Decent? Yes.

is the Nexus 7 decent? No, its awesome and 80 bucks cheaper.

11/15/2012 3:31:05 PM

plus you can't watch HD flicks on the iPad mini.

11/15/2012 3:40:20 PM

^^I love it when one person's opinion gets posted as though it's a fact.

Most people that I've read that have used both the iPad mini and the Nexus 7 faaaaar prefer the Mini. It's not even a close comparison. But of course that's why it's great that they sell both. So people can pick the one they like better.

11/15/2012 3:47:44 PM

I love my mini. It's a little awkward to hold, but then I've never been able to palm a basketball with these stubby little fingers. I'm sure I'll get used to it.

11/15/2012 4:09:11 PM

best watch out for stolen ipad mini's on ebay...

11/15/2012 5:42:58 PM

^^^I love it when one person's anecdotal evidence outweighs anothers

I'd have to think a lot of the preference between those two devices would be whether someone prefers iOS or an Android OS

11/15/2012 6:58:28 PM

I own both the nexus and the mini. $80 difference is well worth it for me. Build quality differences alone are worth $40-50 for me. A smoother UI and apps that run better on average another $40-50. Battery life is another one that I'd happily pay ~$40 for. Aspect ratio and screen size for web browsing and reading documents is more $$. I REALLY want to love Android but its still lacking over iOS for general use unfortunately (with multiple Android tablets/phones and iPads/iPhone to pull experience from). I'm hoping the next generation of Android/iOS combines enough from both camps to really put a solid OS out (or win8 gets the apps to compete as I really like what I've seen so far).

Bottom line, if money is a concern, buy a Nexus 7. It's by far the best small Android tablet out there. Same goes if you NEED flash or a file browser (realistically very few people). If money is not a concern the ipad mini is better built, a better size for browsing/reading, and provides a smoother experience overall (albeit more boring).

11/15/2012 7:34:03 PM

^Don't you dare try to use your personal experiences with both devices in order to tell someone that you disagree with their opinion. What kind of website do you think this is, jerkface?

Quote :

"I love it when one person's anecdotal evidence outweighs anothers"

Where did I say that? I even ended my post by saying that it was a good thing that people could choose from either device. If anything I wasn't using my anecdotal evidence to outweigh anything Noen said, but provide counterbalance to his stated opinion.

11/15/2012 7:43:39 PM

Noen's opinion is that the Nexus is better...yours, based on reading reviews is that the iPad Mini is far better

you're both using reviews/opinions/anecdotal evidence to argue your side of which is better

but i certainly agree its a good thing people can choose their own...my own personal opinion/choice/anecdotal evidence is that both screens are too small

11/15/2012 8:15:14 PM

Well if you want to split hairs, Noen didn't provide anicdotes or reviews or anything. He just flat out stated it as if it were a fact that the Nexus was better. I just wanted to point out the obvious, which is that not everybody agrees with his opinion. Personally I haven't used either so I can't state for sure which one I prefer (not that anybody gives half a shit anyway) but just about every person that I've read about that have actually used both seem to feel the same way about them that dave421 does, which is that if you are on a limited budget the Nexus is a fine device, but if you can afford it, the iPad Mini is a much better tablet in just about every way that matters.

11/15/2012 8:51:03 PM

Quote :

"you're both using reviews/opinions/anecdotal evidence to argue your side of which is better"

No we're not. I've owned a Nexus 7 since it launched, and I own an iPad3, and I spent time in the Apple store with the iPad Mini.

Yes, its absolutely my opinion.

To dave421's post:

Quote :

"A smoother UI and apps that run better on average another $40-50."

Except it isn't and they don't. I use both devices on a daily basis. With Jelly Bean, the Nexus is buttery smooth. And the web browsing experience on Android is MUCH smoother, faster and more responsive. All the apps I have on both platforms are indistinguishable in terms of performance (30+).

The only place the iPad (Mini) has a distinct advantage is in the number of tablet native apps available, with a better user experience. It definitely wins there, but not by much. And sure as hell isn't worth a 40% cost premium.

Quote :

"Aspect ratio and screen size for web browsing and reading documents is more $$."

Portrait on the Nexus (1280x800) is a standard web resolution, compared to the clunky 1024x768 of the iPad Mini. Not to mention how much slower and laggier both Safari and Chrome are on iOS compared to Chrome on Android.

