text:
Why this overloading issue in calling in CM13 and/or Android 6.0?
Situation: there are cases where calling priority order is by-passed and/or overloaded about 1/20 of all times by other application, which I think is critical because of many things.
Do

Have 3.5 mm plug your phone and listen to music.
Unplug 3.5 mmm plug

you see that Spotify has stopped playing when inspecting it in the notification bar and hearing no music anymore

Do nothing with your phone in two hours
Call with your phone after two hours
You hear Spotify's music, instead of dialing -sound.
Stop calling.
Call again. The dialing starts Spotify's music which hides dialling -sound and the sound of the other person. The other person can answer your call but you will not here his/her sound, because Spotify is higher in the priority order, which should not be possible. I reproduced this five times.

Output when calling: the music of Spotify.
Expected output: dialing sound.
Vulnerable bug/issue because

unplugging 3.5 mm did not stop music
starting calling prioritized Spotify first, hiding completely the dialling sound, although this should not be possible

The point (2) is the thing which should be studied much more closely.
Similar issues with Spotify in CM13

[S]omething strange with the audio subsystems. Once my phone started blurting out spotify music without even having spotify started, I had to reboot as to get it to stop as spotify wasn't running but still it was, phantom spotify. (pitrus-)
...

Phone: Oneplus 2
OS: CyanogenMod 13 Nightly 20160818-NIGHTLY-oneplus2; testing and reproducing now in Android 6.0
Rooted: no
Developer mode active: no
Recovery mode: TWRP 3.0.2
CM13 forum: https://forum.cyanogenmod.org/topic/128839-why-this-overloading-issue-in-calling-in-oneplus-2-of-cm13/
XDA forum: http://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-2/orig-development/rom-official-cyanogenmod-13-t3392278/page232#post68535053

Just direct those questions to XDA threads... It's not like the question is not genuine, but we CM13 users are arguably a minority here, and OP2's is new and understandably buggy.

@AndyYan I extended the thread to XDA forum and CM13 forum. Please, see the body.

Nice :) I never downvoted your questions though... (I feel your agony as a CM user)

I managed lastly to reproduce the problem in CM13 ROM. So it is CM13 specific. They have just one maintainer for the phone, which is too little, for my demands. I moved back to OxygenOS because they have several teams and old CM developers working for the ROM.
This is my second CM phone which has such critical weaknesses.
The other reason for the change is that that CM13 system breaks each time when you update it. You have to wipe nearly everything to have a stable update/upgrade.
In short, reasons to move from CM13 to OxygenOS in Oneplus 2

Support teams of old CM developers, OxygenOS and HydrogenOS working for the ROM.
Support of continuous stable updates and upgrades for OxygenOS.
Knowledge of the hardware for better software.
Aim to be Nexus-like environment.
Responsive customer support.

Reasons to leave CM

No continuous stable updates and upgrades of CM in all phones where I have used CM.
No teams working for individual phones. Those little bugs can be critical, which I cannot have.
No resources to think, define and fix customers' issues/bug-reports of the ROM for individual devices.
No hardware knowledge and development so less vertical understanding.
Unresponsive customer support.

Well, CM works largely because of its maintainer mechanism, you can't expect them to shell out resources and treat you as a customer - in fact that's an unreasonable demand for any custom ROM out there. Oxygen only has support because it's not so "custom" - it's under the wings of 1+. Also, it's natural to expect some bleeding when on the cutting edge.

I do agree that the bug reporter (JIRA) can be much more open, and that individual maintainers may need to watch bug reports more closely. Having used CM on tens of devices I'd say that the experience indeed largely depends on whether the dev is on XDA to collect bugs, and whether he's keen at fixing it.

@AndyYan Customers have money. Make Commercial Nexus-like systems on CM13 for some phones. I think CM needs to make more business with their systems. Now, they will fail because too few resources put on the software. There are customers who want continuous improvements and are ready to pay for it.

CyanogenMod is not a company! Cyngn is, and their CyanogenOS sounds closer to what you want. CM is about being FOSS, staying on the cutting edge and letting every and all devices join the fun (with the participation of individual maintainers), not about stability, as you can see from their move of getting rid of "stable" build monikers. Sounds like you're asking too much.


text:
Where is color information stored in android apps ?
This might not be the correct place to post this, so please tell me if it isn't. As the title says, I'm trying to find the color palette for android apps while they're installed. I can't decompile the apps, but I can access the apk file. Is there a universal standard file or at least a string of text in a file that I can search for ?

