Tablets
question: What is the best color?, context: Tablets of all kinds are a lot of fun for me, and as an owner of last year's Asus Google Nexus 7 Tablet (8 GB) - Quad-core Tegra 3 Processor, Android 4.1, I was keen on giving Google and ASUS' most recent effort a short.  The tablets I've owned that I could compare this one to included theHP TouchPad Wi-Fi 32 GB 9.7-Inch Tablet Computer, the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1,Apple iPad MD366LL/A (16GB, Wi-Fi + AT&T; 4G, Black) 3rd Generation,ASUS Transformer TF300 T-B1-BL 10.1-Inch 32 GB Tablet (Blue)(with matching dock), the aforementioned Nexus 7,Google Nexus 10 (Wi-Fi only, 16 GB), and myMicrosoft Surface (32GB).  The Nexus 7 has turned out to be a worthy addition to this collection.  Here's why.PROS+ Lightweight build.  Last year's Nexus 7 was hardly a slouch in this department, and was more than portable enough for most.  The iPad Mini (which I purchased as a gift) is slightly thinner, but it doesn't really make any drastic improvements.  This device is markedly lighter than both, which makes it surprisingly easier in the hands.  You wouldn't think there was much room for improvement here (given the first generation was quite nice), but ASUS managed to pull it off.+ Great, understated looks.  Sure, the top and bottom bezels are a little larger, but compared to last year's Nexus 7, this device has a lot more "class" to it.  The exterior bezels now lack the bright silver banding, which helps the screen melt away into the bezels.  That's all the better, since as an LCD panel (which won't achieve the same black-levels as a AMOLED display from Samsung) is the centerpiece of this device, it's best to keep your focus on it.  The back is nice and smooth, with the word "NEXUS" inscribed into the back.  The branding is non-obtrusive and otherwise non-existent on a device that all around has a sophisticated, matte look to it.+ Powerful performance.  Without getting into too much technical information, the processor in this device (a rebranded Qualcomm Snapdragon 600) is significantly more powerful than the Nexus 7's Tegra 3 in every way.  It's also more power efficient, so you can watch your movies and games for longer, all while enjoying stunning looks.  Which brings me to the next two points...+ Beautiful screen.  This is a Full HD (1080p) panel in a 7" package.  The best effort prior to this was Amazon's own Kindle Fire HD 8.9, which had a 1080p panel as well.  At present, this device has the sharpest screen (in terms of PPI) of any device, even compared against Apple's iPad 3 and Samsung's Nexus 10.  Colors are sharp and vivid and the screen has no motion blurring or ghosting.  My unit also doesn't have any light bleed, although I've seen some people complaining about it.+ Better hardware for longevity.  You may have heard of the recent kerfuffles around last year's Nexus 7, which has started to slow down and lag for many users.  The problem lay in how the device managed its onboard storage-- which, to put it mildly, was poor.  If you didn't mind tinkering and rooting your device, you could fix the issue, but that should never be a requirement in a consumer product.  Luckily enough, the refresh's hardware boasts better memory and Android 4.3 will automatically keep things in good shape, so you won't have to worry about this.+ Sound is pretty good for a small device.  It gets plenty loud without much distortion.  Unfortunately, ASUS elected to keep the speakers on the back for some unknown reason (especially with nice bezels on the top and bottom that could have provided stereo in landscape-- which is where you'd need those speakers most).  This is especially perplexing considering how well-reviewed the speakers on the Nexus 10 and HTC One were-- both packed front-facing stereo speakers.+ Android 4.3 under the hood means you've got a faster, more secure mobile experience than any previous version.  Even if you're primarily an iOS user, the Nexus 7 is definitely worth a look.  The Play Store's got almost all the heavy hitters you'd use on a tablet (such as Amazon Kindle, Netflix, a YouTube experience second to none, and the full power of Google's own services as an example), as well as some amazing Android-exclusive apps (such as Press, a beautiful RSS reader for those who prefer to take their news this way).  