock UI though and very "unfinished" or "linux/GTX+"..i've yet to see a droid with a polished feel (HTC does it best with Sense, but even they adapted sense to give it an android feel when they ported it from WinMob). I do use droid devices at work, and I am lucky in that I get to play with many new devices so I do have some experience with ICS.

It's personal preference though, and this thread isn't an Android Vs the world thread, I didn't mean my comments to start such a discussion