Google Nexus 7 Hints

By Cathy Margolin, Reviews Editor, reviews@NetSurferNews.com

Dec. 12,2012

Late this summer, I obtained a Google Nexus 7 tablet for $249. It was a price range I could afford and I like the Android system where I can move files around wherever I want. I LOVE IT!

Once of the advantages is that is fits in your hand, so I will carry it more places. It is also small enough to carry with my Livescribe (electronic note taking pen- see review) size notebook, 5.5" X 8.25" .

But I wanted to protect it, so I started with a Case Logic 7 inch sleeve with zipper, which also has a zippered pocket, if you want to store a stylus (I tried it and my fingers were better as fingers typing away on the Nexus 7).

That worked fine for a while to protect it but I wanted something nicer looking and would enable you to hand hold it with a strap. Also the Nexus 7 has a magnetic closure (like the iPad covers), so that when you close the cover it shuts down.

So I cam across the Blurex Ultra-Slim Case and I figured for under $20, why not? So I purchased it and it really works. You can use it to hold with the strap in one hand, stand it up in several different angles as a landscape mode, or just use it in portrait mode and it is small. The problem I have with most cases as it doubles the size of the item, and this is NOT the case here.  The Blurex fits very nicely and does not add bulk. It also shuts down the device, when the cover is closed.

The next issue once I got the Blurex case and LOVED it, was to get the Nexus 7 to adjust to landscape in the home screen. It was the only thing I did not love about this gadget (except no real camera except a front facing one for Skype). But since there are so many Android devices out there (many more that Apple), I figured there would be an app, and there was.

Try the Rotate by Ultimate Rotation Control because it really works. There is a trial version so you can see if it works on your device.   I use Forced Auto  rotation, as my setting for the program. So now when I have the device in landscape mode, the Home screen changes to landscape also.

Several other programs/apps I dearly love are SigFig, which takes all your investments in many different places and puts them in one place for viewing your investment returns (free) on Android. This app is fairly new, but it is nice that I can see a 401K and an IRA on one screen and see how they are doing, and even from different brokerages!

Also Roboform for keeping my passwords across all devices (PC, MAC, and Android) is one of my most favorite, and of course Dropbox is good  for file sharing between devices. Brightest Flashlight is the better flashlight app, Power Manager v. 2.0.9 does work on the Nexus 7 to monitor battery levels.  I like Linda Manager to figure out how big are those files. AirCalc is also fun since it can do a calculator over a page so you can see what to type into the calculator. BarCode Scanner still works, and Altitude will give you the altitude where you are at (ok so we are geeks).

The Google Nexus 7 http://www.google.com/nexus/ is a great device, and easy to hold in one hand with a great price (you can get it for $200). And of course, it always helps to have useful programs on it and ways to protect it. Enjoy!