Many people have griped in the past about Android and tablet apps, but...+ You'll also find a mature and solid ecosystem waiting for you.  As a 7" device, the refreshed Nexus 7 sits between traditional 10"-class tablets and the smartphone, meaning it can use apps designed for either very well.  Although most Android apps are still designed for phones, they scale up very well on the Nexus 7 (nothing like Apple's frankly laughable 2x zoom mode available on the iPad/iPad Mini).  Android tablet apps are also getting better by the day, so unless there really is that one killer app you can't leave behind, give it a whirl!+ Android 4.3 also provides multiuser support, so if you have this tablet in any social settings (having friends over, throwing a party, and so on), you can easily set up a guest profile for friends to use while keeping your own stuff under lock and key.  It's also great as a family tablet-- share the device among multiple members while keeping everyone's stuff separate.  Things have also gotten a lot faster since the 4.2 days, so if you had any issues before, give it another go.+ Notification light!  Hoorah!  Long-time Android users will instantly recognize how useful these things are, and as a casual device to leave lying around your desk, the light makes things much better.  Let's say you're walking by a coffee table and you receive an e-mail.  With an iOS device, the screen will light up for a few seconds, and a pulsing icon will let you know that you've got a message of some sort.  And both iOS and Android handsets without a light (such as last year's Nexus 7) will beep or produce a tone to let you know the same.  But if you happen to walk by after those time out, you'd never know that you have something waiting for you.  With a notification light, you get a persistent, unobtrusive and instantly-visible way of seeing that something's waiting.+ Great battery life.  Although the battery's smaller than last year's Nexus 7 (probably to slim down the build), Android 4.3 and the newer Snapdragon processor make for quite a powerful (hehe) package that will run all day and then some without trouble.  I have yet to charge mine after receiving it two days back, and I'm still looking at 50% remaining after heavy use.Of course, this isn't all sunshine and daisies.  Make sure you're making an informed purchase.  Here are some cons I've noticed.CONS- The cameras are forgettable.  Good enough for video calling, but it won't even replace most smartphone cameras.- I'm having screen lift issues in the upper left hand-hand side of my tablet, which means the back creaks a little if I press on it.  It doesn't impact functionality at all, and hopefully it may go away after a while, but my launch-day 8GB Nexus 7 from last year also had this issue.  needless to say, I'm a little annoyed that they weren't more rigorous this time around.  Not something you should have to deal with as a consumer.- Top and bottom bezels make the device a little larger than it has to be.  Depending on how you use this device, it could actually be a major pro for you (as wider bezels give you a better surface to grip without accidentally touching the screen).  For me, it's a definite con, since I think it makes the device look a tad silly.- Slightly less grippy than last year's model.  The refresh loses the dimpled texture of the original, which makes it a little more "slick" in the hand.  It's not awful by any means, but do keep in mind that it can slide a little more on surface than you'd expect.- The buttons.  Are maddening.  They're basically flush with the chassis, and while there's solid feedback on all three (power, volume up, volume down), they're very close to one another and feel exactly the same.  Expect to hit volume up a lot trying to wake this device up.All in all, I'd say buy this one with confidence.  It's well worth the upgrade if you're on the fence, and if you're new to the Android tablet land, this is an amazing place to start.  As a Nexus device, it'll get long software support and fast upgrades, so you'll always be getting the latest and greatest.  Questions?  Let me know in the comments below! 
What is the best color?
Tablets of all kinds are a lot of fun for me, and as an owner of last year's Asus Google Nexus 7 Tablet (8 GB) - Quad-core Tegra 3 Processor, Android 4.1, I was keen on giving Google and ASUS' most recent effort a short.
