Nexus 7 vs iPad Mini

[gino_76ph]

Hi there!

I am looking to buy a tablet this holiday season and i do not know which to choose.

The Nexus 7 specs-wise is a beast and size seems very ideal for travelling, etc. Having Android phones in the past and an HTC Sensation i would be very familiar and would feel at home with the OS. And its quite cheap.

The iPad Mini (current codename) however isn't out yet but all rumours/whispers/news/spy shots suggest a September announcement and a much smaller screen size and i'm predicting specs similar to the "new" iPad. I miss having an iPad. had the 2nd-gen 3 months ago and have bought many paid apps & games and i feel it would be a shame if i just waste all of it and forget about it. A predicted price of at least £50 more than the Nexus 7 but again its still difficult to say.

But when it comes to practicality would you go for the N7 or wait for the much smaller iPad?

I plan to use my tablet as surfing the net, uploading photos, simple note taking, checking news/weather, Youtube, watching videos and i would like to say as a gaming console rather than buy say an expensive PS Vita as games on the App Store tend to be a lot cheaper than portable consoles.

What you think guys?

[redddraggon]

I had the same dilemma, used to Apple stuff and had had a bad experience with a previous "cheap" android tablet. Picked up the Nexus 7 last Thursday and so far I'm finding it pretty awesome, fits in my pocket which is ideal - any bigger tho and it probably wouldn't fit.

[Fraz]

The Nexus 7 is absolutely great, as long as you're happy with no microSD slot, and no rear camera. Great size, weight. Screen is lush. Google + ASUS have done a great job with it, at a great price.

Downsides? I think the Play store is still a bit low on content, particularly with respect to movies. Plus the rental rates are 3+ quid, which seems too high to me.

[Smudger]

The Nexus 7 is absolutely great, as long as you're happy with no microSD slot, and no rear camera. Great size, weight. Screen is lush. Google + ASUS have done a great job with it, at a great price.

Downsides? I think the Play store is still a bit low on content, particularly with respect to movies. Plus the rental rates are 3+ quid, which seems too high to me.

Isn't there an app for Netflix/Lovefilm, etc?

[Fraz]

Isn't there an app for Netflix/Lovefilm, etc?

Yes - certainly for Netflix. Not sure about Lovefilm. And yes, this is a good way around side-stepping the relative crapness/expensiveness of the Play movie store. Probably not one that Google wants you to take though

[Gordy]

I've had the nexus since launch and it's pretty good. I think it's about 90% there. The things that let it down are:

1. Build quality: It's not well built, come thursday I will be on my 3rd. I don't have a lot of hope of the 3rd not having something wrong.

2. Poorer quality apps: The apps on the play store are not as good as the iOS ones and there is a poorer selection.

I love the form factor and price a lot, but those two points above let it down.

I am looking forward to an iPad mini and at the right price I will get one. The major reasons is that it will be better built and I will be able to use my normal iOS choices of apps.

For google's first real tablet attempt it's pretty good, but they need to improve on it year on year to compete. The app devs need to see a real chunk of tablets shipping to start investing in android tablet development in a more major way.

[dangel]

I have to say, there are times I watch my wife on the nexus and think it's faster/smoother than my iPad 3..

[Fraz]

1. Build quality: It's not well built, come thursday I will be on my 3rd. I don't have a lot of hope of the 3rd not having something wrong.

For sure, the build quality isn't up there with the iPad, but it's still very good based on my sample of a single device. I think you must have been pretty unlucky Out of interest, what have been the problems you've had?

[K4RIMIN4L]

well i'd say wait the few days as we are almost in september now the supposedly rumoured ipad mini announcement then decide which you will go for

[Gordy]

For sure, the build quality isn't up there with the iPad, but it's still very good based on my sample of a single device. I think you must have been pretty unlucky Out of interest, what have been the problems you've had?

I've had two issues, the first one had dead pixels. The second has the screen on the left being loose issue. I've seen reports of people having 7 or 8 different ones all with faults.

In fact I suspect Tesco's just stopped selling the nexus 7 because of the high returns. I've just had the order for my replacement one cancelled and they are now showing out of stock online. However there was stock and no issue when I got the return order completed.

At the cost, I'm prepared for it to feel cheaper than the iPad, but the screen issue is annoying. It makes a weird noise when you press on that part of the screen. I've tried the various fixes, but they don't last.

[gino_76ph]

Asus + Google equals cheap but chearful but low-quality/low quality control tablet.

Would be nice for the iPad Mini to come before Christmas. No announcement during iPhone 5 conference. Still holding my money back for the Mini or just getting an iPad 2 as i heard of many issues with the iPad 3.

[Biscuit]

Asus + Google equals cheap but chearful but low-quality/low quality control tablet.

There has been loads of issues with iDevices over the years, dont kid yourself into thinking apples build quality is really any better.

[gino_76ph]

May i ask what kind of issues? Are we talking about the overheating issue? Battery discharging quickly issue? The Wifi/3G signal weakening when held in a particular way issue?

[Biscuit]

Yes all of those, plus reports of screens exploding on earlier iphones and the home button sticking/stopping working, ipods have had their fair share of disasters too!
All electronic devices have their niggles, some a bit more than others but i dont understand how Apple manage to gloss over the ones in their devices when others get ploughed into the ground at the slightest thing.

You can spend forever researching something and desperately trying to find its flaws, when in reality the Nexus has had fantasic reviews and even if some of them do have some flaws, you can get it replaced. Just the same as the iPhones/iPads, yeah they have flaws but at the end of the day you're never going to know if they really bother you unless you get one.

[gino_76ph]

I really wish an iPad Mini is in the works. It would really have a "healthy" competition with those smaller Android tablets. And more choices for the consumers of course.

The market is not yet saturated with tablets. I think we are still not in that situation yet. Like what the leader of Apple is saying that we live in a post-PC world.

[Agent]

..but i dont understand how Apple manage to gloss over the ones in their devices when others get ploughed into the ground at the slightest thing.

I put it down to two things:

1) Fanboy deployment. Even suggesting an Apple product has an issue on some forums will get you lynched.

2) Their stores customer service is actually pretty good. My other half has had her iPhone replaced 3 times for fairly common issues and the Apple store were brilliant, changing it there and then without any hassle. The 3rd time could have been her fault in fairness, but they offered her the option to pay a few quid (I can't remember how much, but it wasn't massive compared to the phone value) and give her a brand new handset as opposed to a referb.