Is there any virtualization software that will run under Android on an x86 device? I have an android device (Dell Venue 8) which runs on an Intel x86 CPU, and I was wondering if there was any application like VirtualBox or VMware that could run a 32-Bit linux distros, Windows XP 32-Bit, etc, via Virtualization. I'm aware of various Emulation softwares like Qemu and Bochs, but I wanted something that could directly virtualize instead of emulating, since both the host device and the Guest OS are of the same architecture.

I found myself stumbling in the general vicinity of these forums with some similar questions and decided to share some info on the off chance any other wandering curious computer enthusiast happens to walk on by.

Method #1: EMULATION

A kid managed to get XP running on Android using the tools you mentioned at the begining. You can see in his comments how there was significant performance loss. One of the key issues here is an inability to translate drivers. There will also be a lot of bottle necking that occurs when you sneak in some unsupported stuff.

Method #2: ROOTING AND FLASHING

It required gaining root, unlocking the bootloader, flashing a custom recovery, among other many other things.  I managed to get multiboot from ARM supported OS's Ubuntu Touch, Cyanogen, and stock. I could probably throw windows 10 on it if i wanted to.

Method #3: KERNEL VIRTUALIZATION

linux-kvm.org/page/Main_Page

Assuming your hardware supports virtualization, KVM is an option for back-end stuff if you dont need a GUI.

Method #4: BAREMETAL HYPERVISOR

There is a white paper on it, but i cant post the link because of my new account, so here is a copy of the conclusion :

  Virtualizing a modern mobile platform involves dealing with devices such as camera, compass, gps, etc, for which PV frontend and backend drivers do not exist today. If only one VM needs access to one of these devices at a time, you can simply assign the device to the VM, remapping the corresponding MMIO regions and interrupts. If multiple VMs need access to the device simultaneously, you have to write a new pair of PV frontend and backend drivers. Fortunately many open source implementations of PV frontends and backends for different class of devices already exist in Linux and other operating systems. Something similar is likely to already exist. The difficulty of writing a new pair of PV frontends and backends increases with the complexity of the device you are trying to share. If the device is simple, such as the compass, writing the new pair of drivers is going to very easy. If the device is complex, such as a 3d graphic accelerator, writing the new pair of frontends and backends is going to be difficult.

Here is another paper on the KVM/ARM dynamic:

systems.cs.columbia.edu/archive/pub/2014/03/kvm-arm-the-design-and-implementation-of-the-linux-arm-hypervisor/

Seems as though for now we are stuck with what the software developers are willing to write for us, or with what we are willing to write for ourselves. These systems were meant to be largely proprietary, some frustration is to be expected I suppose.


Is it safe to disable system google apps I am looking on to using some of the applications provided from the manufacturer and was wondering if it is safe to disable some google applications.

I am looking to disable:

GMail (this is my biggest concern ATM)
Chrome
G+ (that annoying 'photos' app)
Play News, Music, Newsstand (I believe these are safe)

If you know any applications which are totally not safe (excluding the core ones, like Google Play Services, etc.)

My device is:

stock HTC One (M9)
 Android 5.0.2

Short Answer : Yes

  These are just apps and you can disable it.But, when the app(any app),
  for example the app need to update and you cannot update the app when it search for Google play(for example) to update and you
  need to new market for update the app.

also, as you said :

GMail (this is my biggest concern ATM)
Chrome
Google + (that annoying 'photos' app)
Play News, Music, Newsstand

these are always safe to disable and if you don't using of them, you can disable it for reasons like,

clear the ram and it means, the phone speed can up.!

good day.


How to set SELinux enforcing, config file not found? I have Samsung Galaxy J7 Core (SM-J701F), I'm running Magisk on my device and I ran the SafteyNet test and it failed. While trying to solve this I tried to change selinux state to enforced by editing /etc/selinux.config. But when I opened the folder there was no such file!

When I run getenforce command it gives me "permissive". Is this a problem and how can I fix it?

Yes, permissive SELinux could be one of the reasons of failed SafetyNET test (1). So you need to set it enforcing. However Android uses a modified version of libselinux, not dependent on /etc/selinux/config (2). On Android SELinux is configured when building ROM, and enforced by init when booting ROM. However if you have root, you can use setenforce command (located under /system/bin) or write directly to Kernel Configuration File (/sys/fs/selinux/enforce). But make sure you have a working SE policy before enforcing, or you may get stuck.


Karbon A9+ System space and Internal Storage I have recently moved from iPhone 3G(3 years) to Karbon A9+(ICS). While my mobile is showing GBs of space available, I frequently get Low System space warning. I had then added a 8 GB external SD card but to no avail. Coming from an iPhone background, this was confusing....if I have tonnes of space why am I getting such notifications?
On System Setting under Storage,its displays "Total space 581 MB" out of which 89 MB is available. Internal Storage is 2.57 GB out which 2.56 GB is available. While on other mobiles of other brands, I dont see the distinction between System space and Internal Storage. Which this discrepancies and what are the consequences?
I have rooted my device...Is there some method where I can increase my system space to include the Internal Storage which is lying almost completely un-utilized?

Just use DS super App2SD lite app, which gives you to system apps to your memory card
And this app work in only rooted phone


How to disable the "Screen is pinned" ScrollView? Everytime I pin an app I get a "Screen is pinned" green ScrollView and have to tap the "Got it" button.
At first, I thought it was just some kind of "getting started" thing, but after a few months it's still showing up every single time.
Since I'm pretty sure I "Got it", is there a way to disable this warning/info ?

Here's a screenshot of the ScrollView.

What device are you using? You may (or may not) be able to remove this message via your stock settings.

In any case, to remove this message you'll need root access and an app called EhancedToast.

This will allow you to select the toast messages that you don't want to show up. For example: Screen Pinned, Screen Unpinned and messages of the sort.

Requirements For EnhancedToast Method

Xposed Framework (one that's compatible with your device, obviously).
Install the EnhancedToast Xposed Module.

From your phone (using a Terminal Emulator app - Root Required)

su
appops set android TOAST_WINDOW deny

From PC (adb required) but no root needed

adb shell appops set android TOAST_WINDOW deny

Please let me know if these methods work(ed) for you and good luck!

Source


Infinite time lapse using with cloud storge I was looking for a solution that would send my backup directly to cloud so that my phone memory would not fill up.
I am trying to make a very long time lapse (many frames over long period of time).

I was trying to use tasker to setup a loop job to take pictures and after some time (presumably after they are backed up to google photos) delete the file. Yet deleting the file resulted in photo being deleted from google photos too...

Any suggestions? Maybe I have not tried all Andorid time lapse apps or maybe some premium version of one has this kind of feature?

Since you are already Using Tasker, you can upload your photos to Dropbox (either set auto-upload in the Dropbox app or use the FolderSync plug-in). When a photo is uploaded to Dropbox, then deleted from the device, it remains in Dropbox.


Install the Galaxy Nexus Messaging app onto the Nexus 5 It seems that Nexus 5 ships with Hangouts as the default (only) app for SMS messaging but I'm not interested in Hangouts and I prefer the messaging app I had on my Galaxy Nexus.

How do I get the Galaxy Nexus Messaging App onto my Nexus 5?

You're not alone in wanting the old Messaging app!

Even though the old stock Messaging app is no longer included in Android, you always have the option of installing an alternative. In fact, people are recommending 8sms as a replacement for Hangouts that is almost identical to the original stock Messaging app. In fact, it is built from the source code of the original Messaging app, with "some enhancements".


how can you turn off instagram notifications? I have a galaxy gio and i was asking myself if it was possible to shut up the notifications coming up continuosly in the upper bar of the display. Is it possible and if so, how do you do it?

If you long press on the notification and select app info then you can untick the show notifications box.


Connecting a Nexus 7 (2013) to a VGA projector I would like to connect my Nexus 7 (2013)  to an external projector or monitor. I know that there is a SlimPort to HDMI adapter (I have it and it works when plugged through HDMI), however, projectors at my work still have VGA (and no HDMI) socket.

In addition to the SlimPort HDMI adapter by Analogix, I also bought an HDMI to VGA adapter. The problem is that the external displays do not display any content (the SlimPort to HDMI cable is working, though). I also saw a SlimPort to VGA adapter from Analogix, but apparently it did not work either.

Has anyone succeeded in connecting the Nexus 7 (2013) to a VGA display? Even with complicated or costly systems.

I was wondering if something like that could work:
http://www.miniinthebox.com/hd-video-hdmi-to-vga-scaler-converter-box-black_p296227.html

Thank you for your help!

If you have a laptop with USB ports that can also connect to the VGA projector, then you can use Droid@Screen (http://droid-at-screen.ribomation.com) to show the Nexus' display on the laptop and in turn, on the projector.

Depending on what you are doing, this might work while you figure out a more robust solution. I say this because the main downside is lag, so it's not a good solution if you are trying to project video or show off a new buttery interface.


Unsure why Android has issues with certain Opus files I'm not 100% sure where to post this cause it's kind of a strange issue. I recently discovered the Opus format and converted all my songs to it, so they would fit on my phone. However a few cd's I've converted from MP3 to Opus are having a strange issue. I did have to rename all the files from .opus to .ogg so they could be read by media players, but what's odd is that some of the cd's I've converted seem to lose their information when I copy them over to my device (Nexus 6 running 7.1.1).

Like, all the tag information is gone and every media player that's able to see it says the song is 00:00 in time. Yet when I actually play the song, it works totally fine. I can't even edit the tag information in any apps because it just disappears. Is there any reason it would do this? I've tried re-converting the songs a few times but the same problem still happens.

Alright well I figured out what seems to be the issue. Apparently if the file has a large size album art (from what I can tell, anything 1MB and over) causes the tags to be unreadable. I went and re-tagged the file with a smaller album art and now it works fine. Unsure why this causes an issue, but I'm glad to have figured it out.


How to access app menu without app button? I have a Samsung Galaxy S5 and my app menu button is broken.  (I accidentally destroyed it while replacing the screen.)

Is there any other way to access the app menu or view a list of running apps, switch between them, close unneeded running applications?

