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10 years ago, Google launched the 2nd-gen Nexus 7, and no tablet has captured its magic since
An elegant tablet from a more civilized age
Ten years ago today, Google released the 2nd-generation Nexus 7, just days after a surprise announcement. Back then, Android tablets still felt fresh and exciting. It seemed like anything was possible, and things could only improve from there. Well, we know what happened next. But the depressing state of the tablet market to come was in no way the fault of the Nexus 7. In fact, this is still one of the best Android tablets ever made, and it's worth looking back and showing it the honor and respect it deserves.
Google I/O 2012 set a high-water mark for innovative hardware that has yet to be approached again
Take a trip down memory lane
Although this year's Google developer conference was well over a month ago, today marks the tenth anniversary of I/O 2012, a landmark event for the company — in both good and bad. While we've lamented the loss of joy and whimsy from recent Google events, this particular occasion was anything but. Not only did the company announce some of its most and least loved products on stage within the span of a couple of hours, but it also took to the skies in one of the most daring — and infamous — stunts in I/O history.
The year was 2010, and Apple made good on the rumor mill's predictions when it unveiled the iPad. This device was, essentially, a bigger iPhone without the phone part. It turns out that consumers were into that sort of thing, and the first modern tablet sold in huge numbers. Not to be outdone, Android OEMs began launching Android-powered slates. For a time, it seemed like Android tablets would be a thing, but sales slumped, and most current Android tablets are ultra-low-cost junk. With the benefit of hindsight, it's easy to see how we got here.
My first computer was an old laptop with a dead battery and a dial-up modem. It ran Windows XP, but I didn't have the money to buy expensive software like Microsoft Office or PhotoShop. I discovered OpenOffice.org, AbiWord, and GIMP. I used Firefox, Thunderbird, and Pidgin.Back then free cloud services weren't yet around, and I didn't have a strong enough Internet connection even if they were. Without an understanding of what open source software was, such applications gradually formed the majority of what I used. When I later went to college, I embraced Linux, and my appreciation for open source software grew.The last time I wrote one of these things, I was using a Chromebook Pixel as my primary computer. I considered this an experiment with a commercially viable Linux distribution. It was fun, but I ultimately didn't like some of the changes Google made to the experience in order to push its online services. I knew I was giving up some control just by buying a Chromebook, but these instances made me feel even more powerless over my machine.Android has put me through some of the same emotions. During my time at Android Police, I've watched applications and services come and go, again and again. Some have undergone such drastic changes that they are hardly recognizable. Many solutions have shifted to the cloud, where they're particularly impacted by the need to turn a profit, acquisitions, and corporate decisions. Then there are all the data breaches. And even when things are working as planned, it's all still dependent on having Internet access.Being from rural America, and still having family there, I continue to find myself in a situation where Internet access isn't guaranteed enough for me to trust my computing in the cloud. The connection is great where I live and in the area around me, but I don't have to drive far before I find myself back in the sticks.So, at the beginning of this year, I returned back to my free and open source software-using ways. I've made some changes to my workflow that mark a return to my comfort zone. I am again in a position where I feel empowered, productive, and in control. And frankly, the software I use now reminds me that computing can be fun.With that out of the way, let me show you my stuff.
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Google is making good on its promise to release monthly security patches to the Android Open Source Project that fix some issues and patch up potential vulnerabilities to the system. Now that we've turned the calendar to a new month, the corresponding updates should be almost upon us and indeed, we've spotted a few hints of them online.
For undisclosed reasons T-Mobile has temporarily halted the OTA Marshmallow roll-out on the 2013 Nexus 7 LTE. The OTA software update originally started on October 5th.
The 2013 Nexus 7 may not see many more updates now that it has received Marshmallow, but it's still one of the best Android tablets out there. It's small, it's capable of running most apps, and it's cheap.
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- MRA58V has appeared for the 2013 Nexus 7 LTE, as has LMY48X for the Nexus 6. The latter offers Android 5.1.1, not 6.0.
Google promised monthly security updates for Nexus devices, and so far, the company has delivered. It's November 2nd, and we're now receiving this month's dose of security patches. Over-the-air updates are heading out to devices, but if you rather get the goods now, factory images are already up.
