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I recently purchased a Nordic Track 9500 Elite Pro. This bad boy has a 10" android tablet built in. They really don't want you messing with the android part much, but I am sure there are plenty of other users out there like me that want to do more!
This is my first post so I am unable to show the pictures via the link. Hopefully you can copy and past the text to view the images. I will try to repost on my website so it all flows.
I don't see where a post like this would go, I am not sure if at some point it would gain it's own device forum... That would be exciting. So for now I will post here. I will also post my initial findings for others in the community that may want to purchase this treadmill and can't find any information regarding the built in Android Tablet with WiFi.
This image shows the version information. From what I can tell it looks like they purchase an APAD from someone and then stick it inside of their device. They also must have wrote some special drivers and software to interface with the equipment and hardware. I was very happy to see a mainstream current android OS.
Android OS 2.2
hungrykzoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMAG0027.jpg
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Here are the pre-installed apps. Pretty basic. (note: I was able to find an APK and install Last.FM that wasn't included) Also a major bummer to see was that there wasn't a market application.
hungrykzoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMAG0026.jpg
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This is the typical workout screen you see.
hungrykzoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMAG0024.jpg
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Click to collapse
I also noticed that the device doesn't have very much memory. This could be due to the built in applications taking up so much space. It only had about 57MB of internal memory free, but it had a built in 2GB SD Card. I have not gotten to the point where I have needed to take it apart yet to see if there is a replaceable SD card. I may wait another 5 years for my warranty to end to do that.
I have tried to install some apps but have not had very much luck. The only app that was I was able to install was the Last.FM.
I tried the follow apps, and they didn't install:
1. Market
2. Angry Birds
3. Pandora
Other disappointments:
1. Designed to not be in the Android Interface. They have an application that runs, and makes it tricky to get to the android desktop. It takes about 3 clicks to get from the main workout screen back to the Android Desktop.
2. The screen is not capacitive, it is resistive. I don't know how much more I need to say about that.
3. Only 3 buttons. Back, Menu, Home. Home takes you to their software not the android home screen. Long press on home does nothing.
4. When i go to the desktop the Time is all over the place. I have tried changing settings in every spot possible but something is telling it what time to think it is, occasionally it is correct... Just don't get it.
Even with the disappointments this thing is sweet. I wish i could install more apps, stream videos from a PC over the WiFi connection and stream music from a PC over the WiFi connection. Maybe with the help of the community we will figure some of these items out... Or I will be the only one who has this that knows about this website!
ntsteele,
How is your experience up to now with your 9500? I am looking at getting the c1250, which is the same as the 9500, but with a smaller motor and no decilne. Is the 10" screen worth it? The rep at Nordictrack told me the only differcence between the 7" screen is the web browser, the google maps display, and some basic apps. But overall the workout system is the same as the 7' display of the 1750 commercial and that you can view the google maps by logging in on ifit.com. Thanks for the info and screen shots.
iFit Android App
Have you or has anyone else been able to pull the apk files off of the NordicTrack Elite 9500 Treadmill. I would be interested to see if it works on any adroid phone to view the menu system.
I played with this today at Google IO. The rep said that the integrated tablet was rev 1 and that they wanted to eventually let users connect their own devices.
what do you need to press to get to the android home screen?
Where I work at there is a Proform Trailrunner 4.0 treadmill that has 10" Android tablet screen. From what I have been told nordic track and proform are made by the same manufacture or something. It was returned because of a broken display unit. Of course I wasn't going to let them throw the old one away so they let me keep it. I trashed the main display and now I have the 10" tablet but cannot power it because the treadmill doesn't operate without a magnetic key. How could I power this thing and see if it works?
I got the new incline trainer x9i which has the 10 inch android interface. I am interested to get in and try installing apps as you have but I am unable to even get to the android home screen. The only time I see it is when I turn the machine on and it is booting up, the screen comes up for a few seconds to where I can hit on the applications button and see what is on it. But within a second after I see the apps it automatically gets routed into the machine exercise interface and I have not figured how to get back to the android home screen from there. How did you do it? It would sure be nice to install a different browser. I hate the fact that I cannot create my own shortcuts. Anyway, love the machine.
How to get to the Android Home Screen
Any luck finding out how to get to the Android Home Screen? I am wanting to do that also. I was able to get to it one time accidentally, but haven't figure out how to stop the machine interface from loading since.
Home Screen
Ok, same question. I just got a C2150 which is a similar model to the 9500. Slightly smaller motor and belt, but same basic thing with the 10" tablet. I believe it's capacitive now, but still not great as far as that goes.
I too have hit the setup icon when it's booting and it goes to the Android setup screen for a second and then continues to boot into the Nordictrack IFit proprietary stuff.
So I can't believe the posts with the images and no explanation of how you got there? Please share with the rest of us.
Also, my console has a USB connector at the top of the thing. Any idea what if anything that'll let me do?
Thanks!
Anyone figure this out? Seems a shame to have a 10' screen and not be able to install apps on it. There must be some button combination that the Icon service team would use to stop the auto load of the iFit interface.
Internal Pictures
I took the tablet apart to see what information can be gathered. Apparently, HANNSTAR (TAIWAN) manufactures the board (HANNSTAR J MV-7); which uses a Samsung ARM8 CPU(5PV210AH-A0 1044); has 512MB; and a 4GB SANDISK FLASH (SDIN2C2-4G).
I haven't been able to find sufficient info to track a compatible ROM, yet I can't imagine for the life of me that HANNSTAR would design this just for Nordic. I am posting some pics hoping that someone might be able to id the hardware, which in turn might help point to a more fruitful search for a workable ROM.
Try to upload pics but not sure if it worked. It's late, and I can't figure out how to do it smoothly yet.
I'm gonna do another bump. I have a similar treadmill (or maybe the exact same one, I lost the the manual with product name). It is of the X9i series and when I saw it in the store, I had to go for it. I was a bit irritated to see that you are locked to the iFit application and you cannot return to the launcher. I need a male to male USB cable to see if I can get a bit of ADB on it.
From the (crappy) performance of it, I can tell it has about 512 MB RAM, a dated CPU clocked at around 600-800MHz, the screen looks like a crappy TFT display at 1280x700. Lastly, this thing runs Froyo. Mine features a full USB port and an Audio in port. Not much to screw around with. Downloads are disabled in the browser, and the Menu key does nothing.
I think something can be done though. The application that controls the treadmill can't crash as it is, and if it ever does FC, the motor shouldn't stop. NordicTrack doesn't have a recovery image up for some reason (thanks, NordicTrack -_-) so that's even less to work with.
Nevertheless, something can be done. It's not really a fun thing for an Android enthusiast to pick up an Android device with such dated hardware (the tredmill itself, as just tredmill is amazing).. Plus, it was $2,100 at Sears.
---------- Post added at 08:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 PM ----------
here is a video of the Treadmill and the board;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKyf6MHIefk
USB and Audio in is on the right side of the console.
I've had my Nordictrack 9500 Pro for about a year now. Still working well for the most part (I do have messed up deck tension adjuster that I need to call support about).
Would love to be able to unlock the Android device to at least install Netflix, Pandora, etc.
I have had one over the air firmware upgrade that went pretty smoothly. Was hoping more updates would come from Nordictrack, but it has been a long time since that one.
Has anyone else noticed that the Speed Calibration utility under the iFit controls says that it isn't enabled yet? Maybe there's hope for future updates.
fanVrARCHITECT
Greetings,
I have been following this thread as a 9500 owner as well, and looking at what has been posted and see if there is any follow up.
1.) like everyone else what startup combinations may have disabled Nordic Tracks proprietary software.
2.) the usb socket on the top of the console, has anyone had anyluck attempting a usb male to male connection on a laptop? If so what has been tried?
3.) any idea of maybe porting something over via the Ifit updates or account? I noticed the HDvideo inside of the program is pretty descent from what I've seen, and looks like the video plays in the center of main app..just a thought.
I'm looking at getting the male to male usb cable and trying to interface it with the below. .. at least curious if the cable will talk, and most likely this unit is not root so view only but maybe a start if it works.
//www*howtogeek*com/howto/42491/how-to-remote-view-and-control-your-android-phone/
Cheers,
devmo
Did anyone figure out how to get android home screen????
