NORDICTRACK ELITE 9500 PRO Treadmill w/ 10" Android Tablet

1. Turn on machine.
2. Once you see ANDROID appear in the center of the screen, hold the menu button pressed ("the dashes button that is between the home and back buttons on the console") until you see "Unable to load widget" on the screen. This launches safe mode, hence bypasses the loading of the iFit application that steals focus.
3. Go to settings, and enable side loading.
4. Launch browser and download Smart Taskbar (or plug in a USB dongle containing the Smart Taskbar apk file to the USB port).
5. Install Smart Taskbar.
6. Reboot after installing Smart Taskbar.
7. Allow normal boot up, no safe mode required. You'll notice the trademark Smart Taskbar arrow on the screen. Launch Smart Taskbar. You're in. Feel free to kill the iFit process to restore Android desktop.
8. Next: root (how?) + install apps to USB dongle (how?). Someone else, please detail these steps.

Digital Oxygen said:

I bought a Freemotion 770 treadmill last week and upon setting it up, I came to realize that I can't access the Android desktop. I called ICON Fitness, (they own Nordic Trac, Freemotion and a plethora of other names), and after the rude customer "service" monkey registers my new machine, I ask her about how I can get to the desktop. She tells me to tap on the "gears" to change what I need to change. I again, tell her I'm trying to access the desktop. She tells me that I need to sign up for an ifit account before I can access the android desktop. :silly:

I start asking her how registering with an ifit account will allow me to get to the desktop. She of course has no clear answer. Again, tell her that I am trying to NOT use ifit and this is why I'm trying to stop it from loading (a little lie, but eh).

Then she tells me to "hit the little globe". I was surprised at how she knew I had a globe on my desk, but I hit it. It flew across the computer desk and I said "ok, I hit the globe, now what?"... silence on her end. I then said "What does the "globe" have to do with the android desktop? That's just the web browser... silence... She then tells me she has to put me on hold.

She comes back a few minutes later and AGAIN, she tries to tell me to "hit the gears if I want to calibrate the incline"... HUH? Once I realized I was getting nowhere, I finally asked her if she was in the retarded section of the call center. I then told her I wanted to speak with a supervisor. She tells me that I would have to call back. I asked her "Why, doesn't the retarded CS section you're in have a supervisor?"

We go a few more rounds and she finally tells me "There is no way to do that". I told her to forget it, I'll just find the info on the Internet. She tells me that she will note the serial number and void the warranty because I told her I was going to modify the treadmill. I told her to go right on ahead, I actually happen to have a good friend who is a Consumer Product attorney in Utah (These clowns are based out of Logan UT). I then bid her a good day and sincerely hoped she would do something to improve her brain cell count because as it stood, it was quite low. It seemed to be less than my 5 brain cells.

Anyways, now I've got it rooted and installed smart task bar. I can now access the Android Desktop through the Smart task bar app. Thanks to the people who suggested the apps.

adsbar - Alan, install the z4root and task bar app mentioned on page 2 while in safe mode. Then, reboot the treadmill and let it load ifit. You will notice a little arrow on the side on the screen. Tap it and viola! you will see your app menu. I haven't played with it much past that aside from verifying root and installing Root Explorer.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse