When you think of a doctor using a smartphone or tablet in the examination or operating room, the first device that probably comes to mind is an iPhone or iPad. Most medical professionals today use Apple iOS devices for viewing health records and other key day-to-day functions.
When you think of a doctor using a smartphone or tablet in the examination or operating room, the first device that probably comes to mind is an iPhone or iPad. Most medical professionals today use Apple iOS devices for viewing health records and other key day-to-day functions.
But medical professionals now have a choice, with the introduction of Google’s Nexus 7 tablet. Unlike other Android tablets, the Nexus 7 doesn’t feel cheap in the palm of your hands. But it is priced at just $200, compared to an iPad that starts at $500.
Because its screen is seven inches, compared to the 10-inch screen of an iPad, the Nexus 7 has some key advantages. First, it fits comfortably in a doctor’s white coat or ER scrub pant pockets, making it easily portable. At just .74 pounds, it’s very lightweight compared to the 1.4-pound iPad.
All essential medical apps are available on the Nexus 7 through its Google Play App Store, including Medscape, Epocrates and Micromedex for medical and prescription drug reference, and Dropbox and Evernote for cloud storage.
While the Google Nexus 7 may not have all the iPad’s bells and whistles, such as a rear-facing camera or access to the iTunes App Store, it is an inexpensive, smooth alternative for technology-advanced physicians within your hospital.