I read somebody was able to email themselves an apk and install it? The tablet enables sideloading? Ding ding ding! I'm going to try sideloading launcherpro or any other replacement launcher to attempt to hijack the home screen
Update: Didn't work on my c2150's tablet. Bastards.... I did however get my c2150's to boot into "safe mode" which I have no idea what that entails. While it was powering on, I held down home and back I believe was the combo.
Update: SUCESS!!! So by booting into "safe" mode, you can hit the preferences launcher while the device is booting to interrupt the ifit loading. From there, go enable unknown sources. Then launch the browser and google "z4 apk" and download it and run it. Did permanent root on mine and it worked.
ENJOY
I forgot. Once you get the device into safe mode, install "smart taskbar" by sideloading. It'll make you able to view a task bar over ifit.
EDIT: Since we don't have a custom recovery, or for that matter even a recovery at all it seems, I've not attempted gapps. Could anyone give a detailed response on how to install this? I assume just unzip it in the root directory? I'm worried about permissions, I always forget what to set there. Also, the device comes pre-bundled with busybox, fyi Another must have for this is adbWireless. I tried editing the init.rc but it seems those changes were for nothing. I'll keep people updated as I discover things etc. I'm by no means a dev, but do know a little.
jsteelm said:
I forgot. Once you get the device into safe mode, install "smart taskbar" by sideloading. It'll make you able to view a task bar over ifit.
EDIT: Since we don't have a custom recovery, or for that matter even a recovery at all it seems, I've not attempted gapps. Could anyone give a detailed response on how to install this? I assume just unzip it in the root directory? I'm worried about permissions, I always forget what to set there. Also, the device comes pre-bundled with busybox, fyi Another must have for this is adbWireless. I tried editing the init.rc but it seems those changes were for nothing. I'll keep people updated as I discover things etc. I'm by no means a dev, but do know a little.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry - can you tell me the exact steps involved here. How do I get to safe mode and then what? I tried Home Back while powering on and it still goes to the ifit screen
You know I'm really not sure what trick it is to make it stay. I had good luck getting it to stay in android rubbing home/back/menu while it booted and as soon as I saw the android home screen, hit the preferences launcher and then grabbed the top menubar and half pulled it down. All I know is that when you get it to stick in android, its always in safe mode which is triggered by some combination of those buttons on boot. Even then it will boot into iFit, but if you go to the settings first, in safe mode, it wont exit that screen.
Nordictrack commercial 2150 Android Safemode
Very simple folks. Turn treadmill on and once you see ANDROID appear in the center of the screen, begin pressing the dashes button that is between the home and back buttons on the console. Not sure if holding down works any better. An "unable to load widget" will be seen in middle of screen once the I-FIT software has stopped and safe mode will appear at the lower left hand corner. You'll then be able to check out the various Android options etc for your tablet. Be careful in editing anything unless you know what you are doing! Wouldn't want to brick your treadmill unnecessarily. It took awhile to find the key to safe mode access, due to limited info out there, but I hope users will continue to make some progress on exploiting this device and maybe we'll be able to use it to our liking. I would like to stream my dish television to the tablet like I do on my i phone or i pad. Being able to install the dish app via google app store is what I'm looking forward to. I want to be able to watch tv on my treadmill while exercising. Please keep this thread going! I'm sure that future software updates may allow for a better user interface. The challenge is certainly in the storage capabilities in the tablet itself and the sd card inside.
I've got this issue where incoming calls and texts are not matching to the contacts database when the international format is used (so incoming 01202 123456 matches if the number is stored in the phone book as 01202 123456 but not if it's +441202 123456)
Seems it's quite common with ROMs / Phones from China.
My phone is a Cube 5H A5300 (a remarkably good bit of kit for the money if I could fix this dam issue) , Android 4.2.1, and MIUI 3.11.15. I don't think this is a MIUI issue hence posting here.
I've been through the suggestions that seemed to offer the best chance of a fix :-
Changing the MIN_MATCH in framework.jar and MMS.apk, and checking that strict comparison if odd from here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2268120
Adding ro.phone.min_match=7 to build.prop from here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1160343
Various other suggestions relating to stuff in settings.
So I'm at a lost to know where to go next.
Anyone got any suggestions about where number matching is handled in Android? Where can I look for places to check ?
John
Exactly the same problem, also UK
Incoming calls show up in the format 07785 nnnnnn but my phone book has the numbers stored in +44 7785 nnnnnn format, with the result incoming calls only show the number and not the detail in my contacts/people.
I also tried ro.phone.min_match= using 9 and 7 as variables but it made no difference
I have the THL W8s running Android 4.2.1
Brilliant phone but his bug is killing it for me.
Really look forward to a solution
I found the solution for bog standard Android devices, I have a THL W8s running 4.2.1 but it should work on Androids 4.1.x / 4.2.x / 4.3.x according to the threads below.
No credit to me, all down to the guys on XDA, but as a bit of novice it took me ages to trawl all the posts on this subject before finally finding the solution that worked - and easily. It will also avoid you installing lots of apps of playstore that for me anyway either didn't work or gave a poor hack of a work around. In addition, this solution provides a whole host of other fixes and enhancement, brilliant piece of work from the two developers.
Start by removing all your contacts, either export/delete from People to re-import or as in my case delete the corporate email/contacts account
Tip: Reboot after almost every step
1) Your device must be rooted
2) You must be able to install apps direct from your phone: System Settings / Security / Unknown Sources (Unknown Sources may be in a different place)
Then the heart of it:
Install the Xposed Framework
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1574401
Full instructions in the thread
Then install GravityBox it's not the a ROM, just the Xposed Framework Module
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2316070
Again, full instructions in the thread (Make sure you have a tick next to Gravity Box in the Xposed Framework and reboot)
Then: GravityBox -> General Fixes -> Fix Caller ID
Reboot, re-add or re-import your email/contacts, either add the account or import from contacts and there you go, fixed.
Here's one that didn't work for me but may be worth a try if your version of Android isn't supported with the above solution:
Search on: ro.phone.min_match= where you put a 9, 8, 7 etc after the =
I used ES File Explorer to mount /system R/W and edit the build.prop file, but as I said, after ages of hacking around to get the fix in it didn't work for me.
BTW: I bought the THL W8s after busting my HTC One and not wanting to shell out too much to replace it. All-in-all I'm very impressed with my cheap Chinese Android phone (£155 on eBay), and now that this bug is fixed I'm really chuffed with it. The dual sim/dual standby function saves me carrying two phones, another bonus.
552446934
Thx for posting this, but didn't work for me. Hope it works for others as this is a great bunch of apps.
I'm wondering if my issue is related to the phone (Cube 5H which is a MTK6589 product) or the MIUI ROMs. I'm getting to the point where I think I might need to give up and get a different phone, but I feel the same way about this phone as you do aout the THL - if I could fix this issue it would be a great value for money phone
whalesg said:
I found the solution for bog standard Android devices, I have a THL W8s running 4.2.1 but it should work on Androids 4.1.x / 4.2.x / 4.3.x according to the threads below.
No credit to me, all down to the guys on XDA, but as a bit of novice it took me ages to trawl all the posts on this subject before finally finding the solution that worked - and easily. It will also avoid you installing lots of apps of playstore that for me anyway either didn't work or gave a poor hack of a work around. In addition, this solution provides a whole host of other fixes and enhancement, brilliant piece of work from the two developers.
Start by removing all your contacts, either export/delete from People to re-import or as in my case delete the corporate email/contacts account
Tip: Reboot after almost every step
1) Your device must be rooted
2) You must be able to install apps direct from your phone: System Settings / Security / Unknown Sources (Unknown Sources may be in a different place)
Then the heart of it:
Install the Xposed Framework
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1574401
Full instructions in the thread
Then install GravityBox it's not the a ROM, just the Xposed Framework Module
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2316070
Again, full instructions in the thread (Make sure you have a tick next to Gravity Box in the Xposed Framework and reboot)
Then: GravityBox -> General Fixes -> Fix Caller ID
Reboot, re-add or re-import your email/contacts, either add the account or import from contacts and there you go, fixed.
Here's one that didn't work for me but may be worth a try if your version of Android isn't supported with the above solution:
Search on: ro.phone.min_match= where you put a 9, 8, 7 etc after the =
I used ES File Explorer to mount /system R/W and edit the build.prop file, but as I said, after ages of hacking around to get the fix in it didn't work for me.