Reading documents is a MUCH better experience on an 16:10 portrait device, as it fits the ratio for nearly every paperback book ever published..

Quote :

"I REALLY want to love Android but its still lacking over iOS for general use unfortunately (with multiple Android tablets/phones and iPads/iPhone to pull experience from). I'm hoping the next generation of Android/iOS combines enough from both camps to really put a solid OS out (or win8 gets the apps to compete as I really like what I've seen so far). "

I've owned 4 other Android Tablets (Dell Streak, a Chinatab, Nook Color and Kindle Fire) and I can say without hesitation that the Nexus IS that next generation.

Just from using it in meetings here at work, three of my immediate coworkers have gone and bought themselves Nexus 7's and they love them too.

11/15/2012 9:17:07 PM

Quote :

"Portrait on the Nexus (1280x800) is a standard web resolution, compared to the clunky 1024x768 of the iPad Mini."

11/15/2012 9:23:32 PM

^Sorry to be confusing.

Most websites and web apps today are designed for a 1280*720 / 1366*768 screen resolution, and more importantly, being designed for 16:10 screen ratios. 4:3 is an all-but-dead ratio for devices, monitors and laptops being sold today.

11/15/2012 9:27:26 PM

also as an aside, i know HTML5 has taken over Flash in most cases

but things like Yahoo! Sports StatTracker still use Flash

and both iPads and Android devices I've used can't display their StatTracker, which can be a semi-big deal for fantasy football

tl;dr WebOS ftw

11/15/2012 9:38:01 PM

I was in the market for a mid-size tablet for my mom's birthday, so I went into Best Buy earlier this week to get some hands on experience on the Nexus 7, the iPad Mini, and a couple other off-brand e-readers that were a little more affordable. I liked the iPad Mini's brand and figured that would be the most impressive tablet, but I thought the video playback had subpar resolution and a cumbersome operating system. The e-readers seemed a little snappier in their responsiveness but lacked the multimedia capabilities. Even though half the usage will be reading e-books, I didn't want to limit the capabilities of her usage.

I ended up buying her the Nexus 7 because of the superior graphics capabilities and the more easily navigable interface compared to the iPad mini. My dad has an iPad2 which is great, but the Mini just seemed to skimp on hardware specs and I thought it was a poor effort by Apple to release it, especially at that price point. Apple makes great tablets, I have used them and liked them, but the Mini just seems like a poor release on so many levels. I consider myself somewhat of an Apple "fanboy" but I cannot endores the iPad Mini. It's basically the Windows ME of Apple tablets.

I think my mom will love the Nexus 7 and I wouldn't buy any Apple mid-size tablet unless they increase the hardware specs and decrease the price.

11/15/2012 9:55:49 PM

Quote :

" To dave421's post: Quote : "A smoother UI and apps that run better on average another $40-50." Except it isn't and they don't. I use both devices on a daily basis. With Jelly Bean, the Nexus is buttery smooth. And the web browsing experience on Android is MUCH smoother, faster and more responsive. All the apps I have on both platforms are indistinguishable in terms of performance (30+). The only place the iPad (Mini) has a distinct advantage is in the number of tablet native apps available, with a better user experience. It definitely wins there, but not by much. And sure as hell isn't worth a 40% cost premium. "

I also own both. The stock JB is nice and smooth but iOS is better. I've never had to reset my ipad. I've had to reset the nexus on a few occasions. Part of what I like in Android is widgets and these are, unfortunately fall under Google's viewpoint of "we'll let pretty much anything in the App Store" so they often cause the nexus to falter. As far as web browsing, I completely disagree. It CAN be faster but often is not and it sure as hell isn't smoother unless you ignore Chrome crashing when you open more than 5-6 tabs or for other random reasons.

As for cost, it is worth that in my opinion. Maybe your time and frustration isn't worth as much to you but that doesn't mean that it isn't with a lot of other people.

Quote :

" Quote : "Aspect ratio and screen size for web browsing and reading documents is more $$." Portrait on the Nexus (1280x800) is a standard web resolution, compared to the clunky 1024x768 of the iPad Mini. Not to mention how much slower and laggier both Safari and Chrome are on iOS compared to Chrome on Android. Reading documents is a MUCH better experience on an 16:10 portrait device, as it fits the ratio for nearly every paperback book ever published.. "

Paperback books are not "documents". They're books and one of many. Most "documents" are 8 1/2 x 11 and work much better on a 4:3 screen. The extra screen size is also a benefit here as I don't have to zoom in to actually read them.