BUILD.PROP SOFTKEYS (ROOT)
If you have root, you can emulate soft keys, like the ones on the Nexus and other devices, by modifying the build.prop file. To do this you will need root. There are many guides to rooting your device, such as this one on XDA.
After you are rooted, install an app like Build Prop Editor. Change (or add) the following key: qemu.hw.mainkeys=0 (add a key named qemu.hw.mainkeys and set the value to 0.) Be careful and make sure that you have typed it exactly as shown. After this, you will need to hard reboot your phone. Power off your device (or remove the battery, not recommended) and then turn it back on. Note: For build.prop edits, you will need a hard reboot; a soft reboot will not apply the changes to the build.prop file.

THIRD PARTY APP
If you do not wish to root, you can install an app like Handy Soft Keys. Please note that this may affect performance, battery, and data usage negatively, as it is not native to Android like the build.prop edit.


Integrate CalDAV to android outlook Is it possible to integrate the caldav calendaer into the android outlook-app?

Usually caldav-calendars doesn’t appear in the android outlook-app, so I search for a way to integrate caldav to outlook. I know there is a software called ‘caldavsynchronizer’ but its only for desktop (windows): https://caldavsynchronizer.org/

There is another app called DavX5 to synchronize CalDaV but this is for money I dont want to waste it: https://www.davx5.com/

Do someone have the experience?

According to my research, Outlook for android does not support the CalDAV feature so far. If you still want this feature, you may try to vote for it via uservoice.


What functionality is only available when syncing to Windows or OS X? I'm considering buying an android phone (probably a Galaxy S variant).  But I only run Linux (Gentoo if it matters).  So, I'm curious what features work with Linux, and whether there are any features that I'll miss out on by not syncing my phone to a Windows or OS X PC.

(I'm being optimistic in the title and assuming that most things will Just Work -- please correct me if I'm wrong.)

As Trampster said, currently Samsung are only pushing firmware updates through their Windows-only Kies software. Many manufacturers push out the updates wirelessly "OTA" (over-the-air) straight to the phone, so never go near a PC, and some provide a file that you download onto the phone's SD card and then boot the phone into a special update mode, none of these have any desktop OS requirements.

Other than that most of Android is designed to sync with "the cloud" so Mail, Calendar, Contacts, etc all sync with GMail, social networking sites, and some 3rd party mail/calendar/contacts providers straight from the phone to the server.

Music, pictures, videos etc live on the micro-SD card in your phone which can be mounted as a drive on any OS that can normally mount USB drives. See this SuperUser question about mounting a Galaxy S on Ubuntu where it turned out to be much easier than the questioner thought What is the mount point Samsung Galaxy S for Ubuntu Desktop?

Apps either save their data to the SD card, sync to a server on the web, or (in very rare cases, but I do have one app that does this) sync via WiFi to a PC on the local LAN.

So, in general Android phones really don't care what your desktop OS is, as you'll rarely need to do anything other than connect it as a USB drive.


How can I move apps to the external SD card on LG Optimus 2X P990? I have put a SD 16 GB in my LG Optimus 2X P990, but it seems that the phone won't save on it. Is it possible to save/move apps to the external SD card? Or even set it to do it automatically? I have already formatted the SD card twice, and it still is not working properly.

Try App 2 SD, it should be able to move at least some of the apps.
To set it to automatic, you will need the android SDK (to use adb). From here, those commands should work (worked for me on my Samsung Galaxy Ace):

  adb devices

  Probes Android devices connected to the PC. Do this first to assure that the phone is being detected.

  adb shell pm getInstallLocation

  This results in a numerical value to state where the default install location is (0: phone, 2: external).

  adb shell pm setInstallLocation 2

  This sets the default install location to the external storage.


Can an older Android phone using Android 4.4.2 act as a spam server? First excuse my lack of knowledge in anything Android related.

I wanted to ask if there is any possibility that an un-supervised Android phone, older Samsung model, running Android 4.2.2, act as a rogue spam server on the network.

Reason I'm asking this is because I have a fairly secure environment at work, both server side and client side. Recently the IP has been blacklisted by SPAM trap servers, and I had no real explanation as to why it happened.

So I asked myself what changed? The network functioned like this for years and no such thing happened till now. As it happens somebody with an older phone logged in on the wifi network on the same day with the blacklist. So I though hmmm weird coincidence.

Bottom line: Can an Android phone act as a rogue SPAM sending server? And if so how can I track down the issue? Is there a complete AV solution for Android that can detect such malware?

Ty.

This is absolutely possible for an Android phone to act as a spam server. There are plenty of security flaws in Android that make this a possibility, and creating a program / script to send spam is trivial.  There is no complete solution, but there are any number of AV programs (available on play store) that could check the phone for virii.

That said, it's more likely the IP has been classified as part of a client/home user range, and has been blacklisted for that reason - ie nothing you have done, or that another device was compromised. If the network is highly secured then it should not matter what device is on it - SMTP should be blocked to the outside world - except through an appropriate gateway.


What exactly is a "Sensor" I know this questions sounds kind of stupid but I don't get it.

My question is "What is a sensor?" The answer is obvious

  "In the broadest definition, a sensor is an object whose purpose is to detect events or changes in its environment, and then provide a corresponding Output"

Source: Wikipedia

While making my research about sensors I realized that this definition
doesn't work for Smartphones or they just don't care.

If you search for some sensors they list you something like Accelerometer, Light Sensor and so on but they don't list something like Bluetooth, Wifi, Microphon, Camera...

But they are sensors (or use sensors) as well. Why don't they list them in a sensor overview?

Tricky question... But the answer is quite simple. It's the purpose of the sensor. If it's built to detect (or sense) changes of things (like gravity or light) and give an output at the moment it detects a change it's a sensor.

If it's built to connect to other devices or to take pictures when you click a button it's a sensor but it's not considered to be a sensor by most people and manufacturers.

Let's take a camera as example. In your smartphone the camera is only running when you start it that's why it's not considered to be a sensor even though a camera uses a CMOS sensor. Simply because its normal operating state is turned off and not to detect changes.


How to disable pop-ups and notifications? I have Android 5.1. I use my phone as navigation when I`m driving and I need to disable all notifications and pop-ups. I know I can block notifications from settings, but this takes too much time to disable all apps and enable them again after driving. Also, Facebook and other apps have those pop-ups ("Chat heads" ), which are really disturbing.

Is there any app that can prevent them to appear on my screen ?

If you are looking to disable the heads up notification, you can try HeadsOff app on the Play store which effectively removes any "pop up" notifications from the top.

For something more granular, try Tasker which allows you to control notifications for indivdual applications.


Which mobile company delivers Android system updates the fastest? Basically, I am an Android developer. I am looking for a new Android mobile phone.

Could you recommend the mobile company which first publishes an update of Android system? I am tipping at HTC, but you may have a better suggestion?

Buy a Nexus S device directly from Google. They will be the fastest at updating to the latest firmware. And they will always ship with Stock Android. Everyone else is Way behind. most are behind because they add customizations to android and have to make their changes, then they have to go through the google approval process. Not to mention then having to go through the carriers testing process for deployment.


Lost my phone on aeroplane mode I lost my Samsung s5 on a flight the day before I took the last photos of my honeymoon they are the only ones that are not backed up. Could some one tell me if they will ever be backed up? Or will my phone need a internet signal?

If you had an internet connection when you took the photos, they'll get backed up, assuming Auto Backup was switched on.

Otherwise, the photos will get backed up only if someone finds it and switches on the internet connection.

Given that you lost the phone in a flight, chances are high that you can find it by contacting the airport authorities.


galaxy s3 not detected as media device Using Galaxy S3 GT-i9300 and it is not detected as media storage device on my laptop.I have installed the latest version of Samsung USB drivers too.Strangely it does detect on my office laptop running on older version of windows xp.
Please help me out people

What is your laptop running for OS? Is your phone unlocked when you plug it in?

I've had to reinstall USB port drivers on my laptop before. Follow these instructions:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/817900


Android Remote Desktop thru Wifi Only I need a remote desktop solution, where it doesn't need an internet connection and I could see the desktop. So:

TeamViewer is not an option as it needs an Internet connection
Unified Remote is not an option as I cannot see my desktop
Same as Gmote

Any suggestions?

If you're asking for a remote desktop solution that allows you to view/control your desktop/laptop from your Android mobile device over local wireless network, the answer is: Any RDP/VNC app.

Personally I use PocketCloud by Wyse. It supports both RDP (Microsoft Windows, built into the OS) and VNC (cross platform, if you have a Linux computer or Apple toy you want to view/control, or you prefer VNC on Windows) protocols.

Either RDP or VNC will work over a local network and, if you have proper firewall configuration and DNS setup, can be used over the public internet as well with reasonable security.

VNC requires a server to be running on the computer you wish to control. There are several "flavors" of VNC out there, and many of them are free (as in beer). Check out TightVNC for a pretty solid version.

RDP requires you to enable Remote Desktop on your computer. In later version of Windows it is disabled by default.

The good thing about both these tools is that they are protocols, not confined app systems. As in, you don't need a Microsoft App on your Android tablet to view an RDP session, and you can install any VNC viewer app on your tablet/phone to view any type of VNC server. (Note: With certain types of authentication in VNC, I've found some viewer apps don't work. Just find the right combination for what you need.)

If, however, you're asking something different, please clarify your question to indicate what it is you're actually asking.


Samsung Galaxy S : Why can't I set cursor position in text boxes in browser? When using the default browser on my Galaxy S, I can't see a cursor in text boxes that have focus. With no cursor I don't know where letters I type will appear. This seems to occur on all sites I have tested. Can someone with this phone confirm there is something wrong? Note that the address bar at the top is fine and behaves as I would expect.

Input method is the Samsung keyboard. No third party apps or firmware installed. Feel free to ask questions if you need more info. Thanks

Press and hold the ?123 key at the bottom, left corner of the standard Samsung Galaxy S keyboard. The keyboard switches to a four arrow cursor pad that you can use to move around a text field. There's also a delete key, select, cut, copy, and paste; click the Text key to switch back into keyboard mode.

This works with just about all text fields in all applications that I use.


Tablet apps sounds does not work anymore This morning I was listening music using grooveshark and the speakers of a Pantech P4100 Tablet. the player stopped playing.
Now -even after restarting and resetting to factory settings-, only the notifications and alarms make sound. the apps do not sound.
Nonetheless, if I plug my headphones it works (appsm notifications and alarms)
How can I fix the integrated speaker sounds?

