# Help please, hear my plea....



## rubinontheroad (Jan 30, 2008)

Hello folks,
I've had many years of basic experience with my laptop, using Win7 64 bit, but still consider myself about one step above a newbi. I use my PC for email and surfing and try to keep up with Win stuff through forums, newsletters, etc.
So, OK, my wife gave me a tablet a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 ED, model #SM-P600. It runs (I guess)on Android 4.4.2 Kernal version 3.4.39-1462259, [email protected] #1, build #KOT49H.P600UEUCNK2, SE for Android status Enforcing SEPF_SM600_4.4.2_0032 ( I include all this stuff from Device Information off the general settings page) I also do this to reinforce the fact that I am totally lost with this devise.
The list of questions I have is endless, because as said before, I'm lost. I took this tablet with me to Europe this summer to use instead of the laptop, trying to "learn by using", as I had with my PC. I've only sunk further into ignorance and frustration. I was able to check email at cafes and other WiFi spots and to do some basic surfing for travel destinations etc. I've downloaded the following apps to (I hope) protect myself and to defeat ads. I really have no idea if they are working, when scanning I'm informed that all is fine. I also uninstalled apps that I thought that I would never use. Installed...Kaspersky Internet Security, Adblock Plus Kaspersky, Malwarebytes, CC Cleaner, Ad Guard, and Ad Control (Ghostery). I don't think they are working as I have ads that black the screen and go away only when I click close, but still return again and again (again configuring these apps may be the trouble) . The ads seem to be mostly, Google ads for their store and games etc. When I go to ABP Kaspresky to try to configure it, I'm told to configure my proxy manually and following the directions, nothing happens. (Wifi connections, long hold on network, check modify network configuration, click or enter and noting happens, over and over, very frustrating.) If something is downloaded, I finally found them in a pull down menu, click on it, again, nothing happens or I'm told "Can't open" and download disappears, never to be found again. In fact the only things that are opened are the apps when they are installed. I won't go into the difficulty of typing, just crazy, but I'm sure over time, I will become better, but there is still a world of difference between normal PC typing, correcting etc and doing it on this device. I tried downloading an instruction manual from Samsung and it wouldn't open. I go on the web and ask questions or search and I don't even know some of the terms of what I have, (Jellybean, Kit Kat, other stuff) I not even sure which browser, I use. Although occasionally, it looks like chrome and sometimes others that may have come with Samsung stuff. I'm pulling my hair out, I hate to give up on the devise as, of course, it's easier to carry, when my laptop would be inconvenient. Help, where can I go, if I can't even download manuals. In frustration, I'm blasting this out like spam, to see if anyone can help. Gizmo, just listed a bunch of tech/help forums, so here I am, "casting bread on the water". I would really appreciate any help, guidance, places to go, anything so I don't feel so totally helpless and out of it. Thank you for even reading this plea..... 
Stan R.


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## plodr (Jun 27, 2014)

Versions are alphabetical. Here's a cheat sheet with the newest
Ice Cream Sandwich (4.04.0.4)
Jelly Bean (4.14.3.1)
KitKat (4.44.4.4)
Lollipop (5.05.0.2)

The default browsers is chrome. No surprise there because the Android operating system was invented by google. You won't be able to eliminate ads for google.

I installed Firefox on my android tablet so I could use ABP. (Warning FF on android is very different from FF on a Windows device. So there is a learning curve).

You install things by going to the googleplay store and looking.
example: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.malwarebytes.antimalware&hl=e

Clicking on something that looks like dots and that brings you to all the apps you have on your device.

The proper way to uninstall an app (on my ASUS tablet, no guarantee that yours works exactly the same) is to get into Settings (looks like an icon with a gear) then Apps. Touch and hold the icon for that app until an uninstall appears.

You really should search online, find the manual for your tablet, download it and read it. This is a case of you can not know inherently what to do because you have no background.


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## plodr (Jun 27, 2014)

it should not have posted twice.


