nexus 7

Tesco Hudl 2

It's been just over a year since UK retailer Tesco launched the original Hudl, their own brand tablet which delivered a close to stock Android experience and excellent value for money. This review reflects my own personal views of the Hudl 2, which I purchased from Tesco. For full disclosure, Tesco is also my part time employer as made clear in the todoleo.com about page.
The original Hudl was a hit in the UK. At the Hudl 2 announcement Tesco proudly announced the fact that they had sold over 750k of their first generation Hudl. In late 2013 it offered an excellent spec sheet for less than half the price of similar Android tablets. With the Hudl 2 Tesco aims to have a similar hit on sale in their stores and online channels. The spec sheet is as follows (Hudl 1 spec in brackets for comparison).
  • 8.3" 1920x1200 LCD display (7" 1440x900)
  • Intel Atom CPU Z3735D 1.83 GHz - Quad core (Rockchip RK3066 1.61 GHz - Quad Core)
  • 2GB RAM (1GB RAM)
  • 16GB Internal Storage + MicroSDHC expansion slot (16GB Internal Storage + MicroSDHC expansion slot)
  • WiFi 
  • 5MP primary back camera (3MP primary back camera)
  • 1.2MP secondary front camera (0.8 secondary front camera)
  • 410g (370g)
  • 128 x 224 x 9.15mm (128.8 x 192.8 x 9.9mm)
  • Colours: Black, Blue, Purple, Red, Aqua, Pink, Orange and White. (Blue, Black, Purple, Red)
 At launch the Hudl 2 retails at £129 ($205), but can be £65 ($103) in Tesco Clubcard vouchers as part of the Clubcard Boost scheme. I chose to go for the blue colour option described as "Jazzy Blue" and get a red soft touch case in red so as to have a bit of a clash going on (I obviously do fashion because I'm Italian, right?).
The device itself is of solid construction and feels lighter to hold copmpared to the Hudl 1. Soft touch plastic (similar to the back of the Nexus 7 2013) covers the back, sides and edge of the bezels on the two sides when held in landscape mode. The back has perforated grilles for the Dolby optimised speakers and the camera, while volume and power controls are on the top edge. The microUSB port is on the right side, and the standard 3.5mm audio jack is on the right. On the bottom side you have the MicroSD slot and MicroHDMI port. The Hudl 2 has a simple but well thought through design language going on. No fake metals or pleather in sight, you get the feeling this is a well built utilitarian device.
The Hudl 2's screen is the same size and resolution of the LG G Pad 8.3 and is very pleasant to use. Colours are crisp and the contrast ratio is comparable to that of the Nexus 7 2013. Great for watching HD videos and editing photos in Snapseed for me.
One of the reasons I liked the original Hudl was how close to a stock Android 4.2 experience you got, with a minimal spattering of Tesco bloatware which could be disabled. The Hudl 2 increases the bloatware slightly, but remains extremely close to stock Android 4.4. The increase in bloatware is mainly in the form of the Google Now inspired Hudl launcher and more apps/services Tesco can bundle with the device
Tesco are aiming the Hudl 2 at the UK families, and to make this a better option than other tablets on the market (Amazon Fire cough cough, iPad Mini cough cough, Archos splutter!) parental controls are a main feature. Much easier to use than the Fire HD's FreeTime, with the Hudl 2's "Child Safety" app you have pretty granular control over profiles you set up for your little munchkins. As well as time limits for device use and web filtering, the whitelisting of apps is made simple and easy to apply. "Child Safety" leverages the user profiles functionality of Android KitKat, the Hudl 2 just has a really easy way of setting it all up and managing it.