The problem is caused because the OS thinks you connected your headphones. I saw that problem in iOS some years ago. Use this app to solve it: WiredHeadphoneRoutingFix


Can I make Android require Fingerprint + PIN to unlock the screen? I have a Galaxy S5 with a fingerprint reader. I'd like to be able to unlock my phone with a PIN or pattern unlock, but I also want to protect myself from shoulder-surfing.

Is there a way to require both a fingerprint and a PIN/pattern to unlock the phone? If the fingerprint fails to read correctly, then a much stronger password would be required to unlock.

This would let me scan my fingerprint and put in my PIN/pattern without worrying that someone might see my PIN and unlock my phone later. It also protects me more from governments that can require me to unlock my phone with my fingerprint, since a PIN would also be needed.

Is there an lockscreen app, XPosed module, or other method that can enable this two-factor-like authentication?

I have a rooted Galaxy S5 running Android 5.0.

One solution is to use Tasker. Set up your phone to use a fingerprint as the standard unlock mechanism, with a strong password as the backup unlock (required if the fingerprint fails, or every time the phone reboots).

Next, create a Task named Screen Unlocked (or similar). In the Task, make it run the Display->Lock action. Set the Code to whatever pin you want. Check the Remember Till Off and Full Screen options, and make sure Allow Cancel is unchecked.

Next, create a Profile in Tasker for the Event of Display Off. When that profile is triggered, have it run the new Task you created. Add a second trigger to the same Profile to prevent this lock from happening if a call is in progress (using Invert). Otherwise, putting the phone to your head will turn off the display and cause the PIN lock (even though android knows it isn't actually locked and doesn't require tour fingerprint),and removing it from your head will show the PIN and block the call end and other buttons.

Finally, add a second Profile for the event Display Unlocked, and have it run the same Task. That way, if you do manually lock the phone while in a call with the power button (tripping the standard android fingerprint lock), it will properly show the PIN request on the screen again, without interfering with the end call buttons. Don't worry, having the lock show for display off and display unlocked will not, in fact, require you to type the pin twice.

With this setup, you unlock your phone with a fingerprint. When that is accepted, Tasker will prompt you for a PIN as well.

The reason you run this task on Screen Off instead of Screen Unlocked is that the Screen Unlocked creates a delay between unlocking the phone and showing the PIN request. By running the task on Screen Off, the PIN request is shown the instant you unlock with your fingerprint.

Note that this setup requires the PIN even if you use your backup password (if your fingerprint can't be read). However, I'm willing to live with that, since I rarely need to enter the master password anyway, and typing in a PIN afterwords is fine.

Protect Tasker

Since the PIN is stored in plaintext in Tasker, you should probably setup a PIN to open Tasker. Tasker has this built-in to its preferences, so you can require a PIN to view and modify any Tasker profiles and settings. Otherwise, if you leave your phone unlocked, anyone could find your PIN by viewing the Tasker config. In any case, don't use the same PIN for your screen unlock as you do for any other service like ATM cards or voicemail.


Unwanted alert sound I have a Samsung Galaxy 8.Every 5 minutes or so I hear my phone buzz then I hear a gong sound. This gong sound is driving crazy.

Here is what i tried:

1: restarted my phone

2: killed all applictions

3: Ran a good antivirus

Also every time this song comes, if im watching a video on YouTube It causes to pause.

Any ideas?

sounds like (no pun intended!) you have notifications set to alert you.  Do the sounds coincide with email delivery, twitter alerts, Facebook alerts etc.  You can probably check notifications in Android Settings.  I don't know about Samsung but on my HTC running OREO the notifications are under Settings/Personalise.

If this doesn't help I suggest you edit your original post to include the Android version that you are running - see Settings/About/Software Information.


Does Forcing GPU Rendering Affect Battery Life? I'm currently unsure about this and haven't found anything concrete while searching on the internet. I just recently got my first Android phone a week ago and started tinkering with the developer settings, I am currently using a OnePlus 3T with Android Nougat. Any answers will be appreciated.

TLDR: Does enabling force GPU Rendering affect battery life on the OnePlus 3T with Android Nougat?

Almost all updated apps have GPU Rendering coded into the build. The reason you have an option under developer settings is simply to test the feature as a developer.

Unless you are ok with the minimal performance increase at the cost of battery life keep it off, if an app can utilize the function it will.


Lost time and weather app Lost my weather app and absolutely want that version back. Have scrolled through 500! versions in play store and others but can't find. Is there a history of what I had and deleted so that I might reinstall exact version? Thank you.

Yes, there is a list of all apps that you have installed from Google Play.
Go to Google Play app → Apps & Games → My apps & games → ALL.

Note, that you will not find there the apps that were pre-installed on your smartphone by the manufacture and that are not available in the Google Play store.


Difference between "T-Mobile G1" and "HTC Dream"? Are there any differences between "T-Mobile G1" and "HTC Dream" besides the name?

If Yes, what are the differences?

Not that I have found. It's just different names for the same phone. (A pretty standard marketing practice.)

Some more info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_Dream


Android to Google calendar sync problems The option to sync calendars is missing from the list for my 2 Google accounts, following some issues with syncing after which I deleted calendar data and calendar storage data.

I have tried reloading the accounts and all the other options come back - except the Calendar sync!!

Please help..

I am assuming you are on a rooted device.

Use your preferred file explorer to browse to : /system/app

There should be two apk files. One the calendar app (calendar.apk) and the other calendarprovider.apk. The second apk provides proper synchronization between the google account and the actual calendar application which is probably missing or not working.

You should be able to find a replacement apk for your specific device and rom on XDA.


After new firmware, can't install ROM (mount error) I installed RUU 4.2.2 in an attempt to upgrade HBOOT to 2.16 on a HTC One S. The boot menu shows 2.16 so I guess it worked but now I have no OS.

I am trying to install a ROM (Lineage 14) but I get error messages like this

mount: failed to mount /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/
umount of /system failed: no such volume
Patching system image unconditionally...
E1001: Failed to update system image.
E:unknown command[log]
E:Erorr executing updater binary in zip '/sdcard/linea
Error flashing zip '/sdcard/lineage.zip'
Updating partition details...

If I adb shell then ls /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1 I get

by-num      mmcblk0p13  mmcblk0p19  mmcblk0p24  mmcblk0p3   mmcblk0p35  mmcblk0p8
mmcblk0     mmcblk0p14  mmcblk0p2   mmcblk0p25  mmcblk0p30  mmcblk0p36  mmcblk0p9
mmcblk0p1   mmcblk0p15  mmcblk0p20  mmcblk0p26  mmcblk0p31  mmcblk0p4
mmcblk0p10  mmcblk0p16  mmcblk0p21  mmcblk0p27  mmcblk0p32  mmcblk0p5
mmcblk0p11  mmcblk0p17  mmcblk0p22  mmcblk0p28  mmcblk0p33  mmcblk0p6
mmcblk0p12  mmcblk0p18  mmcblk0p23  mmcblk0p29  mmcblk0p34  mmcblk0p7

In TWRP 2.6.1.0 I can wipe cache and Dalvik cache, Format Data and Factory Reset. If I adb shell and run mount I get

rootfs on / type rootfs (rw)
tmpfs on /dev type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,relatime,mode=755)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,relatime,mode=600)
proc on /proc type proc (rw,relatime)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw,relatime)
/dev/block/mmcblk0p34 on /cache type ext4 (rw,relatime,data=ordered)
/dev/block/mmcblk0p35 on /data type ext4 (rw,relatime,data=ordered)
/dev/block/mmcblk0p35 on /sdcard type ext4 (rw,relatime,data=ordered)

I can mount cache, data, and system from the TWRP menu, but not USB-OTG.  If I go to Advanced Wipe, I see

E:Unable to mount '/usb-otg'

How do I fix these errors so I can install my OS?

Still assuming S4 variant. Your TWRP is so outdated - get the latest here. Flash through fastboot as usual.


How to prevent data extraction from rooted phone via adb? I've a question regarding security in a rooted device.

Being superuser means that you can access the /data/data directory, and that's a lot of personal data (I think it is almost all the data there can be in the phone).

So if a rooted phone is stolen, anyone can connect to the device via adb and perform a complete "audit" of the data, including mail, sms, search and browser history, contacts, etc. It is in fact easier than with a non-rooted phone. I see a big vulnerability here.
Is there a way to prevent adb connecting to the phone like, for instance, a password?

The adb can connect to an android device only if "USB debugging" is enabled in Settings->Applications->Development. If this setting is disabled and a password lock is set for unlocking the device, there should be no worries.

Also there are many apps such 'Lookout' which provide the ability to remotely wipe data from a phone if it gets stolen.


Unwanted Background and Auto-start Apps My android device is 4.4.2 and it’s rooted.

To manage auto-start app, I installed Clean Master and allowed it for root access. Also I stopped many apps that start automatically.

To manage start-up app, I installed Boot Manager Xposed.  Apart from these I installed other apps also for controlling auto-start and start-up app.

However, I see many unwanted background running apps and auto-start app.

Please go for screenshot. Whenever I close any apps, I remove them from Recent Apps also. And I keep Recent Apps empty/clean. However, most of time I see closed apps are still in Running Apps.

I do End Process for all unwanted apps manually every time from Running Apps which is ridicules for me.

In screenshot, some apps like My Airtel, Clean Master, Facebook, OneDrive, ET News, Practo for health, Fox News, Hindustan Times News, Flipkart Shopping, SuperBattery, Outlook Email start automatically and very frequently. There are other user apps also that run in background automatically without tapping them.

Till the time, I don’t call/tap any apps, I don’t want see them in Running Apps and once I close any app, I don’t want to see them again in Running Apps.

Please let me know to control them.

Regards
GNS

Android doesn’t manage processes like Windows does. Properly behaved apps running in the background aren’t actually doing anything, they’re just remaining in memory and using no CPU or other resources. When you access them again, they’ll quickly open, as they’re waiting in memory for you to return.  If they were removed from memory, they would take longer to reopen as their data would have to be transferred from system storage back into RAM, in this way, a task killer can actually slow things down.

Android is made to manage apps automatically and intelligently for better performance! No need to manually stop them, they will be started again and again.

