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Help Many issues with ICS update... Not sure it's worth it...

I was experiencing GPS problems, but I think I found a fix for it (it worked on my a500 version 1):
- download an app called "GPS status" from the market.
- in the menu there is a section called "tools" and go into it
- a menu shows up, and in there there is a section called "manage a-gps"; tap that :p
- then tap "reset"
- follow the steps above again and instead of tapping "reset", tap "download".
try this at your own risk.
good luck.

p.s.
no pun intended.... tap that!!
 
emagin said:
When I check online, it says that CoPilot Live USA is compatible with my device, an Acer with ICS on it
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I have Copilot on my A500 with ICS and it works very well. I've upgraded from the USA basic to being able to drag routes and also text to speech. The text to speech had me wondering for a bit as I couldn't get it to tell me the street name but I discovered through searching that not all voices would work for that. When you look at the voices available the only one that speaks street names is the one with and asterisk by it. You can purchase other voices that will work with it also.
 
Mine has been shutting itself down in sleep mode randomly when plugged in and when it is not plugged in. I did a factory reset and a hardware reset as suggested by acer. The only change since then is that it now turns off when plugged in which it didn't do before hand. This never happened before the ics update.
 
jmuss77 said:
Mine has been shutting itself down in sleep mode randomly when plugged in and when it is not plugged in. I did a factory reset and a hardware reset as suggested by acer. The only change since then is that it now turns off when plugged in which it didn't do before hand. This never happened before the ics update.
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I saw that you posted the same problem here also, where I have provided suggestions: http://androidforums.com/acer-iconi...domly-turns-off-since-update.html#post4437836
 
When I first did my update to ICS my co piolt froze and wouldn't work at all. I uninstalle and reinstalled it with no luck! I contacted ALK and let them know if the problems. I was a bata tester when the A500 first came out and the truck version did not work on it. I'm a truck driver so I use my Co Pilot every day. I had to do a factory reset to get it working. I've had other issues with the ICS now working right. But Co Pilot is the most important. It takes a few clicks on the icon to get it to boot, but after it boots it does work better with ICS than it did with Honeycomb. I have a problem with the wifi. It will connect with the portable wifi hub I have with Verizon but won't connect with my home network, not sure why tho. I have done the pin hole reset hoping it would get the wifi working like it did back with the 3.1 update but no luck. I've had to do 3 factory resets so far and each time I do somethng else finds a way to mess up. I am sorry I did the update to ICS and the Acer support doesn't exist if it's not under warantee!
 
In addition to all the other problems caused by this half-baked OS, it has also been designed to eliminate the USB Mass Storage option when connecting by USB to your PC. Where you could copy all your SD Card files to your PC using Honeycomb, ICS allows only Media or Photo files to be copied. The 5 GB of non-photo non-media files on my A500 SD card don't even show up as existing when I connect it to my PC now. The SD card folder appears empty on my PC.

I reverted back to rooted Honeycomb. I like having a fully functional tablet and being able work with ALL my files without restriction. :) ICS is looking like the "Windows 8 Metro" version of Android.
 
Zoandroid said:
In addition to all the other problems caused by this half-baked OS, it has also been designed to eliminate the USB Mass Storage option when connecting by USB to your PC. Where you could copy all your SD Card files to your PC using Honeycomb, ICS allows only Media or Photo files to be copied. The 5 GB of non-photo non-media files on my A500 SD card don't even show up as existing when I connect it to my PC now. The SD card folder appears empty on my PC.

I reverted back to rooted Honeycomb. I like having a fully functional tablet and being able work with ALL my files without restriction. :) ICS is looking like the "Windows 8 Metro" version of Android.
Click to expand...

That's not my experience at all. When connected to a PC I can see all of the internal and external microSD memory and move files as I wish.

Before I upgraded, I backed up all my files and reset the computer to the factory settings, installed a blank 8 GB microSD card and installed the Acer Updater. I then ran the ICS 4.0.3 update from a stock installatuion. Everything went well and I re-established my Wifi link.

I then re-formatted the 16 GB microSD card that had been in the tablet and rebootted the tablet with the microSD card. Once that was done I copied all my downloads, video, music and other files, then proceeded to do a new install fo everything.