This information is usually stored (in source) in the appropriate themes.xml files. These files are then packed into the resources of an app. The only way to get the theme information (color, parents, gradients, shapes etc.) is by decompiling said app. Some apps even change their colors at runtime, again requiring you to decompile them.

Under
values > color.xml
Your themes file ( values > styles.xml ) can link specific colors from this file like follows..
Style Script ..
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar">
    <item name="colorPrimary">@color/primary</item>
    <item name="colorPrimaryDark">@color/primary_dark</item>
    <item name="colorAccent">@color/accent</item>
</style>

color script ....
 <resources>
 <color name="primary_dark">#F28000</color>
 <color name="primary">#FF8700</color>
 <color name="accent">#FF8700</color>

Notice that color can link to itself
<color name="accent_text">@color/accent</color>

source: Stack Exchange

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

sort: votes


text:
Marshmallow: Changing and connecting to an APN
Okay, before anyone can downvote this or anything silly, I need to clarify a few things:

This is for Android 6.0 (Marshmallow)
I'm using a FlashFire-Rooted Cherry Mobile One (technically called Android One Sprout8)
Prior to upgrading into Marshmallow, I am able to do these steps.
This is not a duplicate of this particular ticket or this one, please.

Scenario
I want to use a certain APN (for a certain cellular network) which does not connect to the internet without a corresponding VPN. To do that, in the previous versions of Android, I simply create an APN with the corresponding configurations, switch to it by tapping the radio button, then the Android system connects to that APN, even if it can't connect to the common internet.
In Marshmallow, (or at least the stock ROM I flashed?) this doesn't work, and the it connects to the default network APN. It's similar to how my other phone, ZenFone 2, works, but with LTE (always defaulting to the nearest working APN; otherwise HSPA+ works.)
Is there some way to force the APN into this system? But I wouldn't want to downright delete my old APNs, as I still would want to connect to them when needed.

In APN type, did you write default,supl Means default APN

unfortunately, yes. It still defaults to the usual APN. Should I try deleting that instead on all the other APNs?

Thanks for the insight of user157947 though, I found something that helped:
I set all the Bearers in all my other APNs to something jibberish (not applicable in my country, like IS95A). I haven't seen this feature in Lolipop though (it was only LTE iirc)
To set it back to the original APN, set the Bearer to Unspecified then set your custom APN to IS95A.
I think I can also use this feature as well to force a custom APN on LTE on Marshmallow.

give it a go, if anything goes wrong you can always reset to default

Also, Wifi tether or HotSpot changes the apn on some networks

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


text:
Nougat on Nexus 4
How to get android 7.0 on nexus 4
Can anyone tell me how can i get android 7.0 on my nexus 4 which is officially not included for android 7.0

Did you attempt to search? My first Google search result takes me to [this] (http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-4/orig-development/wip-aosp-7-0-nougat-t3448444) XDA page. BTW, you will not get an official ROM - hope you are not asking for that!

@Narayanan Clicked inside thinking of posting just this, and saw your comment. Make it an answer :)

There is no official (means approved by Google) Android 7.0 Nougat version for Nexus 4.
But there are unofficial attempts, for example THIS.
Always check the feature/bug list to a Custom ROM. In the linked ROM the Camera can't able to make videos in 1080p only 720p, it is a known bug so helpfully there will be an update to fix it soon.
Credits: @Narayanan


text:
Whatsapp files to new phone
I just bought a new phone. when installed whatsapp my last back up was over a month ago so my chats are old. I moved my files to the new phone but the file are encrypted and can't open. Do I need to delete and reinstall whatsapp for it to detect that I have whatsapp back up files now on the phone. or do I need to go back to my old phone, upload those files to google drive and then go back to my new phone reinstall whatsapp and have it detect the new back up from google drive. frankly I am not sure where the files are on my new phone but I received a verification that they were there when i transferred from my old phone  and was able to view them temporarily. I don't know where Edge S7 stores files. There's no files icon that I can see only gallery. But the files are there.

