Nexus 7 supports USB-OTG?

[--MasseySian--]

I purchased a Nexus 7 four days back and I have started using it. I have filled my new Nexus 7 with many apps, music files, video files and many other such data file. I have the 16 GB version of Nexus 7 with me and with all the data that I have mentioned, filled in it, I have almost exhausted 14 GB of the total memory space. I wanted to know that since there is no slot for MicroSD memory card in this tablet, how I will be able to access the data from storage devices other than the ones that use cloud services. Doesn’t Nexus 7 have USB-OTG support?

[Bala Murugan S]

I know many people have the same doubt and query as you are asking right now. Everybody wants to know if there is any other way of accessing external data other than the one on cloud servers or cloud drives. It is obvious that Nexus 7 doesn’t have slot for MicroSD memory card and thus having an external storage is an impossible in direct manner. But many people are asking that if it is possible to connect a USB pen drive or portable drives to Nexus 7 using the USB-OTG cable. I suppose Nexus 7 must be supporting it as it has hardware powerful enough to accept an external drive. Maybe it will restrict the drive size up to 2 GB or maybe maximum up to 4 GB.

[HamsiniI]

I researched about the USB port that is available in Nexus 7 and found that it can only supply power up to 3.3V. So I think that connecting a USB pen drive or any other such mass storage device will be useless as at 3.3 V, I don’t think that even a pen drive of capacity 1 GB will get initialized. If any mass storage device which has an external power supply is available then we can try connecting it to the Nexus 7. But another problem is that I don’t know exactly how much flow of power can Nexus 7 endures. It might happen that Nexus 7 might crash while data write process as it needs large amount of power to be performed.

[Omanand]

I don’t know if the method in my mind will work or not, but it can be experimented to test once. A hub of power supply can be connected to the USB-OTG cable so that neither Nexus 7 will need to spend its power as well as the USB drive will get required power. I am thinking of building one such power supplier. But from my electronics engineering experience, I can say that whatever device comes out of this experiment, its size won’t be small. It might be somewhere near a basic mobile phone. So again this will be disadvantageous. Even if such device comes into existence, its use would be limited to home use only. Carrying it to workplace or transferring data while in train or coffee shop will become problematic.

[Samaria]

Another solution is possible for accessing external data, but it doesn’t involve direct hard connections between Nexus 7 and the storage device. You can use Seagate Satellite which comes up to the size of 500 GB. It has an internal serer and Wi-Fi access point in it. So you can use it to store your data and you can carry this drive along with you in your bag or purse. So even if you are travelling in a car, plane or submarine, you will have data along with you. This Seagate Satellite has battery life of 6 to 7 hours. It might change depending upon the type of data you’re accessing on it. Another such drive which can be useful is the Kensington Wi-Drive, but it has a low battery life.

[dkbose]

You can use Seagate Satellite which comes up to the size of 500 GB. It has an internal serer and Wi-Fi access point in it.

Using Seagate Satellite or Kensington Wi-Drive is a good idea. But since we need portability, I think Kensington Wi-Drive will be better over Seagate Satellite. Kensington Wi-Drive is smaller in size as compared to Seagate Satellite and also light in weight. So carrying it around in a bag will be comfortable. But major problem about Kensington Wi-Drive is that it comes only up to the storage capacity of 64 GB while Seagate Satellite comes up to storage capacity of 500 GB.

If prices are compared, then Seagate Satellite is quite cheaper than Kensington Wi-Drive. Last time I saw their prices, Kensington Wi-Drive of capacity 32 GB was priced at $85 and the one with capacity of 64 GB was priced at $180. While the price of Seagate Satellite with storage capacity of 500 GB was priced at $150.

[Kork]

I hope that Google brings out some solution to this problem and provides some hardware to have an external storage device connected to the Nexus 7. I am ready to spend more $25 to $30 to get some extra hardware that will provide support for external storage. Also Google should see to it that they provide support for external storage or maybe increase the size of the internal storage itself.