[Indigoquilter]

I've been the proud owner of a Nexus 7 for a few days now, and can barely tear myself away from it At the moment, I'm sorting out its accessories, some of which arrived this morning. It has:

* . The stand is dead nifty, and has already been used for reading during lunch, and on my sewing desk with a keyboard for proper typing. I'm not as wild about the case, which seems to attract specks of dust like nobody's business and is not exactly the prettiest thing about, but I suppose they're all going to be like that, and hopefully it will help protect the tablet if I happen to put it down onto a table too hard or something.
* . This has been hooked up to my spare Keysonic USB keyboard (laptop size rather than one of those super-mini things), which thankfully turns out to work with Android. Seems a nice sturdy cable, clicks in properly and all that. So now I have great set-up for my sewing desk (the laptop lives in the bedroom).
* . I'm not sure about this. The padding is thinner than expected, though probably thick enough considering the semi-rigid case. The main problem is that line of piping that runs along the inside edge of the case, which is fairly rigid rather than just being fabric piping. In the Amazon photos, the tablet fits in neatly and the piping goes all that way around it. With mine, the corners don't fit inside the piping, even if I take off the gel case first, which means that the only thing between them and the outside world is the zip. Should I worry about this? The tablet will be in my handbag if I'm taking it out and about with me, so I suppose it's more about general jolting than its getting bashed on a corner. The tablet fits in exactly the same with the gel case on, so it does have that extra layer of protection.

I am also eyeing up those cheapie keyboard cases for the times when I need a keyboard outside the home. This won't be very often, probably just hospital trips and the like. I considered a fancier keyboard, but they all seem to have something wrong with them, whether it's a patchy connection or a strange key layout, so it didn't seem worth it. I'm looking at , which should be a bright enough colour that I won't lose the case easily if it falls victim to the classic problem known as It's In A Pile...Somewhere. (Then there's its cousin, It's In A Drawer...Somewhere.) It comes with its own micro USB adapter too. I was thinking of a right-angled one, but apparently they stick up the wrong way in a keyboard case, so that seems pointless. Are the bundled USB adapters that come with these cases usually decent? When I was reading reviews of the separate adapters, some were said to be rubbish. I know I already have a cable, but I can just imagine getting to hospital, taking out my tablet to discuss my notes with the consultant, and realising that the adapter cable is still plugged into the Keysonic keyboard on my sewing desk at home.

I gather that you should unplug the cable when you're carrying the keyboard case around, so as not to damage the socket by bashing the protruding cable, and also to be very careful not to let the keyboard fall out of the case. The handy thing about that hard case is that it was packaged in a reasonably sturdy transparent cover that should, with any luck, also fit over the keyboard case, so I could just put it in that as well. It's not as if I'm planning to use the keyboard case at home, after all. The other problem I've heard about is that the clips are lousy and the tablet doesn't usually fit well, but hopefully the gel skin will help with that, and with all the precautions I'm planning to take, I don't think it's likely to be an issue if I'm just typing notes somewhere before wrapping it up carefully and putting it back into my handbag.

One other question: screen protectors. When I was shopping for the tablet, the computer guy at John Lewis said there's no point getting a screen protector unless you have kids or another reason why you're at high-risk of murdering the screen. And I don't. So should I bother? I've never particularly liked the way devices look when they arrive with a screen protector on (nothing fancy, I don't own a smartphone or anything), plus there's the bubble problem, but then I don't know how good screen protectors can get. Something which reduces glare a little would be handy.

[leojurgen]

For keyboard, I think these will work for you. Maybe it can help you. I have the silicone bluetooth one, it is small but the button is easy to click.

[Indigoquilter]

The first one is the one I'm talking about, I just bought it in a different colour. Originally $49.99? On what planet?! The most I've seen them for is about £13, and that's the fancy coloured ones instead of the plain black.

I'm still trying to work out what to do about the hard case. I checked with the seller, and they said they have sent me the right model. I just don't know how much difference it makes that the corners aren't properly protected.

By the way, is it my imagination, or do those silicone skins attract extra dust to the surface of the tablet?

[Minkey1]

Hi Indigo

Can't help too much, but you mentioned John Lewis, so I'm guessing you're in the UK, and there's not too many of us, so wanted to say hello

I have the Poetic case, and like its "sleep" function for the N7.



I registered my tablet with ASUS, and they sent me a 10% code for any accessories. So when they listed the official dock the other day, I went for it....



adding in an official travel case to spread the outrageous £6 delivery charge....



which might be explained by the warehouse being in Germany

I thought the rubber case might do better for travel. If not, at £14.99 less 10% plus its share of shipping, I'd probably get my money back via eBay.

The dock has since gone out of stock.

I too have an OTG cable...



which I'm going to use with this flash drive...



to double the capacity of the N7 without adding much weight to the cable, and the socket. These microdrives are incredibly small. We'll put movies on for holidays (we camp - ooh err missus) and copy off photos from my DSLR as we go. We're in the Dordogne in July - roll on.

Anyhoo, enough rambling, enjoy your new Nexus

Edit;

Sorry, meant to say, I have a screen protector on my phone, and there, I see the need. Didn't see the same need with the tablet, in our domestic situation. Others might have different views.

[Indigoquilter]

Good point about phones needing a screen protector more than tablets do.