I reinstalled whatsapp but it didn't detect the whatsapp files transferred to my phone.  I found the files sitting under my samsung tab under files.
I am trying to back the files now to google drive from my old phone but it seems to be stuck in "preparing backup" mode for whatsup for over an hour now. any tips?
thanks,

If you backup is old then its possible that encryption key is changed and may not able to decrypt that backup.

You can probably install WhatsApp in your old phone again and check if the chats are still available.
If they are available, save a backup to Google drive as well as on your phone and then try again by reinstalling on your new phone.
Check when the latest backup was created automatically by whatsapp either on your old phone or Drive. If there's a recent copy you can copy it into your new phone and try retrieving the chats while reinstalling.
If none of the above works, I think you lost your chats.

It is very easy, just open Whatsapp/Settings/Chats/Backup and click on backup on Google Drive, now you can download them from any device, assuming you are using the same Google account.


text:
How do I update or clear the files listed in the Storage Access Framework?
Some Android applications use the SAF for a 'file picker'. As I understand it, this file picker, provided by Android, has its own special set of labels under which it chooses to display files along side the traditional storage file structure.
For example, opening up the side menu gets you a list that says:
Recent, Drive, Images, Video, Audio, Downloads
Its not totally clear where the files listed under each label are pulled from. The files listed are a history and thus often no longer exist. So I can click on Downloads and select FileThatNoLongerExists.txt. This will probably result in an application error.
I want to be able to:

Update the set of files listed through the SAF. Listing deleted files is stupid
Clear out files I do not want to be visible through the SAF. Most computer interfaces that have a "Recent Documents" list let you clear or disable it

How would I go about doing these things?

Good observation +1.  I couldn't find any way to refresh SAF but you may like to give local storage a try. I deleted files from downloads, screenshots and it showed current status correctly, besides linked up my drive !

@Pris, did you find any solution to that? I am amazed that there is so little results in google about this issue. Maybe it is wrong only on my Samsung S5...


text:
Export phone state
I've a galaxy s7 with many customisations: apps I've installed, folder structures, alarm apps , blue dimmer app etc.... is it possible to save the state of the s7 and transfer it to another Samsung phone (s8 for example) , so all apps and their state will also be transferred.


text:
Headphones and earbuds not working properly on new HTC M10
I used an HTC M7 since it was released, never an issue of this kind.
Get the M10, which is overall great. It updated a few days ago to new firmware. But the following issues stand out:

Bose SoundTrue headphones: Only work if I plug them in part way (all but the last 1 mm). If I plug them in all the way, I hear nothing.
Skullcandy earbuds: Often have to re insert jack 1 or 2 times to get the mic to work.

Great phone.... but how to solve?

Same issue with Skullcandy Ink'd wired headphones on an HTC 10. They'll randomly phase out, and removing/reinserting them often doesn't work the first couple tries.


text:
Something is eating up all my storage space and I don't know what it is
I'm using a 2014 Moto X, 32GB. Recently I've noticed very low free disk space and I'm not sure what is causing it. When I plug in the phone to my PC Windows Explorer shows 556MB free of 24.7GB at the time I'm posting this. But when I go into the phone's storage (in windows), highlight all the files and folders, then get the properties it shows that everything totals up to 2.79GB. Something's not right, the numbers just don't add up. I've also used Solid Explorer to try and figure out where this is coming from, but the numbers there also don't add up. It is showing 1.03GB free on internal memory, but when I look at the list of folders sorted by size (screenshots below) it doesn't add up.
Any ideas how I can figure out what files are taking up all this space on my phone? I can't even seem to find them.
Thanks!

Screenshots of: Solid Explorer's Info / biggest folders / Android System's storage summary (click images to enlarge)


text:
How to kill/exit/close any app completely? EXPERT ADVICE
Is there any way to kill a app completely JUST like Windows 7 where i can exit any application completely or prevent autostart by going into "msconfig".
How to kill/close an app so it does not bother my battery/cpu till i open it again JUST like windows.
I have root access. SUGGEST software to do such thing keeping in mind that what i am trying to achieve here something like install the app it will never bother you unless you open it just like windows 7/xp...
I used greenify in non root didnt helped.

