Warning to New VTAB Owners

[bill2]

If you recently purchased a VTAB then you may want to consider returning it. There is a MAJOR problem with the VTAB which Vizio is aware of but rather than fix that problem Vizio is spending their time and resources on crippling the VTAB.

Specifically, you CANNOT transfer apps to a memory card. So you are limited to 2GB for all applications. Even if you have a 32GB memory card you are still limited to 2GB internal memory for all applications.

Several members of this forum discovered a way to root the VTAB and reconfigure files so that you could transfer apps to the memory card. However, Vizio has just released an update which eliminates that option. So rather than fixing the known problems, Vizio is actively preventing owners from using the tablet to its full potential.

If you are still within the return period you may want to seriously consider returning the tablet.

 

[Pamster]

Hi Bill,

Is that the case with most tablets anyway? Also it should have 4 gb of internal storage if we're talking about the Vtab1008 which is one I just started looking into. It struck me as a fine machine for the cash. I was under the impression that SD cards are strictly for media storage, is there a tablet that CAN run apps and install them on its SD card? If so I am ignorant of it so please enlighten me.

 

[tasdisr]

I was under the impression that the ability to store apps on a memory card was a limitation of the O/S. I own an ASUS tablet and I have the same limitations. (My wife has the Vizio)

 

[Maine_Coon]

Bill, it is called FUD.

2B internal "SD card" is plenty, unless you wanna keep the entire US maps on your tablet.
I have near 120 apps installed and more than 1GB still available.

Android apps are mostly just a few MBs.

 

[marvin02]

If you recently purchased a VTAB then you may want to consider returning it. There is a MAJOR problem with the VTAB which Vizio is aware of but rather than fix that problem Vizio is spending their time and resources on crippling the VTAB.

As pointed out by others this is how most tablets (and many new phones) are configured. The issue isn't the config, but the limited user memory they installed. It is stange seeing Android following Apple by forcing users to use internal memory.

Specifically, you CANNOT transfer apps to a memory card. So you are limited to 2GB for all applications. Even if you have a 32GB memory card you are still limited to 2GB internal memory for all applications.

Really? you start a new thread to point out an issue than has been discussed in detail in other threads?

Several members of this forum discovered a way to root the VTAB and reconfigure files so that you could transfer apps to the memory card. However, Vizio has just released an update which eliminates that option. So rather than fixing the known problems, Vizio is actively preventing owners from using the tablet to its full potential.

If you are still within the return period you may want to seriously consider returning the tablet.

Root exploits are routinely closed by all manufacturers and by the Android dev team. This isn't some big conspiracy, by definition anything that allows you to root the phone is a security hole.

It is quite possible to use the VTAB and never have an issue with the limited space as many people do. For others, they like the flexibility of having more storage. The trade-off is no updates from Vizio. Other possible issues have been discussed in the root threads and the thread about modding the SD Card mount point.

If the VTAB doesn't suit your needs, return it.

I believe that the "flaws" of the VTAB have been covered well in the various threads. Let people decide for themselves. For many of us the VTAB (even without mods) does what we need it to do and for a lot less than other options.

 

[sabotank]

Pamster: it had 4gb of internal memory...however, 2gb is dedi for the os and the other 2gb is for us to use.

tasdisr: some apps are able to be moved to the sd card (either with apps2sd or thru native andorid....key word here is some - just depends on what version you are running. if memory serves (wish i had a slot for more sometimes...) moving apps to sd was added in 2.2 (?)

all in all i like my vtab. great book reader and all around web surfer. better than the 4" screen on my phone!

 

[tasdisr]

Pamster: it had 4gb of internal memory...however, 2gb is dedi for the os and the other 2gb is for us to use.

tasdisr: some apps are able to be moved to the sd card (either with apps2sd or thru native andorid....key word here is some - just depends on what version you are running. if memory serves (wish i had a slot for more sometimes...) moving apps to sd was added in 2.2 (?)

all in all i like my vtab. great book reader and all around web surfer. better than the 4" screen on my phone!

sabotank, thanks for that bit of information. I love my ASUS tablet, but have been playing around with the wife's vtab and overall I am pretty impressed with it, especially considering the price point.

