Nexus 7: 30 tips and tricks
The Nexus 7 is a great tablet and these 30 tips and tricks will help you get the most out of it
Published on Jul 30, 2012
Google's Nexus 7 tablet is a blast out of the box but you can make the most out of the Android 4.1 device with a few tweaks. We offer 30 tips and tricks that will really let you harness all of the power of your Nexus 7.
General tips
1. Take a screen shot -- Want to share your high score on Angry Birds Space and want proof? Go ahead and hold the power and volume down buttons for two seconds to take a screen shot. You can then send the picture via various communication forms from the Gallery.
2. Switching orientation -- The Nexus 7 tends to be focused on the portrait orientation, but you can easily make it switch to however you're holding it. Simply pull down the notification bar and tap the orientation icon (right next to the date) in the menu.
3. Switching orientation again -- You can also lock and unlock the tablet's orientation through the settings. Go to Settings, click on Accessibility and then click on Auto-rotate screen.
4. Make the text larger -- Larger text can be nice on weary eyes, so it's pretty simple to expand the text on the Nexus 7. Go to Settings, click Accessibility and then tap on Large Text.
5. Make the text larger, again -- The previous tip will make system text larger, but if you want nearly all the text larger on your Nexus 7, go to Settings, click on Display, then tap on Font Size. You can choose from Small, Normal, Large and Huge.
6. Quick access to Settings -- Instead of having to click through to the Settings icon, you can always reach the Settings menu by pulling down the notification bar and then clicking on the Settings icon in the top bar. It's the one that looks like multiple dials, and it will take you there no matter what app you're currently in.
7. Activate Google Now -- Google Now is the company's next-generation search engine, which is trying to show you the information before you even know you need to search for it. Crazy, huh? It's not perfect but if you want to give it a try on your Nexus 7, simply hold any of the bottom menu buttons (Back, Home or Multitask) and then slide your finger to the top of the circle toward the Google logo.
8. Activate Google Now, part 2 -- Another way to quickly activate Google Now is from the lock screen. Instead of sliding the center icon to the unlock icon, just slide it to the Google icon and you'll immediately go into Google Now.
9. Set a password -- One of the best ways to secure your device is by setting a password to unlock the Nexus 7. Go to Settings and then click on Security, then tap on Screen lock. From here, you'll have the option to set a numeric password, a pattern password or you can have the tablet require a picture of your face to unlock.
10. Encrypt your tablet -- If setting a password isn't enough for you, you can also encrypt all the data on your Nexus 7 tablet and require a pin to decrypt this data whenever the device is turned on. Go to Settings, click on Security and then tap on Encrypt tablet.
11. Turn on Airplane mode -- The Nexus 7 is great when it's connected to the Web but that's not always what you need for, say, a plane ride. To turn the Nexus 7 on Airplane mode, go to Settings, click on the More option (under Data usage) and then tap on Airplane mode. You can turn it off by clicking on that same button again.
12. Turn on Airplane mode, part 2 -- Want a quicker way to turn Airplane mode on and off? Well, you're in luck because this can be done on the Nexus 7 by holding the power button for a few seconds. You'll then be presented with a menu to turn the device off, turn on silent mode or to put it into Airplane mode. Click the airplane mode option to turn it on and off.
13. Getting better battery life -- With about eight hours on a full charge, the Nexus 7 does get solid battery life but you can always squeeze a bit more out of it. Turning off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS when not in use will make a big difference and so will making the brightness of your screen a little dimmer. You can also go into your account settings and have it not automatically download emails -- just check them manually.
14. Turn off keyboard sounds -- The virtual keyboard on the Nexus 7 is pretty good but we don't always need to hear it. To turn off the keyboard sounds, go into Settings, tap on language & input, click on Android keyboard settings and then tap Sound on Keypress.
Apps
15. Launch the camera -- The Nexus 7 has a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera but it doesn't come with a camera-launching app. You can always launch the camera from within apps like Facebook, Skype or others by clicking on a camera function, but you can also download the Camera Launcher for Nexus 7 app from MoDaCo. It's free, provides quick access to the camera and even offers some camera effects.
16. Get more apps -- The Nexus 7 is meant to showcase the Google Play Store but there are multiple other ways to get new apps. You can find some other apps from places like the Amazon Appstore for Android and GetJar. Amazon offers a different premium app for free every day and GeJar only offers free apps.
17. Let Nexus 7 use outside apps -- In order to utilize apps that aren't in the Google Play, you'll have to set up your Nexus 7 to install apps from third-party sources. You can do this by going to your Settings, click on Security and then tap on Unknown sources. Remember, by enabling this, you do open yourself up to some potential security concerns, so be wary.
