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#Post#: 96--------------------------------------------------
Google Nexus 10 review
DIR By: Davidson2
Date: December 15, 2012, 9:37 am
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When I first turned on Google's new tablet computer, I
immediately thought of it as a mere conduit to Google services.
Besides giving you quick access to Gmail and YouTube, the Nexus
10 steers you to digital movies, books and other content
available for sale through Google's online Play store.
Because of that, I wasn't thinking of the Nexus 10 as an
alternative to Apple's general-purpose iPad - even with a price
tag that's $100 cheaper, starting at $399. It took more thought
and time with the Nexus to change that perception. After all,
apps available for Android smartphones work on the tablet as
well.
Still, the Nexus really shines when it comes to media -
especially content bought through Google.
For the past year, Google has been trying to challenge Apple and
Amazon by selling digital content.
The Play store is Google's version of iTunes for Apple devices.
There, you can get a variety of apps, some free and some for a
small fee. You can buy or rent movies and obtain books,
magazines and music. Google isn't satisfied with building search
engines and selling ads. It wants a bigger role in the digital
economy.
Over the summer, Google came out with a 7-inch tablet called the
Nexus 7. Just as Apple is making an iPad Mini that's about the
size of the Nexus 7, Google is now selling a larger version of
the Nexus, about the size of Apple's regular iPad. It starts
shipping this week.
On the Nexus 10, icons at the bottom of the screen emphasize
Google's media products available through Play. Click on a
picture of film to watch movies, headphones to listen to music
and a book to, well, read books. Another icon gets you to the
Play store to obtain more content and apps.
The Nexus has a rubberized back and fits more snuggly on my lap
than the metal-backed iPad. In my hands, I don't feel as if the
Nexus would slip out and crash on to the hard floor, as I
continually do with the iPad.
There are front-facing speakers going up and down both sides of
the Nexus, compared with just one tucked in a corner on the back
of an iPad. You feel more immersed watching video with sound
coming right at you from the entire device. I hadn't considered
that a problem on the iPad, but I began to notice it once I
played video on the tablets side by side.
The screen measures 10.1 inches diagonally, which is more than
the iPad's 9.7 inches. But the screen isn't any larger because
while it's about an inch wider in horizontal mode, it's also
about a half-inch less in height. This works well for widescreen
content, which completely fills the screen. On the iPad, the
latest movies and TV shows often have black bars, no matter how
you hold the tablet. In some cases, you might see the sides of
video cut off to fit the space, as I did watching this week's
episode of "Revenge" on Hulu. Again, I hadn't considered that a
problem on the iPad, until I began to notice it.
What makes the tablet's shape good for movies makes it
less-than-ideal for magazines, though. There's wasted space on
the top and the bottom for magazines on the Nexus. But I watch
TV shows and movies online more often than I read magazines
digitally, so I'll let it slide.
As for books, text on the Nexus' screen comes out sharp. News
sites and apps also look nice. The Nexus has a screen resolution
of 300 pixels per inches, slightly better than the 264 ppi for
the latest full-size iPad (which itself is far better than the
132 ppi on the older iPad 2 model still available).
True, there are other tablets designed as media players, too.
Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle Fire and Barnes and Noble Inc.'s Nook
HD come to mind, and both have larger versions out this month.
But neither has the diversity of apps available for the Nexus
and other full-fledge Android devices (The Kindle and the Nook
run on modified versions of Android and restrict apps to what's
available through their own online stores).
So what does that mean?
Apps on my Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone automatically appear
on the Nexus 10 after signing in with the same Google account.
I'll note that the Nexus 10 is also made by Samsung Electronics
Co., even though it's branded Google.
Three of my apps, for AccuWeather, Citibank and Dunkin' Donuts,
aren't compatible for unknown reasons. But those I use most
often - Facebook, Instagram, Foursquare and a slew of other
weather apps - all work on the Nexus. The companion app for the
TV show "Dexter" also works, allowing me to play trivia games
and watch video clips.
Not all apps have been specifically adapted for the tablet's
larger screen, but they take advantage of the entire screen,
nonetheless, thanks to the way Android lets software programmers
build their apps in modules. All the content gets blown up and
still looks decent.
Apple's store has a far wider selection of apps, though,
including a half-dozen apps for exhibits at the American Museum
of Natural History in New York. A search on Play comes up with
only one.
The Nexus comes with the latest version of the Android operating
system, version 4.2. It introduces a new feature for sharing
tablets, the way family members can share Windows and Mac
computers while keeping personalized settings. You no longer
have to fight with a kid who constantly changes the volume or
moves apps around. Now, just sign in as separate users.
The Nexus is a tad lighter, while the iPad promises longer
battery life and has an option for cellular broadband for $130
more, plus the cost of data plans. Neither has a slot to expand
memory with SD cards. Both have two cameras - 5 megapixels on
the back for taking photos and video, and a lower-resolution one
on the front for videoconferencing.
The iPad remains king among tablets, with its ease of use,
variety of apps and dominance in the market. But challengers
such as Google offer choice. The Nexus 10 is a good choice if
you already have an Android phone and use a lot of Google
services. That's especially true if you also watch a lot of
movies and TV shows, but don't want to be limited to that.
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