[Q] Preloaded Apps don't update in play store (B&N Nook, specifically) - Galaxy Note 10.1 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Greetings all,
I've been using the Note 10.1 for a while now with a very good user experience. I recently decided to take a look at the preinstalled (preloaded) Barnes and Noble Nook app to see if I could use the app to read magazines.
One of the things I noticed about the app is that upon initial page view of a magazine, the text is very blurry. If you double tap to zoom in on the page, the text gets bigger (and crisper) and then double tap to zoom out; the text is smaller (original size) but now it's crisp and readable. It's as though there is a redraw/refresh problem with the text (books are fine, magazines are a different story).
In an effort to figure out why this is, I noticed that the app is significantly out of date. The app store has the most current version at 3.2.0.81. The app on my Note 10.1 is 3.1.1.59; yet the Play Store says it's up to date.
I hate to form any opinions on the app if I'm not running the most current version.
Is there a fundamental problem with preloaded apps not upgradable for some reason?
Ideally I'd uninstall the app and re-download the app from the store, but I cannot uninstall preloaded apps.
Other pre-loaded apps seem to detect when an update is available, yet the Nook app doesn't.
Questions:
Is anyone else seeing this behavior, and could you tell me what version your Nook app is running?
Do you see the blurry text initially on the Nook while reading magazines?
Is there a way to remove preloaded apps on a stock, unrooted Note 10.1?
Thanks for your help and time;
Slippery Wing

OK, so after going through several iterations of support with both Barnes and Noble and Samsung, both of which want to point fingers at the other in placing responsibility, I went down the path of fixing the problem myself.
For those interested, I downloaded ES File Explorer on my Samsung Galaxy S2 phone, as well as the latest version of the Nook app. I then used the ES File Explorer to create a back up .apk file of the most current Nook app version.
Uploaded the nook .apk file to dropbox on my phone, then downloaded the same file on my (unrooted) Note 10.1 (which in and of itself is pretty cool).
I then found the .apk and ran that file. The new nook app updated just fine and is now current on the Note 10.1.
Not sure why Google Play wouldn't recognize an outdated version of the app, preventing me from updating, but it's fixed now.

Related

[Q] Nook app

I am running Froyo from an SD and would like to use my Nook color to read the books in my library w/o taking out the SD & rebooting.
How can download the Nook app?
You can download the nook app from the market. However be aware that the nook app available on the market differs from the pre-installed version found on the nook it's self. The built-in nook application supports magazines the version found in the market does not.
nook app
I haven't figured out to download anything from market, when I use my gmail account the downloads go to my phone. Then I setup a separate gmail account and market tells me I don't have a device linked to the account. {I alrady know I am a tech dummy}
Nook app
So what does it take to get some help?
I need to download the market app to my Nook Color running froyo from SD.
I would also like to turn off cell standby to improve battery life.

Anyone tried to install the Economist on a honeycomb device?

The Economist finally came out with an android app but its phones only, it wont let me install it on the transformer. So I figured i would just nab the APK and see if it would install (half of this stuff seems to work, just not officially) but after digging through apps on my phone I cant seem to find it. Where does it install itself?
It should be in data/app. The file name is uk.co.economist-1.apk
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Or you can use the [free] Astro file viewer to create a backup of the apk, and look for it in the "backups" folder Astro creates in your SD card.
just a follow up found it where pnnorth said and installed it on the TF. It runs just as reliably on the TF as it does on the phone, the widget even works. its obviously not tablet optimized but, hey, you can read on the TF.
The fonts scale well, you can control the font size too. Its not pixelated or anything, the interface is just rudimentary and a little off because of the size and layout.
could you please share the apk?
thanks
I installed it on my Xoom, and whilst it runs OK, it doesn't download any subsequent issues. You need to reinstall the app to get the latest edition.
Hopefully they will update soon
Here's the latest APK.
I just installed this on my Flyer and it seems to work fine. When I first booted the app it gave me an error saying it was frozen and asked if I should wait or force quit. I chose wait and it worked fine after that. Go figure.
Just downloaded app on my Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7
Worked great! Wonder why they don't make the app available in the play store for 3.0.

