Nexus 5 Case Review

I've gotten a chance to try out a couple of cases for my Nexus 5. Check out my review for the cases from Diztronic, Spigen and Caseology below! Links for each case on Amazon below as well.

Spigen Nexus 5 Case SLIM Ultra Fit Black (with Screen Protector)

Diztronic Matte Back Black Flexible TPU Case

Caseology LG Google Nexus 5 [Saffiano Hybrid Series] - Premium Matte Leather Shock Absorbent TPU Bumper Case (Black)

Nexus 5 Intial Impressions

So after months of aniticipation I finally got my Nexus 5 Wednesday. After immmediately rooting it I restored all my settings and apps from my Galaxy SIII and am up and running. I plan to do a full hands on review soon, but for now I'd like to share my intial impressions.

Opening the box I thought I knew exactly what to expect. There have been so many leaks leading up to the releae of the Nexus 5 that I didn't expect there too be much of a wow factor. I was wrong. I was immediatley impressed after opening the box! I love soft touch plastic and matte black so I am really happy with the finish on the Nexus 5. The black model is pretty much just a  5" display wrapped in a  clean and classy soft touch matte black casing. I am a big fan of the simplistic design of the Nexus 5 and 7. I haven't seen the white model in person yet but I have heard good things about its finish. I'm not a big fan of white phones but as far far as white phones go it looks nice to me. I would have rather seen it white all the way around personally instead of of the half and half design that that seems to be popular with manufacturers.

The first thing that really jumps out as you as you remove the phone from the box is how light it is. Now part of this for me is probably due to the fact that my Galaxy S3 with 4500mah extended battery was a huge brick, but the Nexus 5 is really light and thin! Build quality is great in my opinion, the materials seem well crafted and everything is put together quite solidly. I really dislike the plastic cheap feel of most of Samsung's Galaxy phones, despite how good the phones actually are, but Google did a good job of making plastic feel higher end. 

The next thing that stands out is the crisp IPS+ Gorilla Glass 3 display. There are other displays on high end Android phones that may slightly out perform the Nexus 5, but none that I've seen do so in a significant way. Without the device's being side by side chances are most  won't notice any difference. I'd be surprised if someone didn't like the display on the Nexus 5, I am really impressed! I do think Google needs to tweak the auto-brightness feature though, as it is at times overly/unnecessarily bright, causing unnecessary drain on the battery. Fingers crossed Google addresses this in the rumored upcoming Android 4.4.1 update. Definitely not a deal breaker though and obviously can be tweaked to your liking.

Volume rocker

Power button (and sim card tray)

The Nexus 5 only has a few actual hardware buttons since all navigation buttons are on screens intended by Google (and defiantly ignored by most manufacturers). On the right you have the power button (and sim card tray) and on the left the volume rocker. The buttons are very well  and made of a nice ceramic material. After the cheap buttons on my Galaxy S3, the buttons on the Nexus 5 are a huge improvement, with just the right amount of give when pressed and protruding just enough to be easily found by touch. 

I've only had the phone a few days so I don't want to make any judgement calls on many of the features until I've had more time to test them, but overall I am very pleased with little complaints.

The phone is super smooth and snappy and Android 4.4 KitKat  some nice new tweaks that I'm sure will prove to be more and more noticeable as I use the device for a while. The phone is very smooth and responsive, opening apps and switching between tasks is blazing fast and so far it has handled everything I've thrown at it with no problems. 

The camera, at least initially, seems pretty good. I've only snapped a few shots so I will reserve final judgment for a bit but so far I'm at least satisfied. The new HDR+ takes noticeably more detailed pics, but requires more time to snap and process a photo. I will definitely have to test the camera some more to get a true feel for how it performs, but if you were worried about the camera because of the track record with Nexus cameras, don't be. I'm sure with future updates the camera software will receive additional tweaks and only get better. I've posted a few of the first sample pics that I took really quick while playing with the camera below.

