Velocity Cruz Tablet

[garyg007]

How does one do a hard reset on the cruz tablet?
I think it involves the use of both the reset function (little hole in the side of unit)
and the volume control --- but I cannot remember the exact procedure.

Presently the screen shows a calculator that covers the complete screen; and none of the soft-buttons
respond -so effectively, it's dead.

The following is a "rant"
I am very disappointed with the cruz tablet; I purchased it from Borders (it arrived two days ago) not Velocity and velocity's return policy is you can return it only if it was purchased from Velocity; and the Borders customer service person I got on the phone (after waiting 10 min) could barley speak English.

And could not provide borders return policy.

 

[garyg007]

A,. Talked to velocity cruz support twice about how to do a "hard reset" ;both were informed that I had the cruz tablet.
The first tech must not have been lisitening; When I got the back off of the device, his instructions appeared to be wrong;
The second tech told me I had been given instructions for the Reader, not the Tablet.

B. Dont be fooled like I was; with the cruz tablet you cannot read DRM protected books. The only software that is available for Android, will not work on the cruz tablet; here is a direct quote from the velocity support center

Txtr is not compatible with the Cruz tablet only the Cruz reader at this time

 

[CyberGenie]

Yeah, I found that rather funny too. The app they recommend in the User's Manual doesn't run on the tablet. SO what?
Install Aldiko, Kindle for Android, WordPlayer and Wattpad. I covered all my bases with these. The best IMHO is Aldiko. Lets you import your own books from PC.
As for hard resetting (I suppose it's for the purpose of updating the OS) yeah, it's a pain to get the combination just right. If you go to their Support page, they added am alternative method of doing it by downloading and installing an ADB on your PC and tethering your tablet. A bit lengthy procedure but should solve your problem.

I had a similar problem due to an app that caused some havoc with my system. I spoke to customer support and they suggested I send in the tablet and they'd replace the battery for me, or I could just let the battery die down (thereby erasing memory) and starting from scratch. Well it worked. I got rid of some suspicious apps and added an antivirus program as well. Smooth sailing ever since.

Hope this helps.

RIO

 

[garyg007]

CyberGenie,
Thank you for the reply.
Do any of the apps you mentioned support the Adobe - DRM.
What I've found is that Kindel supports DRM and that Aldiko will in the future (that is from a 2008 article)

I have tried to download both Aldiko and Kindle and the only download links I have found point to
a web page the tels me "I do not have rights to that page".

As for installing ADB, the link given on the support page produces the message "this page is not on this server"

Gary

 

[tyy10002]

garyg,

maybe, you should return the tablets. I guess that the cruz tablet is not very popular, I have been watching the price at Sears. it was 299 before the black friday, and 249 after the black friday, today is 219... next week may be 199... next year may be $99.. =) I have not heard any good things about this tablet from any forums. if the price is drop to $150, I may pick up one for my son as a book reader..

 

[garyg007]

garyg,

if the price is drop to $150, I may pick up one for my son as a book reader..

If you do get a tablet (T103) to use as a reader, Make sure you can run the software on it to support DRM protected ebooks! (txtr will NOT run on the T103 I dont know about the t301.

Velocity just recently announced the tablet T301 - which makes the one they sold me obsolete after only 1 week.

 

[CyberGenie]

CyberGenie,
Thank you for the reply.
Do any of the apps you mentioned support the Adobe - DRM.
What I've found is that Kindel supports DRM and that Aldiko will in the future (that is from a 2008 article)

I have tried to download both Aldiko and Kindle and the only download links I have found point to
a web page the tels me "I do not have rights to that page".

As for installing ADB, the link given on the support page produces the message "this page is not on this server"

Gary

On your tablet, go to the Cruz market and download the AndAppStore app. Once you do, do a search on it and look for Aldiko. Can't remember where I downloaded Kindle, but I think it was from Amazon itself. Do a search for it online and just side load it.

As for the t301, yeah it makes ours obsolete already, but it won't be coming out for a while yet. My way of thinking is, to all those who don't like the tablet or find joy in finding faults with it, no one is forcing you to buy it. There are those of us who are quite satisfied with our tablets. Each his own and all that.

 

[garyg007]

On your tablet, go to the Cruz market and download the AndAppStore app. Once you do, do a search on it and look for Aldiko. Can't remember where I downloaded Kindle, but I think it was from Amazon itself. Do a search for it online and just side load it.

As for the t301, yeah it makes ours obsolete already, but it won't be coming out for a while yet. My way of thinking is, to all those who don't like the tablet or find joy in finding faults with it, no one is forcing you to buy it. There are those of us who are quite satisfied with our tablets. Each his own and all that.

I could tolerate the cruz tablet except for one thing:
At random intervals, it quits responding to any human input; leave it turned on to run the battery down -- well, it will not stay on, it keeps going to sleep; after a hard-reset, it will stay on; after battery gets very low, and it is reset again, the screen responds - but the soft buttons do not. after another reset the soft buttons responed and were back in business --- until it decides to to take another holiday.

Oh, while it is sittnig there failing to respond to human input, it is busy playing with itself - this goes on for at least three to four hours.

yes, I could tolerate the cruz IF it would handle the txtr app and adobe drm and if it did not take a holiday at random intervals to play with itself..

 

[Lumrunner]

I have found many apps and downloads at Android Freeware: Best and Free Software for Android mobile platform
You have to download and try to install as many will not work. If you find the latest version will not install try an earlier version, I've had luck with this and currently have Kindle, Evernote, Dropbox, Facebook, Aldiko (Under version 2.0), Quick Office, Skyfire, ADW Launcher (Launcher Replacement) and Thick Buttons (Keyboard Replacement), and the updated Tridroyd and E-Buddy all installed and working.

Now that I have my Cruz Tablet configured it's great, but I feel sorry for the less techy types getting one of these.

Word directly from velocity is they have no plans on upgrading to 2.1 or 2.2.

CyberGenie,
Thank you for the reply.
Do any of the apps you mentioned support the Adobe - DRM.
What I've found is that Kindel supports DRM and that Aldiko will in the future (that is from a 2008 article)

I have tried to download both Aldiko and Kindle and the only download links I have found point to
a web page the tels me "I do not have rights to that page".

As for installing ADB, the link given on the support page produces the message "this page is not on this server"

Gary

 

[Lumrunner]

Also forgot Doubletwist for a Media replacement after the stock one said it could not play an MP3.

 

[garyg007]

Well, I finally solved all the problens with the cruz T103 ---- I replaced it with a Coby Kryos MID-7015;

The koby was almost $100 less than the T103 and it is - all considered - a far better device.

 

[RG GEIGER]

I have found it to be really a fun tablet. gave my eken100 away. i went over board at first stuffing so many apps on it i couldn't download anything else. i think the kicker was google maps. I was able to do the alternative method for upgrading which wiped it clean and starting fresh I'm not putting too much on it. I love ADW and now have that launcher on both my phone (HERO) and the Cruz. Here's a pic of both running the weather animation. cloudy day.
View attachment 932

 

[Laura]

Rio, what antivirus program did you install, and where did you get it from? Thanks!

 

[PhredicusRex]

Velocity has an update for the Cruz T301 to Android 2.2, but seems to break some apps, like Aldiko, which you can download from Amazon apps store, but will not install, actually causes a soft reboot during installation (problem suspected to be the weak 256MB memory that comes with the base Cruz model).

 

[soltner59]

I use "OverDrive" console to read library books, OverDrive – OverDrive Media Console .