Want to replace my Nexus 7 (POS) with used/cheap tablet

[GoodEnough]

After all the optimization tips posted in this thread
exactly 24 hours later, the battery is at 65%.

This thing works great,
and seems to now hold battery for at least a day or two.

My problem was that I was treating it like a laptop and using it every few weeks.
If I treat this like a cell phone, and keep it charged every 48 hours,
this REDACTED will come in very handy.

Can't believe I've owned this thing for 2 years.

THANKS

Foul language has been redacted
Moderator TheStu

 

[GoodEnough]

Battery at 30% on the 2nd morning after.

 

[ultimatebob]

Yeah, my Nexus 7 (2013) model will deplete it's battery in about 48 hours without even using it. There must be a ton of evil background processes eating up the battery on that thing.

My old iPad could go for weeks in standby mode between charges, though.

 

[GoodEnough]

Almost 5pm again. 48 hour mark and I'm at 29%
It almost used nothing while on standby, since WiFi was off.
Great tips in this thread.

This N7 is TOTALLY viable for regularly resumed usage.

 

[GoodEnough]

It's now wanting to update to version 5.0.2.
Don't do this Android update, right?

 

[Binky]

I had nothing but trouble with all 5.x updates on the 2012 version of this tablet. You can always update to try it, but to get back to 4.x you would have to install another ROM. Its a very hackable tablet.

 

[GoodEnough]

Yea, I don't want to dick around with hacking anything.
OS v4.x is GOODENOUGH!

Is there a way to refuse the update so it stops prompting me?

 

[GoodEnough]

Just want to reiterate that this N7 tablet is awesome now.
It holds charge for 2 weeks at a time.
It has fully updated itself to v4.x, and I refuse updates to 5.x...

Thanks again for the tips.

 

[GoodEnough]

Just an update on my 2012 Nexus 7.
It is slow as crap after the update.
It is basically unusable. Even scrolling lags by like 20 seconds.

Is there any way to do a factory restore? And go back to the old OS ?

 

[GoodEnough]

I did a factory reset and it's now on version 5.1.1

 

[Binky]

If you want to downgrade, you might have to unlock the bootloader and install an alternative rom. I think the toolkit linked below makes it pretty easy though. Go one level up in that forum and you can choose from many roms. For this device, I'd still stay with 4.4 even though it is pretty dated now. Smooth is better than new-ish.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1766475

 

[Kazukian]

Just buy an 8" Amazon Fire tablet for $89, call it a day, sideload any apps that aren't on Amazon's Android App Store.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018SZT3BK/ref=fs_ods_fs_tab_ga?th=1

 

[Eug]

I'm not sure if we had a lot of battery issues with our nexus7, but every update to android 5 was crap on this table. I'm now running slimcat 4.4 and the tablet is back to normal.

I also have the 2012 Nexus 7, and yes, the battery life sucks, and the performance on 5.x also sucks. However, I still feel I should be able to make use of it somehow.

Is slimcat 4.4 the best recommended OS for this 2012? Any good step-by-step instructions to get this installed? I haven't rooted this thing since 2012 or 2013, so I'm rusty. How are the stability and compatibility of this custom OS version?

 

[Winston Marmaduke III]

I don't have the battery problem you had on the 2012 Nexus 7 but after updating to 5.0, it became unusable. I rooted and went to SlimKat 4.4, and it's faster, but far less stable. Honestly I think it's time for an upgrade. I too am looking for an inexpensive tablet powerful enough for snappy couch browsing and reading large size PDF.

 

[GoodEnough]

I'm thinking the same thing as Winston.
At this point, I'm just going to buy some entry-level tablet for the occassional sofa read of a longer article.
Not worth wasting 1 hour on rooting and all that. Could just buy a new tablet in that hour's worth of oppty cost.

 

[GoodEnough]

Is the Amazon Fire the no brainer cheapo "good enough" tablet to get for some basic reading?
Maybe even a refurb on Ebay?

Like this? Fire 7 with 8GB. Adequate if I literally do nothing but read links on it?
Bookmarked from my desktop

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Amazon-Kind...585669?hash=item1ead6c7745:g:QPIAAOSwHgVW7~Td

 

[agent00f]

Is the Amazon Fire the no brainer cheapo "good enough" tablet to get for some basic reading?
Maybe even a refurb on Ebay?

Like this? Fire 7 with 8GB. Adequate if I literally do nothing but read links on it?
Bookmarked from my desktop

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Amazon-Kind...585669?hash=item1ead6c7745:g:QPIAAOSwHgVW7~Td

Yes, Fires are the only decent cheap android tablet. If you're willing to spend any real money get an ipad, even the shittyiest mini 2 used is better than most of the andoid ones.

 

[Winston Marmaduke III]

There just aren't many decent Android tablets coming out lately. I guess people don't care anymore.

I'm just going to try to revive my N7 by finding a stock 4.4 rom since SlimKat's so crashy. If that doesn't work forget it heh

 

[Crono]

There just aren't many decent Android tablets coming out lately. I guess people don't care anymore.