You should know that some apps needs their processes and/or services to run in the background!

Ex: Facebook needs some services and processes to fetch new messages or notifications.

So process killers will only drain the battery and consume storage.

You may need to read this article on why you shouldn't stop a background process using task killers.


Making a NANDROID backup of a device with broken touchscreen This is the first of a series of questions about "the broken tablet saga". Basically I have an Acer A500 with broken touchscreen to get ready for warranty. I won't ask all of my questions in a single topic.

I want to make a full backup of my tablet without using the touchscreen. The tablet is rooted.

How do I - without using the touchscreen - make a NANDROID backup of it to be restored on the replacement device Acer will hopefully send to me? (Or just to restore the repaired tablet)

I currently don't have the device in my hands. I suppose it is equipped with the classic ClockworkMod recovery. As a backup plan, I would like to know what can I do to install ClockworkMod without touchscreen support.

I'll have the device in my hands in a few hours. I would like to be prepared for that (including downloading any additional software or firmware from an unlimited data connection)

[Update] I must install CWM without using Acer Recovery Installer. I can't find a link to a binary and instructions on how to flash a recovery (there are plenties of tutorials for download mode on Samsungs)

The "classic CWM" does not even support the touch screen. It is operated solely via hardware keys -- usually the volume up/down keys to navigate, and the power button to confirm actions. On devices featuring a trackball (as the "classic htc-wildfire for example), this can be used as well to scroll the menus and confirm actions.

Note that there's also a touch-enabled CWM available -- but that's not the "classical one".

However, if your device comes from the manufacturer, it is not equipped with clockworkmod, but with a stock recovery. Stock recovery does not support nandroid backups. So you would first need to flash the recovery in order to use that. Depending on the device, there may be different installation instructions (and different requirements), so make sure to check that first. CWM would then replace the existing "3e" recovery located on the /recovery partition, but should leave the other parts (e.g. your /data and /system) intact.


Google Authenticator old version I have a older phone (Motorola Cliq). Motorola refuses to update this version so I am stuck with v 1.5 until I buy a new phone.

I had to wipe my phone clean and when I went to reinstall the google authenticator, it did not appear to me in the Android market since they upgraded the app and it now requires a phone with v2 or higher.

How can I get the old version of authenticator back?

Thanks.

Unfortunately, without a backup of the app (Android 2.1+ needed for Authenticator app after 0.62) that you had earlier, you'll need the app APK from someone who still has it or hunt around for this old version.

You can still use 2-step verification by opting to receive the verification code via sms or by using the One Time codes that were generated when you originally signed up for 2-step verification.


ADB command to wipe data the phone? I have 200 Russian Phones to flash with UK Firmware. Now when i flash the UK firmware through Odin, it works fine but Russian firmware is still on it, however it does become UK if i factory reset the phone after that.

Now my question is that if there is any way where I don't have to factory reset the device and it automatically does it after Odin flash. That way I will save a lot of time.

I have tried these things:

"adb --wipe_data", this doesn't work because I don't how to really send a command to Recovery.
Cygwin terminal to break down firmware file into 4 file (AP, MODEM, BOOTLOADER and CSC). this doesn't work either.

Any help will be great. Many thanks

You can try  this while the phones is on.

(You MUST have USB debugging enabled and authorized)

adb shell recovery --wipe_data


How can I restore the original ringtones and sounds? Without really thinking, I used the "clear data" command on the Media Storage app, which deleted all the stock ringtones and notification sounds from my Nexus One. How can I get them back?

If you are rooted, you can push this collection of media files to /system/media/

Without root, android should still locate the files if you place them in a folder on your SD card called "media" and retain the rest of the file structure from the zip.


Nougat notifications blocked even after uninstalling "Notifications Off", how to reset? I was a happy user of Notifications Off on Android 6.0.
It is an app that lets you block/unblock notifications per app.
On Android 7.1.2 blocking works but unblocking does not work, according to my experience and Play Store reviews.

My question: How to reset notifications, so that all appear?

I tried uninstalling the app, that does not unblock blocked notifications.
Anything easier than reinstalling the OS?

If I knew how Notifications Off works under the hood, I could maybe try to unblock manually?

I contacted the author and here is his reply:

  Looks like a compatibility issue with Android 7. As a workaround to enable notifications you need to go to Gmail in the applications list and enable notifications there.

And indeed it is as simple as this:

Go to Android Settings.
Tap "Notifications".
Select "Blocked".
For each app that you want to unblock, tap it and move the slider to the right, for instance the 5th position out of 7.

The notifications are now reset to visible level again.


Where are my Gmail contacts? Where can I access my Gmail contacts on my ICS Android Tablet (DGM T-703)? This does feel like a silly question, but I cannot find my Contacts list anywhere?! Within the Gmail app I cannot see a "Contacts" option!? When I compose an email, contact suggestions do drop down as I complete the To field.

Now I'm sure I entered some kind of contacts manager some days ago, but cannot find this again.

Under Settings > Accounts & sync, my Gmail account is set to sync for "Calendar", "Contacts", "Gmail" and "Tasks".

Also, I cannot find an icon for a "Contacts" (or "People") app, despite having "Contacts" and "Contacts Storage" listed under Settings > Apps > All. I feel as if I should be able to simply run this as a separate app?!

I'm fairly new to Android and do not have an Android phone, so I'm not too sure what should be where.

Use the built-in People app to see those contacts. Or, you can use third-party apps like Contacts +.


How to tweak tablet settings to install TextSecure? I would like to install TextSecure on an Android tablet. TextSecure is not currently supported for tablets, and Google Play Store refuses to install it.

How can I tweak the (build.prop?) settings to make Play Store perform the install? I guess I have to make the Play Store believe my tablet is a phone.
I know that TextSecure may not work after the install, but I do want to try.

It seems possible if you have (another) phone number

According to Wikipedia on Signal (the new name: "In November 2015, the TextSecure and RedPhone applications on Android were merged to become Signal for Android."):

  Signal requires that the user has a phone number for verification.
  The number does not have to be the same as on the device's SIM card
  [...]. A number can only be registered to one device at a time.

How to register

Basically the FAQ states you can register with a different number:

  Request a call for the verification number after the two minute timeout.

(Which phone number is shown as sender is also explained in the FAQ.)

How to build from source (& install)

According to an old issue on their site, it was only three commands build and install from source:

git pull
ant release
adb install -r bin/TextSecure-release.apk

How to download APK (& install) - this maybe risky(!!)

According to this Github-issue:

  multi-device support is on the roadmap

But in the meantime, one can try downloading the APK from other websites, e.g. (same issue):

  You can try sideloading the app via https://apps.evozi.com/apk-downloader/.

This is a user response, I do not know if/how trustworthy this site is!!!  But, based on the present Playstore-link for Signal that link would be: https://apps.evozi.com/apk-downloader/?id=org.thoughtcrime.securesms .

Why no APK-download or ...store

I do not know, why Signal does not allow installing to a device without SIM (yet), and they may (see quote above). I do know, why they did (do?) not distribute their APK-s for 'wild' installation, see this issue:

No upgrade channel for effective security
No app scanning (possible malware problems)
No crash reporting
No stats to prioritize development and platforms
Not a privacy win
To not encourage "allow 3rd party APK-s" by 'naive users'
It is still possible to install by building from source for 'power users' (only)


How to stop System update on Firefly intense 5 My phone is Firefly Intense 5 and I received a notification of system update. I accidentally hit it so my phone starts updating. Now, it suddenly turns off because it's low bat.And up until now, it is still updating. The update starts last Wednesday, now it's Friday. Is there any way I can stop it?

Try this:

Go to Settings
Then applications (or app)
Sweep to Running apps
Locate SystemUpdateService then stop it. (click on stop)
Go back to Download apps
Locate Google Play Service and Clear All Data
Now go check at Settings > About > Software update. You should see the update there just don't hit on download.


how do i manually copy my cellphone numbers from my cellphone to my computer i am having no luck with syncing my phone numbers to my google account.
so i would like to copy the numbers from my cellphone and save them on my computer.

if i connect my computer to my phone.
where do i find all my contact numbers on my phone. it is an LG E975K. i assume the tele numbers are somewhere in 'internal storage'.

i assume i can somehow download the telephone numbers as i do the photographs.
anyone can help?

There are multiple ways to achieve that, some are depending on the OS your computer runs.

Simple VCard exchange

Open your contacts app, open its menu. You should find an item to export your contacts to your device's SDCard (usually in a sub-menu called "Import/Export"). Hitting that will write a file named 0001.vcf or similar to the SDCard toot directory.

Copy that file to your computer. Most contact applications are able to open/import the file, which is using standard VCard format.

Specific application

There are specific applications available for that task, often having an Android app for the device and a specific computer counterpart. The probably most famous of them is MyPhoneExplorer, which not only deals with your contacts, but also calendars and much more. This software requires MS Windows on your computer.

Other Synchronization Services

There are plenty of different "servers" available to synchronize Contacts (and Calendars, and more) between devices. I e.g. use ownCloud with my devices, which gives me complete control over my data. As with the previous item, this requires a local app and a remote component.

Others

You can find a list of possibilities for synchronization in my app listings, specifically: Synchronization of Calendars, Contacts, etc.. My list for Backup apps also has a dedicated section on contacts. Those backups you can copy to your computer then as well, but rarely import to any computer program. If you want to directly access your Android's contact lists from your computer, you might also wish to take a look into Manage your Android Device from your Computer.


How do I increase audio sound on my app for recording phone calls? I have an Echo phone and downloaded an app for recording phone calls, both received and made myself. When it records, my voice is very loud, but you can barely hear the other line unless it is on speaker phone. Is there a way of increasing there level without using speaker? I record phone interviews I do and it is much easier just using the headset and not using the speakerphone...cuts out parts of our conversation.

The recording works by using the microphone.  You're talking straight into the mic and thus are much louder than the sound that reaches the mic from the ear speaker.

You'll need to use an app that actually records the incoming call and not simply what it picks up from the mic.  Check out this question, I believe it includes a couple such apps in the answers.


