Ematic E-GLIDE Android Mobile Internet

[meshmaster]

thinking about buying this gizmo. Does youtube work on it?!? Read that the 2.1 android can run some sort of youtube... youtube +"android 2.1" - Google Search

http://www.intomobile.com/2010/10/26/android-youtube-app-2-1/

also, is this gizmo worth getting more then a zune?!? Reason I ask is it looks like walmart has a sale on 32 gig zune hd making them about 30 bucks or so more then the 150.00 deal on the ematic.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Zune-HD-32GB-Bundle-with-Bonus-Zune-HD-Car-Charger/15137493

and they older one is 80 gig for less then 150 bucks the ematic costs http://www.walmart.com/ip/Zune-80GB-MP3-Multi-Media-Player-Black-Factory-refurbished/13023186

Not sure the zune would be a good buy or not since it can't do ebooks?... of course, can't buy til next month, so imagine that sale won't be here when I do have the money, lol.

 

[meshmaster]

thinking about buying this gizmo. Does youtube work on it?!? Read that the 2.1 android can run some sort of youtube... youtube +"android 2.1" - Google Search

NewYouTube app ported to Android 2.1 devices

also, is this gizmo worth getting more then a zune?!? Reason I ask is it looks like walmart has a sale on 32 gig zune hd making them about 30 bucks or so more then the 150.00 deal on the ematic.

Zune HD 32GB or 64GB Bundle with Bonus Zune HD Car Charger - Walmart.com

Not sure the zune would be a good buy or not since it can't do ebooks?... of course, can't buy til next month, so imagine that sale won't be here when I do have the money, lol.

reason I ask is - 32 gigs internal memory sounds a lot better then 4... but on the other hand, zune does not have external memory, and can definitely not do youtube?

that ability to use thubdrives and microsd adds a lot of capacity... but the 8 hour life on batteries seems very short.

 

[Sunigirl]

Hi paulwayne,

the ApkInstaller is a way to install applications (apk) that you have loaded directly onto your tablet or the tf-card. For example, if you didn't have access to the Google market (which you don't if you haven't set up an account with them) you can download them from a variety of places on the internet (search for "android apk" downloads). Then you would load them on your tablet or tf-card and use the ApkInstaller to install them. I can't tell you what everything is that you already have...but it obviously was preloaded by the manufacturer and I would leave it alone until someone can tell you what it is.

As for the market...in order to access that feature you need to sign up for a google username and password. You'll end up with a gmail account, but you don't have to use it. I like to do it this way, because then you can download apps directly to your phone from your computer using your gmail address. If you end up using gmail for your contacts and calendars, it keeps everything synced real-time...so no more having to plug in and sync your devices at the end of the day to keep things up-to-date. Also, they also keep a record of what you've downloaded, so if for some reason you lose or break your tablet, you can just sign back in and everything will be in your "downloads" folder to download again at your discretion.

You don't have to link your tablet to anything...it depends on what you want to use it for. Personally, I have mine permanently rooted and synced with my google accounts. The only thing I don't use it for is a phone (obviously), so I removed the phone.apk and telephony.apk from the system and hope that will conserve any battery that was being used looking for a signal. At least I don't have to look at it anymore--now all my battery is used for is wifi, device idle and display. I'll be able to tell after a few days if I'm getting a longer battery life.

If anyone wants a copy of this rom--which is basically just the original firmware with root and I removed the phone and games, facebook, twitter, etc.--let me know and you can flash it at your own risk. ;-)

 

[chezjim]

The gmail account is also important if you are having troubles (as I and others seem to be doing) completing a transaction through the Market. You will get messages which you can read either on your device (the big M at top is for Gmail's email) or by signing on to Gmail with it on your PC.
I've ordered the full version of Documents To Go, but it keeps not completing the download. Google knows about this enough to provide a form to report it, but it's not clear what they do then....

The file system in general is confusing. What you see when you hook the device up as a USB drive to your PC is not what you see with some of the file explorer apps. You would think too that the text editors would let you choose where to save the output, but you can't, for instance, save these to any USB stick you might have hooked up.

I tried to get away with an undersize TF card, so I still don't have one that works - apparently all the working output is meant to be saved to that. Again, a nuisance, since the USB stick would do fine for me. UPDATE - Having checked the specs in the manual, it seems like this should take lower size SD cards as well. And browsing around the Web, I see a dismaying people having problems with their SD cards popping out. If I hold the card in physically, the device detects it and shows the free memory. So I'm afraid I either have a defective slot or bad card.

I see that Docs-to-Go also detects a USB1 directory. But this seems to have nothing to do with the USB stick. Any ideas? - Overall it sure would be helpful to have a true file explorer that shows every device's contents, internal or external. Failing that, maybe a list of what kinds of directories can exist where?

