Cheapo tablet, no android market?

SB118

SB118

SB118

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
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"Sunny" Plymouth
Picked up a couple of cheapo tablets for the kids for xmas, not mega kit but for £70 i can't complain.

Only downside is there's no marketplace support. Sideloading and other app stuff installs no problem, but the "regular" marketplace is easier to use.

I tried loading up different versions of the marketplace apk and it either runs through the installation and lets me login to the market but then disappears from my app list (but still shows up when i go to the "manage applications" tab in settings), or just tells me "did not install".

Can't get the google apps pack to install either, i install the gapps.zip quite happily but once the tablet has loaded, none of the apps are there. :confused:

I tried to grab google maps manually and was told "this app is not compatable with your device" or similar.

I googled and found a few threads that talk about resolution causing some stuff not to install but not much else.

Any ideas? Tablet is running 2.3

Cheers

(on the flip side would lack of marketplace make it harder for the kids to bugger them up?)
 
How old are the kids, if were talking young enough to not have known what they are doing till its done. Then yes on the flip side that would be great.
 
A friend has a similar problem with an archos that her son just bought. Apparently whilst the market is something you'd expect to have, its the OS that's open source and not the market app meaning you need Google's permission to supply devices with the market. Short of rooting and installing custom roms theirs probably very little you can do.
 
Turns out you need to alter the device id in some system file or other and then the market runs fine.

Job for tomorrow :)
 
wow thanks for this post I was going to get an android but after reading these posts it seems like Android is akin to early beta versions of Linux for ease of use.
 
jas72 said:
wow thanks for this post I was going to get an android but after reading these posts it seems like Android is akin to early beta versions of Linux for ease of use.
Click to expand...

You're right, it'll never be that popular....

Considering these tablets cost less than a few hours in a restaurant, i'll spend 5 minutes tinkering thanks ;)
 
Stellios said:
A friend has a similar problem with an archos that her son just bought. Apparently whilst the market is something you'd expect to have, its the OS that's open source and not the market app meaning you need Google's permission to supply devices with the market. Short of rooting and installing custom roms theirs probably very little you can do.
Click to expand...


The archos is simple, it comes with it's own 'marketplace' called "Apps Lib", on Apps Lib, there is an app called "Arc Tools".. install that, and it then will allow you to download/install the google apps (including market) from their.. no rooting/side loading or flashing custom roms..

The reason Google don't allow the market on most cheap tablets is AFAIK because they have a minimum requirement for the market, partially hardware, partially having a validated android installation etc..

It is a pain, I totally agree, it makes the tablets out of the box pretty limited, only by various degress (easy for Archos devices, going to full on re-flashing firmware for others) of difficulty can you unlock their full potential..

Like all these things, you need to be wary buying cheap..

I got the kids the Archos 70 tablets, very very cheap, but getting the market on was simplicity, getting a better performing firmware, that was a headache.. but once done, for the money, they are great little devices..
 
DIABLO said:
You fail at the trolling, please go away.
Click to expand...

No trolling here just a hard working bloke who liked the look of sub 150 tablets but has now read this thread and thought... wow....

Just like I liked the idea of a free OS until I read the thread.

So shove it mate!:mad:
 
jas72 said:
No trolling here just a hard working bloke who liked the look of sub 150 tablets but has now read this thread and thought... wow....

Just like I liked the idea of a free OS until I read the thread.

So shove it mate!:mad:
Click to expand...

Sub 150? I bought TWO of these for less than that...

Heavens forbid you have to put something in to get something back.
 
Seen them on offer for £70 so are a bargain really, wouldn't want one myself (can't stand resistive screens) but I can see why you got them! For the price its hardly a massive headache to have to change a few files or even change a rom!
 
Hows the resistive screens? As thats the main thing that put me off getting a Scroll 7", but resistive tech may have improved since last time I used one.

jas72 said:
wow thanks for this post I was going to get an android but after reading these posts it seems like Android is akin to early beta versions of Linux for ease of use.
Click to expand...

The problem is with the tablet, not Android. Something higher end would have the market pre-installed. And Android is very easy to use.
 
I thought the screen was absolutely dreadful, until i realised i hadn't taken off the factory fitted screen protector. After that it was fine.
 
How are you finding the scroll? Thinking of getting one as I could really use something for watching videos/reading/playing games when out of the house without spending a fortune.
 
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