Choosing A Tablet

[thaigold]

Wait till after the holidays and the new Apple Mini Pad and the MS Surface have been released, reviewed, and discounted.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I'm a long time MS products user. But right now, I wouldn't be a MS surface tablet buyer. The tablet hasn't even been released yet, and even when it is, will be a long way behind the IOS and Android OSs in terms of development and support.

A good technology rule for the average user is to never buy anything that's the first-ever product of something. They often end up having various kinds of problems, and it usually takes the second or third update or interation before the various hardware or software bugs get worked out.

Also, MS has just announced the intended pricing for their Surface tablets, and they're pretty much in line with Apple IPad models. Maybe I'm wrong, but I suspect it will take some time before the Surface products begin to be discounted to the same extent that current Android tablets are, given the Android market has considerably more model and brand competition.

[Pib]

I think there are a couple of important things here...

1. Being an Android tablet is NOT the same as being (I'm not sure of the correct term here) Google licensed/certified for the full range of Google apps... Pib alluded to this above. A lot of the cheap Chinese or similar brand tablets run Android, but don't have the range of real Google apps and won't have full access to the Google Play store's huge range of apps. More brand name tablets from makers like ASUS, Samsung and others will have all the Google apps and full access to the Google Play store's hundreds of thousands of apps. That could be particularly important for the OP, if he's looking to find/use apps suited for a potentially autistic child.

Here the Google Link that lists the devices supported for use with Google Play. I see that my Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 (GT-I8160) smartphone is on the list.

Of course, just being on this list doesn't mean every App on Google Play will be coded as compatible with your smartphone/tablet and down-loadable from Google Play if App is restricted in certain countries/regions like Google Earth & Google Voice because Google Play reads the Android country code in your phone's firmware. The country code for Thailand is DC which you can see in the Android baseband, kernel and build versions under Settings, About Phone. And it don't matter if you do log-on via VPN which gives you another country's IP address, you still can't download the App because Google Play reads your phone's country code info whether logged with or without VPN. And it wouldn't make a difference even if you were say in the U.S., you still couldn't download certain App from Google Play since Google Play sees your phone country coded coded into your phone's firmware. I guess a person would need to load a modified firmware ROM which uses another country code.

I've googled this country code problem and see there are some browser add-ons/programs out there where you can logon onto Google Play with your laptop, run this program/browser add-on which supposedly fools Google Play and allows you to download the program as an APK. Then you can transfer the APK to your phone and install it. To use the program/browser add-on you must enter your Google Play account User ID and Password into the Add-on which so far I'm leary of doing....but hey, I install App everyday that get all kinds of permissions and some even use my Google account info.

can be downloaded from Google

[roban]

I have two cheap Android tablets and both have full google play store access.

As PiB mentioned, some apps are "geo-restricted". But you can change the country code in the "build.prop" file, if you have root access.

Otherwise you can use the app "market-enabler" for full access....

PS: I would recommend the Google Nexus 7" too.

BUT: no HDMI output => absolutely showstopper for me.

[dddave]

As I mentioned in my previous post, I took my ONDA Vi40 on 2 separate trips to the USA and several countries in the EU. I used the tablet extensively during several long layovers in various airports. I download probably 20 or so apps from GOOGLE PLAY during that time and never had difficulty. Maybe I was just lucky and picked universally available apps without knowing it but it does show that many of these inexpensive tablets running ICS can hold their own in different environments.

I have never had an issue with restricted access to GOOGLE PLAY on any of the four Android tablets I have purchased; the ONDA Vi40, AIGO M80, MID M802, and an ARCHOS 80G9 purchased in the USA.

Edited October 19, 2012 by dddave

[edwardandtubs]

Buy an iPad, if you're extra cheap the old version for $400, or the new for $500 (about the same in baht)

Or for 7" you can't go wrong with a Google Nexus 7, it's a really nice device for $200. Best Android tablet out there. Not sure how easy these are to get in Thailand I think they're officially only sold in the USA. Can't be beat for the price.

iPad mini is going to come next week, rumored price for 7" is $250.

If you want to set $100 or whatever on fire and throw it out the window, get a cheap clone. I've played with one - they have the appearance of a tablet, and the screen turns on, but they don't actually do anything you'd want to do. I eventually managed to take a "funny" picture with the one I played with but it took 5 minutes of fiddling around with it. $60 is still pretty expensive for a door stop - just pick up a rock outside, same effect...

