- Screen: 7.02” 1920x1200 HD display (323 ppi), 1080p HD IPS, Scratch resistant Corning® Glass
- Size: 114 x 200 x 8.65mm
- Weight: 0.64lbs (290g) Wi-Fi, 0.66lbs (299g) LTE
- Cameras: 5MP rear facing, auto focus, 1.2MP front facing, fixed focus
- Audio: Stereo speakers, Surround sound powered by Fraunhofer
- Memory: 16GB or 32GB internal storage (formatted capacity will be less)
- CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon™ S4 Pro quad-core processor, 1.5GHz
- GPU: Adreno 320, 400 MHz
- RAM: 2GB
- Wireless: Dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4G/5G) 802.11 a/b/g/n, NFC (Android Beam), Bluetooth 4.0
- Network (+ Mobile Sku)
- North America: 4G LTE: 700/750/850/1700/1900/2100 MHZ (Bands: 1/2/4/5/13/17), HSPA+: 850/900/1900/2100/AWS(1700/2100) MHz (Bands: 1/2/4/5/8), GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
- Europe: 4G LTE: 800/850/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600 MHz (Bands: 1/2/3/4/5/7/20), HSPA+: 850/900/1900/2100/AWS(1700/2100) MHz (Bands: 1/2/4/5/8), GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
- Power: 3950 mAh (Up to 9 hours of active use), 9 hrs of HD video playback, 10 hrs of web browsing or
- e-reading, 300 hrs of standby
- Sensors: GPS, Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Compass, Ambient Light
- Ports and Connectors: MicroUSB , SlimPort™, 3.5mm audio, Microphone, Power and Volume buttons
- OS: Android Jelly Bean, 4.3
Ok so maybe not the fastest tablet on the block but still decent enough for browsing
and watching Youtube etc. This one has been in the family since 2013 and has had a lot
of use. I was told the battery wasn`t charging and the cable had to be held a certain way.
I finally decided to sort it out when I found it in a drawer with parcel tape wrapped near
the usb socket, obviously a gallant effort to hold the cable at the sweet spot for charging.
I prefer android to the Fort Knox like limitations of Apple products, they look nice and
feel nice but are crippled compared to Open Source Android devices, sorry, it`s just my
opinion.
I prefer android to the Fort Knox like limitations of Apple products, they look nice and
feel nice but are crippled compared to Open Source Android devices, sorry, it`s just my
opinion.
I tried charging it but got nothing, usually even an absolutely flat battery will give a
blinking white light, 5 times i think to let you know its charging but hasn`t got enough
power to energize the screen yet so don`t try. When the battery symbol appears in the
middle of the screen it means its still charging and should power on. Off with the back
cover using my trusty i-sesame pry tool.
First thing to do was remove the power from the speaker to the board and
disconnect the ribbon cables . The USB socket looked like it had issues. The four
mounting through hole legs looked like they were glazed with solder sparingly and the
socket itself looked like it had been spread open probably by forcing the charger cable
in and wobbling it around in desperation to get a charge going. Heres a closer view
below!
disconnect the ribbon cables . The USB socket looked like it had issues. The four
mounting through hole legs looked like they were glazed with solder sparingly and the
socket itself looked like it had been spread open probably by forcing the charger cable
in and wobbling it around in desperation to get a charge going. Heres a closer view
below!
I think because the post legs have had poor soldering, they have allowed more
strain on the rear connections that attach it to the board. Daily insertion and removal
of the charging cable have over time caused strain on the rear connections and this
has caused some to break contact with the pcb rendering the socket useless.
strain on the rear connections that attach it to the board. Daily insertion and removal
of the charging cable have over time caused strain on the rear connections and this
has caused some to break contact with the pcb rendering the socket useless.
Once the speaker is disconnected there are 3 ribbon cables to carefully disconnect.
After removing all the screws you have the board out. There`s a sticky protection strip
that covers the ribbon connectors shown on the right above, peels off no problem. Now
to get the socket off using flux and my hot air station. This can also be achieved with a
soldering iron, flux and some quality solder wick. Without either of the above, don`t
even bother.
After removing all the screws you have the board out. There`s a sticky protection strip
that covers the ribbon connectors shown on the right above, peels off no problem. Now
to get the socket off using flux and my hot air station. This can also be achieved with a
soldering iron, flux and some quality solder wick. Without either of the above, don`t
even bother.
From this picture we can see the problem showing the leg through holes from
underneath.
underneath.
