Thoughts about Jelly Bean/Nexus 7

ab10

Member
Jul 2, 2012
6
0
I'm new to the tablet world (I do have an Android phone) and just purchased the Nexus 7, which I'm really excited about.

A few concerns/questions/thoughts: (again, I'm new at this, so I'm not exactly sure how tablets work)

- I've watched a lot of reviews on YouTube and have seen a few people commenting on how Adobe Flash doesn't work because the default browser is Chrome and it doesn't support Flash. I also heard on one of the videos that you can download a different, "classic" browser. If you do, would you be able to use Flash on the "classic" browser?
- Can you password protect the tablet?
- Will Skype be available download? I've heard people talk about Google Hangouts, but nothing about being able to use the front facing camera for anything else?
- Will you be able to use Swipe with the keyboard?
- Will you be able to use cloud/dropbox when you aren't connected to WiFi?
- Will I be able to use Amazon stuff? The app to buy things and take advantage of my Prime Membership perks (reading books, etc?)?

Thanks for any thoughts...
 

Frederuco

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 6, 2011
1,980
503
On the Flash question, it may work (using Dolphin, Opera, Maxathon, etc.). The caveat is that you may not be able to install flash through the Play Store (may need to find someone with the apk on ICS). The flip side, if you can install it, it may be buggy since JB has some different framework than ICS. Some reviews I have read note that some apps are a bit buggy on JB thus far because they have not yet been optimized for it.

Yes, you can password, PIN, pattern or face unlock the tablet. Face unlock now requires the user to blink to prove they are a live person.

Skype - should be available. It works great on the TF201 and TF300 which use the same CPU/GPU and are made by Asus.

You will probably need Swype Beta, but it should work. Swype | Text Input for Screens

Amazon, yes, should be the same as any other android device. It is not locked down or forced to use Google services only. If flash is not working, video rentals may not work.

Dropbox offline - if it works with a regular device it should. I have never tried using DB or any other cloud services other than Google Music whilst being offline, so I am not able to comment on how they will work.

Moved to the Nexus forum.
 

J515OP

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jan 6, 2011
5,172
899
I'm new to the tablet world (I do have an Android phone) and just purchased the Nexus 7, which I'm really excited about.

A few concerns/questions/thoughts: (again, I'm new at this, so I'm not exactly sure how tablets work)

Congrats, it looks like it will be a nice tablet.

- I've watched a lot of reviews on YouTube and have seen a few people commenting on how Adobe Flash doesn't work because the default browser is Chrome and it doesn't support Flash. I also heard on one of the videos that you can download a different, "classic" browser. If you do, would you be able to use Flash on the "classic" browser?

On Android you can download many different browsers. Just go to the Google Play Store and search Browser. Most will play Flash.

- Can you password protect the tablet?

More than likely yes. However, make sure you take appropriate precautions to save your password someplace besides your head. I know you think you won't need to but you can read dozens of threads here in this forum about lost or forgotten passwords. Unless you really really need one I recommend against it.

- Will Skype be available download? I've heard people talk about Google Hangouts, but nothing about being able to use the front facing camera for anything else?

Yes, Skype and other video chat apps such as Tango will be available via the Google Play Store.

- Will you be able to use Swipe with the keyboard?

Yes you should be able to. Not all apps have been updated by their developers to work with ICS yet (Swipe, Skype and various browsers are all apps that depend on the developers to update). If Swipe or any other app tells you it isn't compatible with the device just contact the developer of the app and ask them to update.

- Will you be able to use cloud/dropbox when you aren't connected to WiFi?

No, you will need a wifi connection for cloud based services including dropbox.

- Will I be able to use Amazon stuff? The app to buy things and take advantage of my Prime Membership perks (reading books, etc?)?

More than likely yes but you will probably need to check the Unknown sources box in settings before going and downloading the amazon Appstore app. It is possible that Google could lock the tablet down requiring you to root (get more access) before you can do this though.

Thanks for any thoughts...

