Fastboot on Samsung devices

I was trying to do some fastboot commands on my Galaxy devices (Galaxy S4, 9515, 4Tab4), I start with fastboot devices and I am getting nothing (after adb reboot bootloader), is there any problem with samsung devices?

custom roms - How to change the boot logo, Not the bootanimation 4.2.2

Im trying to find out if I can change the boot logo, the one that shows up right before the bootanimation. Currently it show's me a linux logo.

I am looking to either completely remove it or change it to something else, but I can not find any information related to this, all that comes up is the animation, which I honestly couldn't care less about.

So to summarize it, Can I change/remove the boot logo? If so, how?

samsung galaxy ace - Headphone music controls not working correctly

I recently purchased a set of earphones (HTC RC E160) with music controls (next, play/pause, previous buttons).

Strangely, they do not appear to work on my Samsung Galaxy Ace. The play/pause button works properly, but the 'next' button does the same thing as the play/pause button and the 'previous' button does nothing at all.

I've tried making a testing Android app which tries to capture the button presses and obtain information about them. The previous button just goes completely undetected, but the next and play/pause buttons both display identical information.

Does anyone have some insight into what is going on? I'm unable to tell if my earphones are faulty, or if there is a compatibility issue.

EDIT - just tried on a Samsung Galaxy Tab, all three buttons work, except the next and previous buttons alter volume instead. Confused.

Examine android (v30) selinux policy

I'm trying to find what policy is actually enforced by my phone using selinux. You'd think this would be easy. After all, for security it is good to verify that your policy matches expectations. Unfortunately, I've found this shockingly hard to do, because A) android seems to use a forked policy version 30, and B) the policy toolchain seems to have a very low-quality build process (lots of hard-coded paths, etc.).

Here are two things I've tried that have not worked. If I try to use off-the-shelf setools tools (such as come packaged for fedora, or can be installed from AUR with arch linux), then I get the following (after pulling /sepolicy from by phone's root directory or factory image):

$ sedispol sepolicy 
Reading policy...

libsepol.policydb_read: policydb version 30 does not match my version range 15-29
sedispol:  error(s) encountered while parsing configuration
$ sesearch --all sepolicy 
ERROR: policydb version 30 does not match my version range 15-29
ERROR: Unable to open policy sepolicy.
ERROR: Success
$

Okay, so that suggests I have to build the android version of the selinux libraries. The AOSP source tree comes with precompiled versions of some tools but these depend on old shared libraries that I don't have (like libpcre3). Anyway, it's pretty shocking if the only way to check your security policy is to trust some binary shared library you get off the net.

So here's what I did to build the android selinux libraries. On arch, I had to install ustr-selinux from AUR, because ustr uses inline where it is now required to use static inline. Okay, so far so good. Unfortunately, the build process is really gross, but I was able to get enough of it compiled and installed with the following:

git clone https://android.googlesource.com/platform/external/selinux \
    android/external/selinux
export ANDROID_BUILD_TOP=$PWD/android
DESTDIR=$HOME/android_selinux
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$DESTDIR/lib:$DESTDIR/usr/lib"
cd android/external/selinux
sed -ie '/^LDLIBS.*(LIBDIR)/s/$/ ..\/lex.yy.o/' checkpolicy/test/Makefile
make install DESTDIR="$DESTDIR" \
     PREFIX='$(DESTDIR)/usr' \
     CFLAGS='-I$(PREFIX)/include' \

     -j20 -k
cp checkpolicy/test/dispol "$DESTDIR/usr/sbin/sedispol"
cp checkpolicy/test/dismod "$DESTDIR/usr/sbin/sedismod"

At this point, sedispol works an an ordinary SElinux policy (like a version 29 policy.29 from fedora), but still won't show me what's going on with android:

$ ~/android_selinux/usr/sbin/sedispol sepolicy 
Reading policy...
libsepol.avtab_read_item: more than one specifier
libsepol.avtab_read: failed on entry 457 of 5582
/home/user/android_selinux/usr/sbin/dispol:  error(s) encountered while parsing configuration

$ 

I also tried compiling the vanilla setools3 tools against the android libraries. Again, not so easy, but I got it to work with:

DESTDIR=$HOME/android_selinux
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$DESTDIR/lib:$DESTDIR/usr/lib"
git clone https://github.com/TresysTechnology/setools3.git
cd setools3
./configure --prefix=$DESTDIR/usr --with-sepol-devel=$DESTDIR/usr CPPFLAGS="-I$DESTDIR/usr/include -L$DESTDIR/usr/lib"
make -k -j20

This doesn't fully build, but builds enough of the source tree that I can execute secmds/sesearch. This sort of works on a vanilla policy.29 file (I can search -A and -T, but --all gives me operation not supported). However, it completely fails with a similar error when trying to examine an android version 30 file:

$ ./secmds/sesearch -A sepolicy 
ERROR: more than one specifier
ERROR: failed on entry 457 of 5582
ERROR: Unable to open policy sepolicy.
ERROR: Success
$ 

At this point my mind is kind of boggling that the tooling around something so critical as the system security policy is really this hard to build. Surely I must be doing something wrong. Has anyone actually managed to examine an android security policy without relying on externally distributed binary shared libraries?

I should add that I also tried the techniques suggested for rebuilding all prebuilt tools (ndk/build/tools/download-toolchain-sources.sh and ndk/build/tools/rebuild-all-prebuilt.sh). However the download-toolchain-sources.sh script is currently broken. It tries to check out old version directories that are not in the repositories any more, and anyway it doesn't appear to download any selinux related tools, despite that fact that prebuilts/python contains selinux-related code. Again, I'm shocked at how crufty these build systems are, and think there has to be an easier way. The question how can I get tools that allow me to check my android selinux policy?

How do I turn off USB tethering or restart USB connection via computer/PC's terminal?

How do I turn off USB tethering or restart USB connection via computer/PC's terminal?

samsung galaxy s 3 - Transfer everything to new phone?

I am changing from one Galaxy S3 to another S3. How can I transfer ALL my stuff? (I am not rooted.)

How to assign default app to unlisted file type

in Android 6.0 Marshmallow, is it possible to assign a default app to a file type that isn't listed yet? Specifically, I have *.notes for plain text notes, and *.md files for markdown. Windows is set to open them with my editor.

Is this possible in Android? So far, I can only assign default apps to file types that are already listed. Not to ones that aren't yet. From here etc., I find several different apps all called 'default app manager'. None of them seem to offer what I want.

Any suggestions?

Answer

Although this is slightly programming related, nevertheless;

You can't assign an application to open a specific file extension (.notes or .md in this case) if the application has no explicit intent filter declared in manifest file to open that extension type.

When an app is created it usually has various intent categories and intent filters for particular file extension(s) that makes android to recognise the capability to open a file extension.

If the declared intent filter matches that of a particular file say .pdf then android populates and lists all available applications capable of handling that file type, otherwise if no application contains thie specific intents to open/browse etc the particular file extension (.md or .notes in this case) then there is no way to set a default application for that file extension or at least to open that extension.

To expand on this lets consider an intent filter for a cetain application capable of opening/handling audio files:

In the named intents categories this audio application will have the capability to handle files extensions of audio types including .ogg and itunes file types.

Unless the intents to browse or open these file extensions have been declared in the manifest files of your already installed applications, you can't assign any application to be default. Either you first have to install an app capable of handling such extension or create your own application using suitable filters.

Related: Android intent filter for a particular file extension?

Clock in Notification Area Does Not Update

I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 with Android 4.2.2 that is behaving strangely. The clock on the notification bar refuses to update while I'm using the tablet or even while it's sleeping. The only times it updates is when you go into date/time settings and change the time or when the tablet goes to sleep and wakes up again. Another symptom is that none of the apps have updated in about two months.

I thought this clock (which is located in the notification bar (right next to the battery indicator and the wi-fi signal indicator) is part of the Android O/S. It seems strange that the clock would just stop updating. Any advice you could give (short of resetting the whole device) would be greatly appreciated.