18. Install apps from your computer -- It's fun to browse the Google Play with the Nexus 7, but you can also install apps remotely from your computer. Once you've hooked your Nexus 7 to your Google account, visit: play.google.com in your browser and when you find an app you want then click Install. You'll then be given the option to send to a device and once you click on the Nexus 7, that app will be installed on your tablet in just a few seconds.
19. Get Flash -- Adobe has said it won't offer an official version of Flash for Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, but you can still get Flash on your Nexus 7 in a few ways. If you've set your device to install non-Play Store apps, you can just download the Flash APK directly.
20. Get Flash, part 2 -- Another way to get Flash on your Nexus 7 tablet is to download a browser that supports it. Unfortunately, this doesn't include the default Chrome browser, but I've found the Dolphin HD browser to be a wonderful, Flash-enabled alternative.
Adding hardware
21. Using a keyboard -- While the Nexus 7 has a solid on-screen keyboard, some of you just want to use a physical one. The easiest solution is to get a Bluetooth keyboard and then go into the tablet's Settings, turn on Bluetooth, hit the Search for devices button and it should recognize your keyboard (make sure it's turned on). From there, you'll get on-screen pairing instructions and you should be able to use your keyboard anywhere on the Nexus 7 where there's text input.
22. Using a mouse -- It may sound weird but the Nexus 7 will actually accommodate a mouse. I suggest getting a Bluetooth mouse, going into the tablet's Settings, turning on Bluetooth and then searching for a device. Your mouse should show up, click on it and you'll then get on-screen instructions for pairing. Once connected, you'll see an on-screen cursor where your mouse is.
23. Print with Nexus 7 -- I generally don't need to print much from my tablet but if you do, you'll be happy to know that's possible with the Nexus 7. You'll need to download an app that works with Google Cloud Print (I recommend Easy Print) and you'll have to have a Web-connected printer that works with Google Cloud Print. Once you've installed an app like Easy Print, hit the share icon on the page you want to print, select Easy Print and it will print in just a few seconds.
Getting more out of your Nexus
24. Getting more space for music -- Storage space is limited on the Nexus 7, so don't even worry about clogging it up with tunes because there are a variety of options that will let you access music from the cloud. Google Music will let you stream up to 20,000 of your songs that you've uploaded to Google's servers, and Pandora will get you a free, radio-like stream of music.
If you want on-demand music and don't mind paying a few dollars, Spotify gives you access to nearly any song out there. If you just want to listen to a podcast, I recommend using Stitcher Radio or TuneIn Radio to get streaming access to your favorite Web audio.
25. Getting more space for movies -- Videos take up even more space but you can stream a bunch of great video content onto your Nexus 7. Buying or renting any movie or television from the Google Play Store will grant you streaming access to these on your tablet. While there's no Amazon Video On Demand app, if you've used the Flash trick above, you can log into your account and watch videos directly from the browser.
Netflix is also a great option for streaming movies and television shows and I've found the selection continues to get better. Hulu Plus also gives you access to a wealth of television shows and movies but you'll have to pay a monthly subscription, much like you do with Netflix.
26. Getting more space -- Even if you get the 16GB version, the storage on the Nexus 7 can quickly run out. Along with the ways to get more music and video tips, you should check out one of the free, cloud-storage options out there. Google Drive, SugarSync, Dropbox and Box all offer the ability to store and access your files wherever you have an Internet connection. Each offers a few gigabytes of free storage, so feel free to try them and see which one best fits your needs.
27. Root your Nexus 7 -- If you really want to dig into your Nexus 7, the best way to do that is to root the tablet. This carries a lot of its own risks, but if you're willing to take the chances, rooting your Nexus 7 will give you much more control over it. I'd suggest following these instructions for the easiest way to root your Nexus 7.
28. Accessorize -- A little-known feature of the Nexus 7 is that it supports USB-OTG (USB-on-the-go) and this means you can plug some of your USB devices into it. You'll need a microUSB-to-USB adapter to make this work and you should know that not everything will work (plugging a flash drive in doesn't work out of the box). If you root your device, you can gain much more control over what USB-OTG devices will work with the tablet.
29. Protect your tablet -- There's nothing worse than buying a new gadget and having it break because of an accidental drop. If you plan to buy a Nexus 7 and use it on the go, I suggest picking up a case. Google offers an official one for $20 but there are also a bunch of useful third-party cases.
30. Get the best content -- Well, that one's easy: Use your Nexus 7 to visit Knowyourcell.com
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