The OP made it clear he isn't interested in Apple products but that doesn't stop an Apple fanboy crawling out and spouting the usual nonsense.

I recommend this Ainol Crystal that has just been released for under 5000 baht.

Edited October 19, 2012 by edwardandtubs

[Pib]

I have never had an issue with restricted access to GOOGLE PLAY on any of the four Android tablets I have purchased; the ONDA Vi40, AIGO M80, MID M802, and an ARCHOS 80G9 purchased in the USA.

Purchased in the USA is the key, which means they came with USA country/geo-location coding in their firmware which gave them pretty much unlimited access to Apps on Google Play...if the tablets had been purchased in Thailand they would have probably had Thailand geo-location coding. This is usually not a big deal as the great, great majority of Apps are for worldwide usage and you can usually get those Apps via other means such as many sites where you can download APKs, but the APKs download from these sites may not be the latest version and I don't think they would be updated automatically since they were not downloaded from Google Play....instead you would need to look for a later version on an APK download site. Some of these sites are probably operating illegally.

Just an hour ago I was googling about how and where to get APKs and came across a YouTube video talking about Applanet.net. So after watching the YouTube Video I went to the site but what came up was a notice that the FBI had seized the domain name. Go ahead...click the Applanet link above to see the FBI seizure notice. And then I came across this Aug 2012 ZDNet.com article talking about several APK download sites, including Applanet, being seized by the FBI.

Additionally, there is always the concern if APK downloads from a lot of these sites (which come & go kinda like torrent sites) are virus/malware free. And there are other ways via rooted phones, Apps or browser add-on that attempt to fool Google Play. I'm not suggesting anyone do this....just thousands upon thousands of Google links come up which googling anything about how to download APKs, get geo-restricted Apps on Google Play, etc. Or I guess I could just go to most any smartphone store/hole in the wall at Pantip and they would load whatever App I wanted--if I was that brave.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Actually, I was mainly talking above NOT about issues of country-based app or Google Play Store permissions.

But both on Amazon in the U.S. and here in Thailand, I keep seeing a lot of "cheap" priced Android OS tablets that simply don't have direct access to the Google Play Store or to Google's typical pre-loaded apps suite at all.

Instead, they have manufacturer-based app stores or rely on the tablet users getting apps from Amazon or elsewhere, and the tablets come preloaded with a bunch of generic type apps to do common tasks instead of the usual, familiar ones. For example, the tablets simply won't have the Google Play Store or any other official Google apps installed.

Meanwhile, thanks to Pib for posting the link to the Google Play Store-supported devices page. It's a good list to use as a reference point when one goes shopping for a new device.

Edited October 19, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[bangkokburning]

My Google Nexus Asus rocks - its Asus hardware! Yes Android has had growing pains but get something with jb on it.

As per the poster programs vs apps, one day soon your main computer will be running only apps / online software / cloud. Ubuntu is already doing this.

Looking forward to phones and tablets running Linux.

If you dont like all the crap on your tablet, root it!

Apple is evil, it really is and the hardware is not all that great anymore. I despise the proprietary way it locks you into buying accessories and music. I absolutely hate itunes bloatware.

I think there is s new Asus tablet out now? Anyway, I would go w a 7in tab.

[guzzi850m2]

Can a tablet pc play an external HD with usb mini - usb? or do you need usb to usb?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

As for the forthcoming Windows tablets, there's a lot of confusion between what might be called regular Windows 8 tablets and the new variety of Windows RT tablets.

As I understand it, the Windows RT OS tablets including the initial Windows Surface RT due out next week will NOT work with pre-existing Windows 7 or Windows 8 or Windows Phone apps. Instead, the RT devices will have their own MS app store and will only run those apps, although the RT tablets will have their own versions of Internet Explorer and MS Office.

One of primary Windows columnists I follow called the Windows RT tablets "Windows 8 with a lobotomy."

Basically, the Windows RT and Windows 8 tablets have different hardware and thus different applications as follows:

Windows RT is a modified version of the new Windows 8 platform designed for devices with ARM processors.

