Polaroid ICS PMID701i 5 points capacitive 7" tablet $99 BigLots

hoodred said:

There you go
https://rapidshare.com/files/3176660583/ContactsProvider.apk

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Thanks! You're the man.

Error messages

I just returned my first 701i because the display was fuzzy at the comfortable viewing angle. The new one is definitely better. I went throught the same set-up as the first, without my previous fails at loading the Google Market. This time I tried installing the com.android.vending-3.5.15.apk without doing any roots. It installed fine, I went through the whole set-up process with Google and it was in my Apps. When I tried to use it I got a "Unfortunately....has stopped". I uninstalled it and installed vending-3.1.3-signed.apk that I found in a downlod of 4 files on another post. It worked on the other tablet and works on this one. I have downloaded a few apps successfully, even after receiving errors on re-boots. I get "com.android.smspush" and "cpm.google.process.gapps" has stopped on every re-boot. Do I need to worry about these messages, I seldom re-boot and hiting OK a couple of times is an agrevation I can live with as long as the Market works? Will I still get updates for the apps I have downloaded or do I need to install another apk or two?I have not rooted this thing yet nor do I have a clue how to do that.

chuckr01 said:

I just returned my first 701i because the display was fuzzy at the comfortable viewing angle. The new one is definitely better. I went throught the same set-up as the first, without my previous fails at loading the Google Market. This time I tried installing the com.android.vending-3.5.15.apk without doing any roots. It installed fine, I went through the whole set-up process with Google and it was in my Apps. When I tried to use it I got a "Unfortunately....has stopped". I uninstalled it and installed vending-3.1.3-signed.apk that I found in a downlod of 4 files on another post. It worked on the other tablet and works on this one. I have downloaded a few apps successfully, even after receiving errors on re-boots. I get "com.android.smspush" and "cpm.google.process.gapps" has stopped on every re-boot. Do I need to worry about these messages, I seldom re-boot and hiting OK a couple of times is an agrevation I can live with as long as the Market works? Will I still get updates for the apps I have downloaded or do I need to install another apk or two?I have not rooted this thing yet nor do I have a clue how to do that.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

It should be rooted out of the box.

Here's what I did step-by-step from the start, out of the box. I have Market and Google Apps working with no issues or error messages:

1. Download this on your computer: http://rapidshare.com/files/4069402236/marketpolaroid.zip
2. Plug your tablet into your computer via USB, tap the 'USB connected' notification on the tablet, and press 'Turn on USB Storage'
3. Drag all of the .apk files from 'marketpolaroid.zip' anywhere onto your tablet's SD card. For the sake of example, I extracted them into the 'Download' folder in my home directory on the tablet.
4. Open 'File Manager' which comes preinstalled on the tablet and navigate to the 'Download' folder in your home directory.
5. Tap 'ES File Explorer 1.6.1.3.apk', 'OneTimeInitializer-signed.apk', and 'GoogleServicesFramework.apk' to install them.
6. Open ES File Explorer. Menu button > Settings. Scroll down to the 'Root Settings' section. Check to enable 'Root Explorer' and 'Mount File System'
7. Within ES File Explorer, navigate back to your 'Download' folder.
8. Long click on 'Vending.apk' and click 'Copy'
9. Click on the 'Favorites' button at the top, and then click on '/'. Click on the 'system' folder. Click on the 'app' folder.
10. Click the 'Paste' button at the top of the screen.
11. Long click on 'Vending.apk' and scroll down to 'Properties'
12. Click on 'Change'. Vending.apk's permissions should look like this:



13. Change the permissions of Vending.apk to this:



14. Reboot


You should now have the Android Market (will update to the Play Store automatically once you use it).

You can use the paste-into-system/app-and-change-permissions method outlined above to install Google Apps from your phone (assuming it is running Android 4.0) onto the tablet. For example, I copied 'YouTube.apk' and 'Talk.apk' from the phone's system/app folder to my computer, and then moved them from the computer to the tablet's SD card. I then pasted them into system/app on the tablet and fixed their permissions. Rebooted and voila: they work perfectly.

To get the People (contacts) app from your phone, just move Contacts.apk and ContactProvider.odex from your phone into the Tablet's system/app. DO NOT REPLACE THE 'ContactsProvider.apk' THAT COMES WITH THE TABLET WITH THE 'ContactsProvider.apk' FROM YOUR PHONE. This will cause your Google Apps to force close upon opening and just randomly every 45 seconds. At least that's what happened for me. Just using 2 of the 3 files has the People app on my tablet working as it should.