Generally between the Google Play Store and Amazon Appstore you should be able to find everything you need and want. You will need wifi to access new material and download apps but anything installed or saved locally (books, music or movies) will be available off line.
 
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ThinkingBrian

Member
May 3, 2012
20
1
No, Adobe Flash isn't available for Android 4.1 Jelly Bean at all because Adobe isn't making it compatible and after Aug 15th, it will be removed from Google Play for fresh installs. They just made that announcement a few days ago and you should read this article on Engadget. So now with Android 4.1, you have to use an app such as YouTube to view videos. However to me, its not a game changer considering I already use the Chrome browser on my Acer A100 running ICS. And I like the Nexus 7 tablet and if I had the money, I would buy it.
 

J515OP

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jan 6, 2011
5,172
899
There are browsers that will transcode Flash on their server (Skyfire) so that you can play flash videos on your device even it is not Flash compatible. Bottom line is Adobe announced a long time ago that they would be discontinuing Flash for mobile devices. This is not a surprise and is for the best as Flash has so many issues and doesn't fit the modern mobile web anyway. The sooner things move to HTML5 the better (not that HTML5 doesn't have any issues but at least it doesn't have to be tweaked for every hardware spec).
 

strider_mt2k

Member
Nov 22, 2010
406
19
It looks like Flash is on the way out, so I've started getting comfortable with using Chrome and exploring the work-arounds for sites I visit that are Flash intensive.
When I set up Chrome on my PC and synced with those bookmarks I was very pleased to only find a few, so I don't see the process as being as bad for me as it was for early adopters.
 

Ronmaui

Member
Aug 10, 2012
2
0
Aloha from Maui,
I am the proud owner of a Nexus7-16 and have two issues. I appreciate any & every reply. When I try and move an application into a group, I end up chasing the group all over the desktop. Sometimes it allows me to insert it, but often not until I have spent a great deal of time chasing it around the desktop. Once in a while, it goes in easily but I haven't been able to detect a pattern.

The second issue is this, on a few occasions, I have noticed the backlight flickering. I haven't detected a pattern here either. I don't know if it's a software thing or hardware. It doesn't seem to be a connection issue since tapping the N7 doesn't seem to produce flickering. It's not frequent but is noticeable when it does occur.
 
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Frederuco

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 6, 2011
1,980
503
Aloha from Maui,
I am the proud owner of a Nexus7-16 and have two issues. I appreciate any & every reply. When I try and move an application into a group, I end up chasing the group all over the desktop. Sometimes it allows me to insert it, but often not until I have spent a great deal of time chasing it around the desktop. Once in a while, it goes in easily but I haven't been able to detect a pattern.

The second issue is this, on a few occasions, I have noticed the backlight flickering. I haven't detected a pattern here either. I don't know if it's a software thing or hardware. It doesn't seem to be a connection issue since tapping the N7 doesn't seem to produce flickering. It's not frequent but is noticeable when it does occur.

Congrats on your toy!

Are you using the stock launcher, or a custom launcher? I have not heard of this problem nor have I had an issue with doing this on JB on my (non-nexus7) tablet.

On the second issue, some users at a sister forum seem to have this traced down to using auto-brightness. Read more here:

http://www.nexustablets.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1304

and

http://www.nexustablets.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1121
 

Ronmaui

Member
Aug 10, 2012
2
0
Everything is as included default in the Nexus. Just a minute ago, I placed an app in a folder on my home screen without a hitch. But there have been occasions where I give up after trying again and again. I never had that problem on my iPad so this is a new experience.
 

jgumphress

Senior Member
Sep 6, 2011
295
31
Ronmaui, if your screen if flickering then I would request a replacement right away. The display should not have any flicker to it at all.
 

mikearnill

Member
Aug 25, 2012
35
1
I would say both of them are one of the finest creation ever made. Nexus 7 is one of the coolest creation of google and jelly bean is simply brilliant. I would say that they have pushed the tablet race forward.
 
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