Earlier I mentioned bloatware, and it is fair to say that the Hudl 2 has quite a bit of it although very little of it is launched by default and runs in the background all the time. Out of the box you get 9GB usable storage (not much when the internal storage is supposed to be 16GB). Tesco have bundled their full suite of apps for shopping for groceries, non-foods, media and banking. Blinkbox is the Tesco brand family for online video, books and music, and all three apps come pre installed. Before I made the leap to deauthorising one of my other devices to use Google Play Music All Access, I tried out Blinkbox Music and found it quite good. Sadly there was no Jennifer Paige on the service so I'll need to bite the bullet and use up one of my deauths. The Blinkbox and Blinkbox Music apps both support Chromecast, so that is a really good feature I can see many UK households making use of.
 The Hudl 2 is powered by a quad core BayTrail Intel Atom Z3735D chip and 2GB of RAM. For a device at this price point that is quite impressive. Tesco say this is a 3x performance improvement over the original Hudl, and after having used it for a few days I am inclined to believe them. I only occasionally experienced lag, and only in the Hudl launcher. Even demanding games like GTA Vice City and F18 Carrier Landing II run smoothly, while a few other apps are running in the background.
A chip with that much grunt seems to have an adverse effect on bettery life though. In similar use to the way I use my Nexus 7 and original Hudl, the battery life seems to be lower. I don't have any hard data at the moment, but as time goes by my logs will be more complete and I'll be able to back this up with real data. This post will be updated accordingly.

I've had almost a week with the Hudl 2 and enjoyed it. For review purposes I tried to live as close to the Hudl experience as most Hudl buyers will (no system changes and a few extra apps). I would definitely recommend this tablet, as the few flaws it has are easily remedied with a few settings or app changes. I will be using this as a daily driver, mainly for media consumption and light social networking. HDMI output as well as storage expansion are a huge plus over my Nexus 7, especially when travelling. I have concerns over Tesco and Intel's plans to update firmware and OS after the Android L release, as this is unlikely to happen (I've been burnt in that area by the Orange San Diego and the original Hudl, but I hope they prove me wrong). The Hudl page at Tesco is here: http://www.tesco.com/direct/hudl/

At time of publishing, Paul O'Brien has let us know on Google Plus that he has managed to root the Hudl 2. As Simon Osborne tweeted, it is just a question of time before someone gets the Hudl 2 to dual boot Ubuntu as well.

Tomorrow I'll disable the Tesco bloatware I don't want or need, and go all in on a customised experience that suits me best. That is after all one of the main reasons I love the Android platform and ecosystem.

Android 4.1.2

Over the last week I have updated both my Nexus 7 and my Galaxy Nexus to Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean).
Landscape mode on the Android 4.1.2 Nexus 7
Both on the Nexus 7 and on the Galaxy Nexus I have noticed improvements on screen responsiveness, fluidity of UI animations and a slightly faster performance when dealing with location based services.
On the Nexus 7, there is a new landscape mode for the homescreen, which makes things easier when the tablet is in a case in landscape mode.

Exciting!
It will be interesting to see how things change when Google announce Android 4.2 (Key Lime Pie). Maybe they will do it on Monday 29th October...

Nexus 7 Review: No More Manbags

It has been two weeks since I took delivery of my Nexus 7 tablet, so I now give you my review of the device.
My Nexus 7 with my Galaxy Nexus
Before I start, here's the background that influences my subjective view of Google's Jelly Bean running 7" tablet: I'm an Android fanboy and have been since 2007. I love tinkering with Android devices, much in the same way as I do with Linux on laptops, netbooks, nettops and desktops. My main device is a Galaxy Nexus, which has a pure Google Android experience, and no custom ROM. Since October last year I have also been using an Android tablet, an Archos 80 G9. While not as shiny as other tablets at the time, price and specifications were the main reason I chose the 80 G9. Very few customisations by Archos on Honeycomb meant that the 80 G9 had as close to a pure Android experience as possible, and that also made it fast for Archos to push the Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) update.