If you simply tapped on the vending-3.1.3-signed.apk that you mentioned to install it, I would recommend uninstalling it normally, rebooting, and then doing what I outlined in this post. If you put vending-3.1.3-signed.apk in the system/app folder, delete it, reboot, and then start from step 1.

Hope this helps.

Hi all!

I just got one of these gems and I have the market working. However I have tried to get contacts on it to no avail. If some one has done this successfully, could you please post the files that you used? I have a Gingerbread LG Optimus (2.3.3) and I tried using the Contacts.apk on my phone. And I have found several 4.0.3 versions of Contacts installed in the /system/app/ folder, but it does not show up in the app drawer.

Also many apps in the market say "Not Compatible with this device" (Like any of the free Angry Birds (Rio, Seasons, Space)) But I have been able to install from my phone after I back them up and copy them on my tablet. And others (Stupid Zombies for example) say they are "compatible" but start and then return to the home screen. Any ideas? I am running the latest Play Store.

Thanks inadvance!

LoveMyAndroid2010 said:

Hi all!

I just got one of these gems and I have the market working. However I have tried to get contacts on it to no avail. If some one has done this successfully, could you please post the files that you used? I have a Gingerbread LG Optimus (2.3.3) and I tried using the Contacts.apk on my phone. And I have found several 4.0.3 versions of Contacts installed in the /system/app/ folder, but it does not show up in the app drawer.

Also many apps in the market say "Not Compatible with this device" (Like any of the free Angry Birds (Rio, Seasons, Space)) But I have been able to install from my phone after I back them up and copy them on my tablet. And others (Stupid Zombies for example) say they are "compatible" but start and then return to the home screen. Any ideas? I am running the latest Play Store.

Thanks inadvance!

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

To get the ICS People App working, download this:

https://rapidshare.com/files/1297053095/Contacts.zip

^That file contains Contacts.apk and Contacts.odex from my phone (running ICS) and ContacsProvider.apk that comes with the tablet.

Replace the files with the names above that are already in your system/app folder with the one from the zip file. Fix their permissions as outlined in two posts up. Reboot.

I also have plenty of compatibility issues with apps in the Play Store. This has to do with a number of things. First of all, the screen resolution calls for the tablet UI of Android, on which not all apps work (or work well). Second, the tablet lacks a lot of hardware that apps need (or think they need). For example, Maps doesn't work because there's no GPS. Instagram (eww) is a no go because of no camera. You get the idea. Many developers will publish their apps with certain hardware requirements, and if you don't meet them then you won't be able to install them from the store.

If you think an app is falsely listed as incompatible, I would just try to install it just by moving it from your phone to the tablet and clicking on the apk to install it normally (no need for system/app method I think). I would caution you, though, considering you're not running ICS on your phone. Try to find ICS versions of free apps.

I haven't encountered the returning to the home screen issues that you're talking about. The only app that I'm able to download from the Play Store that doesn't work well for me is The Weather Channel app. When I open it I just get a black screen with the software back/home/recent apps buttons at the bottom. I think this is due to the fact that the app uses GPS to find your location. The devs probably forgot to list it as needing GPS and it gets hung up at startup as a result.

How do u stop writing everything to internal data,had to take a tab back cause internal data would not erase not even with the factory recovery,plus i can't believe that it's factory rooted not bad for a ben franklin!!! ; )

sent from the home of the "WIRE"

There is a really good community happening over here for the PMID701i

http://www.freaktab.com/forumdisplay.php?62-Polaroid-Tablets

a few questions we have answered:
1) stock rom available
2) some PMID701i's in the wild have the video out port, some don't.
3) google market fix where most apps are available
4) how to set up where the external SD card is actually recognized as the SD Card in the OS

and lots others.

Thanks Justin!

I eventually discovered that my first attempt actually worked when I looked for the correct app name! I kept looking for "Contacts" in the app drawer instead of "People".

And everything else makes sense why Maps and a few others do not work as you stated about not having GPS and some other hardware.

I do know Angry Birds all free editions work flawlessly but only AB Seasons free is listed as "compatible".

Also I know for an absolute fact that I did not copy Phone! But it is there in the system/app folder with contacts (aka people).