After updating to Android 2.3, the radio keeps running in the background I have an LG Optimus One and today I updated the firmware to the latest version.
I didn't know that with the firmware LG would also update Android.
Anyway, I finished the update and went at Phone Information menu.
There I saw that the Android version changed from 2.2 to 2.3.3
First I was happy to see that. I've been waiting a long time for this update.
But then I started to notice some strange things.
For example the Radio is always running in the background.
I tried with many different ways to close it, but nothing worked.
I used Adsvanced Task Killer and other apps and also tried to Force shut down.
But as I said, it keeps running.
Anybody has the same problem? Is there any solution?

Also, although it says I have Android 2.3 the graphics are not the same.
The main screen is not like this:
http://developer.android.com/sdk/images/2.3/home-plain.png
(Only the browser icon changed)

Firmware is a bit of a loose term.  With Android you can assume that all firmware updates are Android updates, even if it's only a minor version update.  It's rare that a new bootloader or something would be pushed out with no changes to the OS.

Anyways, Android has lots of services running in the background all the time.  Unless it's consuming your battery — it's probably idle and not using any — it's not a problem.  Running task killers is a great way to make your battery life worse and destabilize your phone, so definitely don't do that.

Finally, Android is customized to varying extent by the manufacturers.  Most of them at least change the launcher, which can make the homescreen look different.  The fact that it looks different from the stock Android homescreen isn't surprising :)


How can I most effectivly secure and anonymize my specfic Android device? I would like to setup my phone to be able to browse/use apps as anonymously as possible. I realize that will require Tor/VPNs, and I am working on getting that information elsewhere. Here I am focusing on the phone itself.

It will be a new Samsung Galaxy S8 on Verizon (I realize not many people will have hands on with this model yet, so just reference what you would do on the S7 if need be). I would like to anonymize and secure it as much as possible. For example, I know that Verizon and Google are shipping new phones with spyware and other tagging features. I am not very tech saavy (I cant code), but I am a fast learners.

I will be trying to avoid using Google products at all costs (No Play Store, GMail, etc) - except for Android system updates (I assume this is a necessity?). I am willing to do anything, except: Replace the OS - it has to be regular Android (Unless someone can show me an add-on/alternative that wont require constant maintenance/detailed knowledge of how a phone OS works), or compromise the basic software so that it become unstable or wont work with basic apps.

I assume rooting is a must - but I will need some direction as to how this can be done safely, and what I will then need to do to keep the phone updated and stable.

Specifically I am looking for:

How to remove all native spyware/malware/unnecessary apps (without accidentally deleting something critical).
Remove any features that could ID my device over the internet
What kind of software/app I need to set up to protect against future malicious software (some kind of anti-virus/malware scanner?).
How to most securely encrypt the phone and any data on it (so that if someone was able to get control of it, accessing it's contents without the pass key would be as difficult as possible).
Any general tips that might help with this.

Thank you.

Hi the best place you are probably best off looking is the XDA forums for advice on the routing part.

Also have a look at microG, a project that is attempting to replace google play services and make android truly open source.  Heres a link to an article that covers MicroG

Geolocation would be difficult to anonomise I'm guessing due to  triangulation techniques that could be used to track the device location through the mobile network.

Good antivirus and malware software is a must

Alternative app stores such as F-droid, XDA, ect would be a good option - remember that apps can contain trackers ect which can send your data to the developer. Maby try and find an app that shows these permissions?

Signal - good private messaging replacement

Remember, to be most secure you will need to update regularly and also rooting your phone can mean the latest security patches are not rolled out as fast, if at all.

Edit: I forgot to add that if you do add a custom ROM, makesure that you encript your device :)


How can I clear the cache(s) of my g2x from adb? I installed clockworkmod as the recovery, then installed cyanogen 7 nightly for the g2x.  I used Rom Manager to do so.  The problem I'm having is cyanogen shows the boot loading screen in an infinite loop.  From what I have read on the Internet, I need to clear out the cache on the phone, and it should boot.

I can adb reboot recovery but it does not go into clockworkmod.  Instead, it shows the icon of an arrow leaving a box - I suppose an indication it is trying to install an update.  I cannot get it to boot into recovery mode.

Is it possible to do so?  Or can I clear the cache or reflash the LG G2X using adb?  My poor phone!  I am lonely without it!

(This is a G2X - if the "tmobile-g2(s)" tag is incorrect, please remove it)

I am not sure about the G2X, but when I would reboot in to recovery on my Galaxy S Vibrant, I used to have to "apply updates", which would run the update.zip that was on the sdcard, this would bring me in to the clockwork recovery.

I also know that the adb reboot recovery does not yet work correctly on the Galaxy S Vibrant version, so this could be the same issue on the G2X.


Apps on SD-Card moved back to device storage after being updated? On my Samsung Galaxy S5 (running Lollipop 5.0), I noticed the following behavior:

I moved some apps to my external SD-Card storage.
Every time, Google Play Store tells me to update one of these apps, they're getting moved back to the device's storage - and I have to push them back again to the SD-Card.

Did anyone encounter the same issue (or is this maybe just my phone)? This behavior does not show up on my old Galaxy (Android 4.1.2 - apps keep their place there, even after being updated).

Since I think, that it's very annoying to check whether apps should be moved to the SD-Card again, can somebody please tell me, how to stop this behavior or automate app2sd for specific apps?

Edit: I did not root my phone

The problem is you don't have you SD card selected as the default installation location. Which makes the app install back onto the internal storage.

To fix this got to Settings > Storage > Preferred install location then select SD card. After you update it will install app on the SD card by default.


Can I send text using S-voice through Google Voice? I have a Galaxy S 3. Can I send an SMS using Google Voice using S-voice (like I can natively)?

Yes you will be able to send a SMS with S-Voice.


mobile network problem after jellybean upgrade I upgraded my sony tipo dual to jellybean using cyangenmod 10 using this tutorial. I was able to do most of the things without any problems.

But after upgrade I am unable to connect to mobile network. Even unable to save APNs in the phone. I tried restore factory settings. I tired to set my network APN to default but am entirely unable to save my APNs (any APNs). I tried re-installing the whole process again. But nothing has helped yet.

Although the Sony Xperia Tipo is listed by FreeXperia as a supported device, the Tipo Dual isn't. It's not clear from the site, so it may simply be that (the unofficial port of) Cyanogenmod can't access the SIM cards in that device.


Samsung galaxy phones shuts down automatically I own a Samsung Galaxy Note. I have seen that very randomly and infrequently, my device just turns off on its own. I then have to restart it by pressing on the power button.

Yes, the device has enough battery life left in it.

I have seen the same behaviour in my previous Samsung Galaxy S as well.
Any one out here experiencing the same, or does any one know why its happening and what I could do to fix it?

I had the same behaviour, related to frequent "driving mode" madness. I don't know if the driving mode is an effect of the same cause or not, but when one stopped the other did too.

What I did to stop it (some might be BS, but It didn't do it a second time, so I can't find out what was the help)

Dry it off (some rain might have gotten into the USB port)
Clean the usb port.
Shut off, remove battery, wait 10 minutes
Restart.
Connect to wall-outlet-charger (full charge, as opposed to computer charge)
Stop charging it with el cheapo, very thin, shaky cables.


Can I change which app launches when I put my phone in the media dock? Samsung Desk Home can auto-launch when the phone is placed in the media dock, but it kinda stinks. I have alternatives, like Custom Car Home, but can't see any way to get them to launch.

The standard way of clearing the defaults in "Manage Applications" is greyed out.

My device is rooted, and I run Tasker, if that helps.

Sorry I can't give you any help with the root part since I've never done it but I could let you know what to look out for if you want this action to occur with another app.

Pretty much when you plug the phone into the car dock... an Intentis created. If an app like Custom Car Home or another other associates itself with that Intent then the user will receive a selection dialog asking them which app they would like to launch for that intent/action.

If at the moment the only thing that happens is the Samsung Desk Home is automatically launched, then this is probably because Custom Car Home has not associated itself with that particular Intent.

From the sounds of what Tasker can do (and I hear it can do a heck of a lot) this should be manageable through it. Try to set up an app launch on a specific condition. That condition is when the phone is docked into the car dock.

Tasker will then associate itself with that Intent and fire off your desired app.

Hope some of that was a little useful. Sorry I couldn't be much help.


Cat B15Q pairs with Toyota, but connection unusable I have no problems pairing my Cat B15Q (Android 4.4.2) with my 2013 Toyota Auris over Bluetooth. However, it stops there. As soon as I try to use the connection (make a phone call, play music, access the internet), the Toyota complains with a non-descript error message.

I have been able to successfully connect a WinPC with the phone (incl. file transfer).

Does anybody know any tricks? I have tried the obvious ones: deleting the connection, re-pairing. To no avail. The car can use my wife's iPhone 6 over Bluetooth. I have contacted Cat, but they say the problem is with Toyota. When I see the long list of phones compatible with my car, I can only wonder why my phone isn't working and why the problem should be with Toyota?

Last week, I had to turn in my (company car) Toyota and I got a Peugeot 2008 in return. Of course I tried to connect the Cat to the car. Pairing was no problem. Making a phone call, however, was not possible. But receiving a phone call was possible! This got me thinking. The Cat is dual SIM and in fact I have two SIM cards. In the settings you can choose which SIM card to use as default for outgoing calls, or whether to postpone that decision when actually making a phone call. I had chosen for the latter option, but after I changed it so that outgoing calls always use one specific SIM card, I could make calls with the car's phone buttons!

Maybe the connection with the Toyota had been successful after all, it just got stuck because I hadn't opted for the default SIM card option.


basic android file system I have a samsung galaxy 8, new to android from iphone 7. Since this system is new to me I wanted to get a rundown on the internal/sd storage files, where system files are stored, how to find apps and where they are stored. Basically I want to manage some files but I don't know the structure on the android system. Example: I want to store some lesser used icon packs to the external storage to free up some space. I don't know where to move them to, and what rules there may be for this.
I also have alot of photo files which I want to store and use from the sd card.
If someone can please direct me to an article that would be really helpful.

You can download Es File Explorer App, click here to download it from Google Play Store. It makes easy to manage your files in Internal/External Storage, using this you can easily move your photos from Internal to External storage.

I hope this will help you.


Automatically power-on Android phone at a given time? Is it possible to automatically power on Android phone at a given time?

Technically, if your device is connected to a charger, it may be possible if your phone is rooted.