Answer

The solution was simple. I just needed to restart the tablet. It hadn't been restarted in months and I guess that somehow the updating system process got in a weird state. After doing a reboot (restart) via a hard power off, the clock started working and updates are downloading as normal. I hope my solution here helps someone else.

Android Emulator: How to avoid boot loop after rooting?

I was searching for a way to root an Android emulator.

I was very thankful for finding an answer to how to root an Android Virtual Device here: Root Android virtual device with Android 7.1.1

The guide (see URL) works and successfully roots my emulator (API level 25 Google APIs on x86). However, it's stuck in a boot loop once the device gets restarted.

Is there any way to avoid this since performing the steps to root the device on every startup is quite inconvenient?

root access - Where are the lollipop OTA system upgrade files stored?

Android devices automatically download OTA system update files and store them on your device until you install them. Then you get a notification that the file has been downloaded. I do not want to update using this OTA file. I just would like to delete the OTA file but cannot find where it is stored. In the past they were stored in the /cache directory, but with lollipop that no longer seems to be the case.

updates - Insufficient storage updating Android app

This question already has answers here:

Closed 5 years ago.

Every time my Nexus S attempts to update Chrome, It displays an error stating "Insufficient storage available". According to "Manage apps" I have 412MB of internal storage available, which should be more than enough.

Searching Google turns up plenty of people with the same issue, but no definitive answer.

How do I get Chrome to update?

Answer

The app's data size had crept up to over 100MB. Still shouldn't be a problem in my opinion, but apparently that was enough to prevent updating.

I cleared the application data "Manage apps" -> "Chrome" -> "Clear data", then was able to update Chrome successfully from Google Play.

Email-client with Sent emails from many emails under IMAP?

I am struggling to set up graphical email-client program in Debian, more here and here. I have a similar problem with Android. I would like to see Sent -emails in my android phone. How can I see my sent -emails in my Android -phone from many email -addresses?

Profile

I use IMAP. I have currently many devices such as laptop, Android and iPad -- to manage the same emails (some odd lag every-now-and-then). I have many email -addresses connected with apps such as Gmail -app by Google and K-9 Mail where I use IMAP.

Answer

As with IMAP mails are stored centrally on the server, you can see all mails from all IMAP clients. You can automatically store sent mails to a "Sent" folder (instead of only send them and not storing them), which is configured on a per-client basis.

I cannot tell for your desktop clients how to do this, but with K9 you can select the folder in

Menu → More → Settings → Account settings → Folders → Folder for Sent objects

Just in the Folders menu, you will find some more special folders you can define (e.g. for drafts).

Having your "Sent" folder defined on all your clients (and always having defined the same), you should be able to easily view your sent mails from all clients, regardless of the fact from which client a mail was sent.

rooting - How can I root my Yarvik Tab411?

How can I root my tablet, the yarvik tab411? I tried to find information on the internet, but had no success.

The tab runs Android 4.1.1¹ 2.3.3.

¹ according to the link, this device currently ships with Android 4.1.1. Marrssel has an older version, running 2.3.3. ^{(comment by Izzy)}

Is there a way for me to run Adb shell as root without typing in 'su'?

Is there a way for me to run Adb shell as root without typing in su? I want to be able to have root access without going into the shell.

Answer

If I'm understanding your question correctly, you're asking how to get root access automatically when you run adb shell, so that you don't have to go into the shell and type su to execute a command as root on your phone.

This is controlled by a flag in your boot partition, which most custom ROMs have modified to allow root permission by default. If you get dropped to a $ when you use adb shell then you have two permanent options and one temporary one (temporary meaning that it doesn't stick if you reboot):

1. Flash a ROM that includes the modification


2. Create a custom boot.img and flash it to your phone


3. Restart adbd on your device with root permissions

Number 2 is actually not that difficult, but it can be somewhat dangerous if you're careless. There is a wiki article here which explains the process and includes a couple of Perl scripts to help you. These instructions assume a Linux/Unix environment. I have personally used these instructions on Fedora Linux and can tell you that they work, but I do not know about other *nix environments like Macs. I also do not know of any similar Windows instructions, but I could try to track some down if you are on Windows. The exact commands will vary somewhat from phone to phone since different devices use different partition tables.

Generally speaking, though, you need to pull your current boot.img from your phone, unpack it, extract the ramdisk, and find the default.prop file. This is a plaintext file, which you need to open in a text editor and then find the line that contains the value ro.secure. If the line says ro.secure=1 then you need to change it to ro.secure=0. After that you can re-pack the ramdisk and boot.img, then flash it to your phone. Once you reboot, you will be greeted with a # prompt whenever you perform adb shell without having to run su.

Alternatively, if you are using a custom ROM but it doesn't have this modification, you can just unzip the ROM and modify the boot.img that is included with it using the above steps. Then you can zip up the ROM with the newly modified boot.img and flash the zip file as you normally would.

This probably goes without saying, but be careful when doing this. Messing with your boot partition can quite easily wreck your phone and force you to recover via HBoot. I would highly recommend testing Fastboot to makes sure you can use extended Fastboot commands and perform a recovery. This varies a bit based on your model, but most phones have some sort of desktop software that can be run to reflash the phone as well.

---

The third option is that in many cases it may be possible to restart adbd on your device with root privileges. One possibility is to execute adb root from a PC terminal, although this will not work on all ROM configurations (the ROM must be built as a "userdebug" one). You can also try Chainfire's adbd insecure app. This will not persist across a reboot, so you would need to use either the app or adb root again any time you restarted your phone.

wi fi - How to diagnose malfunctioning wifi?

Nexus One, cleared internal user storage to near-factory settings using the boot menu. My computer is connected to wifi, and I have a USB tether to my phone.

But when I click on "Connect to wifi" -- even in the virgin "user setup" menu -- No networks are found, and the device becomes unbearably slow.

The device had functioned properly for 1.5 years ... until yesterday.

I don't know whether the problem is hardware or software. If it is in software, I would like to fix it... but I don't have wifi, and I don't have 3G.

What are the steps to diagnose this problem?

If it is a software problem, what are the steps to fix it?

9.0 pie - Blink notification led with specific app's notification

I have a bootleggers ROM (Android 9 pie) installed on a Motorola Moto E 2015 phone and I use the DW Contacts & Phone & SMS as a dialer app.

How can I make the battery/notification led blink when there is an active notification by the DW Contacts & Phone & SMS app for a missed call?

The led does not blink by default on this rom, when there is a missed call. Also for some reason notifications, that are created by tasker do not blink the led. But it does blink when there is an unread SMS (using GO SMS as an SMS app).

geolocation - Can apps know where you are even without GPS?

I've noticed that Google Maps, for instance, can guess where you are using phone towers or something even when GPS is turned off.

Does this apply to 3rd party apps? Can any app figure out where you are?

If so, are there large security implications there?

Basically as a developer, couldn't you build a background process that tracks every the location of every phone that has your app installed?

applications - App compatibility with a tablet

I might buy Nexus 7. But how are the apps configured with this larger screen? It's in between a regular tablet 10" and a phone 4" so how, for example, will apps like

and others work with this enlarged screen?

custom roms - How to replace Cyanogenmod dialer/contacts/messaging(texting) apps?

I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 with Verizon. I've recently rooted it and installed Cyanogenmod 10.1.

Of ocurse, when you buy the phone brand new, it comes with all the built-in apps from the manufacturer. With the Samsung Galaxy S3, I prefer their original dialer/contacts/messaging apps vs. the ones that comes with Cyanogenmod.

Is there anyway to get back the original dialer/contacts/messaging apps and replace the ones on Cyanogenmod? Is there anyway to change custom ROMs to your liking? Is there a apk of the original dialer/contacts/messaging S3 apps?

I'm new to the world of custom ROMs and rooting Android, so please, if you could, be specific and detailed as, most likely, I won't know where your coming from.

Thanks!

Answer

The problem with most manufacturer specific apps is that they are tied very closely with their specific framework, and will not work on "vanilla" Android OS.

