Toughpad FZ-A1 (the 'proper' Android type!)

Finally getting one. Came across one on Ebay for a decent price. A$610 was the final price. It's supposed to be a VGC. THere is another FZ-A1 currently on Ebay Australia with a $1200 price.

I haven't seen one in person yet, but I want it instead of a CF18/19 style notebook PC to take in my work bag.

I have zero idea of what options can be got for it in terms of expanding memory, etc. I don't know if they have any restrictions on what mobile networks they can connect to, but I do believe they don't support 4G whereas a newer model of Android-based Toughpad does support 4G. I'm quite happen with just 2g/3g hardware.

I'm presuming the Toughpads (all - not just the Android-based ones) have sd card slots but do they have internal memory slots too? What about an SSD yes/no/maybe?

Anyone else in Australia currently using a non-Windows Toughpad?

Craig.

 

Can't wait to hear back on what you think of it. Been wanting one for some time now. That was a very good price.

 

1GB RAM
16GB flash
Up to 32GB additional with microSD card
No to adding SSD.
No slots for memory

 

Still have that rolling around here Shawn,just fired it up the other day for the first time in a few months. I need to get rid of the darn thing.

 

I was wondering as I reposted the photos.

 

Needs a bios battery and I have misplaced the HDMI/SD cover but it works fine. Loses the time and date if I let it go dead. Blair,you can have it for $200 or trade.

 

I am thinking very hard on this.......

 

May I ask that $610 it means US Dollar 610?

Sorry that I ask because in China I found so much used FZ-A1(some maybe lost the pen) price around $110(USD). I wonder what is the different. I think it nice for navigate in car

 

I believe the $610 was Australian dollars,they are in the $450 range here in the US.

 

I will send you a PM later. My email is not working at the moment. Need password reset for some reason.

 

Yes that's what the 'A' means in the 'A$610'. New they still sell for like $1500. I believe there is a new Android-based model out now so the original ones will start getting cheaper. I could never afford one when they first appeared with a price closer to A$2k. But you get the ruggedness that almost no other tablet gives.

Anyone know the specs on the radio hardware for 3g support in them? They must support all the current Australian 3G bands used by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, but I'll find that out. I'm planning on getting a Telstra data-only 3G SIM as the NSW rail network uses Telstra 3G for it's train control coverage in the new digital radios.

 

Well today the beast has arrived:



flickr page

I'm waiting for the Telstra pre-paid sim activation to complete (got that a few days ago in preparation) before I can do live internetting but otherwise it's basically like a brand new unit! No dents/scratches. Doesn't have a micro SD card but they're not expensive to buy. It's quite weighty but unlike my CF18 (which I'm using right now) it's going to be easier to carry around in my work bag.

 

Very nice...mine will be here today but working so guess I will have to wait until tomorrow.

 

Ok to get the 3G SIM to properly function I had to do a factory-reset on the FZ-A1 but I'd already figured it's the best way to start off anyway. Now it's all good, auto-connects to the Telstra 3G network. Not doing any app or OS updates until I can get to a place with wifi access since I'd burn loads of expensive mobile data allocation doing those tasks over the mobile broadband connection!

A$30 for a 3 GB tablet mobile 'data pass' with 30 day expiry on Telstra pre-paid. My Optus/Virgin 3G service (which I use for my toughbooks) is $40 a month for 12 gb postpaid. But that network has poor coverage away from big towns and cities. Telstra's pre and postpaid MBB plans are far more expensive but allegedly their network has better coverage.

Max size SD card the toughpad can take is I think 32 gb? Not quite the same capacity as the 160 GB HDD in my CF18.

I'm looking to get at least one Minirig (from the UK) portable speaker to bluetooth-connect to the toughpad to play audio.

 

I've been hunting around for charging options. Two things I want to do...

One is to install a Lind DC to DC inverter unit in my 4wd (I already have one I use for the Toughbooks but I'm going to try and permanent-mount one) and that will require a cable to go from a Lind unit to the main charging port (not the mini-USB port) of the Toughpad.

The other thing is find a cable to connect the main charging port (not the mini-USB port) to a USB port. I have found suppliers of mini-USB to normal USB cables that are about 2 m long. But opening up the big port cover to charge via the mini-USB port on the Toughpad is probably not a good idea when it needs to be done regularly.

