I just bought a Google Nexus 7 32GB wifi + 3G (mobile data). I bought the device without going into the details of all the terms & conditions, having confidence that the android tablet will most certainly be able to do everything that I expect it to do.
To my utter surprise I found that even though I took a new 3G data plan for this device, the nexus tablet didn't allow me to tether or create a WiFi hotspot. I read online that if I 'root' the device and go through ten hoops, then it's possible to setup a hotspot. So that means that the device is capable of providing hotspot features, but supposedly 'Google' has disabled those APIs. This is what I've found:
Google has hidden some methods from the class WifiManager. Specifically, the method setWifiApEnabled.<p>It just boggles my mind and it is infuriating to me as a technical user that Google has chosen to 'hide' certain APIs from its android tablet.<p>My basic economic issue is this- I pay monthly $35 for home broadband, $10 for an internet plan on my cellphone, $15 for an internet USB stick for my laptop and now $15 for a 3G data plan for my tablet. My plan was to take the 3G data plan on my android tablet and eliminate the monthly expense of $25 from my cellphone and internet USB stick. I know that technically this is possible using my android tablet.<p>The only logical explanation I could make why Google chose to disable certain APIs was that they didn't care about what technology could accomplish or f*#@k!ng the end user (and making them pay more) as long as their collusion with the large telecom operators stayed intact.<p>For me this was yet another reason to confirm my suspicion that Google is now just another corporation out there to cede to the demands of big telecom corporates and big governments at the expense of doing what is right for people and what is right for technology. A sad day indeed for Google users.
This is not Google, it is your phone company. You are describing a common practice and it does not matter if the phone OS is Google, Apple or MS.<p>If you don't want to jump through hoops to root your phone, you can pay full price for it.
You don't have to root your device. In all probability, your Nexus 7 supports tethering, but your 3G plan may not.<p>I've got a Nexus 4 running the same version of Android as you, using T-Mobile's $30/month plan (unlimited data, 100 minutes/month talk) and my laptop can connect to my phone via WiFi easily, but my plan won't let the laptop connect to the Internet--that's another $15/month.<p><i>I bought the device without going into the details of all the terms & conditions</i><p>Perhaps you should do that.
I tether data using WiFi out of my Nexus devices regularly. Your phone company is restricting it. I am kinda feeling bad for you though as you took so much effort to type out a large rant.