It's supposed to be another three months or so before MS releases an Intel Core i5 processor-based Surface Pro for regular Windows 8. In the meantime, other hardware vendors will begin selling their own Intel-based Windows 8 tablets next week also, and those will have backwards compatibility with prior Windows desktop software.

I think it's safe to say, the Windows RT/ARM-based tablets are going to have better price points than their big brother Windows 8/Intel-based tablets, since the former will have more limited functionality.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Can a tablet pc play an external HD with usb mini - usb? or do you need usb to usb?

I think it depends on the particular tablet and what type of USB port the device has been configured with.

I don't think the issue of USB to USB vs. USB to micro or mini USB is the determining factor on whether a tablet is compatible with using an external USB stick or USB portable hard drive.

[dddave]

I have never had an issue with restricted access to GOOGLE PLAY on any of the four Android tablets I have purchased; the ONDA Vi40, AIGO M80, MID M802, and an ARCHOS 80G9 purchased in the USA.

Purchased in the USA is the key, which means they came with USA country/geo-location coding in their firmware which gave them pretty much unlimited access to Apps on Google Play...if the tablets had been purchased in Thailand they would have probably had Thailand geo-location coding. This is usually not a big deal as the great, great majority of Apps are for worldwide usage and you can usually get those Apps via other means such as many sites where you can download APKs, but the APKs download from these sites may not be the latest version and I don't think they would be updated automatically since they were not downloaded from Google Play....instead you would need to look for a later version on an APK download site. Some of these sites are probably operating illegally.

Just an hour ago I was googling about how and where to get APKs and came across a YouTube video talking about Applanet.net. So after watching the YouTube Video I went to the site but what came up was a notice that the FBI had seized the domain name. Go ahead...click the Applanet link above to see the FBI seizure notice. And then I came across this Aug 2012 ZDNet.com article talking about several APK download sites, including Applanet, being seized by the FBI.

Additionally, there is always the concern if APK downloads from a lot of these sites (which come & go kinda like torrent sites) are virus/malware free. And there are other ways via rooted phones, Apps or browser add-on that attempt to fool Google Play. I'm not suggesting anyone do this....just thousands upon thousands of Google links come up which googling anything about how to download APKs, get geo-restricted Apps on Google Play, etc. Or I guess I could just go to most any smartphone store/hole in the wall at Pantip and they would load whatever App I wanted--if I was that brave.

Only the Archos 80G9 was purchased in the USA, the other 3 at Pantip Plaza.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

It's interesting that as best as I could see, of those four tablets, only the Archos 80G9 showed up on Google's compatible list... I couldn't find MID, ONDA, AIGO or the previously mentioned Ainol models on the Google compatibility list.

It's one thing if you're shopping in a store and hopefully can see whether a tablet has the normal Google Play Store and other standard Google apps installed.

It's an entirely different thing when you're shopping online and you know it's an Android OS tablet, but can't necessarily see or tell whether the device has the Google suite of apps and is Google Play Store compatible. I see a lot of cheap Android tablets that loudly advertise they have Ice Cream Sandwich OS installed, but don't mention and don't have access to the Google Play Store and Google apps.

[lomatopo]

Can a tablet pc play an external HD with usb mini - usb? or do you need usb to usb?

In nearly all cases, no. You can use low power USB devices, but not high power devices like HDDs. So you can use a USB stick. That said, there are myriad ways to transfer or even stream content to a tablet.

It is quite easy to both locate and side-load APKs which might otherwise prove challenging to "see" or download from the Google Play Store. I have never, ever been unable to find, download and side-load any APK I needed. FWIW, developers generally make their APKs available as well. And if it is, God forbid, a paid app, just contact the developer directly, arrange payment, and they will provide both the APK and license.

For my GT-7510 (eBay, $350 all in) I use this kit:

Edited October 20, 2012 by lomatopo

[guzzi850m2]

In nearly all cases, no. You can use low power USB devices, but not high power devices like HDDs. So you can use a USB stick. That said, there are myriad ways to transfer or even stream content to a tablet.

It is quite easy to both locate and side-load APKs which might otherwise prove challenging to "see" or download from the Google Play Store. I have never, ever been unable to find, download and side-load any APK I needed. FWIW, developers generally make their APKs available as well. And if it is, God forbid, a paid app, just contact the developer directly, arrange payment, and they will provide both the APK and license.

