ok here is the deal on google I just went to my gmail to see if it did it to me and yes that screen came up asking for my mobile number I have never given it and won't if you just go to the bottom of that page and hit save and continue it takes you right to you email you are not forced to fill out your phone number. Just skip it and hit continue. I did and it opened right to my email. They want your cell number as a safety net if someone is trying to hack your account, I give them an alternate email address instead and they contact me that way. Which they did recently when someone was trying to access my account. Plus they put a lock on my gmail till I answered them from my alternate email address. About B&N that is exactly why you keep a copy of all your books on your pc so you are not depending on them. I have a folder on my pc with a copy of all my books, plus I have them on the SD card in my tablet.

vala unless you really want to use this thing as a tablet I really would consider NOT doing this update at least not now, I would enjoy it exactly as it is, it can do a LOT just like it is, I have not done the update on mine yet and not sure I will. I really like it as it is. If the time comes when the update seems to be working more easily and I really feel the need to have the other apps then I may do it or if I buy another PDN and do that one. Especially since you have not been using it at all yet, use it and enjoy it for a while before you get into an update that you may find very frustrating. I think everyone moving up to this update should definitely back up their current firmware or at the very least go into settings and write down what firmware version you have and your serial number so that should you need to revert back you at least know what one to go back to.

it should have listed if they are in Kindle format. I get a lot of mine free at feedbooks.com they offer them in Kindle version and also in epub which is what I use for my PDN. Feedbooks I like to check out the original books many are new authors some are from well known and they are free. I would be careful where you try to get books I go to the well known sites only. Peer to Peer has never been a safe way to go in my book.

they don't usually send out a notice for the firmware it is up to you to visit the PDn site and look for new firmware updates to install. the directions for how to do the firmware update is on the page where the firmware is located, I would do the SD card method (option 2). You want to make sure you get the firmware for the white US unit if that is what you have. You want to do the update with the unit plugged in so there is no chance of battery failure. Power off the unit(make sure you see the power off dialog), insert the sd card with the update on it, do not open the zip file at all just put it as it is on your sd card then insert sd card in slot,Where it says to hold the power button and the volume button at the same time you need to hold it longer than they say hold it till you see the little android icon and the unpacking bar, it will not go fully across the bar but it will reboot, then check your version number to make sure it now has the new firmware. I worried when you said you had re-seated the internal card that sometimes has caused problems. It may be that you will need to return it and get a new one if the firmware update does not do the trick. You want to be able to use the wifi so you can surf and do email and that kind of stuff. All the directions on how to do the update and all other info can be found on your unit in the library in the book there that is the user manual, read it all. Firmware Updates for Pandigital the latest version on the site is 11-19 also at the top you can click to view the user manual and guides in pdf.