I’ve waited far, far too long to get myself a tablet.
Prediction: Every 6 out of 10 panel journalists covering San Diego Comic Con next year will have an iPad Mini, Galaxy Tab, Elitebook, Kindle Fire…or my recent Christmas-present-to-self (cause those are simply the best kind!), Google Nexus 7.
Why? Because now they are so damn cheap. If it wasn’t for things like printing, burning, and processing, I wouldn’t even need my laptop anymore. This shitbox is now a glorified, overheating, virus-consuming desktop computer.
I’ll give my Toshiba Satellite this, though: it made transferring files to my new Nexus a treat. Because Google wants you to spend $ on apps, media and clouding (you know, paying Google to conveniently store all your media for easy access), downloading the “PC way” isn’t entirely easy and certain files now need convergence. Time to toss the VLC player for a Diceplayer (which has thus far worked with every type of file I’ve thrown at it — .avi, .mp3, .mp4, .mkv, etc.), as your Vuze won’t work, either. Still trying to find there right file transfer client…
Hey, I’m not rich. Not yet.
Thankfully, you don’t have to be rich to own one of these bad boys…unless you like all things Apple, of course. The best deal on an iPad will still cost you $400 — and that’s if you paid another couple hundred bucks to some jerk who had been waiting in line at Best Buy for a damn week. Having a Droid phone, the Rev naturally copped an Android-driven tablet.
And it rocks. The 7-inch HD screen is beautifully sleek and vibrant. I couldn’t believe my 4-eyes or ears (the surround booming my Skullcandy’s sounded dope, too) when streaming an ESPN college basketball game the other night. Watching an episode of “Comic Book Men” was awesome while brushing my teeth, and it’s going to be outstanding to catch up with some sleeper hits like “Arrow,” “American Horror Story,” and “Homeland” when doing nothing on set…which is most of the time.
Makes me wonder why I ever bought a “smart” phone. That’s right, it fits in my pocket. Though the Nexus 7 might if I start shopping at Macy’s.
First rule of first tablet browsing: Google! Ugh, that’s right you need to do your own research as far as what’s cool, what’s cheap and convenient (hence free), and which direction your style needs to be directed. Word is the Grand Theft Auto III and The Dark Knight Rises Android games are kickass.
Wasn’t I suppose to buy this to keep this awesomely neglected blogazine updated? Oh, life’s endless distractions!!
The good news, kids, is that your favorite convention journalist — this side of Jason Sacks — will no longer have to lose his lower back due to lugging around a laptop that dies in seconds, or the trouble of having to search high and low for a hallway electrical outlet to charge the damn thing (since all the cool kids are doing it). No. Now, I’ll be able to upload content at will…well…the ongoing WiFi problem at San Diego will never be resolved, but still. It’s nice.
Okay, so what’s up with Microsoft’s big announcement from E3 concerning the Smart Glass app, which allows XBOX 360 players to use their Android tablets as remotes, browsers, and supportimg secondary consoles sorta like Wi-U? Well, I can’t tell ya, because the app is yet to be applicable with my tablet.
Stupid.
The other sorta stinky news is that the Nexus 7 isn’t always responsive, but I more or less take that as a touchscreen tablet regularity, anywho. Otherwise, the Chrome browser is fast as hell, and Firefox is awesome if you want to .apk a lil Adobe Flash into your life. Browsing is made even easier when you’re allowed to Flashify certain sites that require such a tablet forbidden entity (!!) such as Flashware.
Basically, anything that might allow users to watch or listen to stuff for free requires loopholes.
Again, Google.
How about them Digital comics, anyway?? It’s something I’ve become so very afraid to realize exists. Anyone who loves visiting their local comic shop on Wednesday, and has been spending anywhere from $25-60/week on comics hates the sounds of this new technology. But really, this is not the time for that debate.
The time now is to let those sticking to the paper script know that reading comics on the tablet is pretty damn awesome. Yet, the experience wasn’t nearly as different as I previously had heard or imagined; now the images appear a little cleaner, you can avoid ads (if you’re smart and find the correct app), and can probably sweep through an issue much quicker. Otherwise, there’s nothing that really screamed a reason why I would need to convert. I’m still going to spend my hard earned dollars on the comics I love from people who deserve my business because that is, indeed brothers and sisters, what America is all about!
*catches breath..yes Rick Remender’s new Captain America #1 last week was very good…and a little too inspiring… whew*
But, one cannot lie that it also helps that Marvel is including a free download in nearly 90% of their books. If you can’t find the time to read the issue at home and don’t want to chance ruining the issue itself on the run, now readers can take it on the go digitally. Or just illegally download the books you’re not sure of buying, or hate buying because they are simply there to “tie-in” to the greater picture.
You know who you are.
(This was indeed my first article typed and published through Nexus!)
- 4.5 (out of 5) Bibles. Perfectly mobile at ‘7, yet certainly wide enough to enjoy crystal clear reruns of South Park. More apps than you think, and many of the iOS stuff is slowly starting to transfer over with the Android Tablets recent boom in popularity. The Black Friday $229 deal for 32gb may have something to do with that. Still rough on the edges when replicating what you can with Windows, but it’s close. Often have to use Firefox over the much faster Chrome due to constant compatibility issues. For instance, WordPress images. Also, be sure to download the Swiftkey 3 Tablet keyboard app, or you’ll be nailing the google voice over and over. With full HDMI support and the neatest Jellybean OS around, there really isn’t a whole want of need now. Just makes me wonder why I still pay $100+/month for my smart phone…