For my GT-7510 (eBay, $350 all in) I use this kit:

OK thanks for that, that's handy to know, I wonder when a tablet can be had that can play a big external storage drive.

APK = Android application package file (I just learned via Goggle as I didn't have a clue what you were on about, LOL)

[roban]

You can connect a big external storage drive without problems.

But I most cases, you will need an "active" USB-hub, if your harddisc comes without own power supply.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

There's a lot of discussion out there about connecting Android devices with external USB drives.... including suggestions to use an external powered (battery or AC) USB hub if one's device won't support the drive by itself.

But there's also apps being developed that aim to solve that problem, and reports from users that the Samsung Galaxy S3 will standalone support external USB HDs....

http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/19/3167527/paragon-ntfs-hfs-android-app

http://www.tech-forums.net/forums/f64/external-storage-media-hard-drive-sd-card-flash-drive-tablet-how-connect-ready-go-258970/

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.usbhostdiagnostics&feature=also_installed#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEwNCwiZXUuY2hhaW5maXJlLnVzYmhvc3RkaWFnbm9zdGljcyJd

[Pib]

I have never had an issue with restricted access to GOOGLE PLAY on any of the four Android tablets I have purchased; the ONDA Vi40, AIGO M80, MID M802, and an ARCHOS 80G9 purchased in the USA.

Purchased in the USA is the key, which means they came with USA country/geo-location coding in their firmware which gave them pretty much unlimited access to Apps on Google Play...if the tablets had been purchased in Thailand they would have probably had Thailand geo-location coding. This is usually not a big deal as the great, great majority of Apps are for worldwide usage and you can usually get those Apps via other means such as many sites where you can download APKs, but the APKs download from these sites may not be the latest version and I don't think they would be updated automatically since they were not downloaded from Google Play....instead you would need to look for a later version on an APK download site. Some of these sites are probably operating illegally.

Just an hour ago I was googling about how and where to get APKs and came across a YouTube video talking about Applanet.net. So after watching the YouTube Video I went to the site but what came up was a notice that the FBI had seized the domain name. Go ahead...click the Applanet link above to see the FBI seizure notice. And then I came across this Aug 2012 ZDNet.com article talking about several APK download sites, including Applanet, being seized by the FBI.

Additionally, there is always the concern if APK downloads from a lot of these sites (which come & go kinda like torrent sites) are virus/malware free. And there are other ways via rooted phones, Apps or browser add-on that attempt to fool Google Play. I'm not suggesting anyone do this....just thousands upon thousands of Google links come up which googling anything about how to download APKs, get geo-restricted Apps on Google Play, etc. Or I guess I could just go to most any smartphone store/hole in the wall at Pantip and they would load whatever App I wanted--if I was that brave.

Only the Archos 80G9 was purchased in the USA, the other 3 at Pantip Plaza.

It would be interesting to know if those three you bought at Pantip Plaza can install Google Earth or Google Voice from Google Play.

I don't mean Earth or Voice can't be installed from a downloaded APK file, like what I did this morning for Googe Voice. But if I go to Google Play, even via VPN with U.S. IP address, it won't let me install Google Voice or Earth since my Samsung phone has geo-location coding of Thailand in its firmware...specifically the code DC for Thailand. Since Google Voice/Earth is supposedly not cleared for use in Thailand among other countries Google Play sees my smartphone has Thailand geo-location coding and won't allow install of those two Apps from Google Play....probably some other Apps also, it's just I haven't run across them yet.

When looking at those 3 tablets Baseband Version, Kernel Version, and Build Number under Setting, About Phone what geo-code(s) do you see. Like my Samsung Ace 2 smartphone shows a Baseband Version of I8160DCLH1, Build Number of Gingerbread.DCLH1, and a long Kernal Version but you can see DC in the long number. The "DC" code means Thailand. See this Link for some geo-location country codes. Link Yea, would be interesting to see what geo-locaton coding is in those 3 tablets bought at Pantip. Cheers.

[lomatopo]

Paragon NTFS works well with my GT-7510, but only with low-powered USB sticks, or self-powered HDDs. My GT-7510 cannot support a free-standing USB HDD.