Tablets of all kinds are a lot of fun for me, and as an owner of last year's Asus Google Nexus 7 Tablet (8 GB) - Quad-core Tegra 3 Processor, Android 4.1, I was keen on giving Google and ASUS' most recent effort a short.  The tablets I've owned that I could compare this one to included theHP TouchPad Wi-Fi 32 GB 9.7-Inch Tablet Computer, the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1,Apple iPad MD366LL/A (16GB, Wi-Fi + AT&T; 4G, Black) 3rd Generation,ASUS Transformer TF300 T-B1-BL 10.1-Inch 32 GB Tablet (Blue)(with matching dock), the aforementioned Nexus 7,Google Nexus 10 (Wi-Fi only, 16 GB), and myMicrosoft Surface (32GB).  The Nexus 7 has turned out to be a worthy addition to this collection.  Here's why.PROS+ Lightweight build.  Last year's Nexus 7 was hardly a slouch in this department, and was more than portable enough for most.  The iPad Mini (which I purchased as a gift) is slightly thinner, but it doesn't really make any drastic improvements.  This device is markedly lighter than both, which makes it surprisingly easier in the hands.  You wouldn't think there was much room for improvement here (given the first generation was quite nice), but ASUS managed to pull it off.+ Great, understated looks.  Sure, the top and bottom bezels are a little larger, but compared to last year's Nexus 7, this device has a lot more "class" to it.  The exterior bezels now lack the bright silver banding, which helps the screen melt away into the bezels.  That's all the better, since as an LCD panel (which won't achieve the same black-levels as a AMOLED display from Samsung) is the centerpiece of this device, it's best to keep your focus on it.  The back is nice and smooth, with the word "NEXUS" inscribed into the back.  The branding is non-obtrusive and otherwise non-existent on a device that all around has a sophisticated, matte look to it.+ Powerful performance.  Without getting into too much technical information, the processor in this device (a rebranded Qualcomm Snapdragon 600) is significantly more powerful than the Nexus 7's Tegra 3 in every way.  It's also more power efficient, so you can watch your movies and games for longer, all while enjoying stunning looks.  Which brings me to the next two points...+ Beautiful screen.  This is a Full HD (1080p) panel in a 7" package.  The best effort prior to this was Amazon's own Kindle Fire HD 8.9, which had a 1080p panel as well.  At present, this device has the sharpest screen (in terms of PPI) of any device, even compared against Apple's iPad 3 and Samsung's Nexus 10.  Colors are sharp and vivid and the screen has no motion blurring or ghosting.  My unit also doesn't have any light bleed, although I've seen some people complaining about it.+ Better hardware for longevity.  You may have heard of the recent kerfuffles around last year's Nexus 7, which has started to slow down and lag for many users.  The problem lay in how the device managed its onboard storage-- which, to put it mildly, was poor.  If you didn't mind tinkering and rooting your device, you could fix the issue, but that should never be a requirement in a consumer product.  Luckily enough, the refresh's hardware boasts better memory and Android 4.3 will automatically keep things in good shape, so you won't have to worry about this.+ Sound is pretty good for a small device.  It gets plenty loud without much distortion.  Unfortunately, ASUS elected to keep the speakers on the back for some unknown reason (especially with nice bezels on the top and bottom that could have provided stereo in landscape-- which is where you'd need those speakers most).  This is especially perplexing considering how well-reviewed the speakers on the Nexus 10 and HTC One were-- both packed front-facing stereo speakers.+ Android 4.3 under the hood means you've got a faster, more secure mobile experience than any previous version.  Even if you're primarily an iOS user, the Nexus 7 is definitely worth a look.  The Play Store's got almost all the heavy hitters you'd use on a tablet (such as Amazon Kindle, Netflix, a YouTube experience second to none, and the full power of Google's own services as an example), as well as some amazing Android-exclusive apps (such as Press, a beautiful RSS reader for those who prefer to take their news this way).  Many people have griped in the past about Android and tablet apps, but...+ You'll also find a mature and solid ecosystem waiting for you.  As a 7" device, the refreshed Nexus 7 sits between traditional 10"-class tablets and the smartphone, meaning it can use apps designed for either very well.  Although most Android apps are still designed for phones, they scale up very well on the Nexus 7 (nothing like Apple's frankly laughable 2x zoom mode available on the iPad/iPad Mini).  Android tablet apps are also getting better by the day, so unless there really is that one killer app you can't leave behind, give it a whirl!+ Android 4.3 also provides multiuser support, so if you have this tablet in any social settings (having friends over, throwing a party, and so on), you can easily set up a guest profile for friends to use while keeping your own stuff under lock and key.  