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Android tablets and poor updates??? out of date out of the box?


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Old 10-09-2015, 10:52
Richard_T
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For some time ive been considering buying a tablet, however the android systems for sale seem to be out of date already.
Some of the samsung and other tablets are sold running android 4.4, and as far as i know this is vastly out of date.

Do these things get updated to the latest android version (with whatever security flaws fixed) ? or would it be better to go for a windows based system, or even iOS to have a maintainable and upto date system?
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Old 10-09-2015, 11:33
kidspud
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For some time ive been considering buying a tablet, however the android systems for sale seem to be out of date already.
Some of the samsung and other tablets are sold running android 4.4, and as far as i know this is vastly out of date.

Do these things get updated to the latest android version (with whatever security flaws fixed) ? or would it be better to go for a windows based system, or even iOS to have a maintainable and upto date system?
If an up to date OS is important to you, I would touch an android tablet.
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Old 10-09-2015, 12:15
IvanIV
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It's their way to make you buy another Android device. They usually offer a next OS update longer for their flagship devices, maybe one for anything else and that's it. If you want your device to get the next OS for a while you are better off with Windows or iOS.
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Old 10-09-2015, 12:56
alan1302
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If an up to date OS is important to you, I would touch an android tablet.
Unless it's a Nexus one
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Old 10-09-2015, 13:43
oilman
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For some time ive been considering buying a tablet, however the android systems for sale seem to be out of date already.
Some of the samsung and other tablets are sold running android 4.4, and as far as i know this is vastly out of date.

Do these things get updated to the latest android version (with whatever security flaws fixed) ? or would it be better to go for a windows based system, or even iOS to have a maintainable and upto date system?
Many users have 4.4 and it is fine. Updating to 5. has been problematic for many users.
Indeed I have had so many issues I wish I had stayed on 4.4.

Unlike Windows, the nature of the android system actually makes conventional virus/malware infection a lot harder, I just have a malware/adware checker I run from time to time.

TBH I use a windows tablet mostly now because it is so much more flexible. eg Linx 810/1010 for £100/150 approx.

Of course IOS will be very secure, but at a high price.
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Old 11-09-2015, 00:25
oilman
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If an up to date OS is important to you, I would touch an android tablet.
oops?
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Old 11-09-2015, 05:56
kidspud
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Well spotted. Only took 14 hours
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Old 11-09-2015, 14:56
steven123
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It is true a lot of android tablets don't come with and will never get the latest version of Android. Even recent and popular tablets, for example one I own, the Hudl 2 is still on and will probably never get past Android 4.4. I have a Toshiba Excite Write (an expensive flagship tablet at the time) that got one major update 4.2 to 4.3 but likely won't see 4.4 and I have a Wikipad 7 that is still on 4.2.

I have heard that the tablet manufacturers have to pay Google a significant amount for each OS update so it would make financial sense for them to offer as few as they can get away with. Perhaps Google should charge a bit less and we might see our devices get updated a bit more often, not exactly like they are short of money....

The thing is, provided the app you want is supported on the version of Android your tablet has it doesn't really matter. In terms of compatibility even going back to 4.2 the vast majority of major apps are supported and run just fine. In this day and age I would be wary of owning a tablet that couldn't run 4.2 as support is being withdrawn for earlier versions but 4.2 and above is fine and probably will be for at least the next 12 months or so.
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Old 11-09-2015, 15:18
kidspud
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It is true a lot of android tablets don't come with and will never get the latest version of Android. Even recent and popular tablets, for example one I own, the Hudl 2 is still on and will probably never get past Android 4.4. I have a Toshiba Excite Write (an expensive flagship tablet at the time) that got one major update 4.2 to 4.3 but likely won't see 4.4 and I have a Wikipad 7 that is still on 4.2.

I have heard that the tablet manufacturers have to pay Google a significant amount for each OS update so it would make financial sense for them to offer as few as they can get away with. Perhaps Google should charge a bit less and we might see our devices get updated a bit more often, not exactly like they are short of money....