Automatic

HDR+

Automatic

HDR+ (I think I moved while it was still processing)

HDR+

Automatic

Taken in pitch black room

My biggest area of concern is battery life. I was really disappointed that Google only went with a 2300 mah battery. The jury is still out on how this will impact battery performance. The first few days have been ok, but I'll see how it does over the weekend. I work in a cellular black hole (and generally have terrible Sprint service) so any phone struggles with battery life at my job. This weekend will give me a better idea of how  performs in normal coverage conditions. Even with the poor coverage I have gotten about 8-9 hrs of light use these first few days, which at my job is actually pretty decent. Depending on where I am in the building, even my old Galaxy S3 with 4500mah battery that typically lasts 20+ hours under moderate to heavy use, struggles to get through a full day often tapping out around 15-20% or less after 10 hours. So comparatively, the Nexus 5 might have done ok. Again, this is a horrible means to make this assessment so I'll sum it up as initially seeming to be ok, but still needing more time to truly gauge it. 

My only complaint so far honestly is the speaker. It is disturbingly weak! Music is inconsistent and often sounds like a whisper. The speaker (which is actually only one of the grills on the bottom, the other is a mic... Yeah, no stereo speakers) is easily muffled by a misplaced finger making the problem worse. Speaker phone also left a bit to be desired. I've also read about playback inconsistencies where some apps handle audio a bit better than others for no apparent reason. I've been concerned that I won't even hear notifications, but have mostly been on vibrate the last few days so I haven't tested this much yet either. The good news is Google has acknowledged the audio/speaker issues and stated an update to rectify them is on the way. 

I'll have a full review and video soon once I've had more time to test things out, but my initial impressions are very good! The Nexus 5 is a quality device that gives you Android as Google intended at a unbeatable price. It also provides a freedom not many other phones can, supporting the networks of 3 out of the 4 major US carriers (Sprint, T-Mobile and AT&T) granting you the power to jump from carrier to carrier and take your phone with you. (Now if the other carriers would follow T-Mobile and drop contracts they might have to to actually compete based on service quality and price). If you're considering the Nexus 5 I can confidently say, go for it! 

Thinking of getting the Nexus 5? Already got one? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments below! 

The Nexus 5 Bumper Case

Now that I have received notice that my Nexus 5 should be here in just a few days, naturally I am starting to think about accessories. I probably won't use a case day-to-day, especially when I first get it. If the Nexus 5's soft touch plastic housing really feels like the Nexus 7's, I don't want to ruin that with a case. Honestly, I prefer my phone case-less as much as possible.

At the end of the day I always get one though. I at least get one to use on certain occasions, like when I'm working out. That case will likely come from Amazon however, and for a third the cost. The Official Nexus 5 bumper case is $34.99! A bit much in my opinion but worth a look even if for nothing else but a reference point. I'd expect Google to make their official case as near perfect as they can.

The Google bumper case looks like it is a pretty good fit. I like how it fits around the camera and that it still will allow wireless charging. I've never really cared about wireless charging, but now that my Nexus 7 and 5 will both have it. I'd definitely prefer that my case allow the use of this feature.

Check out the early review from Android Central and see what you think.

Google Nexus 5 Finally Officially Announced

This Halloween finally Google gave the Android community the treat they've been waiting on for months. The Nexus 5 was finally announced! Due to the excessive amount of leaks over the last few months there weren't many surprises, but still good to see things officially confirmed. The Nexus 5 has a 5-inch 1080p screen, 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB of storage, an 8-megapixel camera (with OIS), 2300 mAh battery and 4G LTE connectivity for a lot of different bands. The $350/399 (16GB/32GB) asking price is for an off contract completely unlocked phone with support for AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile, sorry VZW customers no Nexus love again for you!

The long awaited Nexus 5 announcement is a treat this Halloween for tech-nerds like myself, unfortunately there was a trick in store also. The device sold out in under an hour of being announced! While caught up at work running a stupid graduation test I was unable to place my order the second it went official. By the time I was able to order my black 32GB Nexus 5, the wait was out to 2-3 weeks for 32GB and the 16GB is sold out completely. So as one countdown comes to an end a new one begins and as excited as I am about the phone I'm pissed that the wait continues. Some were lucky enough to get their orders in as soon as it went live have already received shipping confirmations, and a few lucky people have already received theirs. Google said they'd be ready to ship by November 8th for initial orders but with some coming early lets hope that maybe all the orders go out ahead of schedule.