It's also great as a family tablet-- share the device among multiple members while keeping everyone's stuff separate.  Things have also gotten a lot faster since the 4.2 days, so if you had any issues before, give it another go.+ Notification light!  Hoorah!  Long-time Android users will instantly recognize how useful these things are, and as a casual device to leave lying around your desk, the light makes things much better.  Let's say you're walking by a coffee table and you receive an e-mail.  With an iOS device, the screen will light up for a few seconds, and a pulsing icon will let you know that you've got a message of some sort.  And both iOS and Android handsets without a light (such as last year's Nexus 7) will beep or produce a tone to let you know the same.  But if you happen to walk by after those time out, you'd never know that you have something waiting for you.  With a notification light, you get a persistent, unobtrusive and instantly-visible way of seeing that something's waiting.+ Great battery life.  Although the battery's smaller than last year's Nexus 7 (probably to slim down the build), Android 4.3 and the newer Snapdragon processor make for quite a powerful (hehe) package that will run all day and then some without trouble.  I have yet to charge mine after receiving it two days back, and I'm still looking at 50% remaining after heavy use.Of course, this isn't all sunshine and daisies.  Make sure you're making an informed purchase.  Here are some cons I've noticed.CONS- The cameras are forgettable.  Good enough for video calling, but it won't even replace most smartphone cameras.- I'm having screen lift issues in the upper left hand-hand side of my tablet, which means the back creaks a little if I press on it.  It doesn't impact functionality at all, and hopefully it may go away after a while, but my launch-day 8GB Nexus 7 from last year also had this issue.  needless to say, I'm a little annoyed that they weren't more rigorous this time around.  Not something you should have to deal with as a consumer.- Top and bottom bezels make the device a little larger than it has to be.  Depending on how you use this device, it could actually be a major pro for you (as wider bezels give you a better surface to grip without accidentally touching the screen).  For me, it's a definite con, since I think it makes the device look a tad silly.- Slightly less grippy than last year's model.  The refresh loses the dimpled texture of the original, which makes it a little more "slick" in the hand.  It's not awful by any means, but do keep in mind that it can slide a little more on surface than you'd expect.- The buttons.  Are maddening.  They're basically flush with the chassis, and while there's solid feedback on all three (power, volume up, volume down), they're very close to one another and feel exactly the same.  Expect to hit volume up a lot trying to wake this device up.All in all, I'd say buy this one with confidence.  It's well worth the upgrade if you're on the fence, and if you're new to the Android tablet land, this is an amazing place to start.  As a Nexus device, it'll get long software support and fast upgrades, so you'll always be getting the latest and greatest.  Questions?  Let me know in the comments below! 
<hl> Tablets <hl> of all kinds are a lot of fun for me, and as an owner of last year's Asus Google Nexus 7 Tablet (8 GB) - Quad-core Tegra 3 Processor, Android 4.1, I was keen on giving Google and ASUS' most recent effort a short.
<hl> Tablets <hl> of all kinds are a lot of fun for me, and as an owner of last year's Asus Google Nexus 7 Tablet (8 GB) - Quad-core Tegra 3 Processor, Android 4.1, I was keen on giving Google and ASUS' most recent effort a short. The tablets I've owned that I could compare this one to included theHP TouchPad Wi-Fi 32 GB 9.7-Inch Tablet Computer, the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1,Apple iPad MD366LL/A (16GB, Wi-Fi + AT&T; 4G, Black) 3rd Generation,ASUS Transformer TF300 T-B1-BL 10.1-Inch 32 GB Tablet (Blue)(with matching dock), the aforementioned Nexus 7,Google Nexus 10 (Wi-Fi only, 16 GB), and myMicrosoft Surface (32GB). The Nexus 7 has turned out to be a worthy addition to this collection. Here's why.PROS+ Lightweight build. Last year's Nexus 7 was hardly a slouch in this department, and was more than portable enough for most. The iPad Mini (which I purchased as a gift) is slightly thinner, but it doesn't really make any drastic improvements. This device is markedly lighter than both, which makes it surprisingly easier in the hands. You wouldn't think there was much room for improvement here (given the first generation was quite nice), but ASUS managed to pull it off.