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Tablet for complete technophobe parent!

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13

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    #62
    mickoneill30
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭mickoneill30


    cormie wrote: »
    If I'm buying 2nd hand, is there an easy way to reset to factory settings?

    In ICS there's a Factory Reset option in the settings. I can't remember what it's called in Honeycomb but a whole 1 minute of looking at the settings screen will sort that out for you. It's not difficult.


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    #63
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,790 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Cool stuff :) Doesn't seem to be much available in the 2nd hand market at the moment :( strange also that the curry's website only has the xoom 2 at 479, but when I was there the last day, the xoom wifi was on display at 349.

    Might see if I can get something like this: http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10152&catalogId=13352&langId=111&searchTerms=CMT-EH15&authToken= for better sounds and so the oul tapes and CD's can still be played :)


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    #64
    Jarren
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,692 ✭✭✭Jarren


    Keep an eye on Amazon.uk 2 days ago they had your xoom for £249. 99 delivered.

    I wouldn't be buying from Pixmania tbh, too much hassle when something goes wrong.

    www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/9010958/art/motorola/xoom-tablet-pc-32gb.html?srcid=80&CodePromo=oui


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    #65
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,790 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Picked one up today for €275. It's 9 months old, have receipt, it's pretty much immaculate and came with 2 cases and a Kingston 32gb micro SD card, plus I only had to drive 20 minutes to meet them :)

    So I'm now at that stage where I don't really know what I should do first.

    I got Go Launcher for tablets and have gotten rid of all screens and bottom menu. Now I just need to find the right apps for music, photos and internet.

    Is there a way to rename the icons on the home screen? It currently says "browser" and "gallery", which I'd like to rename "Internet" and "Photos".

    It's running Android 3.2.


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    #66
    mickoneill30
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭mickoneill30


    cormie wrote: »

    Is there a way to rename the icons on the home screen? It currently says "browser" and "gallery", which I'd like to rename "Internet" and "Photos".

    I've GoLauncher on my phone. If I long click any icon one of the options that appears is Rename.


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    #67
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,790 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    No rename option when I long click I'm afraid, but just found an app called "desktop visualizer" which is allowing me to customise each icon, for example, for photos, I now have a nice photo of the grandchildren taking up a 2x2 tile ;)

    Tried downloading Winamp but it keeps saying it needs to force close :(


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    #68
    mickoneill30
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭mickoneill30


    I like QuickPic for photos.
    It scans all of the folders on your tablet for photos and shows them. If it finds a folder of pictures that aren't folders, you can just exclude it from QuickPic by long clicking the folder and choosing Exclude. That way your folks will only see photos they put on or take with the camera. Then once you view a photo it's easy to manage it by clicking on it (zooming in / out, sharing with Facebook etc).

    I don't play much music but two apps worth looking at are Play (comes with the tablet) and Mortplayer. Play requires you to sign up using your Google account (and you may have to use a US proxy for that). Mortplayer is simple though, just point it at a folder on your tablet and it'll scan them and play them.

    You didn't mention video. You should pop on MXPlayer or MoboPlayer to the tablet. They play nearly any file format thrown at them.

    Have fun.


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    #69
    mickoneill30
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭mickoneill30


    cormie wrote: »
    No rename option when I long click I'm afraid, but just found an app called "desktop visualizer" which is allowing me to customise each icon, for example, for photos, I now have a nice photo of the grandchildren taking up a 2x2 tile ;)(

    That's pretty cool. I must have a look at that.
    I've Go Launcher Ex on my phone. Is yours the same (does it have Ex in the name?)
    cormie wrote: »
    Tried downloading Winamp but it keeps saying it needs to force close :(

    That's not good. Did you wipe the tablet before putting anything on it?


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    #70
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,790 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Previous owner wiped it as far as I know! I have Go Launcher HD, I'm not sure if that's the same? I couldn't figure out a way to put the icon tray on the right like you had it in the screenshot and I can't hide the App drawer or lock the screen so icons can't be moved. Can you do all that in Go Launcher Ex?

    Found quickpic earlier after seeing it recommended and it's what I'm using as default now and I've all the album art and other non relevant pictures excluded which is great.

