I've lost my tablet mind

[susandennis]

I enjoy my Android tablets and have a bunch* but always seem to need/want more. I have a very functional Nexus 7 and found another online for dirt cheap so I bought it. But, discovered that it does not upgrade well. The new version on Android makes it so slow it's unusable.

This morning I rooted it so that I could install the old operating system on it. It was a really dicey proposition and I had no idea what I was doing. The recipe I was following was also old and there were more than a handful of weird messages. Finally it ended up in a state that looked like it was unrecoverable. I clicked on a few random things and one of them turned out to be Android Narcan because it not only sprang to life, it sprang with the operating system I was trying to install!

So it's working but who knows for how long.

I was on a giant cheap Amazon Fire kick for a while and once you get them set up the way you want and don't ask for much, they work pretty well. For instance, I have one of them ($30) installed above the sewing machine. I use it to watch videos and podcasts (audio and video) and it works great.

But, they are dogs when it comes to doing other simple things like surfing for stuff. And they hate Google.

So, yesterday I found and ordered up a 10" Lenovo tablet that was too cheap to believe. I figured it was a dud and I'd be sending it back. Minutes after I finished the above root, I got the text that the Lenovo was here.

Long story short, the Lenovo is VERY EXCELLENT! If anyone is needing a nice, large tablet right now and wants Android, this is an amazing deal. $170. Bit, pretty and really snappy. I can't send it back.

Hopefully, old tablet lady won't adopt the negative cache of old cat lady.

*So what the hell do you do with them all??? Well, in addition to watching stuff in the sewing room... I also have another one in there for displaying pattern instructions and looking up sewing stuff. I have one in the bedroom that I use to play games on while I listen to my audio books before I go to sleep every night. I have one (of the cheapo Amazon's) in the bathroom - not proud but it does come in handy. I have one in the kitchen for reference and when I want to keep instructions open. In the living room, I have one on the dining table that I use to read Kindle books and magazines while I eat. I have one by my chair with a continual backgammon game on it. And another one by my chair for knitting and crochet instructions. And when both of those are busy, there's a really old cheap Amazon one that I use cast the condo's next cams. Could I consolidate/share? Sure. But, I don't wanna.

Comments

[kristy.livejournal.com]

I love collecting various sizes of tablets & even still have cell phones from years ago, sitting in a bag.

[susandennis]

OMG it's another Tablet Lady!!! I actually only have one saved oldie phone - a flip phone that I hope will come back :). I have one of the candy bar kind but it's still active - I have it on a $3 a month plan on T-Mobile for backup/justincase/emergencies.

[kristy.livejournal.com]

Indeed, Im a tablet lady!! I recently ordered a new Asus ZenPad 8". It looks great & has many good reviews.

Thats a great price for an emergancy phone plan!

[susandennis]

It's the one on the far right - Pay as you Go.

https://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/simply-prepaid

I slug in $30 every 10 months. I've never actually used it to make or receive a call BUT I do sometimes give out the number to places I don't want to ever get a call from (I'm looking at you, Humana).

Mainly it's just here... just in case. Kind of like a 'husband's phone' but without the hassle of the husband.

[kristy.livejournal.com]

Ooo..thank you for the link! I'll check it out!

I like that term, "husbands phone."

:)

[kristy.livejournal.com]

Ooo..thank you for the link! I'll check it out!

I like that term, "husbands phone."

:)

[xina-g.livejournal.com]

And here I thought I was the only one with tablets every where. XD I have an old iPad for watching things in the bath (also a Kindle Oasis for when I want to read with out internet distractions), another larger one in my craft space for looking things up as I am creating, and a Galaxy Tab A for regular reading and browsing.
I have a Kindle Fire too! I got it to try, and was sad because it was so slow. I was just going to get rid of it, but I like your ideas so I may hang onto it for a bit longer and see what happens.

[susandennis]

Oh! we're getting a group together!! I forgot about the Kindle Paperwhite which I always intent to use and just never do.

[xina-g.livejournal.com]

*lol* Sweet. And omg yeah, I have a kindle keyboard and a paperwhite sitting on a a shelf being neglected XD

[coffeeguy777.livejournal.com]

Time for a Ipad 🍎

[susandennis]

I actually stood in line at the Apple store on the day the first iPads went on sale. You had to install iTunes on a computer and hook it up with a cable. I hated iTunes with a passion. It didn't take long for me to get an iPad divorce. Never looked back.

[howeird]

Before I preach to the chorus, did you root the device using the "hit enter on the build number until you get developer access" or some other way? And do you use "adb"?

[susandennis]

I always go for developer options because, at least since lollipop, there's some trick or something in there that I'll use.

I used adb.exe to lay the groundwork for flashing a previous version - like I did - lollipop to kitkat. And you need USB debugging to use adb effectively. And USB debugging is only found in the developer option.

So, to answer your question... I used both.

[howeird]

I'm impressed. I do this on Android devices several times a week, and was all set to give you some pointers, but you have it all down.

[susandennis]

Nice of you to offer. It was my first time but it worked and now the old tablet is young again.

[mdlbear]

Most of my pile of tablets and laptops is still in boxes after the last move.

The Lenovo tablets pack in a lot of awesome for the price.

[susandennis]

I'm not sure why Lenovo tablets have escaped my clutches before this but I'm totally impressed with this one. And you are sure right about the price.

[mckavian.livejournal.com]

I have myself a Amazon/Kendel Fire and I have to say that I am less than impressed with it. It defiantly hates customizing it. It refuses to see all of my books that I did not get through kendle. Cannot load Cool Reader, firefox, k-lite codec packs, anything not on the amazon app list.

When it *does* work - it's fecken BEAUTIFUL. I just watched John Wick 2 on it and it was near perfect.

Maybe I should get that Lenovo and keep the fire as a backup.

[mhaithaca.livejournal.com]

I was more impressed than I expected to be with the old Fire, but I also don't demand much of it. I read books and use the New York Times app and not much else. I don't think the Fire HD is any more powerful, but the screen is noticeably better.

My iPad Air 2 is years old and is still meeting all of my other tablet needs! I grabbed a couple of the WebOS tablets when HP discontinued them, and wiped one and put Android on it so I could play, but I decided I really preferred the iOS interface. Other than that, the cheapo Android phone I got from FreedomPop and the minimalist interface of the Fire will do for now.