I do travel often, and for short trips leave my notebook PC at home and just take my tablet. It has 16 GB of storage, and I carry a few 16 GB uSD cards - used in my phone as well, I have an SD adapter, which can carry a uSD card, for my GT-7510, and put files in the Cloud (Dropbox). I may be missing something as I do not see the value of being able to hang HDDs off a tablet as it would seem to reduce the primary benefit of a tablet: portability. AirDroid makes it easy to transfer files to/from a tablet over a WiFi network, and you can even stream content from a PC/media server to your tablet over your LAN.

[lomatopo]

Google Earth is pretty cool, Streetview may be cooler?

Google Voice is not really relevant to most tablets as it is a telephony application/service. Obviously with the new Tab 2's (with SIM of course), which have telephony services, it is relevant.

If you have a Google Voice account then you can run GrooVeIP on a tablet over WiFi, I do this and it is very, very, very cool.

[guzzi850m2]

The reason why I would like to be able to "hang" a large ext. harddrive to a tablet was in case I would need the tablet as a back-up to my net-book.

When I am out working for 2 month in the off-shore industry I only have very limited e-net access and not on my own devices so I use my net book as tv and always carry a 1tb harddrive with me, filled with movies + tv shows.

Okay if I can connect a usb stick to a tablet I can by-pass the problem. I also think you can get quite large capacity usb sticks now (256 gb).

[Pib]

If you have a Google Voice account then you can run GrooVeIP on a tablet over WiFi, I do this and it is very, very, very cool.

I do have GrooVeIP on my smartphone. You may remember from the another thread on the MajicJackPlus which kinda mutated into also talking about the NetTalkDuo, GrooVeIP, and a couple other VOIP Apps. For me the GrooVeIP App won't respond (cause the phone to ring) to inbound calls after 10 or so minutes unless using a VPN connection...the App gives the indication it's ready and willing to respond with its GV icon lite-up green but it won't respond...a problem other GrooVeIP users also note. But this problem may be due to the network being used as I was using my home Wifi True DOCSIS internet plan since I didn't have a mobile data plan at the time....now I have a DTAC 3G plan.

At this very moment I running/testing GrooVeIP outbound and inbound tests on my new DTAC plan....so far, so good in terms of the phone responding to inbound calls after the phone has been idle for X-minutes...it has responded to inbound calls after being idle for 10, 20, 63, and 75 minutes. But there were a few times before on my home internet and not on VPN that it also continued to respond to inbound calls for a couple of hours...but for the most part unless I ran GrooVeIP with VPN connection it would stop responding to inbound calls after the phone has been idle for approx 10 minutes. Not a power saving issue....it's just some kind of connection/network/IP issue I figure that could easily occur on a tablet also with my luck....especially if it's a DOCSIS network/IP issue.

Still too early to tell if GrooVeIP works better in terms of responding to inbound calls on my mobile data plan. If I remember right in the other thread, GrooVeIP worked like a charm for you on home internet and mobile data.

Edited October 20, 2012 by Pib

[dddave]

I have never had an issue with restricted access to GOOGLE PLAY on any of the four Android tablets I have purchased; the ONDA Vi40, AIGO M80, MID M802, and an ARCHOS 80G9 purchased in the USA.

Purchased in the USA is the key, which means they came with USA country/geo-location coding in their firmware which gave them pretty much unlimited access to Apps on Google Play...if the tablets had been purchased in Thailand they would have probably had Thailand geo-location coding. This is usually not a big deal as the great, great majority of Apps are for worldwide usage and you can usually get those Apps via other means such as many sites where you can download APKs, but the APKs download from these sites may not be the latest version and I don't think they would be updated automatically since they were not downloaded from Google Play....instead you would need to look for a later version on an APK download site. Some of these sites are probably operating illegally.

Just an hour ago I was googling about how and where to get APKs and came across a YouTube video talking about Applanet.net. So after watching the YouTube Video I went to the site but what came up was a notice that the FBI had seized the domain name. Go ahead...click the Applanet link above to see the FBI seizure notice. And then I came across this Aug 2012 ZDNet.com article talking about several APK download sites, including Applanet, being seized by the FBI.

Additionally, there is always the concern if APK downloads from a lot of these sites (which come & go kinda like torrent sites) are virus/malware free. And there are other ways via rooted phones, Apps or browser add-on that attempt to fool Google Play. I'm not suggesting anyone do this....just thousands upon thousands of Google links come up which googling anything about how to download APKs, get geo-restricted Apps on Google Play, etc. Or I guess I could just go to most any smartphone store/hole in the wall at Pantip and they would load whatever App I wanted--if I was that brave.

