Question Questions about upgrading Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.0

[AmieW]

Hi!

I'm a senior citizen, not a techie, although I am pretty good with computers. Phones and tablets confuse me, however, so I need a lot of ELI5 instruction.

I was gifted a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.0, which I would like to use more, but some of the programs I want to run aren't available, or don't work on the Android 4.4.2.

I saw videos on YT about how to upgrade it manually to Android 7, but they go so fast I can't follow them, and they seem very complicated. If this is possible, I need a step-by-step instruction (doesn't have to be a video, in fact, I prefer text).

I went to the sites that claim they have app versions that will work on the Galaxy tab 8.0, but they don't, and the app developers don't support the tablet anymore, so I keep hitting brick walls.

What I specifically need is a password program. I got one, and managed to get my bitwarden vault copied over, but it simply does not work. I have to go in and copy/paste the user name & pw individually, which is a total PITA.

Plus, I'm not even sure that I have a firewall or anti-virus on there. How do I find out? TIA for any help.

 

[B. Diddy]

That tablet is extremely old, and stopped getting official updates a long time ago. You'd have to find a custom ROM and flash it in order to get a higher Android version, but I wouldn't recommend it for beginners. Although the tablet was a gift (which is certainly nice of the giver), it really isn't worth using these days due to its obsolescence as well as the security risks that go along with being stuck on a very old version of Android. I suggest recycling the tablet and looking for a more current tablet. There are some pretty good deals these days -- I recommend looking into the Lenovo Tab M8 (which is as low as $75 at Walmart now) or the Tab M9 (which is newer and moderately more powerful) for $95. I have the M9, and find it quite good for casual use.

 

[Golfdriver97]

Hi!

I'm a senior citizen, not a techie, although I am pretty good with computers. Phones and tablets confuse me, however, so I need a lot of ELI5 instruction.

I was gifted a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.0, which I would like to use more, but some of the programs I want to run aren't available, or don't work on the Android 4.4.2.

I saw videos on YT about how to upgrade it manually to Android 7, but they go so fast I can't follow them, and they seem very complicated. If this is possible, I need a step-by-step instruction (doesn't have to be a video, in fact, I prefer text).

I went to the sites that claim they have app versions that will work on the Galaxy tab 8.0, but they don't, and the app developers don't support the tablet anymore, so I keep hitting brick walls.

What I specifically need is a password program. I got one, and managed to get my bitwarden vault copied over, but it simply does not work. I have to go in and copy/paste the user name & pw individually, which is a total PITA.

Plus, I'm not even sure that I have a firewall or anti-virus on there. How do I find out? TIA for any help.

I'm quoting you so that you can hopefully see the response that @B. Diddy gave you. Flashing ROMs can be tricky, and I am inclined to agree it isn't for the faint of heart. If something goes wrong the device can be bricked, making it unusable.

There is no firewall or antivirus preinstalled on these devices. You can get them, but for the most part, Android doesn't really need an antivirus, so long as you get your apps from a reputable site like Google Play or Amazon.