In your example, Samsung's Contacts app relies heavily on features of their TouchWiz UI that ships standard with Galasy SIII, and will not function properly (or perhaps even at all) on custom ROMs that are not based on Samsung firmware. CyanogenMod is based on AOSP (Android Open Source Project) and none of the TouchWiz apps will work there. The same holds true for most other manufacturers' apps that ship with their proprietary UI overlays, such as Motorola's BLUR (or whatever they renamed it to,) or HTC's Sense for example.

Even if you manage to find an APK for a given app, installing it onto a system that doesn't have the required framework could potentially cause issues ranging anywhere from force-closes, to even not being able to boot the device. Always have a backup of your device before attempting any such modifications and/or installations, so that you can restore your device to a working condition should something go wrong.

As an alternative, you can try and find a 3rd-party replacement app that mimics the functionality of a manufacturer-specific app you're interested in. In most cases, Android will allow you to set the downloaded app as a default instead of the built-in app. For example, there are a myriad replacement Contacts management, Dialer, and Texting apps available in Google Play Store (both free and paid varieties.) I'm sure some of those will have features that you like from Samsung's corresponding app.

screen - How do I keep my Android 4.0.3 phone awake when USB connected?

On my old Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) phone there was an option to keep my phone awake when the USB cable was connected. But on my Samsung Galaxy S II, (4.0.3) I can not find it. Does the option still exist?

EDIT: If I go to settings > Developer options, then my options are:

USB debugging
Allow mock locations
Desktop backup password
strict mode enabled
pointer location
show touches
show screen updates

show CPU usage
Force GPU rendering
Window animation scale
Transition animation scale
don't keep activities
Background process limit
Show all ANR's

... and nothing else.

I just went to software update > check for updates, and was told "no update available".

Answer

I have checked on my two Ice Cream Sandwich Devices (Stock Xoom and Droid 3 running CM9 Beta). I have, under Settings > Developer Options a Stay Awake option. Which keeps your device awake when charging.

This will work if your device charges over USB (my Xoom does not, for instance).

However, should this option not be there, we can turn to apps for help!

StayAwake looks like it could be a solution to your problem.

WakeLocker for Galaxy S also looks to be a solution.

uninstallation - Reinstall System app which is uninstalled for the current user?

So, I have already posted this on reddit, but I might reach a better audience here.
I "uninstalled" google play games using this guide by XDA. Now I need to reinstall it. This is the command, how I should be able to reinstall the app: adb shell cmd package install-existing
But there is one problem: My phone is on Android Lollipop, and the command doesn't exist there. I manually tried to install the apk back, with adb and with normal package installer. The Settings app always says something like Not installed for user" (translated from other language).

So I have 2 Questions:
1) In which Android version was this command introduced?
and 2) How can I get this app back?

PS: I have root access, but would prefer a non rooted solution.

9.0 pie - What are the alternatives for Xposed framework on Pie? Preferably without triggering Safety Net?

Xposed development has been in a limbo with the last update being a beta released a year ago.

Die hard fans of Xposed hesitate to upgrade Android, in the absence of Xposed support.This is true for the latest Android Pie as well. Magisk is useful but cannot replace Xposed for deep stuff. Yet another concern is Safety Net getting triggered when Xposed framework is installed through Magisk.

What are the alternatives available? Preferably without triggering Safety Net?

Note :

1. 
   

   This is a self answered question to share my recent foray into this after upgrading to Pie.

   
   


2. 
   

   Moderators are welcome to make this a wiki Q and A if it attracts more updates or if deemed fit.

   
   

Answer

Alternatives to Xposed (rovo89) are:

• 
  

  Virtual Xposed - a rootless Xposed and therefore far less capable. I didn't investigate further for this reason but I read that development on this has stopped (unconfirmed).

  
  


• 
  

  Tai-Chi Xposed by the same developer of Virtual Xposed and supports Android Pie. Said to be close sourced and likely to be paid module per some reports.

  
  


• 
  

  Edxposed. This is the alternative I chose.

  
  

Disclaimer: I am not a developer nor am I affiliated to any app or module.

Yes

For an average user like me, two factors help decide:

• 
  

  Open Source Vs Close Source Edxposed is Open source. I have no understanding of code and cannot draw any conclusion from looking at code. But yes, being open source means it is subject to scrutiny by knowledgeable folks and therefore safer (Please don't drag me into open source discussion, rather post an alternative answer :).

  
  


• 
  

  Provenance or trust attached

  
  
  
  
  
  • 
    

    The last Xposed update by rovo89 is also close sourced (as against earlier versions which are open source). This being close source would not have detracted people from using it purely based on developer's reputation.

    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    In the case of Edxposed, my trust lies with Marcel (aka M66B) who has developed several privacy centered modules / apps such as NetGuard, Xprivacy, XprivacyLua and FairEmail. For me, when a staunch privacy advocate like Marcel starts development using EdXposed(edit-completed development), that's pretty much sovereign guarantee despite some warnings about close source (Incidentally, this claim is incorrect and a Reddit user informed XDA portal. To clarify again, it is open source)

    
    
  
  
  
  

• 
  

  It is not (yet) as powerful as Xposed because it lacks support at this stage for resource hooks but it may get added hopefully.

  
  


• 
  

  It is still in beta stage but a lot of modules work already. See [Updated] List of Xposed modules for Android Pie working with Ed Xposed Framework for a list of working and non-working modules which is being updated. Take this list with a pinch of salt - it may mean anything from doesn't crash and works partially to fully works. See last question below.

  
  


• 
  

  For me XPrivacy Lua works and works far better on EdXposed than on the beta version of Xposed on Oreo. Another must module for me is Maxlock which works fine. Only one I want is GravityBox and C3C076 , developer of GravityBox is considering development for EdXposed and it is likely others follow suit.

  
  
  

Yes :)

Check for updates from corresponding links below as they would change being a beta. Valid as on 12 Feb 19 and will not be updated in this answer

Source Android 9.0 uses xposed solutions as updated

Use Magisk order to install these modules in the same order ( You won't find them in the magisk repo. Download them and from Magisk Downloads option click on the + to install and they will appear as Magisk Modules)

1. 
   
   

   Magisk-riru-core-arm-arm64-v10.zip

   
   


2. 
   

   Magisk-EdXposed-arm-arm64-v x.x_beta-release.zip

   
   


3. 
   

   Don't reboot yet , install XposedInstaller_by_dvdandroid_19_10_18. apk or from XDA

   
   

magisk-EdXposed-v0.2.9.8_beta1-release.zip (check for updates in subsequent releases)

4. Reboot.

Traditionally XPosed always had a problem with such devices but EdXposed seems to fare better. Issues with some devices are reported so YMMV (check out the linked XDA thread)

Developers would need to upgrade their modules for working with Pie AND EdXposed. As of now, the following modules meet these requirements

Notes

• 
  

  You may need multiple reboots.

  
  


• 
  

  Ignore the warning on the installer Xposed not yet compatible ...with SDK 28...or your Android architecture (see pic below).

  
  


• 
  

  You may find at times that installer is disabled - reinstall and reboot to fix. For some , soft reboot from installer fixes the problem (root permission needs to be given for installer).

  
  


• 
  
  

  Whenever Installer is upgraded, it is better in my experience to uninstall the earlier installer and install the newer one to prevent instability

  
  


• 
  

  Your device may be noticeably slower to respond - that's a price to pay till things stabilize.

  
  


• 
  

  Some modules may work with earlier versions of Edxposed and not with later versions or vice-versa.

  
  


• 
  

  Pro-tip Just in case you land up installing a module that ends up in a boot loop or creates some other problem , it is handy to have [Tool][2018.8.1] Magisk Manager for Recovery Mode (mm) installed so that you can disable or uninstall the Xposed modules from Magisk.

  
  
  

Screenshots are from my MiA1 (Android one) running stock OS with latest Magisk 18.1

(Click to enlarge)

Happy Xposing !

browser - Unable to download from an authenticated webserver

On my Galaxy S3 / ICS handset, and also I expect on my previous Galaxy S / Froyo I'm unable to save any links from my web server due to the fact that it requires a user authentication. I can browse the site happily in Chrome and the default browser, but when I go to save a link, whatever it is that does the downloading sends in an HTTP request with no user agent not authentication header set, so the download fails, with a 401 error being returned.

