Menards: Polaroid PMID10C 10.1" tablet $129.99: 8GB internal memory, dual cameras 1 GHz

[SingleDad]

The Polaroid 10.1" is my first tablet. While I am fairly computer literate, the instructions to install Google Play for the Kindle don't make sense to me for the Polaroid. Could you translate them to what I should do using the tablet? I'm a bit nervous about screwing something up.

Sure! Don't let the "Kindle Fire" reference get to you. The GoogleServices and related files and the basic installation steps are all basically the same basic thing for whatever device you're attempting to install to. There isn't really anything "Kindle Fire HD" specific about the files or the install.

The older files and instructions I typically use for Polaroid tablets weren't working for me. So I found a much newer walk through of someone who installed Google Play on the newly released Kindle Fire Hd. Sure enough the files they linked to and their instructions worked for me and my Polaroid PMID10C.

Let's break it down step by step. Here's the info cut and pasted from the link I posted. These are the exact files and instructions I used. It's basically just following them step by step. (I used the "Root Explorer" app for steps 4 and 5.

So I gave this a shot and it worked perfectly.

1. Root your Kindle Fire HD
2. Downloaded and install the GoogleServicesFramework.apk
3. Download Vending.apk
4. Using a file explorer app on the Fire with superuser permissions AND the system file permissions set to Read-Write, move Vending.apk to /system/app.
5. Change the permissions of Vending.apk to User - Read/Write, Group - Read, Others - Read
6. Install Vending.apk
7. The Android Market should show up in your Kindle Fire HD apps. Tap on it and follow the steps.
8. Download and install the Play.apk to upgrade the the android market to the current Play market.
9. Enjoy!

GoogleServicesFramework.apk - mediafire.com/?zaumfwhraxcifqf
Vending.apk - mediafire.com/?31bn3e258jjpj8d
Play.apk - mediafire.com/?wwcqrlfwt8o1gnv

1. Step 1 you skip because the Polaroid 10.1" PMID10C is already "rooted" out of the box.

2. Just like the step says you download and install the "GoogleServices Framework apk file. Download it from the link the original author posted: http://www.mediafire.com/?zaumfwhraxcifqf
You can download to a Micro SD card, or USB flash drive and then transfer the file to your tablet. You could probably also download directly from your tablet if you wanted to using the internet browser. If may give you a warning/ask you if you want to install Google Services framework b/c it's already on the tablet. I just went ahead and installed the downloaded "GoogleServices" apk over the existing file on the tablet. When complete, click "Done".

3. Download the Google "Vending" apk file from: http://www.mediafire.com/?31bn3e258jjpj8d and transfer it to the tablet if you didn't download it there.

4. Here's where it's just a little tricky if you are new to this. You'll need a "special" app to access files with superuser permission to make changes to permissions etc. I use a paid version of the "Root Explorer" app but there are free versions and free alternatives out there. Open the Root Explorer app & navigate to the vending.apk file you downloaded. We need to move the file to the /system/app spot on the tablet.

To do this, while still within "Root Explorer" (or whatever file management app you're using) Long-press Vending.apk & select the "Move" option on pop-up menu. Now navigate to the /system/app folder and tap the "paste" button to paste the vending apk into the /system/app folder.

5. Now we need to set the permissions settings for vending.apk to match the permission settings of the other files in that folder. Long-press Vending.apk & select "Permissions" from pop-up menu. Change permissions to match all other apps in this folder (rw-r--r--). Check the first two boxes on the first line and then the first box on the second and third lines.


6. Install Vending.apk (Just press it and select install)

7. You now have the old Google Market app on your tablet. Go ahead and open it and follow the walk through it gives you to set it up with your existing google account and email address.

8. Now we need to update Google Market to the newer "Google Play". Download the "Play.apk" file to your tablet and install it. (The original author's download link takes you here: http://www.mediafire.com/?wwcqrlfwt8o1gnv)

9. That should be it!

All of the standard disclaimers apply here. This went well for me but I did blindly install files downloaded from an unknown third party.

If you have done something like this before and you follow the steps carefully the odds of messing anything up or permanently bricking your tablet are pretty slim. That being said...I don't think Polaroid/Southern Telecom has released the factory firmware yet. It generally takes them a long time to do so. If you DO manage to mess anything up (unlikely) you'll likely have to wait until they release the firmware to fix your tablet.

Hope that helps!

[SingleDad]

So they're still selling the Tablet throughout the season? Or was it just a one time deal for Black Friday no more shipments kinda thing?

And thanks Singledad for the update on the Tab, my dad got one and he has me very jealous, go figure.

As far as I know this was more of a Black Friday special but I haven't been in there since.

No problem drea! It's not a perfect tablet ..but I still think it was a great deal and a great entry into the 10" tablet world. I'm hoping the real geniuses around here eventually get around to unlocking some more coolness with custom roms etc.

::Fingers crossed!::

[SingleDad]

Thanks so much for your fabulous review! I just bought mine 24 hours ago (midnight Black Friday at Kohl's) and like you, so far, so good. I am VERY new to the tablet type of navigation, but I have a long flight home tomorrow to play around with it. I do hope I will be able to get netflix through it. I have been searching for prote tive case and keyboard to supplement as well. Thanks again for your review and I will continue to follow!!

No problem nodaksweets. I did some googling around before I bought it and saw nothing in the way of reviews etc. I knew there would be people thinking about it with the Black Friday deals so I thought I'd share my thoughts.