Quote :

" Quote : "I REALLY want to love Android but its still lacking over iOS for general use unfortunately (with multiple Android tablets/phones and iPads/iPhone to pull experience from). I'm hoping the next generation of Android/iOS combines enough from both camps to really put a solid OS out (or win8 gets the apps to compete as I really like what I've seen so far). " I've owned 4 other Android Tablets (Dell Streak, a Chinatab, Nook Color and Kindle Fire) and I can say without hesitation that the Nexus IS that next generation. Just from using it in meetings here at work, three of my immediate coworkers have gone and bought themselves Nexus 7's and they love them too. "

I've owned 3 other android tablets, 3 generations of iPads, and I can say without hesitation that the Nexus is NOT that next generation. It's closer than any other Android tab other than maybe the Nexus 10 (which I haven't used) but it still has several issues present that keep it from being the best tab and also keep it from being the best option for a ton of people over the ipad/mini.

The apps are just not there yet in comparison to iOS and that's a BIG part of using a tablet. If google never cracks down on shitty devs that put out half baked apps they never will be. The resolution is great but when coupled to a 7" screen (that does look great) it means a lot of text is too small (I have to zoom in on most webpages in order to read as well as on the mini or the hundreds of work orders, manuals, and engineering that I carry around daily on my tabs). They're not EASY to use. Sure, you, I, or anyone else on this forum would have no problem using them but I can hand my ipad to anyone and they'll be using it within minutes without issue. I've done the same with my Nexus and I have to answer questions for half an hour. I love what the Nexus 7 CAN do. The problems come with how well it does the things it's capable of which is often below expectations for me.

This is not to say that the mini is perfect. It isn't. It's priced higher than it should be IMO (which doesn't mean in isn't worth it to me and many others). The size, while beneficial during use, is harder to handle/carry comfortably. The skinny bezel causes "ghost" touches even with the work Apple has done to prevent them. The screen could be better (color representation because the res is nowhere near a problem for anyone that's actually used one unless they're blind and have to hold it 10" from their face".

What it comes down to is a choice between a more polished product that can do less but still 99% of what an average user needs or a product that can do well more than an average user needs but can stumble in the process. The price difference is fully valid when you take all things into consideration if you value polish over capabilities that you may never use or use rarely especially when taking build quality into account. The Nexus is well made but nobody can deny the mini is obviously much better made. Personally, I've never been left wanting with the mini. That's not something I can say about the Nexus (or even regular ipad). It's the closest thing that I've owned to a perfect tablet so far and that's coming from someone that made a lot of jokes about it and the buyers before I actually tried it.

11/15/2012 9:59:30 PM

I may be in the minority, maybe I just don't use a lot of apps, but I haven't seen much of the "Shiite android version" syndrome for apps. I use the nexus for work and the iPad for games (which it has many more of, and many higher quality ones).

Never had to reset my Nexus, which is a first for android for me. The iPad has given me several seriously annoying issues since upgrading to iOS 6. Particularly around networking and tethering.

Quote :

" Paperback books are not "documents". They're books and one of many. Most "documents" are 8 1/2 x 11 and work much better on a 4:3 screen. The extra screen size is also a benefit here as I don't have to zoom in to actually read them. "

We obviously have very different uses. I almost never read letter format documents. eBooks, PowerPoint and email comprise 95%+ of my document reading.

I will also say for productivity use, the mail and calendar built in apps on the Nexus are a bazillion times more useful and usable for me than on iOS, but I realize that's very subjective as well.

I don't think either platform is inherently easier to use or learn. It took me just as long to walk my parents through using the iPad as it did on the Asus Transformer my dad bought himself last Christmas. To them it's all foreign concepts.

You make a lot of good points too. Build quality is better on the iPads, but its not a big difference. I'd rate the iPad a 9, and the nexus an 8.

We are talking about close to a 50% price different though, which is a huge deal. The 32gb Nexus can be had for $215 right now, compared to the 16gb mini for $329. It's more than a hundred dollars more expensive for less storage and screen res. that might not be a big deal to you, but its a huge difference at retail.

Honestly either device is solid, reliable, with a long battery life and vibrant ecosystems. At the end of the day, we have two competing top quality devices and that kind of choice is good for everybody.



[Edited on November 15, 2012 at 10:23 PM. Reason : .]