In the mean time I'll be watching Best Buy, Amazon, Radio Shack and Sprint, who have all said they will sell the phone. I've called around a bit and most of these places don't seem to have official info on release dates, prices, or reservation processes yet. Sprint will have the phone on November 8th for $150 on contract (now taking pre-orders online for those buying on contract). I'm hoping that they will also let it go off contract at the same $350/399 price point that Google is selling it for. That will let me buy it with my Sprint account without extending my contract and then finally free me to bail on Sprint for T-Mobile as the one single Nexus 5 US model will work on Sprint, T-Mobile or AT&T. I will be buying it from whoever can get it in my hand first and cancelling my Google Play Store order if necessary. Anyone else planning on grabbing the Nexus 5?! Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Nexus 5 hardware specifications

Screen	4.95” 1920x1080 display (445 ppi) Full HD IPS Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
Camera	1.3MP front facing 8MP rear facing with Optical Image Stabilization
Dimensions	69.17x137.84x8.59 mm
Weight	4.59 ounces (130g)
Battery	2300 mAh Talk time up to 17 hours ** Standby time up to 300 hours ** Internet use time up to 8.5 hours on WiFi, up to 7 hours on LTE ** Wireless Charging built in
Audio	Builtin speaker, 3.5mm stereo audio connector
Processing	CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 800, 2.26GHz GPU: Adreno 330, 450MHz
Wireless	Dualband WiFi (2.4G/5G) 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac NFC (Android Beam) Bluetooth 4.0
Networks (North America)	GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz CDMA: Band Class: 0/1/10 WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/6/8/19 LTE: Bands: 1/2/4/5/17/19/25/26/41
Networks (Rest of World)	GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz WCDMA: Bands: 1/2/4/5/6/8 LTE: Bands: 1/3/5/7/8/20
Memory	Choose 16GB or 32GB internal storage (actual formatted capacity will be less) 2GB RAM
Ports and Connectors	microUSB SlimPort™ enabled 3.5mm stereo audio jack Dual microphones Ceramic power and volume buttons
Sensors	GPS Gyroscope Accelerometer Compass Proximity/Ambient Light Pressure Hall

Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 KitKat: Leaks Point At October 14th!

Since my first posts about the upcoming Google Nexus 5 by LG and Android 4.4 KitKat there have been even more leaks. It's beginning to look like we can expect a mid-October release maybe as soon as October 14th! Leaks have been coming from all over the place and possibly for the first time ever, tech leaks have even come from a candy company. Nestle, who has partnered with Google for the launch of the candy-codenamed Android 4.4 KitKat and the upcoming Nexus devices, "confirmed" on Facebook that the release is  due in October.

Design and Specs

So what do we know from all the leaks so far? We've seen what will likely be the design of the new phone, now including pictures, a short video (posted below) and even an interactive 3D rendering made from the leaked images. I for one, really hope this is the new design. It looks like they have taken a lot of the design elements from the new Nexus 7 by Asus, which is definitely a good thing. As far as specs, the FCC leaks have confirmed a few and more rumors have been leaking out as well. It most likely will not have a removable battery or micro SD port (no surprises here). It is expected to come in 16GB and 32GB storage options with a 5" 1080p display and a 2300mAh battery. The FCC has confirmed the rumors that the Nexus 5 would have a Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor from Qualcomm, same processor found inside the Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

Camera

The camera is a feature that Google has said they will be putting a lot of energy into, and it is sounding like they will do just that. Rumors have it that the Nexus 5 will be based on the LG G2 (the Nexus 4 was based on the LG Optimus G) which brings some great camera features including a 13MP sensor and OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), which should help eradicate those blurred images from shaky hands. Check out the video from LG below to see how this works.