Only the Archos 80G9 was purchased in the USA, the other 3 at Pantip Plaza.

It would be interesting to know if those three you bought at Pantip Plaza can install Google Earth or Google Voice from Google Play.

I don't mean Earth or Voice can't be installed from a downloaded APK file, like what I did this morning for Googe Voice. But if I go to Google Play, even via VPN with U.S. IP address, it won't let me install Google Voice or Earth since my Samsung phone has geo-location coding of Thailand in its firmware...specifically the code DC for Thailand. Since Google Voice/Earth is supposedly not cleared for use in Thailand among other countries Google Play sees my smartphone has Thailand geo-location coding and won't allow install of those two Apps from Google Play....probably some other Apps also, it's just I haven't run across them yet.

When looking at those 3 tablets Baseband Version, Kernel Version, and Build Number under Setting, About Phone what geo-code(s) do you see. Like my Samsung Ace 2 smartphone shows a Baseband Version of I8160DCLH1, Build Number of Gingerbread.DCLH1, and a long Kernal Version but you can see DC in the long number. The "DC" code means Thailand. See this Link for some geo-location country codes. Link Yea, would be interesting to see what geo-locaton coding is in those 3 tablets bought at Pantip. Cheers.

The MID is in Khon Kean, The Aigo is in Samui and I am I Bangkok so I can only report on the ONDA Vi40. I just went through GOOGLE PLAY and both GOOGLE EARTH and GOOGLE VOICE do not seem available. Other GOOGLE products are available like maps and street view. I successfully use SKYPE and never considered GOOGLE VOICE.

As for specs: Android 4.03, Baseband 1.1, Kernal 3.0.8-g55c5b62-dirty, Build # ics.g12re(M1005.20120719

I could not find a geo code

The name is ONDA MID which must mean it's the same manufacturer as the 7" MID M802 I purchased earlier.

You are correct that using mail order or internet shops like ALIEXPRESS, you can't be sure exactly how it is set up. ALIEXPRESS does have some amazing prices, often with free shipping so it's almost worth the chance. I did try ordering from them. I wanted to send a very inexpensive 7" tablet to a friend in the Philippines but the combination of a US based credit card being used from Thailand on a purchase to be shipped to the Phils. was too much for them and the order was shot down. I have to send copies of passport, cc's and bank statement to be allowed such a transaction.

Edited October 20, 2012 by dddave

[lomatopo]

The reason why I would like to be able to "hang" a large ext. harddrive to a tablet was in case I would need the tablet as a back-up to my net-book.

When I am out working for 2 month in the off-shore industry I only have very limited e-net access and not on my own devices so I use my net book as tv and always carry a 1tb harddrive with me, filled with movies + tv shows.

Okay if I can connect a usb stick to a tablet I can by-pass the problem. I also think you can get quite large capacity usb sticks now (256 gb).

I think you can do this, as I demonstrated, as long as the HDD is self-powered. In one of the pictures I have attached a 2 TB HDD, which is inside a Rosewill enclosure (supports both USB and eSATA), which has an external 110/220v-50/60 Hz adapter. It is just the smaller, un-powered (for lack of a better description) USB HDDs which I cannot hang off my GT-7510.

If you have a Google Voice account then you can run GrooVeIP on a tablet over WiFi, I do this and it is very, very, very cool.

I do have GrooVeIP on my smartphone.

I guess my point, somewhat on topic, was that Google Voice is not really a relevant Tablet application. That is to say it would not work on a tablet, other than some of the newer ones with 3G and telephony services, so it is irrelevant, or the fact that you cannot download it from the Play Sore is irrelevant I guess I should say, for the purposes of this thread. If you had a tablet and were in the U.S.A. you could not download Google Voice. If you do have a Google Voice account you can use the GrooVeIP application on any tablet, over WiFi.

Edited October 20, 2012 by lomatopo

[Pib]

The MID is in Khon Kean, The Aigo is in Samui and I am I Bangkok so I can only report on the ONDA Vi40. I just went through GOOGLE PLAY and both GOOGLE EARTH and GOOGLE VOICE do not seem available. Other GOOGLE products are available like maps and street view. I successfully use SKYPE and never considered GOOGLE VOICE.