What gives, peeps?

App registered to wrong account; how to fix this?

I have three Google accounts registered to my Android: my main, personal account (let's call it account A), and two volunteer community accounts whose emails I manage (call them accounts B and C).

When I first got the phone, I registered with my account A and later added accounts B and C, so that my primary account is account A.

The problem is that since the upgrade from Android 4.4.4 to Android 5.0, one of my apps has lost its license.

When I try to restore the license, I realise that the app is now registered to account B instead of account A (it shows the email address for account B instead of account A).

Why is it registered to the wrong account? More importantly, how can I fix this?

If possible, I'd prefer not to uninstall and reinstall the app, because I will lose all of my data for that app. But, I'll do it if I have to.

I am using an unrooted Nexus 5, fully updated, Android 5.0.

How can I unlock a pattern lock if my screen is defunct?

I have damaged the screen on my phone, so much so, it will not allow me to get the data to transfer onto my laptop. On opening Samsung Kies, it is saying that the connected device is locked. Please enter password on the connected device. I can only assume its the pattern lock they are referring to as I have managed to unlock the sim.

As I am unable to do this due to the screen being cracked, I wondered whether there is any other way of doing this, before sending the same onto my insurance company, as they are saying that I will lose all the data! Cant see why seeing as its just the hardware that is damaged and not the software.

How to configure BlueStack AppPlayer to use Proxy settings when connecting to Network?

Bluestacks allows running of Android apps on Windows by emulating the Android OS image.

I recently installed BlueStacks_HD_AppPlayerPro (0.7.0.725) on Windows XP but was not able to download/install any apps because my network requires a proxy. It shows the following error:

I tried using ProxyCaps like freecap, but it did not work for me. How can I configure BlueStacks to use my proxy settings?

rooting - How to root a Samsung Spica

How do I go about rooting my Samsung Spica?

Answer

The main reference resource site for modders and "cookers" of Samsung Spica aka i5700 is at Samdroid forum board, here.

It contains all information you need to upgrade your firmware version, root your phone, etc.

Cannot access galaxy nexus via adb

Yesterday my noble Galaxy Nexus (maguro) sacrificed itself to save me when I fell from my mountain bike.

I would like to copy the data to my computer. What is good: the screen and the sim card is broken, but the rest of the phone seems to be still working.

When I plug in the phone on my Linux (Debian) computer, it is detected as multimedia device. However, I cannot access the data, as I would need to unlock the screen (which is broken).

Alternatively, I tried to access the phone using the adb-tools. However, the device is not listed:

$ ./adb devices
List of devices attached 

$

I can see my phone in lsusb:

$ lsusb
...
Bus 006 Device 002: ID 04e8:685c Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd GT-I9250 Phone [Galaxy Nexus]
...

I tried some different stuff, like generating a /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules file, but this didn't help.

I also tried to boot the phone to the bootloader, but I didn't succeed - maybe the connection to the volume buttons is broken.

Some additional information that may help: my Galaxy Nexus runs AOKP and Clockworkmod is installed.

4.1 jelly bean - Where is the precmd command in android?

I'm kind of used to linux. I'm using Busybox from the Busybox Free installer, with Busybox 1.21.0-Stericson. Trying to chance my shell to the Busybox shell using busybox ash gives the following error after every single command:

ash: precmd: not found
echo $PS1
$(precmd)$USER@$HOSTNAME:${PWD: -?} $ 

I tried to go back to the normal shell and find out WHERE precmd is:

which precmd

It just changes the prompt to have "1|" in front of it, without giving me WHERE it is. I found a solution here, but have no idea where to put it. I'm basically trying to do the same as this question (make Busybox shell the default).

Answer

If you are using Connectbot: according to an article at XDA-Developers, this is nothing but a cosmetical error:

Connectbot seems to set shell variable 'PS1' to "$(precmd)$USER@$HOSTNAME:${PWD:-?} $ ".
It means your shell (the busybox's ash applet) will try to use output from 'precmd' as a part of a command prompt. So when 'precmd' was not provided, error messages will be generated wenever a prompt was to be shown.

To fix this, mentioned post says you can use PS1="> " (or simply unset PS1) to work around that error.

cyanogenmod - What is this notification , how do o get rid of this

I dont understand what notification icon is this , I get this beside my Wifi symbol

Parental control for kid's tablet

I have just bought a samsung galaxy tablet 2 (7.0) for my 6 year old son. He loves it but I am extremely worried that he may inadvertently access the wrong websites.

The tablet is a wi-fi version and I can switch off the internet connection but many educational games recommended by his school require a wi-fi connection.

What are some key things that I can do to ensure adequate parental control when he is using the tablet?

The android version is 4.0.1. I am unsure if this can be upgraded but when I run the software update, it says that the tablet has the latest version.

rooting - False "Internal memory space is low" on tPAD - need a root access

A friend of mine has a chinese Teclast tPAD with Android 2.3.1. After some time of usage we start to get system notification "Internal memory space is low". Yet there are tons of free space in all types of memory: 14 Gb in SD, 5 Gb in NAND flash, 400 Mb in internal memory, 156 Mb RAM. Apparently something is wrong with the system because we can't install most of programs - installation typically finishes with a notification about insufficient memory.

From what I have read here, this can be caused by overflown hidden system folders, such as /data and /cache. So the question is, how can I get root access for tPAD, or how the cleanup can be done without root access?

This brand is not well supported worldwide, so it's very hard to find drivers and apps applicable. For example, I can't plug the device into a PC's USB in developer mode (if it could help) though the appropriate option is enabled.

samsung galaxy nexus - Auto-rotate only for YouTube app, disabled otherwise

This question already has answers here:

Closed 4 years ago.

I find auto-rotate really annoying so I generally have it turned off.

Unfortunately, when I'm playing a YouTube video, it's equally annoying when I try to tilt the screen and then remember I have it turned off :)

I would like a way to have auto-rotate working as usual when a YouTube video is playing, otherwise disabled.

Is that possible? I would like it all handled automatically, I'm not really interested in apps or widgets where I have to toggle a setting manually.

P.S. My phone is a Galaxy Nexus.

Answer

There isn't a system setting, so the app Smart Rotator is probably the closest thing you can get, but yes, in the beginning, you have to set everything up yourself.

htc wildfire - gallery sort order

I have HTC Wildfire.

I used default gallery app, that ships with the phone to view photos.

What is the default sort order of the gallery app?

Sometimes, photos are in a particular order, after a month of so, they are in different order.

I don't know what is happening.

5.0 lollipop - pm hide VS pm disable -- the identity crisis

What's the need of pm disable when pm hide already does its job?

I've compiled some information based on my search and research: click here to see the table (edited).

As you can see, pm hide can achieve what pm disable can, but without needing root access. Also, based on my tests, I've reached the conclusion that when pm hide is performed, unlike pm disable, no matter what, the app will not be loaded in the memory again.

I opine that hide descended from block. Block was first introduced in KitKat 4.4.0, remained till Android L Preview and was later superseded by hide in Android 5.0.0. It is not clear to me what lead to renaming of block to hide and why was it needed?

Regardless, if somebody without root access can achieve the functionality of disable, then why does disable exists at all?

Furthermore, why does hide exists? If hide was built supposedly to help users to get rid of anything they want, without un-installation and without rooting the device, then in the GUI we should be having a relevant option, but we've got only the disable option.

Intertwine questions:

• What are the merits and demerits of them, excluding those noted in my question?



• Why both of them exists and to what or whom do they serve?


• Is it technically true that hide surpasses the functionality of disable and can truly disable any app, when executed on it?


• 
  

  New: Given findings of Andrew T. and my tests shown in the table, is component shown in hide's usage an error or have I failed to understand latter's usage?