Anyone explored solutions to these? Maybe the Windows-based Toughpads have the same setup for charging as the FA-A1.

 

Lind sells the proper part to charge via the proprietary charging port and NOT the usb port.

http://lindelectronics.com/product/pa1220-3843/
OR
http://lindelectronics.com/product/pa1220-3618/

Both of those chargers includes this cable

Cable—3-pin HiroseTVS MQ172, 36″, 18 AWG
Model: CBLOP-F02051
The Lind CBLOP-F02051 output cable has a 2.1 mm snap-in connector that plugs directly into the Lind-compatible power adapter. The opposite end connector is a 3-pin Hirose TVS MQ172 connector that plugs directly into the device to be powered.

• 36-inch cable length
• 18 AWG, UL1185 jacketed
• 2.1 mm snap-in connector to 3-pin Hirose TVS MQ172 Connector
• RoHS Compliant

 

That is really not to bad of a price since I have seen the cable sell for $35.00 on ebay shipped.

 

Ok, well quite happy with the beast now I've been using it for a little while. The OS seems to lock up now and then if I jump around between apps a bit requiring a cold-reset. Sometimes it'll bog down like my CF29 does when Win Xp starts having coniptions and I can't input anything for anything up to 5 mins, then if it's still 'frozen' I'll forcibly shut it down.

I can't work out how to install downloaded apps that can be put on the sd card on my android phone onto the sd card in the toughpad. Could that be an artefact of it running v4.0.3 which is an oldish version of the OS now? There's no 'move to SD card' button showing up in the app manager which I select each of the downloaded apps that should be able to run from the SD card (they can on my Android phone).

Also when I run the Network Info II app on the toughpad, that app will not display any info about the telco connection via the SIM - just the IMEI and the Android ID under the 'device' tab of the app. Same app on my dual-SIM android phone displays full mobile network info about the primary sim, but not the second one!

One more... I downloaded the main app for the bank I use the other day (via wi-fi) and it crashed as soon as I opened the app! It's repeatable so I submitted a report, but dunno if it'll make anything change with the app. I haven't been game to try and do anything to get access into the core level of the operating system yet. ;-)

For anyone who might have connections with Panasonic's tech crowd, are there any plans to update the core OS for the Toughpad to a later 4.x version or is it stuck with 4.0.3 because the main focus seems to have now shifted to Windows-based toughpads? ;-)

An interesting snippet - the 'storage' tab under settings shows the toughpad had three USB ports. I know one of them has an external mini-USB socket but where are the other two? Internal only perhaps?

 

I had that same problem after I downloaded about 20 apps. What I did was do a master reset, downloaded the updates for Android and tested each app before installing another one. I had 2 apps that were causing it to lockup. Have not had the problem since

You can't put apps on the SD card like your phone or like some tablets. Something that Panasonc added to there Android OS setting. Only way around it is to install a custom rom but you really need to know what you are doing or you could turn it into a nice paper weight.

I did the same and did not work on mine or another brand of tablet too. The problem with mine was the app is only for mobile phones and not tablets. I have to login with Opera and made a shortcut to my login page.

I been using mine for around a month now and love it. I tested the GPS yesterday and it worked great. I picked up a cheap tablet stand at a "Dollar Store"($3.00) and it fits great between my two front bucket seats in my Dodge Dakato. Battery life is also great, lasted all day.

 

Just throw this tablet away and buy newer one. Normal for Android )

P.S. Clean cache, run Lagfix (defrag), disable/uninstall software you don't use. Then throw away )

 

It don't matter which Android you use. I had the same problem with my Acer and Samsung tab and the Blackberry too.

 

Yes, that's why I offer to buy a newer one )
Also, Android 4.4 plus works much better.

 

Maybe it's worth trying to work out how to upgrade to 4.4 then? Does Panasonic support any upgrades of the OS at all besides the main updates from the system default after doing a restore back to factory settings?

 

Well none yet but we can always hope.

 

righto finding quite a number of apps require 4.1.x or later.

given that, is or has anyone here tried to use one of the non panasonic endorsed (since no official upgrade beyond 4.0.3 is currently offered) methods to upgrade the os to a 4.4.x version?