 

[kyres]

I want that ROM! LOL. You saved me time
Thanks!

 

[kyres]

Chez, download ES File Explorer, that one will give you what you want, it is on the Market.

As for the SD card, try pushing it a bit with the stylus, I heard some units came with tricky locks on the sd card slots.

 

[kyres]

By the way, my list of Must Have apps:

Airplane Mode WIFI by Daniel Velazco, available on the Market (only if you still have the stock ROM, I guess with Sunigirl pimped up one it is not required)

Advanced Task Killer: I have set it up to kill apps every hour, I have some exclusions so I get some of my apps still running on background.

QuickMark as Barcode Reader: allows you to analyze a web page and get the barcode to install apps, also works with saved barcode files. Since the camera of the eGlide has some issues with the barcode apps (images looks weird), this is the only way I get the codes.

Kindle app has issues, basically DRM purchased books does not work, I had to run into a process to convert my purchased books into ePub formats.

Shelves ebook reader comes installed and it is good, but the Laputa reader is also a good option.

Let me know if you have some apps that you can suggest.



K.

 

[chezjim]

Thanks. I have ES File Explorer but it doesn't show the contents of my USB stick - should it? UPDATE: I found out that the native Explorer app will show the USB contents (under USB1), but you have to be sure the USB is mounted (the device unmounts it when you turn it off, apparently, and possibly under other circumstances, so I thought it was mounted when it wasn't).
I jerry-rigged the card with a bit of scotch tape and cardboard, and a strip of black sticky tape over it. I still lose it just a bit, but since I'm mainly interested in word processing documents, I just have to put it back in and do a save (the document itself being in memory).
I'm using a Free Power Saver which adds some toggle possibilities, including Airplane. But when I check About Device (which unhelpfully tells me, under Battery Use, to switch to Airplane mode, but not how), the long line for "Cell" there. So I'll try the other one.
It turns out I couldn't complete my purchase on the Market for Docs-to-Go because Google had sent a test transaction to my credit card which prompted a fraud flag, so they froze my account. Since QuickOffice does what I need, I had my bank - the only place I could reach a human being - cancel the transaction.

I haven't really thought about a dongle - if I understand properly, it would cost me a monthly data fee anyway you cut it, right?

Oh, and thanks to Sunigirl and Kyres for their informed help. Especially valued on such a new product.

 

[Sunigirl]

Here is the link to my rom (eGlide_2.1_root_sunigirl_3.9.11.img): -deleted 3/13/11

(3/13/11: update: The "shelves" app wasn't working, so I have it working in a new rom and will upload it tomorrow (3/14). Sorry for the snafu!)

3/14/11: Here is the new rooted eGlide rom with working Shelves (eglide_root_031411_sunigirl.img)
http://www.mediafire.com/file/e9njc094em7pwb6/eglide_root_031411_sunigirl.img

I went ahead and put phone.apk and telephony.apk back in because some of the google functions I want (market for one) appears to depend on one of them (or both) to function correctly. So, I've decided it's probably better to disable those apks using a program like System App Remover instead of removing them. That way if something goes wrong after you disable, it's easy enough to enable it instead of recoding and reflashing a different rom again....and again....until you get it figured out.

This rom was made using the original factory-installed firmware with permanent root added and some apps added/removed. It is tweaked to my personal preferences, but I am still working on it (wifi tether being priority), so if there are things you want me to do that would help you, I can always try. If I deleted an app you wanted, let me know and I'll post the original apk file for you to install.

As always, flash at your own risk and let me know how it goes and if it works for you. If you encounter problems, remember to have your original rom image ready to flash back. The original eGlide rom is posted earlier in this link as well. Enjoy permanent root!

Sunigirl

 

[eladk]

Hi Sunigirl,

Thank you very much for the information and support.

Can you please explain how you were able to permanently root the device.

Thanks in Advance,
Elad

 

[paulwayne]

Sungirl. Hi. On my ApkInstaller I have 3 folders of the left side (.adobe-digial-editions, .adept, and eGlidePreload) do you what these folders conatin and what they perform? On the right side in the directory of the internal memory I have (ebuddy-anroid-live v1 8 1.apk), do you wha that app performs? If I go to "android apk" downloads pn the web, can I download to my eglide tablet directly or to my laptop, then download to my tablet? Would I transfer via the USB cable?

As far as the Android market, what phone does it sync up to? Can I have it sync to my computer instead of phone? I guess I have to set up a goggle account to get the apps loaded to my eglide tablet?