A Few Things Still Up In The Air

Nexus 5 render, Nexus 4, and Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Though we keep calling it the Nexus 5, we don't actually know that its what it will be called. Google has not confirmed this name and the history of Nexus phones doesn't guarantee it either. HTC made the first Nexus, the Nexus One, followed by the Samsung Nexus S, Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the the Nexus 4 by LG. So, technically it could be called anything. The only part we know for sure is that it will have Nexus in the title. We also don't know the prices yet, though we expect that they will be quite competitive. The Nexus 4 was $299 (8GB) and $349 (16GB) unlocked at launch and recently saw a $100 price cut which cleared out their total inventory. Google has set a precedent of launching Nexus devices a mid-range affordable prices. The Nexus 7 tablet saw a slight price bump this year and it is reasonable to think that the new phone may as well but I'd still expect to see it at no more than $350 and $450 unlocked and off contract for each of the two memory configurations.

We also don't know exactly what to expect from Android 4.4 KitKat. The Nexus 5 (and possibly refreshed Nexus 10 tablet) will be the first devices to launch with KitKat 4.4. So far from the leaks we have gotten the following details:

• Firmware availability to older phones
• Fragmentation changes (screen resizing)
• Miracast updates
• New Gallery Visualisation
• New APIs regarding animations
• Change android default blue to other preset palette colors
• New notification widgets

The Firmware availability and fragmentation changes seem to address getting updates out to more phones faster, a problem they've been working on for years. Hopefully they finally found a decent solution which would make it easier for manufacturers to update ROMs to the latest version of Android and get around the carriers slowing the process. I'm also excited about the potential to easily customize the color palette throughout the OS. As far as what else KitKat will bring is still up in the air. I'm sure it will have additional improvements to UI smoothness and battery performance.



Finally we have carrier support. This has always been a touchy area. GSM carriers (T-Mobile and AT&T) tend to get the most love and offer the best, more streamlined solutions, but Verizon and Sprint have had some level of support in the past with the Nexus S and Galaxy Nexus. However, CDMA (Sprint and Verizon) versions of Nexus phones have proven to be somewhat of second rate Nexus experiences, with the carriers complicating and delaying the direct line upgrade process that the Nexus line is designed for. Additionally in the past it has been difficult to make one devices that supports all of the carriers various frequencies, resulting in multiple variants for each carrier. With advancements in the tech in both the phones and the networks themselves, it is becoming easier to put multiple radios in one device, and currently based on the leaks it sounds like the next Nexus phone may support T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint. Still leaving out VZW, but they are also one of the most notorious for delaying updates and adding bloatware to devices.

How many of you are excited to see the new Nexus phone getting closer to release? Are you planning on grabbing one at launch? What are you most excited about?

Nexus 5 Coming Soon!

The Google Nexus 5 is expected to be released soon and has lately been leaking more and more details. This is the phone I have been waiting on and most likely will be switching to. With my Nexus 7 and now new Nexus 7 I have fallen in love with stock Android. Actually, on my GS3 I run a custom rom based on stock Android. I'm sick of manufactures messing with Android adding their skins, bloat apps, and carrier bloat apps. I want Android as Google made it, as they are making it! Nexus devices get Android updates first and fastest.

Nexus 5 Photoshop Render

With the announcement of Android 4.4 KitKat, video footage of a Google employee holding a new phone was leaked. Since then various renders based on the video have been released as well as what is believed to be a specs list from the FCC and Bluetooth SIG filings. I really like what many are saying looks like a Nexus 7 mini. I love the design of the Nexus 7 and would love a matching Nexus phone. 

The only details given are for screen and processor. The rumored Nexus 5 (code name D820) will have a 4.96 inch screen and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor. It was speculated that the new Nexus would have a S600 to keep the price down, but the 800 chip allows for many more LTE bands. As a result it has LTE support for AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint. Verizon isn't listed, this could be from technical differences with their network or just typical Verizon doing things their way and dragging their feet. 

