New toy . . . . finally

Yes it is finally here.  I just got my Nexus 7 and I didn't have to wait for shipping at all.  I was able to go and pick it up at my local Staples retail store.  So I guess you could say similar to shipping, but anyway I have had the device for a few days and even through I still have that new gadget love I can tell that this feeling will last for quite some time.  Getting the sleek device in my hands only leaves me wishing for one thing, to have been able to go to Google I|O 2012 and to have had a Nexus Q bundled with it.  Even though the Nexus Q is a bit overpriced for what it does now I can't wait to see what some developers will be able to do with it, but that is a whole other conversation.  I had a rooted Kindle Fire before picking this up and compared to that it is significantly lighter all while packing a camera, better speakers + processor, volume buttons, GPS and blue tooth.  The software on this thing matches the build quality easily and may surpass it, running Jellybean Android 4.1.1 (at the time of writing).  This new revision of Google's OS is focused heavily on user input and experience trying to stop Android from dragging it's heels so much and I must say they have gotten it damn close to that liquidy goodness all you iOS device users are accustomed to.  Google has put all tablet manufacturers on the watch with an exception to the iPad and I always welcome competition because that means better gadgets at lower prices for all of us.

Problems with Google's new toy

Uh Oh looks like there are some issues with the new tech from Google and Asus.  So this makes another problem for the super tablet from Google, before supply just couldn't keep up with the insane demand now it's just more bad news with problems like back light bleeding for a small one all the way up to some users reporting that during data intensive operations the touchscreen would get a bit janky and non responsive.  Now that sucks if I must say because I wanted one of these bad boys but I wasn't smart enough to reserve one earlier.  On the extreme side of jacked up some Nexus 7's have been coming with defective screens that are not attached correctly and can become detached from the housing of the tablet.  Of course you can return the tablet if you get on that is screwed up.  Maybe it was a good thing I didn't pre-order the tablet.

Android fragmentation

At times I wish Google was a bit more like and Apple and did not have an open source mobile OS.  Android is becoming more and more popular but at the time of this writing only one phone has the latest Jelly Bean OS being the Galaxy Nexus from Samsung.  I have this phone and it annoys me so much when I see a fellow Android user out and about and they are running an Eclair build or Froyo build, and they are perfectly fine with it.  Now don't get me wrong, in no way am I upset at the phone owners this is all directed at the manufacturers.  HTC, Samsung, Motorola, etc they all have to get there you know what together and push these updates out quicker.  There has to be some sort of regulation on this by Google.  They have already since stepped in (sort of) and put up guidelines for a more uniform look for developers when creating applications so why not implement some sort of time table when it comes to OS updates?  I can see maybe skipping a few incremental releases but when a major overhaul is done to the OS there should be some haste in getting that out to all the recent phones.  Android is already stupid popular, just think how much better it would be if every phone had the latest OS?

Samsung and Google V.S. Apple . . . . . still

Longtime mobile partners Google and Samsung have been battling it out in the courts with Apple for quite some time now and a recent injunction filed by Judge Lucy Koh has now made it illegal to sell the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in the USA.  Samsung of course did try and stay the ban but that was denied by Koh.  Google recently announced the sale of its Nexus line of devices again direct from the internet giant but has since pulled the phone from there online store.  So what did Google and Samsung do wrong to warrant pulling the phone?  If you ask me, not much but I'm not a lawyer and I don't know who owns what patent just like any other Joe Consumer out there.  Now all this fuss is over the unified search bar show in the picture above.  Apple believes they already have a patent for a "universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system" as they put it.  I can't believe that they would make a stink about how the phone is searched.  In hopes to have this ban removed a Google spokesperson said an update to simplify or dumb down the search bar is in the works.  I personally have this phone and I hope they get this resolved soon, luckily Google now, a new search feature in Jelly Bean Android 4.1 will not be at risk and will still be included.

Google I|O wrap up

Well unless you were living under a rock you would know Google I|O was just held last week and they had some pretty amazing announcements to say the least.  Now I know this is primarily for developers so I won't bore you with all the behind the scenes stuff and just get to the good stuff.