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Nexus 7 |OT| Google's $199 7-inch tablet by Asus

Retrocide

Member
Meh, I've tried multiple android tablets and I always reach the same conclusion, there are simply not enough there to keep me. As a media consumption device it's fine. As a do anything else device it fails. There is simply a dearth of Android tablet apps right now. Maybe this with change that.

But the serious question is where does this leave Amazon, this device goes right for the Kindle Fires jugular. Google and Apple have their own book stores and presumably the Nook store with be the default store on Windows 8 tablets. It seems like we are almost in a situation like when digital cameras and mp3 players got phased out when smartphones started having those features. If the next version of the Kindle Fire doesn't take off will the dedicated ebook reader go the way of the dodo?
 

Raistlin

Post Count: 9999
Google Music + Dropbox/Box/Google Drive have your back

It's not as great I know, but dropbox + google music has worked great for me.

I wish that the $199 version was at least 16 gigs though because this is a device that is made for a lot of content including apps. You need the space to be able to play those 500 mb+ gameloft games!
You're not always in a location where streaming is viable, particularly high enough bandwidth for video.





Micro USB only. Maybe get a converter cable or something. Do they have those?
Only if it's extended USB or whatever it's called, and has to have the correct drivers etc. You can't just output video over traditional USB.
 

Tuck

Member
Never found the appeal of 7" tablets. Too small for me. Too bad they didn't announce both a 7" and 10" version.
 

Randdalf

Member
£159 in the UK... I don't know though. I don't think I even need a tablet, other than a better browser, my 3DS serves fine for the nonce.
 

Raistlin

Post Count: 9999
I agree with everyone else here.

It's mind-boggling why this device doesn't have an SD slot- That would be a great way to distinguish itself from the competition.
From a business standpoint I get that they're trying to get everyone over to Google Play streaming ... but it's not really a realistic move for many people.

This is being sold as a loss leader though, so I suppose they don't really want to sell it to you unless you're going to be heavily reliant on their services.

It'll be amusing if people buy it and just use it for Amazon content though :p
 

MThanded

I Was There! Official L Receiver 2/12/2016
Other OEMs have to be fuming about this.


Nearly perfect tablet.

7 inch size, one hand holding
Vanilla Android
Jelly bean
Nexus (guaranteed vanilla OS support for 2 years?)
720p IPS high quality screen
Quad core Tegra processor
Good, simple design
250 game changer price

Deal breakers are no micro sdslot. 16gb is not enough. Lack of camera is understandable for the price. Even if the price was $50 more for an sd slot it would've been worth it. What incentive does samsung have to sell you a tablet at cost? They can't make money from the google play store.

I'll wait for either a revision or something from another manufacturer after this becomes successful (and it will be successful). God 7 inch is so awesome
Who's going to sell you a tablet at cost. No one else is making post sale money from the tablet. Google on the other hand makes money if you buy content from them.
 
It's just if I am getting a 7 inch tablet it is kind of unreasonable to expect to be able to have your computer at all times to transfer files. Especially when 16 gb will hold 2 HD movies at best. Kinda crazy for travel purposes.
Oh you're right, didn't think of it that way. It's actually why I don't put HD movies on my tablet...

Micro USB only. Maybe get a converter cable or something. Do they have those?

The micro USB TV out is a recent standard. From what I've read elsewhere, the technology is embedded into the graphics chipsets, so it's supported in a good amount of devices now. There exists many cheap micro USB -> HDMI cables you can buy and use.
 

MThanded

I Was There! Official L Receiver 2/12/2016
Oh you're right, didn't think of it that way. It's actually why I don't put HD movies on my tablet...



The micro USB TV out is a recent standard. From what I've read elsewhere, the technology is embedded into the graphics chipsets, so it's supported in a good amount of devices now. There exists many cheap micro USB -> HDMI cables you can buy and use.

I'm betting they borked it because of the price. I could be wrong. Nothing to do with it costing too much. Just the only way they can introduce a more premium model down the road is if there are actual features worth paying more for.
 

Dunlop

Member
great deal, but the lack of a SD slot and HDMI stopped me from pulling the trigger.

..because I have a Touchpad with ICS so it is hard to justify.

