Nexus 7 v2 is it worth the wait?

Nexus 7 v2 is it worth the wait?

 

THE Google Nexus 7 has set the benchmark for an optimal seven-inch tablet when it was released this time last year.

 

Other same-sized tablets began to follow suit with success, such as the Amazon Kindle Fire.

 

It also prompted Apple's release of a smaller iPad Mini.

 

Tomorrow, Google is rumoured to launch Nexus 7 version 2, built on the success of the first edition.

 

Before going into details, let's talk about why the first one was so successful.

 

First of all, it had an amazing price point. At US$199 ($248) for 16GB and US$249 for 32GB, it was and still is affordable. One good example of a cheap tablet, which doesn't necessarily have the best specifications and does well, is Acers' 7-incher, which could be purchased for just $148 by The Brunei Times subscribers.

 

Sure, it doesn't have the best screen, or high-end specs, but it has the best price.

 

If you don't already own an Android tablet, or any tablet for that matter, $148 is very easy to fork out to get a tablet experience.

 

Another reason why the Nexus 7 did so well is because of its build.

 

Asus didn't manufacture it with an aluminum or fancy unibody, but, when you hold the Nexus 7 in your hand, it doesn't feel cheap at all.

 

And the third reason: despite being cheap, it has an amazing screen.

 

A device's screen is one of the more important aspects, because it's the thing you look at all day long.

 

So can the Nexus 7 v2 live up to the success of the first one?

 

Let's take a look at some of the tablet's initial leaks.

 

The screen size remains at 7 inches, but now has a 1.5GHz quad-core processor.

 

Also included are cameras in the front (1.2-megapixels) and back (5 MP), whereas in the first model, there was only a front-facing camera.

 

It is also rumoured to come in the latest Android 4.3, and have 16GB or 32GB internal memory.

 

Prices will be more than last time, with the speculated price of a 32GB model being at around US$269, so the 16GB version should be around US$219-229.

 

Two excellent additions to the Nexus 7 v2 is an output port that allows 1080p playback when connected to a compatible device.

 

And, get this, wireless charging!

 

The lesser the cables, the better the device these days!

 

Also, leaked pictures of the new Nexus 7 looks like it has a flip-out slot, maybe expandable storage, or wishful thinking, a SIM card slot which probably means 3G and/or 4G Long Term Evolution compatibility, which will make the new tablet an extremely value-for-money device.

 

And no one knows exactly which company has been tasked as the manufacture for the new tablet, but all signs point to Asus.

 

In Brunei, not many mobile shops were selling the Nexus 7, but retailers now have a more diverse offering.

 

Some stores are already carrying the Asus PadFone Infinity, Xperia Tablet Z, LG Optimus variants, so here's to hoping!

 

The views expressed by the author are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Brunei Times.The Brunei Times

 

(The Brunei Times, 24 July 2013)