So there you are, pining hard over one of the new Nexus phones so you can get your hands on the latest stuff Google has to offer. The anticipation must be excruciating. But fret not, dear friends, because good news is afoot: Marshmallow will begin making its way to the Nexus 5, 6, 7 (2013), 9, and Player starting "next week" — most likely on October 5th like we heard yesterday. That's also the day that we expect 6.0 to start hitting AOSP.
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There are some new OTA updates rolling out to Nexus devices today, but don't expect any big changes. T-Mobile has posted the update details for Nexus 4, 5, 6, and 7 LTE patches. They're all minor security and bug fix updates, but that's nothing to scoff at.
Google announced the Stagefright vulnerability fix would start rolling out as an OTA today, but it has also added new factory images to the Nexus developer pages. That means bootloader unlocked Nexus phones and tablets can flash the new build immediately, even if your device is running some wacky ROM.
Of our many jobs here at Android Police, one is to make our readers' lives easier when we can. With that in mind, here's a roundup of every known Android 5.1 OTA for every Nexus device that will be receiving it. As new ones become available, this post will be updated accordingly. Android 5.1 will be released to Nexus 4, 5, 6, 7 (2012 and 2013), 9, and 10. As I'm sure you've guessed, there will be plenty of files to be had.
We've seen an oddly isolated Nexus factory image update today, for one and only one device: the N7 2013 Wi-Fi. It's been bumped from version LMY47V to version LMY48G, with no update to the Android version number - it's still Lollipop 5.1.1. You can download the image and flash it right now, but you might as well wait for the over-the-air update, because you're not likely to see anything new in there.
Google is working on its own in-car Android experience that's only just now starting to trickle into vehicles. The downside is that it's going to cost you either the price of a new car or something in the vicinity of $1,000. Some folks would prefer something cheaper, more hands-on, if you will. This one guy has taken to Reddit to show off the experience he's managed to throw together in his Toyota Prius using a 2013 Nexus 7.
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Android 5.0 was a big visual change for Android, but the upcoming M release will make its mark on Android as well. Google is likely going to announce hard cut-offs for Nexus device update support. There will be no more guessing about which devices will get updates and for how long, but that means several older devices are going to stay on Lollipop.
Today is a good day to be the proud owner of a T-Mobile Nexus 7 2013. Lollipop 5.1.1 is here with bug fixes and security enhancements in tow. The OTA actually started to show up on some devices yesterday, but your device may not have been part of the first wave of tablets receiving the update availability notification. If you haven't been invited to update yet and can't bear to wait, then you can head over now to the system tab in settings to manually initiate the software download.
The Indiana State Congress Uses A Collection Of Nexus 7s And CyanogenMod To Let Members Vote
Indiana State Congress is turning to the Nexus 7s.
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Here's a mildly interesting story discovered by one member of the CyanogenMod Reddit board. Apparently the state congress of Indiana uses a custom setup to allow its state senators and representatives to submit votes. A Nexus 7 running the CyanogenMod custom ROM is permanently attached to each congressperson's desk, connected to the building's intranet system using a custom Ethernet adaptor (to avoid problems from an overcrowded Wi-Fi connection - there are 150 senators who vote at once), and hooked into SmartVote software from Propylon.
After an early tease with the Nexus Player, it looks like Android 5.1.1 is legitimately rolling out to the Nexus family. An OTA for the Nexus 10 was spotted just a few hours ago, and now factory images and binaries have been posted for that tablet and both generations of the Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi only, for now). There haven't been any OTA reports for the two smaller tablets, but they will probably start rolling out shortly.
When we buy gadgets, it's usually with the expectation that their useful lifetime will carry us at least until we're ready to replace them, and hopefully well beyond. Most people assume their smartphones should last at least two years, in part because contract customers in the US are accustomed to unreasonably high upgrade prices for mid-term upgrades, and also because most manufacturers have adopted yearly release cycles that fit well with this pace. The expectations for tablets aren't as well defined, but most customers seem to want about 3 years or so. Even when we're done with a device, we want to be the ones to end the relationship, rather than wake up and find our hardware dead beyond hope. Unfortunately, recent reports suggest the 2013 Nexus 7 from Asus is not living up to the standards set forth by many owners as units are catastrophically failing at increasing rates.