Still think it is an awesome value
 

thefit

Member
£159 in the UK... I don't know though. I don't think I even need a tablet, other than a better browser, my 3DS serves fine for the nonce.

I'm staring at my 3ds in puzzlement, its has a good browser? LOL wat?

Speaking of the Q turns out its Made here in the USA, wow.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/28/technology/google-and-others-give-manufacturing-in-the-us-a-try.html?hp

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Etched into the base of Google’s new wireless home media player that was introduced on Wednesday is its most intriguing feature. On the underside there is a simple laser-etched inscription: “Designed and Manufactured in the U.S.A.”
Related

The Google executives and engineers who decided to build the player, the Nexus Q, here are engaged in an experiment in American manufacturing. “We’ve been absent for so long, we decided why don’t we try it and see what happens?” said Andy Rubin, the Google executive who leads the company’s Android mobile business.
 

Raistlin

Post Count: 9999
Oh you're right, didn't think of it that way. It's actually why I don't put HD movies on my tablet...



The micro USB TV out is a recent standard. From what I've read elsewhere, the technology is embedded into the graphics chipsets, so it's supported in a good amount of devices now. There exists many cheap micro USB -> HDMI cables you can buy and use.
You'd think they'd actually list MHL if it supported it.

Instead they simply state Micro USB, which points to it likely being traditional data/power?
 

MThanded

I Was There! Official L Receiver 2/12/2016
Just not necessarily an accurate one

At $299, the device costs significantly more than competing systems from companies like Apple and Roku. Google says the price is in part because of the higher costs of manufacturing in the United States, but the company expects to bring the price down as it increases volume. The company is hoping that consumers will be willing to pay more, though it is unlikely that the “Made in America” lineage will be part of any marketing campaign.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/28/t...facturing-in-the-us-a-try.html?pagewanted=all

Fix your face Raistlin. Being wrong is not a good look on you.

gbGaa.png
 

3phemeral

Member
So what the heck is the Nexus Q?

Is it a Google TV box, something else or is it just a box to stream google content?

Seems to be a media hub that manages content requests from multiple devices and outputs the selected video/audio to any directly connected component.
 

MThanded

I Was There! Official L Receiver 2/12/2016
Is the only way to get it going to be online through Google? If so, may as well add shipping to the final cost.
For now yes. Since the margins are razor thin they are only doing it through Google for now. It will hit other retailers later.
 

Fox Mulder

Member
16gb's was too low when I got my first ipad. I got a 32gb ipad 2, and have a little bit of room left.

Disappointed there's not more room or a space for an SD card.
 

tino

Banned
It's funny cause the only thing i'd want a 10" tablet for is being able to read full-page comics without needing to zoom/swipe much.

It's more than half the reason i'd get a tablet in the first place though.. so it still bums me out.


I thought that's critical for comic reading. But Perfect Viewer make half-page viewing very enjoyable. You can just keep hitting the advance button (user definable) and you can read and bottom page and the next page.
 

Blackhead

Redarse
You'd think they'd actually list MHL if it supported it.

Instead they simply state Micro USB, which points to it likely being traditional data/power?

They didn't list MHL for the Galaxy Nexus when it launched.


And it's not like it is a money reason. Even the extremely low-end cheap android based tablets like the nook have them. Even sub 200 ones. It's done purely out of a desire of google to keep it more closed rather than open to have people rely on their services. A very Appley sort of move which is disappointing since you'd expect Google to be for more open.
Hahaha


My entire music or movie collection? No chance. A tiny sleeve with MicroSD cards could.

Nearly everyone makes cheap android tablets with a sd reader. Even the nook color has one!

This is a gigantic failure of the device. Asus showed off the memo 370t at ces for 250 with 16gb with the exact same specs except it had a sd card slot. This nexus better not have replaced it. :( has there been any word about it?

I was all ready to buy this, I can't believe how badly Google messed this up. If the memo is still on track for 2012 that will be mine.
HAHAHA
 

j-wood

Member
Here is the problem with the Nexus Q.

Why do I need it?

My DROID Bionic has an HDMI out port. I hook it up to the TV and I can stream all music/movies/apps from the Play store without buying a $299 sphere.

