Coles Pendo Pad and other no-name tablets - how to get the firmware, root, Playstore

[Downunder35m]

I had massive problems with this tablet as mabye anyone else that got one for unknown reasons.
The good thing about these tablets is that they are basically fool proof, so even if they refuse to work a factory reset will cure them.
But it is also the bad thing about them as you won't find a firmware or be able to modify your tablet due to the write restrictions on the system partition.

Chapter 1: Rooting
As I got my hands on this damn thing it was not rooted and all attempts to get root access using the usual rooting tools failed completely.
Once messed up with a lot of non working apps I did a factory reset and not only is the content of the internal SD unaffected from it but the tablet was rooted after this as well.
Of course no Busy Box or Superuser app to be found and so I decided to get the Google Market going first (next chapter).
There are several apps abailable for the job, I took SuperSU from the Store as it worked good for all my other Androids.
Installation works fine and the binaries are updated as well after the first start.
So you would think all is good now?
No, because sadly the system partition remains "write only" due to restrictions in the kernel.
But everything else in terms of rooting works fine.
Note: I am only talking about the Coles 10.1" Pendo Pad that comes without the Google Play Store, other no-name tablets will most likely do a full root with no problems.
For the actual rooting if it is required on your device you can find a lot of programs on the net, like Super one click, Vroot, Impactor, ... .
Dependig on the model you might have to try a different program for your tablet.

Chapter 2: Google Market
With no write rights in the vital parts it is simply impossible to install the recent Play Store versions.
I reverted back to an old versions 3 of the thing, called Google Market at that time.
It does not allow for purchases as the system has changed but it gives proper access to the apps and games the no-name-market simply can't offer.
You can find links for the old and current Market apps at the end.

Chapter 3: Firmware...
For most of these Pads you won't find a new firmware or even the one that is currently installed on them.
But do a proper search on Google for your model and maker first, sometimes a user got a firmware from the manufactorer and made it available on the net or in forums.
Sometimes devices are cloned, so you see a different case but the hardware is identical to a different model, check for you model number in regards to clones.
Many tools are available that can dump a firmware onto SD, like Rom Dump for example, but in many cases it is required to treat the created files in a "ROM kitchen" to get images you can flash back onto the device.
You might be tempted to try a CyanogenMod or other custom firmware on your tablet, but be warned that this will only work if your tablet is fully supported!
Never flash a firmware unless you have to!!
And if you still do, make sure to double check everything, especially the instructions on how to flash your particular device.
If you don't have the original flashable firmware at hand, don't install anything that is untested unless your device is not working anyway.
Be aware that flashing a new bootloader or kernel can brick your device, with a genuine ROM you might be able to fix it but don't risk it unless necessary.
Brand name devices get a lot of official and user support, like the Samsung and HTC devices, with China ware we should stick to what is on it unless there is proof a better ROM can be installed.

Chapter 4: Tools...
Well, when it comes to Android you get customized tools for almost any device out there.
For the terms of fixing and modifying China specials we are usually limited to tools for rooting and ADB support.
Even flashing a custom recovery can cause major problems up to a bricked device - so again: Don't "fix" what is a working tablet.
So you might wonder if there is anything out there that could make the job of "fixing what does not need to be fixed" a bit saver.
The Pendo uses the Allwinner A20 chip and you will find a lot of devices using the A1x chips as well.
The guys at TechKnowMe created Uberizer - a firmware tool mainly for the Allwinner boards.
Although not designed for the A20 I used it to create image files from the Pendo, boot.img, bootloader.img, data.img, recovery.img and system.img.
Files at the end...
I can' guarantee the created backups will work for a full restore as I have not tested this part yet (remeber what I said about fixing?).
For the A1x boards images created by Uberizer should work fine.
Might be a good idea to start a collection thread for Uberizer Rom dumps...
On devices that don't have the write restrictions like the Pendo Uberizer can also install the Play Store in a current version, change the boot animation and also has a full "ROM kitchen" included.
In theory you can dump your ROM, modify what ever you need and flash it back on your device.
Similar tools exists for the MTK and Rockchip devices, just Google it
Some devices have support for Phoenix and if so you have a good chance to find firmwares for your device.
Most tools that are not used for flashing will need ADB support on both PC and Android as well as root access.
So if you device is not rooted it usually means a lot of tools like Titanium Backup won't work at all.
With write limitations it is a similar story as most of these apps and even the Play Store need to be installed as system apps - impossible without the rights to do so.
If your device is recognised and supported by Uberizer be aware that the backup function is just that - a file backup, it can't be used to restore a non working device.
The primary target is app and user data restauration.
To get (or at least try) the data you need for flashing you have to use the firmware option 3 - Dump A1x firmware to...

