Ellipsis Update

[nhaack2133]

I just got my Elipsis 7 tablet yesterday.  I, like other users here, cannot move apps to the SD card.  This lack of feature really puts the tablet at a disadvantage over others.  If this can't be fixed, I'll likely leave Verizon for another provider when my contract is up.  I feel like Verizon sells these without thinking of the end user.  I know the update is supposed to help, and this tablet is running the old software and says it is "Up to date."  Is there a way I can manually download this update and apply it myslef?  I know I've done this in the past with JetPacks, and I didn't know if tablets could be done this way as well.

Thanks for any help.

[Ann154]

Here's some advice. Take it back immediately and exchange it for the Nexus 7 LTE tablet. More space and latest software on the Nexus 7 LTE tablet.

[nhaack2133]

Thats not helpful at all since there's a $70 restocking fee. 

[Ann154]

nhaack2133 wrote:

Thats not helpful at all since there's a $70 restocking fee.

If you had researched the tablet and discovered it low end device status and multiple issues and purchased the Nexus 7 LTE tablet in the first place, you wouldn't have think about the restocking fee.

Sometimes they waive the restocking for phones (not sure about tablets) if you return the device within 3 days of purchase.

[vzw_customer_support]

nhaack2133,

We definitely want you to enjoy your tablet and make the most of your memory. You can also transfer information to your PC using USB mass storage. What is the software version number for your tablet? We definitely don't want to lose you, you can exchange this within 14 days to pick the best tablet for your needs.

AdaS_VZW
Follow us on Twitter at @VZWSupport 

[brwebster614]

What does transferring information to your PC with USB mass storage do for anyone with this horrible product? I have 11 apps on my Ellipsis right now. A few of the apps out there that I want I can't get because they're too big for the "App Storage" that verizon forces us to use. It's an 8gb product, yet you can't use all 8gbs. I don't want music, movies, or documents on my tablet. I want apps. This thing has been a paperweight on my desk since the month I received it. I'm mad I didn't play with it quicker than I did (we got them black Friday and opened them on Christmas as gifts to eachother) so the 14 day return policy was useless. You would think with all of the complaints Verizon receives about this tab they'd fix the major issue - app storage, but nope. They can't even give you a good enough answer to the issue, they deflect at all times. If the coverage for Verizon wasn't so good I'd be gone. The service is over priced compared to competitors and products are half as good. I need the absolute best coverage possible otherwise I'd kick my contract to the curb.

[sugar_lump_01]

They've been using that response since they first released this stupid thing. I got my tablet during black Friday, so there weren't a lot of reviews out there about the tablet... and the associates made it sound great. When I tried to return it they offered to only charge me half of the restocking fee (LOL, yeah right). It was amazing to me how none of the associates seemed to know that there was even a problem. I had to explain it over and over like, 5 times. Finally, the guy just basically said, well, you bought a cheap tablet, so that's what you get.

[BackupBob]

The 14 day exchange will do me no good.  It took three months to discover that you get only 1 gig of app memory and that the built-in apps, which cannot be deleted, takes up most of that space.  So, for $240 a year for the next two years my wife and I ave these lovely tablets that can do almost nothing. 

I understand you can put in an SD card but it cannot be used for apps, in fact, without a 3rd party file manager app it cannot be used for much of anything.  Without a 3rd party file manager you cannot even see files copied from a computer, but that is another story.

I am not a gamer, I am not a tablet enthusiast, I have installed very few apps, and my needs are minimal.  In other words, I am low end user and even so this tablet has run out of room.  Surely Verizon can address the problem.  If not, perhaps they can offer a really low cost update to something else.  I suspect my wife would enjoy an upgrade, too. 

If I have to upgrade at my own expense it will not be at a Verizon store.  The waits for a representative are terrible and the product line is limited.  I would never buy a phone from a 3rd party outfit such as Verizon's "Premier Resellers" or Best Buy out of concern the contract they write will be either over priced or not handled right, but a tablet is another story. 

If I understand correctly, I should be able to buy an Apple tablet with a Verizon radio, plug in my SIM card, and be up and running.  I would rather not do that.  The Ellipsis does very well for many things, or it did until it ran out of memory. 

[Chris_H1]

As I have read through these posts, I am dismayed to find I too was not given accurate information regarding this tablet. All of us appeared to be assured when the tablet was purchased that we could expand our storage capacity through the use of an SD card.  But, as I discovered today, the SD card is essentially useless because you cannot transfer downloaded apps to it. Despite the update, people still cannot do this. I was sold my tablet two weeks ago, but was not warned about this limitation. My question is does Verizon have no concern for its customers that it will allow these concerns to go on unaddressed?  And are you satisfied that your stores continue to a supply false information to customers?  Is this an issue that will be corrected at any time in the near future?

[thellmer]

If/when they release a KitKat upgrade for the device, the SD card will/would become an integrated part of the tablet to be used for app or media storage and the device's OS would be less memory and less processor intensive.  Kit kat is a very efficient OS compared to Jelly Bean which is what these tablets currently employ.   Verizon needs to get the Kit Kat update out on these tablets and make current users happier with their devices.  They would be decent devices with the Kit Kat operating system. 