As far as Netflix I had no luck with the newest appstore and google play versions of the app..but the older 1.8.1 version I mentioned in a previous post works just fine. (Now to pray Netflix doesn't screw that up by "forcing" me to update the old app to the new one that just crashes as soon as you open it!)

I'm looking for a decent case too. Big Lots here has those travelocity roaming gnome black neoprene zipper cases for about $6.00. It just fits inside of that. (Nearly too wide). It's not what I want for a permanent case but it keeps it protected for now anyway.

Now to find a decent screen protector. I recently discovered the Skinomi screen protectors for my phone and the're awesome! They're inexpensive, thick and self healing. I doubt they'll have one for the Polaroid PMID10C but maybe I can find something similar to cut etc?

I'm guessing the keyboard will be the easy part for you! At Menard's when I bought the tablet I bought two of those cheap black foldable rubber USB keyboards they had on sale for under $6.00. They're a mini size keyboard about half the size of a regular keyboard but it works just fine plugged into the USB port of the tablet!

[SingleDad]

Thanks for posting this thread. It seems to be the only discussion out there about this tablet. I work at Menards and actually bought it for my son for Christmas. I'm currently running a custom rom on my android phone and thought I'd see what was out there for this tablet to get it how I like before I give it to him.

You're welcome jlaudio! That's the whole reason I started a thread. I saw it advertised at Menards and couldn't really find anything about it.(Even Polaroid/SouthernTelecom tell you very little about it on their site).

I basically just took a chance buying it and hoped it would be decent. So far so good! It's no ipad...but it's a perfectly usable budget level entry into the 10" tablet world.

As far as custom roms I'm doubting there is anything available yet...but at least you can probably hook him up with working Netflix and Google Play for now.

[jlaudio11]

So they're still selling the Tablet throughout the season? Or was it just a one time deal for Black Friday no more shipments kinda thing?

And thanks Singledad for the update on the Tab, my dad got one and he has me very jealous, go figure.

It was a one time black Friday deal but some stores still have a few left. The price is $149.99 now though.

[jlaudio11]

You're welcome jlaudio! That's the whole reason I started a thread. I saw it advertised at Menards and couldn't really find anything about it.(Even Polaroid/SouthernTelecom tell you very little about it on their site).

I basically just took a chance buying it and hoped it would be decent. So far so good! It's no ipad...but it's a perfectly usable budget level entry into the 10" tablet world.

As far as custom roms I'm doubting there is anything available yet...but at least you can probably hook him up with working Netflix and Google Play for now.

As did I, its my first tablet and I took a chance with low investment relative to other tablets on the market and was pleasantly surprised at how nice it is. I do have "go launcher" running right now to get rid of that "windows phone" look.

[Matt3]

As far as I know this was more of a Black Friday special but I haven't been in there since.

No problem drea! It's not a perfect tablet ..but I still think it was a great deal and a great entry into the 10" tablet world. I'm hoping the real geniuses around here eventually get around to unlocking some more coolness with custom roms etc.

::Fingers crossed!::

If they don't sell out on black friday (which menards usally doesn't) then sometimes they will mark down the product even more to get it moved on.

[elektrik]

Thanks man! It's been a while since I've poked around on here. I actually saw you had a custom ROM! Sweet! I'm going to have to check it out. If it fixes the Netflix problem on my PMID 701C I owe you a beer!!

Haha! I'm not THAT advanced in my ROM making abilities yet, although I'm setting up my box to compile kernels, so who knows...;-)

[jlaudio11]

*Update*
I did get google play going using the method SingleDad suggested. I actually used root browser available on xda developers to move the downloaded files. I've also switched to Holo Launcher.

[bythehorns]

Need a lot of help

I followed how to do this from single dad's post but I did mess it up. I was interrupted and hit the wrong thing when I went to move the vending.apk into the system app folder. I ended up with a copy of app and now the tablet won't boot. Do you know how I can go about fixing this? I do have the same exact tablet sitting right beside me because my twin boys bought one each. Is there a way to copy the os from one to the other and have it work correctly? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[jlaudio11]

I followed how to do this from single dad's post but I did mess it up. I was interrupted and hit the wrong thing when I went to move the vending.apk into the system app folder. I ended up with a copy of app and now the tablet won't boot. Do you know how I can go about fixing this? I do have the same exact tablet sitting right beside me because my twin boys bought one each. Is there a way to copy the os from one to the other and have it work correctly? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Have you tried pushing the factory reset button with a pen or paper clip? Its on the side by the mic port.

[bythehorns]

Have you tried pushing the factory reset button with a pen or paper clip? Its on the side by the mic port.

No, I didn't even see it. I looked for a guide on the site. Thank you for answering so quick. I will do it right now and get back to you as soon as I check it out.

[jlaudio11]

My owners manual is away in the box up in a closet but I believe it's shown in there. To answer your original question, I don't know of a way to get access the files you would need to change if it won't boot. From what I've gathered these tablets don't have a recovery mode to access like an android phone would.

[bythehorns]

no luck

No that didn't seem to work. I might have to try to take it back and hope for the best. Thanks for trying.

I found the user guide. The reset won't change any data and it goes on to say that you can back up and restore but you have to do it by a setting while it's on so that's not an option. If anyone has any ideas let me know otherwise I will wait until Monday to call their tech support to see if they can help.

[jlaudio11]

No that didn't seem to work. I might have to try to take it back and hope for the best. Thanks for trying.

Just tell them it broke and you'd like to exchange it, they shouldn't give you much hassle as they'll just send it back (don't say a Menards employee told you that) lol. Hopefully your local store still has some left.