gTablet noobie who is a little lost

[rgc6789]

I ordered my first tablet that will arrive this afternoon - the gTablet. I've got a few days before I leave on a trip so I want to run the best - and most stable - ROM there is. The tablet is 50/50 business and personal. For business I need exchange and Office docs. Personal, well angry birds, video and Nook app.

I've read through a lot of posts here and there is a lot of great information, but it's hard to determine which ROM would be best. Some ROMS are having issues with exchange. Office docs will require an app from the market.

Anyway, it seems that TnT and Vegan are the most discussed. Any opinions on which one and which version as of today would be best?

I'm fairly new to Android - Droid X for about 6 months which is rooted but factory. I'm a Microsoft Partner so I'm not a noobie to tech just to Android.

 

[pbrauer]

Well, first thought would be first and foremost, install what you need on the new Stock ROM and see if that works in the short term. You really won't know until you flash it, but since you say you are about to leave for a trip do you really want to take a risk with a flashed device that you might possibly have an issue with? We will get back to that in a moment.

Now, regardless of what apps you need, I use my tablet for about the same ration work/home. Here are the two work apps you HAVE to have, hands down:

- Touchdown from Nitrodesk as your MS-Exchange client. There is a 30-day full demo available at http://tinyurl.com/tdbetadroid that will give you full Exchange capability built for your tablet.
- There are several MS-Office apps, but the one I am going to recommend right now is QuickOffice, which also comes in a tablet version, the licensed version is HANDS-DOWN better than the lite version that is preinstalled on the tablet. You can get this from the market.

Otherwise, get the 10.2 Flash player update from the market, you can also get Angry Birds, Nook and Kindle there too, they all install fine.

Now, as far as the ROM goes. I ran the Bittrix ROM for 2.5 months with no issues. Loved it and found it to be very stable even if it is listed as a beta. I am now running the new Corwin CM Beta ROM, and have not had a single FC in the 3 days since I installed. It is fast and nimble, and I think my new daily driver as far as ROMs go.

Hope that helps!

Good luck and welcome!
p

 

[rgc6789]

Excellent feedback and thank you. I'm going to play with the stock for a bit and see how it is. I rooted my Droid X - well, because I could - but stuck to the stock rom because it worked for what I needed and it's stable.

I use QuickOffice on my DroidX and I do like it alot, so that's a no brainer. I use Enhanced Email on the phone, but they don't have a tablet version so I'll give Touchdown a test drive.

I may just take your advise and keep the stock rom until I get back and can at least have a starting point to judge other roms with.

Thanks again.

 

[rgc6789]

pbrauer:

I used the app market that comes on the stock ROM but it does not have the NOOK app only the kindle. Is there a way to get the android market on it or sideload the nook app?

thanks.

 

[rgc6789]

Ok, I sideloaded the Nook app. Took a little research, but I found it. Seems that the stock ROM won't synch exchange contacts or calendar - that's a bit disappointing. Touchdown is not in the handango store either - actually pretty limited there. I'll have to do some more searching.

 

[Fuganater]

Ok, I sideloaded the Nook app. Took a little research, but I found it. Seems that the stock ROM won't synch exchange contacts or calendar - that's a bit disappointing. Touchdown is not in the handango store either - actually pretty limited there. I'll have to do some more searching.

Time to install a ROM

 

[pbrauer]

Actually for this tablet you don't want the touchdown from the market anyway. Install this one instead: http://tinyurl.com/tdbetadroid

This is a beta version for tablets, but very stable. I have been using it for 3 months with no issues or corruption. Ful sync of all of Exchange.

 

[rgc6789]

Actually for this tablet you don't want the touchdown from the market anyway. Install this one instead: http://tinyurl.com/tdbetadroid

This is a beta version for tablets, but very stable. I have been using it for 3 months with no issues or corruption. Ful sync of all of Exchange.

Thanks. I didn't make it 24 hours before I added a custom ROM. Just couldn't take it. Went TNTLite 4.3 figuring a 4.3 build would be stable and from reading was a good place to start. What a difference!

I added Touchdown from the link above and it's running great. Thanks for all your help!

 

[rgc6789]

Wow, what a performance difference between the stock ROM and TnT Lite - I upgraded to 4.4 because of a couple of bugs in 4.3. After spending a little time with the stock, it's truly a different tablet with a custom ROM. The instructions found here - http://www.androidtablets.net/forum...rkmod-custom-rom-flash-player-market-fix.html - were perfect. Those of you unsure of whether you want to take on a custom ROM, it took about 30 minutes on my first one and 20 or so the second time. It's the best investment you'll make.