The thing is, provided the app you want is supported on the version of Android your tablet has it doesn't really matter. In terms of compatibility even going back to 4.2 the vast majority of major apps are supported and run just fine. In this day and age I would be wary of owning a tablet that couldn't run 4.2 as support is being withdrawn for earlier versions but 4.2 and above is fine and probably will be for at least the next 12 months or so.
That's fine as long as you get security updates.
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Old 11-09-2015, 21:25
alan1302
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I have heard that the tablet manufacturers have to pay Google a significant amount for each OS update so it would make financial sense for them to offer as few as they can get away with. Perhaps Google should charge a bit less and we might see our devices get updated a bit more often, not exactly like they are short of money....
Android is a free OS though so how can Google charge?
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Old 11-09-2015, 22:39
oilman
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Android is a free OS though so how can Google charge?
Whist the basic android code is free, you can only call the os android if you are part of the android club. So it is possible those in the club pay google to make the updates (google is not a charity). See


http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/newre...ply&p=79596547
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Old 13-09-2015, 22:25
Stuart_h
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if you want OS updates on Android you buy a Nexus. If you want to pay less you buy a Hudl, or a chinese "no-name". If you want other features you look at one of the hundreds of other models out there.

Im not sure you can be ultra-critical of software updates on a unit that possibly costs 20% (or less ?) than the price of a similar spec'd iPad ?

Personally my current tablet-of-choice is my Linx 8 - recently updated to Windows 10 and will be supported for longer than an iPad i suspect

oh. and it was £70
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Old 13-09-2015, 22:33
oilman
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if you want OS updates on Android you buy a Nexus. If you want to pay less you buy a Hudl, or a chinese "no-name". If you want other features you look at one of the hundreds of other models out there.

Im not sure you can be ultra-critical of software updates on a unit that possibly costs 20% (or less ?) than the price of a similar spec'd iPad ?

Personally my current tablet-of-choice is my Linx 8 - recently updated to Windows 10 and will be supported for longer than an iPad i suspect

oh. and it was £70
Rarely use my £400 tablet now, but use my £70 (got same deal) Linx 8 all the time.

Main complaint people have is desktop apps are fiddly (fat finger syndrome).

I have installed a great program called touchmousepointer that emulates a laptop mouse trackpad, and you can use whole screen as a giant trackpad, giving very precise control.
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Old 13-09-2015, 22:34
ThisGuysGood
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if you want OS updates on Android you buy a Nexus. If you want to pay less you buy a Hudl, or a chinese "no-name". If you want other features you look at one of the hundreds of other models out there.

Im not sure you can be ultra-critical of software updates on a unit that possibly costs 20% (or less ?) than the price of a similar spec'd iPad ?

Personally my current tablet-of-choice is my Linx 8 - recently updated to Windows 10 and will be supported for longer than an iPad i suspect

oh. and it was £70
If the Linx 8 meets your needs fantastic, an the iPad 2 will be getting iOS 9 and that we released in 2011. So we can assume the next iPad will be supported until 2019. So enjoy your linx8 other will enjoy Samsung Tab and some iPads.
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Old 13-09-2015, 22:55
Stuart_h
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If the Linx 8 meets your needs fantastic, an the iPad 2 will be getting iOS 9 and that we released in 2011. So we can assume the next iPad will be supported until 2019. So enjoy your linx8 other will enjoy Samsung Tab and some iPads.
You may have misunderstood - i was posting "pro-choice"

Im old enough to remember a time when you bought something and that was it. It didnt ever get updates, certainly not free ones. If updates on Android are important to you then you pay a reasonable amount and get a Nexus - a tablet built specifically for and around the OS in the same way that iPads are for iOS. if you just want something at a more disposable price then you go for a cheaper android model. You could even buy a new no-brand Android unit every year for 6 years and still be quids-in versus an iPad if that floated your boat. Or a window tablet at £70 that does full multi-tasking and runs desktop apps for a fraction of the cost of a surface pro.

choices galore.
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Old 13-09-2015, 23:31
Eadfrith
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There are Android devices still being sold with 4.2 on them. My Asus tablet never got an update (it has 4.2 on it) And my Moto E doesn't look like its going to get an update past 4.4, despite being sold with a "guaranteed update" sticker on it.