  
  

  For historical purposes: hide's usage as of now is shown as

  
  

  pm hide [--user USER_ID] PACKAGE_OR_COMPONENT
  

Note: The question does not, in any fashion, seeks unsubstantiated opinion but straight to-the-point answer(s). If you must write an opinion, make sure to back it up using credible and technical sources with sound reasoning to make distinction between what is technical and real and what is speculative.

---

Tests performed on Carbon ROM (Android 5.1.1) and COS12 (Android 5.0.2) for OnePlus One.

4.1 jelly bean - Overflow menu icon (three vertical dots) visible in Apps in HTC One X and not in Samsung Galaxy S2

I have HTC One X while my friend has Samsung Galaxy S2. In some Apps like Google Chrome in my phone the Overflow menu icon (three vertical dots) are visible while on SGS2 they are not.

Google Chrome in HTC One X with Overflow menu icon (three vertical dots)

Google Chrome in Samsung Galaxy S2 without Overflow menu icon

In my HOX I have set the setting of "Recent apps button" to "Press for menu, press and hold for recent apps". So when I press recent apps button it shows the menu, so the menu icon should be hidden, right?

Why is the menu icon visible on HTC One X and not on Samsung Galaxy S2?

firewall - How can I add iptables rules that persist across reboots?

I want to add an iptables rule on my Android phone. I used:

iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -p 6 -d 192.168.66.1 --dport 80 -j DNAT --to 192.168.66.1:808

...as root. This rule can be checked in adb shell, and I can see that it was added:

# iptables -t nat -nL
chain PREROUTING (policy ACCEPT)
prot   opt    source       destination    idletimer_nat_PREROUTING  

all    --     0.0.0.0/0    0.0.0.0/0      DNAT       
tcp    --     0.0.0.0/0    192.168.66.1   tcp dpt:80 to:192.168.66.1:8080

I want this rule to persist after a reboot, so I added an iptabless file in /etc/sysconfig with these contents:

-t nat -A PREROUTING -p 6 -d 192.168.66.1 --dport 80 -j DNAT --to 192.168.66.1:8080

However, when I reboot my phone, no rule is added.

Does Android support the /etc/sysconfig/iptables path? I got this path from a PC Linux installation ( I tested /etc/iptables/rules.v4 as well, it also did not work).

At the same time, I also don't know whether its content is right.

Additionally, I cannot root my testing phone in the future. Is it possible to add persistent iptables rules on an unrooted phone?

troubleshooting - What does leaving your device off for a while do?

This page: What should I do before I try advanced troubleshooting says

3) Keep your device switched off for a while. Make sure you remove your SIM card (and the battery and SD card as well, if they are detachable) and wait about 30 minutes.

What is the purpose of that? What is it expected to accomplish?

battery life - How can I boot my Nexus S with a broken power button? Can only boot to "Do not turn off target"

My Nexus S power button has stopped working and Samsung will not honor the warranty. The farthest I've gotten is to the Downloading screen with the yellow work ahead sign, that says "Do not turn off target" and USB Control Init USB Control Init End.

My computer does not find the device via the Android SDK.

I looked up this post Turn phone on with ADB or Fastboot? and others outside of this forum (eg: removing and inserting battery with charger connected), but it does not work for me.

Once I boot it I can use it by plugging a battery charger or cable to turn on the screen.

Is there a way I could boot it?

Answer

All the methods you've tried, and the ones I've been reading for the past hour, exploit a circuit "bump" that shouldn't even happen in the first place.

If they don't work with your phone, be happy, your phone is not suffering from further defects. Some I'm referencing are:

---

What you should actually do is to repair the phone, it costs a certain amount, but at least you get the problem fixed by professionals and can take preventive measures to prevent this from happening again.

1. 
   

   To repair, you can use Nexus S Power Button Repair or other near you.

   
   


2. 
   

   As a preventive measure, to avoid degrading the power button, you can use an app to lock/unlock the phone. With it, you'll give less use to your power button, and in turn it may last longer.

   
   
   

   Even if it gets broken again, with an app, you still have alternative methods of controlling your phone (lock/unlock).

   
   

   Fix Broken Power Button by Destil available from Google Play Store.

   
   

   

   
   

   Note: An app installed on your phone CANNOT power it on. So, if the power button breaks again, be sure to not let your phone's battery get empty.

   
   

applications - Is there a reliable way to detect the app responsible for an Airpush ad?

I noticed the other day that my Xoom's notification bar has started receiving Airpush ads (which is what it sounds like - push notifications that are really ads). I'm rather philosophically opposed to the idea of push-ads on my device, so I'd like to remove the offending application, but the ad doesn't give you any way to figure this out. Clicking on the notification star only gives you a link to the advertisement page, and nothing more.

I found Airpush Detector in the Market, but it doesn't seem to work on my Xoom, perhaps because of some Android 3.x differences. When I launch the app it says that no Airpush apps were found, but this is obviously not correct. Another option I've seen is systematically freezing apps using Titanium Backup until I find the guilty one, but that would be very time consuming and I'm not even sure if it would work.

I'm also aware of the permanent opt-out app in the Market, but I really would rather uninstall the app responsible for the ads (again, due to philosophical beliefs).

Is there any way for me to detect the origin of an Airpush ad?

I lost my phone but need to find it's IMEI. What places can I look?

I had a Nexus S but lost it or it was stolen. I need to find it's IMEI. I don't have the box or documentation either.

I've checked exif data from photos taken with the phone.

What other potential sources are there for it's IMEI?

wi fi - No "Use system certificates" when trying to connect to WiFi

I am having a problem connecting to my university Eduroam WiFi.

If I understand correctly, in CA certificate I am supposed to select CA certificate if it is there or Use system certificate and input my university domain.

But, I only have: Select certificate or Don't validate. And if I click Select certificate, nothing is changing, there is not a Domain field appearing like I think it should (and where I could the domain name) (see screenshot).

Can you help?

settings - How can I disable mobile data completely?

I have a pre-paid plan and don't want to use my mobile data except for two days in the year. However, since there's the quick option button mobile data, I fear I might press the wrong button when I'm dizzy.

So is it possible to deactivate mobile data completely, such that a press on the "mobile data" quick button won't activate it anymore? Or a little bit more drastic: how can I remove that feature from my phone?

^{If the solution is device specific, I'm looking for an answer for a Samsung Galaxy S2 (GT-I9100, running stock 4.1.2), but I would like a general solution.}

Answer

Create a dummy APN and select that as default.

With this, even if you enable data accidentally via toggles, it would still not connect.

^{PS: Added as an answer as suggested by OP}

performance - Are there guidelines on how much free RAM a phone should have - specifically Samsung Galaxy S?

I have a Samsung Galaxy S (AT&T Captivate) that is rooted. I have various ways to tweak the amount of free RAM the OS leaves on the phone. The default is 48 MB, but I was wondering if I could actually go lower without impacting phone performance. Are there guidelines posted anywhere, or that can be deduced based on knowledge of the Android platform? Or should I trust that the default settings are appropriate? I understand that when it comes to free RAM, more isn't necessarily better, but I understand that there is still a threshold that I don't want to dip below.

I'm running a 2.3.6 Gingerbread based ROM. For what it's worth, I'm running the Zeam launcher.

Answer

In the "linux world", what android is at its core, free RAM is wasted RAM. The system will attempt to use up as much RAM as needed. If more is needed, and there are applications that are no longer requiring the RAM it has allocated, the system will free up the RAM from that application an allocate it to the new application that needs it.

Having less RAM available will not necessarily affect the performance. What will affect it is if it frequently needs to free up RAM on the system for other applications. meaning if there a lot of running applications that are Active, and require the RAM, then you can see performance issues. This is because the the system needs to save the state of the application, free up the RAM and then allocate the freed RAM to a new application.

As for what a "low point" might be, I can't say. I have NEVER watched my available RAM, and never really experienced any performance issues because of RAM. for the record, I have the same device (but the T-Mobile version).

usb on the go - Is it possible to use external hard drives with USB OTG?