+ Great, understated looks. Sure, the top and bottom bezels are a little larger, but compared to last year's Nexus 7, this device has a lot more "class" to it. The exterior bezels now lack the bright silver banding, which helps the screen melt away into the bezels. That's all the better, since as an LCD panel (which won't achieve the same black-levels as a AMOLED display from Samsung) is the centerpiece of this device, it's best to keep your focus on it. The back is nice and smooth, with the word "NEXUS" inscribed into the back. The branding is non-obtrusive and otherwise non-existent on a device that all around has a sophisticated, matte look to it.+ Powerful performance. Without getting into too much technical information, the processor in this device (a rebranded Qualcomm Snapdragon 600) is significantly more powerful than the Nexus 7's Tegra 3 in every way. It's also more power efficient, so you can watch your movies and games for longer, all while enjoying stunning looks. Which brings me to the next two points...+ Beautiful screen. This is a Full HD (1080p) panel in a 7" package. The best effort prior to this was Amazon's own Kindle Fire HD 8.9, which had a 1080p panel as well. At present, this device has the sharpest screen (in terms of PPI) of any device, even compared against Apple's iPad 3 and Samsung's Nexus 10. Colors are sharp and vivid and the screen has no motion blurring or ghosting. My unit also doesn't have any light bleed, although I've seen some people complaining about it.+ Better hardware for longevity. You may have heard of the recent kerfuffles around last year's Nexus 7, which has started to slow down and lag for many users. The problem lay in how the device managed its onboard storage-- which, to put it mildly, was poor. If you didn't mind tinkering and rooting your device, you could fix the issue, but that should never be a requirement in a consumer product. Luckily enough, the refresh's hardware boasts better memory and Android 4.3 will automatically keep things in good shape, so you won't have to worry about this.+ Sound is pretty good for a small device. It gets plenty loud without much distortion. Unfortunately, ASUS elected to keep the speakers on the back for some unknown reason (especially with nice bezels on the top and bottom that could have provided stereo in landscape-- which is where you'd need those speakers most). This is especially perplexing considering how well-reviewed the speakers on the Nexus 10 and HTC One were-- both packed front-facing stereo speakers.+ Android 4.3 under the hood means you've got a faster, more secure mobile experience than any previous version. Even if you're primarily an iOS user, the Nexus 7 is definitely worth a look. The Play Store's got almost all the heavy hitters you'd use on a tablet (such as Amazon Kindle, Netflix, a YouTube experience second to none, and the full power of Google's own services as an example), as well as some amazing Android-exclusive apps (such as Press, a beautiful RSS reader for those who prefer to take their news this way). Many people have griped in the past about Android and tablet apps, but...+ You'll also find a mature and solid ecosystem waiting for you. As a 7" device, the refreshed Nexus 7 sits between traditional 10"-class tablets and the smartphone, meaning it can use apps designed for either very well. Although most Android apps are still designed for phones, they scale up very well on the Nexus 7 (nothing like Apple's frankly laughable 2x zoom mode available on the iPad/iPad Mini). Android tablet apps are also getting better by the day, so unless there really is that one killer app you can't leave behind, give it a whirl!+ Android 4.3 also provides multiuser support, so if you have this tablet in any social settings (having friends over, throwing a party, and so on), you can easily set up a guest profile for friends to use while keeping your own stuff under lock and key. It's also great as a family tablet-- share the device among multiple members while keeping everyone's stuff separate. Things have also gotten a lot faster since the 4.2 days, so if you had any issues before, give it another go.+ Notification light! Hoorah! Long-time Android users will instantly recognize how useful these things are, and as a casual device to leave lying around your desk, the light makes things much better. Let's say you're walking by a coffee table and you receive an e-mail. With an iOS device, the screen will light up for a few seconds, and a pulsing icon will let you know that you've got a message of some sort. And both iOS and Android handsets without a light (such as last year's Nexus 7) will beep or produce a tone to let you know the same. But if you happen to walk by after those time out, you'd never know that you have something waiting for you. With a notification light, you get a persistent, unobtrusive and instantly-visible way of seeing that something's waiting.+ Great battery life. Although the battery's smaller than last year's Nexus 7 (probably to slim down the build), Android 4.3 and the newer Snapdragon processor make for quite a powerful (hehe) package that will run all day and then some without trouble. I have yet to charge mine after receiving it two days back, and I'm still looking at 50% remaining after heavy use.Of course, this isn't all sunshine and daisies. Make sure you're making an informed purchase. Here are some cons I've noticed.CONS- The cameras are forgettable. Good enough for video calling, but it won't even replace most smartphone cameras.