Anyway this is a great little tablet! It may not have GPS, Camera, or Bluetooth, but it runs smooth and now I am smitten by ICS!!

I want it on my phone now!! LOL

Anyway, thanks so much for your help and info!!

I wonder if the ddr ram is expandable or not?

Justin,

This worked wonderfully, I now have Google Play and successfully downloaded another App to make sure it worked. It showed up as the Market originally but as soon as I opened it and then closed it jumped to Google Play. I still get the two stopped errors twice when I re-boot but I click OK and everything seems to be good. It's a little annoying but I seldom re-boot so it's no big deal. I assume something is still hanging on from my previos attempt of just loading the 3.1.3 without the other apk files. The Market was functional with that approach and I successfully loaded Flash, Angry Birds Seasons Citrix Receiver and a couple of other Apps while using the Market with my shortcut method but hopefully I'm now on the radar for updates. Let me know if the com.android.smspush and com.google.process.apps stopped messages indicate a problem that needs to be addressed.

Thanks so much for your very clear and concise directions. That is what a dummy like me needs to be successful.

Yeah justin thanks bro intructions worked great also!!!

sent from the home of the "WIRE"

OK, now I'm baffled (I know, you're saying we're not surprised), I did a factory reset including the erase SD card option and I still get the "com.android.smspush" and "cpm.google.process.gapps" errors AND the Market was still there in the Apps but the other apps I had downloaded were gone. Not complaining that I didn't have to do it all again but my intent was to start clean and undo whatever I had done to cause those messages to pop up twice on every re-boot. Something is obviously hiding somewhere that the factory reset didn't clear. If anyone can shed any light on what I have to kill to get rid of those errors I would appreciate the advice. Once again, thanks for your help getting this far!

A Nontechnical Answer

chuckr01 said:

OK, now I'm baffled (I know, you're saying we're not surprised), I did a factory reset including the erase SD card option and I still get the "com.android.smspush" and "cpm.google.process.gapps" errors AND the Market was still there in the Apps but the other apps I had downloaded were gone. Not complaining that I didn't have to do it all again but my intent was to start clean and undo whatever I had done to cause those messages to pop up twice on every re-boot. Something is obviously hiding somewhere that the factory reset didn't clear. If anyone can shed any light on what I have to kill to get rid of those errors I would appreciate the advice. Once again, thanks for your help getting this far!

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

At this point, I can't say what I have done right and what I have done wrong. I know only that I've had to return one of these 701i's (without a TV out jack), only to find to my surprise that I got home with one with the TV jack. I've done the factory reset numerous times, some seemed to work properly (getting me back to factory default), and some didn't.

Might I suggest that before you do the reset, if you haven't already, please ensure you are unticking whatever boxes gave permission to store your data? I think I discovered this made a difference.

OTOH, not exactly sure WHAT made a difference ... I've numbers of times tried each of the three varied "rooting" solutions I've read in this and other forums. None worked exactly until I this last time. I used the one from justinhforsyth and I think I can finally rest! (Except I can't seem to re-install some of the Google Apps unless I open up a new google account.)

Hope my little tip above works for you. I know how frustrating this process has been for me.

So is the trouble with getting market to work worked out? Really interested in this tablet..... And how can you tell in stores if it has TV out our not? And is ram expandable? Probably get it with first check from work this summer if I don't find another great tab cheap.

Sent from my Motorola Electrify using XDA

moparfreak426 said:

So is the trouble with getting market to work worked out? Really interested in this tablet..... And how can you tell in stores if it has TV out our not? And is ram expandable? Probably get it with first check from work this summer if I don't find another great tab cheap.

Sent from my Motorola Electrify using XDA

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

My MID701i is perfect. Market and all. Go to Freaktab.com and you will find a market fix along with a host of info. Look for the dedicated Polaroid section.

Sent from my Polaroid PMID701i using Tapatalk 2

moparfreak426 said:

So is the trouble with getting market to work worked out? Really interested in this tablet..... And how can you tell in stores if it has TV out our not? And is ram expandable? Probably get it with first check from work this summer if I don't find another great tab cheap.

Sent from my Motorola Electrify using XDA

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Read somewhere that you simply have to find a salesclerk willing to open the boxes (if we're still talking Big Lots!). Apparently, they were sent out in a huge "big lot" ((snicker snicker)), and it's arbitrary whether or not the box you buy contains one with or without the TV out jack. The boxes *all* said "Video out jack."