Please forgive my lack of knowledge, what is "rooting"? Do you know if the Huawei E1750, E1762, or E173 USB 3G dongles work with the eglide? It's tough to get info from Ematic. Thanks or your help. paulwayne

 

[Sunigirl]

I started by reading the information posted by Xaueious : http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/rockchip-based/10006-root-rk28xx-devices.html

I learned that "to permanently root the device, you need to manually repack the firmware: [How To] Unpack and Repack for Custom Firmwares for Rockchip RK28xx, and then repack the firmware." Unfortunately, I couldn't get the link to open, so here is a very simple and user-friendly breakdown of the process I used (originally posted on Slatedroid by Li0nheart and copied in its entirety):

Steps:

1. Find z4root.apk on the internet
2. Install z4root.apk and use it to get temp-root (perm root doesn't work on our devices, don't bother )
3. Download the Android SDK and install
4. Open a Command Window (or terminal window in linux) and cd to the directory '.android-sdk-windowsplatform-tools'
5. See above thread to download and install rkdump_android.zip (rkdump info here: rkutils | androtab.info)
6. Make sure the SDcard is not mounted to your PC
7. Using above thread, after you've typed adb shell, give the command su to become root.
8. Using above thread, use this command to dump update.img which contains the complete firmware
--> /data/rkdump /dev/block/mtdblock5 /sdcard/update.img
9. Using above thread, use this command to dump system.img, because the on in update.img is encrypted.
--> /data/rkdump /dev/block/mtdblock4 /sdcard/system.img
10. Use AFPTool.exe to unpack update.img (See link )
11. Replace system.img in .xxxImage with the one from your sdcard.
12. Run NewTuxFlash.exe and open the system.img (See link )
13. Find and add SuperUser.apk to /system/app , and change user/group to 0/0
14. Find and add su and busybox to /system/bin , and change user/group to 0/0
15. Save system.img
16. Use rkcrc.exe to create new checksum for system.img (See link )
17. cd to root dir, and use AFPTool.exe to create new update.img
18. Now you can flash this update.img with RKAndroidBatchUpgrade.exe (yes, windows only) ( link[/ulr]
19. For flash instructions see this post : link

How's that for an answer?

Sunigirl

 

[eladk]

Thank you so much for the awesome answer!

 

[Sunigirl]

Hi paulwayne,

The files you are looking at on the left side are related to Adobe's digital rights management scheme. See link: Adobe Digital Editions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Ebuddy-Android-Live.apk is a messaging service that links all your accounts (Facebook, Yahoo, AIM, Gtalk, MySpace, ICQ, etc.) in one convenient program. See link: Web and Mobile Messenger for MSN, Yahoo, ICQ, AIM, Google Talk, Facebook | eBuddy

You can install apps several ways:
*download to pc and transfer to tfcard or tablet directly via USB
*download directly to tablet using browser on tablet
*download using Market app (once you register with your username/password)
*download directly to tablet using market on pc - https://market.android.com/

Once you have a Google account, you will have access to, and be able to use/populate, your Google contacts, calendar and gmail that are all associated with your gmail address. Everything is synced "in the sky" and you have access to the most current data wherever and whenever you choose to access it. Personally, I use Google exclusively for this reason--whenever I add an appt. to my calendar using my phone, it will immediately be there when I access it from my tablet or computer, or even a public library computer. There are a lot of different services that do this same thing, I just got hooked years ago when you actually had to be invited by another Google user to join. It works well, it syncs with anything I've ever wanted it to (e.g. when I used to use Outlook), so I've never changed.

Read this about Rooting: Why Root - Android Wiki
I wanted permanent root so I could wireless tether between my Droid Eris phone and my tablet for the times when I have a mobile signal but no wifi. I also wanted to be able to get rid of some of the extra "bloatware" and be able to tweak some things that might help conserve battery/make things run smoother/faster.

***I'm happy to say that as of 10 minutes ago I was able to tether wirelessly to my phone--yay! Mission accomplished

Feel free to make my day and give my "thanks" a click if I've helped you.

And, as hard as it may be for you believe, I really know nothing about dongles for the eGlide. Sorry.

 

[paulwayne]

Sungirl, Hi. THANKS A TON !!!!!!
Thanks for the great explanation, very informative, detailed, and useful. Do I have to sync my goggle account with a cell phone? I have a company phone only, a Blackberry that is synced with my Outlook. Can I sync my goggle account with my personal computer? I don't think I can sync 2 accounts to my company phone, that may not acceptable and may cause conflicts with my Blackberry and Outlook, not sure?

I found a compatible 3G USB dongle for the Eglide, it's a Huawei model E1762 or E173 from Sunrise Tech. in China.