Had to call Vizio

[pschatzy]

That was implied. The question remains: For what?

I'm not trying to be a smart-a$$. Why do you need free internal memory, if not to store apps?

Jim

You need internal memory for the device to actually operate. Like on a PC. In that environment, you have RAM which works with the cpu to enable the OS to do its thing for you. The storage memory is the hard drive. On a device like the tablet you need memory to work with the processor and adddtional memory to serve as the hard drive.

 

[Copp]

On many OTHER tablets (and I suspect this one) the "internal" memory is merely a card installed inside trhe tablet. Who has had the guts to try and open theirs yet?

 

[pschatzy]

Oooh I would love to see your teardown on Engadget or Gizmodo!!!!!

On many OTHER tablets (and I suspect this one) the "internal" memory is merely a card installed inside trhe tablet. Who has had the guts to try and open theirs yet?

 

[tcat]

I would like to see the guts too... be nice to see if the internal card could be replaced, and what the battery looks like (and if it can be replaced).

 

[SEMIJim]

You need internal memory for the device to actually operate. Like on a PC. In that environment, you have RAM which works with the cpu to enable the OS to do its thing for you. The storage memory is the hard drive. On a device like the tablet you need memory to work with the processor and adddtional memory to serve as the hard drive.

I've been "messing" with computers since well before the IBM PC was a gleam in IBM's eye. I know how stuff works . The memory we're talking about is not RAM, but persistent storage. My question remains: If you're not going to use it, what's the point in having it?

ISTM you only need to bother with an SD card if you're running short on internal memory.

Jim

 

[Njall]

I've been "messing" with computers since well before the IBM PC was a gleam in IBM's eye. I know how stuff works . The memory we're talking about is not RAM, but persistent storage. My question remains: If you're not going to use it, what's the point in having it?

ISTM you only need to bother with an SD card if you're running short on internal memory.

Jim

Jim,

Regards experience I'm the same. Once upon a time, in college, I programed an IBM 360/44 using punch cards. You kids GET OFF MY LAWN!

Regards, SD vs Internal memory generally you are correct; however, there are several valid reasons why using the SD card may be preferred. At least in my experience.

1. The best reason is the likelihood of having to perform a fa-fa-fa-factory reset and wipe out all that has been done. If you store data files, et al, on the SD card presumably you would pull the card before the reset and whatever files are there will remain safe.

2. Cheaper to waste the SD card's free space for "nice to have" though not essential files such as downloads, books, movies and so on.

3. I have found it is easier to backup the contents of the SD card since I can remove it from the tablet and simply mount it on my PC.

4. Once one has enough apps internal space will run out. I don't know this for a fact; however, I suspect internal memory is faster for the OS. Moving rarely used apps to the SD allows one to keep more often used apps on assumed faster the internal card.

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Only the design engineers at Vizio know WHY they decided to mount the internal user memory as /mnt/sdcard and then mount the external SD card as /mnt/sdcard/external. That is my current favorite "dumbest idea" I've seen in the VTAB1008. There are programs out there, lots of poorly designed programs, which apparently hard code /mnt/sdcard as the external SD card. Others just default to it. In either case, unless one is quite careful they are simply shuffling data from one part to another part of the internal memory. Bad bad design Vizio. Naughty!

To end on a happier note, so far I can forgive Vizio for the SD card design faux pax since the overall design of the device is appealing both to the eye and the pocketbook and it works, for me, quite well.

 

[marvin02]

The issue is with how the memory is used on the VTAB. They have designated 2.4 GB of internal memory space for the user. They mount this as part of the file system at /sdcard. So apps that store their data on as a folder directly under /sdcard will fill up the user space. A good example of this is a navigation app. Navigon uses over 2 GB for their US map. CoPilot uses about 1.8 GB.

Until the app makers allow the users finer control over where data is stored by including a setting for this or Vizio gives us an update that changes the mount point of the user installed SD Card it will be easy to fill up the allowed user space, even if you install a 32 GB SD Card.

Doesn't matter if it's punch cards, magnetic tape or floppy disks; if you can't use it efficiently it may as well not be there.

Note: CoPilot allows you to install a subset of the maps so that you use less space.

 

[marvin02]

I called Vizio today about the sd card issue. I realize that this is not going to get fixed by a phone call, but I wanted to make sure they are aware of the issue and it's ramifications.

One of the things I did was point them to this forum. So - hopefully someone will be looking here. Be on your best behavior.

Actually, even if the support person I spoke to wasn't aware of this forum I would be surprised if Vizio wasn't. Wouldn't you want to monitor what is being said about a new product by the people using it?