Nook HD/HD+ Firmware Update 2.1.1 released

[PatNY]

Originally Posted by graycyn

When I saw this thread, my reaction was "Has the recent apps drawer *ever* worked?" I use Holo Launcher HD, and only access the Nook home screen if I want a book from my Nook library that hasn't been sideloaded on the device.

Yes, the Recent Drawer worked for me on 2.1.0 and with the same third-party apps and setup that I have now. I didn't change anything in terms of launchers or GUI tweaks between 2.1.0 and 2.1.1.

With 2.1.1, B&N changed the way the Recent Drawer works, so now anyone launching an app via a third-party launcher, folder, or shortcut will NOT see that app updated to the Nook's native Recent Drawer.

I am sure of this because when I tried to fix this a few days ago, I reverted back to 2.1.0. The Recent Drawer worked perfectly. Only problem is that when I woke up the morning after, I found that B&N had updated my Nook HD to 2.1.1 overnight and the Recent Drawer was broken once again!

There is an OTA block from leapinlar over at the xda forums, but there are many reports that B&N in some cases still updates regardless. So I wasn't going to install it and risk going back to 2.1.0 again only to have hours of work go down the drain when B&N circumvents it and updates my device.

My guess was using a launcher is what stopped the screen working for me. It's an annoyance, and one that has me considering trying to root.

You mean the Recent Drawer, right? Not your entire "screen." The stock Nook screen works fine with 2.1.0 or 2.1.1 ... it's just the Recent Drawer that is broken on 2.1.1. (Asawi also said the Active Shelf is broken, but I keep mine hidden so it isn't a problem for me.)

Yes, a launcher "breaks" the Recent Drawer, but it's not just a complete launcher like Nova or ADW that is incompatible with it, as I have never used one of those on my Nook. (I use the Nook's native interface.) Any third-party folder or icon program is also incompatible with the Recent Drawer. I was using both a folder and an icon program so hardly any of my apps showed up in the Recent Drawer. Keep in mind that for those not using a third-party launcher, folder or icon program, their Recent Drawer will continue to work normally on 2.1.1.

I rooted my device a few days ago solely to back up game data. If you don't root, you can't back up and restore that app data. Rooting does nothing to solve the Recent Drawer issue in 2.1.1.

I think I might do a factory reset at some point, see if the device performs better. I have had occasional issues where the screen just freezes and I need to reboot the device. But it could be some app or game. So what I want to do is reset, then load with my core apps, run it for a while, see what happens before loading lesser used apps.

I did a factory reset in trying to overcome the Recent Drawer issue. It did nothing to help that. But, what it did do is install fewer of the core Nook apps that came with 2.1.0. So you will get a slightly leaner install in that respect.

If you do that and need to back up your data along with the apps, root first and then use an app like MyBackup Root (it's free) to save the apps+data to your sd card. That way you can easily restore it when you reinstall.

So, now I am back on 2.1.1 with a broken Recent Drawer. However, I found that many third-party task managers have a "recent task" view or window which makes the Recent Drawer obsolete now. Apps accessed by third-party launchers/folders/shortcuts will show up in those task managers, unlike with the Nook Recent Drawer. Here are the ones that work:

SmartTaskbar 1 & 2
AppSwipe!
SwipePad Hyperspace
MultiTasking
Simple Switcher

I am using SmartTaskbar 2 for now, but I was also impressed with AppSwipe! and SwipePad. But they all are effective workarounds for the broken Recent Drawer. All are free, but SwipPad charges $1 for the add-on that shows the recent apps.

--Pat

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by PatNY

You mean the Recent Drawer, right? Not your entire "screen." The stock Nook screen works fine with 2.1.0 or 2.1.1 ... it's just the Recent Drawer that is broken on 2.1.1. (Asawi also said the Active Shelf is broken, but I keep mine hidden so it isn't a problem for me.)

--SNIP--

So, now I am back on 2.1.1 with a broken Recent Drawer. However, I found that many third-party task managers have a "recent task" view or window which makes the Recent Drawer obsolete now. Apps accessed by third-party launchers/folders/shortcuts will show up in those task managers, unlike with the Nook Recent Drawer. Here are the ones that work:

SmartTaskbar 1 & 2
AppSwipe!
SwipePad Hyperspace
MultiTasking
Simple Switcher

I am using SmartTaskbar 2 for now, but I was also impressed with AppSwipe! and SwipePad. But they all are effective workarounds for the broken Recent Drawer. All are free, but SwipPad charges $1 for the add-on that shows the recent apps.

--Pat

Yes, I meant recent drawer, not screen, sorry! Thanks for the app suggestions, I will have to try some of those.

[graycyn]

Well, since the update, after which I did a factory reset, I am experiencing occasional crashes of the Google Play Store, which hadn't happened before. Anyone else?

[hwlester]

I just got the HD+ a week ago and updated to the latest firmware 2.1.1. I'm definitely seeing sporadic crashes of the Google Play store, but I think they were most severe when I was playing with profiles on the device. I'm also seeing some sporadic WiFi error messages that say that I have no Internet connectivity despite the fact that I'm surfing in Chrome or navigating in the Facebook app at the time.