Am I missing something here?
 

tirant

Member
Can someone explain to me why is this way cheaper than a similar specced cell phone? Bigger screen, bigger battery...
 

scorcho

testicles on a cold fall morning
Take my money? Maybe?

I have an iPad 3 I'm quite happy with except for its weight with case. I've yet to use an Andorid tablet and this price point screams impulse buy, especially with a pending raise and promotion on the horizon (well, so long as I'm still alive that is).

The device specs and price make this a great value proposition. Will become my defacto ePub reader to start.
 

ThatObviousUser

ὁ αἴσχιστος παῖς εἶ
Can someone explain to me why is this way cheaper than a similar specced cell phone? Bigger screen, bigger battery...

All else equal, small parts cost more than large parts; always have and always will. A phone also needs phone parts and EDGE/3G/4G antennae.

That said, specs wise this is the bigger twin of the Galaxy Nexus, which only costs $100 more (comparing 16 GB vs. 16 GB.)
 

Cheebo

Banned
They didn't list MHL for the Galaxy Nexus when it launched.



Hahaha



HAHAHA

Huh?

I've been saying since before this was revealed I'd buy it in a heart beat if it had external storage since I have been dying for a smaller 7 inch tablet with a SD slot to supplement the iPad since iPad lacks that. I was hoping Google would do that since so many Android OEM's do, even on very cheap tablets.
 

kehs

Banned
Can someone explain to me why is this way cheaper than a similar specced cell phone? Bigger screen, bigger battery...

The same components in a small space actually costs more to produce. That goes for screens, as well as internal and battery setups.

They're also apparently selling them near cost, which means there's no profit on top.
 

Emily Chu

Banned
So will this actually be in any brick and mortar stores ?

I'd like to try it out first before buying.

best buy ?

also bezel on this thing is redunklous
 

reKon

Banned
You'd think they'd actually list MHL if it supported it.

Instead they simply state Micro USB, which points to it likely being traditional data/power?

This is exactly the samething that happened with the Galaxy Nexus and that micro usb ended up being MHL...
 

scorcho

testicles on a cold fall morning
Okay ordered the 8GB version, from my iPad oddly enough. Will be my first Android device. Hopefully this will only take two weeks.
 

Sanjuro

Member
I called and switched the 8GB to the 16GB model, mainly fearing the OS storage size.

Does anyone have an idea or guesstimate on how much the OS will take on the internal drive?
 

3phemeral

Member
Here is the problem with the Nexus Q.

Why do I need it?

My DROID Bionic has an HDMI out port. I hook it up to the TV and I can stream all music/movies/apps from the Play store without buying a $299 sphere.

Am I missing something here?

If you're just one person sharing content, it's useless, really, unless you really value having free-roaming access to your phone without the need to have it physically tethered to your dock. It's really more valuable if multiple people are sharing content, it handles all of that content without anyone having to connect directly to the device.
 

Retrocide

Member
Can someone explain to me why is this way cheaper than a similar specced cell phone? Bigger screen, bigger battery...

Different ways to make money. Google, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble expect to make money later on when people buy movies and book, in much the same way video game companies expect to get money later when people buy games and lose money on hardware initially. A cell phone manufacturer doesn't have the money making model available so they expect to get their profits up front.*


*Execpt for Apple which get's both the upfront and long term profits from Iphone/ Ipad thanks to iTunes.
 

dwebo

Member
I called and switched the 8GB to the 16GB model, mainly fearing the OS storage size.

Does anyone have an idea or guesstimate on how much the OS will take on the internal drive?

less than a gig undoubtedly, but there might only be 7gb of the 8 usable to begin with... plus there might be preloaded apps and media. it's probably safe to assume you'll have at least 4-5gb for your own stuff
 

Sanjuro

Member
less than a gig undoubtedly, but there might only be 7gb of the 8 usable to begin with... plus there might be preloaded apps and media. it's probably safe to assume you'll have at least 4-5gb for your own stuff

That's what I figured. I'm really not doing much with this, but I'm certainly loading it with a ton of comics. I was holding out for the combo of this wonderful price point and screen resolution.

Can't wait. Only downside is my credit card now has two $200+ purchases from Google for the remainder of the day. :/
 
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