Jeopardy! HD not compatible with Mom's tablet?

PacificaBren · December 9th, 2012, 05:41 AM

So right now I'm in the process of loading the Zenithink C71 Upgrade I got my mom for Christmas with games she would enjoy. She's a huge Jeopardy! fan, so naturally I want to put the official Jeopardy! Android app on her tablet.

Only problem is regardless of whether I try Jeopardy! for Android phones or Jeopardy! HD (specifically for tablets), I get a message telling me it's incompatible with this device, which shows up as "ZTPad ICS."

This is a brand new tablet with a dual core processor, 1GB RAM, 7 inch screen, and, of course, ICS. So what could be the problem? Is there some way I can trick the Play Store into thinking I'm using a different device and letting me download the game? Or would that just be stupid to even try?

I also have a Samsung Galaxy S2, and according to the Play Store, Jeopardy! is compatible with it. But I'm guessing there's no way of downloading it onto that phone and then transferring it to the tablet without major headaches, is there? Especially since this isn't a free game.

mikedt · December 9th, 2012, 06:19 AM

Almost certain it's a problem that the Zenithink is an off-brand cheapo Chinese device from Shenzhen. It's probably not even Google approved "with Google".

Unknown specs, dev hasn't tested for compatibility, etc. So it just gets listed as incompatible by the Play Store for that particular "HD" game. Even though it may work in theory.

pastafarian · December 9th, 2012, 06:28 AM

Most likely, it's a screen resolution issue. Have you tried contacting the app developer? Sometimes there's a simple fix on their side or a beta that they may allow you access to. Worth a try. A more extreme solution might be rooting and running a rom that changes the device id allowing more app compatibility. On the Nook Tablet, without changing the id even when rooted, there are tons of apps missing from the play store.

APK extraction, especially for paid apps is a sticky subject around here. There's no way to get around it that isn't breaking copyright law or a TOS, which will also get a thread closed.

PacificaBren · December 9th, 2012, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikedt

Almost certain it's a problem that the Zenithink is an off-brand cheapo Chinese device from Shenzhen. It's probably not even Google approved "with Google".

Unknown specs, dev hasn't tested for compatibility, etc. So it just gets listed as incompatible by the Play Store for that particular "HD" game. Even though it may work in theory.

This thing came with the Play Store fully functional right from the factory, for what it's worth. I'm not sure whether that has any bearing on whether it's "Google approved," though.

PacificaBren · December 9th, 2012, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pastafarian

Most likely, it's a screen resolution issue. Have you tried contacting the app developer? Sometimes there's a simple fix on their side or a beta that they may allow you access to. Worth a try. A more extreme solution might be rooting and running a rom that changes the device id allowing more app compatibility. On the Nook Tablet, without changing the id even when rooted, there are tons of apps missing from the play store.

APK extraction, especially for paid apps is a sticky subject around here. There's no way to get around it that isn't breaking copyright law or a TOS, which will also get a thread closed.

Thanks! I'm new to all this, so I don't know whether I should attempt rooting and running a ROM, especially if there's a likelihood I might mess everything up. Still, if there's an easy way to make the Play Store think this is a more mainstream device, that does sound like a good idea.

As for the app developer, that's Sony Pictures Entertainment. I wonder if they're not too big and impersonal to respond to my request? I'll give it a try...

mikedt · December 9th, 2012, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PacificaBren

This thing came with the Play Store fully functional right from the factory, for what it's worth.

More than likely Zenithink just shoved the Play Store on there. Sometimes the Shenzhen manufacturers don't even bother to test if things work properly or not. Basically because, 1) Google doesn't have anything to do with Android in China, 2) The manufacturer doesn't really care anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PacificaBren

I'm not sure whether that has any bearing on whether it's "Google approved," though.

It does, see above comments. That's why your Samsung more than likely has "with Google" written on it somewhere, and the Chinese Zenithink does not. It's got "Made in China", and not much else.

PacificaBren · December 9th, 2012, 07:44 AM

Damn, if I'd known about this issue, maybe I would have spent another $60 and gotten my mother a Kindle Fire or something.

Oh well, she doesn't even know she's getting a tablet for Christmas, and she has no expectations, so it's not like she'll suffer disappointment about not having Jeopardy! or Wheel of Fortune on there.

I'm just trying to load the thing up with stuff she'll like so she finds it compelling enough that she'll be willing to overcome her technophobia and learn how to use the thing.

mikedt · December 9th, 2012, 07:52 AM

PacificaBren you might want to read the forum sticky about el-cheapo off-brand phones and tablets....
Off-brand Phones and Tablets: Worth the Low Cost?

PacificaBren · December 9th, 2012, 07:57 AM

Thanks, I'll check it out. Too bad I didn't check it out before making this purchase, but oh well.

colobuckeye · December 12th, 2012, 11:13 AM

my mom had the same problem

PacificaBren · December 21st, 2012, 10:36 PM

Somebody told me there may be a setting I an get into to change this tablet's device ID without having to go to the extreme of rooting it or using an alternate ROM.

Does anybody know anything about this? Is there a setting I can change so it reports itself as some more common brand of tablet?

PacificaBren · December 21st, 2012, 10:40 PM

Note that I do understand "device ID" may not be precisely the term I'm looking for. But I think you know what I'm getting at.

mikedt · December 23rd, 2012, 07:21 AM

I believe the device-ID is a unique random number that's generated when the device is first booted after a hard-reset. To identify an individual Android device to Google Play. Rather than identifying a manufacturer or model number. The manufacturer and model number that Play also uses, might be hard-coded into the ROM.