The Zenfone 2 - The dream that was Nexus

Many of us are extremely disappointed with the price-point of the new Nexus line up.  Premium price is not what we pure google-ists are looking for.  But that's all easy to look over now.

Welcome to the Asus Zenfone 2.  Every other blog focuses on the specs - and rightly so.  The specs are beautiful.  A premium phone.  Cutting edge tech, cutting edge camera, sd slot, dual sim capable, great battery, dpi, and screen size.  But what makes it different from the competition besides the camera, and the professional Flash accessory?

The Price.

This phone beats even the Nexus 5 and 4 for price point.  Averaging around $200, the different models of Zenfone 2 are starter-phone priced.  How? I don't know.  But as a youth pastor, wanting to have nice tech, but attempting to be wise with investments, this seems to be the shining star.

It seems that the old saying "you get what you pay for" is not true in this case.  You are getting premium specs for very little.  Even my non-tech wife wants it.

Using Old Google Gadgets

It's always tempting to get the latest Google tech.  But what about those of us who can't afford the newest? How does the old tech hold up?

I am currently using the Nexus 4, Nexus 7 (2012), and the Samsung Chromebook as a youth pastor.  Quite frankly, 2 out of 3 are still running with the big boys.

This is a concise review of older tech.  For those who don't need the best, but want good.

The Nexus 4

The N4 just got it's Lollipop update, and it holds up to the best of them! Just download the Google Now Launcher from Google, and your phone is going to last you a few more years.  The N4 also works with wireless charging, and if you root, you can get LTE.  The screen is still very high quality looking, and the battery (seems) to run a lot longer since 5.0.  Why update?  For a bigger screen or fingerprint scanner? No Thanks!

Bottom Line: This phone may be coming up on three years old, but it still plays with the grown-ups.

The Nexus 7 (2012)

The N7, having come out at the same time as the N4, was a great device.  But it has signs of aging.  Yes, it gets it's Lollipop, but Lollipop and the first gen N7 do not get along.  It lags right out of the gate.  The Google Now Launcher is slow.  I've read that this is because of a bad SD storage setup.  But really... why even put out Lollipop for it?  It was showing its age before the update, and it just shows more.  Battery life is good.  And the 2013 version holds strong.  Very strong.

Bottom Line: This tablet is old.  If you are going to do anything beyond having a glorified e-reader, it's time to upgrade.

The Samsung Chromebook

Out of the gate, this Chromebook set the standard for cheap Chromebooks. It had good battery life, great screen, and was fast.  And it still is.  I do my photo editing on it, as well as basically anything I want to (less high end video).  This Chromebook, though a couple years old, can still be bought in stores, and if you find a smoking deal, buy it.  But there are current gen Chromebooks for $200-250 that have better specs.

The Bottom Line: The Samsung Chromebook is a great computer, and it will be for some time to come.

All Together

Unfortunately Chromebooks are irritating when it comes to communicating between it and mobile devices.  But this is workable.  AirDroid is a phenomenal app that allows for this over WiFi.  Also, LyricsPro for Android is great lyrics presentation software for those who need a cheap way to present lyrics and hate PowerPoint.  The N4 and the Samsung Chromebook are still solid devices for those of us who can't afford upgrades every year.  The N7(2012) is no longer a contender.  If you have it, I am sorry.  I keep mine because all I use it for is preaching.  But if you actively use your tablet, don't use this one.  It will just irritate you.