Nexus 7 Owners Thread - apps, tips & tricks!

AlanS181824

illdoit2morrow wrote: »

Has anyone got Lollipop OTA yet?

I haven't turned on my N7 for a few days, just curious is it rolling out now that Google have released it for the N7.

Have it running on my Nexus 7 right now, seems grand!

juke

Anyone else finding the tablet painfully slow since downloading the new update?

I've ceared the cache, turned it off and on again, and am now ready to smash it against the wall

illdoit2morrow

juke wrote: »

Anyone else finding the tablet painfully slow since downloading the new update?

I've ceared the cache, turned it off and on again, and am now ready to smash it against the wall

Yeah, it's not really up to lollipop, it was struggling with kit kat at times.

robinph

I manually updated mine as it had happened to go into a boot loop anyway with the previous firmware and I needed to flash it anyway. This is on a 2012 model.

Does seem to be a bit prone to running slow and crashing out of Facebook at the moment, but I've not bothered with clearing the cache or any other fixes, sure I just completely reflashed the thing, why would the next step to make it run properly be to try and clear what must be an empty cache?

keano_afc

juke wrote: »

Anyone else finding the tablet painfully slow since downloading the new update?

I've ceared the cache, turned it off and on again, and am now ready to smash it against the wall

Came in to post this. My first gen Nexus 7 is pretty much unusable since the update. Can take over a minute to load certain apps. Crashes at the drop of a hat and the lag is criminal, beyond workable. Time to move on I think. I even did a factory reset on the device but its actually worse since I did.

muffler

juke wrote: »

Anyone else finding the tablet painfully slow since downloading the new update?

I just come here to ask the same question. The missus has a nexus 7 and it was updated in the last few days and she's telling me that everything is either working very slow or the likes of the Sky app isnt working at all.

She said she was going to roll it back to the original factory settings but I dont know if that can be done and even if it could it may not be such a good idea.

Sorry folks but neither of us are too well up on these matters so would appreciate any advice or help.

Cheers

T-Bird

keano_afc wrote: »

Came in to post this. My first gen Nexus 7 is pretty much unusable since the update. Can take over a minute to load certain apps. Crashes at the drop of a hat and the lag is criminal, beyond workable. Time to move on I think. I even did a factory reset on the device but its actually worse since I did.

Same, went to Spirit Rom to try something different.

jonski

I got the update automatically last week and went ahead with it , when it was done the tablet ( 2012 ) was slow to the point of being unusable . I did a factory reset and only reinstalled the apps I actually use and to be honest it is working fine now and the battery seems to last a bit longer as well .

keano_afc

jonski wrote: »

I got the update automatically last week and went ahead with it , when it was done the tablet ( 2012 ) was slow to the point of being unusable . I did a factory reset and only reinstalled the apps I actually use and to be honest it is working fine now and the battery seems to last a bit longer as well .

Mine was like this for a couple of days after I did the reset and then reverted back to being unusable.

The_B_Man

I installed the latest CM11 on my N7 2012 (grouper) because it was going slow.
Now it seems to be getting even worse.

I noticed last night it was updating some apps via the app store and i was trying to open an app, and it slowed to a crawl. It seemed like it hung and was unresponsive for about 30 seconds until the update was complete.

I have heard that Asus used cheap storage memory in this tablet, so i suspect its related to that cheap storage having a high latency and holding up the rest of the OS.

Presumably this is common and theres nothing I can do about it?

youcancallmeal

The_B_Man wrote: »

I installed the latest CM11 on my N7 2012 (grouper) because it was going slow.
Now it seems to be getting even worse.

I noticed last night it was updating some apps via the app store and i was trying to open an app, and it slowed to a crawl. It seemed like it hung and was unresponsive for about 30 seconds until the update was complete.

I have heard that Asus used cheap storage memory in this tablet, so i suspect its related to that cheap storage having a high latency and holding up the rest of the OS.

Presumably this is common and theres nothing I can do about it?

Mine's been like this for the last year or more, I only use it as an ereader now and even then it can get laggy just changing page. Trying to use internet or watch a video is a painfully slow stuttering experience. I've tried everything from factory resets to special apps which resequence data for more efficient reads. Nothing works so have given up trying to speed it up. It's funny though some people report that there is no problem with theirs so seems to be luck of draw what you got?

marcbrophy

Is the whole TRIM issue with this tab still a problem?
I remember using an app designed to fill and empty data in all sectors of the memory to speed up my one before.