The Nexus 9 originally came with 5.0 which was not good, and took forever to receive the 5.1.1 update.
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Old 16-09-2015, 21:50
Rodney McKay
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For some time ive been considering buying a tablet, however the android systems for sale seem to be out of date already.
Some of the samsung and other tablets are sold running android 4.4, and as far as i know this is vastly out of date.

Do these things get updated to the latest android version (with whatever security flaws fixed) ? or would it be better to go for a windows based system, or even iOS to have a maintainable and upto date system?
4.4 is better than 5 which stinks to high heaven.
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Old 16-09-2015, 23:44
Mick Jones
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4.4 is better than 5 which stinks to high heaven.
Early versions of Lollipop (5.0, 5.02, 5.1, etc.) were very buggy, but Google finally got their act together with 5.1.1
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Old 17-09-2015, 12:50
paulbrock
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don't forget that a lot of new stuff is pushed through Google Play services now - that means it goes to a lot more devices rather than just those running the most recent OS.

e.g. the Android Pay update was pushed to devices running 4.4 and higher.

and of course individual core apps get their own updates; the recent Google Photos update (which could easily have been wrapped in an OS update) is available for Android 4.0 and up.
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Old 17-09-2015, 14:27
Eadfrith
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Early versions of Lollipop (5.0, 5.02, 5.1, etc.) were very buggy, but Google finally got their act together with 5.1.1
Except about 1% of Android users have 5.1.1
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Old 17-09-2015, 15:00
Mick Jones
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Except about 1% of Android users have 5.1.1
Both my Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 (2013) have had it for ages. In fact there have been two recent new builds of 5.1.1 featuring lots of security fixes. Are those software people at Samsung, HTC, etc. not keeping up?
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Old 17-09-2015, 15:08
IvanIV
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Both my Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 (2013) have had it for ages. In fact there have been two recent new builds of 5.1.1 featuring lots of security fixes. Are those software people at Samsung, HTC, etc. not keeping up?
Nexus devices have updates directly from Google. If OEM chooses to modify the original Google source code in parts not installable via Google Play they need to reintegrate the Google changes into their own code. Which takes time, work, and money. Not mentioning they often use this situation as a means to force customers that care about the latest OS version to simply buy a new device.
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Old 17-09-2015, 15:21
Mick Jones
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Nexus devices have updates directly from Google. If OEM chooses to modify the original Google source code in parts not installable via Google Play they need to reintegrate the Google changes into their own code. Which takes time, work, and money. Not mentioning they often use this situation as a means to force customers that care about the latest OS version to simply buy a new device.
Yes, I know. I wasn't entirely serious with some of my comments. Obviously if being up to date was important to people they would buy a Nexus device or perhaps one from Motorola. I must say that from occasionally trying to help unfortunate Samsung owning friends I really hate their proprietary software, and the thought that integrating all of that stuff into Android is what delays updates is just adding insult to injury.
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Old 21-09-2015, 17:06
Rodney McKay
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Early versions of Lollipop (5.0, 5.02, 5.1, etc.) were very buggy, but Google finally got their act together with 5.1.1
My Moto phone is on 5.02 still. It is awful. I'm hoping you are right about later versions. But 4.4 is still good.
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Old 21-09-2015, 17:28
blueblade
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Except about 1% of Android users have 5.1.1
I've not updated beyond 4.4.4, and my tablet still has 5.0.2 waiting to install.

If that was withdrawn and 5.1.1 put in its place, I'd install.
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