While a hardcore Android/Linux nerd, I'm also a bit of a closet Windows Phone user. I enjoy Metro UI and like the service tie ins with Xbox Live. The Nokia Lumia 710 I'm using is a good piece of hardware, and just like my Android devices has replaceable batteries (unlike the Lumia 800). Windows Phone is different from Android, and I can see how it is less suited to the tinkerer than any Android phone, but is a very pleasant smartphone experience. I have to admit, at the moment I'm a bit of a BiOS smartphone user. (Just to make it clear, I don't partake in any of the Apple iOS tomfoolery, that's just not to my liking.)

So, back to the Nexus 7 review. After Google IO (end of June), I placed a pre-order for the Nexus 7 (the 16GB model priced at £199 in the UK) on the ebuyer.com website. At the time I had to choose between the direct Google channel and third party retailers. I ended up choosing ebuyer.com, because of their excellent service in the past. ebuyer.com was also a reasonable choice because they have had a good relationship with ASUS for years (ASUS is the company that manufactures the Nexus 7). As a result, on the morning of Friday 13th 2012, I had a knock on the door from Parcelforce and came into posession of a Google Nexus 7 tablet. (It was a lucky date for me!)

For those of you just wanting to get the specifications and then jump to the conclusion, here are the specs:

SCREEN
7” 1280x800 HD display (216 ppi)
Back-lit IPS display
Scratch-resistant Corning glass
1.2MP front-facing camera

SIZE
198.5 x 120 x 10.45mm
WEIGHT
340g
WIRELESS
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth
MEMORY
8 GB internal storage (actual formatted capacity will be less)
1 GB RAM
USB
Micro USB
BATTERY
4325 mAh (Up to 8 hours of active use)
OS
Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
CPU
Quad-core Tegra 3 processor
FEATURES
Microphone
NFC (Android Beam)
Accelerometer
GPS
Magnetometer
Gyroscope


The Nexus 7 is a 7" Nexus tablet running Jelly Bean (Android 4.1). A Nexus device is made by a third party manufacturer (in this case ASUS) for Google, who have close input on device design and specifications. Google use Nexus devices to showcase/ship the latest version of Android and also jolt the rest of the market into upping their game.
My Archos 80 G9 next to my Nexus 7
The 7" form factor may seem strange to those who are used to larger tablets but after using it for a while I understood that it made more sense. The Nexus 7 is well built and feels solid to hold, and the rubbery back makes it feel less likely to slip out of your hand than other similar devices. I love the fact that it fits perfectly in a jacket pocket, eliminating the need for a man bag for me. The Archos 80 G9 has an 8" 4:3 screen, so won't fit into the same pocket. Another advantage of the 7" form factor is that when typing holding the Nexus 7 in portrait orientation, two thumb typing is pleasantly simple.
No more man bag for me
The screen is an LCD IPS backlit one, this means that it has in plane switching technology, which gives you great viewing angles. Colours on the screen are good and the high number of dots per inch (216) means images on the screen are nice and crisp. While not the best LCD display I've seen, in a sub £200 device it is phenomenal.
A phenomenal screen for a sub £200 device.
The Nexus 7 has a front facing 1.2 MP camera, which is great for videocalling. I've used it with both Google talk and Skype and the only complaints about image quality were probably due to a slow internet connection. Again, the 7" form factor of the Nexus 7 is great for long video calls. Whereas with larger/heavier tablet computers hands/arms get tired after a while, with the Nexus 7 I haven't had this issue, and I do tend to do a lot of video calls on it. Unlike other tablets on the market at the moment, the Nexus 7 doesn't have a camera on the rear, so you won't lose any street-cred using it to take pictures at parties. There is actually no software on the stock Android Jelly Bean shipped with the Nexus 7 to use the camera as a camera. Thankfully Paul O'Brien from MoDaCo.com has a solution for this if you really want that feature.
Jelly Bean, Android 4.1, is the operating system running on the Nexus 7. Coupled with Nvidia's Tegra 3 chipset and 12 core GPU the device is buttery to use. Google had people working on the UI smoothness and responsiveness and the differences from ICS (4.0), while not immediately apparent, are enormous. The user interface paradigm remains the same as on Ice Cream Sandwich, with a few subtle improvements such as icon and widget automatic rearrangement. The notification system has been augmented from ICS and made more expansive with snapshots and previews. I like this notification system improvement, especially because it includes Google Now notifications.