WiFi Overseas + Market Help

The device:
GT-P6210 v3.2
Kernal: 2.6.36-P6210UEKL1-CL583281 [email protected] #3
Build: HTJ85B.UEKL1 P6210UEKLI
The sitch:
I'm a US citizen with a US device (I bought through Amazon.com and had shipped to me through a third party). However, I am currently living in Japan on a military installation. When searching for an app on the Android Market, 95% of the time the return is: No results found--even if what I'm searching for is free. I'm assuming the 5% app result (even though it's never what I'm looking for) is because of a similar app posted on the Japanese market (I could be wrong). Using a median to get through to the market (GetJar, etc.), I am able to download free apps, but I cannot buy anything that costs money. I finally emailed the Android App Customer Service and was told it was because of my IP address.
The kicker:
First and foremost, how is it my IP when I have reset my device to factory default and used a US VPN before I logged into the market and was still unable to access apps? But even putting aside that point, here is some food for thought:
I have owned both a Nook Color and Kindle Fire and, after rooting them, was able to access the Android Market just fine. All within the IP address I am currently using.
I have friends here who own Android phones (bought here on the military base through a Japanese phone company) and an Android US tablet. On all three devices they are able to access the market without any problems. Additional info: Friend's devices are SIRIUS α IS06 [au.kddi.com/english/seihin/ichiran/smartphone/is06/index.html] x2, and a Toshiba Thrive 10”; none of friend's devices are rooted.
I had above friend log into my Android Market account on her phone and buy a few apps for me, and she was able to.
Another friend of mine here owns the same Galaxy Tab I do and can also not access the Android Market.
So what is going on? How, exactly, does the market determine your location. And how do I fix it? MarketEnabler and MarketUnlocker don’t work on WiFi only devices.
Not a fix, but have you tried accessing the market from a computer, and purchasing the apps through it? If the computer can access all the apps, you may be able to choose your tab as the device you wish to install them on. Not a fix, but maybe a temporary work-around.
Sent from my GT-P6210 using Tapatalk
Also, what are a couple of the apps? Could be that the market doesn't recognize them as compatible with the 7+ (due screen resolution, lack of telephony, etc.) List a couple apps, and i can see if i have access to them. Good luck!
Sent from my GT-P6210 using Tapatalk
theundeadelvis said:
Not a fix, but have you tried accessing the market from a computer, and purchasing the apps through it? If the computer can access all the apps, you may be able to choose your tab as the device you wish to install them on. Not a fix, but maybe a temporary work-around.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. I apparently have 3 devices on there and all 3 are always grayed out. It says "This item cannot be installed on your device."
theundeadelvis said:
Also, what are a couple of the apps? Could be that the market doesn't recognize them as compatible with the 7+ (due screen resolution, lack of telephony, etc.) List a couple apps, and i can see if i have access to them. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 3 latest apps I've tried are gReader Pro, HD Widgets, and Tabletbar Hider (root). My friend was able to buy the first 2 for me on my account with her phone, but Tabletbar Hider is incompitable so it doesn't show up. When trying to download it from my PC, my friend's newly added phone says "This item is not compatible with your device" while my tablet gives the above error. I've had the market issue with every single app I've tried.
Sent from my GT-P6210 using Tapatalk
Yep, I have access to all three from my 7+. Strange that the options for your devices are grayed out. Hopefully somewhere here will have more to offer.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
I forgot to add that if I can get an outside link to the marketplace app, if it's free I can download it fine. I can even browse within the market and download free apps. I cannot search for apps (free or pay) and I cannot buy apps even with an outside link into the marketplace. <--this is all on my tablet. My PC can find apps, I just can't download/buy them because it says I have no compatible devices.
Update from The Galaxy Tab Forum:
Bart Laroc
ref 3. ask your friend to log into her android account on your Tab & see the outcome
check & compare your settings with your friends
on a PC goto Android Market, login with your account, scroll to bottom of the page
click "My Market Account", settings .......... check your Device/s
click on "Orders", click on "Trouble Downloading"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sassapphras
I logged into my friend's marketplace account and was unable to access the market properly. I don't know exactly what I'm supposed to be doing in Devices and Trouble Downloading. My device shows up, as well as an old Nook Color and Kindle Fire, along with my friend's newly added phone. I am now able to buy things from my PC on the marketplace using my friend's phone, but only if it's not tablet specific (which sucks, 'cause I own a tab). As far as trouble downloading, I can download things if they're free. Oddly enough, I can't search for free from my tab's market, but I can download free. If I need to search for something I have to use alternate means (GetJar, Browser, etc.). I can not buy anything, though. And that's especially frustrating since a few of the things I needed to buy are tablet only apps that couldn't be bought from PC market (using friend's phone as device).
Also, my friend tried using her Toshiba Thrive with my market account and was unable to. So I wrong, her tablet can't access the US market. Not even using her own account can she access it. So it seems to be a tablet specific issue. But only "real" tablets, because like I said in a prior post, after rooting a Nook Color and Kindle Fire I was able to download, install, and use the marketplace without issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

[Q] How does Google Play Market identify a device and filter its app list?

