Firmware 2.02

ImagineThat

Member
Dec 2, 2010
85
16
Since there were a lot of know bugs/issues with the initial firmware release the tablets shipped with (1.01 or 2.01 for some units), here is a summary of those and if the new firmware (2.02) has addressed them. I have not tested all myself, so please add additional items or notes if something on this list is confirmed working or not:

Mono sound from headphone jack: FIXED. Confiremd stereo output

HDMI output: not tested yet

g-sensor/accelerometer: It has been confirmed that this tablet has an Orientation sensor, not a full accelerometer. The launcher and some apps are able to rotate when the screen orientationis changed, but games or apps made to use the accelerometer normally found in android devices will not work.

Battery life: this is a hard one. 2.02 seems to have a bit better battery life, but still not great. There are several things you can do - but no one has gotten 6 hours with wifi on. The manufacturer has stated that the specs should be 3 hours...which is still pretty generous

Recovery partition/boot loader: FIXED. There is now a recovery feature to flash back the most current firmware. See one of bigwooly's posts (and thank him for finding the magic key combination)

OTG USB port: FIXED, sorta. You can now connect via the OTG USB port to a computer and access the CD card. Not confirmed yet whether you can access adb directly through USB...but adb through wifi works great.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

UPDATE:
There are potentially two different hardware platforms for this device. Sprdtyf350 foudn the magic combination to recover the factory ROM if bigwooly's instructiosn don't work. Also looks like his headphone jack is a hardware issue...I'll wait for him to elaborate more on his fix with a jumper.
 
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Sprdtyf350

Member
Nov 26, 2010
8
1
I have found that most of your list works on mine but not the headphone jack. Still mono here.
 

sicktght311

Member
Dec 6, 2010
26
0
This has been driving me nuts since day one. The update to 2.02 seems to make it ALWAYS default to skyfire. I really dislike skyfire and would prefer the standard system browser. Any idea how to either uninstall skyfire, or have this thing stop reverting back to skyfire whenever i'm browsing?
 

ImagineThat

Member
Dec 2, 2010
85
16
This has been driving me nuts since day one. The update to 2.02 seems to make it ALWAYS default to skyfire. I really dislike skyfire and would prefer the standard system browser. Any idea how to either uninstall skyfire, or have this thing stop reverting back to skyfire whenever i'm browsing?

check in settings>applications>manage applications for skyfire and there should be an option to clear defaults. This should stop it from being the default web browser. If you just want to toatally remove it, check in settings>applications>manage applications...if it's a system app and there's not an uninstall application there you can remove it with root explorer or some other file manager that has superuser permissions. I can give you more details on that if you need.
 

PaulM

Member
Nov 22, 2010
13
0
Skyfire doesn't show up as an application. You can disable Skyfire by going to skyfire settings, scroll down to the bottom and uncheck skyfire as the default browser
 

bigwooly

Member
Nov 24, 2010
124
8

sicktght311

Member
Dec 6, 2010
26
0
Skyfire doesn't show up as an application. You can disable Skyfire by going to skyfire settings, scroll down to the bottom and uncheck skyfire as the default browser

Skyfire is already deselected as default browser, which is why i cant figure this out. And you're correct, it doesnt show up as an app either, so it cant be deleted from app manager. That was the first thing i tried.

So i'm pretty much stuck with it unless i wanna root the device and start learning about all of that? Haha

Im not a slow learner or non tech savvy person at all. I take very quick to things if i take a few minutes to sit down and read about it, but theres no doubt theres WAY more info on Pandigital Novel modding than the sylvania for people who have yet to start into hacking it.

Anyone have any good places to start reading about rooting, and changing things from there? Or do i just pretty much have to start scouring the internet
 

PaulM

Member
Nov 22, 2010
13
0
Skyfire is already deselected as default browser, which is why i cant figure this out. And you're correct, it doesnt show up as an app either, so it cant be deleted from app manager. That was the first thing i tried.

So i'm pretty much stuck with it unless i wanna root the device and start learning about all of that? Haha

Im not a slow learner or non tech savvy person at all. I take very quick to things if i take a few minutes to sit down and read about it, but theres no doubt theres WAY more info on Pandigital Novel modding than the sylvania for people who have yet to start into hacking it.

Anyone have any good places to start reading about rooting, and changing things from there? Or do i just pretty much have to start scouring the internet

I'm having the same problem with the default browser. You hit the default browser
and then skyfire takes over for some reason. Even if it's checked off as the default.
I just use dolphin hd, it seems to work the best.
 

ImagineThat

Member
Dec 2, 2010
85
16
In Manage Applications click the menu button, choose filter, then choose all. Now it will show you all the apps installed, but this won't help you uninstall skyfire since it was insatlled as a "system app" and can't be touched without rooting. Possibly try "clearing defaults" here, but sounds like that may not do the trick.

Rooting is pretty simple with apps readily available. Universal AndRoot is what seems to work best on the Sylvania, worked for me without a problem. PM me if you can't find the apk file, I can email it to you. The forum won't let me attach it here...

