Some Nexus 7 Already Plagued With Hardware Problems

If the inability to meet consumer demand at launch wasn't bad enough for Google's first-party entry into the Android tablet sector, many consumers lucky enough to have already received their Nexus 7 tablets are now reporting manufacturing defects. For the "thousands" of customers still waiting on the front porch for their coveted Nexus 7 tablet, take heed to the following report.

For the record, the Nexus 7 unit we covered earlier this week currently does not have the reported issues. However many owners are complaining that their tablets' displays have begun to come apart from the bezel -- the adhesive seemingly isn't working correctly. Affected users are thus complaining to Google but are having difficulties getting anything resolved.

That said, a do-it-yourself technique has appeared online via the XDA-Developers forum. Yet as of this writing, it states that people are reporting that after a few hours, the separation issue has returned, thus it's assumed that something else is the cause other than bad adhesive.

"So rather than sending back my Nexus 7, I decided to give something a try," states the DIY's author. "I removed the back casing, which is very easy to do. I used a small flat screwdriver where the "leather" meets the plastic and gently wedged it in. The case popped right open and was easily removed. I then tightened all of the small Phillips screws around the outside of the board on the back of the screen. This immediately cleared up the creakiness and play that i was experiencing on the left side of the screen. I tightened all screws and not just the ones on the left side."

The step-by-step instructions can be found here, yet be extremely careful. As this user discovered, the screen can crack if stressed when putting the tablet back together. That said, it's probably not a good idea to take the tablet apart, and simply return it for a new unit.

The second issue with the Nexus 7 is dead pixels. Owners are reporting that these black spots appeared after first boot, or shortly thereafter. Obviously there's no real fix for that, so customers who purchased the tablet directly from Google will find info on returns and exchanges here. The company will ask affected users to contact device support here.

According to Google's returns page, customers only have 15 days to send it back. As for those who purchased the tablet from Staples, GameStop and other retail outlets, take it back and exchange it for a new one before the 30-day return window expires. Then again, retailers are having a hard time keeping these tablets in stock even for those who pre-ordered the device, so it's no wonder owners are taking matters into their own hands.

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