Android 2.2 Tablet "Out of memory" issues (Viewsonic Viewpad 7)

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gerasmus

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Good afternoon forum,
Device: Viewsonic Viewpad 7 with 3G & SD card expansions.
OS: Android 2.2
RAM: 512Mb + 8Gb mini SD memory.
Additional: GPS, Gravity sensor, compass, thermomeoter etc.
Bought it where/when: Nederland (den Haag, NL), 08/2011.
Issues: "Out of memory" notifications.
Could the memory notifications be due limitation of the Android 2.2 OS ?
I even get "not enough memory" messages when launching apps, this can even happen directly after a restart (and restarting the device doesn't seem to make a difference). Any App (like standard Browser and Maps) tend to end unexpectedly, and the only way to recover is to reboot the tablet.

I thought that 512Mb Ram would be plenty of memory for a tablet ? I've moved all the apps that could run from SD card to the external memory, installed an auto memory manager/purging app, cleared memory wasting apps from startup. Once I get home I can post a screenshot of the resources available.

Here is what typically happens:
Star the device, launch an app and then it can either luanch or (in many cases) display "Out of memory" or "Out of space". This can happen either when trying to launch or install apps from Apps Market or when trying to launch an app. I then use memory mangment app to purge memory, then restart the device, try again and as you can guess I still have the same issues.

I am considering a Android 2.3 or Android 3 device with 1Gb Ram, but 512mb seem to be the most common. I even found a Chinese dealer that can custom load the device with Android 2.3 or Android 3, if so desired. Only thing is that the device will have only 512Mb Ram.
Luckily I I bought the device for a LOT less than what it would've costed in SA. Due to not being happy with this device I am considering to buy another tablet, but before I do, I would like to make sure that I don't run into the same problems again when buying another device. I've found quite a few web shops where I can import from China directly for a LOT cheaper than buying from a local SA dealer.

Questions:
  • Could the memory notifications be due limitation of the Android 2.2 OS, other words, does Android 2.3 and 3.0/3.1 have better memory mangement?
  • Would it make a difference if my device had 1Gb Ram ?
  • Does the amount of buil-in RAM make a difference how many/which apps the device can run ?

The Chinese dealer confirmed with me that they can load it with Android 3.0 if so desired. Click here to see what I have in mind.

Thank you,
Willem
 
clear cache + kill running apps purge is crap (big problem in android) upgrade upgrade upgrade is the best thing but be careful
 
ai ai, close apps after using them (close or exit). if you force kill it will only confuse the OS. as it learns patterns which apps need to be kept open longer or not. only kill if you need to ie: freezing etc ( i read this somewhere)
 
Thanks for the reply guys.
The core of my questions reallly are:
* My apps are freezing, and I am receiving 'out of memory" notifications, is this normal behaviour for Android 2.2 ? Does this also happen to you on your Android 2.2 device with 512Mb RAM ?

In other words, are the issues I explained general/common behaviour issues of Android 2.2 or could it only be to my device ?
 
gerasmus said:
Thanks for the reply guys.
The core of my questions reallly are:
* My apps are freezing, and I am receiving 'out of memory" notifications, is this normal behaviour for Android 2.2 ? Does this also happen to you on your Android 2.2 device with 512Mb RAM ?

In other words, are the issues I explained general/common behaviour issues of Android 2.2 or could it only be to my device ?
Click to expand...

Definitely NOT an Android 2.2 issue with 512Mb ram! My Huawei IDEOS S7 SLim runs Android 2.2 with 512Mb ram & I have yet to experience an 'out of memory' error...
 
Please try to install 'Quick System Info' from the Android Market(free). This will allow you to see what exactly is using up your ram & has an option to end all non-essential tasks with a single touch. Also, please note that many apps only install to internal storage - not additional sd ram space & can cause "Out of space" errors. You can try moving some apps to your 8Gb SD storage space instead of internal storage with an app like "Apps 2 SD" - also free on Android market.
 
Last edited:
Hmmmm interesting.
Sounds like an issue with your tablet as other tablets use 2.2 and no issues like u experiencing.
 
I'm probably very, very wrong here - but does this only happen after you've rebooted your device and been using the browser for a while? If so you should clear your browser cache, uninstall the browser and install a different one.
 
WatchMan said:
I'm probably very, very wrong here - but does this only happen after you've rebooted your device and been using the browser for a while? If so you should clear your browser cache, uninstall the browser and install a different one.
Click to expand...

Memory errors can happen at any time. Also get randon application errors when launching apps, or when I am already in an app. With lots of patience I have succeeded in rooting the device. I have already moved the apps that can run from SD card but I still have 'out of memory' notifications. I have 437k remaining.
I downloaded an app called Android Assistant which can kill tasks, free up memeory etc. According to this app I have 218mb in use, 188mb available for a total of 405Mb. I haven't yet resetted the device back to factory settings. I will have to give that a try as well.
 
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