You can edit the program which shows the charging animation when your phone is powered off (typically stored in playlpm or lpm in /system/bin).

You could replace it with a simple shell script to reboot the phone when the time is equal to some value, assuming the system booted at that point has the date command available.

Obviously, this isn't an end-user solution. It's only for people who know at least a little programming and know what they are doing.

Source: https://arduandro.wordpress.com/2014/07/03/autobootstart-android-when-charger-is-connected/

Here is something to get you started. This should reboot your phone once it's 4pm (untested):

#!/system/bin/sh
while:
do
hr=`date +%H`
if test $hr -ge 16
    then
    /system/bin/reboot
else
    sleep 60
fi
done


Can I use my phone as a bluetooth game controller for my computer? I've seen BT Controller but I think it only allows users to use their android as remote for other androids. I just want to use my phone as a bluetooth controller with up, down, left, right, L, R, start, select, A, B buttons for my computer. Is there an app that makes this a possibility?

Basically, there are generic bluetooth game controllers that can be bought on stores. I was wondering if I can make my Android phone act like such and be used on computers.

You haven't mentioned which types of games you need this for but there are several possible options:

Gmote 2.0, which is a client/server type system which would let you use your Android tablet to control your computer.

RemoteDroid, which is similar to Gmote, it also uses a client/server system.

GRemotePro may be the right choice for you as it is but you need to pay for the server software. It is specifically advertised as being for game control.


Stuck in Fastboot?! Help please! I tried to get CM11 on my LG G2 on Bell Canada's network and I really messed it up. I can no longer get into recovery, adb doesn't see my phone, but download mode works (though I have no idea how to use it). I even tried the "Get out of Fastboot" tutorial and it didn't work because when I get to the point where I have to choose "Android" under "other devices" in Windows 7 and my G2 is showing up as "SAMSUNG Android Phone" and under that it says "USB Modem Phone ADB Port". The latest drivers for LG are installed so I have no idea what's going on. I had a Samsung Galaxy S2 a long time ago. Could it be that those drivers are over-riding LG's drivers? I have no idea how this stuff works...

So now my phone boot loops to little rows of words at the top of the screen:
[650] Fastboot mode started
[700] udc_start()

Please, what can I do to fix this phone? I need a simple tutorial for a total noob like myself.

Thanks!

Secondly, is there any way I can get CM11 on this Bell phone? I don't like LG's skin...

If your computer is able to recognize the phone while it's in Fastboot mode, you are half-way there.  You will now need to flash a proper Recovery image, and then use the Recovery mode to flash a compatible ROM.

It doesn't looks like ClockworkMod officially supports your version of LG G2 (d803).  The other well known recovery is TWRP (short for Team Win Recovery Project).  There are two different recovery images for d803 - Bell and Rogers.  Go ahead and download the one appropriate for your carrier, and save it somewhere on your computer.

Now do the following:

Boot up your phone into fastboot mode, and connect it via USB to the PC.
Open Windows Command Prompt, and navigate to wherever the fastboot.exe program is installed (e.g. cd c:\fastboot\)
Issue the following command: fastboot flash recovery [path-to-img] where "[path-to-img]" is the full path to where you downloaded the recovery image (C:\temp\openrecovery-twrp-2.6.3.2-g2bell.img for example)

Turn the phone off, diaconnect it from USB, and boot to recovery by holding the Vol Down+Power buttons, then as soon as the "LG" logo comes up release them and press & hold them again, and then on the screen press the Power button 3 times.

You should be in TWRP recovery.  Re-connect the phone to PC via USB, and now ADB tool should be working.

You can now try to find the CM11 version for your phone, adb push it to your phone's memory while it's in Recovery mode, and then flash it with TWRP.  I would also recommend performing a complete wipe via TWRP to clear out any residual files from your previous flashing attempts.

Currently CyanogenMod does not officially support the Canadian variant (d803) of LG G2, but some people had successfully modified the d802's package.  This involves extracting a file from the official CM11 zip, modifying it to include the d803 model, re-packing it into the zip, and finally flashing it.  A different kernel is also required to be flashed right afterwards, and can be found here (you will need the AOSP based one.)


How do I clear keyboard/autocorrect history on the Galaxy s4? I let my younger cousins play on my S4 from time to time, but now I have found that all the words they have used are the first to come up when I use my phone to text. It has gotten quite irritating. Samsung seems to have very hard to find settings compared to my old Sony Ericsson so I cannot find where to get rid of the word history typed onto my phone's keyboard.

You have this tagged as google-keyboard, but based on how you phrased the question I'm going to infer that you're using Samsung Keyboard, the default on Galaxy devices.

In stock Android, there's a User Dictionary selection available in Settings→Language and Input, which allows you to edit the user dictionary. For most keyboards, you can access the user dictionary from the keyboard's own settings. For example, for Swype Keyboard, you go to Settings→Languaguage and input, select the gear icon next to Swype in the Keyboards and input methods list, select My Words, then select Edit my dictionary. For some reason I don't understand, the dictionary for Samsung Keyboard can't be accessed through settings.

Instead, you can edit the dictionary directly from the keyboard.

To add a new word simply use the word. Once you've typed a word that's not recognized and accepted it (by hitting the space bar or enter, selecting it from the list of word suggestions, or exiting the application or screen where you're typing it), the word will be remembered. Yes, this can be annoying, because it will automatically add mistakes and partial words from interrupted typing, including if your screen locks out due to inactivity. In that case...
To remove an existing word start typing the word until it appears in the suggestions list. Long-press the word, and you will receive a prompt asking whether you want to remove the word:


JavaScript doesn't work on Chrome 58 on Android in offline mode I have a single-HTML web page with embedded <script> tags. When I view the offline version of this page in Chrome 58 on Android, JavaScript event handlers are not executed. (When I connect to the internet and reload the page, JavaScript starts working again.) How can I get my JavaScript back without a working internet connection on Chrome 58 on Android?

Chrome offline pages do not support JavaScript.. You won't be able to get it to work in an offline page.. Maybe there are other browsers who do support JavaScript but I'm not sure.


How to know if a Galaxy Note is a real one? I'm in Thailand now and I've seen a Galaxy Note device that seems to be a real Galaxy Note phone, but it has an extremely low cost (about 100 USD). I'd like to confirm that the phone is real, how do I prove it? I had the chance to play with the operating system and it is like my Galaxy S, but with a larger screen. I cannot "open" or connect to laptop, but I can play with it.

Grab MAC address of Wi-Fi adapter of device. Go to Settings ~> Wireless and Network ~> Wi-Fi Settings and tap/press options key. Then, tap Advanced. Here, you can get MAC address. The method can vary based on firmware.
Look up this MAC address at http://www.techzoom.net/tools/check-mac.en or http://www.coffer.com/mac_find/ . If device isn't legitimate, you can detect here.


How do I backup and restore SMS Messages? How do I backup and restore SMS Messages?

I highly recommend SMS backup+.  It'll back up  your SMS to a Gmail Label:

Automatically backup SMS, MMS and call log entries using a separate label in Gmail / Google Calendar. It is also possible to restore SMS and call log entries back to the phone (MMS not supported yet).


Wiped data, cache and everything on Sony Xperia Neo V MT11i, now it's stuck at Sony Logo! I'm new to the enter flashing and rooting business. So I would like to get some assistance from you guys regarding this issue of mine... here's what I did:

Installed CWM via APK on my Xperia Neo V Mt11i
Got into recovery soon
Wiped the data, cache and everything...
I tried installing a ROM from the zip file, turns out it was for "Mt11a!"
And I exited the whole thing, pulled my SD out and got another ROM...this where things went wrong, my phone's stuck in the "sony" logo now... and I'm not able to get into CWM either...

Here's what all I tried and what I got in result:

Tried flashing the phone using flashtool, but I keep getting "error processing of loader.sin ended with errors" and flash is cancelled!!
Next I tried CWM install, it says "ADB server is out of date, killing"...

I'm out of options guys, please help me out and tell me what best can I do resolve either those 2 errors or just a new method! Please help me out!

First thing is to make sure your phone is charged fully, or at least above 80%.

Also make sure you're connection to the PC is undamaged, USB ports in good condition, USB cable too.

Make sure you have the correct drivers for your device and the all the correct information about the device to prevent installing another incorrect rom.

If you get the adb to work using those tips, clear the cache and data etc. On the phone to remove any chance of the correct rom being corrupt by the one you tried to install before. (Don't forget gApps!!)


my mtk device with mt6572 (Karbonn a35) dual core and 512 mb ram crashes on gameplay My phone crashes on some games but i have sufficient system requirement . Games such as eagle sim,robocop,shadow fight 2,exile far colony etc crashes frequently please friends gave any solution

shadow fight 2 needs at lest 1GB ram for smooth running..you can play dead trigger 1 on your phone. it is working on 512 mb ram dual core phones..


Is it possible to add the NFC to the phone which does not have it? My phone is a Motorola Moto 2g LTE (xt1072). It is really good phone but there is a one problem, it does not have NFC. Is there any solution, to add NFC to the phone which does not have it – and would Android be able to use it then? If yes to both, could you provide some links to such existing "equipment" as proof that it's not only "a nice theory"?

Sorry to say this, but it seems to be a long way off before truly turning a NON NFC into NFC phone (as pointed out by Izzy in comments, there have been some efforts but no progress)

NFC SD and SIM Cards claims that Both SIM and SD cards can be equipped with NFC chips can be used to enable.
Toshiba has come up with NFC SD card last year, but the catch is that it requires NFC enabled device to work with. All it does , is enabling seeing the contents of SD card without physical connection
NFC-enabled SIM cards launched a couple of months back in Singapore for paying for rail travel- but they work only with NFC enabled phones


Prevent YouTube from using mobile data at all on Android 7 Nougat I would like to prevent YouTube from accessing mobile data at all. However, I cannot see how this is done in Android 7 Nougat on my Samsung Galaxy S7.

Has this feature been removed and replaced by the option to turn it off for background usage?

You can download a firewall app and restrict YouTube to WiFi only.

For example, with Onavo Protect, from Facebook, it will establish a VPN connection that works like the firewall on non-rooted Android devices. You can restrict any app from using mobile data.


Unlock by fingerprint only When I initially set up my phone, I had to both choose a pattern and scan my fingerprint, for providing maximal security.
Now, when I want to unlock my phone, I can choose, whether I want to do that with the pattern or with my fingerprint.