For detailed info on the tools check Youtube as there are many tutorials already available, so I don't have to go into all the details for you
There is a guy in thailand that has a very powerful tool for our unbranded devices, Yutt Teng.
He has quite a few videos on Youtube as well but I have clue on how to get his "Android Multitools Yutt Edit V2", well at least not the password for the 300 something mb collection.
So in case you speak his language please let him know that the world woud like to see his tools available for general use.
And if you, Yutt Teng, are reading this: Please help us out!

Files:
ADB and SU are not included, same for busybox. ADB comes with most of the tools anyway and SuperSU is available in the Play Store.
Included in the collection: Old V3 google Market, Impactor Root (can also fetch the USB drivers for you), MTK Droid Tools, Livesuit, Uberizer, VRoot, Superoneclick, Root with Restore, TowelRoot.
There are now all three files in the container, enjoy if you have use for it.

[Downunder35m]

Finally the Rom dump uploaded completely.
If the pad would be a donation or spare I would try to modify the bootloader and kernel to remove the write restriction, but luckily the pad is going home today and I don't have to bother anymore
In theory it should also be possible to use the files for the creation of a custom Rom but my knowledge is too limited for this and at this stage I have no use for it as I prefer my Nexus7.
Let us know if you had success rooting your china tablet or phone and what tools did the trick for you.
By the way: Uberizer can also root Allwinner (and maybe other devices).

[Downunder35m]

For all those with the recent 10.1" Coles Pendo Pads I have a little warning.
Some people tried to flash a firmware they found on the net and that was installed on a device with basically identical layout for the electronics and circuit board.
(Not giving any links here for the sake of causing a lot of bricked devices)
These packages come with an Allwinner flash utility which makes them even more dangerous.
Two versions exists, one fore the 160DIP screens and one for a higher DPI rating of 210 - both can be installed using the provided flash program and both will boot into an Android menu as you know it.
But that's where the success ends!
There is no working touchscreen, no working hardware buttons, except the power button!
This means your device is unusable and also that your are unable to get into the recovery mode once flashed!
The Coles Pendo Pad uses a completely different structure for the internal partitions and a different kernel.
Some people that tried it also say that not all parts of the old firmware has been replaced/deleted leaving me to assume that the write restictions could not be removed by the flash utility.

I contacted Pendo last week once I noticed the tablet can't be modified and does not allow for the latest Play Store (all above 3.4 is not working).
Got their response today and it is more than disappointing.

Thank your for purchasing a new Pendo Pad.
In regards to your inquiry we can asure you that your pad is using the latest Android version made for the tablet.
The later versions available for phones and other tablets offer no benefit in terms of usability or support for applications.
In fact most apps are still designed to work best with the 4.2.2 release on our tablets.
We do not provide the current firmware as a download as the device can be restored to this version using the factory reset procedure as mentioned in the manual.
To delete all user data it is advised to uninstall all apps and their data before performing the factory reset.
The Google Play Store can not be included in a budget device as the license fees would increase the price, we include the Mobile 1 Market that offers even more apps than the Google store.
For license reasons we can offer a fix for your problem with Hay Day, please contact the official support for the game to get advise on the correct update procedure.
Programs with root access will not work on the Pendo Pad, which is why Titanium Backup fails to work, if you purchased the full version please ask for a refund and state that your tablet is not supported.
We trust to have answered your questions suffiently and consider the requests for firmware updates as solved.
If you have more enquiries in regards to other problems you can contact us using the contact form on our website or emailing our support team.

I admit I was not too nice to them and used terms like "misleading advertisement", "useless toy without proper backups" and so on, but still their reaction after they ignored the first few (much nicer) Emails suprises me.
They did not tell me why Coles sells the ting over 100 bucks cheaper than Pendo itself, same for the warranty - still no clue if Coles does it or if Pedo does it.
I do agree 4.2.2 is not bad and so far the most stable but stating it is the best system for all apps?
Then there is the statement about the firmware and the ignoring of the root problem (or better how to fix it), to me it sounds they used electronics capable of much more in terms of Android but don't want a cheap tablet from their own production compete with their more expensive models.
And blaming license reasons for a deliberate block of current Play Store versions is just lame.
So far I have not had any other Android device in my hands that refused to install the current versions.
Where on other devices the system apps can be installed in an area with write rights Pendo not only blocks this completely but also fools the few working rooting programs into success.
I'm just glad the damn thing is back with my sister and that the kids can now play what they like, but once this tablet is dusted I will join my sister while she tries to buy a new tablet