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Review: Google Nexus 7 with Android 4.2

Google's first tablet PC called Nexus 7 is made in collaboration with Asus and runs on Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean). Read how the Tablet-for-all suggests in practice and in the test.

Revised Nexus 7
There are now three versions: the 16 GB model remains, but costs 50 euros less than at the start. The eight GB model has removed from the assortment Google. New are the two variants with 32 gigabytes (GB) of memory large. Additionally offers a wireless mobile via UMTS. Prices (MSRP): Nexus 7 16 GB - 199 €, 7 Nexus 32GB - € 249, Nexus 7 32GB 3G - 299 €. The operating system also got an update. With Android 4.2 Google equipped the Nexus 7 including a multi-user account management. About the home screen, simply select the user. Practical for families because everyone can use their apps. There are Gesture Typing. So that you can by wiping motion between the letters without typing discontinued.

Tegra 3 Power
When Google / Nexus 7 is a seven-inch tablet with IPS display and 1280x800 pixels. Thanks to the high pixel density of 216 ppi image content appear on the Tablet PC razor sharp - even when viewed from the side. On board is Nvidia's Tegra 3 chip (maximum clock frequency in single-core operation: 1.4 GHz), which has four cores and twelve graphic units. The Nexus 7 is good therefore to gamble: Google pointed to the keynote of the developer conference Google I / O 2012 graphically complex games smoothly. In the test, the Nexus 7 as Geekbench test programs supplied with very decent values. In practice games and application started very quickly.

Memory not expandable
The Nexus 7, there are 16 and 32 gigabytes of memory. Despite the many cloud capabilities disturbs the lack of memory card slot. On a rear camera waived Google. For this, a 1.3-megapixel front camera for video conferencing is integrated. Google promises nine hours HD video playback, however, was earlier in the test circuit. In normal operation with application mix (listening to music, surfing, data transfer, video), however, abolished the Nexus 7 13 hours.

Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
The Nexus 7 was the first tablet PC with Android 4.1 - now there for the Google Tablet is an update to Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The small version jump from Ice Cream Sandwich to Jelly Bean suggested a rather minor update in advance, while there are many detail improvements. The adjustments around Project Butter ensure that the navigation on the Nexus 7 feels much smoother than with tablets running Ice Cream Sandwich - Google's tablet input sets the order without delay and accurately. The volume rocker, however did not respond very well, and the Nexus has no buttons to disable the automatic screen orientation. This is only complicated by the menu.

The multi-radio operator
Thanks to Near Field Communication (NFC) to exchange data quickly with another NFC-compatible device. This technique is called Android Beam. The Nexus 7 also communicates via Wi-Fi with the outside world. Bluetooth is also on board, but an HDMI output for connection to a television missing. The most expensive Nexus-7 model supports UMTS.

Conclusion: Google Nexus 7
The Nexus 7 is fast, easy and does not least thanks to the great display simply fun. Jelly Bean makes clever improvements for smooth operation. Nvidia's Tegra 3 processor shows off computing power, which also makes elaborate games possible. Too bad that Google has saved the memory card slot and a camera.

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