Ten reasons I dont need the new$200 NEXUS7

[Anabran]

Hmm as the 7 inch tablet space gets more competitive I seems we as potential buyers
will benefit from more options.
Right now the hot new thing is the google Nexus 7
already being hailed as the defacto "kindle fire killer"

People's obsession with everything new& recent aside,
I humbly offer some analysis based upon pure technical comparison and reviews and I must conclude that based on my personal experience & observation
Moving over to the $200 nexus 7 would represent an Excellent "side grade" but not a signifigant UPGRADE from my kindle fire.

This is comparing the N7 to a NON rooted kindle fire


1) the N7 has a more powerful processor( tegra)

OK great, but as a casual gamer I am already running "tegra recommended" games Like Shadowgun with no Lags
I dont see any games in release that look as good or better than shadowgun for android
so it seems I am already running the current standard as far as 3D graphics for android..without a tegra class processor .

2) Jelly bean?? Looks nice but why exactly do I need it on my device?

"well Anabran, you can run the latest jelly bean apps and access the Massive Google play eco system ..so there!!"


Hmm I have already decided NEVER to ROOT thus foregoing Direct device access to google play.
also I have over 50 Side loaded android apps& games (2.3 or lower)
so I am not personally suffering from lack of non amazon content so this is a non issue for me at least.
additionally I just learned from a reviewer on "andronica.com" that the JB home screen will not let you flip the home screen itself to landscape mode without a Root/hack..portrait only

3) Internet??
KF -stuck with Wifi or tethering to a 3G/4G device of some sort
N7( $200)=Oops still stuck with Wifi or tethering to a 3G/4G device of some sort

4) HDMI??
KF=nope
N7( $200-250)=nope

5) SD card slot?
KF=nope
N7( $200)=nope ( I can spend beyond the$200 price space and get more drive space on a N7 model making it a true upgrade with a price to match but a 100+plus gig Sd card in a slot would be cheaperIthink)

6) Screen res?
yes the N7 has the edge but on a 7 inch device those extra pixels dont warrant spending another $200 USD to get them ,not in this economy)

7)Default interface?

N7= is nice (its android jellybean after all)
KF= is big ugly book shelf :-(

possible solutions: spend another $200 USD on an N7
ROOT My KF and install JB ,ICS ,CMOD7 etc.

or ...install and run the FREE Go launcher EX+wallchanger app and make my KF look just like any android device and even use a "jelly bean theme" if desired.
all while keeping my full factory functionality, warranty, and seamless Amazon Eco system access

8) Front camera?
N7-yes!!
KF-nope
Number of times I have personally video chatted since the advent of the technology=1
Future plans to video chat with a mobile deviceheld in front of my face? = NONE (YMMV).

9)Audio?
KF =craptastic speakers on top basicaly useless unless you happen to be sealed in a sound proof room the size of a coffin

N7 =*possibly* even crappier thin "speaker slots" on the bottom rear of the device.
solution ..obvious use head/earphone for both devices..


10) Third party accessories??( custom Covers cases,Docks etc)

Well clearly KF has had over seven months for vendors to get on board
I am sure they will read all the N7 the hype and start producing similar N7 accessories.
but again why do I need to spend another $200 USD and then wait for that??.

[foreverjuly]

Nice work on that. I'm in much the same boat.

[geoffwood]

Fair enough, but I suspect that people who already dropped $200 on a tablet in the last 7 months aren't the target market.

The question is, if you didn't have your Fire, would you spend your $200 on the Nexus or a Fire? What makes the Nexus the "Kindle Killer" is that, at least for now, it does have better specs and I suspect more people will choose it over the Fire. The specs may not be enough for you to want to upgrade, but they are good enough to sway people.

I suspect most Fire owners are happy with what they have, and not only will they not switch to the Nexus, they probably won't upgrade to whatever the Fire is replaced by unless it is a significant jump in specs. I was one of many who bought the First Gen iPad, skipped the 2nd Generation and then upgrade to the 3rd. Only true hardcore gadget people upgrade every generation.

[JSWolf]

I can mention 200 reasons not to get a KF or an N7.

Besides, I have an iPad 1. No need for either. They don't do anything I can't already do.

[Jessica Lares]

I WANT to like the iPad. But after seeing my dads and my brothers iPods and iPhones off colored compared to mine, and seeing the iPads have the same issue, I'm waiting on getting one. Looking at my iPhone and then an iPad with a slight tint will be highly annoying to me. The Kindle Fire doesn't seem to have that issue. Considering it's only $199 that's pretty good too.

I'm a photographer, so having the correct whites in your display is a MUST.