[Ann154]

thellmer wrote:

If/when they release a KitKat upgrade for the device, the SD card will/would become an integrated part of the tablet to be used for app or media storage and the device's OS would be less memory and less processor intensive? 

No, it won't. It will become even more sandboxed and separated.

[thellmer]

I work in technology and our company uses a ton of android tablets - even develops for them -  and from my own experience, tablets that were marginal or slow, for the most part, but are at least decently newer tablets,  are much better with Kit Kat - it has a smaller footprint and uses RAM more efficiently.  It has about 50% of the ram requirement of JB for any given apps.  Not all devices benefit of course, and who knows about the Ellipsis, but overall we have experienced Kit Kat to be much better for devices there were behaving marginally on JB.  The article you mentioned in the other post about SD cards does bring out some points, however without Kit Kat the SD card is practically useless on this device unless you connect it via cable.  Google Play cannot even download to it with Kit Kat, nor can you move apps there, put photos there, nothing really unless you cable it and then copy/paste these static files over there.  So yes, it really does change the way you work with SD cards in that you can finally use them with the device and not have to use a cable and USB connection to use them.  I got this tablet free for buying a new S5 day before yesterday, but with JB its pretty much a useless tablet when it could at least have some modern functionality with a newer than 3 year old OS.

[thellmer]

oops typo - meant to say even Google Music Player app can't download to the SD card WITHOUT Kit Kat. 

[RwsRichard]

You are TOTALLY wrong about the restocking fee!!!!

I also got an Ellipsis 8 and I was told within 14 days if I brought it back, I could exchange it. Eight days later I brought it back and they told me there was a $70 restocking fee, so like so many others, I have a over-sized paperweight on my desk!

And YES, when our 2 years are up, we are changing to another company. We are TIRED of all the lies!

[kaebfly]

If you are exchanging an item for something different then yes, they charge the rearocking fee. If it were for the same thing (but you were having issues with the one you received) then no, you're not charged a restocking fee as it would be treated as a defect. The only difference is that during the 14 days you will receive a brand new one. After the 14 days they will only give you a refurbed model unless it's so new that refurbs aren't available. That's something that seems to not be clearly communicated as far as how the restocking fee applies.

[sugar_lump_01]

I downloaded the first update they released that was supposed to "help".... let me tell you, it was pretty much useless. It allowed you to move some apps to tablet space, but it didn't increase the app download space at all. I went to the store a couple of months ago with a friend and mentioned that they should NEVER buy an ellipsis because of how terrible the division of download space was, and an associate said they were supposed to release ANOTHER update in a few weeks. The update never came. So, the tablet is still a paperweight.

[carol_vzw]

Hi nhaack2133 and sugar_lump_01:

Please check the software version on your Ellipsis 7.

1) Go to Settings
2) Select About Tablet
3) Refer to SW Version

If the SW Version on your Ellipsis 7 tablet is:
MV7A_31D16_422  OR
MV7A_31D18_422  OR
MV7A_31D26_422

Then moving to software version MV7A_31D25_422A will enhance the available storage on your device. You are eligible for a software update on the tablet. Please call our Customer Support at 1 (800) 837-4966, and they will support you through this process. PLEASE NOTE: You will be required to ship your device for this software enhancement.

If your tablet is on MV7A_31D25_422A or MV7B_31D41_422 , then your device already has all the memory improvements and you will need to free up memory space. Please uninstall apps that are not needed and move media files to an SD card or to your PC.

[kurtlanes]

I just called.  I have MV7A_31D26_422 and the rep told me that this was the latest update and I would have to purchase a new tablet to get the version MV7A_31D25_422A .  He was also unaware of any memory issues for the Ellipsis.

[vzw_customer_support]

Thanks for the additional information kurtlanes! I am sorry to learn that our representative on the phone was not aware of the option to have your device updated to a later software version to improve performance. We can certainly assist you further with this; however, in order to have your device software updated you must ship it for the update to be installed and this will leave you without it for a few days. If this is an option you want to proceed with, please confirm here and we'll contact you via DM to assist you further, and send you the package to ship your device.

AntonioC_VZW Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VZWSupport

[ken429h]

Ship it where? I'm more than willing to be without the tablet for the 2-6 weeks if the memory issues are resolved. Verizon tech support has no clue about any of the issues. SELECTIVE MEMORY LOSS on their part I guess. The Ellipsis 7 is nothing more than a portable TV for me at the moment, so I can do with out it. How do I get this thing fixed? Please call me Verizon, I know you have my number!

[Ann154]

ken429h wrote:

Ship it where? I'm more than willing to be without the tablet for the 2-6 weeks if the memory issues are resolved. Verizon tech support has no clue about any of the issues. SELECTIVE MEMORY LOSS on their part I guess. The Ellipsis 7 is nothing more than a portable TV for me at the moment, so I can do with out it. How do I get this thing fixed? Please call me Verizon, I know you have my number!

They don't have your phone number as this is a peer to peer community public forum. The reps don't have access to anyone's account until that person specifically gives them permission to access the account just like if you called the customer service number. So please don't post your personal information on this public forum. I believe there some instructions either earlier in this thread or in another thread on how to request the packaging and label to send in the tablet for the update and reformatting of the internal storage of the tablet. Before sending it in your should backup anything you want saved from the device and then factory reset the device.