7 Reasons Why the Google Nexus 7 is Better than the iPad

Just a short while after Microsoft announced its ambitious Surface tablet, Google came back and showed everyone that it’s not going to be a cakewalk for Redmond. Equipped with Jelly Bean 4.1 and a lot of exciting new features, Google’s flagship tablet device, called the Nexus 7 has managed to impress even some of the hardcore Apple fans.

So, what makes the Nexus 7 that special? Is it the iPad-killer that we've all been waiting for? Well, my Android-loving friends, you’d be glad to know that it is indeed a huge threat to the mighty iPad. In fact, we might go as far as to say that it is better than the Apple tablet. So, if you’re curious to find out why so, then read on as we list the 7 reasons that make us think Google Nexus 7 is better than the iPad.

1. Smart Camera

The iPad has a nice 5 MP rear camera that can be used for taking pictures. But, think again, are you really going to take pictures with that bulky thing? Not only you’ll end up looking funny, it will be something ludicrously useless as your phone too has a camera with which you can shoot even more conveniently.

Google smartly recognized this problem and instead put a powerful camera at the front. The 1.2 MP camera on the front allows Nexus 7 users to video chat, Skype, and have G+ Hangouts without any hassles. Agreed that you can do the same thing with the iPad’s front-facing camera; however, the VGA quality on that device is kind of dull as compared to Nexus 7.

2. Smart Price

The new iPad starts at $499 while the new Google Nexus 7 costs $199 only. Do I need to say anything more?

3. 12-Core GPU

Well, for a while, Apple might have had the best graphics around with their quad-core GPU. However, a full-blown 12-core GPU just makes you lust over this new device. Though not many games are designed specifically for Nexus 7, there’s a huge chance that developers will come up with something mind blowing to please its Android tablet computer fanatics.

4. A Quad Core Processor

The Nexus 7’s quad-core processor outshines iPad’s dual-core one, thus putting it ahead in terms of performance. The recently polished graphics and the availability of high-end applications and games on the Play Store make the Google Nexus 7 a worthy investment, whether you’re an Android fan or not.

5. Portability

The Nexus 7 is much thinner and lighter than the bulky iPad. What gives Nexus 7 an advantage over the Apple device is that you can carry it around anywhere, almost like a paperback. You can’t do the same with the iPad, though. Nexus 7 weighs around 340 grams whereas the new iPad weighs almost double of that, which is 650 grams.

6. Latest and Greatest OS

The Nexus 7 comes with the latest and the greatest version of Android. Equipped with features that compete head-to-head with Apple, Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) actually promises to give iOS a tough time. Jelly Bean, despite being available to only a few devices at the moment, has all the features users have been waiting for.

For Siri fanatics there’s Google Now, a voice-enabled assistant that takes care of the smallest details of your daily life. Also, for people who hate to type, there is offline voice typing making things so much easier. So, there isn't really any area where Google’s Android cannot match iOS. In fact, there are places where Android completely outmatches iOS.

7. NFC Support

Last but not the least, Nexus 7 comes with NFC support. Near Field Communication is a technology that lets users transmit certain information by simply touching their device with another. So, this has enabled users to make payments at supported supermarkets, bookstores, and other shops without using credit cards. Instead, they just link their NFC-enabled device to the machine and enter the amount. Sadly, though, the new iPad too doesn't have this feature nor does the iPhone.

Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.