- I'm having screen lift issues in the upper left hand-hand side of my tablet, which means the back creaks a little if I press on it. It doesn't impact functionality at all, and hopefully it may go away after a while, but my launch-day 8GB Nexus 7 from last year also had this issue. needless to say, I'm a little annoyed that they weren't more rigorous this time around. Not something you should have to deal with as a consumer.- Top and bottom bezels make the device a little larger than it has to be. Depending on how you use this device, it could actually be a major pro for you (as wider bezels give you a better surface to grip without accidentally touching the screen). For me, it's a definite con, since I think it makes the device look a tad silly.- Slightly less grippy than last year's model. The refresh loses the dimpled texture of the original, which makes it a little more "slick" in the hand. It's not awful by any means, but do keep in mind that it can slide a little more on surface than you'd expect.- The buttons. Are maddening. They're basically flush with the chassis, and while there's solid feedback on all three (power, volume up, volume down), they're very close to one another and feel exactly the same. Expect to hit volume up a lot trying to wake this device up.All in all, I'd say buy this one with confidence. It's well worth the upgrade if you're on the fence, and if you're new to the Android tablet land, this is an amazing place to start. As a Nexus device, it'll get long software support and fast upgrades, so you'll always be getting the latest and greatest. Questions? Let me know in the comments below! 
<hl> Tablets of all kinds are a lot of fun for me, and as an owner of last year's Asus Google Nexus 7 Tablet (8 GB) - Quad-core Tegra 3 Processor, Android 4.1, I was keen on giving Google and ASUS' most recent effort a short. <hl> The tablets I've owned that I could compare this one to included theHP TouchPad Wi-Fi 32 GB 9.7-Inch Tablet Computer, the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1,Apple iPad MD366LL/A (16GB, Wi-Fi + AT&T; 4G, Black) 3rd Generation,ASUS Transformer TF300 T-B1-BL 10.1-Inch 32 GB Tablet (Blue)(with matching dock), the aforementioned Nexus 7,Google Nexus 10 (Wi-Fi only, 16 GB), and myMicrosoft Surface (32GB). The Nexus 7 has turned out to be a worthy addition to this collection. Here's why. PROS+ Lightweight build. Last year's Nexus 7 was hardly a slouch in this department, and was more than portable enough for most. The iPad Mini (which I purchased as a gift) is slightly thinner, but it doesn't really make any drastic improvements. This device is markedly lighter than both, which makes it surprisingly easier in the hands. You wouldn't think there was much room for improvement here (given the first generation was quite nice), but ASUS managed to pull it off.+ Great, understated looks. Sure, the top and bottom bezels are a little larger, but compared to last year's Nexus 7, this device has a lot more "class" to it. The exterior bezels now lack the bright silver banding, which helps the screen melt away into the bezels. That's all the better, since as an LCD panel (which won't achieve the same black-levels as a AMOLED display from Samsung) is the centerpiece of this device, it's best to keep your focus on it. The back is nice and smooth, with the word "NEXUS" inscribed into the back. The branding is non-obtrusive and otherwise non-existent on a device that all around has a sophisticated, matte look to it.+ Powerful performance. Without getting into too much technical information, the processor in this device (a rebranded Qualcomm Snapdragon 600) is significantly more powerful than the Nexus 7's Tegra 3 in every way. It's also more power efficient, so you can watch your movies and games for longer, all while enjoying stunning looks. Which brings me to the next two points... + Beautiful screen. This is a Full HD (1080p) panel in a 7" package. The best effort prior to this was Amazon's own Kindle Fire HD 8.9, which had a 1080p panel as well. At present, this device has the sharpest screen (in terms of PPI) of any device, even compared against Apple's iPad 3 and Samsung's Nexus 10. Colors are sharp and vivid and the screen has no motion blurring or ghosting. My unit also doesn't have any light bleed, although I've seen some people complaining about it.+ Better hardware for longevity. You may have heard of the recent kerfuffles around last year's Nexus 7, which has started to slow down and lag for many users. The problem lay in how the device managed its onboard storage-- which, to put it mildly, was poor. If you didn't mind tinkering and rooting your device, you could fix the issue, but that should never be a requirement in a consumer product. Luckily enough, the refresh's hardware boasts better memory and Android 4.3 will automatically keep things in good shape, so you won't have to worry about this.