Welcome to the Android Enthusiasts! Please note that recommendations like Is there an app for X are off-topic here (see What topics can I ask about here? for details) – so "SUGGEST software to do such thing" doesn't fit here. For where that might fit better, you might want to look into Where can I ask questions that aren't Android Enthusiast questions? and Where to ask for app recommendations?. Here, please be open to alternatives :)

All you have to do is force stop the app.  You don't need root or anything for it.  Go into your app drawer, find the app, tap and hold it just as if you were adding it to your home screen and drag it to the top where it says app info.  Then just hit force stop.  No data will be intercepted when you force stop it and it wont start running on its own, the only way to start it is by opening it.

Keep in mind that some apps may launch when certain events are called/broadcasted. GCM can also launch apps to handle GCM messages.

i use greenify to freeze every app which i installed..still i cannot get the battery life as i get after a hard reset (with no app installed).
installing app and exiting it also force stop wont solve the battery issue....this is the reason why i wrote expert advise...
SCREEN ONTIME:
with no apps installed = 11.5 hrs....
with all apps installed and all hibernated by greeenify = 8 hrs

The reason you don't get the same battery life is because it isn't just the apps that drain battery.  A whole  ton of things come into play when it comes to battery drain, and hard resetting just eliminates them.  One of them being storage space.  If you've noticed, having a ton of apps that take up almost all storage space really slows down any task.  Even if the apps aren't running, they're taking up space and therefore effecting the battery.

nope space does not eat battery...i double checked it...after hard reset i copied 3 4movies and songs to internal memory only 1gb internal left...same battery life....

It's not a matter of size alone. A bajillion of small files whose size sums up to 1GB will kill your device more effectively than a single 4K video. It's the number of accesses to disk which matters.

so you mean to say my 8 apps are eating battery with greenifed hibernation  all the time (coz i use them occasionally)
only two apps i use chrome+whatsapp and lock the screen after hibernating every time....
android sucks then i stil remember installing n number of in a symbian device doesnt effect battery unless you use them....

You need to Force Stop the app in settings
Settings > Apps > The app name > Force Stop !
This will close it until you open it again !


text:
Phone behaves weirdly while charging
I recently got my Moto G4 Plus and it has got a turbo charger too. On charging it using a specific plug/socket, the phone just starts tapping randomly. When charging through another point, it works fine. Why? Is it the current issue?

Dupe on Electronics.SE: How can electromagnetic interference from a USB charger cause a capacitive touchscreen to malfunction? and its related links

Maybe related: Why does my phone have erroneous input when connected to a non-OEM power source?

Similar question here https://android.stackexchange.com/a/220000/278380

Moto, as with some other  manufacturers do this.  It sucks as I've experienced it in the past but the phone is just sucking in power, and while you try to touch it it gets intercepted or there are just random touches.  You can't really do anything about it other than let it charge and use it while its not charging.

While there is an accepted answer, it is worth pointing out that this behaviour is only observed by OP in one particular charging point and is fine otherwise
This is probably because that point has grounding or other electrical issues, which is leading to this behaviour also called ghost touches. Googling for that would lead you to similar conclusions. I have often experienced this traveling in Indian trains, where the charging points are apparently not well regulated. Andrew (thanks) has located a proper electrical reasoning for this in comments


text:
Can I restore Titanium App Backups from a phone with Android 4.4 to my Android 6 Phone?
Im backing up My Galaxy Note 2 with Titanium Backup.
Is it possible to restore Apps + App Data on my Huawei P9 running Android 6?
And maybe even more important: Is that adviseable and will work without problems?

It'll probably work but I advise against restoring any system app because they almost all break.

Bold-underlining: Don't restore system apps or their data – neither across devices nor across different ROMs or Android versions. Might have crazy side-effects. When trying, be at least prepared you might have to factory-reset and start over (skipping the problematic app then). And make sure to activate the "Migration mode" in TiBus troubleshooting section. I'm writing that out of personal (bad) experience, so it's not just a theoretical warning.

@beeshyams is it (dropped)? I didn't check lately. Just browsed the Changelog back to v5.7 (pre-Kitkat) and didn't find a note. But neither do I find "Migration Mode" in General › Settings › Troubleshooting (where it was in previous versions). Guess it was renamed: "AUTO, indirect" in "processing mode" (General › Settings, in the "Troubleshooting" settings right before the "Troubleshooting" sub-menu) – as that's what it did: Instead of directly copying back  SQLite databases (overwriting existing ones), it tried to replace the data inside (thus keeping table structures).

