Noobie questions

[pef]

Greetings fellow owners. After many years of Windows PC's, I have finely joined the tablet world due to been mightily impressed with my Android phone.

I am still felling my way around, but would like to ask a couple of things:

1) Weirdness with the installed Market app: On my phone I had the official Microsoft Hotmail app installed, on my A500, I run the installed Market app but what ever I search for, I cant see that app in the results. If I go to market.android.com in the browser, enter "Hotmail app" up it pops. I install it and the web page tells it is installed, but I can not find evidence of it on the tablet... ??? So, am I missing something obvious, is there filtering/blocking of certain apps, do I have an extremely low IQ?
(I can see other unofficial Hotmail apps, and know how I can use other email clients, it is just the filtering I find odd).

2) So I really have to root my A500 to get rid of the bloatware? Just seems wrong. I am not too worried as mine is a refurbished unit I picked up for $250, but if it was new and i had to void a warranty to do this i would be annoyed. Is this the same with all 3.x devices?

Apart from that, loving my new toy.

Thanks

Pat

 

[Zoandroid]

I'm new to this A500 tablet too, but I know when you install apps from the online market store, you have to select which device to which you want to install the app. If you can't find it on the tablet, could it have gotten reinstalled on your phone instead?

 

[Zoandroid]

Here's a weird question. The user manual says the tablet must be " kept at least 30 centimetres (one foot) away from a mobile phone".

Why??

Edit:

I wrote Acer tech support on this, and here is their answer:

"Thank you for contacting Acer America. My name is Remya, badge number GWSI1105. I will be happy to assist you.

I understand that your concern. Let me see what best I can do for you.

As per our records, your product is covered under standard limited warranty.

The mobile phones are likely to interfer with the speaker and which will cause static noise from the speaker. That is the reason that we suggest you kept the tablet at least 30 centimetres (one foot) away from a mobile phone.

I hope that you find this response informative. "

They should mention in the manual that this recommendation is for when the speakers are actually in use. It reads as if the phone should never, ever be close to the tablet, even when neither is in use.

So unless your playing sound on the tablet, it is apparently fine for them to co-habitate.

 

[splatoid]

I don't use hotmail but this may be of some use.
Free Acer Iconia Tab A500 16GB Better Hotmail App Download

I may be off track but its worth a shot.
Bloat is common with all droid phones and tablets from my experience. The only way to get rid of it is Root then use titanium backup to either freeze or delete apps and craps.
Root for this tablet if you have 3.1 or lower is super easy.One click if i remember correctly.

 

[Zoandroid]

Actually, rooting 3.2.1 is not much harder. Using TimmyDean's method over on XDA, once you get the PC driver installed, he has a script in the version 3 posting of his tools that pretty much does it all. You only have to run a small app to get your tablet's serial number, add a prefix to it, and enter it at the right moment. The rest is handled by the main script.

The tricky part for me was finding the right instructions, and realizing it requires FAR fewer steps than I expected it would after I unzipped his tool package and saw all the stuff inside it.

 

[pef]

Thanks Zoandroid, your suggestion on checking the market info explained all, on the detail page there is a text box on the left saying "This app is compatible with some of your devices." Expanding it shows it is not comparable with the A500... doh.

Ah well, everybody gets to ask one dumb question, right .

I am on 3.1, so from my reading here it rooting it looks pretty straight forward. My first root, as the captain of the Titanic said "what could possibly go wrong?".

Thanks for your help guys

Pat

 

[Zoandroid]

Thanks Zoandroid, your suggestion on checking the market info explained all, on the detail page there is a text box on the left saying "This app is compatible with some of your devices." Expanding it shows it is not comparable with the A500... doh.

Ah well, everybody gets to ask one dumb question, right .

I am on 3.1, so from my reading here it rooting it looks pretty straight forward. My first root, as the captain of the Titanic said "what could possibly go wrong?".

Thanks for your help guys

Pat

It's been too long since I rooted mine to offer suggestions there. The devs have come out with some new and easier methods than what I had to use. Do some research and never hesitate to ask questions. That's how we all learn.

Regarding the Market, sometimes they simply won't show an app if your device isn't compatible. I wanted to install Miren Browser on this new Acer tablet, but it never shows up when I look for it on the market. It was one of my favorites on the Ally and Droid X.

You're most welcome.

Z