It took longer than the average person might want to invest, but everything works without a hitch. I can visit a lot of sites (ESPN, Facebook, etc.) in native rather than mobile mode. Even Netflix 1.8 streams video through the HDMI port. My experience might be in the minority here, but with a step by step install ICS 4.0.3 should run (mostly) bug free. It also uses less memory and manages storage slightly better.
 
I found a work around for the Mass Storage issue. Instead of trying to use USB to copy (non-photo, non-media) files from the tablet to my PC, I am using Cheetah Sync Premium to copy them by WiFi. It has no restrictions like those imposed by ICS disabling the USB Mass Storage connection, and lets me copy any file I want from the tablet to my PC. So with that issue circumvented, I'm using ICS again. Hopefully there are no additional "control" issues waiting to surface.
 
I was having the flashing screen and crashing of the gmail app ever since my ICS update. It was so bad that most of the time it'd take 2 or 3 "quick reboots" with this quick reboot app (I think it was basically an app killer) before I could read my gmail without it crashing. I looked everywhere on the web for a solution and could never find one. I did a factory reset and then setup my tablet again, but sure enough the problem came back. So I got to thinking it MUST be one of my apps not playing nicely with the update since everyone isn't having the problem. I factory reset again and instead of loading every app all at once I slowly added a couple apps a day while checking gmail for bugs. Anyway, I've been on my tablet for weeks now without a problem! I found 2 apps that cause my Iconia to crash gmail by doing it this way. The apps are: "Sketchbook Pro" (painting app) and "Vignette" paid version (Camera app) If you're having problems and have either app, try uninstalling it and see if the problems go away. It did for me!
 
Thanks, Timmy! That's good to know.

I just had my Patriot 16GB Class 10 Micro SDHC decide to die on me. The tablet suddenly reported the card as "damaged". This happened back in October, but I was able to reformat the card FAT32 and load backed up copies of my files. But today, the card won't even reformat. Windows 7 says it 'cannot complete the operation'. So I guess SD cards do sometimes die. I've replaced the card with one from PNY. Patriot is a top name, so I was really surprised this happened.

After formatting and loading files on the card, when I inserted it the notebook refused to see it until I rebooted the notebook. Now it seems OK.

This is the kind of bushwhacking that keeps me wanting to be able to copy my files over to the PC, just so that when I DO lose everything I can get them back. Product vendors would rather totally control what you can put where and how you put it there, and have you turn over all your files to their 'cloud' storage (so they can rummage through them and probably sell any worthwhile logistical data to telemarketers). All in the super-sparkly name of 'convenience'. No free rides. They always have an angle. If the device doesn't have a fully removable SD card, I won't buy it. Ever. And I want to be able to access ALL MY FILES by cable to my PC - no cloud storage middleman. :)
 
I have been having nothing but problems with this update. I should never've updated...

When I lock the tablet, it wont turn the screen back on, say a half hour after I turn it off. i have to turn the tablet off, by holding the button down and having it shut down automatically - then turn it back on. This is getting very frustrating and I need to know how to re-install Honeycomb 3.2 onto my tablet without hacking it.

Thank you,
bomberbob
 
I'm sorry, but I can't suggest anything if you aren't rooted. Perhaps someone else can tell you what to do. I would think there is likely a way to do a 'factory restore' but it will probably involve using ADB and a computer.
 
Zoandroid said:
I'm sorry, but I can't suggest anything if you aren't rooted. Perhaps someone else can tell you what to do. I would think there is likely a way to do a 'factory restore' but it will probably involve using ADB and a computer.
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What's an ADB? And will it restore Honeycomb?
 
ADB stands for Android Debug Bridge. It is a program that you use on a PC, either from Windows or Linux usually, to talk to the phone over a USB cable. It's a rather involved process to use it. Personally I like 'one click' methods better :) But without being rooted, I am thinking this would be your only option. It is the same process your provider would use to restore your phone if it died under warranty. And in fact the software to make it work actually comes from the vendor who marketed your device.

As I understand it, ADB would allow a copy of the default OEM ROM to be flashed into the tablet and make it like new again, only using Gingerbread like it had before. But I don't know of any other way to do that without root access.