@beeshyams just done. Instead of incorporating details from your linked answer, I linked it as "further readings" (so you might gain another upvote from it :) // BTW: My guess is it was never dropped (as the Changelog doesn't mention that), but got renamed during the "big restructuring" at v6.0. And yes, you're not the only one blaming the UI for being "not really user friendly". I can only guess that, like me, Joël is more the "backend person" than the "UI designer". Maybe one day someone comes to the rescue, helping to care for the latter ;)

Thanks . +1. Requesting you to delete all earlier comments and this once you read. Aside, still waiting or was waiting for a reply from TiBu on this Q. Don't think it is worth waiting anymore. http://android.stackexchange.com/q/155017/131553

As requested by beeshyams, I'll sum up my comments to an answer here:
There should be no problem as long as you stick to user apps (i.e. apps you've installed yourself – as opposed to apps that came pre-installed with the device). I've done that for years without any issues – though I must admit I've never skipped major Android versions, but always upgraded step-wise (i.e. 2.3 › 4.0 › 4.1/2/3 › 4.4 › 5.x – which means I've skipped 5.0, and maybe some (but not all) of the JellyBeans).
However, it is strongly recommended against restoring system apps and their data across different ROMs, especially across multiple Android versions, as this almost surely will lead to trouble. I've experienced such in the past when just trying to restore data of some system app. So if you need to include system apps and/or their data, first check for alternatives, in this order:

SMS/MMS, APs, contacts, call lists and some more: Use TiBu's XML backups for those. Restore those XML backups, but never directly the app and its data.
apps not covered by XML: If you cannot do without, take extra-extra care. Always be prepared you might need to do a factory-reset. Try avoiding the restore of system apps (which came pre-installed) the best you can: those are more often closely integrated with the resp. ROM than not.
If you really have to restore their data, make it the first thing in your restore process (so the factory-reset doesn't hurt as much), and do it one-by-one each time followed by testing for side-effects. If it breaks something, skip that backup and rather shed some tears1. If you instead want to follow the hints from the footnotes, make the affected app the first to restore data from after your next factory-reset and only go on when you either succeeded including testing for side-effects – or gave up and did your subsequent factory-reset.

Also see beeshyam's answer on How to restore from Titanium Backup with file on computer? for further details.

1Before abandoning it, you can try enabling some troubleshooting-options: In General › Settings, pick the first item in the "Troubleshooting" section (labeled something like "app processing mode") and change that to "AUTO, indirect". That should try to update the tables inside the apps' databases instead of replacing the corresponding SQLite files, thus keeping the table structures intact (if I'm interpreting this correctly that is; in older versions, TiBu had an option called "Migration Mode" at this place, which is gone without a note in the Changelogs – while this item suddenly "popped up", sounding like what "Migration Mode" was supposed to do). You can also check with additional settings from the Troubeshooting sub-menu: especially enforcing system SQLite helped in several cases.


text:
Need absolute path to "Download" on Android 6.01
...Due to the developer / maintainer of Terminal-IDE moving on, I'm trying to find equivalent capability and after hours of research found "Terminal Emulator for Android" (which is the same app as "Android Terminal Emulator"). But of course, it doesn't have all the tools necessary. I looked for some hours - not an exhaustive search but how many hours are you going to look?! - and found nothing that appears to have the tools already built in (other than Terminal-IDE).
Rather than develop them myself, I found K-Box which provides "standard Linux utilities in a stock, non-rooted Android device" and which has its main example using the Android Terminal Emulator as a starting point. Sounds perfect!
I was following the basic directions there, however, I can't hardly get started because I can't seem to find the path to the "Downloads" directory?! Frustrating.
In doing my research, I found this interesting and thoughtful writeup, but didn't get to a successful answer.
To be clear, to get this installation going, I have to transfer a file from ANY LOCATION into the Terminal Emulator environment, and that brings the tools that then make the terminal emulator more of a real Linux environment on the Android. The location does not have to be "Download", but that directory was easily enough mapped by my desktop computer's file system browser upon plugging in the USB connector... In fact, that's how I installed the Terminal Emulator - by putting the apk file (and for several other "side load" apps) into Download and then telling Android to install them. So the real trouble is, I can't seem to find that location from within the Terminal Emulator!
Locations I can find but for which I have no permissions include:
/storage/emulated
/data/media/0/Download
/data/media/0/Downloads

In each case, it returns:
"Permission denied"

Ideas?

