Most of us are well aware of the impressive high end specs of the Nexus 7 tablet.  With its Tegra 3 processor, 12 core GPU, 1280x800 IPS display and more this is gonna be one sweet piece of hardware when we all get our hands on it.  But just as impressive as the hardware is the software that makes the Nexus 7 such a useful device.  During the Keynote at Google I/O this week they spent a good deal of time going over some of the many improvements and additions that were made to Android for the 4.1 Jelly Bean update.  I'm gonna spotlight some of the most important ones over the coming week or two and I can't think of a better place to start than with the inclusion of the Chrome Browser as the new standard on Android.

The upgrade to Chrome for Android as part of Jelly Bean really excites me.   Probably my biggest annoyance with both Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich has been the lackluster browser experience but with Chrome it's a whole new ballgame.  In many ways it really is like having a desktop experience on your tablet.  PCMag just did a piece on some of the highlights of the Chrome Browser and I've taken some of their points and expanded on them to show why I believe this is such an important upgrade to the Android operating system and why it makes your Nexus 7 so much more useful.


One of the first things you notice when you fire up Chrome for Android is the fantastic Cross Platform Syncronization.  In the blink of an eye, as soon as you sign in with your username and password, all your favorites, shortcuts...even your browsing history and tabs you have open on your desktop Chrome browser are all transferred over to Chrome on your Nexus 7.  It makes setup literally a brainless activity and it just works instantly.  Fantastic job there Google. 

Next up is the Tabbed Browsing.  Just like on your desktop version of Chrome you can have multiple windows open in a 'tabbed' interface that makes switching between web pages so intuitive and easy. 

A new feature that I think is going to be really useful is the Voice Search feature that allows you to search google by just speaking to the Nexus 7.  It's really simple to use.  All you do is hit the mic icon next to the omnibox and presto...you speak your question.   In demonstrations it seems very polished and has great voice recognition and accurate results.  Frankly, most reviewers have said it tops Apple's Siri in accuracy of results which is probably a testament to Google's search prowess. 


Moving along there's Autofill which is now 'intelligent'.  The more you use it the more accurate it gets based on your past history and you can help 'teach' Chrome by pressing the up and down arrows to show what are the most relevant results, which it will remember for future use.  Nice touch. 

Maybe one of the least mentioned...but one of my personal favorite features of Chrome that has been carried over from the desktop version are the Most Visited Previews that appear when you hit the + to open a new tab.  I enjoy seeing these miniature renditions of my favorite web pages as it often reminds me of favorite 'go to' pages and makes them convenient to get to with just a touch. 

Finally, Google has added a nice Search Within Page feature which can be handy if you're trying to locate a certain topic or piece of text or quote on a web page. 

Overall I have to say I'm super excited and looking forward to using Chrome on my Nexus 7.  It's going to make the whole web browsing experience a whole lot more fun and useful and I can definitely see this becoming my new favorite way to browse the web.   What are your thoughts on Chrome for Android?  Any features I've left out that you're looking forward to?  Let's hear your thoughts in the comments!




Source:PC Mag

If you've been waiting for a really thorough review done by a top notch tech publication there are really only a handful that stand above the rest.  One of those is 'The Verge' and editor in chief Joshua Topolsky does a really nice 10 minute video review where he goes step by step through both the hardware, software and ecosystem of the Nexus 7 Tablet. 

Starting with the hardware Josh is genuinely impressed with the build quality of the Nexus 7 calling it 'really well made' and a 'pretty nice device'.  He particularly liked The leather-feel rubber back gives it a high-end feel and he thought the screen was top notch with him noting the great viewing angles and color saturation in addition to pixel density. 


Moving along to software, Josh really took the time to delve into Jellybean and many of the new features that Google has added to both the OS as well as the overall Google Play ecosystem.  He found that Google's new voice search - sounds better than siri and seems to be more effective.  He also really liked 'Google Now' which gives you real time information as you need it and uses your search data to learn about you so it grows more effective over time.  With 'Google Now' you can get all sorts of timely and even 'predictive' information such as sports scores, travel information, bus and train times, weather etc based on where you are and what you usually do at that time and place during the day.  It's easy to imagine where this technology might lead.  Perhaps telling you if friends are nearby or that there's a donut shop around the corner that has your favorite flavor.  All in good time.

Back to the software, Josh noted that 'notifications' were 'way upgraded', featuring a new font and many more options.  Giving the voice search' a try he also noted how nice maps looked on the Nexus 7, incorporation the new 3d look that Google introduced just a few weeks ago and also having a nice 'tablet overlay' for directions which makes it easy to read.

