# What do to with an old Hudl to make it usable?



## Slo-mo (Jan 3, 2018)

I can't afford a new tablet and anyway even as a tech lover I'm beginning to think the whole disposablility of tech has gone a bit far. Plus most new tablets don't have HDMI output.

My Hudl 1 is becoming slow to the point of unusable. Obviously I can do a factory reset. But are there any other tricks I can use. Lighter software or a lighter OS?

Any free suggestions that dont involve spending cash on software or  hardware?


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## 74drew (Jan 3, 2018)

Apparently you can root the Hudl 1 (but not Hudl 2) and install a new rom. Have a look here:  Rooting a tesco hudl?


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## Slo-mo (Jan 3, 2018)

I need to catch up with modern terminology I think. A new ROM? As I always understood it, ROM was read only memory and as such couldn't be altered. Ie the only way to install a new ROM would be to physically open the Hudl and change a chip out!

But I learnt my hardware terminology in the early 80s


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Jan 3, 2018)

Slo-mo said:


> I need to catch up with modern terminology I think. A new ROM? As I always understood it, ROM was read only memory and as such couldn't be altered. Ie the only way to install a new ROM would be to physically open the Hudl and change a chip out!
> 
> But I learnt my hardware terminology in the early 80s





> The term ROM, which stands for Read Only Memory and really has very little to do with what a custom Android ROM actually is, can be confusing. A custom Android ROM refers to a phone’s firmware, based on Google’s Android platform. Android is open source and therefore any developer can edit the code, recompile it, and re-release for a wide variety of devices. Users can install ROMs to change a device’s appearance and behavior. ROMs are developed by the Android community, often times by a group of core developers who do this purely out of passion for modding. This means that most are completely free. Custom ROMs are available for phones, tablets, media players, smart watches and almost any type of device running Android.
> 
> When you buy your Android device, it comes with what we call a “stock ROM” or the “stock firmware”. This refers to the preinstalled operating system. This ROM usually has limited functionality as defined by the phone’s manufacturer. By flashing a custom ROM, you can unlock extra features and sometimes improve the performance.



What is an Android Custom ROM?

Been years since I've done it as you loose the ability to do things like online banking and when I did it found I got more application crashes, but things may well have moved on and if it's unusable then you've probably got nothing to loose.


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## Slo-mo (Jan 3, 2018)

I might give it a go since I use either the phone or the laptop for online banking not my Hudl.

 I use my tablet for Netflix, iPlayer and YouTube, often using the HDMi output and also general web browsing.


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## Chz (Jan 17, 2018)

With a Hudl 1, it may just be that the more recent versions of the apps it runs are too demanding. The original Hudl is really scraping the bottom of the barrel, specs-wise, in 2018. Even the Hudl 2 is getting long in the tooth, and that was one of the best tablets (for the money) ever made.


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## Slo-mo (Jan 24, 2018)

Chz said:


> . The original Hudl is really scraping the bottom of the barrel, specs-wise, in 2018. .


Yeah I know. Unfortunately my laptop is even nearer the bottom of the barrel and I use that much more so I've got a budget of prescisely zero to replace my tablet at the mo.

First world problems I guess.


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## cybershot (Mar 25, 2019)

Don't reset it to factory!!

Has Tesco killed off its Hudl tablet?


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## editor (Mar 25, 2019)

cybershot said:


> Don't reset it to factory!!
> 
> Has Tesco killed off its Hudl tablet?


What a shitty way to treat customers.


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## Chz (Mar 25, 2019)

What amazes me is that there's even talk of sorting it out. I'm pretty sure Lenovo would tell you to bugger off if you factory reset your 4 year-old tablet and it stopped working.


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## cybershot (Mar 25, 2019)

Chz said:


> What amazes me is that there's even talk of sorting it out. I'm pretty sure Lenovo would tell you to bugger off if you factory reset your 4 year-old tablet and it stopped working.



Whilst I agree, Lenovo probably also wouldn;t it make it a bricked device after 4 years either by simply factory resetting.


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## Chilli.s (Mar 25, 2019)

This starts to set a dangerous precedent in tec. Capitalism loves to burn through resources to generate profit rather than provide long term service. Keeps the customer coming back.


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