Have you checked that the app got the permission to access your storage? It might be compiled with a target SDK lower than MM, in which case you'd need to grant that permission manually.

For me on Pixel 3 XL using Termux, the absolute filepath was
/storage/emulated/0/Download

If I remember correctly I got a permission error when trying to ls (or pressing Tab after typing) in /storage/emulated/, but if you type out the full path, it should work.

Try mounts folder at mnt
mnt/sdcard0/folder

or
mnt/sdcard1/folder

for external !
Some devices are different, for example it could be
mnt/ecysf- encoded name -34243/folder

Also on android 5.1.1 it's
mnt/media_rw/sdcad1/folder

or
mnt/sdcard/folder

for internal storage

A short one would be:
/sdcard/Download

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
I need to turn over my new Galaxy Note 7 for recall and cannot find a way to remove or log off my gmail accounts
I have the new Note 7. I have a few g-mail accounts, and have linked them all with my Note 7. Now, I've learned that I need to turn over my phone for the massive Note 7 recall, but have yet find a way to log out my g-mails without deleting these account, which I want to keep. I have changed my passwords to each account, gone into each account and scrolled down to details to remove the accounts from all other web activities, but the phone has not yet been "hardware swapped" back to my old Sprint phone, and I can still see all of my g-mail account and each email within each account. I can click on any email to do whatever I desire, and I can also still send emails - all without ever having to log in with the new password. All I want to do is remove the g-mails from that (my Note 7) so I can hand it over for the recall. I am simply confused as to the g-mails that will remain on the phone. Can anyone offer up some advise to this old gal, who hasn't yet begun to understand how this works? Thank you!

I found a youtube video that explained it all so have it all under control now and no longer need assistance with this issue after-all. Thank you anyway!

Please go to Settings>Accounts>Google. You can find all your Gmail accounts here.
If you want to remove it, tap on the email>Menu(Three dots on top right or more)>Then remove account.

YOU NEED TO PRESS ON THE ACCOUNT A FEW TIMES BEFORE YOU GET THE REMOVE OPTION IN MENU

Thank you anyway, I really appreciate your help! I had stated in a comment to my own question, that I'd found a youtube video on this so was able to remove my gmails entirely. The Note 7 is just a little different than my other Note so removal wasn't as intuitive, yet, as on my  older Note, because there was more to it than that, but the removal was completed and the Note 7 has been returned for recall. Thanks!!


text:
Creating a Script for an Android Tablet
I want to create a script that would close an app, then restart it twice each 24 hours and then automatically click on a few buttons to configure the app to the way it was previously.
Background: I use a tablet to monitor the live video from my security cameras with an app. The problem is that once or twice a day, the live video feeds lock up and do not update. Restarting the app fixes this.
Is there a way to do this?  Please note that I don't know anything about scripting or coding. I was hoping that there might be a simple app that would allow me to create a series of instructions that would activate x times per day -- or to know where to find someone who could create this for me.

Do you have root, this is major for auto tap scripts

Whether you manage to automate it or not, you should contact the app developer to tell them that their app breaks in this way. If there's no option to do it from inside the app, you can contact them from the app's page on Google Play.

Call Super User ( root access )
  su

change 1 second sleeper to 24hours
 sleep 86400

  sleep 1
  sh /directory to this script/autoscript.sh
  exit

Close this script after opening another instance of it.
So all in one script it's
  su
  sleep 1
  sh /directory to this script/autoscript.sh
  exit

In this example,
you would need to make this as a text document and save it as autoscript.sh
Instead of autoscript.txt
Now open Terminal Emulator and type
sh storage/sdcard1/autoscript.sh

Terminal will auto start the script !

If I've helped, i think you say solution verified or something :)

PT, I greatly appreciate that you have created this script. But the situation is that my tablet is not rooted and I also have no idea how to use this script: how to activate or run it. But you have certainly tried to be very helpful -- I just wish I knew enough so I could use your generous work.


text:
Google Play website says I have certain apps installed that I do not. How to re-sync?
Here is an example. I do not have the Facebook for Android application install on my current device or any other device. Why does it continue to say I have it installed? Is there a way to re-sync Google Play?

Nexus 6
Android 7.0

Yes I have, but it is not currently installed and has not for sometime. This is just one example.