Google Now is a new way for interacting with Google services. A sort of predictive search, it presents you with information before you start searching for it. When I'm at work for example, Google Now will give me bus timetables and an estimated time for me travelling home, and a weather forecast. Presented as cards, the Google Now screen can be pulled up as an offscreen gesture swiping upwards from the bottom. This is a very WebOS like gesture, I wonder how much of Matias Duarte's input there was for this... You can find out  more about Google Now here.
The Nexus 7 is an NFC device, which means that it can be used to share/use information shared via near field communication technology. Often if I get an email recommending a Youtube video, and I just tap my phone with the open link to my Nexus 7 and boom, the video opens up on my Nexus 7. Lovely but limited feature at the moment, as time goes by it will be a standard on many devices.

On the Nexus 7 you have access to the Play Store. Any applications/services you have purchased from the Play Store previously are available to you on the Nexus 7, provided the application/service is compatible. Most of my favourite apps work just fine on the Nexus 7, but some don't. Flickr for example does not work on the Nexus 7 yet, but I'm sure it's just a question of time before it does. Google state that for a limited time Nexus 7 buyers get £15 of Play Store credit. £15 credit with the £159 (8GB) and £199 (16GB) price tags just makes the value proposition of the Nexus 7 go up.
The Nexus 7 has WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC connectivity. There is no 3G (cellular) option, but tethering to a smartphone is easy peasy. I tether with both my Galaxy Nexus and Nokia Lumia 710 without problem.

Battery life on the Nexus 7 is excellent. I've used my device regularly both at home and at work and never had a problem with the battery running low. I usually charge the Nexus 7 overnight if needed, but usually it lasts me at least a couple of days. The Nexus 7 has a beefed up USB charger which juices up the device through the MicroUSB port. Sadly some existing MicroUSB chargers for phones and/or Kindles do not work with the Nexus 7.

OK, for those of you who skipped to the conclusion from the specifications, you can start reading again.
Overall the Nexus 7 is a fantastic device. Form factor and excellent operating system make it a delight to use. Google's services run impeccably on the device, as you would expect them to. For under £200 there isn't anything on the market that can offer you as good value for money, and the £15 Google Play Store credit is just the cherry on the icing. I love my Nexus 7, and know it will be an amazing success for Google, ASUS and the retailers selling the device.

As usual, feel free to leave comments and/or questions below. Bear in mind this review is my personal view on the Nexus 7 and that as I stated at the beginning I'm pretty biased because I'm an android fanboy.

My Nokia Lumia 710 is now running Tango! (Finally!)

I've been moaning about how slow Nokia/ThreeUK were to roll out the Windows Phone Tango update to my Nokia Lumia 710 recently.
Last Thursday the update was finally pushed to my device, and through Zune I finally updated.
The Windows Phone Tango 7.5 update brings two main changes to the phone, and others are marked as coming soon. The most important change is the addition of an "Internet Sharing" function (which can be accessed in the settings menu). Internet Sharing is essentially tethering, I can now connect my shiny Nexus 7 Android tablet to the internet using the Nokia Lumia 710 as a WiFi hotspot.
New option in the Settings menu: Internet Sharing
The other big change I have noticed is the change of the icon for the Windows Phone Marketplace. It may sound silly to you but this has great importance to Nokia, Microsoft and consumers who are just buying a phone and who don't worry about smartphone operating systems, software version numbers and service/hardware ecosystems. The Marketplace now has a Nokia logo'd shopping bag, which means the Finnish phone manufacturer has taken a big slice of Microsoft's brand value of the operating system as its own. This is a pretty loud statement from Nokia, as if they were saying "This is a Nokia smartphone, it just happens to be running Windows Phone." Apart from the icon, the Windows Phone Marketplace is much the same as it used to be. Nokia Collection is still a section of the Marketplace, but the Camera Extras are not available there yet.
New Marketplace icon. Strong statement from Nokia?
Apart from these two big changes (in my view), I haven't really noticed any other changes from Windows Phone 7.5 Mango to Windows Phone 7.5 Tango. It may be that the battery life is slightly better, but that may be because I have been using my Nexus 7 a lot and haven't had the need to tether, pardon me use Internet Sharing, much. The Nexus 7 is a fantastic bit of kit, I'll be blogging about that here soon.

