Programs freeze/pause on their own.

[tubnotub1]

I am having an issue with my Acer Iconia Tab A500.

Relevant Information:
Model: A500
Android Version: 3.2
Kernal Version: 2.6.36.3+
Build Number: Acer_A500_7.006.01_COM_GEN2
Not Rooted.
All Applications were bought off the android app store (nothing pirated)
This issue has been present since I updated to 3.2. It was not present when I was on 3.1.

Symptoms: Certain games will either pause of freeze for seconds at a time with no user input.

Examples: Spectral Souls video and audio will pause for 3 to 4 seconds at a time. This will happen during in game cut-scenes and during general gameplay, battles, walking around, etc. The application has never frozen on me, but these pauses are symptomatic at all times.

NFS Shift: The game will pause on its own. Note I do not mean the audio and video will pause, the game will, on its own with no user input, take itself to the pause screen.

Lets Golf HD: Similar symptoms as NFS Shift. The game at random intervals will pause itself, and I will be taken to the pause screen.

Actions I have taken: Updated the Acer to the most recent version of 3.2. I have uninstalled and re-installed all games. I have not yet reformatted the tablet as I do not know how, and googling "reformat acer iconia tab A500" is not very helpful in terms of results.

I would consider myself competent from a technological standpoint, though I know very little about the Android OS (this is my first android device). Any help given would be greatly appreciated. If anyone knows a good guide with instructions on how to reformat the table (as I think that is the next logical step) I link would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

[troll711]

if you wanna make a back up of everything you can try system restore that way everything installs fresh

 

[Moscow Desire]

Unfortunately you will not find a "reformat" option. And I suspect using the system restore in the menu settings, would only recreate the same issue, and probably wouldn't fix anything.

Also, you may be able to do a "Reset to factory", which is that pinhole on the side. However, I do not advise this, as I've read of issues other folks have, mainly the device not booting.

Thirdly, you updated to the 3.2, which means you can't easily root and install a custom Rom, or reflash a stock 3.1, not without going through a couple of extra steps.

If you've decided you've had enough, and want to revert back to 3.1 so you can root and try some different flavor roms, then look at the following;

[TUT] Revert OTA 3.2 back to 3.0.1 - xda-developers

 

[liskajoe]

Had the same problem. Turn off your wifi and it will stop. Every time wifi queries router, games and other apps would pause or go to menu screen.

Hopefully somebody expands on this answer as having to turn your wifi off and on isn't really the solution to the problem...more a diagnosis

 

[bc-short]

I had a HD video freeze problem after the 3.2 update. Video would play for a minute or so and then the video would stop. Tried lots of things to fix. Finally tried something I found on a different forum. I reset the lease time on my router from "forever" to "2 days". Sounds pretty weird but it worked.

 

[paul4na]

By any chance do you have McAfee Mobile Security installed? I found uninstalling McAfee made these exact symptoms disappear on my Xperia phone running Android 2.3.4.