+ Sound is pretty good for a small device. It gets plenty loud without much distortion. Unfortunately, ASUS elected to keep the speakers on the back for some unknown reason (especially with nice bezels on the top and bottom that could have provided stereo in landscape-- which is where you'd need those speakers most). This is especially perplexing considering how well-reviewed the speakers on the Nexus 10 and HTC One were-- both packed front-facing stereo speakers.+ Android 4.3 under the hood means you've got a faster, more secure mobile experience than any previous version. Even if you're primarily an iOS user, the Nexus 7 is definitely worth a look. The Play Store's got almost all the heavy hitters you'd use on a tablet (such as Amazon Kindle, Netflix, a YouTube experience second to none, and the full power of Google's own services as an example), as well as some amazing Android-exclusive apps (such as Press, a beautiful RSS reader for those who prefer to take their news this way). Many people have griped in the past about Android and tablet apps, but... + You'll also find a mature and solid ecosystem waiting for you. As a 7" device, the refreshed Nexus 7 sits between traditional 10"-class tablets and the smartphone, meaning it can use apps designed for either very well. Although most Android apps are still designed for phones, they scale up very well on the Nexus 7 (nothing like Apple's frankly laughable 2x zoom mode available on the iPad/iPad Mini). Android tablet apps are also getting better by the day, so unless there really is that one killer app you can't leave behind, give it a whirl!+ Android 4.3 also provides multiuser support, so if you have this tablet in any social settings (having friends over, throwing a party, and so on), you can easily set up a guest profile for friends to use while keeping your own stuff under lock and key. It's also great as a family tablet-- share the device among multiple members while keeping everyone's stuff separate. Things have also gotten a lot faster since the 4.2 days, so if you had any issues before, give it another go.+ Notification light! Hoorah! Long-time Android users will instantly recognize how useful these things are, and as a casual device to leave lying around your desk, the light makes things much better. Let's say you're walking by a coffee table and you receive an e-mail. With an iOS device, the screen will light up for a few seconds, and a pulsing icon will let you know that you've got a message of some sort. And both iOS and Android handsets without a light (such as last year's Nexus 7) will beep or produce a tone to let you know the same. But if you happen to walk by after those time out, you'd never know that you have something waiting for you. With a notification light, you get a persistent, unobtrusive and instantly-visible way of seeing that something's waiting.+ Great battery life. Although the battery's smaller than last year's Nexus 7 (probably to slim down the build), Android 4.3 and the newer Snapdragon processor make for quite a powerful (hehe) package that will run all day and then some without trouble. I have yet to charge mine after receiving it two days back, and I'm still looking at 50% remaining after heavy use. Of course, this isn't all sunshine and daisies. Make sure you're making an informed purchase. Here are some cons I've noticed. CONS- The cameras are forgettable. Good enough for video calling, but it won't even replace most smartphone cameras.- I'm having screen lift issues in the upper left hand-hand side of my tablet, which means the back creaks a little if I press on it. It doesn't impact functionality at all, and hopefully it may go away after a while, but my launch-day 8GB Nexus 7 from last year also had this issue. needless to say, I'm a little annoyed that they weren't more rigorous this time around. Not something you should have to deal with as a consumer.- Top and bottom bezels make the device a little larger than it has to be. Depending on how you use this device, it could actually be a major pro for you (as wider bezels give you a better surface to grip without accidentally touching the screen). For me, it's a definite con, since I think it makes the device look a tad silly.- Slightly less grippy than last year's model. The refresh loses the dimpled texture of the original, which makes it a little more "slick" in the hand. It's not awful by any means, but do keep in mind that it can slide a little more on surface than you'd expect.- The buttons. Are maddening. They're basically flush with the chassis, and while there's solid feedback on all three (power, volume up, volume down), they're very close to one another and feel exactly the same. Expect to hit volume up a lot trying to wake this device up. All in all, I'd say buy this one with confidence. It's well worth the upgrade if you're on the fence, and if you're new to the Android tablet land, this is an amazing place to start. As a Nexus device, it'll get long software support and fast upgrades, so you'll always be getting the latest and greatest. Questions? Let me know in the comments below!