I'm excited to see the S800 chip! I've heard good things about it including good battery life. This helps since I heard the battery will be 2700 Mah which is smaller than I wanted to see with Motorola squeezing huge batteries in normal sized phones. Hopefully the S800 chip and improvements in battery performance in KitKat Android 4.4 will make good use of the provided battery and get us well through a day. 

With the recent $100 drop in price that cleared the inventory for the Nexus 4 (8GB only) and these leaked details along with the announcement of the next big Android update, version 4.4 KitKat the Nexus 5 announcement and release cant be far off. It is likely that the Nexus 10 tablet will come along with it. Hopefully the price range will stay within $300-$400 for the N5. Which is likely following the Nexus family history of being budget price, high quality, unattached devices. 

Android 4.4 KitKat and the Nexus 5 Teased

Today Google released footage of the raising of their new Android statute. For every version of Android there is a statue placed in front of Google HQ based on the Android version name. Google has set the precedent  of using various desserts, candies and sweets in alphabetical order: Cupcake (1.5), Donut (1.6), Eclair (2.0), Froyo (2.2), Gingerbread (2.3), Honeycomb (3.0), Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0), and Jelly Bean (4.1-4.3). Android 4.4 is K, KitKat not Key Lime Pie as has been rumored for a while.

No details were offered about the new version except, "It's our goal with Android KitKat to make an amazing Android experience available for everybody." This on the tail of the announcement that Google Android has had over one BILLION activations! As I stated in my last post, its a good time to be #teamandroid!

Also, what appears to be the new Nexus 5 was also accidentally revealed, in the video of the KitKat statue going up. A 5 inch-ish LG made Nexus can be seen being used by an employee next to another with the Nexus 4. Confirming recent rumors and predictions that the next Nexus will be a 5 inch device based off the LG G2. I am one of many, who are very excited to see this phone move closer to release. Google has not set an announcement or release date yet, but the appearance of the KitKat statue and the glimpse of the new Nexus phone are good signs that they are both coming soon. It is also highly likely that the Nexus 10 tablet will be released alongside the presumed Nexus 5, joining the new Nexus 7 and rounding off the 2013 Nexus refresh.



Check out Google's official site with review of previous versions of Android: Android KitKat

Looking forward to the new version of Android and Nexus 5? Let us know in the comments!

Android is KING!

Those of you who have read BHT in the past probably have picked up on my subtle affinity towards Android devices... Ok it's not really subtle, I really don't like Apple "i-devices" that much and lean towards Android pretty much unanimously. Though I doubt I'd switch, Windows Phone 8 and their tablet offerings definitely look interesting and I hope RIM can make a comeback with BB10 (whole other future post I guess).

As an Android-lover there hasn't been a more exciting time than now in my opinion. I'd almost go as far as to claim 2013 as the year of the little green robot. In previous years I feel like it was at least arguable which OS/platform was better but that time has come to an end! I'm declaring Android the champ! Now there's alot of different ways you could take this debate and I'm not saying that an iPhone or iPad isn't the best device for some people; but for the first time since Android came out I feel that I can recommend at least one or two excellent Android phones on each carrier to people without fear that it will not give the end user problems. For the first time that regardless of your tech-ability level I am confident that there are Android options that will absolutely work for you and work well; consistently.

Furthermore, things look like they are getting better and it's happening faster and faster. Google has done an excellent job with UI improvements and streamlining  the Playstore. They've released Google Play Games to clean up and organize the gaming experience. Google and Android have made moves to start invading the living room more and more with gaming and entertainment and Google Music and its All Access subscription has become one of my favorite features, something I can't see going with out now.

On the hardware side Google Glass is expected in 2014 and a Google smartwatch is rumored for the end of this year. We should also be seeing a new Nexus phone and Nexus 10 tablet to accompany the recently revamped Nexus 7. Chromecast, Google's budget TV media streaming device, once back in stock is likely to really open up the living room entertainment arena for Google and there are rumors of an upcoming game console as well.

Yes, 2013 has been a solid year for Google with it dominating or moving into a position of imminent dominance in almost all metrics from market share, app offerings, and more. Even better it looks like Google and Android are still gaining steam and are poised for another great year in 2014. It's a good time to be on #teamandroid!