I am having this exact same error. Did you find a way around this?

@Aarmora no. I am wondering if it is apps on older phones?

I don't think that's the case with me. This happens to me a lot of the time when I just try to install an app from the google play web app.  So I can clearly see that I've never had this app installed before, I hit install, it says it installs and IS installed but then doesn't ever show up on my phone.

That sounds like the exact opposite of what is happening to me.

Any app that you have installed ( including the ones you subsequently uninstalled ) will always show up when you sign in with the account you used to install
Deleting android apps using my google play account on my commputer explains further

When you uninstall an app, it still STAYS on your app list.  That's done so you can find it again or install it on another device easily.  This can be very helpful to keep a list of apps you like but don't want on your phone all the time (like tools you only use a couple of times a year)

So re- sync will not help. Only way to not see that app is to sign in with a different account and use that account on your phone to install only those apps which you wish to see. Obvious disadvantage of doing this is you cannot access apps which you have previously paid for using a different account - see How to transfer my purchased apps to another account

The app is not in my app list, it just shows on Google Play.

see best answer here - though this is fairly recent, i just tried and it doesn't work, so they're appears to be no way

The app is not in my app list, it just shows on Google Play. It is also not in the "my apps" list on Google play. It just says "installed".

That's strange. Did you have the desk top version of app ever installed?

No. How? There is a desktop version of Facebook for Android app that you can install from the Google Play store?

No not from play store , two guesses 1. You had probably installed Facebook on desktop and somehow that info gets linked play store ( i dont use it at all, so can't say much) 2. Other apps, ( you have Facebook as an example, i know), came pre installed  ( bloatware) with one of your devices?  I had Twitter preinstalled on of my devices and it shows up here on Google web version but not in play store history

I have a nexus 6 running android 7. Facebook didn't come pre-installed. Possibly on older devices from years ago? I have never use Facebook for work.

Going by my Twitter experience, it is possible that it was pre installed on earlier device. Related problem here with pre installed apps http://android.stackexchange.com/q/26192

I can confirm that it is not related to be preinstalled. Irrespective of whether the app is listed in Play Store > My apps & games > All; it will show up as "Installed" on the store website if it was installed in the past. I've quite an OCD about these things and could do nothing about it. I hope they fix this.

@varunyellina: Thanks. Maybe time to open a bug report? Not sure how that can be done, though

I remember this to be "the" behaviour right since my first device running 2.2 Eclair. It's just painful to see all those stupid apps I installed back then.


text:
Headphones compatible with phone only after switching the audio cable polarity
I recently brought the Marshall Major II headphones, which come with a two-way unprotected 3.5 mm cable.
According to the manual, you plug the straight end into the headphone, and the right-ended end in the smartphone. When I do so, I hear distorted audio.
However, when I reverse the direction of the cable, i.e., plug in the right-ended end in the headphones, the audio sounds amazing.
Why does this happen? Will the headphones get damaged if I keep using the cable reversed?
I suspect it's probably because my current phone (Xperia C2104, CyanogenMod 11.0) probably doesn't support two-way audio playback. Since I'm planning on getting a new Android phone in the coming months, would you please recommend one that supports two-way audio?
EDIT: Two way audio cable looks like image shown below

What do you mean by "two-way audio playback"?

My guess would be that one of the plugs on the headphone cable is slightly off-spec and isn't making good electrical contact in the socket. Swapping it around means the dodgy connector is in the other socket, and maybe that connection is slightly more forgiving. (Of course, it could just as easily be one of the sockets that's slightly off-spec. The symptoms would be the same either way.)
If this is the case, then having the cable "reversed" is a lot better for it than letting it spark across a poor connection. Sparking damages the metal surface of the plug and socket, so it would get worse over time.
The only reason they recommend having the cable a particular way around is that the right-angle plug sits better against the phone. It's a lot harder to accidentally pull it out of the phone, or knock it (and maybe damage something) against a table edge or your pocket. It also protects the conntector against wear caused by wiggling or pulling on the cable.
Unless there's some inline play/pause buttons on the headphone cable, the only disadvantage of having it reversed is that you lose this mechanical protection from the right-angled connector.

Right-angle plugs avoid wearing out the connector part, i.e. where the wire meets the plug. With straight plugs, that part gets strained whenever the wire is not perpendicular to the plug, eventually destroying the protection layer and exposing the metal wires. Otherwise, +1. I guess OP should just get another 3.5mm cable.