On some sources I have read that it is impossible to use external hard drives over USB OTG. Is it really impossible? Isn't there some kind of workaround? Update: Apparently ES file explorer can see the disk but can't open it. I heard there are such issues with NTFS hard drives on Android.

Answer

Absolutely possible, I do this almost every day. You need to have an otg dongle (not just a cable) that permits adding an external power source. I use a dongle I bought on amazon for £12 and normal usb battery pack. Then I can load films onto my phone from a 2tb WD passport.

Without the additional power source you are not able to read the drive as your phone (or tablet) can't output enough current to properly operate the HDD.

motorola droid - How to break in a new cell phone battery?

Whats the best way to break in a new cell phone battery?

I just got a replacement battery for my Motorola Droid and so far through 2 cycles it is barely lasting a few hours.

Refund Google Play apps but haven't got my money back

I had purchased a game on Google Play but later I realized that it was too bad, so I requested a refund. I've received a refund email from Google but I haven't received my money back. Is that a problem?

When I opened the Payment History page, it writes Canceled next to that game. I purchased that game using my phone bill.

Answer

No

It's not a problem. Sometimes it takes time to refund. It's happened to me earlier.

Nothing to worry about since you got your confirmation mail as also transaction is cancelled

If you wish to be doubly sure, you can call or chat with Google help from the Google Play Settings → Help and feedback

Edit: Just stumbled on this from Google Play Refund help. If the status shows cancelled it means

If the status is "Cancelled," the order was never charged and so you will not see a credit on your form of payment.

There is also a detailed table for refund timelines. Summary below :

• 
  
  

  Credit or debit card - 3 to 5 business days

  
  


• 
  

  Direct carrier billing (prepaid / pay-as-you-go) - 1 to 30 business days

  
  


• 
  

  Direct carrier billing (postpaid / contract) - 1 to 2 monthly statements

  
  


• 
  

  Google Play balance (gift card or credit balance or Google wallet - one business day

  
  
  


• 
  

  Online Banking - 1 to 10 business days

  
  


• 
  

  PayPal - 3 to 5 business days

  
  

photos - How to change someone's profile picture in WhatsApp?

I don't like one of my WhatsApp friend's picture (we chat regularly though his photo disgusts me), so I want to change his profile picture.

I did change its source image, but it didn't work on the small image that you see on the chat screen next to the name. Is it possible to change it? If it's how?

I did it. With this command: adb push C:\Users\portakal.AndroidStudio\system\tmp\image.jpg /data/data/com.whatsapp/files/Avatars/XXXXXXX@s.whatsapp.net.j

XXXXXXXX is the number and image is the photo that I wanted to see instead of his.

alarm - Inaccurate time? How to fix it?

Sometimes the time on my phone (X10 mini pro) is a little late while in sleep mode. I've experienced differences from 1 to 3 hours. My guess is that the clock system component (if there is such a thing in Android) doesn't get enough CPU time for some reason. This is not a big problem yet, since the clock will show the correct time just a few hundred milliseconds after I turn the screen on. The problem starts when I'm in sleep mode too and the phone is supposed to wake me up, because that way I have to wake up first to wake up my phone to wake me up.

So the question is: is there a way to force my phone's clock to always refresh it's time, even in sleep mode?

Update: I think I've found a pattern which might be relevant. Looks like this behaviour never occurs while charging the battery.

Answer

You can use an app called ClockSync, which fetches time from NTP servers and updates the device's date and time. Rooted users can make this app to update time at configurable interval.

google play store - How do I deal with unknown installation error code -505?

I have a Nexus 7 and it has just been updated to Android 5.

Two apps give me trouble after the system upgrade, games that my kids play. Dumb Ways to Die and VVVVVV. Both of these had icons after the upgrade but when clicked a popup appeared saying "App not installed". I attempt to install them. The download is fine. The install begins. And then an error message:

Unknown error code during application installation: "-505"

The exact same error for both apps. I've restarted the device to no avail.

I have no idea what to do next. Please could some kind soul give me advice on how I might remedy this problem.

root access - Can Google services be firewall-filtered (market yes, sync no)?

I recently asked about the availability of calendars with limited sandbox permissions, since I felt that most of them ask for access that is too wide, and hence are not as secure as I'd like. I also explored in that question what options were available to sync only to local computers, and to definitively prevent the device from syncing private data (calendar, contacts, todos) to Google. I plan to do my own backups locally.

Side note: not syncing private data with Google is a little trickier than a new user would expect. This is because a Google account is required to use the marketplace, and once the phone has that account, it cannot be removed without a factory reset (at least in version 2.2). The sync to it can be disabled, but if one accidentally turns it on - easily done momentarily, in my view - contacts and calendar are likely to whoosh to the cloud in short order.

One of course has to balance security requirements with usability, and my favourite calendars thus far (Business Calendar, aCalendar) do not offer their own private calendar repositories (they just work with any calendar sync provider). Ergo, they are equally at risk of accidental cloud synching as the stock Calendar application.

So, I am wondering if rooting the device and installing a firewall would be the way to go? I was originally of the view that I could grant application permissions to Market/Play to contact Google, but not Calendar. However I see in the DroidWall FAQ, if one wishes to continue using the market after installing the firewall:

Enable the following applications:

• "Market";


• "Media Storage, DRM Protected Content Storage, Download Manager" and


• "Calendar Sync Adapter, Google Services Framework, Contacts Sync Adapter"

It seems odd that, to use the market one needs to grant permissions to the latter, but would be entirely in keeping with Google's policy of making it hard to avoid their services. Any root owners here have thoughts as to whether it is possible? I'm hoping I can filter+block on calendar.google.com etc whilst permitting play.google.com - or similar.

(I suppose the easiest answer to this Q is "try it!", but I'm looking for expertise before I risk rooting my phone).

google play store - How can I prevent Android from auto-installing all of my apps?

I usually install different ROMs regularly...

When I set up my account on a fresh ROM, I don't want my phone to start loading all of the apps that I had installed with the same account on previous ROM. I want to choose what I want reinstalled on a new version.

Can I control this behaviour or is there a another way around this?

samsung galaxy note 4 - Do I need CFs auto root If I can install TWRP recovery?

I am about to try and root my Samsung galaxy note 4 and install TWRP recovery. I want to avoid any conflicting issues so I would like to know If I need to use CFs auto root first and then install TWRP recovery, or if I can just install TWRP recovery and root with that. Also is v3.10.0 the latest Odin version?

Also, will rooting and installing a custom recovery affect any phone features?

Answer

Rooting and installing a recovery are two entirely different processes which do not interfere with each other. If you can install a recovery without rooting (as far as I know, Odin can do this), I would suggest that you try that and then install a rooting .zip from that recovery, I highly suggest koush's Superuser, the zip can be downloaded from its Google Play page. That way you aren't relying on an exploit to obtain root access.

samsung galaxy s 2 - How can I tell if I have ClockworkMod recovery installed?

How can I know if my Galaxy S2 has ClockworkMod recovery installed? I want to install CyangenMod and installing ClockworkMod is the first step. I'm running Android 2.3.3 and I use a Mac laptop, if that's relevant.

Repartitioning HTC Sensation 4GB internal memory for /data?

Is there a way to repartition the internal 4GB of my htc sensation? Currently, only 1GB is available for use (/data) The rest is being allocated to /system, /cache, etc.

linux - Can't explore files on my Sony Xperia U using my Ubuntu 12.10 laptop

I previously used Ubuntu 12.04. When I connected my phone (Sony Xperia U) in MTP mode, I would be able to see it in Nautilus as a "SEMC HSUSB device" and browse files, copy files, and so on.

Now, I have a new laptop and I've installed Ubuntu 12.10 on it. My device is not recognised any more by Nautilus - I can see that the OS recognises it by seeing the entries that appear in /var/log/syslog - but the phone does not get mounted and I can't think of any way to access the files on the phone and put new files there except the terribly slow Bluetooth.

Has anyone else faced such an issue? Can you help?

4.1 jelly bean - where are Android Chrome bookmarks?