    Video won't be too important but thanks for the suggestions :)

    I'm not sure if PLAY was included with mine, I just have "Music" not sure if it's the same, will check out mortplayer too, it's more for playing MP3's rather than internet radio etc. I think as long as it's easy to access photos, mp3's and youtube :)


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    #71
    mickoneill30
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭mickoneill30


    cormie wrote: »
    Previous owner wiped it as far as I know! I have Go Launcher HD, I'm not sure if that's the same? I couldn't figure out a way to put the icon tray on the right like you had it in the screenshot and I can't hide the App drawer or lock the screen so icons can't be moved. Can you do all that in Go Launcher Ex?

    That's the problem so, I tried HD when I was experimenting and saw that you can't hide the App Drawer. Yeah EX is the one I got my screenshots from.

    But that Desktop Visualiser seems cool and hiding the App Drawer might not be too much of an issue. If they hit it by mistake, if they can mange to hit the Home button then they're back at the main screen.

    I should have called the music app "Play Music" but for simple folder browsing MortPlayer is good, but there are loads to try out.


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    #72
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,790 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Trying out EX now and it seems you can't hide the icon tray on the right? :o

    It has a LOT more options than HD does, but I think I'd rather HD if you can't hide the icon tray on the right hand side :)


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    #73
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,790 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Dang, seems you can't: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1317977&page=2


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    #74
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,790 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Gave mortplayer a go and while I'd probably use it over the default app myself, I think the default app might be a bit easier to use so will probably stick with that.

    Will probably stick with Go Launcher HD over EX for the simple ability to not have the dock shown, pity you can't lock the screen from moving icons around though! I wonder would ADWLauncher be any use, I have it on my phone, but it seems you have to pay for it on the tablet!


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    #75
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,790 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    I know we'd been talking about ICS and that I wasn't too pushed about it, but with each Go Launcher missing just one or two important features (HD not being able to lock icons so they can't be moved by mistake, EX not being able to get rid of dock), I was looking into other Launchers and saw two highly recommended free ones, APEX Launcher and Nova Launcher, but both require 4.0 ICS.

    I see It was rolled out in January around the 19th for US devices and read that the last update (to 3.2) arrived in Europe 4 months after the US update to 3.2.

    Could it be any day soon, likely to be the same (a month to go) or could it be even longer? Any way to find out progress?


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    #76
    mickoneill30
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭mickoneill30


    cormie wrote: »
    I know we'd been talking about ICS and that I wasn't too pushed about it, but with each Go Launcher missing just one or two important features (HD not being able to lock icons so they can't be moved by mistake, EX not being able to get rid of dock), I was looking into other Launchers and saw two highly recommended free ones, APEX Launcher and Nova Launcher, but both require 4.0 ICS.

    I had a look at Apex & Nova on mine. Neither of them lock icons to a location and neither seem to be able to get rid of the App Drawer. Would Go Launcher Ex not suit. You could lock you icons to the dock area so they'd never move.


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    #77
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,790 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Think I'll just stick with Go Launcher HD, it's nice enough and I've made it as simple as possible. I don't think the desktop being unlocked will be a problem, but just wanted it as an extra precaution. Maybe it'll come in an update.

    Any idea on when I may expect ICS to come? :)


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    #78
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,790 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Just realised/copped on that there's a micro (not mini) HDMI socket which will allow the xoom to be connected to a TV :)

    Will this only work with newer tv's with HDMI connection, or could it work if I got a micro HDMI to SCART cable if one exists?

    Unless it's possible to connect it through a UPC tv box and then from that see it on the tv?


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    #79
    bandit197
    Registered Users Posts: 907 ✭✭✭bandit197


    cormie wrote: »
    Just realised/copped on that there's a micro (not mini) HDMI socket which will allow the xoom to be connected to a TV :)

    Will this only work with newer tv's with HDMI connection, or could it work if I got a micro HDMI to SCART cable if one exists?

    Unless it's possible to connect it through a UPC tv box and then from that see it on the tv?

    Its a little messy but it should work from micro HDMI to Scart using this method.

    I don't know anything about the UPC tv boxes so cant help you there.

    I can confirm that it works very well when connected to a HDMI port on the tv.


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    #80
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,790 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Cool thanks a lot. I've a mini hdmi to VGA converter already, would need to get the micro one instead and then the rest. Pity there's no direct micro-scart cable. I'll have a look on the UPC box and maybe there's some input socket that would make it a bit easier.


