iPad mini Now what? I need help.

[bbishop93]

So ipad retina mini 16gb at 399$ yeah no thanks. But here is my dilemma I'm in need of a small tablet larger sized like the ipad air are just of no use to me. I'm between a Nexus 7 and the iPad mini 2. I have a macbook retina and an iphone 5 so I really want to stay in the apple ecosystem to just make my life easier, but now I face the tablet dilemma. First off everything I do everything I have is "retina" or basically to me just looks awesome and I cannot use a lower rez anymore the difference has become staggering, and I need a 32gb tablet at least.

Here is the problem, nexus 7 32gb is $279, and that screen is just awesome. I want the tablet mostly for web browsing, E-reading, and maybe throwing some random files and stuff on for me to edit on the go. Now the ipad with retina 32gb is $499!!!! Almost double the price of the nexus 7, and yet they are very close spec wise, aside from the mini's 64bit processor and the larger screen, and the familiar ecosystem. So my question is has anyone had experience having a nexus 7 with and iphone 5 combination/macbook combo, and even though its two different ecosystems was it still a great experience? Because even though I really want the mini 2, for that price, with the nexus 7 staring at me in the face its extremely hard to go for the mini.

 

[bbishop93]

Anyone had experience combining a Nexus 7 with their array of apple products?

 

[The.Dude]

Anyone had experience combining a Nexus 7 with their array of apple products?

Yes, I will go into more detail later, I mainly wanted to post now so I know to come back and go in depth. Careful with the new Nexus 7. Look up Nexus 7 2013 touch screen issues, the 3 units I tried and returned were unuseable. Gotta go but will post more in a bit.

 

[silverblack]

Different people will tell you different things. It comes down to iOS is boring and limiting, but it just works, reliably. Android is... everything else, but it needs user maintenance and is generally more buggy.

Comes black friday, there is a good chance that the Nexus 7 will go cheaper. If I were you, I would find a good deal and give it a try. Return it if you don't like it.

 

[bbishop93]

Different people will tell you different things. It comes down to iOS is boring and limiting, but it just works, reliably. Android is... everything else, but it needs user maintenance and is generally more buggy.

Comes black friday, there is a good chance that the Nexus 7 will go cheaper. If I were you, I would find a good deal and give it a try. Return it if you don't like it.

Yeah thanks I've always been a pc guy until recently bc for the form factor and specs of the retina macbook pro it's hard to beat. I mean the reason I don't need a big tablet is bc this thing is nearly just as portable using a backpack bug its a powerhouse(since I'd use a backpack for an ipad probably too). Anyway that's why I wanted the 7 inch form factor and wanted to stay with the ecosystem of my iphone 5 and macbook but for that price with the Nexus 7 its hard to justify that decision. I just wanted to know like how people on here especially being for the most part apple users how they've faired with the Nexus 7 and with it overall combined with their other apple products.

 

[macking104]

Does the Nexus come with free apps on par with iWorks, etc...?

 

[silverblack]

Does the Nexus come with free apps on par with iWorks, etc...?

Yes, Google purchased QuickOffice and offer it for free.

By the way, the discuss the exact topic OP is interested:
http://www.geek.com/apple/tiny-tablet-titans-nexus-7-2013-vs-ipad-mini-with-retina-display-1574746/

Another one here -
http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/tabl...y-vs-nexus-7-2013-whats-the-best-small-tablet

 

[bbishop93]

Yes, I will go into more detail later, I mainly wanted to post now so I know to come back and go in depth. Careful with the new Nexus 7. Look up Nexus 7 2013 touch screen issues, the 3 units I tried and returned were unuseable. Gotta go but will post more in a bit.

So how was your experience using nexus 7 in combination with all other apple products?

 

[The.Dude]

So how was your experience using nexus 7 in combination with all other apple products?

Sorry I didn't get back to this earlier for you.

Basically my experience between the two ecosystems has been good. I am a heavy user of Dropbox and have my account maxxed out with the free offers so that is really a plus. Since I switched from an iPhone to my first Android phone (Nexus 4) I've really enjoyed the extra bit of freedom I have with Android, but as I had mentioned with the Nexus 7 (2013) issues that I had, I am sometimes reminded of just how good Apple's build and quality control is (IMO).