Why providing the fingerprint, when someone still can use my pattern?
Is there any way, to deactivate the pattern, so that it can be unlocked by the fingerprint only?

It's not possible since FP is less secure than password/pattern. And there's another reason.

FP is stored as a "credential", which is by default, encrypted. That's why whenever you reboot your phone, or haven't unlocked your phone for 24 hours, you must unlock with pattern before you can use FP again.


How do you SIM-unlock the SGH-I317 (AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note 2) on Jelly Bean 4.1.2? I have looked all over the internet, and a lot of the download links and information has gone stale, or is incorrect. I wanted to standardize it here for other people.

Calling AT&T may get you an unlock code within 24 hours. You do not need to buy one, or follow this technical guide.

But if all else fails, you can unlock via a downgrade to 4.1.1. How to do this is below.

The most reputable source I found is here: XDA Developers AT&T Samsung SGH-I317,
a BIG thank you to: Odin Guide
and last steps are from After 4.1.1

Estimated time: 2 hours.

About SGH-I317

This is the code that identifies the AT&T USA version of the Samsung Note II. Every carrier has a different firmware, so you would need to use the firmware for your carrier.

About Unlocking

Unlocking is not the same as rooting. Unlocking let's you use your phone with other SIM cards. Rooting let's you have more control over the internal software system of the device.

About Samsung Odin

A 3rd party software used to change the firmware of Samsung phones.

About 4.1.2 Jelly Bean

This is the Android version of the phone. It is an older version, but onl version 4.1.1 has a free unlock menu.

About Kies

A similar to iTunes for iOS, a proprietary phone syncing tool.

About I317UCALJ2

This is your baseband version for the 4.1.1 on AT&T USA. A list of all the baseband versions of the modems are here: http://www.androidayos.com/samsung-galaxy-note-2-stock-firmware/

Requirements

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 USA AT&T Locked 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
Windows Computer

Downloads Needed

Exact version: Odin 3.07 (newer versions will not work): http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1168421&d=1341114315 (may also need the Note 2 USB driver: https://mega.co.nz/#!yVJnlCAL!W2TKtTloGVWQtFD0AON1DG1pgPJCEqAVxonqlSPeqOg )
4.1.1 Original firmware, sometmies called J2 Modem for your phone: AT&T is here: http://d-h.st/wsW Full List here: http://www.androidayos.com/samsung-galaxy-note-2-stock-firmware/
Samsung Kies: http://www.samsung.com/ca/support/usefulsoftware/KIES/JSP
7-Zip: http://sourceforge.net/projects/sevenzip/

Steps to Unlock

Disclaimer: If your phone is not an SGH-I317 (see device settings) or if you don't follow the steps or your not careful, you may brick your phone. I take no responsibility, follow at your own risk:
Charge phone to full battery.
Backup important phone data.
Install Samsung Kies
Install Samsung USB driver.
Enable USB debugging from your phone’s settings. Go to Settings > Applications > Development, and tick the box that says ‘Enable USB Debugging’.
Ensure that KIES is closed and not running in the system tray! Kies will interrupt and doesn’t like Odin, it will block you from flashing.
Turn off phone completly. THEN while off: hold the Volume Down key, Home button and the Power ON/OFF button simultaneously until it says Downloading.. Do not turn off target!!”

Plug in USB cable from phone to computer.
Use Samsung Odin 3.07 (for SGH-I317) to downgrade the firmware to 4.1.1 I317UCALJ2
In Odin window – the ID:COM box will turn to blue color and indicates the COM port number and a word “Added” on a log box will prompt you that the device is already detected or recognized by Odin. Your COM port number might be different from mine. If you do not see a COM port number then there’s something missing or wrong

Wait for the word PASS!! ** takes about 7 minutes **
Troubleshooting: Phone should reboot. If it gets stuck at samsung logo ad-infinitum (give it at least 2 literal minutes, sometimes it needs to process for a bit), try to poweroff by holding power button. Worst case, remove battery. While off: Hold Volume Up, Power, and Home buttons and do:
1) Wipe data / factory
2) Wipe cache partition
Dial this into your phone

*#1234#
Verify you have 4.1.1 now (I317UCALJ2) Settings > About Device.
If this did not work, see this guide for troubleshooting:  http://www.androidayos.com/2013/04/07/unroot-and-restore-back-att-galaxy-note-2-sgh-i317-to-original-firmware-stock-rom/
Finally, Dial the following into your phone app.

*#197328640#
Select  [1] UMTS > [1] Debug Screen > [8] Phone Control > [6] Network Lock > Options [3]Perso SHA256 OFF >
After choosing this option, wait about 30 seconds.
Then go back one step by pressing the Menu button and then select Back.
This will take you to  [6] Network Lock options
Choose [4] NW Lock NV Data INITIALLIZ
Wait for a minute then reboot your phone.
Insert a SIM Card from a non-AT&T carrier


Chrome error **ERR_SPDY_TRANSPORT_SECURITY** only on mobile device I'm trying to brows one website in my SAMSUNG GRAND MAX mobile, using Chrome/ UC browser etc.
it shows below error

This webpage is not availale
ERR_SPDY_TRANSPORT_SECURITY

but same website is working fine on Desktop's Chrome browser.

SPDY is a protocol of chrome browser developed by Google. It was designed to load web pages faster and to improve web security.
However this protocol has been deprecated in favour of the HTTP/2 Standard.

  Google’s servers will likely support SPDY quite a bit longer than its
  browser, but in the long run, it will likely completely shut of SPDY
  support there, too.

Possible reasons may therefore be an outdated browser, or perhaps firewall settings (if you have installed a firewall on your device etc)

Possible ways to resolve this error:

Updating the browser

First and foremost, update the browser and check if the same error shows. Usually latest build would have fixed bugs from previous builds.

Flush sockets in your browser:

Visit this url in your Chrome browser: chrome://net-internals/#sockets
Select "Flush sockets" in top right screen (drop down arrow)

Clearing hosts  cache

To clear hosts cache of chrome, visit this url; chrome://net-internals/#dns and tap on Clear host cache button


How can I block incoming connections? I've been looking for a firewall app for Android for a couple hours now and all I could find is apps that only let me block outgoing connections (for specific apps). Is there any way to set which incoming connections and on which ports should be allowed/denied (something like Inbound Rules in Windows Firewall)? I'm OK with with the app requiring root.

If you don't mind with the solution not being an app, then you can use iptables. They are included in the AOSP kernel. You can access them by downloading a terminal app off of the app store. You might however need root for this.

The usage of iptables on android should be same as the ones on desktop Linux, so you can look up some GNU manual for it.


How to create a copy of a file immediately when it's created? I have an Android app that will create a file and immediately delete it. I want to know how can I catch this file or create a copy or even disable user permissions to delete a file. I have root access to the device.

You can achieve this using inotifywait from inotify-tools. Your kernel must be built with CONFIG_INOTIFY_USER=y for this to work. You can confirm with:

~# zcat /proc/config.gz | grep INOTIFY

Or the existence of /proc/sys/fs/inotify directory. /proc/config.gz may not exist on all devices depending on kernel build configuration.

Let's say /data/data/com.xyz/files/ is the directory you want to watch.

~$ mkdir -p /sdcard/backup/
~# inotifywait -rm --format '%w%f' -e create /data/data/com.xyz/files/ |
while read file
do
    [ -f "$file" ] && cp -av "$file" /sdcard/backup/
done

-e create is the event that reports that a file/directory is created in watched directory, --format is to get filename with complete path, -m is to watch continuously and -r establishes watches recursively. -d can daemonize the process i.e. run in background.

All newly created files in watched directory or in any sub-directory will be copied to /sdcard/backup.

You can also use busybox inotifyd for simple use case as explained here. For more options see inotifywait(1).

RELATED: How to identify the app/process which re-mounts partitions R/W, creates files and changes file permissions?


hanging while entering bootloader menu Hello every one I want to install ubuntu touch on my galazy W I8550 but I hangs when I use this code adb reboot bootloader then it just shws a blak screen witch sayes to continue push up volome bottom or down one to reboot but it just hangs.
DO you help ,e with this?

Samsung devices don't support fastboot. Hence, the bootloader mode is replaced by the Download Mode, in which, by pressing Volume Up, you tell your phone to accept incoming data sent from either Odin or Heimdall.

If your device appears to be stuck in it, just hold the Power button until it reboots.


What Effect Will Installing A Custom Launcher Have On MIUI V.5? A friend installed the custom rom MIUI V.5, and is finding it a bit different to stock jelly bean. I told him to give it time to adjust, as i'm sure "its not that different".

Rather than disposing of MIUI altogether, he says he is thinking of installing a custom launcher eg Nova launcher.

He therefore wishes to know what effect (if any) will installing Nova launcher have on MIUI, and will it bring the stock Jelly Bean "experience" back or not ?

Edit:

What he trying to say is:
By combining Nova launcher with MIUI, will the experience/functionality of doing so be similar to using Nova launcher with stock jelly bean, thereby making this transition to MIUI less unfamiliar & more user friendly ?

First, launchers are apps like all other apps you can install. Which means: per se, there should be no problems -- but they of course might have bugs and, in rare cases, side effects. Again, this is not limited to launchers. So far for the "generic info".

Now specifically for the launcher: After having installed a launcher (Nova should be fine, Apex might be another choice close to Nova), when he presses the Home key to switch to the home screen, he will be asked which launcher to chose. So still he's got the choice to use the MIUI launcher or his "custom one". On every press of the Home button. Until he decides to always use one of the two, and marks the check button to remember his choice ("always use..."). Now on Home key press, it's always that launcher being started.

If at a later time he wants to switch back: still no problem. The "decision popup" will come again if one of the following conditions are met:

he installed another launcher
one of the installed launchers receives an update
more than 2 launchers were installed, and the current default launcher is uninstalled
in Settings→Applications, the settings of the current default launcher are opened, and the "clear defaults" button is pushed
some "default apps" manager was used to trigger it

So in short: I'd expect no trouble. Some special features of the MIUI launcher might not be available in other launchers, some specific MIUI widgets (specifically built for the MIUI launcher) might not work with the other launcher -- but if he wants, he can always return/swtich or even revert his changes.


how can I remove my lock screen pin? I googled for the answer, but kept getting sent in options,where I cant find how. Could you please help me? I have a Galaxy S3 Neo.