The places that claim to have done is report that much better utilisation of the hardware is possible with the later 4.x.

Checking quite a number of sites claiming to have done upgrades to fz-a1's to anything from 4.4.x right up to current Android 6.x releases, they all require root access (haven't tried that on mine yet), and a combination of a custom ROM (firmware) with a special ROM manager app to install it and enable installing a later version of Android.

There are lots of ROM manager apps in the google play store and I have no idea yet which ones are good, which ones are bad, and where to get the most suitable custom ROM firmware image from to try installing.

 

Has anyone (esp here in Oz) experienced problems trying to send MMS messages from their fz-a1? Especially if you're using Telstra as your wireless broadband carrier?

I have, and I confirmed it's not the SIM or telco service config as I put my Telstra 3G sim into my old spare 2g-only phone and I was able to send an mms to my main mobile phone, and also to a friend using an Aldi SIM (uses Telstra network).

So the issue is definitely with the tablet and it's default messaging app. Is there anything on google play that can replace it and does work properly for both txt and mms messaging?

If I try to send MMS messages from the tablet they sit there never sending but the message says 'sending' continually without actually sending the message (as far as I can tell).

Not a huge issue but I like to share pics, etc. with people and mms is a simple easy way to do it which doesn't requiring know someone's email.

 

Try this forum based in Oz.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/

 

Hi I'm a whirlpool forum regular so have already been posting about it there. It seems to be a problem with the toughpad's messaging app, and surprise surprise none of the 'recommended' alternative messaging apps that android-focused sites suggest are supported according to Google Play so I'm assuming they all require a later OS than 4.0.3...

I'll get the nerve up soon to try upgrading to Android KitKat (4.4.x) thought gotta be sure it's the right upgrade path first, given that Panasonic appear unwilling to offer an upgrade beyond 4.0.3 at the present time.

... work in progress ...

 

This one refers to installing Android 6.x on the FZ-A1.

http://cwm-twrp-android.com/download/panasonic-toughpad-fz-a1.html

This one refers to installing Android 5.1 (Lollipop).

http://www.lollipopupdates.com/tag/panasonic-toughpad-fz-a1-custom-rom-download

There are similar guides about referring to Android 4.4.x (Kitkat).

I guess the question is how trustworthy are the ROM images? I'm not sure if there's a way to trace where they've been compiled and prepared.

The Clockword Mod Recovery app and associated TWRP app combo seem to be the most commonly recommended custom rom manager and recovery manager combo for android devices. Open to suggestions though.

Does anyone know off-hand if the Panasonic custom 4.0.3 Android OS package includes any special device drivers that are not available any other way, or is the consensus that it *should* be possible to load up any relevant Android OS version that will support all the hardware elements in the FZ-A1.

My unit is a FZ-A1B btw. Maybe all the production ones are the 'B' version.

 

I just checked the link you posted. Sounds very good. If I have time this week I just might try it.

 

Blair and others,,,
Be very carefull where you download roms for your tablet.
There are a lot of dishonest people out there that would love to have their spyware and malware on your tablet...
The three links above are all from the same web site and it appears that they use the same rom for multiple devices and that the comments and replies are possibly fake.
They also make you sign up for "free products" and the follow a list of web sites before you can download their files. (bad idea )
Your FZ-A1 is a fairly old tablet with limited power and speed.
I just updated an old Dual Core tablet with a 1gh speed processor and about the same specs, to 5.1 lollypop and it is now so deathly slow it is virtually unusable.
I suggest going to http://forum.xda-developers.com/ and start over again, like we all did here at this forum many years ago.
Android is a totally new world (at least it was for me, I started here in 2007 working on CfF 25s and CF 28s).
It took me at lot of reading at xda-developers, before I learned enough to root my first android, and I am still learning.
One more suggestion, Get yourself name brand (asus, samsung, htc, lg and others) much newer and faster quad core tablet, that will easily run 5.1 lollypop, put it a Otterbox rugged case with a H9 hardness glass screen protector and you will honestly have a much more usable android tablet for your work and everyday use.


