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Q: I recently upgraded my two-year-old Asus Nexus 7 tablet computer to version 5 of the Android operating system. About the same time, I bought a Verizon Jetpack, a cellular device that creates a Wi-Fi hot spot. My tablet now operates very slowly, but I don't think the Jetpack is to blame because my phone and laptop can connect to it. What's the problem?
Dennis Peterson, Minnetonka
A: Your slowdown problem is caused by upgrading your older Asus tablet computer to the Android 5.0, the operating system also known as Lollipop. Many users who bought Nexus 7 devices in 2012 have voiced similar complaints after performing the same upgrade. In addition, some of the tablets have suffered camera or texting problems (see tinyurl.com/kajnb6d).
Some experts say tablet performance can be improved by clearing the tablet's cache memory (for instructions, see tinyurl.com/lxlq37c.) But some users say that doesn't solve the slowdown problem (see tinyurl.com/ml84qab). Google is expected to release a software fix for older Nexus tablets like yours, but it's unclear how soon that will happen (see tinyurl.com/klbncd2).
Q: I'm having problems downloading updates for programs on my 64-bit Windows 7 PC, using the Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome browsers. When updating programs such as Java and Ad-Aware, I can't download the last 1 percent of the software. What's wrong?
Peter Discenza, Eagan
A: I suspect you are using the wrong version of Java, the software that allows your Web browser to interact with Internet websites. Because you've got a 64-bit version of Windows, it would be natural to think you should use the 64-bit version of Java. But Oracle Corp., which owns the Java software, says that's not a good idea because some websites don't work well with 64-bit Web browsers. As a result, Oracle recommends that consumers avoid using both 64-bit Web browsers and Oracle's 64-bit version of Java that was written for them.
To solve your problem, make sure you're using the 32-bit version of Google's Chrome browser (learn how to tell at tinyurl.com/kyow2my) or Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser (in Windows 7, you automatically use the 32-bit browser unless you opt to use the 64-bit version.) So far, Firefox comes only in a 32-bit version, although a 64-bit version is in the works.
Then go to the Java page (tinyurl.com/mc49ks) and download the 32-bit version.
Feedback: Donna Frost of Meredith, N.H., shared this fix for a Wi-Fi connection that often failed. "I had my wireless router too close to my Internet service provider's cable modem, causing interference," she wrote. "As soon as I moved the boxes a few feet apart, the problem went away."
E-mail tech questions to steve.j.alexander@gmail.com or write to Tech Q&A, 425 Portland Av. S., Minneapolis, MN 55488. Include name, city and telephone number.