BTW: I bought the THL W8s after busting my HTC One and not wanting to shell out too much to replace it. All-in-all I'm very impressed with my cheap Chinese Android phone (£155 on eBay), and now that this bug is fixed I'm really chuffed with it. The dual sim/dual standby function saves me carrying two phones, another bonus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm surprised because the Garvity Box solution was designed around the MT6589 products (I think I read somewhere), my phone is MT6589T.
I did read somewhere that the solution wouldn't work on highly customized ROMs and I think that included MUI. Did the phone come with MUI factory installed, if there is a standard AOSP build for your phone it is probably worth a try using that.
Pity, I nearly threw a party when it worked for me, I'd been hacking around for days.
The phone doesn't come with a full MIUI ROM, just the "themes" part of it. But I really wanted to give MIUI a shot hence me putting the whole ROM on. Good point though - I've been toying with putting the original build back on to see if it fixes the issue. Then I'll know if it's a phone thing or a MIUI thing.
Glas you got yours going though. I crossing my fingers for that party moment!
whalesg said:
I'm surprised because the Garvity Box solution was designed around the MT6589 products (I think I read somewhere), my phone is MT6589T.
I did read somewhere that the solution wouldn't work on highly customized ROMs and I think that included MUI. Did the phone come with MUI factory installed, if there is a standard AOSP build for your phone it is probably worth a try using that.
Pity, I nearly threw a party when it worked for me, I'd been hacking around for days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strangely - just noticed that numbers in "recent" are now being listed with the correct name matched to the phone book. If I turn off Gravity Box this stops happening, so Gravity Box is having some affect. Just a shame it's not on incoming calls.
johnhelliwell said:
Thx for posting this, but didn't work for me. Hope it works for others as this is a great bunch of apps.
I'm wondering if my issue is related to the phone (Cube 5H which is a MTK6589 product) or the MIUI ROMs. I'm getting to the point where I think I might need to give up and get a different phone, but I feel the same way about this phone as you do aout the THL - if I could fix this issue it would be a great value for money phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or not as all I want to do for now is play youtube vids , read manga/comics and stream anime mks from my server ? Can I do all this without rooting ?
Well if you've turned it on and connected to Wi-Fi you're most likely already screwed if you wanted to root. If you haven't I would suggest it if you don't care about prime services...I had my HDX set up to look almost aosp with the now launcher and all of google services running including the store...then the update put me back to this ****ty combo of android and fire os
Sent from my KFAPWI using Tapatalk
I have not turned it on yet and will not for a day or two to research this.So you suggest I should root it ?
I would suggest rooting if you fit the following:
- You feel comfortable rooting your device knowing that you are able to brick your device. You understand the risk
(I personally think it happens when low on battery power cuts the process off since it gets mentioned a lot, or installing the tools needed in a incorrect order could put you in a "boot loop" from what I've heard/read. Correct me guys if I'm wrong. Or confirm that's right. Or add to the small list from experience with bricking if you want. I have not bricked my two devices myself and rooted Android devices before using other dev tools).
- You want to customize your tablet into a hybrid of both Amazon OS/ with Android launcher.
- You prefer having access to paid apps on the Google Play store since you can not side-load paid Google apps (from PC to Kindle using USB). Personally I found that video games run smoothly on the paid emulators I bought so far from the Google Play store.
- If you truly haven't been updated yet.
To check: When you go to Settings / Device / System Updates and it says Current Version is 14.3.1.0_user_... (also heads up, don't connect to the internet. The update for 14.3.2.1 will download automatically and when it's done it will install by itself. I own a Kindle Fire HDX 7" with 13.3.1.0 on it but they are pretty much the same thing except for a few things designed specifically for that device being their different code and/or addresses I would assume)
- You've rooted a Android device before. That way you feel more comfortable.
Your 3 concerns you've told us: You can watch YouTube through Amazon's OS only using their web browser called Silk. If your comics are PDF then you can view those without rooting as well. I never used mks files if that's what you're referring to so I can't help you there. Other than that, that's all the info I think you need other than the process it takes to actually root the device.
Hope I helped explain clearly.
taiko01 said:
Or not as all I want to do for now is play youtube vids , read manga/comics and stream anime mks from my server ? Can I do all this without rooting ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
H0B0onDRUGS2 provided some sound advices regarding rooting for you...
However, I watch YouTube and streamed video files from my PCs on my non-rooted and updated KFHDX7. Even though I don't do it, but I'm fairly sure you can read comics too without root. What file formats are they?
I've never rooted as i actually like fire os. My lgg2 satisfies my need to root, mod, flash. etc.
As far as YouTube goes tubemate, available from the Amazon store, works well for me however I'll probably sideload og youtube at some stage. Don't know about comics or anime.
LgG2 d802 running Sotmax V5 ROM
Looks like I will root it as I dont mind getting my hands dirty and I dont like closed eco systems like apple/amazon ,only reason I got was I got it dirt cheap
PS the manga are i think cbr/cbz and mostly in rar/tar containers full of png's.
Recently inherited a Nook Tablet 16GB with OS 1.4.3.
Did some searching and Phone Arena http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Barnes---Noble-NOOK-Tablet_id6548 lists it as Android (2.3).
Am not familiar with TI OMAP4 SoC.
Since Android is now at 6, I wonder what the latest OS can be used with it?
Appreciate comments and suggestions!
Thanks
Ken
Should add am wondering what is the latest Android OS I can use before the TI OMAP4 SoC becomes noticeably Slow.
Ken
KenithO said:
Should add am wondering what is the latest Android OS I can use before the TI OMAP4 SoC becomes noticeably Slow.
Ken
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Slow compared to what? The original 2.3? That I can't speak to since I never did much with my original (ebay) tablet but turn it on and flash CM 10.2.1 (after having it repartitioned at my local B&N store). I ran CM 10.2.1 for a little over a year and was fairly happy with its performance but I have to add that it has been my only tablet experience (if you don't count my much-modified Nook Simple Touch!) and the rest of my experience is with desktop and laptop Windows machines.
I think if you intend to use the tablet for memory and graphics intensive gaming, you may be disappointed. Not sure since I'm not a gamer. I use mine for reading news, watching movies and/or streams, listening to audiobooks, doing crossword puzzles, email, some limited internet browsing, running Kodi, etc. I'm not sure I'd call the tablet response "sprightly", but I'm comfortable with the performance. I don't need to grab a cup of tea while something starts up
I'm not sure about CM 11 (that's roughly KitKat). I skipped over that one to investigate CM 12.1 (Lollipop) for just about a week now and have noticed some strain on the hardware resources and a change in response. But it's still settling in and things change a little from day to day so I'll give it a few more weeks before I decide whether to return to 10.2.1 or try 11.
So....it's largely what you'd expect. This is a piece of hardware that was designed as mainly a reader with a few bones thrown in to tantalize people into thinking they were getting a little something extra--which they were. But that was in the days of Android 2.3 and it really wasn't designed to be a super-duper multimedia tablet. That said, there are a lot of people who still use them and spend a lot of time developing CM for them.
As a 2.3 device it's pretty limited (except as a reader, if you like the backlight) so I'd say give at least CM 10 a try and see what you think. Just keep in mind its hardware origins.
Hi nmyshkin,
1st thanks for your comments! Will try to explain in more detail.
I would like to use my Nook Tablet as a audio/video player (No games) so like to install VLC media player or similar.
"Slow compared to what?" To my experience installing newer Windows OSes on same hardware. Have had best results using apps like nLite or with WinXP using Hiren's MiniXP to reduce all the Win Bloatware!
Since you are much more experienced concerning the Nook Tablet do you have a blog concerning your OS upgrade experience? Also what Audio/Video Player App(s) do you use?
Ken
KenithO said:
Hi nmyshkin,
1st thanks for your comments! Will try to explain in more detail.
I would like to use my Nook Tablet as a audio/video player (No games) so like to install VLC media player or similar.
"Slow compared to what?" To my experience installing newer Windows OSes on same hardware. Have had best results using apps like nLite or with WinXP using Hiren's MiniXP to reduce all the Win Bloatware!
Since you are much more experienced concerning the Nook Tablet do you have a blog concerning your OS upgrade experience? Also what Audio/Video Player App(s) do you use?
