Google's Nexus 7 can go swivel, thanks to a software update that brings landscape mode to the 7-inch tablet's homescreen. That means when you turn the tablet sideways, all your apps turn with you, so you don't have to keep switching it round when you're flicking between a video and other stuff.
The search giant has deployed the 4.1.2 update to its Android operating system -- a relatively minor upgrade to Jelly Bean, but one that brings the ability to spin your tablet's home screen.
The update is arriving on Nexus 7 devices already, EE Times reports, promising improved performance and stability, as well as bug fixes. The update will likely hit other Nexus devices (I'm looking at you, Samsung Galaxy Nexus) before very long.
It's possible the 4.1.2 update won't be cutting-edge for long, as LG is reportedly cooking up a Nexus device of its own, which is rumoured to land running Android 4.2.
That won't be a proper software sequel to Jelly Bean apparently, only a further iteration of Google's most recent major update. When Jelly Bean has reached the end of its natural life, Google is expected to replace it with Android Key Lime Pie, in standard alphabetical fashion.
Jelly Bean is the slickest version of Android yet, bringing interface tweaks and a new feature called Google Now, which when summoned tells you what it thinks you're likely to want to know, based on things like your location and search history. Spooky.
Android is getting better all the time, but most manufacturers are doing a rubbish job of keeping up, taking ages to update their mobiles to the latest version. The fragmentation caused by that software spread is one reason the iPhone gets new apps first, according to the BBC.
Are you a Nexus fanatic? How would you improve Android? Paint me a landscape in the comments or on our portrait-format Facebook wall.
Image credit: EE Times
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anonymous 10 October, 2012 14:40
I hope this bring some performance improvements to the battery life of my Nexus which is probably the only niggle I have with it. I hear that a Samsung tablet running Jelly Bean with a display close to 300ppi, which beats the new ipad, is in the works. I've never been impressed with tablets. However, if this is true, it might be the first tablet I will purchase.
anonymous 10 October, 2012 15:01
I would make it so customers have the option of buying vanilla versions of all Android phones. At the time of purchase a manufacturer can offer their customized versions the same way a car company sells you options for your new car. This would allow the consumer the choice to weigh the new features added by the manufacturer with the features included in the latest revision of the OS.
As much as I love Samsung hardware , I prefer a stock ROM, not their garbage software on my phone.
anonymous 10 October, 2012 20:19
I'd love a 10 inch tablet to go with my Nexus 7. I absolutely love my Nexus 7, it's great for taking out and about with me, especially to classes and such, but something a bit bigger for movies/TV etc. at home or on travels would be nice. But only if they price is low. I still don't think that a tablet is worth much more than £200/£250.
anonymous 10 October, 2012 20:23
Got to say though, I'm not amazed by the Nexus 7 battery life, but I think it's probably more to do with unrealistic expectations than anything else. On standby it lasts forever (obviously) but as soon as you do anything like browsing it does drain quite quickly. I think I just expected more given the amount of praise it received. I've never used another tablet to compare it to though, so that probably doesn't help. I generally get two days out of a full charge (although to be honest I charged to 100% last night and I have 75% of battery now, after a couple of hours of browsing, so maybe it's just fine and I'm a lot more of a heavy user than I thought!)
anonymous 11 October, 2012 18:41
It seems this update fixes another, less publicized issue with the Google Nexus 7: decreased performance once your device drops below 3 GB. I have the 16 GB version. So far, so good. Fingers crossed!
anonymous 12 October, 2012 17:31
The only thing that has held me back from buying a Nexus 7 is the lack of storage expansion. Ideally I want to take the Nexus on holiday and take all my music, some books and a few movies to watch. Much better to take these on separate storage. Only solution is via the USB port but I don't want to have to root the device and blow the warranty. This could so easily be corrected in a future software release and would make the device SO much more useful. Come on Google open the doors!
anonymous 13 October, 2012 09:22
Great update, finally got it last night. Funnily enough from the announcement of the tablet the lack of home screen rotation bothered me, and was something that frustrated me when I finally bought one last month, it was very annoying when you'd have an app open in landscape, return to home screen (not always deliberately, the one major draw back of a 7in tablet is the proximity of the home button to the keyboard, I'd have considered moving the home key away from the keyboard to be honest), and everything would be sideways.
I think a few people need to understand what the Nexus 7 project is all about though. If they wanted to give you massive amounts of storage they would have done, but they don't, they want you to use their cloud and their media products so that they can make money. I think when you're getting a device of this quality for this amount of money it is more than fair. It's not a mistake on Google's part that they'll correct in the future with an update like the home screen rotation, it's fully by design. Again, a device this cheap HAS to have draw backs. Both Google and Asus have to make money on this to make it worth doing. Similarly if Google and LG release the next Nexus device with 8GB of storage then that's fine with me as long as the price is low and they aim to make money off advertisements and products sold again. Realistically, this is the only way that the Nexus brand will establish itself in the market.