Google Android 1.6

Kopite73

Trying to be moneysaving, I recently bought a secondhand Google Android 1.6 tablet for my wife. It's intended to be an early Xmas present and I want to set it up for her as much as possible.

So far it's driving me nuts and I can now well understand why the person I bought it from wanted to get rid of it (hence the good price I got !). It appears to have been barely used and so there's nothing downloaded / installed on it already.

I'm personally far more used to iPhones and don't know a great deal about the Android O/S. Can someone please tell me how I can download / install the market app ? And from there, Facebook etc?
Having tried and failed, the internet searches I've done seem to suggest that it's because the tablet has Android 1.6 instead of 2.2....:question: Can this be updated too ? And how ?
Thanks,
Pete

Lucero_2

Hi, what Tablet is it?

Android 1.6 is now confined to the acrhives of history. For a tablet, you'd want at least 2.1 (2.2 better). Depending on the model, you might find that Googles new Android relase (IceCreamSandwich (ICS)) is portable too.

Lets get the make and model first, then we'll go from there.

The principle is easy enough. You get a .RUU (rom file) from Google (of the tablets manufacturer) and "flash" it to the tablet.

Kopite73

I don't have it here with me at the mo (I'm at work) but from memory, I can't recall seeing any make on it.... "MID" is written on the back of the tablet and the box gives Maplin as the website.

Lucero_2

Ahh, it's one of "those" tablets

You'll need to know the manfacturer at least (I assume MID). I'm not aware of Maplins making their own one, but they obviously do stock some unknown brand types. If you can find out (anything), then that will be a start.

Kopite73

Great, I have a feeling my "bargain" has now turned out to be a rather expensive paperweight !!

Thanks for your help Lucero, I will try and find some more info and get back to you.

boxst

Not all Android tablets are the same. In theory if you write the operating system of 'your' tablet properly you leave the underlying Android layer alone and just abstract your own functionality, use standard API's for touching the screen etc... When Google release a new version of Android it is then relatively easy to update the underlying operating system without too much work apart from (hopefully) just testing it. It still lags behind a little, but not too much.

Most of the cheap tablets took Android as a base then hacked about with it. So when a new version of Android comes around they have to completely hack it again. They usually don't bother, so whatever version of Android have you are stuck with.

Lucero_2

Dont write it off yet. The thing is, to upgrade, you really need to ensure the hardward of the unit supports the later versions of Android. If there is some specific manufacturer name / model you can find, then we'll see. Even Android 2.1 will make it feel a million times better and has the market, etc.

Lucero_2

If you "google" MID tablet, and look at imges, can you recognise it?

Lurkio

Try going to Modaco. What they don't know about android isn't worth knowing IMO

I have flashed my phone and my tablet with custom ROMs successfully using the instructions from there

Good luck

Kopite73

This looks very much like it... http://www.maplin.co.uk/bgrade-7-inch-android-wi-fi-touch-screen-tablet-478414
I've downloaded the "latest firmware update" mentioned on that page and will give it a try tonight.

Lucero_2

Kopite73 wrote: »

This looks very much like it... http://www.maplin.co.uk/bgrade-7-inch-android-wi-fi-touch-screen-tablet-478414
I've downloaded the "latest firmware update" mentioned on that page and will give it a try tonight.

The size of that file is certainly accurate for a ROM size, I just don't know what version it is. I'll see what I can find out. It's definately a MID tablet.