Ken
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're interested in mainly audio/video then the NT should serve you well. I hear you about trying to put newer (read: hungrier) operating systems on older machines. The CM people have done a great job but every piece of hardware has its limits. For your purposes I would think that CM 10 would be fine, but you could certainly try 11 or (maybe) 12. The advantage to choosing a more up-to-date operating system is that more apps are available to you. The catch is that the PlayStore will often say an app is not compatible since it sees the device as a Nook Tablet and has no idea that you have upgraded the OS. So you sometimes have to be creative in obtaining apps and sideloading them. As for bloatware, the principal source is the GoogleApps! When I did my CM 10 flashing there was just the typical package but there are now mini, micro, nano, etc., versions which narrow down the list of GApps to bare essentials. I used the nano set on my CM 12.1 and don't miss anything.
I've attached a screenshot of my current Home running CM 12.1. I have a second screen which is just a few utilities (file manager, print, wi-fi transfer, etc.) but you can get an idea of what kind of stuff runs well on the tablet with a newer OS. I've not used VLC player on the NT but I imagine it would be fine. MX Player works well for me and it also serves as my music player. Since I grew up in an era when the album was king, I don't keep separate songs and use minimal tags. If you're a more tag-driven music listener then you'd want something else. CM 10 comes with a tag-friendly music player but if that didn't suit your needs, there are plenty of apps to try in the PlayStore.
Anything that MX Player can't handle (haven't found it yet) Kodi would be able to deal with. I guess you could use Kodi exclusively as a media player but the screen interface is a little trying for a small screen.
I'm "experienced" only to the extent that I've had a lot of help with problems In my view you can't do better than the instructions given by user digixmax. His installation instructions for CM 10 are here. For CM 11 or 12 they are here. If you read through both threads you'll find plenty of panic-stricken posts by yours truly
nmyshkin said:
...
The catch is that the PlayStore will often say an app is not compatible since it sees the device as a Nook Tablet and has no idea that you have upgraded the OS. So you sometimes have to be creative in obtaining apps and sideloading them.
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FWIW I usually can download and install from an alternate source such as 1MobileMarket (http://market.1mobile.com) or Amazon appstore the very same app that Google Playstore deem incompatible with my Nook.
digixmax said:
FWIW I usually can download and install from an alternate source such as 1MobileMarket (http://market.1mobile.com) or Amazon appstore the very same app that Google Playstore deem incompatible with my Nook.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, or you can try here: http://apps.evozi.com/apk-downloader/
Most common apps can be downloaded to your PC from there and then side loaded. Supposedly they will also fetch less common ones if you ask.
nmyshkin,
Thanks again for your detailed comments!
Also while I am new to Nook Tablet have been using Android cell phones for a while. My 1st Android phone was a Kyocera Hydro http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Kyocera-Hydro_id7096
Wanted to root it but after reading "!!WARNING!! there is currently no working recovery, beware of the changes you make to your phone, modify at your own risk" (am a believer in Murphies Law
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murphy's_law) decided not to take the chance.
Recently I got an and hoped to root it but found "Alcatel A460G Rooting Trouble - a lost cause" http://forum.xda-developers.com/general/help/alcatel-a460g-rooting-trouble-pointers-t3261024
so am waiting for someone to do this first.
While I have never Rooted an Android Device did learn early to side load, usually using http://apps.evozi.com/apk-downloader/
Have recently found mention of another Android app download site APKPure https://apkpure.com/ but do Not know how trustworthy it is?
The only thing I know about "CyanogenMod" is what I read at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CyanogenMod
Since my Nook Tablet is still original will volunteer to use any test apps to determine its speed.
Also since it does not have a Camera do not understand the need to go above KitKat (4.4). If there is some other reason would be interested.
"When I did my CM 10 flashing there was just the typical package but there are now mini, micro, nano, etc., versions which narrow down the list of GApps to bare essentials. I used the nano set on my CM 12.1 and don't miss anything." Nano is for me! What about Pico? Also found Pico(Uni)?
Where do you normally download them? Is it http://www.androidrootz.com/2015/03/download-android-44x-kitkat-pa-gapps.html
Question: What do you gain by using CyanogenMod 12.1, based on Android 5.1?
Ken
Hi digixmax,
"I usually can download and install from an alternate source such as 1MobileMarket (http://market.1mobile.com) or Amazon appstore the very same app that Google Playstore deem incompatible with my Nook."
Thanks for the tip!
Do you know of any posts concerning the reliability of alternate sources?
Ken
KenithO said:
nmyshkin,
Thanks again for your detailed comments!
Also while I am new to Nook Tablet have been using Android cell phones for a while. My 1st Android phone was a Kyocera Hydro http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Kyocera-Hydro_id7096
Wanted to root it but after reading "!!WARNING!! there is currently no working recovery, beware of the changes you make to your phone, modify at your own risk" (am a believer in Murphies Law
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murphy's_law) decided not to take the chance.
Recently I got an and hoped to root it but found "Alcatel A460G Rooting Trouble - a lost cause" http://forum.xda-developers.com/general/help/alcatel-a460g-rooting-trouble-pointers-t3261024
so am waiting for someone to do this first.
While I have never Rooted an Android Device did learn early to side load, usually using http://apps.evozi.com/apk-downloader/
Have recently found mention of another Android app download site APKPure https://apkpure.com/ but do Not know how trustworthy it is?
The only thing I know about "CyanogenMod" is what I read at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CyanogenMod
Since my Nook Tablet is still original will volunteer to use any test apps to determine its speed.
Also since it does not have a Camera do not understand the need to go above KitKat (4.4). If there is some other reason would be interested.
"When I did my CM 10 flashing there was just the typical package but there are now mini, micro, nano, etc., versions which narrow down the list of GApps to bare essentials. I used the nano set on my CM 12.1 and don't miss anything." Nano is for me! What about Pico? Also found Pico(Uni)?
Where do you normally download them? Is it http://www.androidrootz.com/2015/03/download-android-44x-kitkat-pa-gapps.html
Question: What do you gain by using CyanogenMod 12.1, based on Android 5.1?
Ken
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it's best to do some homework on a device before purchase if you plan to root it or install alternate ROMS.
Sources for the various GApps packages can be found in the instruction thread I referred you to earlier.
Even CM 10 includes camera and Bluetooth fluff on the NT-- not functional, of course. Theoretically running a more up-to-date OS extends the useful life of the device. App development eventually leaves older devices in the dust, although not completely. I still have a generous complement of apps on my NST and that runs Eclair!
Anyway, the chief advantage of an OS like CM is that it is fluid, with people working to improve and enhance. Also, it overcomes some of the limitations imposed by B&N when they designed their "front end".
KenithO said:
...
Nano is for me! What about Pico? Also found Pico(Uni)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Info on different package types:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/software/reborn-gapps-5-t3074660
Where do you normally download them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://opengapps.org/#
---------- Post added at 07:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:14 PM ----------
KenithO said:
Do you know of any posts concerning the reliability of alternate sources?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not off-hand.
digixmax,
Thanks for the links! Somehow I thought the various builds were CyanogenMod and searched for "CyanogenMod Pico" but found nothing.
Looked over "Info on different package types" http://forum.xda-developers.com/andr...pps-5-t3074660 and am interested in PICO MODULAR PACKAGE ANDROID 5.1 DOWNLOAD LINKS (~43MB).
Question: Is a Pico Modular package available for Android 4.4.4 KitKat? Am guessing No.
To restate I would like to use my Nook Tablet 16 Only as a Multimedia Player and for reading DOCs and PDFs.
Since I only side load apps is it possible to eliminate Google Play Store, Google Calendar Sync, and the following Play Store application and leave only the core Google system base?
[GAPPS][DAILY] Open GApps for Android 5.1,5.0,4.4; arm,arm64,x86,x86_64
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3098071
[GAPPS][DAILY] Open GApps for Android 5.1,5.0,4.4; arm,arm64,x86,x86_64
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using XDA Free mobile app
Am trying to do my homework so have been searching for early articles about the Nook Tablet.
Found "How To Sideload (Almost) Any Android App On The Nook Tablet" by K. T. Bradford http://www.gottabemobile.com/2011/11/16/how-to-sideload-android-apps-nook-tablet/
Am wondering if this Nook originally had OS 1.4.0? Does anyone know how to find out? If yes is there an easy way to go back to it? That way I would get a baseline. If no I hope someone has found a workaround!