Go to Settings menu and under settings option you can find lock screen options try other security options or remove all it will ask you to re-enter screen pin to disable or change.


Camera app that takes picture as soon as it has focus I'm at a concert and I want to leave the camera app open and have it snap multiple photos as soon as it has focus. Is there an app for that?

Yes, InstaCamera, made in New Zealand...!


How to change lock screen clock display on Samsung Galaxy A3? On the lock screen of a Samsung Galaxy A3, the clock is displayed in two rows:

14
18

I'd like it to be displayed as God intended:

14:18

And I've spent an hour trying to get it this way, and nothing helps.

There's nothing in the Settings to customize the display of the clock.  There are apps that are clock widgets, but they can be enabled only for the "home" screen, once the device is unlocked, not for the Lock screen.

How can I change the display of the lock screen clock?

Android version 7.0, Samsung Experience version 8.1.

To change the clock style on the A3:

go to Apps>Settings>Lock screen & security>Always on display. Select the digital clock then click on clock style (bottom left)>select the face of your choice. Click on Apply at he top right.

Enjoy.


Is it possible to add home screens to a Sony Xperia? I've an Xperia Mini/Pro. I would like to add another home screen. At the moment there are 5 different home screen. Is it possible to add more to the Xperia launcher  ?
I don't want to change launcher, i find Xperia stock launcher very ..comfortable with the function 'corners' .
Thanks

this might help:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1138791

you would need to have your phone rooted for this hack. It is for Xperia Play, but would work on other Xperias, as I've done this before on my Xperia Arc S successfully.


Uninstall AVG antivirus I have tried all the options for my Samsung Galaxy but the problem is when I uncheck AVG anti-theft administrator, it doesn't. the option remains checked. consequently, I cannot proceed with uninstallation.

On your device, open Settings > Apps.
Tap AntiVirus, and then tap Uninstall.
Tap OK to confirm the uninstallation.

In case the Uninstall button is not active and you cannot follow the steps above, you should disable the Device Administrator feature in AVG AntiVirus first:

Open AVG AntiVirus.
Tap Anti-Theft.
Un-check the option Device Administrator.
Close AVG AntiVirus, and then folow the steps above. The Uninstall button should be active now.


Need someone to tell me the camera preview and picture resolutions in Samsung Galaxy S4 I need to know the camera preview and picture resolutions that the Samsung Galaxy S4/S4 Zoom (SM-C101) supports for it's rear camera.

I'm building an application that does real time image processing on the frames received from the camera. By default, the highest resolution is set which makes the processing very slow. So, I want to know what resolutions are available so that I could set a range within which to select from at runtime.

I noticed that some common lower resolutions aren't supported on the S3, so I had to increase the range. So I need to know if I need to change it for the S4.

Someone on SO has created an application which records this data and makes it publicly viewable here. I guess using this would be easier than manually looking up the resolutions.

According to the Samsung site, the rear camera is 16MP with 10x Optical Zoom and enhanced SMART Modes, OIS, 24 - 240mm, F3.1 - F6.3.

You can probably use this tool to calculate for a rough estimate of image dimensions. Probably better if somebody with an S4 Zoom can provide actual values.

4000 x 4000 (16,00) - aspect 1:1 (1,00 - square)
4472 x 3576 (15,99) - aspect 5:4 (1,25 - photo)
4512 x 3544 (15,99) - aspect 14:11 (1,27 - photo)
5096 x 3136 (15,98) - aspect 13:8 (1,63 - photo)
4616 x 3464 (15,99) - aspect 4:3 (1,33 - photo)
4736 x 3384 (16,03) - aspect 7:5 (1,40 - photo)
4896 x 3264 (15,98) - aspect 3:2 (1,50 - photo)


Is there a way see if any of the apps on my phone have updates available? Is there a way see if any of the apps on my phone have updates available?

I occasionally get a notification that updates are available but is there a way of checking manually?

If I clear the notification area is there a way to see what apps had updates available?

Open the "Play Store", hit the context menu button and select "My Apps". This will show the list of installed Apps on the device and possible updates for the Apps.

See this question, ff you have Apps that weren't installed with the Play Store


Android chrome print, how is it set up? I'm looking to replace a mobile laptop with an Android tablet.

I noticed on my Android 4 phone, in Chrome, there is an option Menu>Print, which lets me generate a PDF, or select a printer. When I choose "All Printers", it says "Searching for printers", and does not list any.

I'm guessing I need to set up a WiFi printer. Or do I need Bluetooth? What should I search for to make sure I get a compatible printer.

Also, can this work without an internet connection? (assuming I managed to cache the page or pull up the page in Chrome) I need to be able to print reliable even in spotty internet.

Some printers come preinstalled with Google Cloud Print capabilities. Check to see if your printer already has Cloud Print: http://www.google.com/cloudprint/learn/printers.html

If your printer does not support Google Cloud Print, but it supports WiFi printing, you need to install a printer service before you can use WiFi to print. They are available on the Play Store, and you can quickly get a list of them from Settings>Printing. Only printers that support WiFi printing or cloud printing will be compatible.

And, wireless printing will not work without an internet connection, unless you have your phone hard-wired to either your printer or a connected computer.


How to root Sony Xperia C3 Dual D2502 running Android 5.0.2? I use Sony Xperia C3 Dual D2502. I've installed Android  5.0.2 and now I can't root it.  I can't root it using Sony Flashtool method.

Model Number: D2502
Kernel Version: 3.4.0+
Build Number: 19.3.A.0.470

How can I root it?

To root you must follow this handy tips

1) Before getting started with the rooting procedure, take a complete backup of personal data in your smartphone using appropriate apps. If you don’t take backup and follow the procedure given below, then your personal data will be wiped out, and you can’t recover them at all.

2) Ensure that your device has a good battery backup or else charge it fully, before carrying out the procedure.

3) Download Sony Xperia USB drivers and install it in your computer, so that you can connect Xperia C3 with it.

4) Enable USB Debugging mode in your device by following the path: Settings -> Developer Options -> USB Debugging Mode (tick the box to enable it).

When done you can start rooting

1) To get started, you have to unlock the bootloader of your Xperia C3. To do that, visit this page and follow the instructions given there to get the Unlock CODE (which will be sent to your email address).

2) Next, download Flashtool and install in your computer. Once done, switch off your device and connect it to the computer while holding the volume down button until the phone LED turns into blue color.

3) Now, click BLU on the flash tool and follow the onscreen instructions. Once it is done, disconnect your Xperia C3 from the computer and reconnect it to the computer while holding the Volume up button until you see the Flashtool asking for the Unlock code (Step 1). Just enter it and your device bootloader will be unlocked.

4) Next, download CWM and SuperSU, extract and save them to your computer. Once done, connect your Xperia C3 to the computer while holding the Volume DOWN button until you Blue color in the LED.

5) Now, open flash tool and select Fastboot mode. Next choose “Kernel To Flash” followed by “*.img” and finally choose the boot.img that you have got after extracting the CWM recovery (Step 4). The flashing process will begin and within few seconds will get completed. Once done, disconnect your Xperia C3 from the computer.

6) Next, switch on your device, connect it to the computer using USB debugging mode and transfer the SuperSU.zip file (Step 4) to the SD card. Once done, disconnect your device again.

7) Now, switch off your smartphone again. We have to boot into the recovery mode for flashing SuperSU. To do that, switch on your device while holding the Volume UP button until you boot into the recovery mode.

8) In CWM recovery, select “Install Zip from SD card”, choose the SuperSU file that you have transferred to the SD (Step 6) and start the flashing process. Once it is done, Reboot your device normally.

You can find the contents here: http://www.androidrootguide.com/list-android-custom-roms-official-roms-root-software-download-links from CWM to the rom

That is one way the other way to root your phone is to get UnlockRootPro. You connect your device and then select it from the dropdown menu and click root. But remember to do the handy tips on the first link.


Samsung phones bootloader unlock I have a samsung tablet gt-n8000 and I want to flash a custom rom . Should I first unlock the bootloader?  if yes , how to do that ? fastboot commands does not work anyway on my tablet so I can not use fastboot oem unlock.

Under developer option, Enable OEM unlock.
First find custom rom as per your mobile model. Connect mobile to computer having developer kit. Root the mobile and flash rom.


Screen overlay detected, what is the problem? I wanted to open a picture sent by a friend in the Sketch app in order to highlight something and send it back. The app didn't have permission to access the file system. A popup appeared. I clicked "Allow", then, "Screen overlay detected" appeared and it just wouldn't let me through.

Now, I've read that I can disable screen overlay, add the permissions, and then re-enable it, but I don't feel like going through all my apps to see what permissions they need, neither I feel like disabling & enabling this every time I need to allow something.

Is there any reason why Google did this?   I guess there must be a serious security concern, since this is very user unfriendly, but I have no idea what that could be.

See the pictures in the following question for examples of the problem

This is to prevent 'Tapjacking'.

  It works in a surprisingly simple way – you download an application and open it, which triggers the installation of a second, this time malicious, application. Then, when you press a button on the seemingly innocent application, you are actually clicking a button on the malicious application that is hidden within it. So, as its name suggests, the trap is in the tap.

  So, imagine this scenario. You have downloaded an application and on the main screen there is a button that says “Start Game”. You click it to begin but, unbeknownst to you, this has triggered the downloading of the dangerous malware. On the next screen you continue clicking away, oblivious to the dangers, and without realizing you have accepted the terms and conditions of the dangerous malware that has hidden itself on your cellphone.

Source

So when Android detects an app is appearing as an overlay it prevents the user from granting permissions or clicking on install when sideloading an app (and possibly more scenarios).

An app developer can opt into this behaviour if the user is doing something that needs to be secure:

  Sometimes it is essential that an application be able to verify that an action is being performed with the full knowledge and consent of the user, such as granting a permission request, making a purchase or clicking on an advertisement. Unfortunately, a malicious application could try to spoof the user into performing these actions, unaware, by concealing the intended purpose of the view. As a remedy, the framework offers a touch filtering mechanism that can be used to improve the security of views that provide access to sensitive functionality.

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