Moving on to content, he mentions how Google Play has really been spruced up.  There's a dedicated magazine section now and the experience is very fluid...more so than on the Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet or Color.  There's nice touches like the ability to just read the text of a magazine in addition to the full version which displays great on the 1280x800 display...compared to being cutoff on the 1024 x 600 lesser resolution screens of those aforementioned competitors.


Also a new addition to Google Play...the ability to purchase individual episodes of tv shows as well as subscribe to the whole season.  HD playback looked really good.   Finally gaming is fantastic on the Nexus 7 and really shows off the top notch hardware.  In the video Joshua shows a bit of himself playing Shadowgun and we'll remind readers that many Tegra games like Shadowgun, RipTide GP and others have Tegra 3 version with added special effects and greater graphical detail to take advantage of the Tegra 3 and its 12 core GPU. 

Perhaps last but certainly not least he showed off the Chrome Browser which now is part of Jelly Bean and it makes a huge leap over the previous Android browser.  He notes it makes web surfing very close to a desktop experience with smooth rendering and proper tabs for multiple wb pages.  The only downside that he could really find wasn't really about the Nexus 7 itself but just that the Android app catalog still has a relative paucity of tablet-specific apps.   

Of course all the phone apps run just fine on the Nexus 7 but without being specially configured for the tablet's larger screen, some do just 'blow up' a phone interface and don't take reach their full potential.  This is an area which is continually improving however and in fact one of the prime reasons that Google is releasing the Nexus 7 is to help jumpstart developer interest in making more tablet apps.


So that about wraps it up for Joshua's review.  He wraps it up by saying that in all the Nexus 7 is an "incredible tablet" at any price point and that "Android has really come into its own."  It doesn't get much better than that folks. 

Thanks Eddie and welcome nhobbit.  I got a feeling there'll be lots of people that are first time tablet owners getting the Nexus 7.   

Thanks for joining evoqONE.  Glad to have you here.

Thanks Drew and welcome to the forum.   As one of our 'charter' members I'm glad you're around to help be involved in the community.   Should be a fun device to learn about and use.

The reviews are starting to come in folks for the brand new Google branded, Asus built Nexus 7 tablet.  Most of the tech journalists were busy today at the 2nd Keynote of Google I/O so we'll probably be seeing many more reviews later in the weekend but Engadget did manage to put together their review and in a nut shell they give the Nexus 7 a solid thumbs up. 

Now the video above will give you a rundown of some of their observations of the tablet but the review starts out pointing out that the Nexus 7 outdoes the Kindle Fire in every way but one.  It has a better processor, a better build, it's lighter, has a camera and better resolution screen than the Kindle Fire, not to mention the full openness of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and all the apps, books, videos and games you care to load onto its memory from anyplace you want.   Unlike the Amazon which is locked down to the Amazon.com site and store unless you want to go through the trouble of rooting it.  And even then you'll be stuck with inferior hardware at the same price point. 


Some particular commendation was reserved for the build quality of the Nexus 7.  This feels like one solid piece of hardware.  The back has a high quality leathery feel, and even though it is rubber...it was able to fool at least one veteran tech journalist into thinking it was leather.   Also garnering high marks is the display.  Super sharp at 1280 x 800 pixels and with a resolution of 216 pixels per inch it features really nice off axis viewing angles and super strong contrast and an impressive 400 nits brightness.   Also noted with the light weight of only 12 ounces...2.6 ounces less than the Fire which makes a noticeable difference in the hand.    The one fault with the Nexus 7 that they could find had to do with the tablets loudness.  Those small speakers that are hidden beneath the slit on the bottom back of the tablet aren't going to fill the room like you might like but for personal use they seem adequate.


Of particular importance to myself is the battery life which came in at a really impressive...and a better than reported 9:49 hours on a standard video loop test.   That's almost 10 hours folks...enough for a long day of continuous use or two if used moderately.   Finally the review goes into some of the software highlights of the new android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS that comes in the Nexus 7.  Of particular note is the Chrome browser which is a substantial step up from the standard Android browser many of us have used for seemingly forever.  The entire browsing experience improves by leaps and bounds.   There's lots more in the written review which I've linked to below but there's no doubt that at least according to the guys and gals over at Engadget Google has a winner on its hands with the Nexus 7.

They actually have this Thomas Game Pack for Android.  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hitentertainment.thomas&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwOSwiY29tLmhpdGVudGVydGFpbm1lbnQudGhvbWFzI.

The Android app system is growing fast and they have TONS of interactive apps.  Just gotta look.   It's not as many as the iPad...yet.  But it's actually growing at a faster pace.

Well Jelly Bean, Android 4.1 is the same software that is also for phones.   I guess in the guidebook they simply refer to everything as a 'phone' when really they should use 'device' since both tablets and phones will run on Jelly Bean.  Good point though!