The 1st app I would like to install is a File Manager and would appreciate any recommendations.
Since OS 1.4.3 is listed as Android 2.3 checked Google Store for FMs that will run on this or older and found X-plore File Manager 3.78 (2.3), File Manager (File transfer) by Cheetah Mobile Tools (Varies with device?),
SD File Manager 1.0.9 by MobilDev (2.3), File Manager by 1.1 by IT STARS (2.3), File Manager 1.31 by xFrame Labs Tools (2.3)
Hi champ1919,
Thanks for the link! I have a lot of catching up to do concerning Open GApps!
Liked DL page http://opengapps.org/ for giving a quick overview of all the options!
Saw there is an X86 ver for 4.4 to 6.0 Nano. Am wondering if I can install these on a std 32bit PC?
Have been searching and found "Advanced Features and Options", "Removal of Stock applications", and "Universal Application Removals"
https://github.com/opengapps/opengapps/wiki/Advanced-Features-and-Options These give you a lot of options!
Any good tutorials?
OK guys, I'm updating a 16GB Nook tablet, it has 1.4.3.
From what I've pieced together, I need to create a bootable TWRP sdcard and flash the root file then flash the TWRP 3.0.0-0(the acclaim works for the old Nook?) Then flash CM12 or CM13?
I'm starting from scratch and these guides are rather old so I'm trying to make sure I use the most up to date recovery and ROM available but with everything spread through different guides its a little confusing to decide which steps and files I need and which ones I don't considering I'm trying to go from stock to TWRP and CM12/CM13 in as few steps as possible.
Droidriven said:
OK guys, I'm updating a 16GB Nook tablet, it has 1.4.3.
From what I've pieced together, I need to create a bootable TWRP sdcard and flash the root file then flash the TWRP 3.0.0-0(the acclaim works for the old Nook?) Then flash CM12 or CM13?
I'm starting from scratch and these guides are rather old so I'm trying to make sure I use the most up to date recovery and ROM available but with everything spread through different guides its a little confusing to decide which steps and files I need and which ones I don't considering I'm trying to go from stock to TWRP and CM12/CM13 in as few steps as possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can look at this thread for combinations of files that worked. I'm in there later in the mix and that's how I ended up with CM 12.1.
Looking at the SD card I prepared I can see everything I used except for the TWRP version because it was renamed. At this point I would just use one of the versions mentioned in the thread I just referenced for someone who succeeded at 12.1 (or if you want 13.0, there is a separate thread for that). Just know that TWRP gives error messages during the preparation process (at least my version did--mentioned in the thread) and these can be ignored.
The rest of the files I used with success:
cm-12.1-20151117-SNAPSHOT-YOG7DAO1K6-acclaim.zip
flashable_CWM_6.0.4.8_chrmhoffmann.zip
open_gapps-arm-5.1-nano-20160109.zip
FWIW, the file size on the TWRP version I used shows as 7516 KB.
Hello Ken,
All CMs are somewhat slower that stock Android from BN. You will also loose the proper behavior of tablet when you connect cable to charger - stock OS wakes tablet from sleep when tablet gets connected to charger, CM does not, so you will have to wake it up first, otherwise tablet will not charge. Then, under every CM build RAM (under 'About Tablet') is stated 672 Mb, but under stock OS RAM is 1024Mb. Don't know is B&N trick us or not.
Next, if tablet left asleep for some prolonged period its time/date gets frozen, so when you wake it up it will show some wrong time/date and it does not auto-update on wake up, so you will have to manually update it by going to proper menu in Settings.
Tablet definitely lags compared to stock (in my opinion), especially when apps upgrade themselves and/or you turn on the WiFi - it's total hell. Also, apps like FB can take forever to install.
I tried CM12.1 but decided to get back to CM10.2.1. I also use alternative launcher, cause native one works in landscape mode and nothing made it to run in portrait.
Btw, in newer CMs you will loose access to some of the internal storage and to recover it - you will have to repartition your tablet.
Hope my info helps a bit.
PepeladZ said:
Hello Ken,
All CMs are somewhat slower that stock Android from BN. You will also loose the proper behavior of tablet when you connect cable to charger - stock OS wakes tablet from sleep when tablet gets connected to charger, CM does not, so you will have to wake it up first, otherwise tablet will not charge. Then, under every CM build RAM (under 'About Tablet') is stated 672 Mb, but under stock OS RAM is 1024Mb. Don't know is B&N trick us or not.
Next, if tablet left asleep for some prolonged period its time/date gets frozen, so when you wake it up it will show some wrong time/date and it does not auto-update on wake up, so you will have to manually update it by going to proper menu in Settings.
Tablet definitely lags compared to stock (in my opinion), especially when apps upgrade themselves and/or you turn on the WiFi - it's total hell. Also, apps like FB can take forever to install.
I tried CM12.1 but decided to get back to CM10.2.1. I also use alternative launcher, cause native one works in landscape mode and nothing made it to run in portrait.
Btw, in newer CMs you will loose access to some of the internal storage and to recover it - you will have to repartition your tablet.
Hope my info helps a bit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This further reinforces my feeling that the CM flashings are somewhat idiosyncratic (at least on the Nook Tablet). I've run both 10.2.1 and 12.1 (current) on my tablet and never saw the clock update issue described. In 12.1 the AM/PM indicator had update issues, but I solved that by disabling the cLock widget and installing Chronus from the PlayStore.
Sluggish is as sluggish does, I guess. Running CM 12.1 is no more sluggish than my cheap KitKat LG smartphone I use as an mp3 player. I have to agree that sometimes the tablet just has a bad time of things. This happened a lot after my initial 12.1 installation and there were many odd things that needed fixing. I just kept at it until it is finally running as well as 10.2.1---even better since it now boots reliably every time, whereas with 10.2.1 there were many times when I would boot to a black (backlit) screen. So now I shut it down every night and boot up the next morning without any problem.
The moral seems to be that you just need to try. Keep a backup of the stock system in case you have "buyer's remorse". Don't give up right away. Reflash if things are just a mess, but if only a few things are wonky, work with the tablet for a week or so. It seems to get better after each reboot. Decide for yourself whether the reported sluggishness of the tablet is something that you notice for the apps you are using. A lot of it is about expectations.
nmyshkin said:
I've run both 10.2.1 and 12.1 (current) on my tablet and never saw the clock update issue described. In 12.1 the AM/PM indicator had update issues, but I solved that by disabling the cLock widget and installing Chronus from the PlayStore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The thing is that I tried one of the latest 12.1 with the same results. I don't think the clock problem comes from cLock widget but is related to deep sleep mode or something like that.
nmyshkin said:
This happened a lot after my initial 12.1 installation and there were many odd things that needed fixing. I just kept at it until it is finally running as well as 10.2.1---even better since it now boots reliably every time, whereas with 10.2.1 there were many times when I would boot to a black (backlit) screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I switched to CM since 10.x and followed along till 13.x came out. So I was on 12.1 for quite some time and tried fresh builds quite frequently, doing 'full reset' install. Btw, I've never had unreliable boots.
nmyshkin said:
So now I shut it down every night and boot up the next morning without any problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, turning it off is the only way to keep clock right.
Hello, everyone!
If you aren't an expert - that's okay. Everyone is welcome and you're free to ask questions.
Make sure to check the date this post was updated (I may forget to update the date in the title) which is located at the bottom of this post. If this post hasn't been updated in more than a month, contact me and I'll refresh everything.
Quick Introduction:
I'm new to the Yoga Book squad, and I've noticed one major downside.... the forums are a total mess. So what I'm hoping to do, is to keep this thread as up-to-date as possible, with links to guides, development progress and anything else.
I figure to make this more... tidy, I will enforce a colour-coding system for each sub-thread-guide-thingy, so you can instantly tell whether a guide or method to do something to your Yoga Book is risky, and most likely experimental, or is well tested. These will probably be done via experiments on my own Book (the wifi-only version), but of course I will hope via this community thread I will be able to provide more detailed statistics and such as everyone does their own thing to their device.
If you have anything to add to this thread, or would like to help out with anything; please feel free to contact me or just tell me what you're thinking - I'll do my best to read everyone's replies.
