GPS, NFC tags, screen issues, fast charging?

[MojaveHigh]

I'm this close to going with a Nexus 7, but have a couple questions.

With my phone, I use GPS apps to track my location on road trips and around town. I also use Maps with GPS. With no data connection on the road, I wouldn't be able to use Maps, but there should be no problem with GPS apps to log trips, right? I'm not sure this is a big deal to me, but it would be nice.

I'm new to NFC. The specs say NFC (Android Beam). Is that just a Google brand name for NFC? Is there anything I can't do with the Nexus 7 that I could do with other NFC-enabled devices? I primarily want to buy programmable NFC tags (as found on Amazon) that I can place in different rooms and my car to do nifty cool things.

Have the loose screen and other hardware issues been fixed? Is it safer to buy via Google rather than a bricks and mortar store to make sure I get a device that has the glitches fixed?

Finally, does the Nexus 7 charge via 2.1A or 1A? I haven't seen anything in the specs about that, but I assume with a 4300+mAh battery, it would have to be 2.1.

Thanks!

 

[dralezero]

You can cache areas on Google maps and setup the directions while on WiFi, but off WiFi it starts going weird for me and also doesn't named the streets just says turn left, turn right.

For GPS tracking, I guess it depends on how the app works. I never used those programs. Whether it just plots your points on top of cached Google maps or simply keeps record of the coords to load on a map when on WiFi.

You could turn off the mobile data and wifi on your phone. Roam about and see what the capabilities are with your apps.