gTablet FAQ

Why doesn’t ViewSonic distribute and sell the gTablet like its other products?

US Merchants is the dedicated support center for ViewSonic gTablet. The gTablet was launched in partnership with US Merchants Financial Group, Inc. (“US Merchants”) in an attempt to expand our retail channel distribution. The gTablet was developed specifically for US Merchants’ customers with the support of a third-party manufacturer. ViewSonic is proud to have brought one of the first nVidia Tegra tablets to market and we continue to stand by our products. However, due to the unique business relationships involved in this endeavor, we have learned much about the burgeoning tablet market and have made the decision to produce all forthcoming tablets under the ViewPad^® name in-house, continuing to bring new solutions to market through our existing distribution channels.

What are the gTablet product specifications?

The gTablet features a Google^® Android^™ 2.2 OS, nVidia^® Tegra^™ T250 (Froyo/Harmony) ARM Dual Cortex A9 processor at 1GHz with a customized Tap’n’Tap user interface, 10.1” LCD at 1024 x 600 resolution, capacitive multi-touch, 512MB system memory, 16GB integrated Flash storage, 1.3 megapixel webcam, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi^®, a G sensor and ambient light sensor, along with a 3650mAHr Li-ion polymer battery. For added connectivity and storage, the gTablet also has a USB port; mini USB port, earphone connection, and Micro SD card slot.

How do I get the nVidia Drivers for Honeycomb (Android 3.0)?

Honeycomb is a licensed OS. Due to circumstances beyond our control, Google did not grant gTablet the Honeycomb license. In the meantime, we have posted all the kernel source codes in compliance with GPL to support the developer community. Please visit http://www.viewsonic.com/gtablet/support.htm to download the kernel source code or click here.

For tablets with the latest Android operating systems, consider our ViewPad tablet offerings: ViewPad E100 based on IceCream Sandwich (click here), ViewPad 7x based on Honeycomb (click here) and ViewPad 7e based on Gingerbread (click here).

When did ViewSonic release the gTablet open source code and where can I download it?

The gTablet open source code has been released on the gTablet Support Site since April 14, 2011 (Kernel 1.2-3588) and the latest kernel update was released on January 31, 2012 (Kernel 1.2-5699). The GPL Kernel Source Code can be downloaded here.

How come the drivers for the camera and microphone are not being made available for gTablet?

The camera and microphone abstractions are in fact, programmed through a Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL). However, these propriety components from nVidia are not open source.

Has ViewSonic released any software update for gTablet and how do I update my device?

ViewSonic has released multiple software updates, with the latest release in January 2012. Your device will automatically check for updates through OTA mechanism each time it is powered on. You will be notified when an update is available and offered the option to download and install the update. Alternately, you can run the Updates application from the Launcher to check for updates manually.

Please visit gTablet Support Site here for detailed information.

The OTA / Over the Air update was pulled, where is it, and where are the drivers?

The 4349 update was pulled due to version compatibility issues, but a newer version (5699) was reinstated on January 31, 2012. It should be available to all users who have not rooted their tablet via Over-The Air (OTA) update mechanism. Most users should already have the update by now.

Where do I download apps?

The gTablet currently features built-in access to the Handango apps store. Simply tap the Apps Store icon on the gTablet menu. Select the Download to PC option to install directly to your gTablet. You may also download files from other third-party apps stores or directly from application developers’ Web sites. Visit GTablet Apps for links to the top free apps and other Android app sites.

How do I display Adobe^® Flash content?

The ViewSonic gTablet does support Adobe Flash content, but due to industry limitations, the device did not ship with a pre-loaded Adobe Flash player.

The firmware is available through automatic update via OTA mechanism offering gTablet users the option to install the Flash player plug-in in just a few easy steps. When you see the gTablet Favorites screen, select Adobe Flash Player. If the file does not begin downloading immediately, select the “click here” link. When the file has downloaded, tap the notifications icon next to the clock in the upper-right part of the screen. Select the downloaded file and then tap install. Power down and restart the device. Your Flash Player will be installed and ready to go.

How do I get the Google Play store (formerly the Android Marketplace) on my gTablet?

Google has restricted the Android Marketplace to devices with a display size of seven inches or less under the Android 2.2 operating system. Therefore, it is not available for any 10-inch tablet, including the gTablet. In the meantime, visit gTablet Apps for links to top free apps and other Android app sites. For tablets running Google Marketplace, consider our ViewPad 7 and ViewPad 7x tablet offerings.

Why did ViewSonic remove the gTablet discussion forum?

ViewSonic started a gTablet forum to engage with and support gTablet users, however this discussion platform was shut down on October 31, 2011 by Facebook as part of the company’s wider decision to remove all Discussion Boards. Click here for more information about Facebook’s decision. For comments and concerns, please send an email to reviews@ViewSonic.com.

The specifications contained herein are provided for convenience of reference only. ViewSonic assumes no liability for any errors or omissions in the information displayed. Corporate names and trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies. Copyright 2012 ViewSonic Corporation. All rights reserved.