General Yoga Book Information
To my knowledge, there are two versions of the Yoga Book, each with two sub-versions for the OS:
1.) YB1-X9aF - this is the Wi-Fi version
2.) YB1-X9aL - this is the LTE/4G version
Where the "a" between the 9 and the F/L is either a zero or a one, depending on the installed OS (Android: 0, Windows 10: 1)
The SIM card is a Nano-SIM with 3G capability.
Other than that, all Yoga Book devices share the following specifications:
- 10.1 inch IPS display, of resolution 1920x1200
- Intel Atom x5-Z8550 processor, which:
----+ Has an architecture of x86_64
----+ Core base clock of 1.44 gigahertz
----+ Core boost clock of 2.4 gigahertz
----+ 4 cores and 4 threads
- Battery capacity of 8500 milliampere hours
- On-board storage of 64 gigabytes of solid-state storage (SSD)
- 4 gigabytes of random-access memory (RAM)
- A microSD card slot capable of up to 128 gigabytes of storage
- Two camera's, one above the display and one on the keyboard
- Wi-Fi (802.11 ac) and Bluetooth (v4)
- 3.5 millimetre headphone jack
- Micro-USB 2.0 OTG port
- Micro-HDMI port
Colour (or color) Codes and Tags:
For those who like using grey-scale display filters or whom are colour blind, I've added a "level" to each of them, where level 3 is like... crazy meltdown experimentation mode, and 1 is stable-ish (probably as stable as it'll get unless a REAL developer takes on the challenge).
[X] - Means that you will have to delete some or all of your data for it to work
[R] - Means that it requires a Rooted device
[Level 3] VERY EXPERIMENTAL - Use with caution, and with the knowledge that you may boot-loop, brick your device or lose your data!!! OR ALL OF THOSE THINGS!! Make sure to backup everything you hold dear, and just for good measure you'll have something to fallback on.
[Level 2] NOT WELL-TESTED - This will probably work for most people, but things may be unstable at the best of times. Again, make sure you have a backup before trying level 2 items.
[Level 1] 99% FINE - If there's an issue, it's probably your own fault... but again, I can't guarantee that everything I or anyone else does is perfect and will work for everyone! You should probably still have a backup, but if you're lazy like myself it's okay, I forgive you.
Android M/6.0
Rooting, backups, and more!
[1][X] Unlocking the Bootloader
earthCallingAngela wrote a really nice guide for unlocking the bootloader. The original thread is here, but for those who are too lazy to open the link in a new tab I've quoted the information.
IF YOU APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS GO AND THANK THEIR ORIGINAL POST!!!
Remember, unlocking your devices bootloader will format your storage (meaning you'll lose all of your data), so backup anything important before proceeding.
earthCallingAngela's OP: https://forum.xda-developers.com/yoga-book/how-to/how-to-unlock-bootloader-t3502216
I hope this is useful information. It took me a bit to figure it out due to a lot of conflicting information, since the procedure has changed, perhaps several times, since the first version of Android. Also, I'll probably forget myself.
Please note that I've performed these steps on Linux (Specifically Arch Linux). Others have pointed out that if you have issues executing step 7 from Windows, you may need to follow this post.
1. Install Android Studio, or otherwise obtain the latest versions of the adb and fastboot programs. I think Windows users also need to install a USB driver, but I run Linux, so I am not sure about that procedure.
2. Gain access to the developer options on the tablet. Go to the settings, and find the "about tablet" section. Scroll down to the "Software version" section and tap on that several times until it says that you are now a developer. Feel special.
3. Go to the new "Developer options" setting. Select "OEM unlocking." Also, I selected "USB debugging" as a straightforward way to reboot into the boot loader.
4. Connect to the computer on which you've installed adb and fastboot.
5. Type 'adb devices' to see your device listed. The tablet will ask you if you're sure you want to allow the computer access to it. Answer in the affirmative, and save that option.
6. Type 'adb reboot-bootloader' to do just that.
7. After you see the innards of your 'droid, type 'fastboot flashing unlock' . On Linux, you may need root permissions to do this. The tablet will ask you to confirm (select with up/down volume, and accept with the power button), and will then erase all of your data! I didn't worry about this as I'm all on Google services, and so they can be restored easily enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
[3] TWRP Custom Recovery
danjac has written a post about his attempt at getting a modified version of TWRP running on his Yoga Book. From what I can tell it was a success, besides a few bugs (which are avoidable... I think).
WARNING! MAKE SURE YOU READ THESE!!
Before you go ahead and just flash his version, make sure you know the consequences that could arise if something goes wrong. If the recovery of your device screws up, you don't really have much to bring it back to life with. Even though there shouldn't be many things to worry about, it's still very risky.
In fact, it is recommended you ONLY temporarily boot into TWRP, instead of just flashing it like you would on another device. danjac's OP gives more information for you to use.
If you think you are willing to take the risk and know what you're doing, I highly suggest you make a complete backup of your device if possible. So far there isn't really a way to get your stock recovery back (since we don't have a custom ROM or a way to download Lenovo's modified version online).
danjac's OP: https://forum.xda-developers.com/yoga-book/development/recovery-twrp-t3533980
[2] Rooting (via Magisk)
danjac wrote the first guide to rooting the Yoga Book, and you should, again, go and thank his original post. However, his OP is now a bit outdated, Magisk (currently v12.0) now includes a root module (MagiskSU) based on phh's SuperUser.
Please note: If you are already rooted via a different method (and maybe you want to change because it didn't work... or something like that) you have to go into your super-user manager and uninstall it. If you have a previous version of Magisk installed, there is an uninstall ZIP that you can flash, which will remove any Magisk version, including MagiskSU. Again, more details on the main Magisk thread.
Do I NEED to unlock my bootloader to Root my device?
The short answer is yes, and the long answer is sort-of. You only need to unlock your bootloader if your ROM doesn't support Rooting out-of-the-box (which in Lenovo's case, it isn't supported). However, you can lock your bootloader afterwards if it's such a concern to you. Yeah, you probably will stop receiving over-the-air updates from Lenovo, but they're probably not going to push out another update for a long while, so in my opinion it's nothing to worry about.
Follow the instructions on the main Magisk page to install it if you're new to Magisk, but if you know a thing or two then I'll paraphrase:
- Flash the latest Magisk ZIP file via the TWRP Recovery (if you have it) or just flash it over ADB
- You should also download the Magisk Manager from the Play Store to make sure you're always up-to-date
danjac's OT: https://forum.xda-developers.com/yoga-book/how-to/root-yb1-x90l-how-to-t3534268
Magisk's main thread: https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/magisk/official-magisk-v7-universal-systemless-t3473445
[2] Dual-booting Android and Windows 10
Since there isn't a place to get the Android side of things, I won't put too much info here.
Although if you're already running the Android version and want to know how to put Windows 10 on your device too, look at this thread.
Dual-booting OT: https://forum.xda-developers.com/yoga-book/help/android-to-windows-hack-dual-boot-option-t3475733
[3][X] Custom ROM
Currently there is no custom ROM which supports the Yoga Book, mainly for the simple fact not many people own the device. However, if we make enough noise in the community I'm sure someone will crack under the pressure ;P
Although, I'm doing my best efforts to merge the device drivers and such into the Android Source code, but you shouldn't get your hopes up. If I ever get it working, it will probably be unstable and not that great (I don't have much experience with the details of the Android OS), I'm running off my knowledge of the Linux OS.
If you're using the Windows 10 version of the Yoga Book (I'm sorry you paid the extra $50!!), hopefully Lenovo will at least release a version of their own ROM soon (or put it back from what I've heard). I've also heard that they're upgrading to Nougat in October (of 2017)... so we've got plenty of time to find another solution to our sorrows.
Information for Developers:
Someone has also posted a backup of their working Lenovo-customised Android OS, but I won't post a link here because:
- It's only a backup
- May draw un-wanted attention to the link
But if you're a developer and you think that will help you, you can easily find it somewhere in these forums.
EDIT: The link has now been removed (I can't find it)
If you're trying to
Code:
repo sync
the AOSP and you're getting stuck syncing the work tree, try doing this (from the folder you're trying to sync to):
Code:
rm -rf frameworks/compile/slang/
mkdir /home/<user>/slang_helper
sudo ln -s /home/<user>/slang_helper frameworks/compile/slang
Please be careful when typing commands into your terminal, especially from the internet, and especially when you don't understand what the commands are doing.
