Android Newbie

[GarthBowen]

Hello people,

This appears to be one very comprehensive web site. I've not signed up on a forum before, only viewed some content from prior web searches. I'm a long time PC user (DOS & Windows), done a bit of Basic programming and light duty PC hacking (The old definition, please) but, like many these days I began to get fed up with the Windows OS. I started looking at going Linux.

As I use my computers for work, I'm an electrician, I was leery of switching over to Linux due to apparent complexity, software changeovers and the time required to get into it.

Instead I acquired a NEXTBook 7P Tablet and started to see if it might be useful for mobile use for my work. It seems to be a handy device but I was not too impressed with all of the preloaded software (App's ?) that can't be removed easily and the seeming difficulty in stripping it back to an OS and then load in the programs I want to use.

I'm hoping to find a forum and/or web sites where I can get down to the basics of 1. Customizing the NEXTBook to my needs and 2. Getting familiar with the Linux/Android OS's so that I can more readily changeover on my PC.

If anyway can offer some guidance on this - direction to good sites or forum threads, I'd be thankful

Thanks for reading, Garth

 

[The_Chief]

Hi Garth and welcome to Android Forums!

Sadly, I can't find a dedicated Nextbook forum, so I can refer you to this one:

General Tablet Talk - Android Forums

You may find a way to gain root access to your tablet and install a custom recovery. This is IMPORTANT: Never start ripping out system applications (often bloatware) without making a nandroid backup first!

A nandroid backup is a function of the custom recovery. It allows you to take a snapshot image of the device's entire current state, as it is at that moment, and saves it to the SD card.

Then if you start doing fancy things in the system folder (like deleting things) and the tablet suddenly doesn't work anymore, you can always go back into recovery, wipe the tablet and restore the nandroid. It will be like nothing ever happened. Then you can try something else.

I can't count the number of posts I've read from members who began deleting things without a backup, and now they own an expensive paperweight. Restoring from that point would require the factory to re-flash the system image... it's a mess.

Anyway, enough rambling. I truly hope you find the answers you're looking for and never hesitate to ask questions.

It's great to have you here

 

[GarthBowen]

Thank you for the warm welcome Chief, and for the link. I will continue pursuing my quest and I'll be in touch with any further queries and results.

thanks again, Garth