[Apache]

I have not seen this.
Apache

[Asawi]

Originally Posted by graycyn

Well, since the update, after which I did a factory reset, I am experiencing occasional crashes of the Google Play Store, which hadn't happened before. Anyone else?

Nope. No problems what so ever.

[booklover6]

No I haven't had those issues. I have 3 profiles set up on mine and can switch them without a problem.

However Flipboard crashes regularly since the update. I don't know if it is due to the update. And the news tile of Flipboard doesn't update very well. I think it is the app itself. I should probably uninstall and re-install. I believe it is happening on both my HD and my HD+.

[graycyn]

No profiles set up here, just the occasional crashes of the Play Store. May have to try another factory reset if it keeps happening, but not immediately, too blamed busy to download and set up my apps again. I'll be having to do all that as it is when my replacement Nexus 7 arrives.

[PatNY]

I don't notice any appreciable difference between how my HD operates with 2.1.0 and the new 2.1.1 firmware. Speed, zooming, smoothness in scrolling are all about the same.

Occasionally an app will close when I didn't intend to close it, but it's no biggie. It rarely happens and I just open it up again. Not sure if I even hit the home button or a part of the screen accidentally or not to cause the closure.

So I'm wondering, is that considered a crash? For those who say their Play Store "crashes" what exactly does that mean? Does the Nook lock up? Do you have to reboot?

I've never had to reboot because my screen was locked up.

--Pat

[hwlester]

Originally Posted by PatNY

So I'm wondering, is that considered a crash? For those who say their Play Store "crashes" what exactly does that mean? Does the Nook lock up? Do you have to reboot?

I believe the messages are "Unfortunately Google Play Services has stopped." or something like that. It doesn't cause a lockup and launching a Google app (the Play Store, GMail, etc.) still works (I think it launches Google Play Services again).

I've only seen it a few times and, as I mentioned, the times I saw it was when I was playing with the profiles. I think I may have seen it once when I wasn't playing with profiles, but I occasionally see the same thing on other Android devices as well.

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by hwlester

I believe the messages are "Unfortunately Google Play Services has stopped." or something like that. It doesn't cause a lockup and launching a Google app (the Play Store, GMail, etc.) still works (I think it launches Google Play Services again).

I've only seen it a few times and, as I mentioned, the times I saw it was when I was playing with the profiles. I think I may have seen it once when I wasn't playing with profiles, but I occasionally see the same thing on other Android devices as well.

Yes, that's the message I get. And when it happens, I just relaunch Google Play and continue. Apps that were downloading continue downloading. That does not seem to cause a lock up.

However, I do still get random screen lockups, this happened prior to the update as well. Screen becomes unresponsive and a reboot is required. Wish it had done this during the return period, because I'd have exchanged it, but naturally the issue did not show up until later.

I have noticed that YouTube seems to be rather jumpy and irritable since the Nook update. I frequently have the screen flicker to black and today white using YouTube, I had the Nook spontaneously reboot!

[hwlester]

Originally Posted by graycyn

Yes, that's the message I get. And when it happens, I just relaunch Google Play and continue. Apps that were downloading continue downloading. That does not seem to cause a lock up.

However, I do still get random screen lockups, this happened prior to the update as well. Screen becomes unresponsive and a reboot is required. Wish it had done this during the return period, because I'd have exchanged it, but naturally the issue did not show up until later.

I have noticed that YouTube seems to be rather jumpy and irritable since the Nook update. I frequently have the screen flicker to black and today white using YouTube, I had the Nook spontaneously reboot!

If you haven't tried a factory reset, that may fix your lockups. You'll need to redownload all your content, but it may fix some issues. Even though mine was brand new, I had the issue with Play Music disappearing after updates were applied, which was fixed in 2.1.1, but mine still wasn't showing the app even after updating. The factory reset took care of that. The only issues I'm seeing now are fairly frequent WiFi issues (even though the Internet connection is working fine) and the occasional Google Play Services crash (haven't seen it in several days). I think I saw one lockup, but I think that was on 2.1.0.

[graycyn]

I did do a factory reset, the day after getting the upgrade. I may do another, but not convinced it will fix the occasional lockup, since I had that before 2.1.1. It's a royal pain redownloading everything, not to mention going through each and every app to set the settings how I like them.

I have been noticing some Wi-Fi issues as well.

[livramax]

I am currently running stock ROM on my HD+ and I'd like to know if there is a way to add a "Home" soft key to the navigation bar (as in CyanogenMod's or in standard Android's navigation bars).

[hwlester]

Originally Posted by graycyn

I did do a factory reset, the day after getting the upgrade. I may do another, but not convinced it will fix the occasional lockup, since I had that before 2.1.1. It's a royal pain redownloading everything, not to mention going through each and every app to set the settings how I like them.

I have been noticing some Wi-Fi issues as well.

If you've already tried the factory reset, it may not help. When I did mine, I was hoping that it would automatically download all my Google Play apps since they were backed up at Google and all my other Android 4.x devices restore from Google automatically after a reset, but no such luck.