I am on a Galaxy Note i717R (Rogers variant) and I am running the OnlyOne Update 3.5 ROM. Since rooting and ROM'ing my device it is no longer able to see and download the tablet specific apps that I used to be able to. Specifically, my Swiftkey X Tablet keyboard is no longer visible in the Play Store.
When I run this app in landscape mode it no longer shows the keyboard. I strongly suspect it's because this ROM has many elements taken from the GS3 including whatever unique Device ID that the Play Store uses to filter its app list.
Are my suspicions true? If so, how does one change this ID so that I can re-install my tablet specific applications?
Many thanks for your help!

Samsung Apps notifications oddities and bugs

It's almost a nightmare.
Now and then I see a "1" on the samsung apps icon.
That should mean that 1 app (previously downloaded from Samsung App) has been updated and I could update it through Samsung Apps in the page of my downloaded files.
That's how it should work.
Recently I've been receiving these kind of notification also for apps that I never downloaded from Samsung Apps and that so didn't show up on my downloaded files. With some luck I discovered that some of these updates where referred to pre-installed apps on my GNote 10.1 such as Polaris Office and PS Touch: searching for these apps and opening their page I could see the "update" button.
But for the last update notification I don't know where to look.
It seems that something is missing in Samsung Apps. They tell you that you have an update but they don't tell you what update you have, and there's no way to find out and trig the update.
Any suggestion?
FYG I have a stock european GT-M8000 with 4.0.4
sphere314 said:
It's almost a nightmare.
Now and then I see a "1" on the samsung apps icon.
That should mean that 1 app (previously downloaded from Samsung App) has been updated and I could update it through Samsung Apps in the page of my downloaded files.
That's how it should work.
Recently I've been receiving these kind of notification also for apps that I never downloaded from Samsung Apps and that so didn't show up on my downloaded files. With some luck I discovered that some of these updates where referred to pre-installed apps on my GNote 10.1 such as Polaris Office and PS Touch: searching for these apps and opening their page I could see the "update" button.
But for the last update notification I don't know where to look.
It seems that something is missing in Samsung Apps. They tell you that you have an update but they don't tell you what update you have, and there's no way to find out and trig the update.
Any suggestion?
FYG I have a stock european GT-M8000 with 4.0.4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand, that's annoying - I got that 1 "red" icon on Samsung App box yesterday updated the app and thankfully that 1 "red" icon is gone. I hope you figure it out soon - good luck
I'm glad that I didn't start using that Samsung app... I actually disabled the app
Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk 2
same problem on my devices. I think it's belong to uninstalled apps. It's annoying but nothing tragically. You install app again, update, uninstall...but every time with update till Samsung repair it.
sharkeecz said:
same problem on my devices. I think it's belong to uninstalled apps. It's annoying but nothing tragically. You install app again, update, uninstall...but every time with update till Samsung repair it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
same here... trued all possible pre-installed apps, but nothing...
in addition I also had a PS Touch update that was not notified...
personally I have disabled most of the samsung apps (like the Hubs) but I will keep Samsung Apps cos I like both Poalris and PS Touch
I've finally found out the mysterious app that was notified (as updated) but wasn't showed in my page od Samsung Apps.
It's Papyrus.
Strange thing is that this is not a pre-installed app.
It's actually present in both Google Play and Samsung Apps.
I think I downloaded it a couple of weeks ago from Google Play (but I'm not sure about that, maybe I downloaded it from Samsung Apps).
Anyway yesterday Samsung Apps started notifying me about an update, even if not showing me what app was to update as Papyrus wasn't present in the Samsung Apps page of my downloaded apps.
So I hope that Samsung Apps will become more smart and clear in the future.
Anyway the mysterious apps that showed up in the last days with a 1 red circle and didn't show on the Samsung Apps page for being actually updated are (so far):
- Polaris Office
- Photoshop Touch
- Papyrus
(maybe this list can help someone else and also be "updated" - no pun intended - by other users)
After "finding" them and updating them now they are in my downloaded apps page so the problem won't probably occur again (at least not with these apps).
AAAArrrrgggghhhh
I spoke too soon.... and the infamous nasty and vengeful "1-red circle" has come back again!!!! Just after a few hours of a new sense of carefree freedom... it was too good to be true....
What's the app to update? Where is it? Where? where? where?
I'm beginning to think that you can't beat it.:crying:
If I only had the gut to swipe Samsung Apps and all the apps offered by it away (as some wise guy has already done...)
(but I need and like a couple of apps that are there and nowhere else...)
Any further help?
Reading this topic I found out that there are some updates that can only be done with Samsung apps, so I updateded them. Now if I open Samsung apps I also have the red notification, but it does not bother me in any way because I rarely open this. I think it's a bug with the app, so until they fix it I'll just check manually for updates on the two apps from Samsung.
Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk 2
sphere314 said:
I've finally found out the mysterious app that was notified (as updated) but wasn't showed in my page od Samsung Apps.
It's Papyrus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you noticed that there is an in app purchase that allows you to draw shapes and type text in papyrus?
Tried to purchase using Samsung apps on note 10.1 but does not let me. I tried to buy on my phone and it let me pay by carrier i.e. will be charged to my phone bill. The stupid thing is with Samsung apps you have to purchase the in app on each device. It does not let me download/apply to the note 10.1
Last time I buy any apps from Samsung.
sphere314 said:
AAAArrrrgggghhhh
I spoke too soon.... and the infamous nasty and vengeful "1-red circle" has come back again!!!! Just after a few hours of a new sense of carefree freedom... it was too good to be true....
What's the app to update? Where is it? Where? where? where?
I'm beginning to think that you can't beat it.:crying:
If I only had the gut to swipe Samsung Apps and all the apps offered by it away (as some wise guy has already done...)
(but I need and like a couple of apps that are there and nowhere else...)
Any further help?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm with u mate... tried papyrus as well with no avail...
Last update
My updates "red-circle" counter was 2 this morning. :crying:
But, rather magically and serendipitously, today I managed to return to the "no red circle" status.
What were the updates I did need to make?
These 2:
Polaris Office
AllShare Play
Mysteriously AllShare Play appeared for the first time on the "My page - Downloads" with an update button (I suppose this is a pre-installed app as I never downloaded it before). After updating it it disappeared again from the "My page - Downloads" but the update red cirlce counter was also decreased by 1.
Then, updating Polaris Office made the counter come back to zero.
Another quirk instance is with Papyrus.
I've updated it through Google Play to version 0.3 (there is called "Papyrus beta")
In SamsungApps it's reported as version 0.2.4 (there's called "Papyrus").
After the update through Google Play I lost the possibility (that I had before) to buy, as an in-app purchasing, the Tool Pack, that, as I understand, is an exclusive of Samsung Apps (see the FAQ in Papyrus "Settings-Help and Support".
So, as far as I can tell, the sharing of the same app between Google Play and Samsung can be another real nightmare...
Furthermore my experience seems to confirm that the notification process for Samsung pre-installed apps is very buggy and ridden with unpredictable delays .
sphere314 said:
Last update
My updates "red-circle" counter was 2 this morning. :crying:
But, rather magically and serendipitously, today I managed to return to the "no red circle" status.
What were the updates I did need to make?
These 2:
Polaris Office
AllShare Play
Mysteriously AllShare Play appeared for the first time on the "My page - Downloads" with an update button (I suppose this is a pre-installed app as I never downloaded it before). After updating it it disappeared again from the "My page - Downloads" but the update red cirlce counter was also decreased by 1.
Then, updating Polaris Office made the counter come back to zero.
Another quirk instance is with Papyrus.
I've updated it through Google Play to version 0.3 (there is called "Papyrus beta")
In SamsungApps it's reported as version 0.2.4 (there's called "Papyrus").
After the update through Google Play I lost the possibility (that I had before) to buy, as an in-app purchasing, the Tool Pack, that, as I understand, is an exclusive of Samsung Apps (see the FAQ in Papyrus "Settings-Help and Support".
So, as far as I can tell, the sharing of the same app between Google Play and Samsung can be another real nightmare...
Furthermore my experience seems to confirm that the notification process for Samsung pre-installed apps is very buggy and ridden with unpredictable delays .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and u r rite once again it appeared also for me... funny thing is that I have disabled all share play but still... anyway thanks
sphere314 said:
It's almost a nightmare.
Now and then I see a "1" on the samsung apps icon.
That should mean that 1 app (previously downloaded from Samsung App) has been updated and I could update it through Samsung Apps in the page of my downloaded files.
That's how it should work.
Recently I've been receiving these kind of notification also for apps that I never downloaded from Samsung Apps and that so didn't show up on my downloaded files. With some luck I discovered that some of these updates where referred to pre-installed apps on my GNote 10.1 such as Polaris Office and PS Touch: searching for these apps and opening their page I could see the "update" button.
But for the last update notification I don't know where to look.
It seems that something is missing in Samsung Apps. They tell you that you have an update but they don't tell you what update you have, and there's no way to find out and trig the update.
Any suggestion?
FYG I have a stock european GT-M8000 with 4.0.4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I´ve made this post:
taringa.net/posts/hazlo-tu-mismo/17082011/Problema-actualizacion-samsung-apps-solucionado.html
In case the post get deleted.
1. Go content.samsung.com with native explorer (no chrome u other)
2. Click on SAMSUNG APPS.
3. Click on DOWNLOAD SAMSUNG APPS
4. Click on REINSTALL ON PHONE.
Awwwwwyeahh!

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