11/15/2012 10:19:53 PM

I sold my Nexus 7 and iPad 3 for a Galaxy Note 2. I wanted to keep the Nexus but the replaceable battery and SD slot on the Note sold me. An extra 64GB SD card for $50 is too hard to pass up.

I do agree iOS has a much better game selection but all the big titles are on Android as well. I'm much happier with one consolidated device. As far as other apps go they run great on both systems. I'm just plan tired of iOS. I like all the extras in Android and being able to manage my own files. I hated "syncing" and using iTunes and I HATED having to convert everything. Android runs anything I throw at it naively.

Quote :

"I will also say for productivity use, the mail and calendar built in apps on the Nexus are a bazillion times more useful and usable for me than on iOS, but I realize that's very subjective as well. "

120% agree. Especially with my work exchange account.

It's interesting I agree with what everyone is saying but after having multiple Android and Apple devices I just never USED the Apple devices. They just sat around. They weren't FUN to use. Open an app, close an app. Nothings changed since 2007. I like the widgets, tweaks, and cool hardware features of all the Android devices. Not to mention the Wacom designed stylus on the Note 2 is pretty awesome. Never though I'd use it as much as I do but I use it all the time to jot down notes while on a call.

I guess I felt cool using Apple but I felt like I had to use it because I bought it. Now I'm on my Android PHABLET all the time (which now has a wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phablet) because it's actually fun and interesting to use.

11/15/2012 10:41:49 PM

^^I definitely agree with your last statement and most of what you said there.

I'm not a gamer and most of my app problems do come from apps that most people probably won't encounter. The sheer number of iPads in the workforce means more choices for me there (construction apps especially are a joke on Android compared to iOS).

I do prefer iOS' calendar to Jellybean but gmail (we use google apps) is definitely better on the Nexus.

My experience has been with iOS being easier to learn than Android but at least some of that is due to Android's fragmentation and users often not understanding why options are different between the Nexus and their phone. Otherwise people just seem to be able to find settings easier with a great big list that's easily broken down than the slightly more confusing Android way with multiple levels in most settings pages.

I also agree that the price is substantially different and a big factor. I think the mini is worth the asking price to me and many others but should be $299 to best place it in the marketplace. I also think the Nexus is solid at its $200/250 price and could actually be slightly higher other than the lack of name recognition (Google should market them and have them sold as a Google product instead of BB and everyone labeling them as a Samsung Nexus or Asus Nexus. I've recommended the Nexus several times to people that are budget conscious because it is definitely the best tablet under $300. For those that are willing to spend more, I definitely show them both options and explain my feelings and that the price difference won't be worth it for everyone. I'm actually going through that personally right now because I'm buying 2 tabs for my office Christmas party and can't decide whether to buy the ipad mini that more people want or save $100 and get the Nexus that I know they'll enjoy (MS Surface is going to be the other tab).

^ I haven't synced to iTunes in at least a year and at least that long to convert videos. I can't understand how but I get more playing in iOS than Android (really and no it doesn't make sense). I definitely agree about iOS though. My god it's boring. I really really really want to find something else that's more fun but still works for me as well as the ipad. It really sucks playing around and loving Android only to have issues pop up over and over and having to go back to the ipad.

[Edited on November 15, 2012 at 10:48 PM. Reason : .]

11/15/2012 10:42:25 PM

Quote :

"^ I haven't synced to iTunes in at least a year and at least that long to convert videos. I can't understand how but I get more playing in iOS than Android (really and no it doesn't make sense). "

Yeah I never did it too much but mainly because it was a pain. Music I mainly use Spotify but occasionally I'll want to throw some flac/lossless files on my phone and it was a pain with the iPhone. Also videos were always a pain to convert. I never want to have to 'convert' anything. I want to drag and drop or grab files from a local folder / SFTP and be able to play them. With Android I was able to easily drag and drop or SSH into my home server and grab whatever files I wanted and they would play without having to download any additional programs or applications.

Quote :

"I definitely agree about iOS though. My god it's boring. I really really really want to find something else that's more fun but still works for me as well as the ipad. It really sucks playing around and loving Android only to have issues pop up over and over and having to go back to the ipad. "

Yeah it's really boring. What type of issues pop up that steer you back towards the iPad? After having used Jelly Bean for a while now I can't think of a single thing I miss on the iPhone/iPad.