If you are not rooted, and still under warranty, the easiest thing would be to have your carrier deal with the problem. It may be possible the device itself has become defective. Otherwise, there is information on the forum to figure these things out, but it would mean a lot of reading. If you can, it might be best to get someone schooled on this stuff to help, if anyone nearby qualifies. :)
 
All of the problems with Acer updates has been the norm since the very first update when these tablets first came out. I was never able to load a update and after all the problems with the first major update I was glad, That was when I decided to root and i haven't had to mess with Acer again. I know that rooting isn't for everyone but I'm sure glad I did it. When you use a build from a DEV on XDA you can read pages of comments before you commit to using there build. So you know what your getting. Oh and you can do a full system backup so if things get bad you can just roll it back to whatever build you prefer.
 
I always have to wonder, when someone joins a forum, makes one or two posts, usually with a major problem, and then never gets back to us, if he was ever successful? I like to hope so. :)

Although reading an entire thread, often with 1000 plus posts, seems a daunting task, there is something very beneficial about doing so. I've found having done that several times, I can get a sense of whether the ROM being developed and discussed seems destined for success, or seems to remain fraught with difficulties. Those which seem to be on a smooth and stable track have always served me well. Those on which I have felt it was a crap shoot going in usually have too many issues and I have to unload them for something more stable.

Although my belief is that the Android OS is a form of electronic freedom incarnate, allowing us to OWN and actually USE our devices in ways we previously could only imagine, it is only that way because of the hard work and support of the developmental community and all the good folks on these forums. Take away the forums, and you are stuck with the carrot on a stick that < insert your cell carrier here > dumps on you for a hefty price, when the only "support" most of them can provide is to replace your device, putting you behind the same carrot all over again. Most of them are totally clueless to the phones features, beyond the content of your own user manual, which is usually abysmally lacking in proper descriptions and understanding.

With forums, rooting and custom ROMs, we get to EAT that carrot in a tasty stew of real, unlocked features. :D And we have very knowledgeable people who really understand the inner workings of the devices and can explain them in plain (un-accented) English. :)
 
That's the truth. I just purchased a Acer 7" tablet from best buy about 6 months ago and the guy was clueless about all the tablets. He tried to sell me a screen protector because the screen on the tablet was easy to scratch. I told him that the glass was Gorilla glass made by cornning and he said "really". Then he tried to sell my friend a samsung tablet "i think cant remember" saying it had the same specs as the acer and i told him that the samsung didn't have a slot for the memory card and he had no clue. I have had this same type of conversations at Verizon. If I had a job working in either of those industries I would at least read up on the items I sold so I didn't sound to stupid. Although I do realize it would be hard to read up on everything in a big store like best buy but i would at least cover the most popular items.
One thing for sure is the people doing this work making Rom's has made me keep my interest in my devices longer.
 
I don't know if this is true, but I was told that when a new model of phone ships to verizon, each of their floor sales people has to spend a month using it as their own phone, presumably to familiarize themselves with each new model. In contrast, I've never read (or experienced) anything positive about Best Buy sales people. They are often arrogant, woefully lacking in even basic computer knowledge, and seem more on a caliber of used car sales than any kind of technician. IF you can even get one to help you at all.

When Universal Mass Storage started sailing off into the sunset I started keeping a close eye on which of the phones I was looking to buy next even had an SD card. In the process I read that it is planned (by Samsung, among others) to totally do away with using an SD card AND USB CONNECTION in their smartphones and tablets. These product vendors want to return to the draconian days of "you get only and exactly what WE give you" in your device, and try to keep us from any sort of customization or addons. I'll never buy a device with such restrictions. Fortunately the Galaxy S III made it out still having both those features, and a removable battery, which is something else I demand in a smartphone. I would have liked a removable battery in my A500 tablet, but it was a gift from my son, so I didn't take part in the selection process.

We consumers need to start voting with our wallets, and simply ignore new products that lack the features we want. If everyone did that, they would have to get the message.
 
Not sure if ebook still reads this.

I upgraded to ICS about last April- I'll admit, I did a complete wipe before installing... No issues except for the GPS. However, I only kept it this way 2-3 days before rooting, installing custom kernel, etc. so I don't have a valid opinion on the stock ICS.

The a500 has a notoriously bad GPS antenna in it, its not ICS's fault, I do know that- the issue dates back even to the 3.0 Honeycomb installation.
 
dibblebill said:
The a500 has a notoriously bad GPS antenna in it, its not ICS's fault, I do know that- the issue dates back even to the 3.0 Honeycomb installation.
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I can attest to that. :) One thing I learned shortly after getting my A500, the GPS works a LOT faster/better if you stand the tablet up vs. lying it flat.
 
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