What is the path of the bookmarks file for Chrome in Android 4.1.2? eg is it in the /sdcard/data directory or somewhere else?

Answer

As far as I know, they are stored under:

data/data/com.android.chrome/app_chrome/default/bookmarks

Will charging a phone with a different USB *cable* affect the battery life?

I recently realized that I've been using the wrong USB cable to charge my Moto X Play(2015) for probably a couple weeks. The phone is specifically designed to charge very quickly with its' default charger, and I've been feeling like the battery life has dropped slightly over the past week or two (roughly the duration of time that I would have been using the wrong cable.)

I was using the correct wall-plug, but the wrong USB cable. I'm hoping that the chip to control fast-charging is in the wall-plug and that the cable wouldn't matter, but again I feel like the battery is dropping faster now than when I got it only a few weeks ago. Not by any great margin, but enough to be frustrating, considering it's my own stupid fault.

If anyone has any idea whether this would cause any damage to the battery, I would really just like to know for the future. Feel really stupid, the only reason I got this phone was for the large battery capacity it has.

wi fi - How to disable cellular when WiFi is present?

I perform all my communication via the internet (Jabber, SIP), so I only need cellular as a backup.

Additionally, coverage at my home is near to nonexistent and as a result, battery drains in a few hours (as opposed to few days when GSM is disabled).

Is there an app for disabling cellular communication entirely (airplane mode) if a WiFi network is present, and enabling it otherwise?

^{I'm not interested in solutions which disable just the data connection: Android handles that already.
I'm OK with solutions which require rooting, rebuilding Android, etc.}

Answer

Might help to look into @Izzy's solution involving tasker.

A tweak is needed:

• Instead of detecting a GSM/CDMA signal, check if a Wifi network is present nearby


• Switch to/enable airplane mode and enable Wifi and connect appropriately (this part am uncertain about - if its an open public Wifi point, good (its bad but another story about open Wifi's) What if it's a private Wifi network and need to input the key? Tasker might be able to help you with that, unsure!


• If moving away from network point, switch off/disable Wifi and disable the Airplane mode.

Having a look here at this wiki titled "Turn on Wifi at home" entry might also help you as well, to quote, in case of link rot:

My route to and from work is populated by open networks from cable providers that require log-in via webpages and unsecured home networks. Whenever I pass them my phone tries to connect, disconnecting me from 3G. Leaving WiFi on all the time means I'm left with constant service interruptions. forgetting to turn on WiFi at at home runs the risk of eating up my data plan. For this reason I turn off WiFi when I'm out and turn it on when I get home. But what if I forget?

With this Tasker profile, my phone now uses cell location data to turn wifi on/off.

Steps:

Turn GPS on (just for now). You don't need to keep it running all the time, but it helps to pinpoint where your location for the context step.

First, go home (the place your wifi router lives).

Profile: WiFi At Home Context: Location > Net=On, GPS=Off, Radius 500m, Get Fix

Task: At Home Action: Net > WiFi > On Task (optional): Alert > Popup > Text "WiFi On"

Task: Leaving Home Action: Net > WiFi > Off Task (optional): Alert > Popup > Text "WiFi Off"

Get Fix locates where you currently are on a map so you need to actually be at home for this step.

You have several setting options depending on how much power consumption vs. accuracy. See [html http://tasker.dinglisch.net/userguide/en/loctears.html "Location Without Tears"]. The least accurate (Net=Off, GPS=Off) needs a really large radius. The most accurate (Net=On, GPS=On) will drain your battery faster.

I find Net=On, GPS=Off, Radius 500m to work fine. My phone knows when I'm home.

Voice commands for contacts with unusual names

Device: Samsung Galaxy Note 3.

My partner's name is not "anglo" and I have not worked out a way to pronounce it and have it understood. Are there work-arounds for this?

1. Can I get the phone to pronounce the name so that I can try to use the same tortured pronunciation?



2. Is there a way to set a simpler "nick name" for a contact that can be better understood?


3. On my device, can Google Now do the same thing instead of S-Voice I.e. "Call partner_name/nickname" and would it be any better?

Answer

I would try the first approach, and have the system pronounce the name. To do so, a simple TTS app like Auto Speak Clipboard 2 will do: Install it, copy her name to the clipboard, send out all cats and your girl (to avoid their punishment), and have that app speak what it thinks the name should sound like. Have some Valerian ready in case you freak out ;)

applications - How to disable app notifications of a certain app?

This question already has answers here:

Closed 4 years ago.

How can I disable the app notifications of a certain app I installed from Google Play?

Answer

You can disable a notification off an app by following the steps below:

Note: This guide is made on Android Lollipop and it can vary per device/Android version.

1. Open Settings:

2. Scroll down till you see Apps and click it:

3. Search for the app that you want to disable the notifications of:

4. Now uncheck Show notifications and tap OK:

5. Now your notifications of the app should be disabled.

Hope my answer helps somebody!

motorola droid x - How to manually upload ringtones and notifications to DroidX?

I've created 2 folders on the root of the SD card,

• Ringtones


• Notifications

and placed one mp3 file within each. When I disconnect the DroidX from the USB cable and navigate to either "Settings" > "Sound"> "Phone ringtone", or "Settings" > "Sound" > "Notification ringtone", neither mp3 file shows up.

What am I doing wrong?

Answer

You don't need to make your own folders.

The proper file to put the mp3s is /system/media/audio/ - where you will find folders for /alarms , /notifications , and /ringtones

There are two things to keep in mind when doing this:

1. 
   

   If you are using full-sized .mp3's , you will put considerable strain on the system when it comes time to load one. In my experience, two minutes of mp3 works fine for an alarm, but such a file takes a few seconds to load, and will not make for a suitable ringtone, unless you trim the file first.

   
   


2. 
   

   You will have to re-do this every time you flash a new ROM.

   
   

An alternative to this -- is to have them in /sdcard/media/ -- But if you have an older device, having them in the root directory allows for better performance.

HTH!

What is the ODIN tool?

Recently, I've been learning about rooting/flashing android devices and I often come across web-pages mentioning "ODIN".

From my common sense, I've come to realise that it is some sort of Windows GUI software that helps you in flashing/tweaking android devices.

However, my concern is that wherever it is talked about, it is only provided as a downloadable binary blob .exe file hosted on third party file hosting services. Which raises concerns over trustworthiness of that downloadable file.

So my questions are - What is ODIN? What is the canonical website? Is it open source? If yes then, what is the canonical URL for repository?

Answer

Odin is an internal Samsung tool used for flashing firmware to their devices (via Download mode, bypassing recovery etc.). Importantly, it also has the ability to repartition the device storage based on a .pit file, which can save you from softbricking (when flashing goes wrong and recovery/the bootloader fail). It is not open source and to my knowledge they have not intentionally released it — a few versions have been leaked. For what it's worth, I have used the version posted here without issue.

Heimdall, however, is open source and duplicates the functionality of Odin. It claims to be more reliable as well, in addition to being cross-platform (Odin is Windows-only).

Both tools appear to work best with Galaxy S devices, so if you're using another device you probably want to ensure someone else has tried it and succeeded. Another note is that they use .tar packages layed out differently than the normal update.zip format used by recovery and OTAs, so you need to get the proper package for it to work.

backup - How can data on an unrooted phone be backed up?

What methods are available to back up data (both system and application) from a phone which is not rooted and is running stock Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread?

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  It is my understanding that it is impossible to retrieve application data (not stored on the SD card) on an unrooted phone, except where the application itself offers export. Is this accurate?

  
  


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  Of the system settings and built-in applications, which ones have export facilities I can take advantage of? Which ones notably have no export and have significant amounts of data which I might want to manually transcribe out?

  
  

I am already using Missing Sync for Android which takes care of the contacts, calendar, photos, call log, and SMS messages. My phone is a Nexus One.

Answer

If a phone is not rooted that means that apps are securely sandboxed. There is no way that one app can access the data held by another app. In the underlying linux filesystem they are actually represented as different users, and do not have permission to access each others' files.

