The Secret of Communicating with the Nexus 7

The Nexus 7 is the ultimate Android tablet, so making the most out of the device should be a priority for all of its users. The Nexus 7 is ideal for media, games, music, business and the internet, but in this article we look at ways for using your Nexus 7 (and other Android tablets) as a means of communicating with your friends, family and business colleagues. There is an abundance of communication applications available from the Google Play Store, and we are going to look at five of the very best and most useful communication tools for the Android device of your choice. All these applications have been used and tested on a Nexus 7, and each of them performs flawlessly, making one of the best Android tablets even more versatile. If you haven’t already checked it out, be sure to read our official Nexus 7 review.

Tablet Talk

Perhaps the most unique and useful communication program on the Play Store is Tablet Talk. It’s a program that allows you to tether your Nexus 7 to your mobile phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and receive and send text messages from your tablet, as well as make actual telephone calls. This is quite interesting as it means that you can keep your phone in the room, but access it from the tablet. So, while surfing the net or using the tablet to do something else, you don’t have to worry about holding your mobile phone as well.

It’s a unique approach, and one that is ideally used for SMS messages. Of course, the only down-side is that you need to have your Android mobile phone in a near-by area with you, so it kind of defeats the purpose of a full-blown alternative communication device via your tablet. Other than that, for a small sum you can download this and I’m sure some people will find a use for it.

Skype

Skype is a wonderful program and looks sleek and works well on the Nexus 7. As long as friends, relatives or business associates have Skype installed on their PCs or tablets, you can engage with them in numerous ways, and best of all free of charge!

Skype voice lets you make voice calls, the quality of which depends on your internet speed, but is generally of a very high standard, while Skype video allows you to have free video calls with the people you are talking to. As far as sound and picture quality, Skype on a tablet seems to work well even with lower bandwidth, and is by far my referred method of communication on business calls as the whole system seems very robust. There is also a messaging service on Skype that allows you to send Instant Messages to people in your friends lists. Once again, thanks to the Nexus 7’s fantastic virtual keyboard, the messaging service works extremely well especially when done on a tablet.

Google+

Google has their own social network site that is well over-shadowed by the likes of Facebook and Twitter. On the Nexus 7, Google+ looks stunning, and probably has one of the best layouts seen in any social network application. One really has to think that this is the way that the folks at Google envisioned people interacting with their service. The one feature that Google+ offers that really sets it apart for communication is Google Hangouts, a video chat feature which allows you and up to 9 friends to chat together in a virtual hangout. This new Google technology proves to be very entertaining and seems to work very well on a tablet.

Of course Google+ also has a messenger service which is as good as the other services, it’s just a shame that not so many people seem to use Google+ as compared to the other social network sites.

Facebook Messenger

Facebook has an app on Android that can be best described as average at best. As good as Facebook is for social networking, you’d think they could get the Android app working and stop updating it every week or so.

With Facebook Messenger though they have got things right, and as a communication tool on your Nexus 7 it’s invaluable. It’s one of those apps that just works and works well, as well as looking good. With Facebook messenger you can chat to just the one friend, or start a group conversation. As far as must-download apps go, Facebook Messenger for Android is one of them if you ever use Facebook.

eBuddy

No social media user would be complete without a messenger service that allows you to keep contact with numerous different accounts at once. eBuddy Messenger is one of the best that is out there, and works like a dream on the Nexus 7.

eBuddy allows you to chat on MSN, Facebook, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, GTalk, MySpace & Hyves accounts, meaning that most people are covered with their social network. eBuddy runs in the background and keeps things all in one place, perfect for those who enjoy instant messaging day in and day out.

Final Thoughts

Tablets have a lot more uses than many people give them credit for. They’ve not overtaken PC sales for no reason, and hopefully you can learn to do more with your tablet than just play games or visit the internet. The Nexus 7 excels in all areas that can be thrown at it, so why not give communication with the device a chance?