Have at you!

When I was younger, one of my favorite devices was the Sony PlayStation. I’d spend hours playing Japanese RPG’s or watching my older brothers play other types of games. When I became a bit older, my interest in consoles dwindled a bit and was replaced by a fascination for mobile phones and DSLR’s. After those, I became focused on my work and the interest in most technological advances had taken a backseat. I no longer knew what the latest mobile phone model was or what the latest development was when it came to the PlayStation or Xbox.

Before the Nexus 7, my knowledge in tablets was likewise close to nonexistent, even if the iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab have been dominating the tech news for several months (years?) now. I felt that my Motorola Droid Razr and desktop PC were already sufficient for me to do the things which I needed to do. Thanks to my brother’s consistent talk about the Nexus 7, I decided to search for tablets and see if it’s something worth having.  Needless to say, I became interested in the Nexus 7 and decided to get myself the 16GB WiFi version.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert on these things so I’m not going to go on a full-blown technical review of this tablet; I’ll leave that to the tech enthusiasts found in the internet. I’m just here to share with you the things I adored in the 2nd generation Nexus 7.

First off: the display. It is amazing. My dad and I both agreed that this tablet’s display is truly outstanding; very clear and sharp. Playing videos on YouTube, checking photos online and even going through my email felt like a new experience. The 7″ screen is just right for me. I initially thought that it might be too small and that having a 10″ screen would be best, but I’m glad to report that the 7″ screen is already good enough. No more problems when reading eBooks!

Searched for a colorful photo on the internet to give you an example of the tablet’s display.

A page from Grimm’s Fairy Tales.

Sound. I find that the stereo speakers were pretty good, especially when listening to mp3s or watching videos. It’s definitely louder and clearer than the ones on my Motorola so that’s already a plus!

Camera. I don’t have a lot to say about the camera since the 5MP one at the rear was just okay for me. I still consider my Nikon DSLR as my first choice when I  need to take great quality photos. I just borrow my Dad’s Samsung S3 when I take food photos outside and am feeling lazy to bring the Nikon along with me. The 1.2MP front facing camera on the Nexus 7 might come in handy when I need to talk to my brother via Skype.

Connectivity and Processing. I really love, love, love how fast this tablet is and how it connects to the internet smoothly. I love my Motorola Droid Razr, but noticed that the time it takes for it to connect (let alone search for a WiFi connection) takes a terrible amount of time. The Nexus 7 is a refreshing change. By the way, this tablet runs on the newest Android version 4.4.2, KitKat.

Screenshot of a video I watched on YouTube.

When I bought my Nexus 7, it came with a free case. It was an Asus Travel Cover in red (no other colors were available during the time of my purchase). I’d be honest and say that this case will probably serve as a temporary one. I’m on a search for a sturdier one, with a stand, so that it’ll be easier to watch videos. Despite the Nexus 7 being very light and easy to hold, I don’t think I can watch an entire episode of Sherlock Holmes on this while holding it with one hand.

Technical Specs (taken from http://www.google.com/nexus/7)

• SCREEN
• • 7.02″ 1920×1200 HD display (323 ppi)
  • 1080p HD IPS
  • Scratch resistant Corning® glass
• CAMERAS
• • 1.2MP front facing, fixed focus
  • 5MP rear facing, auto focus
• DIMENSIONS
• • 114 x 200 x 8.65 mm
  • 0.64lbs (290g) Wi-Fi, 0.66lbs (299g) LTE
• BATTERY
• • 3950 mAh
  • Up to 9 hours active use
  • Wireless charging built-in (Qi compatible)
• AUDIO
• • Stereo speakers
  • Surround sound, powered by Fraunhofer
• PROCESSING
• • CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro, 1.5GHz
  • GPU: Adreno 320, 400MHz
• WIRELESS
• • Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4G/5G) 802.11 a/b/g/n
  • NFC (Android Beam)
  • Bluetooth 4.0
• NETWORKS
• • Optional 4G LTE
  • North America:
  • GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
  • HSPA+: 850/900/1900/1700/2100 (AWS) MHz (Bands: 1/2/4/5/8)
  • LTE: 700/750/850/1700/1800/1900/2100 MHZ (Bands: 1/2/3/4/5/13/17)
  • Europe:
  • GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
  • HSPA+: 850/900/1900/1700/2100 (AWS) MHz (Bands: 1/2/4/5/8)
  • LTE: 800/850/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600 MHz (Bands: 1/2/3/4/5/7/20)
• MEMORY
• • Choose 16GB or 32GB internal storage
  • 2GB RAM
• PORTS AND CONNECTORS
• • microUSB
  • SlimPort™ enabled
  • 3.5mm audio
  • Microphone
  • Power and Volume buttons
• SENSORS
• • GPS
  • Gyroscope
  • Accelerometer
  • Compass
  • Ambient Light