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Bug: Charging causes lock screen loop
A number of Nexus 9 owners have encountered a strange issue while charging the tablet. The lock screen keeps refreshing, like it’s stuck in a loop, and the tablet becomes unresponsive. This may be followed by a message about the UI crashing. Some people are also hearing an unusual, continuous ticking sound coming from the device.
Workarounds:
- Try changing the language because this seems to be a bug. A few people found that changing from French Canadian to any other language resolved both issues.
- Another way to get round this is to open the Google app and go to Menu > Settings > “Ok Google” detection and uncheck Always-on.
Solution:
- Google is sure to patch this one in the first update so keep an eye on Settings > About tablet > Software update.
Glitch: Laggy performance
The Nexus 9 is a powerful tablet and you should not be experiencing any lag when navigating around, but unfortunately some people are. Reports about delays of a few seconds after pressing the Home or Multitasking buttons, delays when auto-rotating, and delays when opening apps, are not uncommon. Luckily there are things you can do about it.
Potential solutions:
- Start with a simple IT favorite and just turn the Nexus 9 off and then on again.
- If that doesn’t help then try a factory reset via Settings > Backup & reset > Factory data reset > Reset tablet, then enter your PIN or password and tap Delete everything. Make sure you back up anything precious beforehand because this will wipe the tablet completely.
- After the reset, before you start reinstalling apps, check to see if the problem is gone. If it persists then it’s time to call Google or your retailer about a replacement.
Problem: Light bleed
Quite a few Nexus 9 owners have found light bleeding through at the top of the display when you hold the tablet in portrait view. This is down to variable build quality and some tablets will suffer worse than others.
Solution:
- This is a common issue with tablets and your only choice is to live with it or gamble on a replacement. Contact Google and you should be offered a refund or exchange. A lot of people report no light bleed, so there’s a chance you’ll get a tablet without the issue if you exchange it.
Issue: Volume buttons and back cover
The reports of variable build quality continue with complaints about the Nexus 9 volume buttons. Some people find that they don’t protrude enough and have no travel and a distinct lack of click, so it’s tough to know when they’ve been pressed. There are also reports of loose back covers and gaps at the corners. Both issues are down to build quality and there’s only one thing to do.
Solution:
- Call Google or your retailer and arrange a replacement Nexus 9.
Problem: Overheating
A lot of people are worried about the Nexus 9 overheating. It’s normal for tablets and phones to get hot while you are gaming, but there are reports that the Nexus 9 is heating up while web browsing. It’s worse on websites with a lot of ads and animated images.
Workarounds:
- Some people have found that using a different browser seems to help. Try Chrome Beta, Firefox, or something else.
- Make sure that you update your apps when updates become available and look out for an update to Android Lollipop itself.
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Glitch: Wi-Fi won’t connect or keeps dropping
Every new device seems to suffer from Wi-Fi connectivity problems and the Nexus 9 is no exception. There are a lot of possible reasons for a failure to connect or frequent dropping of a Wi-Fi connection. Work your way through this list and see if you can resolve the problem.
Potential solutions:
- Turn your Nexus 9 completely off by holding down the Power button and tapping Power off. Turn your router off. Wait 30 seconds and then turn them both on again.
- Go to Settings > Wi-Fi and long press on the network you’re trying to connect to and tell it to Forget network. Make sure you have the right details and try connecting from scratch.
- Install the free Wi-Fi Analyzer app and check out how crowded your channels are. It could be that neighboring networks are interfering. Choose a less busy channel.
- Check your router settings and ensure that MAC filtering is off or add the MAC address of your Nexus 9. You’ll find it in Settings > About tablet.
- Make sure that your router firmware is up to date. You may need to check with your ISP.
- Try changing the frequency band to 2.4GHz instead of 5GHz and see if it helps. Usually 5GHz is a stronger signal, but lower range.
- You could try setting a static IP address. Refer to your ISP’s manual or website for help.
Problem: NFC not working
The NFC feature of the Nexus 9 can be used for all sorts of things from paying for stuff to sharing files quickly with another device, but some people are complaining that NFC doesn’t seem to be working.
Potential solutions:
- A number of Nexus 9 owners are reporting success after gently pressing on the back cover to clip it properly in place and reattach the NFC antenna. Press below the camera slightly in towards the middle of the back of your Nexus 9 and you should hear a click.
- If that doesn’t work for you then it’s time to take it back and get a new one.
Glitch: Apps crashing or refusing to load
Some Nexus 9 owners have been encountering frequent app crashes and failures to load or authenticate accounts. This is likely because Android 5.0 Lollipop is a brand new version of the platform and Google hasn’t worked out all the bugs, or also because app developers may not have optimized their apps for Lollipop or the Nexus 9 itself.
Potential solutions:
- If you’re using the Battery saver option in the menu of Settings > Battery then try turning it off because it could be affecting performance.
- If the crashes are regularly connected to a specific app then start there. Make sure it is up to date. Try going to Settings > Apps and find the problematic app and tap Clear cache. Try restarting your Nexus 9. If problems persist it might be worth looking for an alternative.
- Try setting up the device as a new device rather than using an old Google profile. Previous settings and apps could be causing issues, especially with authentication. Factory reset your Nexus 9, and be selective about what you install.
- Be patient, and wait for an Android update. You can check in Settings > About tablet > Software update.
Issue: Auto-rotation not working
There have been some reports that the auto-rotate is not working on some Nexus 9 units. Owners are turning their tablets from portrait to landscape, but the display stays fixed. Sometimes it works for a while, but then stops rotating again, seemingly randomly.
Workarounds:
- Turn the Nexus 9 off and on again and it should go away temporarily.
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display and turn Auto-rotate off and on again.
Potential solutions:
- It could be caused by a third-party app. You could either try uninstalling and testing one by one, or you could just factory reset the tablet, reinstall your apps, and test selectively.
- The sensor might be faulty in which case you’ll need to return the Nexus 9 and get a replacement.
That’s all the Nexus 9 problems we have right now, but we’ll add more issues and solutions as we hear about and discover them.