Lenovo's source code download: http://pcsupport.lenovo.com/au/en/products/tablets/yoga-series/yoga-book/za0v/downloads
[2] Linux without removing Android
Thanks to @Tiggi2017 for making the first guide. His OT here is a good one to read through if you're interested in this.
Via a few apps and some commands, you're able to have a "Linux" OS running on your Android device with the Halo Keyboard and such still working perfectly.
His original method doesn't need Root access apparently. However, there are other methods that may be easier for some people if they have a Rooted device. Look through the comments in that thread for more information.
OT: https://forum.xda-developers.com/yoga-book/how-to/yoga-book-gnuroot-debian-t3580358
Apps, tips and tricks!
[1] Apps That Support Multi-Window
Thanks to sashlon1138 for doing most of the hard work by putting this list together (may not be complete, if you know of more apps that work let me know so I can add them!).
Thanks to uuang for getting the ball rolling.
Thanks to Csilla4 for finding the first calculator app that works.
Thanks to docoli for also finding a huge list of compatible apps.
Csilla4:
- iDo Calculator
uuang:
- RAR
- Google Photos
sashlon1138:
- Chrome (but not beta)
- Facebook
- Messenger (Facebook)
- Gmail
- Outlook
- Youtube
- VLC
- Google Search
- Home
- Instagram
- Pinterest
- Dolphin Browser
- Ebay
- Paypal
- Flow Free
- Google Maps
- Google Earth
- OneNote
- Wikipedia
- ES File Manager
- Twitter
- Evernote
- Reddit
- Skype
- Candy Crush Saga
- Candy Crush Soda
- Candy Crush Jelly
- Spotify
- Soundcloud
- Opera
- Opera Mini
- Yahoo Mail
- Viber Messenger
- MX Player
- Google Translate
- Shazam
- AliExpress
- Tumblr
- Twitch
- Mega
docoli:
- Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint
- Softmaker Textmaker HD, Planmaker HD and Presentations HD
- RealCalc
- Adobe Acrobat
- CamScanner
- MindjetMaps
- LinkedIn
- ezPDF Reader
- Detexify
- HERE WeGo
- Google Street View
- Öffi (German Public Transportation Schedule app)
- DB Navigator (German Railroad Schedule app)
- Kindle
- Amazon Prime Video
- Maxdome
- Barnes & Noble Nook
- Audible
- TuneIn Radio
- TED
- Babbel
- dict.cc. plus
- Amazon
- Nine (you can even have any number of items in parallel on the screen, e.g., inbox, calender, contacts, notes)
- OneDrive
Link to OT: https://forum.xda-developers.com/yoga-book/help/multi-window-apps-t3565253/post71494066#post71494066
[2] Changing the DPI
WARNING! Do not change your DPI to extreme values! You may render your device useless (unless you already have set up ADB and know how to revert the changes)!
Thanks to melando for bringing up the actual default DPI values.
Just so you are aware, if you're running Android 7 (Nougat) or later, you can adjust the "DPI" to some preset values from the settings app.
Using this site, I calculated that the Yoga Book has a technical DPI of 224 pixels per inch, with a resolution of 1920 by 1200 pixels, over a 10.1" screen (diagonal). However, the default Lenovo has set it to may be actually 280. They suggest that you may find it better if the DPI is set to 240.
This is a trivial modification if your device is Rooted. All you have to do is open the Play Store, and search for something along the lines of "DPI changer", and find an app that has good reviews.
An example app would be "Easy DPI Changer [Root]"
If your device does not have Root, then you will have to have a computer with ADB installed.
To install ADB, do a quick Google. There's bound to be a guide there somewhere (I'll put one here soon).
Once you have ADB installed, you can follow this easy guide to change your DPI to whatever you like.
DPI Calculator: http://dpi.lv/
Non-Root Method: http://www.androidbeat.com/2015/07/how-to-change-dpi-of-android-device-without-root/
[1] Recommended Apps...?
There isn't anything here as of yet, because I haven't gotten far enough to look for any good apps that work well with the Yoga Book. So right now I'm going to rely on everyone else for that. I'll get there eventually.
However, you should at least download Magisk Manager from the Play Store, to manage your Root and other neato Magisk features.
If you're a developer, and need guinea pigs to test your stuff on, I am happy to help anyway I can (and I'm sure much of the community is too).
If anyone needs help, I'll do my best to assist, but if it's anything too tedious (such as teaching you how TWRP works or something along those lines), you should probably have a look on the internet for tutorials and guides for that stuff. There are plenty of people out there who can explain concepts better than myself.
Windows 10
Simple customisations!
[1] Touch-pad Customiser
This program was first put into the spotlight by dinosauria123, so go to their original post and thank them for finding this.
This small program lets you modify some simple variables associated with your touch pad, only requiring a reboot after you change something.
Features:
- Setting extended right click area
- Setting unlock area
- Setting mouse pointer acceleration
- Setting scroll direction
- Disable Touchpad clicking (added in version 1.4)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OT: https://forum.xda-developers.com/yoga-book/themes/yoga-book-touch-pad-setting-application-t3569836
[1] Minor Halo KB Customisations
If you were wondering if there was a simple and easy way to lower the brightness of the Halo Keyboard, or just get rid of those pesky battery-draining touch vibrations for every key press, there is a way!!
Best of all, you don't have to download it! It's already installed!!
To find this not-so-well-hidden app, you have to either go to your Program Files, or open the good-old Control Panel (thanks to urayandro for pointing out that it's in the Control Panel!).
Control Panel method: Once you're in the Control Panel, just click on "Appearance and Personalisation", and you will find the "Halo Keyboard" program right at the bottom.
Program Files method: For 99.9% of people this is on your Local Drive (C: ). It may be located in your normal Program Files or it may be in your x86 Program Files, I'm assuming it depends on whether you're using the Windows 10 your device originally came with, or you have re-installed it (thanks to sawyerbenjamin for informing me that for them, it was in the normal Program Files folder). Assuming it's in your normal program files; go to Program Files/Lenovo/ and there it is. The application name is "ControlApp.exe". You can also make a shortcut to this application - I put a shortcut on my Desktop.
It allows you to:
- Toggle the touch tone/sound
- Toggle the vibration on keypress
- Adjust the time it takes for the keyboard lights to turn off
- Adjust the backlight (or whatever that is called) brightness for the whole keyboard
Risky or experimental customisations!
[2] Using AMIDuOS (Android Emu)
Update: I've spent a bit of time trying to use this, and in my opinion it's not worth the time. But if you need a development environment for something, it's pretty good at that. :/
In my attempt at replacing my Windows 10 installation with any version of Android I could find, I ran across this program called AMIDuOS. It's similar to emulating an Android system while you're in Windows, but instead of running it in a virtual environment, it runs directly on your x86 hardware (which is what the Yoga Book uses).
If you're cool with having a Windows 10 version of the Yoga Book, but still want to use some Android applications (possibly for drawing, or maybe just because the Android ecosystem is miles better compared to the Windows one) this may be a good solution for you.
Currently, they support Lollipop and Jellybean (not Marshmallow). However, this program is not free. You can trial it for free though. I'm fairly certain the full price is $10 USD.
It's not a difficult thing to set up (apparently), so if you wanna try something out and know how to deal with possible emulation problems (although unlikely) it may be worth it.
AMIDuOS Website: http://www.amiduos.com/
[2] Process Lasso
Huh? Process what-now? Yep, Process Lasso is a very complex program filled to the brim with algorithms tailored mainly towards getting the best performance and responsiveness, and to control those pesky rogue background processes that slow down your device when you don't need them to.
This program is completely free (but it does have a Pro version if you want a few extra customisation's and want to support the developers) and I've found it works pretty well, especially with a low-power device like the Yoga Book.
Since the Yoga Book is meant to be a very portable device, I'm not using Process Lasso to get maximum performance (as that would obviously drain the battery life quickly), I'm using it to make sure that if there's a program that needs to use power and deplete my battery life, then it's something I want - not some dodgy Windows background processes or other stuff like that.
It's pretty easy to set up. I've got a few of the main features enabled, and I recommend that you use similar settings.
