Installing Android Market on the Kobo Vox

[borisb]

When someone figures out how to install and activate the Android Market on the Vox (for those of us without an Android phone, past or present, i.e., never registered an Android device with the Market), please post a walkthrough here

I've been able to find APKs for versions 2.2, 3.0 and 3.1 of the Android Market app (Vending.apk), and all of them install, but some disappear as soon as I launch them, or asks me to "add an account to the device" (the 3.1 version). Clicking Yes or No on this prompt causes the app to simply disappear from the screen.

[GoingDown]

Here is something I have used for my Chinese-branded Android device with no official Android market.

WARNING! This procedure may render your device unbootable. Check first how you can reset your device to factory defaults if this happens. (happened to me few times, but factory reset helped every time). This may even brick your tablet, be careful!!!

WARNING! Do it on your own risk. If something goes wrong, warranty probably doesn't cover this mess.

So, now to the procedure:

Get Google apps from Cyanogenmod webpage (http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/index.ph...on/Google_Apps)

Note that you must guess which package is good for your tablet (depends which Android version your tablet is running). If Kobo runs Android 2.3, then you could start with Cyanogenmod 6 builds). If you have Android 3.x then the Cyanogenmod 7 packages should work. If you try to run too new packages, they won't run (you may got some weird error messages...)

Install following apps to your device (if your device has some of these already installed, you may skip them):

GoogleServicesFramework
OneTimeInitializer
SetupWizard
Vending

Optional:
Gmail
Talk
Maps

After install, reboot the device and Google setup wizard should run... if not, then uninstall packages and try other version.

Good luck

[borisb]

So, it hasn't gotten any easier from a year ago Frustrating that a: Google still ignores many tablets on the market, and b: app developers don't realize there are many other tablets on the market

[Paulc15]

Originally Posted by GoingDown

(happened to me few times, but factory reset helped every time).

Hi there

I have an unrelated problem (at boot up) and I would like to do a factory reset on my Vox. The manual doesn't explain how to do a 'hard' reset. Can you offer advice?

Thanks and best wishes.

Paul

[dmacmart]

All apps / settings / factory data reset

[Paulc15]

Originally Posted by dmacmart

All apps / settings / factory data reset

Thanks for the quick response! I'm guessing that that's on a standard Android menu. There isn't an option on the Vox to do that under settings. Hmmm...

The problem I've encountered on boot up is...

The application Status Bar (process.com.android.
systemui) stopped unexpectedly. Please try again.

[FORCE CLOSE]
----------

When I tap <force close>, I get a large grey area with "loading..."

Any thoughts?

Thanks again

Paul

[larrymohr]

Originally Posted by Paulc15

Thanks for the quick response! I'm guessing that that's on a standard Android menu. There isn't an option on the Vox to do that under settings. Hmmm...

The problem I've encountered on boot up is...

The application Status Bar (process.com.android.
systemui) stopped unexpectedly. Please try again.

[FORCE CLOSE]
----------

When I tap <force close>, I get a large grey area with "loading..."

Any thoughts?

Thanks again

Paul

Paul,
The equvalent reset on the Vox appears to be:
all apps\settings\privacy\factory data reset

However, that is probably NOT what you need since under the title
is says "erases all data on device"

Larry

[Paulc15]

Thanks Larry! That was exactly what I was looking for (and didn't see .

The Vox's back up and running. Really appreciate it.

Paul

[3d0g]

Originally Posted by borisb

Frustrating that a: Google still ignores many tablets on the market [..]

Google isn't ignoring tablets. Tablets are ignoring google. All it takes for Android hardware developers to get the Market is a license agreement with Google. If they don't want to do a deal, it isn't Google's fault.

[borisb]

Originally Posted by 3d0g

All it takes for Android hardware developers to get the Market is a license agreement with Google. If they don't want to do a deal, it isn't Google's fault.

Interesting perspective - first time I've seen this one. Makes me wonder what the strings/requirements are that many non-phone device vendors aren't signing on the dotted line...

[kaikara]

Originally Posted by 3d0g

Google isn't ignoring tablets. Tablets are ignoring google. All it takes for Android hardware developers to get the Market is a license agreement with Google. If they don't want to do a deal, it isn't Google's fault.

While it is true they would have to sign a licensing agreement to get the android market they also have to pass compatibility testing and have certain hardware built in or they won't be able to get the license. Examples are it would need a mic, GPS, camera and other hardware that a Colour E-reader and basic tablet do not really require. The option would be to include all this and the cost goes up by quite a bit or build the tablet the way you want and not access the market.

As it stands you can sideload any app that you really want plus you have access to a large number of apps through the market included. Seems like a good deal to me to get a cheap tablet while still getting to access all apps.

If you want to read more about the Android requirements there is lots here.

http://source.android.com/compatibility/index.html

[3d0g]

Originally Posted by kaikara

While it is true they would have to sign a licensing agreement to get the android market they also have to pass compatibility testing and have certain hardware built in or they won't be able to get the license. Examples are it would need a mic, GPS, camera and other hardware that a Colour E-reader and basic tablet do not really require.

Not true. Go have a look at Google's android compatibility docs. While they make recommendations, there are no specific hard requirements like mic, GPS, or camera.

[kaikara]

The process for certification is very strict. While they use the word should it will still fail certification for many reasons including hardware setups they don't agree with. Google still controls the process very heavily because they only want certain hardware with the android market. Lots more info here that goes through a specific case. Very interesting if you like that sort of thing.

http://thisismynext.com/2011/05/12/g...orola-samsung/

[3d0g]

Originally Posted by kaikara

The process for certification is very strict.

Well of course it is. Google wants to keep Android from fragmenting. Still, there's nothing in the specs that dictates specific hardware like cameras or gps.

[kaikara]

Originally Posted by 3d0g

Well of course it is. Google wants to keep Android from fragmenting. Still, there's nothing in the specs that dictates specific hardware like cameras or gps.

Google can dictate whatever they want with the wording now used in the documents. Up until the latest version of the requirements (2.3) they said that the device must have these things. They have changed the wording in the latest documents to say should that way they can require whatever they want in regards to hardware. The licensing process is free so the only reason that a manufacturer won't do it is because they don't want to have the market at all or their hardware/software doesn't pass certification.

To get this back on topic of the Vox really doesn't matter that the full market isn't there. It is being sold as a colour e-reader with basic tablet functionality so full market access is not necessary. Any apps you want can be sideloaded. So whether the market is there or not is really not a big deal.