Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with nexus7

Something light and cheap that works like a laptop

vogon_poet — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 12:46:23 -0800

I'm sick of carrying around a heavy full-size laptop. I could replace it with a new shiny ultrabook or something, but I don't want to spend that much. Is a Nexus 7 + a bluetooth keyboard a bad solution? I basically want to be able to carry around this device in a bag, occasionally write emails and average-length (like 4-5 pages) essays, and use it to view PDFs. The Nexus 7 with an Apple wireless keyboard seems like it would let me do this. It's much cheaper than getting a full laptop. A chromebook is comparably priced, but I like the idea of the Nexus 7, because I've wanted a 7" tablet for a while just for web-browsing, ebooking, and watching Netflix.

But I'm apprehensive. Has anyone used this setup, or something comparable (eg iPad mini)? I'm confident that a larger tablet would work fine, but I don't want to spend that much money.

Swap two Nexuses for a Note II? Pros and Cons?

dobbs — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 11:03:28 -0800

I love my Nexus 4 and Nexus 7. I hate carrying two devices around and have been considering switching to a Note II. What are the pros and cons? What would I be gaining or losing? My major uses inside. I mostly use my tablet for:

Games
Reading eBooks and (mostly) 8.5 x 11 Screenplay PDFs (and marking up the PDFs with a stylus)
Flipboard

I use my phone for everything else but mostly for texting and taking text and voice notes using Catch.com. I'm in Canada and use Mobilicity as my provider, which means I'd be using the SGH-T889 or SGH-T889V model of the Note II.

I don't mind the size of the Note II and have never used the S-pen though I do use a stylus with my N7.

What would I be losing or gaining by switching? Interested in every aspect: usability, speed, battery life, apps, OS updates, reception, etc...

If you have a Note II, what is the one thing you like best about it? Least?

Thanks!

Single Speaker for my Nexus 7?

redsparkler — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:47:23 -0800

I'm looking for a simple awesome speaker that I can plug my Nexus 7 tablet into. I've used a set of desk speakers in the past, but I hate how there's two of them and the cords get all tangled. I'd ideally like a single speaker that plugs into the wall; something I can blast some sweet tunes on in the kitchen, and then pick it up and move it to the bedroom with a minimum of fuss.

"Google Voice" app on Canadian Nexus 7?

jpziller — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 08:45:00 -0800

I have a Google Voice account and phone number, and from my desktop I am able to send & receive SMS (google.com/voice) and even make outgoing calls (gmail.com). I just got a Nexus 7, and would like to find the 'Google Voice' app, but I'm not able to. What am I missing? I lived in the US for the past couple of years, and while there got a Google Vocie phone number. I happily used the Google Voice app on an Android phone while I was in the US to manage voicemail and send/receive SMS. Now I'm back in Canada, and I'd like to use that same app (or an equivalent) on my newly-purchased Google Nexus 7. The app store seems to be denying the existence of such an app, which is crazy to me 'cause I know I've used it on another Android device.

What am I missing here? Is the app store discriminating against my tablet? The fact that I'm in Canada? Is this as easy as just getting an .apk from somewhere?

Best Kitchen Mounting System for Nexus 7?

rhiannonstone — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 15:17:04 -0800

My Nexus 7 has become a near-indispensable kitchen tool, and I'd like to find a way to mount it in the kitchen so I can use it more easily while cooking. I have zero counter space available, so a stand is out, and I can't mount it on the underside of a cabinet, either. Safe wall space is close to zero, too, so I guess that leaves me with the fridge. Are there any decent fridge-mounting systems for the Nexus 7 or other 7" tablets? Ideally I'd like something that allows me to easily insert and remove the tablet, since it won't live in the kitchen all the time. I could probably DIY this but I'm working on so many other household projects I'd really like to be able to buy an out-of-the-box solution and be done with it, though I'd be willing to add magnets to a great non-magnetic mount.

Nexus 7 Apps

thatwhichfalls — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 18:42:34 -0800

What are your must have free or low cost apps for the Nexus 7?

Nexus 7 vs iPad mini for Android user

sinical — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 07:36:03 -0800

Android phone user considering a tablet purchase. Considering iPad mini or Nexus 7 and trying to determine pros and cons of staying with android or having access to the Apple realm. I'm a happy android phone user. I currently have a Nexus S and if I were buying a new phone right now it would almost certainly be a Nexus 4.

I'm looking at tablets and like the 7" form factor versus 10" tablets so am caught between a Nexus 7 and iPad mini. I'd be doing normal tablet things, reading articles, watching some video, etc.

Initially the Nexus 7 seems like an obvious choice, especially considering the price. It would seem to make sense to have the apps I'm used to on my phone in the larger format.