I haven't made the jump to 5.0 yet and from all reports, I'm not sure if I'll bother

youcancallmeal

marcbrophy wrote: »

Is the whole TRIM issue with this tab still a problem?
I remember using an app designed to fill and empty data in all sectors of the memory to speed up my one before.

I haven't made the jump to 5.0 yet and from all reports, I'm not sure if I'll bother

Apparently trim is not a problem since 4.3 but it really really seems like the issue is with untrimmed memory? I think this is the app you're thinking of is this. I used to use this regularly, I remember when first using it it was a revelation but subsequent uses have never been as good as that first time to the extent that it is useless now really?

marcbrophy

youcancallmeal wrote: »

Apparently trim is not a problem since 4.3 but it really really seems like the issue is with untrimmed memory? I think this is the app you're thinking of is this. I used to use this regularly, I remember when first using it it was a revelation but subsequent uses have never been as good as that first time to the extent that it is useless now really?

That's the one alright. And you're right, it was never as zippy afterwards as the first time you use it

That's also utter bollix about TRIM not still being an issue. The tablet thinks it's full all the time and can't access free space for virtual RAM or paging. You can feel it when you're using the thing

eoinf

marcbrophy wrote: »

That's the one alright. And you're right, it was never as zippy afterwards as the first time you use it

That's also utter bollix about TRIM not still being an issue. The tablet thinks it's full all the time and can't access free space for virtual RAM or paging. You can feel it when you're using the thing

time to condemn this to someone who doesn't know any better on adverts.

its criminally slow after the last update.

probably owes me nothing at this stage good peice of kit but just crippled with the last 2 updates.

Saipanne

eoinf wrote: »

time to condemn this to someone who doesn't know any better on adverts.

its criminally slow after the last update.

probably owes me nothing at this stage good peice of kit but just crippled with the last 2 updates.

Can you not go back to earlier versions?

Demeyes

I found my Nexus 7 (older gen) has really slowed down since the update. At times it's barely usable. It keeps lagging and taking ages just to switch tabs in a browser, playing videos is not great now either. I hadn't really had any problems with it until now. The problems have stopped me from even using it at times because it takes so long to do stuff on it.

robinph

Think I'll be giving up on lollipop and switching back to an earlier version as it is really annoying now and not useable.

scudzilla

i have the 2013 version, still no lollipop update, anyway of pushing it?

jonski

For the guys with the original 2012 model I can't stress enough how beneficial it is to do a factory reset and then only reinstall the apps you a: actually use and b: the apps that you know have been optimised for lollipop . I have done this and mine is working grand and the battery is definitely lasting longer .

Saipanne

jonski wrote: »

For the guys with the original 2012 model I can't stress enough how beneficial it is to do a factory reset and then only reinstall the apps you a: actually use and b: the apps that you know have been optimised for lollipop . I have done this and mine is working grand and the battery is definitely lasting longer .

Stupid question, but this takes you back to the original firmware? Are we missing anything significant by doing this, in terms of features, etc?

cullenswood

I'm thinking of getting a refurbed 2012 version of this for the kids. Is this still a good idea? Would a refurbished one be fine, and can I just not update it for lollipop in order to avoid the lag issues being experience by many?

Thanks

homer911

scudzilla wrote: »

i have the 2013 version, still no lollipop update, anyway of pushing it?

Same here. The Nexus update checker says you can download and install it manually, but only if rooted. Sometimes its better just to wait, then benefit from the experience of those who have gone before..

robinph

Saipanne wrote: »

Stupid question, but this takes you back to the original firmware? Are we missing anything significant by doing this, in terms of features, etc?

No, it will take you back to a clean install of the last firmware installed. It is a bit miss named in calling it a factory reset.

jonski

Saipanne wrote: »

Stupid question, but this takes you back to the original firmware? Are we missing anything significant by doing this, in terms of features, etc?

Once you have done the update and then do a factor reset you are brought back to a clean, no apps , version of the update , not the original version that came with the tablet when you got it .

tok9

I still have received the OTA. Did ye download from somewhere?

blobbie

homer911 wrote: »

Same here. The Nexus update checker says you can download and install it manually, but only if rooted. Sometimes its better just to wait, then benefit from the experience of those who have gone before..

You don't need to be rooted. You can sideload as per http://www.talkandroid.com/guides/beginner/how-to-install-the-lollipop-ota-on-your-nexus-device-download-links-included/

Did this to my own Nexus7 2013 and seems to be working fine.