As for specs: Android 4.03, Baseband 1.1, Kernal 3.0.8-g55c5b62-dirty, Build # ics.g12re(M1005.20120719

I could not find a geo code

The name is ONDA MID which must mean it's the same manufacturer as the 7" MID M802 I purchased earlier.

Thanks...guess this shows the geo-location code is not always displayed in the Android version, baseband, kernal, build, etc., that are easily visible in the Settings, About Phone menu. Probably buried deep in some of the system/firmware files like maybe the "build-prop" file mentioned in post #36.

And probably the reason you could not even see Google Earth or Voice App on Google Play is because Google Play read your Thailand IP address...same thing happens to me unless logging on via VPN which gives me a U.S. IP address. Logon onto Google Play via VPN and it shows me Google Earth and Voice, but shows them as incompatible with my smartphone due to the geo-location coding of Thailand in my phone.

But I have both Apps on my smartphone now via separate APK downloads...but the downloaded Apps are probably not the latest versions nor will the be automatically updated via Google Play since I didn't download/install them from Google Play. But Google Maps, which basically gives many of the same features as Google Earth, came installed on my Galaxy Ace 2 smartphone and is visible on Google Play as an installed App on my phone and gets updated automatically....but it's a system level app that came with the phone....I can't even uninstall it....well, I guess I could if I ever rooted my phone.

Thanks again....your reply made me a little smarter...and I need all the smarts I can round-up.

[lomatopo]

Not sure what the rationale is for Google Earth (for Android) to be restricted? A lot of the quasi-official explanations do not make sense.

http://support.googl...er=2549351&rd=1

But it is so easy to just Google - on your device - "Google Earth apk", download the apk file and install it.

http://www.papktop.c...oogle-earth-apk

I think the most current version is 7.0.1.8177?

People here are mixing up mobile phone base-bands and tablet base-bands, to what end I cannot figure out?

Most of these local, value tablets have custom ROMs, probably derived from Google, or CM, or AOSP, or AOKP. There is a fair amount of local developer support, especially for G-Pads, but you do need to be able to read/understand Thai to take advantage of it. Adding applications to any of these tablets should really not be perceived as some sort of insurmountable challenge, or as a barrier to purchase. Not sure who sent us down this rat-hole?

These are from my SGS2:

[Pib]

Was cruising around the ARNOVA tablet (I see these sold in many Thai stores) web site and under their Customer Support FAQ area I found this about using Google Play and downloading Apps for ARNOVA tablets (a.k.a., apparently a no-go in using Google Play to get your Apps):

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I shelled out less than $200 for a brand name Android tablet a couple months back, and I specifically got one that had pretty much all the features I might want to use, either now or in the future.

I wanted an HDMI port for video out, I wanted a micro USB support for moving data and supporting external devices, I wanted a micro SD card slot to make storing and moving extra data and apps easy, and I wanted one with a SIM slot for mobile 3G data (and telephony) so I'd know I could use the same 3G data service I already have for my Android smartphone, when Wifi is not available, and without having to buy or carry around an aircard. I have 420 MB of system memory on my Android phone, and quickly discovered that wasn't enough for my desired uses, so I made sure the tablet I bought came with 1 GB of system memory.

I also made sure the tablet I bought came pre-installed with the Google Suite of apps and had access to the Google Play Store, because I didn't want to be hunting around trying to find and sideload apps from third-party web sites that I'm not familiar with or trusting of, or find that a particular off-brand model of tablet for whatever unknown reason doesn't support some particular app that I want to use, even if I can manage to scrounge it up somewhere on the Internet.

Likewise, I have something like 50+ apps on my Android smartphone, and a somewhat larger number on my Android tablet -- apps that are continually being updated. I like having the Google Play Store automatically notify my Android devices when app updates are available, and pretty much self-installing them on my devices without me having to be bothered by it to much, as well as in knowing that those apps are likely to show up in the Google Play Store pretty much as soon as an updated version is available.

Edited October 20, 2012 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[lomatopo]

It would probably be laughably simple, even for the resident pedants, to flash an acceptable ROM onto one of these tablets, which would provide Play Store access, but that might be too scary?

Does anyone with a GPad, or similar value tablet, have any issues accessing the Play Store? At least for those apps. which are available outside the U.S.?