I'm not getting the N7 either. I'm too invested into Amazon already.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Besides, I have an iPad 1. No need for either. They don't do anything I can't already do.

They fit in your man's purse, which the iPad doesn't
They leave $300 spare change in your wallet

[Blossom]

I'm happy with my Kindle Fire. It would be perfect if Amazon would fix the sync and cover bug to personal documents. I only use my Kindle Fire for reading and light surfing. I got caught up in the tablet craze but I'm just a reader who doesn't need all those fancy specs.

My next android device will be a better phone. My Vortex app memory is so small (256MB) so I need something bigger for my apps.

[StoryEnthusiast]

Interesting reasons -- many I agree with. I quite like N7 at that price, but my reason of not getting it is it still cannot replace my phone (or provide the SMS function to be more specific). Samsung Galaxy Note would be perfect except at that price I can't afford it.

[Anabran]

"They fit in your man's purse, which the iPad doesn't
They leave $300 spare change in your wallet "

They Also fit into the thigh pocket of my Knee length cargo shorts in summer.
or winter coat waist pocket in winter
and Dont require the latest itunes for content management& sideloading.
and allow alternative ROMs for those so inclined.

[DreamWriter]

Anabran, your comparison of the Google Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire is well thought out. I don't really disagree with any of your points, although I'd have to be convinced that Nexus's superior screen resolution doesn't make a difference by seeing the devices side-by-side.

You neglected to mention several items that the Nexus 7 does have that the Fire doesn't:

• Bluetooth
• GPS
• Microphone

Those features may not matter to some but may be deciding factors for others. Although I don't think it's very practical with a smaller 7" screen, I do appreciate a Bluetooth keyboard with my larger 10.1" tablet. And GPS can come in handy.

Originally Posted by Anabran

9)Audio?
KF =craptastic speakers on top basicaly useless unless you happen to sealed in a sound proof room the size of a coffin

N7 =*possibly* even crappier thin "speaker slots" on the bottom rear of the device.
solution ..obvious use head/earphone for both devices..

My 10.1" Acer Iconia A500 has speakers on the bottom rear, and the sound quality is great. Also, there are some not-too-expensive mini speakers that plug into all tablets. I have a $20 iHome iHM60 speaker. There are some good Bluetooth speakers as well that could be used with the Nexus 7. They're more costly, but no wires would be nice!

I don't have either device myself, and I'm not interested because I already have a 7" tablet (Acer Iconia A100). I wanted a small tablet with a microSD slot (mainly for music when away from wifi) and HDMI out (to stream movies to big television). If I were in the market to buy and the choice was between the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire, I'd choose the Nexus 7...but that's just my preference. I think I'd use the extra features, and I appreciate easy access to both Google Play and Amazon Appstore.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Anabran

Ten reasons I dont need the new$200 NEXUS7

My Top 10

1. no mSD card slot
2. no mSD card slot
3. no mSD card slot
4. no mSD card slot
5. no mSD card slot
6. no mSD card slot
7. no mSD card slot
8. no mSD card slot
9. no mSD card slot
10. no mSD card slot

[ucfgrad93]

Apparently, monkeys can only focus on bananas and micro SD card slots.

[Anabran]

"The question is, if you didn't have your Fire, would you spend your $200 on the Nexus or a Fire?"

Honestly that depends,
are ALL android 2x apps automatically Android 4.1 compatible as of this writing??

Specifically:
IQuran pro ( non negotiable!!)
Comic reader mobi( CBR reader)
perfect viewer(CBR reader also with different features)
infinate painter
Shadowgun
Mobo player( multi-format video player)
Aldiko pro (Epub reader)
Quick office pro ( open& edit& resave MS office docs)
Learn Iqra (Arabic language learning app)

If" Jelly Bean" causes me to lose usage any of these particular apps then NO the N7 would be a no go under any circumstance.

[keeska]

The number one area where the Kindle fire fails me is being locked into the Amazon app store. I know there are ways to sideload apps or even use alternative app stores but I do not want to have to hack *my* reader/tablet just to do what I want with it.

I spend the whole day hacking computers. My personal device should just do what I want it to do without having to hack it also.

If the Nexus 7 doesn't lock me to a specific app store then I'll order a Nexus 7 and donate the KF to a worthy cause.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by Anabran

Honestly that depends,
are ALL android 2x apps automatically Android 4.1 compatible as of this writing??

Yes, apps that run on 2.x will run on 4.x. They may not look at their best as may not have been optimized for a large screen, but they will run nevertheless.

The only exception would be if an app were to use a non-public API which could have changed or being removed in a newer Android version, which would break the app.