 

[Pamster]

Thanks sabotank, I didn't know that about it using gb for the OS, that's what the OP meant. Thank you for the info!

 

[Rawkfist]

I think this topic has been pretty much beaten to death. I may be mistaken but this is a limitation of the os not vizio.

 

[theFred]

If you go to settings/applications/Manage Apps many of the imstalled apps can be "Move to SDCARD". The apps it can move will have the option. Some will only allow a chunk of the total app and others won't let you move any. But going through the trouble to go through the trouble to go through with these steps will probably see a lot of space freed up. If you have a lot of apps installed its a total pain but worth it.

 

[fadefx]

If you go to settings/applications/Manage Apps many of the imstalled apps can be "Move to SDCARD". The apps it can move will have the option. Some will only allow a chunk of the total app and others won't let you move any. But going through the trouble to go through the trouble to go through with these steps will probably see a lot of space freed up. If you have a lot of apps installed its a total pain but worth it.

Afaik there is an app for that, but you wont win too much space, as this only moves the apk files.

----------------------------------------
tapatalked from GalaxyS

 

[ktackel]

Can we just delete this thread since this stuff has been talked about on multiple other threads and if Bill wants to return his VTab more power to him.

 

[bkaler]

it's not a bad thing to let new adopters know, but I've seen this topic so often now that I think any one who misses this limitation hasn't really done their research at all.

 

[marvin02]

If you go to settings/applications/Manage Apps many of the imstalled apps can be "Move to SDCARD". The apps it can move will have the option. Some will only allow a chunk of the total app and others won't let you move any. But going through the trouble to go through the trouble to go through with these steps will probably see a lot of space freed up. If you have a lot of apps installed its a total pain but worth it.

Some reading. The apps are not moved to the external SD Card, they are moved from one part of internal memory to another.

This is exactly why Vizio (and other manufacturers) are doing this - many users do not actually understand how their devices work.

 

[tlyonstlyons]

Some reading. The apps are not moved to the external SD Card, they are moved from one part of internal memory to another.

This is exactly why Vizio (and other manufacturers) are doing this - many users do not actually understand how their devices work.

The sad thing is that I would disagree with almost every post in this thread and believe them to be misleading, except yours but then I disagree with your conclusion; Vizio took root away to block export of the free trial sofware and labelled the memory in such a way to avoid having to include a microSDHC card with the tablet Here's my take:

-The internal 4GB is split into 2 pieces: 2GB for the OS/programs and 2GB labelled (incorrectly) as SDcard. An inserted microSDHC shows up as \sdcard\external.

-Naturally, all programs have to fit in the first 2GB
-many programs assume SDcard is the external SDcard and it isn't. As default, most programs put all downloaded books, movies, MP3s, etc in the internal 2GB and it fills up quick
-Apps2SD just moves the app from the first internal 2GB to the second internal 2GB and doesn't use the actual SDcard at all.

Much Android software (including some of the big ereaders) cannot look anywhere but the 2nd 2GB internal memory. Copilot, for example, puts all it's maps there and cannot use the actual external card e.g. I got an out-of-storage error when I tried to download the entire USA maps and it would not let me put the maps somewhere else. Yes, I do expect my tablet to be as capable as a $49 GPS. No, I do not want to go walking around the airport looking for a free wifi so I know here to go with my rental car.

The first 2 GB is probably OK for the OS/programs; the second 2 GB is very limiting for storage. As a work around, I use Moon+ reader and ES File Explorer that can see the real external SDcard. I do not have a work around for Copilot and am annoyed. The Vizio tab is beautiful in many ways but this is a pretty serious limit. Of course, eventually, more Android software will ask you where you want to store things but in the mean time...

The root exploit allowed some to alter the OS to swap the names for the second 2GB and the external SDcard making the storage as large as you were willing to buy in microSDHC format. I literally implemented the root exploit and was looking at the memory card fix when the OTA update notice came in. Turned out to be a steep price for upgrading Flash video from 10.1 to 10.3.

OTOH, it does seem Vizio is trying. I walked through BB and Costco looking at each tablet. In the end, the Vizio is still the price/performance/features leader. If someone figures out a new root exploit, it will be darn near perfect.