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    #81
    Francie Barrett
    Registered Users Posts: 16,378 ✭✭✭✭Francie Barrett


    You're best off just paying the extra money and going with the iPad.


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    #82
    bandit197
    Registered Users Posts: 907 ✭✭✭bandit197


    Francie Barrett wrote: »
    You're best off just paying the extra money and going with the iPad.

    And why is that? Did you even read the thread? He has bought a Xoom and is happy with it :confused:


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    #83
    shizz
    Registered Users Posts: 1,506 ✭✭✭shizz


    Francie Barrett wrote: »
    You're best off just paying the extra money and going with the iPad.
    bandit197 wrote: »
    And why is that? Did you even read the thread? He has bought a Xoom and is happy with it :confused:

    They also originally had an Ipad.


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    #84
    bandit197
    Registered Users Posts: 907 ✭✭✭bandit197


    shizz wrote: »
    They also originally had an Ipad.

    Yes but it wasn't working out.

    I was just wondering what Francie meant by "You're best off just paying the extra money and going with the iPad."

    Doesn't make any sense.


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    #85
    shizz
    Registered Users Posts: 1,506 ✭✭✭shizz


    bandit197 wrote: »
    Yes but it wasn't working out.

    I was just wondering what Francie meant by "You're best off just paying the extra money and going with the iPad."

    Doesn't make any sense.

    I was more so replying to Francie. haha no worries.


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    #86
    mickoneill30
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭mickoneill30


    Cormie when your folks have it for a week or so can you post your results here. It'd be interesting to see which one they preferred. There've been a couple of posters on this thread who definitively said iPad but when questioned (by me) why they seemed to disappear off the thread.

    At the end of the day it's the user that counts so if your folks have trouble with the Xoom or preferred the Xoom or iPad can you post it here. I'm sure there'll be another thread like this in 6 months asking which tablet to get for folks so if your end result is posted here it'll help them. I obviously think the Xoom is acceptable when configured properly but I'm biased, if your folks prefer the iPad it'd be interesting to read your feedback.


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    #87
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,790 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Will report back alright but it won't be much of a judgement on which was preferred more, just of which were they able to manage to do something as simple as looking at a photo, listening to a song, looking up an answer etc :)


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    #88
    mickoneill30
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭mickoneill30


    cormie wrote: »
    Will report back alright but it won't be much of a judgement on which was preferred more, just of which were they able to manage to do something as simple as looking at a photo, listening to a song, looking up an answer etc :)

    That's fine. It's just interesting to see what their experiences are and to see if Android is suited or not to newbie users.


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    #89
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,790 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Just discovered a new little problem. In my music folder, I have a few artists who have a "best of" album, now when I go into the artists folder and then go into their best of album, it seems to be mixed with all other tracks from other artists who also have a best of :(

    My tagging is all perfect so it must be the app itself creating the problem based on the tags :(

    Problem explained in more depth here: http://www.xoomforums.com/forum/motorola-xoom-apps/14985-odd-behaviour-default-google-music-app.html

    Seems it's unresolved anyway and will require me to re-tag albums, bollocks to that!

    I want to keep the music app as it's very simple. I might just re-tag the albums I put on this instead of messing with the albums on my computer, bit of a pain though!


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    #90
    cormie
    Registered Users Posts: 20,790 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    Seems to be pretty much unresolved so I just got the app "Audio Tagger" and sorting it out on the device itself

    http://www.xoomforums.com/forum/motorola-xoom-audio/1353-music-getting-split-up-help.html#post27061

    http://www.xoomforums.com/forum/motorola-xoom-audio/4194-tagging-app-suggestion.html


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    #91
    mickoneill30
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭mickoneill30


    cormie wrote: »
    Seems to be pretty much unresolved so I just got the app "Audio Tagger" and sorting it out on the device itself

    http://www.xoomforums.com/forum/motorola-xoom-audio/1353-music-getting-split-up-help.html#post27061

    http://www.xoomforums.com/forum/motorola-xoom-audio/4194-tagging-app-suggestion.html

    -1 for technophobe users.
    +1 for having a device that your interested in so you can support it yourself.


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