Gran Hermano

The only OTA update I'm still waiting on is for the N7 2013.
Are people getting/not getting it? I know how google deploy but
seems reports for N7 2013 are quieter.

Annoying having one device with different OS version.
Updated N10 and N4 without any dramas.

reni10

What's the best version of Android to have on the 2012 Nexus 7?

I installed Lollipop and there is severe lag now so would like to go back to a previous version, maybe Jellybean?

robinph

Didn't get as far as downgrading the firmware yet, but the factory reset has made an improvement. The Facebook app seemed to kill the tablet immediately and put it back into the practically useless state. Uninstalled that and it came back to life again. Will try reinstalling some other apps one by one to see if they cripple the tablet also.

jonski

robinph wrote: »

Didn't get as far as downgrading the firmware yet, but the factory reset has made an improvement. The Facebook app seemed to kill the tablet immediately and put it back into the practically useless state. Uninstalled that and it came back to life again. Will try reinstalling some other apps one by one to see if they cripple the tablet also.

Facebook was a killer for me too but it seems to be a bit better now but still crashes . I had an app called twilight and that was one of the ones killing it for me .

Saipanne

I've been doing a little read around the webs, and a lot of people seem to be blaming the latest update of Google Play Services, as opposed to the new os.

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

Gran Hermano

Can't discuss those apps.

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

SScope

Just wondering if anyone has had any trouble and success with fixing the charging port on their Nexus? At the moment I have to have the cable pulled in a tight angle to get any charge on the tablet.

If its not a diy job can you recommend somewhere to get it fixed?

Thanks
Sscope

Krusty_Clown

SScope wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone has had any trouble and success with fixing the charging port on their Nexus? At the moment I have to have the cable pulled in a tight angle to get any charge on the tablet.

If its not a diy job can you recommend somewhere to get it fixed?

Thanks
Sscope

If it's a 2013 model, then you could get a QI charger and use inductive charging instead.

corkie

SScope wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone has had any trouble and success with fixing the charging port on their Nexus? At the moment I have to have the cable pulled in a tight angle to get any charge on the tablet.

If its not a diy job can you recommend somewhere to get it fixed?

Thanks
Sscope

If 2012 Model it can be done. Some of the internal screws can be a bitch to turn.

There is an old thread here with youtube links and the part required that you can order from asus/amazon.


I could not open two screws on mine so got it done in a repair shop in cork. You didn't say where your from?

tok9

Still no sign of the lollipop update for me (2012) but I did do a factory reset over the weekend and it's running a lot smoother now.

SScope

Thanks for the advice guys, I should have said I'm located in Dublin. I've had a go at the port myself after reading up and looking a some youtube vids and no luck with the charging port.

Will see about taking it somewhere or the QI charger.

Thanks again

Carlos Orange

tok9 wrote: »

Still no sign of the lollipop update for me (2012) but I did do a factory reset over the weekend and it's running a lot smoother now.

Glad to know I'm not the only N7 2012 waiting for lollipop.
Then again I'm not sure if I even want lollipop.

dominoman

@tok9,@psinno I have two N7 2012 and I also have no sign of lollipop. I wonder what percentage have been updated so far?

tok9

I've no idea, I just keep seeing people say they have it and assume I should have it soon.

But that feels like about 2 weeks now

irishchris

When you do get lollipop this is kinda cool.I know most will find it pointless but thought it was a fun idea for android to add it in. Press settings>about phone>>tap android version 5 times>tap lollipop 5 times then keep your finger pressed on the lolipop and SURPRISE

homer911

Got my upgrade to 5.0.1 from 4.4.4 on Thursday night (N7, 2013) No problems at all with it so far but some of the features will take a while to get used to

MiCr0

Still waiting on lollipop ota on my n7 2013 :-(

jonski

Just got the 5.0.2 update for my 2012 N7 , hope it improves the performance a bit .

Carlos Orange

I kinda thought the expected 90 day wait for Lollipop on the HTC One was long but it has been 56 days and still no sign for my Nexus 7. No hurry but it might be nice if my tablet was updated at some stage.

Macy0161

jonski wrote: »

Just got the 5.0.2 update for my 2012 N7 , hope it improves the performance a bit .

Well it could hardly be worse! Update came through for me late last night - first impressions is that at least the device is usable again!

tok9

When you leave the device on for a few days it seems to get really bogged down.

I just turn restart it and it works pretty well again.