I've just removed the silicone skin, as the amount of dust it attracted was driving me bonkers. I finally gave up when I found a hair attached to the screen. Because the edge of the skin comes up above the surface of the tablet, it makes it harder to clean the dust off as well. A blue keyboard case is on its way, and since I hear they tend to be a bit too loose, hopefully the gel skin will be useful there for keeping the tablet firmly within the case, possibly with the help of a bit of stick-on velcro.

The stand, on the other hand, is smashing. I think it does everything a dock will do, as long as you don't mind putting the tablet in upside down in order to leave the ports free, and so far that hasn't been a problem with anything. Unless I'm missing something and the dock also comes with a secondary charger?

As for charging, my main strategy there has been a) to put a nice bit extension lead on before it plugs into the mains (rather than a USB extension lead), so that you're not tethered to being right by a socket when it's charging; and b) to use one of those . I've heard that you shouldn't overcharge the thing, and anyway, I don't want to be wasting energy by constantly putting power into the charger even when it's not being used. So now it charges on the other side of the bed, but thanks to the extension lead I can still get to it from my side of the bed even when it's plugged in.

[Minkey1]

I think you've got all the bases covered here.

Yes, the dock has a secondary micro USB socket for charging. It also has audio out, so for example, when watching our films, we can either plug in a speaker behind, or use a bluetooth speaker. The N7's own speaker isn't its strongest point. What we don't yet know is whether the tablets own sockets are disabled when its sat in the dock. It connects to the dock via those pins (aka pogo pins) on the bottom left side.

[Indigoquilter]

I meant more whether it came with a charging cable and plug? Since I charge my tablet on the other side of the bed, but if I were to keep it docked, it would be on my sewing desk. Right now, if I were to get extra speakers - and the ones I've tried so far didn't come out sounding particularly loud, although in retrospect it was a poor quality audiobook to try them out on, and I know I've used them happily in the past - then I'd have to plug both those and the external keyboard in for putting the tablet on its little stand on my sewing desk, whereas you can just plonk the tablet in your dock and everything will be hooked up without having to faff about with plugging things in. But then I'm not sure I'll be using the speakers at all, it just depends on how the audiobooks turn out, at which point I only have one thing to plug in.

Well, if you put the tablet in the right way up, the sockets will be covered, which is presumably why they've built them into the dock. I imagine quite a lot could be done with a USB hub if needed, either way.

[jrwatson]

I have one of those cheapo keyboard cases. they work fine, but it secures your tablet with crappy metal prongs on the top and bottom--meaning it could slip out at any moment. I did a super-simple DIY by:
1. removing metal prongs (the top one is attached with an elastic underneath, just trim it off)
2. put Nexus 7 in a TPU case. Cover the back of the TPU case in superglue.
3. Place superglue-covered TPU back on the inside of the keyboard case. Cover with a weight (e.g. book) and give it a few hours.

totally secure, no risk of it ever slipping out of the case:

(got it on amazon)

I used this setup for a few months, before moving onto a bluetooth keyboard. Just my two cents: avoid using cables whenever possible. It's just a headache. Like you said, all the OTG adapters that are angled, are angled in the wrong direction. My adapter crapped out on me, to the point where any slight jostle would disconnect the hardware. Which would constantly freeze up my N7. Just invest in a decent bluetooth keyboard, it's worth it. I got an ultra-slim folding bluetooth keyboard, which I can stick in my purse and forget about:


It's the best thing ever, seriously .

Depending on how often you have it out of the house, instead of getting several different cases and a stand, you might as well get a front-flap case with a built-in stand. That way you don't have to constantly take it in and out of cases whenever you leave the house. I have an anti-glare screen protector, because I read with it out of the house; but there is a slightly noticeable degradation in screen quality. I haven't scratched it up, but I really don't mind having the protector on. I think it's a personal choice, so long as you have a front-flap case out of the house you should be fine.

[Indigoquilter]

I won't be taking it out of the house often at all. That keyboard case could end up being used a few times a year, in fact, but when I need it, I'll really need it.

It arrived this morning, minus the stylus (would that have worked anyway?), and looks rather nice. I was lucky enough to get one of the ones where the top prong slides up and down, so it holds the tablet firmly in place. I put the gel case on as well, just to add some extra protection. I've tried shaking it about, and that tablet is firmly wedged in there. For a keyboard case which seems to be essentially the same model being sold all over the places in different colours and at different prices, it does seem to vary a bit.

The function key doesn't seem to work, assuming that I should be pressing it before pressing the Zzz key (useless) or the arrow keys to get Page Up etc. (also showing no signs of working). And for some reason, it doesn't automatically go into sleep mode while plugged in.

It would have been better off with a right-angled connector, actually, because I just checked and it's perfectly happy it you put it in upside down. You can still get to the power key, at least, and I wouldn't be using the volume keys while it was in its case. As it is, there's nowhere for the adapter to go while the case is closed, whereas with an angled one I think I could have left it plugged in, with the case moved towards the other side a little to compensate. Though maybe that would still have been a risk, I don't know.

I'm leaning towards sending the rigid case back, however, since it just doesn't protect the corners. I'm not sure what options this leaves me in terms of having an everyday case for just putting the tablet in my bag when I want to take it out without faffing with the keyboard. Possibly it's time to take a nice piece of fabric and make my own case, but then it would just have padding around it (say a couple of layers of quilt batting), rather than anything rigid. How much protection does a tablet need when it's in a handbag, anyway? It's not a large handbag, so it won't be rattling around. I had to take out the spare fabric carrier bag and rearrange where my wallet went before the keyboard case would consent to fit in, to give you some idea.