I saw somebody mention Quickoffice for productivity on Android. Unfortunately Google's acquisition of this company/program (which I paid $10.00 before it was sold to Google and made free) has absolutely ruined it for me. Google stripped a lot of the functionality of the program, most notably the ability to sync with anything besides Google Drive. No longer can I access my files on Dropbox, I am still looking for a replacement and wishing I could get a refund on the app.

Really, besides what I mention, there haven't been anything that has made it difficult. If anything, I miss some of the functionality of apps being able to call up other apps on Android whereas on iOS you will find they can't.

I am going to be getting the iPad Air (T-Mobile) when it comes out, and I will be upgrading to the Nexus 5. I will also be getting another Nexus 7 (2013) once they fix what they have to fix. I think that with Kit Kat around the corner, they may be waiting on that to iron out any issues that may be lingering with the N7 (2013). Either way, I think you will enjoy being in both ecosystems. It's just a fact that they both have their pro's and con's and it is nice to be able to have the choice to take advantage of whatever you can afford to put in your arsenal

Any specific questions please do let me know.

 

[forza69]

OP. If you have a rMBP and an iPhone 5, why do you want/need an iPad? I ask because I'm on the same boat. I too have a rMBP and a 5s and when they announced the iPad Air I was set on buying it. Now after a couple of days, I'm trying to justify actually spending $600 on the device, asking myself what I really want it for. What are your thoughts on this?

 

[bbishop93]

OP. If you have a rMBP and an iPhone 5, why do you want/need an iPad? I ask because I'm on the same boat. I too have a rMBP and a 5s and when they announced the iPad Air I was set on buying it. Now after a couple of days, I'm trying to justify actually spending $600 on the device, asking myself what I really want it for. What are your thoughts on this?

Yeah I've been going over that too, but mainly for some classes and other things where I don't need to bring my laptop I'd rather just have an iPad to take notes on I also want to get a stylus for it. But at the prices I'm thinking I'd be better off with a nexus. Also when I'm day to day and I don't always have my laptop I do a lot of internet browsing and reading of all sorts of articles and ebooks, and 1. it's a tad of an eye strain on the iPhone 5 and 2. It kinda kills my battery throughout the day, so thats where I felt the need for a mini or nexus 7 to just fill that niche to conserve battery life on my phone because I actually need that and then just to have a better reading/browsing experience when I do that. But now I'm having the dilemma of actually going for the iPad air rather than the mini or a nexus 7 since the air is only a pound now but idk I'm not doing anything until christmas but I'm just in such a dilemma of which to get mini or nexus or air...

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Sorry I didn't get back to this earlier for you.

Basically my experience between the two ecosystems has been good. I am a heavy user of Dropbox and have my account maxxed out with the free offers so that is really a plus. Since I switched from an iPhone to my first Android phone (Nexus 4) I've really enjoyed the extra bit of freedom I have with Android, but as I had mentioned with the Nexus 7 (2013) issues that I had, I am sometimes reminded of just how good Apple's build and quality control is (IMO).

I saw somebody mention Quickoffice for productivity on Android. Unfortunately Google's acquisition of this company/program (which I paid $10.00 before it was sold to Google and made free) has absolutely ruined it for me. Google stripped a lot of the functionality of the program, most notably the ability to sync with anything besides Google Drive. No longer can I access my files on Dropbox, I am still looking for a replacement and wishing I could get a refund on the app.

Really, besides what I mention, there haven't been anything that has made it difficult. If anything, I miss some of the functionality of apps being able to call up other apps on Android whereas on iOS you will find they can't.

I am going to be getting the iPad Air (T-Mobile) when it comes out, and I will be upgrading to the Nexus 5. I will also be getting another Nexus 7 (2013) once they fix what they have to fix. I think that with Kit Kat around the corner, they may be waiting on that to iron out any issues that may be lingering with the N7 (2013). Either way, I think you will enjoy being in both ecosystems. It's just a fact that they both have their pro's and con's and it is nice to be able to have the choice to take advantage of whatever you can afford to put in your arsenal

Any specific questions please do let me know.

I wanted to know how you found the Nexus in relation to an iPad like what more could you do as far as it being productive and using dropbox/google drive etc. And how you liked android on it overall because I have never used android before, but if a Nexus is cheaper and can do just about anything an iPad can do and even more then I'd be inclined to go with the Nexus. My roommate has one and that screen is awesome and he says he loves it, I just don't know because I do like the screen size of the mini more than the nexus, since I plan on writing with a stylus from time to time.