Traveling with the Google Nexus 7 from Staples Canada

My husband has spent a fair bit of time out of the country in the last couple of months and when you leave three little boys back home, it’s important to stay connected while you are away. Traveling for business is a little different than traveling for a vacation. Hubs tries to keep his luggage as lightweight and compact as possible while still taking along all the necessary gear for work. Thanks to Staples Canada he can now keep in touch and keep his luggage from weighing a ton with the Google Nexus 7 tablet!

Sleek and Shiny

I was really impressed when I got my first look at the Nexus 7, it was soooo sleek! With the dimensions measuring at  7.87″ H. x 4.49″ W. x 0.34″ D this tablet is only slightly larger than a few phones I have seen but has all the form and function of a great tablet.  On hubs travels, he was able to slip it in the inside pocket of his coat while out seeing the sites.   

The Google Nexus 7 has a soft back, rounded corners and only weighs 0.64 lb making it easy to hold and feels really good in the hands. The 7″ screen pops with colour! The tablet features a vibrant LCD display with a 1920 x 1200 resolution. I was blown away with how clear and bright the display is, it makes for perfect movie watching and awesome game playing during down time at hotels or during long airport wait times.

Specifications:

• 7″ WUXGA (1920* 1200), 400 nits, LED backlight IPS panel with Scratch resistant Corning Fit Glass
• CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro, 1.5GHz GPU: Adreno 320, 400MHz
• 2GB RAM; 16GB Internal Storage
• Wireless: Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4G/5G) 802.11 a/b/g/n
• Cingo surround sound, NFC (Android Beam), Bluetooth 4.0 Techology
• Up to 10 hours active use
• microUSB with Slimport HDMI out, 3.5mm audio, Dual speakers, Microphone, Power and Volume buttons
• Dimension: 7.87″ H. x 4.49″ W. x 0.34″ D.
• Product Weight: 0.64 lb .
• 1-year manufacturer’s limited warranty (details with product)

Sight Seeing and Keeping in Touch

Having the Nexus 7 overseas made it easy to keep in touch. Whether it was through daily emails, nightly skype chats or the photos of Daddy’s location, the boys and I felt connected. We had some trouble getting Skype to work at first and with some searching we discovered we weren’t the only Nexus 7 users with the same complaint. But through perserverance we got the unit working so we could have some face time throughout the week. Keeping active on your social media points like Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest is a breeze as long as WiFi is near. 

Europe is filled with grand beauty and hubs was able to snap a number of pictures and videos of the castles and churches he visited. Upgraded from it’s predecesor, the second generation Nexus 7 has two cameras, the front remains a 1.2 megapixel shot and now has a  5 megapixel rear camera with auto focus, but no flash. Not having a flash made for some grainy shots indoors but took some nice pictures outside. The best part is that it can take panaramic pictures and awesome 360° images, making you feel like you are right there with your traveler. Join my husband on a visit to Coventry Cathedral in the United Kingdom by scanning the 360° image below! The image is a complete sphere so you can look up, down and around 360°.  It is very easy to create by following the cameras online instructions; basically you line up a small target with a circle as it builds the map and creates the picture.  You can then share the image on Google Views for the world to see your masterpiece.

Charged and Ready

The battery life on the Google Nexus is fantastic, it can give a full 10 hours on a complete charge and means we only have to charge it once or twice a week with our regular use at home. While traveling it’s easy to plug in for a charge, as it has a USB plug which seams to be easier to find when traveling for business then all the necessary adapters.  

Overall, we are really enjoying the Google Nexus 7! It’s been a perfect travel companion as well as a fun device to have at home. Operating on the Android platform makes it familiar for the whole family, because it’s also what our phones operate on and previous tablet as well. I am an active Google account user  and use Gmail as my primary email system, so starting out with this tablet was really easy.  The Nexus 7 is perfect for a first time tablet user and comes with a great entry level price point of $249.00. The Google store has more apps than you can imagine so it’s fun and easy to customize your tablet to suit all of your needs.