Friday, June 29, 2012

Nexus 7, promising reader (updated twice)

The new Nexus 7 seems like a quite promising ereader/tablet. Finally a tablet with a rubber back cover. It's lighter than the Kindle Fire. And it has higher screen resolution. And it's as cheap as the Fire. Very promising. (Also it comes in Europe sooner than the Fire.)

Only irritation is only 8 or 16MB storage (not "memory" which is what the processor uses for thinking), and no SD card slot. An HD movie is easily 5MB in itself.  This is like Amazon's thinking with the Fire. The Nexus even deletes files after use without asking you! (Admittedly sometimes the iPad does this too.) "Ooh, but you use the online storage, see?" Yeah, great, but what if you're in an area with no or weak Net connection, and you want to watch another movie? Come on, guys, you're being a little bit too forward with this, like five or ten years.

Seriously, I want to have several films and TV shows stored on this kind of device. Expecting video download to work in the train or the summer house is not only ridiculous, but would cost a mint in data fees if you could get it to work.



[Did this remind you of something? Like Apple promotional videos? Apart from looking at people from the left and having more color, this sounds and looks exactly like Apple's promotional videos. The words, the rhythms, the feeling... Have they no embarrassment level?]

Update 1: Janet said:
I have to assume you will get one or maybe not? 

Well, if it wasn't for that storage issue, I'd be very tempted. But on the other hand, during the rest of the year we're likely to see new models of Kindle Fire, *possibly* a smaller iPad, and so on. It's very volatile right now, so I'm waiting.

Nexus 7 leads now, slightly, with weight and screen resolution for 7-inchers, but others will surely follow. It'll be quite interesting to see how the market develops over the next couple of years.

Another thing though: it seems that on the Google Play store, you can only *rent* movies and TV shows. So you're forced to watch it within 48 hours. I like that on iTunes I can buy them so I can take my own sweet time, flicking back and forth between different films and shows, like I do with books.
... In fact it seems like you can *only* rent movies on GP, no TV shows at all. That's a big downside to me, I'm a big fan of the best TV shows, particularly comedies, nothing better when I want to relax. And laughter is healing.

Update 2:
... As a matter of fact, I can't even get movie rental to work on Google Play. I can buy books and apps, and I can *pay* for a movie rental, I even get the email receipt, but when I try to actually watch the movie, my password suddenly fails. Is this because I'm not in the USA? Does anybody know?

6 comments:

Janet Tokerud said...

I checked your site on release day to see what your impression was. I did buy one due to the great specs for speed and screen and it looks great compared to Kindle Fire. I like getting the latest Android. But you raise good points re the storage limitations. I got the 16gb and don't tend to watch movies or tv when out and about but your use cases are right on. I have to assume you will get one or maybe not? As tablet king, I look to your opinions.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Oh dear! :-)

Well, if it wasn't for that storage issue, I'd be very tempted. But on the other hand, during the rest of the year we're likely to see new models of Kindle Fire, *possibly* a smaller iPad, and so on. It's very volatile right now, so I'm waiting.
(And of course I'm well served with an iPad 3, iPhone 4, and a Samsung Galaxy Note.)

Nexus 7 leads now, slightly, with weight and screen resolution for 7-inchers, but others will surely follow. It'll be quite interesting to see how the market develops over the next couple of years.

Len of thekindlechronicles.com has ordered one, I'd look out for his review. (His podcast is always great.)

Janet Tokerud said...

Yes. I hope to buy a new smaller iPad if one comes out. I've only bought one Android device ever and that's the Kindle Fire. As a technology consultant, the Fire didn't give me the true Android experience. I like like what Ive seen of Matias Duarte and was excited to buy a cheap jelly bean device without having to pay for a phone contract too. So this research but will be my favorite book reading device and perhaps Instapaper. If I could get Zite for Android jelly bean, I would be set.

I'll keep an eye out for words from Len Edgerly on his thekindlechronicles.com podcast of which I am also a fan. He loves Kindle above all, but will give at least a solid try at being objective.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

I like Zite too, a lot.
If it isn't on Android, I did hear that FlipBoard is there now, which is pretty similar.

Janet Tokerud said...

I've never gotten really committed to Flipboard but Zite was an instant click intomylongterm desire for a personalized newspaper. Make sure to see the gizmodo interview with Matias Duarte. I think you will like his vision for Android and their new devices - a lot!

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Will do.

I've looked forward to the net-delivered personalized newspaper since it was described in The Fountains of Paradise by Author C. Clarke in the seventies!