Shawn Blanc reviewed the Nexus 7. He likes what he saw, but:
On a technical level, Jelly Bean is noticeable improvement over Ice Cream Sandwich. But I still do not see the appeal of an Android device over an iOS device unless your motives for using one are based solely on price, screen size, or a vendetta against Apple Inc.
For me, when it comes down to it, software will always trump hardware. When I’m using a device like the Nexus 7 I want to know where the details are. Where is the magic? The fun?
I’m a huge fan of Shawn’s writing, but I think he’s a bit too harsh on the Android tablet. I feel like lately there’s been some goal post shifting among big iPad defenders (myself potentially among them.) At first, the argument was that nobody could produce a quality tablet, and for years, that was the case. Now finally we’ve got a pretty universally praised device. Even the UI of Jelly Bean is rated as solid but…there’s still not enough good third party apps.
Give it time; I think the Nexus could finally be the device that Android developers are waiting for: a solid piece of hardware with good enough sales (we’ve yet to see this for a non-Apple device, but if I’d bet on any, it would be the Nexus) to really kick start better apps.