This afternoon we went to PC World to buy my wife's Christmas present - a new tablet computer, the Google Nexus 7.
We looked around the bench with the tablet computers but didn't see one, so we asked a salesman. He said he'd get one of his colleagues, who owned a Nexus, to demonstrate. A young lad was summoned, smart, keen, big smile. We're off to a good start.
He switched on the Nexus. We hadn't noticed it because it was set for the screen to go dark. It looked dead - as in not working. But it did come to life. Mr Enthusiasm says, "It's a great device, it's got virtually everything you'd need".
"Except a camera". Wife looks disappointed, and puzzled.
"Will it do Skype?" she says. "Yes" he replies. How? With the camera on the front. So why did you say it didn't have a camera. Because it doesn't have a rear facing camera, to take photos. You can't take photos with this camera? No, it's a webcam.
At this point it's beginning to go badly.
"Will it do email?" Yes, he says both Gmail and you can add another account; or you can access it via a web interface.
"Dropbox?" Yes, you can download that via Play. And we're off into an explanation of Play being actually work. Play is searched, but up comes a nag notice, the unit wants to upgrade from 4.1 to 4.2. Dropbox cannot be found, Play doesn't respond. Why is this happening? So the poor lad tries to explain that 4.2 is better than 4.1 but they haven't upgraded in the store. My wife is deeply suspicious? Just upgrade the damn thing and let us get on with it. Or maybe the new one is worse than the old one, suspicions are aroused.
Sensing himself to be on a loser he makes his excuses and leaves. We find the web browser and try to log into www.podserve.co.uk. First, the screen is being presented in portrait mode with relatively small keys. Salesman bobs back to say its supposed to be used that way. Wife not happy, so he lifts it out of the mount snd turns it landscape, gives it to my wife, scoots off.
"It weighs a ton". Which it does, because its stuck to some stupid anti theft device. We realise in real life it will be lighter, but how much. My wife would like a case that holds the unit, landscape, at 45 degrees. Lad is whistled up - do you have a case that will do that? No, just wallet style cases. He's firmly sent away, this is bad. I know my wife, the sale is lost.
We try to browse the web. Nexus will not browse the web. Enter a URL and it just sits there. Unless its nagging you to upgrade to 4.2. In a few seconds my wife, who had gone in to buy a Nexus, has decided its too heavy, the keyboard doesn't want to work portrait, it doesn't have a decent case, it won't surf the web. Where's the exit?
So, Mr PC World, if you're reading this; Mr Google too; here's what you need to do.
Upgrade the damn thing to 4.2. Remove that stupid shackle or at least have one available to try (under supervision). If you're going to sell web browsing tablets have an instore internet connection that supports the devices you have in store. One about the power of my home BT connection should do it. And offer a range of cases, including one that will hold the unit at a decent angle.