Once you get the apk file just put in on a flash drive or your SD card and run the file on your tablet. It will show up in your application list, run it, tap "root" and you're done! Then I'd reccomend installing Root Explorer or another file manager that can see you entire folder structure.

Now you can remove skyfire or other system apps (but at your own risk). There are two steps to remove any installed application the manual way - first you remove the apk file, then you reboot and uninstall the com file...

user installed apps are located in /data/app These you shoudl be able to unistall the normal way through manage applications, though.

system apps are located in /system/app To uninstall skyfire use using root explorer:
1) Open root explorer and navigate to /system/app
2) Tap the "mount R/W" button towrds the top (this changes the permissions to read/write)
3) {optional, but reccomended} scroll down to find skyfire.apk, long tap and choose copy. Navigate to your sd card (in root explorer it will be listed as a folder, "/sdcard") or your flash drive ("/udrive") and paste here for a backup.
4) Back in /system/app long tap on skyfire.apk and choose delete.
5) Reboot your device
6) goto settings>applications>manage applications. You should now see "com.skyfire.browser" listed. Tap on it and choose uninstall.

Now it's gone forever!
 

sicktght311

Member
Dec 6, 2010
26
0
In Manage Applications click the menu button, choose filter, then choose all. Now it will show you all the apps installed, but this won't help you uninstall skyfire since it was insatlled as a "system app" and can't be touched without rooting. Possibly try "clearing defaults" here, but sounds like that may not do the trick.

Rooting is pretty simple with apps readily available. Universal AndRoot is what seems to work best on the Sylvania, worked for me without a problem. PM me if you can't find the apk file, I can email it to you. The forum won't let me attach it here...

Once you get the apk file just put in on a flash drive or your SD card and run the file on your tablet. It will show up in your application list, run it, tap "root" and you're done! Then I'd reccomend installing Root Explorer or another file manager that can see you entire folder structure.

Now you can remove skyfire or other system apps (but at your own risk). There are two steps to remove any installed application the manual way - first you remove the apk file, then you reboot and uninstall the com file...

user installed apps are located in /data/app These you shoudl be able to unistall the normal way through manage applications, though.

system apps are located in /system/app To uninstall skyfire use using root explorer:
1) Open root explorer and navigate to /system/app
2) Tap the "mount R/W" button towrds the top (this changes the permissions to read/write)
3) {optional, but reccomended} scroll down to find skyfire.apk, long tap and choose copy. Navigate to your sd card (in root explorer it will be listed as a folder, "/sdcard") or your flash drive ("/udrive") and paste here for a backup.
4) Back in /system/app long tap on skyfire.apk and choose delete.
5) Reboot your device
6) goto settings>applications>manage applications. You should now see "com.skyfire.browser" listed. Tap on it and choose uninstall.

Now it's gone forever!


Exactly what i was looking for. Way more simple than i was expecting it to be after reading the 1000s of posts about rooting. I'll give this a try tonight! Looking forward to the android 2.2 release in january for this thing!

If you can email me the apk that would be great too. [email protected] is fine!

Also anyone have any good places for apk files on the net, or at least for ones that are known to work? Just for the basic stuff like facebook, pandora, angry birds, ebuddy, etc.
 

sicktght311

Member
Dec 6, 2010
26
0
Also FYI to people in this thread.

I contacted Digital Gadgets concerning my lack of auto rotation when i rotate the device (i have to manually hit the button) and they said i must have purchased an "old model" which apparently means that "newer models" have the auto sense feature.

Which is a problem considering i just purchased it brand new yesterday. To not make mention of that, or even still sell ones that dont have the auto sense when newer models do, is beyond me. Especially since theres virtually no way to tell until you open the package and try it out, making it unreturnable to most stores
 

bigwooly

Member
Nov 24, 2010
124
8
if it doesn't auto rotate most stores would consider that to be something wrong with it. if you are within your 30 day return window take it back to the store and make them exchange it. If you bought it online this may be more costly than it's worth. and like has been stated it's merely an orientation sensor it lacks the 3rd axis needed to work in games and such. (don't quote me on that but that's what has been discussed about the device so far) It could be like other things on this device they intend to get them working better at a later date......
 

sicktght311

Member
Dec 6, 2010
26
0
Theres 2 issues

1) the sensor is hardware, so if this one i have doesnt have it, its not going to be fixed with any software updates

2) i purchased it from toys r us, which i shouldnt have, because their policies on returns and exchanges is beyond terrible. No returns whatsoever, and exchanges are only for the same item. In this case, i purchased this on sunday, i went back monday to return it because i found it cheaper elsewhere, they told me no returns, so i just had to man up and live with the $20 difference. At that point they said the best they could do was an exchange, so i figured why not, start from scratch again. Got the second unit from the same store yesterday, and BOTH do not have the orientation sensor. So that leads me to believe that their stock is all older models without the sensor, and i'm crap out of luck haha.
 

bigwooly

Member
Nov 24, 2010
124
8
wait a week or so these are pretty hot Christmas items due to the cost and give exchanging another try :p
 
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