The Nexus

If any of you out there are Trekkie's you know that the Nexus is a place where all your wildest dreams come true and the only limit is yourself.  Although that place seems like a fun waste of time this review is on the Nexus 7 created by Google and Asus.

For those who are not familiar with the Nexus 7 it is the latest 7 inch tablet created to compete in the field.  Although the Amazon Fire might be sweet the Nexus 7 blows its competition out of the water, with its faster processor, major support from Google and pure and clean Jelly Bean Android operating system.

Jelly Bean

Nexus 7 Home screen

First off I have never used Android Ice Cream Sandwich, although I have use older versions like Gingerbread, Jelly Bean is drastically different than previous versions of android.  This is a good thing, the OS seems much more refined and easier to use, at the same time it seems like some of the customization that came with the older OS (the roughness around the edges) is gone.  Also realize that the Nexus 7 is pure android meaning that it does not have any preloaded software from companies like Samsung on it, so some of the features like the stock keyboard are defiantly not refined.  Overall Jelly Bean is an excellent OS but the Nexus 7 is probably not for the individual who wants the easy and quick environment that comes with the Kindle Fire, or Nook Tablet.  However, one of the main reasons I bought the Nexus 7 was to have more freedom in choosing e-books.  As such I currently E-book apps for Google Books, B & N Nook and Deseret Books which you would not be able to get on an amazon kindle or nook.

Games on the Nexus

As an introductory offer Google is offering many freebies when you buy an Nexus 7 one of these includes $25 to spend in the Google Play Store, as such I decided to check out some of their games, although most look lame I settled on World of Goo and Osmos.

World of Goo

Both of these games are available for PC however, after playing World of Goo on both I can say that the nice HD screen and the ability to use your fingers adds a nice touch to this game where you build towers and bridges out of Goo.  Even if you have played these games on the PC or Mac I would recommend you try them for a tablet as they are quite fun, and with its excellent hardware, the Nexus 7 is a good choice.

E-Reader

As stated above the I mainly got the Nexus 7 to work as a more advanced e-reader.  Lets face the facts with the advent of e-books not every service has everything. As such I wanted to be able to access more books on one device.

As an E-reader the Nexus works quite well,  the screen is able to automatically brighten or dim depending on what kind of lighting you are in, it also has some nice transition images when you are turning a page using the Google books app or the Nook app.  overall in this area it works just as expected and I really have no complaints.  Plus it also has a good battery so if all you are doing is reading books with it you could probably go for a week or two on one battery charge.

Weaknesses

Just like the Nexus in Star Trek: Generations, this Nexus is not perfect, no the problem isn't that it gives you a false sense of security and leads you into wasting time in a surreal world, instead the problem is in the corners that were cut in creating the product.

Roughing it By Mark Twain

Unlike many tablets a major complaint about the Nexus 7 is that it has not SD slot for storage expansion, However, I am not a big app guy so this doesn't bother me to much but if I did download a lot of apps then this could be a problem as 8GB or 16GB would not be enough.

I have also heard that some of the systems shipping have had issues, although this is not a major problem that I have faced it is something to be aware of.  As such I recommend studying others opinions about the Nexus 7 in making the decision to purchase one.

Despite the weaknesses you CANNOT find a better tablet for $199 or $250 and the Nexus 7 is a great buy for anyone who is look for a handy small form factor tablet.

California zephyr , Amtrack Superliner

 Riding coach on the Zephyr is somewhere between a cheap seat on an airplane and a cruise. The train (#6 anyway) had 1 engine, 3 coach cars, 1 observation car, 1 dining car, and 2 sleepers (in that order).  

Coach Seats

 

Most coach seats are on the second level, the bottom has a couple seats reserved for those who cannot go upstairs, the reminder is full of restrooms. You get large reclining seats with both a short (thigh length) attached leg rest, and a foot rest that is attached to the chair in front of you. The foot rest has 2 positions, low and just right, the attached leg rest can stop anywhere you like, though I found they work best together. The seats did not recline nearly enough for me, but it’s better than nothing. The chairs, like more airliners, come equipped with a small dining tray that slides to you. It was about 6 inches short of being at a comfortable eating position for me.  Plenty of room for medium and smaller baggage is supplied above seats, and a limited amount for large bags is downstairs, though it is not locked and no one is there to stop the first people on from taking up all the limited room. 

The View

 

The observation deck (limited to the top floor) is lined with paneled windows that coat the entire side curve onto the ceiling. This makes for a bright room with great views. Half the car has 2 and 3 person benches facing the windows; the other half is 4 person booths with tables, which are ideal for snacking and board game playing. The viewing benches are smaller, with no head rests, and foot room can be a bit cramped, but they are a nice change after sleeping in a recliner all night.

The view is best seen from (surprise! surprise!) the observation deck, but it’s not too bad in the coach cars either (good size windows all along the sides with curtains for those who want to sleep). The abundance of scenery (We only traveled from Salt Lake City to Chicago, so I can’t speak for the California and Nevada parts) is rocky canyons, sometimes forested. The book cliffs in Utah look right out of a western movie, and the Mancos shale makes for some interesting slopes. The many beautiful canyons that the Colorado river has cut through provide so many opportunities for post-card quality photos it almost becomes hackneyed until you review your photos. The final leg of the journey is pretty flat and lots of corn and soy bean fields, which are beautiful in their own way. Lots of pedestrians and campers waved at us friendly like, but of course they couldn’t see us return the gesture through the heavily tinted windows.

Dining

 

The train has gas-station to fine dining opportunities. A café car, below the observation deck, has fruit, snacks, small cereal, bagels, hot dogs, and other such tasty treats. The cashier heats up hot dogs and the like for you in a microwave before giving them to you. The prices are roughly double that of most convenience stores, $4.50 for a hot dog, $2.50 for a small cereal bowl, $6.00 for a meat and cheese sandwich, but hot water and a fork for the cup-of-noodles you brought: free. The dining car has booths with tables and serves higher quality food for proportionally higher prices, which can be found on this menu, though the prices given on this menu are a few dollars less than the current costs.

Final tips

 

Taking the train is half the price of the cheapest plane ticket, and much more comfortable, though it takes considerably longer. If you want to enjoy you trip, be sure to have something to do: read a book, watch some movies, bring some work, or whatever you like. The view is often great, and provides a speed tour through the country and the edges of cities. Sleeping can be difficult, bring a little pillow and light jacket or blanket (it gets cold with the AC, even in 90 degree heat outside). Be sure to plan a good menu if you bring your own food because it’s hard to enjoy a nice view or book when you’re hungry. It’s not for everybody, but I think it’s a unique experience worth a try.