The Nexus 7 is the first fully-fledged Android tablet from Google and it was, wait for it….wait for it…Yes. Developed in cahoots with ASUS. This is a gorgeous, top of line piece of kit that blends the leading hardware from ASUS with the latest services and offerings from Google. It looks pretty good from where I’m sitting, let me tell you.
This Android tablet from Google and ASUS will be the first device to run the next version of Android – Android 4.1. aka Jelly Bean (funny how these names always make me hungry). The device isn’t just good looking and packed with high quality hardware, it is also aimed at a decent price point so that it’s accessible. This is a very clever move and one that likely has many sitting back and going, “Hmmm”.
The Nexus has been designed to handle entertainment, media, productivity, and gaming – all the features on offer at Google Play. It has a front-facing camera, a microphone, a micro-USB port, 3.5mm headset jack, touchscreen, NFC (ooooh), a power lock/volume key, and a speaker. The screen is seven inches wide and the Nexus 7 has a textured chassis for firmer grip control and you can do anything from read a book, hold a video conference to work on a presentation.
It boasts the title of being the world’s first quad-core seven inch tablet with Android 4.1 and is nice and fast, and the 4-PLUS-1 processor with PRISM technology means that battery consumption is more controlled for longer usage – up to 9.5 hours of continuous usage (reasonable usage, of course). The four CPU cores offer max performance with each core automatically enabled or disabled dependent on the workload.
The screen is a 1280×800 IPS screen with scratch resistant Corning Fit Glass and a 178 degree viewing angle. It also has a brightness of up to 400nits in outdoor viewing conditions. The device also supports Google Wallet that allows you to load your cards onto the site and use the app to make payments, unfortunately this is not yet available in the UK, but it probably won’t be long before it arrives here too.
Then there is, of course, the lovely NFC feature that gets you into the world of connectivity, tap and share. And as NFC expands across the UK (you can see loads of Olympic examples here) you will be able to take advantage of these with the Nexus 7. ASUS have already started showing off their range of cool accessories to go with the Nexus 7 and I’ve got my eye on the cool travel covers. Nice.
Tamsin