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## rubinontheroad (Jan 30, 2008)

It. looks like according to your list, I must be Kit Kat, as mine is 4.4.2._0032. That helps as I at least know that. I may have uninstalled Chrome(?) as I didn't like it on my PC, so off it went, but now I see "take a tour of Chrome", maybe it reinstalled itself, don't know if that's possible, although there was an update a day or so ago, maybe it happened then. You mean that I will be subjected to intrusive google ads and I have no recourse, geez. I will try FF for Android, what's another learning curve to work at. I have gone to google's store to get those security and anti ad apps and that was easy. Except when it gets to configure the app, as I described about the proxy setting that I could not change for ABP, more stumbling ahead. I know about the dots to get to installed apps and I worked out the uninstall process when I got rid of a lot of crapware that came with devise. It looks like I'll have to download manuals etc to my PC because when I did it before, it would not open (maybe it was a PDF and I don't have a reader.(??) I really thank you plodr, it's a start, thanks for your time......Stan


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## TonyB25 (Jan 1, 1970)

You don't really need all of those security / cleaning apps on a brand new tablet. I don't know of any viruses and as long as you're not side-loading questionable programs, you really don't need to worry about it. Just as with Windows computers, too much cleaning can be a bad thing.

My suggestion is to take all that stuff off and just enjoy the device for what you bought it for. Surf the web. Listen to music. Read books. Check e-mail. You're losing out on the fun by trying to make it super secure.

If you're really that worried, take it back and get an iPad.


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## rubinontheroad (Jan 30, 2008)

TonyB25, Thanks, sounds like I got carried away over my worries from using a Win laptop and may do as you suggest. Some of the sec/ad apps don;t seem to do anything anyway. Kaspersky wants me to manually configure a proxy, which doesn't happen after following the directions, another ad app leads me to an "opt out" list, and then says go to each site to do it, what a waste. I am told that because it is a google device, I can never get rid of google stuff anyway. My main problem is I don't have a help file to answer simple questions, ie where stuff goes, how to open downloads when they don't open on their own, where stuff disappears to, simple things, but without a help file and me being new to this device, I never get answered and become more frustrated. But I'll deal with it. Thanks for your ideas.....SR


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## TonyB25 (Jan 1, 1970)

You should get an iPad. 

You're expecting the tablet to function exactly like a desktop computer. They don't work that way. 

They're designed for e-mail, web surfing, gaming. You're going to give yourself a headache trying to figure out how to secure it, download files, navigate a file system (only Android has a file system, and it's Linux), and attempt to do everything you do on your desktop.

A tablet is a "lean back" experience. You don't need to be so pro-active and aggressive.


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## plodr (Jun 27, 2014)

Do yourself a huge favor.
Go here http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/SM-P6000ZKYXAR
download the manual onto a Windows computer and start reading. Print out sections that you think you'll use.

Forums for Galaxy Note 10.1
http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-galaxy-note-10-1/
http://androidforums.com/forums/samsung-galaxy-note-10-1.1521/
http://www.androidtablets.net/forums/samsung-galaxy-note-10-1.301/


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## rubinontheroad (Jan 30, 2008)

TonyB25, plodr, I've heard you all and I am taking steps to forgo sec/ads apps that I thought I needed. I think now the ball is in my court, to start afresh with this tablet.......
plodr, Many thanks for the addresses and I will go there and download the manuals to my pc and at least have it handy for future use. The forum sites will also help, although I have received some great advice for a lot of folks on these multi-platform sites. All are appreciated. Now, it is up to me to persevere.....again many thanks to all....Stan


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## plodr (Jun 27, 2014)

Good luck. I was in your shoes in July when I got an Android tablet.
I've dealt with computers since the 70's! but this was foreign to me. So I downloaded a manual. (The manual for my model was not online yet). I tried to learn how to do one new thing a day and took notes so if I needed to repeat it, I didn't have to page through a multipage pdf.


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## rubinontheroad (Jan 30, 2008)

plodr, Where there's life there's hope. I too, will find and download the help file somewhere to my pc, I'll copy/print etc and try your meet your "one a day perscription". You already have sent on some sites to try.Thanks and wish me luck....S


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