Again from the top also! These through holes should have enough solder we can`t
see the legs, the pad on the pcb should have a nice bead. Lets see with the socket
removed.
see the legs, the pad on the pcb should have a nice bead. Lets see with the socket
removed.
With the socket removed we can see the through holes require clearing before the
newsocket is introduced or we will have a bad connection on the rear pins. The closer
the socket sits on the board the better so and obstruction stopping the 4 post legs from
going through will give us future problems.
newsocket is introduced or we will have a bad connection on the rear pins. The closer
the socket sits on the board the better so and obstruction stopping the 4 post legs from
going through will give us future problems.
Here`s a look at the old socket. The spreading on the case could simply be nipped
back together with small pliers, the connections retinned and refitted. The post legs
could be moved or straightened with pliers. I don`t see the point when the little sockets
are £4 at most. Speaking of cost, have a look at these prices, ones for the PCB complete
from China, so cheapest option there and ones for the socket.
back together with small pliers, the connections retinned and refitted. The post legs
could be moved or straightened with pliers. I don`t see the point when the little sockets
are £4 at most. Speaking of cost, have a look at these prices, ones for the PCB complete
from China, so cheapest option there and ones for the socket.
Well its without doubt the cheaper option for me but for anyone without tools or
solder skills there is still an option, though expensive for what it is. I digress, lets look
at the new socket i received in the mail within 3 days.
solder skills there is still an option, though expensive for what it is. I digress, lets look
at the new socket i received in the mail within 3 days.
Time to prep the PCB for this little fella, remove solder from the through holes and
tin the board where the rear pins will connect. I also tinned the 5 pins shown in the above
pic.
tin the board where the rear pins will connect. I also tinned the 5 pins shown in the above
pic.
I fitted the socket and resoldered all connections. Through hole legs first to keep it
tight to the board before sorting the rear connections, I used a drag method to solder
those with lots of flux.Very little solder needed on rear pins as i had pre-tinned the board.
Flux is always key, AMTECH is my favoured brand or just a plain tin of rosin in solid
form.
tight to the board before sorting the rear connections, I used a drag method to solder
those with lots of flux.Very little solder needed on rear pins as i had pre-tinned the board.
Flux is always key, AMTECH is my favoured brand or just a plain tin of rosin in solid
form.
You can see the through hole legs have a lot more solder on them now to keep the
socket from moving whilst the user inserts the charging cable. The rear of the board has
similar amount of solderon its pads.
socket from moving whilst the user inserts the charging cable. The rear of the board has
similar amount of solderon its pads.
The 5 pins at rear got enough solder to hold them well, hopefully the extra solder on
the through hole legs will mean these connections no longer get any strain. By the way,
the burnto the plastic cover on the left was me, I`m only human, whilst trying to do 3
things with one hand my soldering iron caught it for a second and made for a significant
war wound on the plastic.
the through hole legs will mean these connections no longer get any strain. By the way,
the burnto the plastic cover on the left was me, I`m only human, whilst trying to do 3
things with one hand my soldering iron caught it for a second and made for a significant
war wound on the plastic.
So I put the back cover on, bottom first to allow the usb socket to poke through its
hole in the casing. I plugged in my charger and I didn`t photo the blinking white lights
I got. But around 30 mins later left in the charger I saw this battery symbol. I`ll be
honest I left this thing charging for hours as I knew the battery was near empty having
been cast aside in a drawer for years now, maybe 2 years!
hole in the casing. I plugged in my charger and I didn`t photo the blinking white lights
I got. But around 30 mins later left in the charger I saw this battery symbol. I`ll be
honest I left this thing charging for hours as I knew the battery was near empty having
been cast aside in a drawer for years now, maybe 2 years!
Eventually I powered it up and got a nice Google loading screen followed by the main
page.
page.
It showed 32% charge so I left it charging all night and took this pic in the morning.
I have used it since and the battery seems fine. There`s a setting in Wifi that allows
scanning for public networks which over time absolutely drains your battery. Once
disabled you get a much better life from it. So I now have a handy little tablet I can use
with my bluetooth oscilloscope, another item saved from the landfill site!
I have used it since and the battery seems fine. There`s a setting in Wifi that allows
scanning for public networks which over time absolutely drains your battery. Once
disabled you get a much better life from it. So I now have a handy little tablet I can use
with my bluetooth oscilloscope, another item saved from the landfill site!
PS. Hoping to get more blogs done as have had medical problems and work/family time
imbalances.