I'm just going to try to revive my N7 by finding a stock 4.4 rom since SlimKat's so crashy. If that doesn't work forget it heh

There's potentially one good 7" tablet, the Huawei MediaPad T2 7.0 Pro. One spec lacking is the SoC (Snapdragon 615) but otherwise it looks like the best or one of the best 7" tablets in a while.

 

[Crono]

Yes, Fires are the only decent cheap android tablet. If you're willing to spend any real money get an ipad, even the shittyiest mini 2 used is better than most of the andoid ones.

The Galaxy Tab A (2016) is decent, too, if you can live with 8GB. It does have a microSD slot, though. Picked one up new for $120 from Best Buy and it's certainly decent for a cheap tablet, and the build quality is pretty good considering the price. Screen resolution is only 1280 x 800, but the quality of the display is good for an LCD of an inexpensive tablet. I was surprised Samsung even had a tablet that low in price (even on sale). It looks nice (mine is white, with a white Samsung case) and with slim enough bezels that it's pocketable*. I rooted and debloated mine, and put Nova Launcher on it. Feels very much like a Nexus 7 now... if I don't go into the settings.

Battery life is fantastic, too. I've been getting ~9-10 hours screen on time with moderate to heavy usage, which is basically 1 1/2 to 2 days between charges for me.

Downsides: It's not a fast tablet - SoC (Snapdragon 410) and storage (slow eMMC) are both low end - but it is more than adequate for light duty like reading, internet browsing, playing music, etc. Don't expect to multitask heavily (1.5GB RAM) or take decent pics (grainy 5MP camera).

Specs: http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_tab_a_7_0_(2016)-7880.php

* With large pockets, of course. Don't try and fit it in skinny jeans.

And yes, the iPad Minis are better if you can live with iOS. Faster and smoother, with very good build quality. One of a few Apple products that is surprisingly good value, and as much as I don't like iOS, it hardly makes a difference what the OS is for pure media consumption or reading.

 

[agent00f]

The hardware isn't the only problem with android tablet. The OS support and even google's own apps have been getting progressively worse than on ipads. At this point, even cheaps windows tablet with a rather shitty app stores are better value proposition, esp. since OS upgrades are ensured.

 

[Crono]

The hardware isn't the only problem with android tablet. The OS support and even google's own apps have been getting progressively worse than on ipads. At this point, even cheaps windows tablet with a rather shitty app stores are better value proposition, esp. since OS upgrades are ensured.

Yeah, it's unfortunate but Google's attention wandered off from tablets and who knows if they'll ever prioritize it. The Nexus program is officially dead, and their last tablet, the Pixel C, wasn't exactly a resounding success. Some of the mega phablets (I mentioned the 6.8" ASUS Zenfone 3 Ultra in another thread) may be good enough to replace 7" tablets, but there's not a real strong push for true tablets above that.

And on the developer side, the number of apps in the play store that still have the "designed for phones" is high. The situation might improve when Google rolls out Andromeda, since the number of hybrids/convertibles may kick up interest and development for tablet-sized screens, but that's not in the immediate future nor is it a guarantee.

Windows is the best tablet platform for productivity (grudging respect for the iPad Pro), but not on inexpensive tablets. At least mobile hardware is getting faster and more capable, so the tablet situation should improve. Hopefully. VR/AR may suck all the oxygen out of the room for the short term future.

 

[GoodEnough]

When did functionality and usability peak? I'm guessing after 2012, but before 2016.
I don't need anything 2016. In fact, older is better, since cheaper.

I might try the 8GB Fire for $50. Seems like a no brainer.
My use case is ONLY reading articles. One at a time.

 

[StrangerGuy]

Yeah, it's unfortunate but Google's attention wandered off from tablets and who knows if they'll ever prioritize it. The Nexus program is officially dead, and their last tablet, the Pixel C, wasn't exactly a resounding success. Some of the mega phablets (I mentioned the 6.8" ASUS Zenfone 3 Ultra in another thread) may be good enough to replace 7" tablets, but there's not a real strong push for true tablets above that.

And on the developer side, the number of apps in the play store that still have the "designed for phones" is high. The situation might improve when Google rolls out Andromeda, since the number of hybrids/convertibles may kick up interest and development for tablet-sized screens, but that's not in the immediate future nor is it a guarantee.

Windows is the best tablet platform for productivity (grudging respect for the iPad Pro), but not on inexpensive tablets. At least mobile hardware is getting faster and more capable, so the tablet situation should improve. Hopefully. VR/AR may suck all the oxygen out of the room for the short term future.

Yeah the current landscape of Android tablets is deplorable to the point one might as well just buy 6.5+ incher phablets.

 

[GoodEnough]

Certain things have a natural evolution terminus.
Non EV cars reached this 10-15 years ago.
Just more silly bloatware ever since.

As long the tablet can open a webpage or PDF, that's all I need a tablet for.
Anything with typing, I use my desktop.