Nexus 9: 4:3 what's so bad?

[mavrrick]

4:3 is certainly the preferred ratio to reproduce printed content like books and magazines. Internet content uses CSS to format the content. Often it is written to take advantage of the extra screen area. So I call bs on that. Web pages will use them both well. Movie content is what is taking the biggest hit. A movie one the nexus 9 maybe as small as what it would be on the old n7 because of the screen.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Michael Maloney1]

why is is horrible in portait mode. my favorite way is portrait mode i have have no issues i love it. what is so bad about 16:9 in portrait?

 

[Michael Maloney1]

how will apps be affected since most android tablets are 16:9 and buying a nexus 9 and playing my fav games like boom beach or clash of clans? will the have bars or will they be zoomed in and slighty distorted or will it automaticlly format or fit?

 

[Lok52]

why is is horrible in portait mode. my favorite way is portrait mode i have have no issues i love it. what is so bad about 16:9 in portrait?

When reading text or looking at images, it's skinny and harder to see.

how will apps be affected since most android tablets are 16:9 and buying a nexus 9 and playing my fav games like boom beach or clash of clans? will the have bars or will they be zoomed in and slighty distorted or will it automaticlly format or fit?

Depends entirely on how the app designers handled this. The Android SDK has provisions for automatically scaling to screen size, but that doesn't mean the provisions were used.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Alex Dunlop]

Basically what this boils down to is this. Google have for many years wanted to kill the Ipad. They brought out the original nexus 7 to beat the iPad mini. So the nexus 9 (which I have) is set to beat the iPad air 2, even though google said it wasn't meant to. Copying the aspect ratio form the iPad is a good move. I like the 4:3 aspect ratio, It's fun, I do admit that the aspect ratio is rubbish for video. If you train your brain it will get used to it. Even on my 49 in TV I still get letterboxing and the only way to stop it is to over stretch. Its not the nexus 9's fault, but yet the cinemas and film makers. If they didn't work to that standard we would all be happy.

 

[LinuxWeather]

I find that even when I want to watch movies I stream it through Chromecast to my TV. Couple that with Bluetooth speakers for music or headphones, the screen and speakers then tend to be more important for web browsing or apps. As stated, 4:3 is better for this, so I am a fan of the move as well.

For those that may solely use their tablet for movies natively streamed, or music natively played, the N9 may annoy them somewhat if they're used to 16:9 or "boom sound" ... It's just a matter of use case per user, however I tend to think the majority of use is web/app consumption hence the move.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[44Stretch]

I agree the Nexus 9 is meant to compete with iPad. However, the original Nexus 7 was released six months before the ipad mini, the mini was a response to Google. Also, I too love the 4:3 of the N9 and don't think I'll go back.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[callihan_44]

Any 16:9 tablet over 8" feels odd in portrait mode to me so for tablets over that size 4:3 feels more natural . I have the shield tab and it is ok in portrait but i find myself using it in landscape mostly

 

[realpariah]

WHAT'S SOO BAD?! You realize 4:3 is the OLD CRT TV and monitor standard everything has moved AWAY FROM right?? All media has been moved from 4:3 to 16:9. If you do not utilize a ratio that accommodates this then most of everything you do that does not have a specifically 4:3 ratio will have black bars (or missing screen realestate) on the top and bottom. You will hardly ever be able to utilize the full screen unless you use some form of scaling or stretching to fill the screen (which Android to date only does really for HDMI connections in it's settings). Especially when you go to stream movies or TV you will be quite upset that your brand new spiffy tablet can not natively fill the screen and that everything looks stretched. Talk about the worst design decision ever made. Android should stop trying to copy Apple all the time and continue to be their own company instead. I for one was debating buying a Nexus 9, but now I will specifically avoid it. I can't believe that on top of that they are just going to stop production of the Nexus 7 version 2 [not the original 7 the newer one with better sound better case better display etc.) I am voting with my wallet and letting these companies know they can not just willy nilly buck standards EVERYONE else has adopted and expect me to continue to pay these ballooning exorbitant prices on their devices just because they are new and the company says they are better. Shoot I am a computer/smart phone junkie and still use a Samsung T-Mobile S2 (T989) and have Android 5.1 installed and running fine with all the newer apps and all I install it still runs even better than it did in Jellybean (4.4.4) yet another example of how something that works more than fine being phased out in an attempt to force me to buy a new device just because they wish to make more short term profits and are not really interested in what's best for a consumer). I know I am getting a little winded here, but I am getting tired of this trend of extremely expensive crap devices being sold to me as better because they are newer.

 

[Aquila]

However, the original Nexus 7 was released six months before the ipad mini, the mini was a response to Google.

It takes way more than 6 months to design, create, build, set up manufacturing and sales channels and release a new device. I've heard some OEM's have been able to slim aspects of that process to under 12 months, but quickly responding to the release of another device, in any way other than simple tweaks to a device you're already almost done with, is almost not an option at all.

 

[maxburn]

I like 4:3 on just about any computing device, much more suitable for working with apps and Web browsing. My TV is 16:9 for viewing media but it isn't ideal for everything else.

 

[75911]

I like 4:3 on just about any computing device, much more suitable for working with apps and Web browsing. My TV is 16:9 for viewing media but it isn't ideal for everything else.

Agreed

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Lok52]

Agreed

Posted via the Android Central App

Same here. I mostly stream Hulu and Netflix on my N9 when I'm on the road and have no problem. It looks & sounds great, and is easier to use when I do browse the Web.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[jerrykur]

I like 4:3 on just about any computing device, much more suitable for working with apps and Web browsing. My TV is 16:9 for viewing media but it isn't ideal for everything else.

I wish computer monitors would go back to 4:3. I find that ratio (or something like it) much better for reading web pages, developing software, or anything other than media consumption.

 

[maxburn]

I wish computer monitors would go back to 4:3. I find that ratio (or something like it) much better for reading web pages, developing software, or anything other than media consumption.

Even better, I saw some monitors coming out in 1:1 1900x1900 somewhere recently. That got my interest.