Bob

 

Interesting...I never noticed that before but after checking out the 3 sites I see what you mean. The posts I would say are fake and they just want your name and email. My tablet does what I need it to do, play movies, a couple of games and GPS which is the main reason why I got it. I have owned other tablets, Asus, Samsung, Levono and BlackBerry. The only two I still have is the A1 and the BlackBerry Playbook. The other ones just died for what ever reason. The Playbook is 3 years old and still going strong.

 

hmmm ...
i'm with bob ... in spades .

i checked out all of those aforementioned links ... i could not do a "right click" on the links to open in a new tab or window .
(the first clue that one might want to be running "no script" and perhaps another script scanner)
after navigating to the respective sites they were red-flagged by "WOT" and "avast" ... shady and disreputable .
i strongly recommend obfuscating those links and place a warning or completely removing them .

perhaps downloading some stuff and making sure it is *clean* and then posting it in "drop box" or a similar clean file host would be a wiser thing to do ?

 

The hardware of the fz-a1 isn't the problem - the blinkered factory Android 4.0.3 OS package is. The safest upgrade path for a replacement OS would be one of the Android 4.4.x 'Kitkat' versions.

There isn't any other way to upgrade the OS other than by 'rooting' the tablet (ie. getting access to the core Linux operating system that Android is based on), and using one of the various options to install custom ROM images.

Panasonic have a new Android toughpad which does run Android 4.4, so they should offer the same OS option for the FZ-A1 IMHO at least. My toughpad has no warranty any more so I won't void anything by trying to upgrade the OS.

The most annoying thing I'm finding with the present OS is that the pad slows down in responsiveness to inputs as it's used more, eventually not responding to any inputs and requiring a cold-boot though yesterday it went un-responsive and half an hour later all of a sudden started working fine again. I suppose everyone uses a tablet diferently, and will have different downloaded apps, and use different 'factory-supplied' apps, so no two person's usage is ever the same.

 

"yesterday it went un-responsive and half an hour later all of a sudden started working fine again ..."
yet more proof that much electronic gear is *female* .

 

Well it would be nice if they did but it will never happen because they want us to buy a new one. It would be nice to be able to upgrade to kitKat or Jelly Bean just too see how it would run.

 

There is a new firmware version just released for the FZ-A1B (mk 2) as of Feb 8th 2016.

http://pc-dl.panasonic.co.jp/toughpad/index.html#fza1

It does not appear to be updating the Android operating system - just some 'security patches' etc.

Hmmm. Can't believe Panasonic do this but will not release an updated Android OS (at least the same as the new FZ-Bx models that are being sold with 4.4.x Kitkat by default).

 

I've started looking around for another FZ-A1B in relation to my comments in the other thread about Android-based Toughpads.

I didn't expect there to be different hardware configs for these, but it seems there are. My current unit is a FZ-A1BDAAEAA but I've come across some in the US for sale on Ebay with different model codes. Namely FZ-A1BDAAV1M (most common) and also some others.

I know this happens with Toughbooks but can someone provide a breakdown of the various model codings for the Toughpads please?

Other model codes I see popping up a lot are FZ-A1RDDD1M, FZ-A1RDDD1M, FZ-A1BDAAZ1M, FZ-A1BDAAZAM and more.

I'm stabbing in the dark to work out which of these model costs are better than others, and which ones might have configurations that won't work with Australian 3G (or 4G) MBB providers.

Thanks if you can fill in the blanks! Is there any only resource with the code breakdown like there used to be until a couple of years ago for Toughbooks (the 'toughbook configurator' I think it was)?

Craig.

 

http://business.panasonic.com/toughbook/order-toughbook-computers.html

 

This is the only one that worked.

Model Number : FZ-A1BDAAZ1M
Status : DISCONTINUED
MSRP : $1,379
Description: Android 4.0, Marvell ARM PXA2128 1.20GHz, 10.1" XGA Multi Touch+Digitizer, 16GB, 1GB, WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS, Toughbook Preferred

 

Hi,
Was anyone lucky to find a custom build for Panasonic Toughpad FZ-A1B tablet?

Thanks

 

Nothing that was proven to be safe/reliable. Panasonic now apparently has a new model released (FZ-A2?) that replaces the FZ-A1 so I guess that's intended as the 'upgrade path'.

 

Thanks for your reply, sunrk.
It's always easier to buy a new hardware
I was looking to give a "second life" to my Panasonic FZ-A1