MediaPad 5/6 - 8.4 - General Questions

[Orph]

Greetings...I'm new here.

Me:
* 70 y.o.
* Pretty much Novice level with Android...have a Levovo Tab 4 8, but have been a mostly desktop fellow. I'm a long way from mastering Android.
* Not a cell phone user (at this time)

In reviewing recent benchmarks, Huawei stands out. The MediaPad 5/6 look great!

Uses to which I'd like to put a tablet
* In car for backup camera - 2.4MHz/4.8MHz Wi-Fi video transmiter connect? Automatic connect on startup of tablet? Important for this use is 'Bootup Time' for tablet...
* Navigation in car
* Amateur radio transceiver connection via Bluetooth (I need to work out the Bluetooth on the radio end...USB Type-B input to radio...Arduino Bluetooth board? Is Bluetooth 5 compatible with Bluetooth 4 bi-directionally?

General Use
* Media consumption
* Internet surfing
* Stylus pad input for Windows desktop...mirroring? ...both ways? MS Notes..?
* Are there any clues on Upgrade to Android 10 timeframe?
* Is doesn't seem there is a Folio Keyboard for the 8.4" as there is for the 10". I have a couple of inexpensive 8" Bluetooth folios/keybaords. Thoughts?
* It might be nice in the future to surf the internet when a Wi-Fi connection is not available. It 'seems' that Wi-Fi and LTE are mutually exclusive. Is that the case? If so, Wi-Fi wins. Are there alternatives? Thoughts?

I suppose I should get on Youtube and learn Android better. I haven't even gotten gestures down.

Maybe Huawei will get a (black/grey) MediaPad M6 to the US market in time for Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Otherwise it appears the M5's are comming down in price.

What else should I know?

TIA - Orph

 

[Rukbat]

Me:
* 70 y.o.

Me: 77, so ...

* Pretty much Novice level with Android

Pretty much expert level with Android

* In car for backup camera - 2.4MHz/4.8MHz Wi-Fi video transmiter connect? Automatic connect on startup of tablet? Important for this use is 'Bootup Time' for tablet...

Not unless you're running a camera app to record on start, and a startup app to control what runs on startup.

* Amateur radio transceiver connection via Bluetooth (I need to work out the Bluetooth on the radio end...USB Type-B input to radio...Arduino Bluetooth board? Is Bluetooth 5 compatible with Bluetooth 4 bi-directionally?

No. I don't know of a single ham xcvr that allows Bluetooth connections, or Bluetooth-to-USB conversion. (But I've been off the air for a few years, so maybe there's something available - but it would probably have to be from the xcvr manufacturer.

* Internet surfing

Lots of mobile data usage - may be costly.

* Stylus pad input for Windows desktop...mirroring? ...both ways? MS Notes..?

Using VNC, maybe - server on the Windows side, client in the tab.

* Are there any clues on Upgrade to Android 10 timeframe?

Not scheduled at all. To 8, possibly, then that's all.

* Is doesn't seem there is a Folio Keyboard for the 8.4" as there is for the 10". I have a couple of inexpensive 8" Bluetooth folios/keybaords. Thoughts?

Any BT keyboard should work - but BT is a "one device at a time" connection. No keyboard and xcvr connection.

* It might be nice in the future to surf the internet when a Wi-Fi connection is not available. It 'seems' that Wi-Fi and LTE are mutually exclusive. Is that the case? If so, Wi-Fi wins. Are there alternatives? Thoughts?

No, in most devices (laptops, desktops), you can only be using one internet connection at a time. (Some servers "dual-home", so you can use 2 NICs to provide 2 simultaneous internet connections.

I suppose I should get on Youtube and learn Android better. I haven't even gotten gestures down.

Some things, yes - but watch out for one thing. You'll see every "expert" use the Home key to end apps. DON'T! The Home key just runs the launcher (homescreens, app drawer, widgets, wallpaper), it doesn't close the app. The app maintains a cache. When you reboot, many apps loose the connection to the cache, so that's storage you never get back. Use the Back key to end an app. (Youtube is sometimes like watching a novice telling you how to win DX pileups. It sounds good, but you know it will never really work that way.)

Maybe Huawei will get a (black/grey) MediaPad M6 to the US market in time for Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Otherwise it appears the M5's are comming down in price.

The M5 and M6? The rackmount servers? Or something else? (Rackmounts don't come down in price.)

Huawei Mediapads? The 5 or 6 may come down in price, and the 6 might get 10, but I doubt it (considering the ban on Huawei). And the only color I see for the 6 is Champagne Gold. The 5 comes in grey. (Maybe someone will come out with a custom ROM for it for 10, but I don';t see anything listed even on LineageOS going back to 8.)

What else should I know?

It's cheaper to buy a second dash cam than a tab?

 

[Orph]

Not unless you're running a camera app to record on start, and a startup app to control what runs on startup.

- Glad to find some experience here. I wonder if there is a way to startup the tablet by starting the car with remote start...and not having to wait on booting up.

No. I don't know of a single ham xcvr that allows Bluetooth connections, or Bluetooth-to-USB conversion. (But I've been off the air for a few years, so maybe there's something available - but it would probably have to be from the xcvr manufacturer.

- Bluetooth Novice as well. I'm trying to find a Bluetooth (Arduino module?) and output to USB Type B input on the rig. Bluetooth USB Type-B cable replacement, so to speak.

Using VNC, maybe - server on the Windows side, client in the tab.

- Thanks!

Any BT keyboard should work - but BT is a "one device at a time" connection. No keyboard and xcvr connection.

- That's okay...I won't be needing a keyboard while operating mobile. Thanks.

No, in most devices (laptops, desktops), you can only be using one internet connection at a time. (Some servers "dual-home", so you can use 2 NICs to provide 2 simultaneous internet connections.

- Thanks. I guess you are saying that an LTE version still has Wi-Fi available, but not necessarilly simultaneous.

Some things, yes - but watch out for one thing. You'll see every "expert" use the Home key to end apps. DON'T! The Home key just runs the launcher (homescreens, app drawer, widgets, wallpaper), it doesn't close the app. The app maintains a cache. When you reboot, many apps loose the connection to the cache, so that's storage you never get back. Use the Back key to end an app. (Youtube is sometimes like watching a novice telling you how to win DX pileups. It sounds good, but you know it will never really work that way.)

- Thanks

It's cheaper to buy a second dash cam than a tab?

- ...trying to simplify hardware, cables, etc.

 

[Orph]

Last Sunday, I came across an M5 8.4" - 64Gb on eBay (while general searching M5/6). I decided to place the 'minimum bid' on it and perhaps a little more. I got it for the minimum. It arrived A-Ok on Friday.