The only things that can backup the files are a) the system itself and b) the app can backup it's own files.

In Froyo (2.2) Google introduced cloud backup, which many app developers have integrated into their apps. This means than some apps will just automatically restore their data as soon as you sign into a new phone with your Google account. However, this will only work for those apps that have implemented this functionality.

You should find that all of the system apps now have full backup, or cloud sync, from Froyo onwards.

From my recent experience upgrading to a Galaxy Nexus - Cloud Sync: GMail, Calendar, Contacts; Cloud Backup: All system settings (I was surprised by some), Email settings. Not backed up: Browser bookmarks (though these are synced in ICS).

There is not default system functionality in Vanilla android that will backup all of your apps, and I'm not aware of any operator/manufacturer customisations which have implemented a system-level backup.

One thing that you can do is to install a new recovery, such as ClockworkMod. This does not require your phone to be 'rooted', however, it does need you to have an unlocked bootloader, which I suspect is what you are trying to avoid, as it is typically reflashing the bootloader where 'bricking' occurs.

You may be able to manually pull all of the files from the /data partition, using adb. You can browse them using 'adb shell', and pull them individually using 'adb pull', but you would need root to be able to restore them. This also requires a certain amount of technical understanding. edit: actually after further testing, even this requires root access.

The suggested MyBackupPro below will not backup all of your apps - only those with exposed contentResolvers (ie SMS, calendar, contacts etc). Those things are automatically backed up in Gingerbread anyway. (I can't comment or vote down)

linux - Android unrecognized by Debian Jessie

I recently migrated from Linux Mint 18 to Debian 8.7.1 (Jessie), with Xfce as desktop manager and Thunar as file explorer.

To my dismay, while Mint recognized my Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini (CM13 stable) while in MTP mode, Debian blatantly ignored the device.

My question is simple: I was able to interact with my phone by means of adb, but this is a rather cumbersome way of moving files around. Is there a way to make Debian (and Thunar) recognize my phone, while using the MTP protocol?

The only installation disc I used when installing Debian was the DVD 1.

Answer

Here's the relevant Debian page on MTP.
For Xfce:
# apt-get install gvfs-backends
# reboot

permissions - What does "Drawing over other apps" mean?

I installed a GIF app from Play Store, and they want permission to do this. I don't even understand what drawing over other apps means.

Is it the floating hearts in a GIF in a private message in Messenger? I'm confused.

rooting - Do I have to install a custom ROM if I root?

This question already has an answer here:

Closed 7 years ago.

Possible Duplicate:

Does rooting require a custom ROM?

I have an HTC Desire S with the stock ROM.

Can I root the phone but keep my stock ROM, that is the one provided by HTC ?

Or do I HAVE to install a custom ROM if I root?

And what is ClockworkMod. Is it a custom ROM ?

Answer

You don't have to install a custom ROM, you can use a stock one. There's usually rooted versions of stock ROMs readily available for most devices, with the only difference between them and a completely stock ROM being the addition of Superuser and the su binary (and often busybox). If your device is supported by a simple software rooting method (HTC stuff often is) then you can simply root and be done.

ClockworkMod is not a custom ROM, it is a custom recovery image. The recovery system is basically a minimal environment and GUI that exists on a separate partition and can be used to backup or restore your device's state, install new ROMs, and perform some other functions that can help you fix your system if it gets into a bad state. The differences between these and other things is covered pretty well in What is the difference between: Rooting, Jailbreak, ROM, Mod, etc.? and What is ClockworkMod Recovery and what is it for?

6.0 marshmallow - 2 GB RAM or 3 GB RAM, does it really matter?

I am thinking to buy the new Xiaomi Redmi 3S phones that got recently launched in India. This is going to be my first Android phone. Now the phone comes with two variants, Redmi 3S with 2 GB RAM and Redmi 3 S prime with 3 GB RAM, both with Qualcomm® Snapdragon 430 64-bit, octa-core processor and other specifications are identical except the prime version comes with a finger print sensor.

I am a light user, that is, I am not going to play games or watching movies or will use lots of apps. I want the phone for general day-to-day use.

Does it really matter to have 3 GB RAM over 2 GB RAM, giving my using conditions? Will it be OK with 2 GB provided I am a light user? Does it really matter to have more RAM? Is it going to give problems with newer versions of Android?

Answer

Key aspect here light user who

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  Doesn't play games

  
  


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  Doesn't watch movies

  
  



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  Doesn't use many apps

  
  


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  Uses only for day to day to use

  
  

If the usage pattern continues to be same for next few years. answer is no, it doesn't make a difference

While the other answer has pointed out valid instances of certain apps occupying more RAM as as time rolls, IMO it is not very pertinent given that you are not multi tasking , But if you are using RAM hoggers like Facebook which nearly takes up 0.5 GB of RAM, it may result in sluggish performance if another hungry app is opened up

How much RAM does a phone need? gives an interesting take on current trend of high RAM phones and also mentions that Google’s official minimum spec for a 64-bit phone (that’s pretty much every phone these days) is 832 MB RAM, so, you are left with one GB of RAM for apps, even if Android OS is updated to 64 bit) and you retain your 2 GB RAM device - pretty much future proof !

Edit: Your chosen device OS is 32 bit and occupies 512 MB of RAM and if it is 64 bit it would require 832 MB of RAM , ( as per table it is dependent on screen size and pixel density- large in your case and pixel density is less than 300 dpi ). This size is only for the OS , radio (modem) is extra, which is not much anyway. Source : Page 56 of android Compatibility Definition

Bottom line, for your use, it shouldn't matter, since EMUI 7.0 occupies 0.5 GB and you are still left with 1.5 GB, which is plenty. Even if EMUI is upgraded, I doubt it would make a substantial difference

app2sd - My apps don't move to SD-card

I need some help. I just bought a new phone Android 6.0 (Huawei Honor 7 lite) and I can't move apps to my SD-card. I enabled primary storage as SD-card but the apps are still in internal memory and I can't seem to find option to move them to SD-card so I could really use some help if anybody knows how to move apps. :)

Answer

I think this will help.

Source: Tomsguide

Move Apps to SD Card Using Application Manager . So, you must install Application Manager first

1. 
   

   Navigate to settings on your phone.You can find the settings menu in the app drawer.

   
   



2. 
   

   Tap Application Manager.

   
   


3. 
   

   Select an app you want to move to the microSD card.

   
   


4. 
   

   Tap the Move to SD Card button. If you don't see a Move to SD Card button, the app cannot be moved. Most preloaded apps cannot be moved to an SD card. If you don't see Move to SD Card buttons on any apps, your device may not support this feature at all.

   
   

If you wish to move an app back to the internal memory, hit the "Move to device storage" button.

sd card - How to create a shortcut to some file in another folder?

I have a PDF on the folder ExtSD/Documents/. I need to make a shortcut of this file to the folder ExtSD/CurrentlyReading/.

So simple on Windows... Apparently never asked on Android.

If it's of any use, my explorer is ES File Explorer V4.0.
XPosed available.

applications - Are the apps safe? How can I make my Android more secure?

Are the apps on the Android Market checked or audited?

If I search Google for "hardening Android", the best hit I can find is Google Android Hardening Checklist.

What's your opinion regarding this? Is there a way to make Android safer or more secure?

Answer

Google added a new security layer to the Android market in February 2012.

Adding a new layer to Android security
Today we’re revealing a service we’ve developed, codenamed Bouncer, which provides automated scanning of Android Market for potentially malicious software without disrupting the user experience of Android Market or requiring developers to go through an application approval process.

For further information read here: http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2012/02/android-and-security.html

Android 4.2 has added extra security with a setting that allows Google's security scanner to (optionally) scan all of your non-Market (ie side-loaded) apps for malware too.

The feature is an extension of the security technology Google introduced for the Play Store this past February. While that technology worked exclusively on the server side, analyzing apps that were uploaded to the Play Store, the new system works with your device and scans any apps you install from third-party sources (a process known as "sideloading").

(ComputerWorld: Inside Android 4.2's powerful new security system)