11/16/2012 9:09:07 AM

I haven't added a single new mp3 to my library in about 4 years, but then again, so many good options for free steaming services out there to listen to new stuff. Haven't even bothered with itunes in a long while.

11/16/2012 9:46:59 AM

^^ I no longer buy music with Spotify so no need to sync those. Everything else I have "in the cloud" and just pull it down. The issues I have had vary but performance is a huge one with non-Nexus hardware (I despise my GS3 since I have a choice between poor connections with a ROM or unstable performance with TW). Apps often run poorly for the stuff that I need/use (not syncing correctly, random crashes, and often poor implementations of apps that are more readily available on iOS). The only thing that I ever miss on the iPhone/ipad is stability. They don't do as much but what they do is done better usually. If I was a plain user or only used stuff at home, I'd keep the Nexus 7 as the large majority of my issues are app related.

^ yeah pretty much the same here. I've had enough hearing damage over the last 5+ years that I can no longer tell the difference in higher quality files and I'm satisfie with the selection on Spotify 95% of the time.

11/16/2012 1:31:17 PM

Quote :

"^^ I no longer buy music with Spotify so no need to sync those. Everything else I have "in the cloud" and just pull it down."

What do you mean buy music? I just pay the monthly premium fee.

You don't like TW? I had a GS3 prior to my Note 2 and it was fine. No issues with TW whatsoever. Just disable any carrier bloatware plus any unneeded Samsung features and it's essentially stock ICS with a launcher. Install your own launcher and you've got a stock Rom experience almost. Currently I have no issues with TW and Jelly Bean except for a couple issues 4.2 fixes.

11/16/2012 1:48:38 PM

^ I meant I don't buy music now that I use Spotify (not I used to buy music through spotify). I'm not a big fan of TW in general but I've been FCs a lot lately with the TW apps and it's a pain. I use Apex and with the last update its causing issues too (hit the back button to exit out of Gmail and it goes to the stock TW launcher every damn time now). As of Tuesday my home button requires 3-4 pushes to function. I need to call Verizon and get a replacement but have just been too busy during the day. Since I'm on a business account I always get a run around during off hours since the business center isn't open. Hopefully I'll get a chance when I get to the office Monday.

11/16/2012 4:23:25 PM

Yeah a lock screen replacement is sometimes annoying because you get the stock one every once in a while (like with widget locker). Thankfully 4.2 has widgets on the lock screen. Finally.

11/16/2012 4:31:15 PM

^ not the lockscreen, the actual launcher. I've encountered the lockscreen thing before but this is literally every time you back out of gmail instead of hitting the home button it goes back to the stock TW launcher. Hit the home button at that point and Apex comes back up. It's really weird.

11/16/2012 6:12:14 PM

I'm loving my mini! Does anybody know how to post pictures from my mini to Tdub?

1/23/2013 11:56:06 AM

The same way you would on a desktop

1/23/2013 3:27:14 PM

Girlfriend got a mini. It's nice but I can't stand how bad the screen looks. My phone has a higher resolution.

1/23/2013 3:51:58 PM

You can't right click and go to properties

1/24/2013 1:23:25 AM

Just long click and select copy, then paste in image prompt like all iOS devices

1/24/2013 6:45:25 AM

Ok let's try it.

1/24/2013 11:56:16 AM

Haha yes! Thanks!!!

1/24/2013 11:56:48 AM

looking at getting my first tablet and I think I'm going to slowly transition to apple products.

I'd prefer to have a larger screen; though price and weight are big factors, so I'm actually leaning towards the mini.

Not sure about storage size... I don't see me storing too much stuff on there (music is on an ext HDD in iTunes, and from what I hear, I can store 20,000 songs in the cloud fo free; and this is by far my biggest storage need; next would be pics, though I don't "use" them... they just sit on the HDD and take up room). But then again, I've never owned a tablet, so I don't know. Most of my primary computing will remain on my PC.

Then I don't know about data plans... I average >11GB/month of cell data on my phone; now I'm bad about not using wifi at home, but I figure with a tablet, I could/would be more careful about using wifi instead. Do iPads do auto switching/preferred connections?

2/12/2013 2:11:43 PM

it does prefer wifi over cellular data, so if both are available it defaults to wifi.

2/12/2013 2:47:54 PM

I now wish I worked at LinkedIn: http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/13/linkedin-ceo-jeff-weiner-pulls-an-oprah-gives-every-employee-an-ipad-mini/

2/14/2013 8:19:48 AM