What do you think? What are your favorite Android features, apps, and Google services? Or do you prefer a different mobile OS? Let us know in the comments.

Pebble Smartwatch Review

The Pebble smartwatch is a bluetooth enabled watch with a small E-Ink display. It comes in a multitude of colors with a standard size watch band that can be replaced with any watch band of your choice. In addition to the watch there's an included USB charger that connects to the phone by magnets . The beauty of this device is it works not only for Android devices but also for iPhone, which is an important factor me. Any smartwatch I purchase has to be universal, compatible with at least all Android phones and even though I know I will never have an iPhone it's nice to know that the Pebble will work with iPhone as well as Android which covers the majority of the smartphone market.

There have been several smart watches released already but none really got it right for me. Looking ahead my only reservation with the Pebble is that there are some major companies rumored to be about to drop smart watches too. Samsung is revealing the Samsung Galaxy Gear in a few days now. Apple is allegedly working on a smart watch, as is Google. So this is an exciting time for this new genre of technology. As much as I like the Pebble watch I'm really excited to see what's coming from Google and Samsung especially and that is my biggest if not only reservation about keeping my Pebble. As the market developed there will be room for a spectrum of different smart watches balancing features and watch design. This would be ideal and address different customers needs and preferences. The Samsung Galaxy Gear is rumored to have the specs of a low end android phone including a camera. Not everyone would want or need all that in a smart watch.

The Pebble watch is very simple. Unlike many of the other previously released smartwatches the Pebble watch does not have a touch screen interface. It is navigated completely by the use of four buttons. On the left side above the charging port you have the back button, on the right hand side you have three buttons, the top button navigating one direction, the middle button is a selection button and the bottom button being a navigation button in the opposite direction (depending on the menu, navigation may be right and left or maybe up and down).

After turning on the Pebble watch for the first time you're prompted to download the Pebble app from the Google Play Store or the Appstore for Android and iPhone respectively. Once the app is downloaded it will begin the setup process connecting your Pebble with your phone via bluetooth. After that it will apply any updates that may be available. When this is over you're good to go the Pebble application is what controls and manages most the functionality of the watch as far as adding apps and new content to the device. The app allows you to show which notifications you will receive when and how you receive those and some other basic settings . By default you have the ability receive notifications from SMS gmail, other emails, Hangout, Facebook, and Whatsapp ( initially the fact that you could only receive notifications from a limited number of applications was one of my biggest complaints but since writing this I found some additional apps that add the ability to receive notifications from any other app. Check back for my updated advanced features review coming soon). The app also allows you to select which music player will be controlled by your watch (another limitation that I have found an app, Music Boss, that allows you to control multiple music apps and toggle between those music apps as well as adjust the volume. By default all you can do is pause, play, skip forward/backward, fast forward/rewind).

From the main watch face screen the navigation buttons on the pebble can be used to toggle between the various watch faces. One of the pebbles most basic features is the ability to change watch faces as well as download interactive apps, games and custom-made watch faces. You can also create your own custom watch faces. All of these additional features come from developers outside of Pebble. One of the pebbles greatest features is that it is completely open source. This leaves it open for developers to completely access its code and create applications and software that take advantage of the Pebble’s hardware. There are tons of apps and websites that provide applications games watch faces and allow for the creation of a custom watch faces. (Check out Watch Face Generator and My Pebble Faces)They're also additional apps that add new advance functionality to the watch. Developers are generally able to creatively use the pebble hardware with their software, adding completely new and robust features to the watch (many of which I did not even stumble across until the last day if my trial period. Luckily I'm getting more trial time so check back for the advanced features Pebble review).