Good luck to you.

---------- Post added at 11:00 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:48 AM ----------

justinhforsyth said:

It should be rooted out of the box.

Here's what I did step-by-step from the start, out of the box. [....] You should now have the Android Market (will update to the Play Store automatically once you use it). [....]
Hope this helps.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

OMG, did it ever! Thanks so much -- your step-by-step instructions were concise. What's more, unlike other step-by-step instructions I came across in other forums, I was able to find every setting and duplicate every step for myself!

Now, only one problem ... how to get the unit to see (and write to) the external microSD card when I want it to. This 'mounting' 'unmounting' thing has been kind of capricious. The 'mounted' message shows up when I insert the microSD card. The USB storage asks and allows me to turn on storage. Yet it has never (to my knowledge) yet defaulted to being the 'drive' on which things are stored.

It's really too complicated to explain, but from the first unit I owned to present, it continues to defy my efforts to be able to store anything on it.

(going to go peruse some other forums and see what I can see)

Meanwhile, thanks a hundred thousand times, Justin, for the great job!

MikeyLee said:

It's already rooted. Use Root Explorer

---------- Post added at 12:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:01 PM ----------

I picked this up last night and it's pretty damn nice for $99. It's the latest ICS also 4.0.3. The only thing I cant figure out is why a company who makes cameras (Polaroid) didn't put a camera on this...

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Click to collapse

Because to put it bluntly, a built-n camera on a tablet is pretty much useless. On a cell phone/mp3 player, yes. On a laptop. so-so, given the choice, I would buy the laptop or netbook without the camera built-in and get a cheap usb camera that I can put where I wanted instead.

---------- Post added at 11:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:05 AM ----------

irainbow said:

Read somewhere that you simply have to find a salesclerk willing to open the boxes (if we're still talking Big Lots!). Apparently, they were sent out in a huge "big lot" ((snicker snicker)), and it's arbitrary whether or not the box you buy contains one with or without the TV out jack. The boxes *all* said "Video out jack."

Good luck to you.

---------- Post added at 11:00 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:48 AM ----------



OMG, did it ever! Thanks so much -- your step-by-step instructions were concise. What's more, unlike other step-by-step instructions I came across in other forums, I was able to find every setting and duplicate every step for myself!

Now, only one problem ... how to get the unit to see (and write to) the external microSD card when I want it to. This 'mounting' 'unmounting' thing has been kind of capricious. The 'mounted' message shows up when I insert the microSD card. The USB storage asks and allows me to turn on storage. Yet it has never (to my knowledge) yet defaulted to being the 'drive' on which things are stored.

It's really too complicated to explain, but from the first unit I owned to present, it continues to defy my efforts to be able to store anything on it.

(going to go peruse some other forums and see what I can see)

Meanwhile, thanks a hundred thousand times, Justin, for the great job!

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

What's so hard about this? Just configure the app to store/save whatever in a directory on the micro sd card just like you would do a www browser or any other software to use an usb drive on a pc.

Given the fact that you can swap out the micro sd card, (it's really a removable drive) you really don't want it defaulted to being the 'drive' on which things are stored unless you're using software like Link2SD which pretty much configures itself to deal with the fact.

I purchased two 701i's for my kids as impulse after considering two used ipod touches for the same price.

Finding this thread, I installed "Market" files via Linux+Android SDK.

I did initially have the gapps crash repeatedly on both devices, but resolved it.

I *THINK* this is the solution. PLEASE someone verify this process as the one that works without crashes.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
./adb install ./OneTimeInitializer-signed.apk
./adb push GoogleServicesFramework.apk /system/app
./adb push Vending.apk /system/app
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


edit: 22 days later i returned the two devices. my toddler preferred my iPad and barely touched the Polaroid -- much easier to "use and play". The devices were nice for the price, but sometimes laggy even to respond to taps, typing. etc. i'd have liked to kept one for hacking around with, but the money was better spent elsewhere (like 'large' food).

hoodred-

I believe I have read thought this thread pretty good, but I don't recall seeing if your "fix" adding the Play Store to the Polaroid made the store "show" more available apps? Is this a "standard" store or a modified store so we can get almost any app? Thanks for your work...as well as the others working on improving this tab. BTW, I am using a PMID701c with ICS installed.