Is there any advantage to the iPad mini in that I'd have access to some different apps? I'm occasionally annoyed when I hear about neat apps that are iOS only. That said, I have never owned any apple products, nor use itunes, etc.

My feeling is the Nexus 7 is the better option, but wondering if I'm missing something.

Google Nexus 7 - what am I missing?

missmagenta — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:17:47 -0800

Google Nexus 7 - what am I missing? A couple of weeks ago google doubled the storage in the nexus 7s. I can now get a 16GB one for £159 direct from google. Looking at other online stores though, they're still selling the old 16GB ones for £189 (claiming a discount of £10). I expected stores to reduce the prices by now - why would anyone pay £189 for something they could get for £159? (on amazon they're going for over £200!)

As far as I can tell they've stopped selling the 8GB, started selling the new 32GB ones and knocked £10 off the old 16GB ones. Most online stores I've looked at have only a £10 difference in price between the 16Gb and 32GB now.

Am I missing something? Are they just trying to get rid of stock they bought at the higher price hoping customers are uninformed?

A Tablet Bag for the 7'' Masses

Apropos of Something — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 13:55:35 -0800

I've got a Nexus 7, and now it needs a nice bag to carry it and the things I take with it. Snowflakes follow. What's going in it:

* A 7'' Nexus 7 tablet. Preferably this'd have a padded compartment
* The Nexus 7's charger.
* Logitech's Tablet Keyboard for Android:
* Some sort of notebook, perhaps a Moleskine (since it's about the tablet's size).
* Two or three pens
* A paperback book, of average size.

What I want to avoid:
* Stuff that feels like crap. More specifically, I tend to dislike that standard neoprene or pleather that makes up most computer or tablet cases.

What I like:
* Most of my bags are waxed canvas. I like canvas and leather. I like tweedy wool. I tend to dress a little formally, and want something to match that asethetic.

Ideally, this bag comes with a shoulder strap, but I can see being game for handles too. Both new products and ideas for vintage products repurposed work too.

What's the best tech-y resources & resource locations for an Android Nexus 7?

CrystalDave — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:21:36 -0800

I recently decided to pick up a Nexus 7. However, I'm entirely new to the whole Android ecosystem. What are the best resources for finding the best which Android has to offer? (If you can point me directly to the 'Android best-of', that works too) I'm a techy/programmer type, so while I hadn't paid much attention to winnowing out the best tools and apps so far, I know enough to look into rooting it and things like that. (Apps of a similar bent are preferred, and I know I already want to find the best-possible SSH tool and best-possible code editor)

Keeping my Nexus 7 Tablet charged while on the move.

wwax — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 19:33:43 -0800

Need a recommendation for a travel battery for a Nexus 7. Heading overseas and going to be spending 26 hours plus in the air so taking along my Nexus 7 to keep myself amused.

With rushed transit stops of 3 hours or less, I am not going to have time to recharge in between flights so I am looking for recommendations of what I am calling a Travel Battery until I know what they are actually called.

Basically I want some sort of battery pack I can plug into my Nexus 7 to recharge or keep it charged while amusing myself. I don't mind if the pack takes normal batteries (say AA's) that will need to be replaced or is itself rechargeable.

I don't even have idea what specs I need to be looking for in a battery pack thingy and all the items that might fit the bill seem to be for phones or iPads.

Any product suggestions appreciated, I'd like to keep the price around the $40-$50 price range.

I'm bad at math.

PapaLobo — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 10:12:10 -0800

I already know where to place my router. My question is, how do I find the exact center of my house? My router is currently in my office, and the router is placed on my desk, which is pretty near the outside wall of my house, so I understand that a good portion of the signal is going outside and probably hitting my neighbor's garage. Now that I have a couple of tablets, I like to drink coffee and catch up on news on my patio which is on the other side of my house. That area is an iffy deadspot. Sometimes I get good connections, other times its nil. So I want to move my router to an optimal location. I can easily get the total square footage of my house, but since my house isn't a perfect square or rectangle shape, I have no clue where the true center would be. I AM BAD AT MATH!

Nexus 7 wifi connectivity problem

ocherdraco — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 11:37:04 -0800

I got them ol' wifi blues: I took the plunge and bought a Nexus 7, primarily to use for reading textbooks. While it works great on my home wifi, at school, it is unable to connect (apparently Jelly Bean and enterprise wifi don't play nice). Can you help me identify what's causing the problem and fix it? My Nexus 7 is running Android 4.1.1 (Jelly Bean). According to Google, it works with 802.11 b/g/n wifi.

My college's network says it will respond to either 802.11b or 802.11g devices. Here is their extremely annoying wifi info site which manages to provide lots of text and hardly any information at all.

Here's what happens when I try to log in: I put in my username and password and the device will say "Connecting" for quite a while until it eventually says "Authentication Problem".

