

What’s in store for Google I/O? - shawndumas
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/05/android-4-3-google-babel-and-the-nexus-7-whats-in-store-for-google-io/

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jkldotio
Be careful to check that this new Nexus 7 doesn't have any features disabled
before you buy one. The tethering is entirely disabled on on my Nexus 7 3G,
bought outside of any contract or carrier, as it is for everyone else (search
for "Nexus 7 hotspot", although that's all after the fact, this little tidbit
never featured on the Nexus 7 product page or specifications).

I can't for the life of me imagine why they did that, it's ruined the Nexus
brand for me.

Edit: Thanks for the downvotes.

~~~
Veus
It's your carrier that is blocking that, not the Nexus 7.

~~~
jkldotio
If that's the case, I am not sure it is unless you have a link or reference,
why is a computer bought specifically outside of a contract obeying these
directives?

Imagine the reaction if Apple or Microsoft sold a computer which "obeyed ISP
flags" to limit bandwidth or made all networking options for linking to a
second computer disappear from their menus depending on the whim of an ISP.

The implications are just as bad, or even worse, for Google and the Nexus
brand if what you say is true.

~~~
corresation
_why is a computer bought specifically outside of a contract obeying these
directives_

Because your data plan exists under a contract with your carrier. Because most
users would be angry if their carrier suddenly terminated their connection or
layered on additional tethered data costs because of detected second-device
traffic (both of which have happened).

The Nexus devices are targeted at everyperson. Not just hackers and rogues.

No-tethering flags exist because wireless resources are actually a finite
resource, and because carriers desperately rely upon certain usage models
which is basically that you overbuy and underuse, which tethering tends to
significantly offset. Should they? Probably not. But if you want tethering,
talk to your carrier.

~~~
jkldotio
"Not just hackers and rogues", well it was billed as a premium device with the
full Android experience.

It's a data SIM specifically for use as a modem SIM not as a phone, so while I
understand _they_ want to do that I don't see why Google has to go along with
it. Despite all the comments in this thread unless it's mandated by law
somewhere it's still on Google's head as I see it.

~~~
kbenson
_"Not just hackers and rogues", well it was billed as a premium device with
the full Android experience._

Since when has the whole Android experience included being able to ignore
contractual limitations? That's a different experience than I've ever had.

~~~
jkldotio
You are just assuming there is some contractual tethering ban. It's a data SIM
designed to go in a usb 3G modem or a tablet. There's no contractual agreement
between Google selling an independent computer and a telco in central Europe
as far as I am aware.

Edit:

Therefore Google should prioritise me and not the profits of another company.

What's the company going to do, ban non-contract devices from their services?
Another company will just scoop up all those users.

Google is disadvantaging me and trashing their own brand for the profits of
another company. Nobody in this thread has produced any evidence Google is
legally required to do this in any jurisdiction. And if they do have a compay-
to-company contract with them it certainly wouldn't be a disadvantageous one,
it would likely be a contract to do this so that the telco would have the
Nexus 7 on their paid plans too. _Again_ that's Google crippling my device for
their own profits. _Again_ it's a deception, and _again_ it's on their head.

I don't know why people are coming into the thread here so strongly to defend
huge corporations that are selling computers and Internet connections and
arbitrarily cutting people off from legitimate features. All the bandwidth is
metered anyway so it doesn't matter whether the first device or a second
device via the first uses it anyway. Or they could readily implement shaping
(as in Australia, full speed to Xgig, slower speed thereafter) and just state
it openly.

There is no reason for any of this besides naked profit taking and deception.

~~~
kbenson
_I don't know why people are coming into the thread here so strongly to defend
huge corporations..._

I know _my_ reaction when I see statements that seem too strongly worded to be
rational is to play devil's advocate, to try to bring a little rationality to
the conversation (or, alternatively, learn the reason why the strong working
is warranted).

 _There is no reason for any of this besides naked profit taking and
deception._

Saying _there is no reason_ in this case assumes more knowledge of the
situation than you could possibly have. Besides that, you begged the question
in the previous paragraph.

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jrabone
A release of Android 4.3 for the Nexus _4_ fixing the Bluetooth bugs and the
WiFi bugs and the battery bugs and the IPSEC VPN bugs would be nice, because
frankly my previous Galaxy S2 worked a lot better, even with Gingerbread
2.3.5. Wish I'd never bothered upgrading.

It's a shame because the Nexus 7 has been for the most part trouble-free.

~~~
pjmlp
Oh! No Nexus for me then.

~~~
obviouslygreen
Don't drop the whole series based on a few bad experiences.

I have been using a Galaxy Nexus since they came out, and a Nexus 7 for almost
a year (both currently at 4.2.2 via normal OTA updates). Neither has had any
of the problems described.

Lemons happen. Also, these are complex machines that run complex software;
malware happens too, as does innocently-perpetrated excessive resource
consumption by background processes created by third-party developers that
either aren't careful enough or simply missed something complex.

There's a lot of reasons things like this can happen. By many accounts the
Nexus 4 does actually have serious issues in a lot of ways... of course, there
are also many people that have and love this phone, too.

Don't judge the entire line based on a few complaints.

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jsz0
I doubt it will happen but I wish Google start to refine and simplify the
Android UI. It's starting to get bloated and overly complex. There's only so
many buttons, long presses, drags, and gestures you can jam onto a small
screen. I've been evaluating a Windows Phone device to potentially replace my
Android phone and it's so refreshing to have a UI that's not jam packed with
features I have no desire to use. I wish the app situation was better but at
this point I'm willing to compromise there to have a more usable UI. If Google
can un-kitchen sink 4.3 a bit I might reconsider.

~~~
Achshar
What you seek for is a big change. 4.3 is an incremental update. Key lime pie
can have big improvements in UI section, which I myself am looking forward to.

------
DigitalTurk
Google Babble would have been exciting a few years ago. Right now, however,
I'm already on iMessage/WeChat/Skype/FB Chat/Whatsapp, which is too much,
really.

Since I don't already use any of Google's chat platforms, I'm going to avoid
Babble. In fact, I'm kind of hoping it fails to gain traction. I'd hate to be
'forced' to use it in the future.

I suspect I'm no the only one thinking this.

------
awaghadashish
No mention of chromebooks? I bet there are some exciting announcements there
too

~~~
BaconJuice
PixelPro $2300

------
VLM
The article didn't mention a spiritual successor to GOOG Reader. One
interesting way to increase G+ use would obviously be to embed Reader
functionality into G+. Stick a RSS feed into a circle. Of course its probably
too late, most/many users already abandoned them. I went to Newsblur (and paid
for it) and am pretty happy overall.

The theoretical GOOG babble product should also, in addition to whats listed
in the article, include GOOG voice, somehow. GOOG must have dozens of
"products" that all boil down to "send / recv a message" and I would like them
to merge into one.

They should just buy doggcatcher as the best in class podcast fetcher and
rename it "dogg-oogle" or something, and mush that into the "babble" or "g+"
as per above.

I still have never found a place to try goog wallet on my nexus 7 in person. I
have fat stacks of cash so you'd think there would be some interest in getting
some of it. Most of the "lifestyle" vendors don't apply to me as I don't drink
coffee or hang out in convenience stores and airports.

~~~
bdowney
There is no successor to Reader, it's gone. Forever. Babel (Hangouts) is not
theoretical, is very real and has been leaked already. It's just a walled
garden (they threw XMPP away and went with their own proprietary protocol) so
I personally would steer clear from it.

~~~
eco
Nothing you're saying is based on anything but speculation. Babel (most likely
called Hangouts) is real, yes, but that's about all we know about it.