I've enabled:
- ProBalance; this will keep the background processes in check, and allow the foreground processes to take the reigns of your CPU, insuring you experience minimal stutters.
- SmartTrim; this is an optional one, since I'm constantly micro-managing the applications I've got installed on my 64GB internal drive, this should help to prolong the performance of my drive, making sure it's well pruned (that's a pretty good analogy actually)
I've turned off the tray-icon showing me the CPU utilisation, so that doesn't need to waste any of my precious battery life (I'm usually a battery-life extremest), but you don't need to do that.
So if you're experiencing major delays when just doing simple things like moving around the Windows 10 user interface due to rogue background processes, I highly recommend you give this program a try.
Also, if you're a pro-ish-user like myself, feel free to dive deeper into the program. It's filled with toggles and adjustable's for you to play with and tailor the program to your needs, and almost everything you can change is accompanied with a tool-tip explaining what it does. Enjoy! But of course, as always, be careful of what you change - there are some things that could make your system really slow and or unstable.
P.S. The Yoga Book uses the 64-bit system, so choose that version of the program.
Website: https://bitsum.com/
Reserved
Does anybody know, whether bootloader unlocking is necessary for magisk root?
Con_Sole said:
Does anybody know, whether bootloader unlocking is necessary for magisk root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not entirely sure, however flashing something to your device (via TWRP at least) does require an unlocked bootloader. So without an unlocked bootloader, I don't think there's a way to install MagiskSU. Sorry about that... :/
I will have a look around and see what I can find, though.
Con_Sole said:
Does anybody know, whether bootloader unlocking is necessary for magisk root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I've done more looking around and here is your answer: Yyyyeeeeaaaahhhhhh......?
Magisk itself does not require an unlocked bootloader, however, it does require root access. Usually to get root access you need to unlock your bootloader, unless it comes already rooted in a custom ROM (but in our case, it doesn't). Unlocking the bootloader is a relatively safe procedure to perform, so [in my opinion] you shouldn't have anything to worry about!
nan0s7 said:
[1] Minor Halo KB Customisations
If you were wondering if there was a simple and easy way to lower the brightness of the Halo Keyboard, or just get rid of those pesky battery-draining touch vibrations for every key press, there is a way!!
Best of all, you don't have to download it! It's already installed!!
To find this not-so-well-hidden app, you have to go to your Program Files. For 99.9% of people this is on your Local Drive (C. So to get to it, go to Program Files (x86)/Lenovo/ and there it is. Its very helpful and informative name is ControlApp.exe.
It allows you to:
- Toggle the touch tone/sound
- Toggle the vibration on keypress
- Adjust the time it takes for the keyboard lights to turn off
- Adjust the backlight (or whatever that is called) brightness for the whole keyboard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's not not-so-well-hidden app.... it's not hidden at all. you can found it under "appearance and personalization" section of retro control panel.
urayandro said:
it's not not-so-well-hidden app.... it's not hidden at all. you can found it under "appearance and personalization" section of retro control panel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed it is! Consider that noted ;P
urayandro said:
it's not not-so-well-hidden app.... it's not hidden at all. you can found it under "appearance and personalization" section of retro control panel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I found it in my normal Program Files folder. (x86) only contained a folder for LenovoPaper.
sawyerbenjamin said:
I found it in my normal Program Files folder. (x86) only contained a folder for LenovoPaper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh, well it must depend on whether you kept the original installation of Windows that came on the device, or whether you reinstalled it (or came from Android). I'll add that information. Thanks!
sawyerbenjamin said:
I found it in my normal Program Files folder. (x86) only contained a folder for LenovoPaper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. In my device is also only contain LenovoPaper under \Program Files (x86)\LenovoPaper
What i mean with retro control panel is old window's control panel. not the win10 setting. You can access it by:
1. Click start and type "control panel" then press enter.
2. You should see control panel window that similar to older version of windows.
3. Go to "Appearance and Personalization
4. Under there you should see "HaloKeyboard" shortcut.
You can also create another shortcut of this app by right-clicking it then choose create shortcut. Windows will make another shortcut on the desktop. I did this to get easier access when need to adjust keyboard brightness.
Hey there,
i think there is a way to flash the win 10 image on my yb1-x90f. just don't wont to brick it and so i have a few questions to all of you experts. in other words, i need your help
there is a quide i found in internet, which i think could work. But there are words i've never read before like "RUSB". is this an important word? i attached as low quality pdf...
there is also the win 10 image online. but we have to pay for it because it's "exclusive" stuff. 50$
maybe we can put together, 50/50 so its 25$ for me and you?
i think you know which page is meant. if not pm me
like descriped in the guide, (part 3) we have to select "Boot Menu" and after that "EFI USB Device"
But my bootloader looks different (android version).
is there a way to flash the image via original android bootloader/recovery or do we need to find a way to get into the other bootloader?
in this post: https://forum.xda-developers.com/yoga-book/help/bricked-yoga-book-yb1-x90l-t3537048
@mmusaad managed to get into this kind of "mode" but i think its a dangerous way and he had a big luck to "unbrick" his device. maybe onyone find an easy way to go into this "windows bootloader" or whatever?
so maybe we can work togehter
woodirk said:
there is also the win 10 image online. but we have to pay for it because it's "exclusive" stuff. 50$
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably wrong translation from Chinese... Should read USB-R. There are USB Ports which don't support remote drives
woodirk said:
there is also the win 10 image online. but we have to pay for it because it's "exclusive" stuff. 50$
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Windows was never free, that's why the Windows Yoga Book is $50 more expensive. A Win-Image will not help you either, as Lenovo brands the Product Key into the Bios.
jamespmi said:
Windows was never free, that's why the Windows Yoga Book is $50 more expensive. A Win-Image will not help you either, as Lenovo brands the Product Key into the Bios.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OMG sometimes i think "together" :highfive: is a heavy word... :crying:
what about this ? (see attachement)
and stop letting me look like an idiot...
I'm on the YB1-X91F, which is the Windows version. Unfortunately for us, the Android and Windows versions of the Yoga Book have totally different BIOS's. This is the main thing stopping us from being able to dual-boot.
Easy-firmware has both the Android and Windows' ROM's, but they only provide instructions on how to overwrite the current operating system, not the opposite ones. I have downloaded everything they have on the Android side of things, and everything except the Windows ROM on the Windows side.
While I was messing around with my device, I did brick it. But I was able to get an SD-card with a Windows bootable "USB" install on it, and went through the installation process on my external keyboard. Then from there was able to install the drivers and restore the Windows version with everything working after a bit of time. I don't know how different this would be if you don't mind getting rid of the Android bootloader totally, but that's not really recommended.
What we'd need for getting Android alongside the Windows version is a way to get a working Fastboot/ADB connection.
For the Android version getting Windows alongside it, you need a way to get the Android bootloader to point to and recognise the Windows installation. However, this is almost impossible unless you have a custom ROM, which we do not have that supports the Yoga Book. You could probably delete Android totally, and then install Windows from there, but I'm not 100% sure because I haven't messed around with the Android version of the tablet.
We'd need a way to get the Android BIOS and Fastboot off of it so we can then use it to our advantage.
nan0s7 said:
I have downloaded everything they have on the Android side of things, and everything except the Windows ROM on the Windows side.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that's good to know...
nan0s7 said:
You could probably delete Android totally, and then install Windows from there, but I'm not 100% sure because I haven't messed around with the Android version of the tablet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is exactly what i want to do and where i need your help
imo this will help us https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=70540959&postcount=7
woodirk said:
what about this ? (see attachement)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That probably flashes a valid Serial Number into the Bios...
DPI settings
I believe default DPI may actually be 280 - there's a Lenovo forum thread recommending setting it to 240 which I have found reduces the size of icons etc. so 224 does not seem right
melando said:
I believe default DPI may actually be 280 - there's a Lenovo forum thread recommending setting it to 240 which I have found reduces the size of icons etc. so 224 does not seem right
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the information! I've added a bit to the DPI section about the other values.
nan0s7 said:
Thanks for the information! I've added a bit to the DPI section about the other values.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
However now that the Nougat update is out some adjustments can be made in Display Settings...
melando said:
However now that the Nougat update is out some adjustments can be made in Display Settings...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh yeah forgot that happened (I'm on the Windows version). Fixed it now!