As usual, feel free to leave comments and/or questions below.

My Nokia Lumia 710 Update Woes [Updated]

I've had a Nokia Lumia 710 for a few months now. I like the Windows Phone running Nokia a lot, and even my Android fanboy feelings don't stop me from telling people that the device is excellent value for money, and an easy to use device for non smartphone geeks. Sadly Nokia have dangled the Windows Phone 7.5 Tango update at me for months now, and I'm still waiting for the update to be available for my Lumia 710.


All is well with the device, I have had no hardware problems with it at all. I purchased non-original spare batteries for the Lumia 710 at a very reasonable price, and with my Galaxy Nexus it is currently always with me. I actually use the Lumia 710 as my main mp3 player. Zune, the desktop sync software for Windows Phone, allows me to manage my podcast subscriptions easily and quickly, as long as I remember to boot into Windows.

A few months ago I was excited by Nokia's announcement that the Windows Phone 7.5 Tango update would be soon available for the Lumia 710 and Lumia 800. Since then there was a long period of silence on the matter and then at the beginning of July Nokia started the update the rollout. The update was available on certain carriers in the UK, and marked as "Waiting for approval" on other ones. H3G (Three UK) were one of the carriers "Waiting for approval" and when I checked back this morning it was marked as "Update Available".
On both Zune and the handset itself no update is available for my Lumia 710. I'm still waiting.

This makes me think that the one of the most important "features" of Windows Phone is a bit shaky. Android Fragmentation is often used as an argument against using Android. The lack of update support and the delay of updates caused by device manufacturers, network providers and regional settings may not actually be a problem solely existing on the Android platform. I have a friend with a Dell Venue Pro, a discontinued Windows Phone made by a company who has given up on the smartphone market for now. He already has the Windows Phone 7.5 Tango update, while my shiny and relatively new Lumia doesn't. I'm peeved to say the least. Windows Phone updates are supposed to be rolled out almost all at the same time to everyone with a Windows Phone, avoiding a fragmentation of the market.

Not only the Windows Phone 7.5 Tango update is a fragmentation issue. Windows Phone 8 has already been announced by Microsoft. Existing Windows Phone devices will not be able to support the new smartphone OS. Instead, Windows Phone 7.8 will be rolled out to existing devices with a few cosmetic changes and not much else. I wonder how long it will take my Nokia Lumia 710 to get the update to 7.8. Probably ages.

Please Nokia, if you want to survive as a business and win back customers, if you want to shine again rather than just be another Windows Phone OEM get the updates rolling out quickly and smoothly. Windows Phone Fragmentation is the last thing you need.

So my suggestion is that bloggers, tech journalists, and smartphone geeks start speaking of the teacup elephant in the corner: Windows Phone Fragmentation. Seriously, it is unlikely it will ever happen. At the moment and for the foreseeable future the Windows Phone market share is tiny and hiccups like these will only hamper its growth.

[Update] Less than a week after this blog post I got the Tango update. You can read my impressions here.

Right, I'm getting back to playing with my shiny new Nexus 7. As usual, feel free to leave comments and/or questions below. I'll update this post as soon as I get the Windows Phone 7.5 Tango update on my Nokia Lumia 710.