I took it to the helpdesk here on campus and the person there said, basically, that they've just noticed an issue with Android devices running Jelly Bean not being able to connect to their wifi (and apparently other enterprise wifi networks), and as far as they can tell, at this point, there's nothing they can do about it.

I'm also going to be calling the Nexus 7 helpline, but any help y'all can give in identifying the cause or a solution to my problem would be great.

When did I move to the UK?

kathrynm — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 20:44:57 -0800

How do I get a Nexus 7 weather card actually display the weather for my area. I'm sure Bedford, UK is a very nice place. I just happen to not live there. I can't get my rooted Nexus 7 (this was still happening before my brother rooted it) to display my proper location. I tried and he tried Googling it, with no luck.

I have the card checked display my current location (outside of Cleveland, Ohio). I went into the Latitude app and made sure I was showing up in the right place and I am, down to the street (maybe my addy is on file with Google?).

I ended up adding the Weather Chanel app, but this is really bugging my OCD self. Interestingly enough, there is a Bedford about a block from where I live. It would work well enough for me. But I live on the US side of the pond.

Reading textbooks on an Android tablet

ocherdraco — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:28:53 -0800

If I get a Google Nexus 7, will I be able to use it to reliably read textbooks? My college primarily uses Pearson textbooks for the courses I'm taking. Does anyone have experience with those textbooks on an Android tablet? Friends of mine have used iPads for their textbooks, but the cost of an iPad is beyond my reach. A Nexus 7, however, is something I can afford! I'd love to be able to carry all my books in a tablet. I don't want to invest in it, though, and find out that I won't really be able to use it for the primary reason I'm buying it.

The reviews for the Pearson eText app on Google's Play store are not inspiring, but it looks like the app basically works—it's just sluggish. Do you have experience with reading Pearson textbooks on an Android tablet? What's it like?

Can I really have the house of the future?

trogdole — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 13:31:14 -0800

If I were to purchase a Nexus 7 to use as a kind of hub for my apartment, communicating between roommates and keeping track of bills and things electronically, what all would I actually be able to do with it? I'm considering getting a Nexus 7, but I don't know if this is me equating too much possibility to what is basically a cellphone, or if it would actually be a worthwhile purchase. I've already thought about email, texting each other, keeping track of groceries/recipes and syncing them, and keeping track of billls and things.

In itself, those things probably aren't enough to justify the purchase. I'm terribly lazy, after I buy it I'll probably end up slacking on anything I can't set to repeat automatically, or sync with from my browser.

So I'm hoping there are more things I can do with this that I haven't thought of. I really like this idea, and I would love to do it and make my apartment all smart house-y. But are there more things that I can do with a tablet that would make it worth the purchase? Any other apps or tools that I haven't considered? Things that would make what I have considered easier? I'm open to all suggestions, or opinions if this is a bad idea or worth doing anyway.

I would love some App ideas for a new Nexus 7 tablet.

wwax — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:09:37 -0800

I would love some App ideas for a new Nexus 7 tablet. I got a Nexus 7 for my birthday and I am in love with it. I have never had a smart phone or tablet before and am already addicted to it, so what can't live without Apps would you recommend a new table owner try out. I don't mind if the app comes from sources other than Google play and I don't mind paying for Apps if they are good.

It comes with basics installed like Chrome, gmail, feed readers and the like.

I would love some game recommendations, I prefer puzzle style games like Bejeweled or tetris over fps and the like but if there is a good one for the format I'll try it out if only to make my husband jealous. Also a music and media players suggestions as I am not super thrilled with the ones that came with it.

It runs Android 4.2 Jellybean.

Please keep this about App suggestions and not a discussion about my (or anyone elses) choice in tablets.

Wanna DIMyself.

Currer Belfry — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 07:03:36 -0800

Aspiring hobbyist asks: What would YOU do with this board? My goal: a decently-powered tablet, netbook, or mini-PC hat that runs Linux. I'm waiting for the release of the Vivaldi tablet and I also don't think it will be long before someone creates a Youtube video about how to install a Linux distro on the Nexus 7.

However, I'm intrigued by some other options, especially DIY. I've seen some favorable comments about the HardKernel ODROID-X board, linked above. The board is supposedly capable of running Ubuntu in addition to Android.

I've never built my own system before, although I suspect I could do it given the right information and tools.

1) What kind of system could be built around this board by a novice hobbyist? Or is that a pretty ambitious goal for a novice?
2) Which sites are the best in terms of DIY information?

Please excuse any newb assumptions or other howlers in this question. It may be that I'm best off in terms of time and money just waiting on the Vivaldi or Nexus 7 experimenters, but I'd like to hear something from real-world DIY folk.

thanks.