 

 

 

There's no debating the pebbles innate cool factor. For any sci-fi fan, gamer, superhero fan etc. this has been something we are long overdue. It's pretty obvious how it could be convenient in some situations and at least just fun to play with. At $150 though, I'm guessing most need to justify the purchase a bit better. I was in that boat, and so far after two weeks it is doing a pretty good job of being more than just a toy. Unfortunately, I got it at a time when there are some huge competitors on the way. I am currently waiting to get a new phone until I see the next Nexus device from Google this fall and I’m really hoping that it will come along with a Google made Nexus watch as well. The Pebble has proven to me that I have a place for a smart watch and I feel very comfortable recommending it to others. I'm just going to hold off a bit longer until the dust settles a bit in the industry, as hard as it will be to take the Pebble back.

Check back for my advanced features review after I go a few more weeks with the Pebble!

Check out my video review to see more!

BHT Returns... Back By Popular Demand

What's up?!!! It's been a minute, I know. I'm back though, by popular demand. I've been really busy with work, preparing for my wedding, life and debating if I wanted to continue with the blog. But as more and more people have been asking about the blog I realized more people were checking out my post than I thought and that maybe it was time to start back up! Not to mention there have been soo many changes in the tech world. I got the new EVO LTE and didn't even do a post or video review which is unheard of since I've done every EVO since the OG dropped and actually launched BHT!

All the recent tech news is just too much for me to resist commenting on lol. So new post are on the way. I'd like to thank all of you who have read my posts and watched my videos in the past it means alot to me! I'd also like to ask you all a favor. Many of you have commented on my posts in the past, but typically you comment on whatever social media site you see me post the links to the blog on. It would help me TREMENDOUSLY if you could post comments here on BHT. This keeps all the discussion in one place and lets readers who get updates through different methods to converse with each other in one spot. I'd love to see convos started right here on the blog. I'll also be honest in that it helps me to generate more traffic here on the site!

Again thanks for all that have read, commented and given me words of encouragement on/regarding Brown Hands Tech!

Quick Review: The New Nexus 7

Just got my hands on a new Nexus 7 (2013). Google's newest version of their 7" tablet. Check out my initial impressions and be sure to leave comments below.

Specs and Comparison

DESIGN Device Google Nexus 7 II Google Nexus 7 Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 7" OS Android (4.3) Android (4.2.2) Android (4.1) Dimensions 7.9 x 4.5 x 0.3 inches 7.81 x 4.72 x 0.41 inches 7.40 x 4.37 x 0.39 inches Weight 11.2 oz (318 g) 11.99 oz (340 g) 10.79 oz (306 g) DISPLAY Physical size 7.0 inches 7.0 inches 7.0 inches Resolution 1920 x 1200 pixels 1280 x 800 pixels 1024 x 600 pixels Pixel density 323 ppi 216 ppi 170ppi Technology IPS LCD IPS LCD TFT Peak brightness 300 cd/m2 (nit) BATTERY Stand-by time 12.5 days (300 hours) the average is 19 days (446 h) Video playback 9.00 hours Capacity 4325 mAh 4000 mAh Type Li - Polymer Li - Polymer Li - Ion HARDWARE System chip Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro NVIDIA Tegra 3 T30L Processor Quad core, 1500 MHz Quad core, 1200 MHz, ARM Cortex-A9 Dual core, 1200 MHz Graphics processor Adreno 320 ULP GeForce @ 416MHz Yes System memory 2048 MB RAM / DDR3 1024 MB RAM (1333 MHz) / LPDDR3 1024 MB RAM Built-in storage 16 GB 8 GB 8 GB Storage expansion microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC up to 64 GB CAMERA Camera 5 megapixels 3 megapixels Features Auto focus Camcorder Yes Yes Features Video calling Front-facing camera 1.2 megapixels Yes 1.3 megapixels CONNECTIVITY Bluetooth Yes 3.0 3.0 Wi-Fi Yes 802.11 a, b, g, n 802.11 a, b, g, n, n 5GHz Mobile hotspot Yes Wi-Fi Direct Yes USB USB 2.0 USB 2.0 USB 2.0 Connector microUSB microUSB microUSB Features Mass storage device, USB charging USB Host Mass storage device, USB charging Headphones connector 3.5mm 3.5mm 3.5mm Charging connector microUSB microUSB microUSB