@AndyYan That's a good point. I've added it to my answer now.


text:
Are linked contact links ever sent to Google?
Assume I have a friend who is using an anonymous Threema ID. That ID has no phone number and no email address associated with it.
That person also has an email address and a phone number, both of which are saved in my address book on my Android phone and in my Gmail contacts.
If I now link those two contacts, will that link ever be sent to Google or will the link only exist locally on my phone?

FAQ implies that If you have enabled Account permission, it will otherwise won't. Accounts: Used for contact synchronization resp. integration into the account management of Android

That only touches on syncing Threema with Android Contacts. This question is about whether Android Contact links are sent to Google Servers.

Both are connected aren't they? What would be the point of syncing with Android, except to sync with Android account ( in turn Google servers?) I don't use this app so can't verify for sure

They may be, but don't need to be.


text:
How remove blank white screen after unlocking
I am using ASUS Z010D Android Smartphone. Recently it shows a white blank screen after unlocking. I need to touch the back button to return the home screen. Anybody knows how to remove the white screen please telling the instructions.
======= UPDATED =======
My mobile has been infected malware, ads so that the white blank screen is always shown at the time of sliding to unlock the phone. I have tried to reset it several times but it could not be recovered. Actually, we need to go through several steps to setup our phone if we choose to refactor it. But the ads still exists even if I do not finish the setup process. I guess the root has been infected malware/ads as well.
=======================
Thanks for taking your time to read the message.

Does this comes after unlocking with a particular security method? Like for example does it happens only if unlocked using face detection? etc. Try changing the unlock type from none to pattern to string to pin etc and observe whether all causes this issue.

What happens when you press the "multitask" key on the white screen? If this is caused by a certain app then the task switching screen will likely tell you what it is.

I have had your same problem these days, my mom's phone (your same model) was full with pop ups ad. This kind of problem are caused by spyware/malware apps. I did a hard reset, but nothing.
I looked in the preinstalled apps (Settings -> Apps -> ALL) for something strange. I found two Download Manager apps. I disinstalled the one without the icon. This resolved all my issues. Hope can help you because for me was really annoying.

i had this issue, and just solved it, i think. I'm on Galaxy S7 Edge. First I went to settings and went to applications, then noticed a strange app with a blank icon, i couldn't unninstall it nor force stop it. Then went to some forums like this one and foind that it may be a malware. Went to play store and downloaded Malwarebytes, ran the scan, and found 1 malware, that one with the blank icon, then i realized that i didn't need the Malwarebytes, just search for administr... on setting, to find 'Device administrators', i noticed that the blank app was a admin, that's why i couldn't unninstall it. Thats it!

Just go to settings - apps - and see the first app without any name and a blank icon .. uninstall it ..problem solved

But there is no option to uninstall this blank app. What to do then?

@Rishichandnani Since your case is obviously a bit different from the original question, you should probably post a new question so that everyone can see it. Give full details about the malware and what phone and Android version you have.


text:
In-app purchase (in my app) says: Google Play account not authenticated
I created an Android app and it has the in-app purchase workflow.
My question is not about programming but instead about the Google Play user account handling on Android devices.
When the purchase starts I get an error about the account having not been authenticated, and it says to sign in (this is a system message, it is not from my app).
My app has been previously tested with one single account and it worked. This version is not the same but nothing important has changed.
When I go to Google Play it seems that the account is already selected and working.
So what's the issue?

see 23/12/15 post instructions and try that

@beeshyams I cleared data but it's the same, because Google Play does not ask me to sign in, it just wanted me to fill a checkbox.

Adding a snap shot may help


text:
Android Root Certificates, published list?
For each version of iOS Apple publishes a list of the embedded root certificates:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205205
I am unable to find something similar for Android, I am wondering if these could differ by device vendor or if they all share a common set as part of Android proper?
My goal is to have a list of public CAs which are common in both Android and iOS (some minimum version of each)

Might help: What Trusted Root CAs are included in Android by default?

this talks of Google’s list of root certificates,  search leads to this - This site contains information on the Google Internet Authority G2, Google’s intermediate CA which issues digital certificates for Google web sites and properties. You can download the Certificate Practices Statement (CPS) which details Google’s practices on issuing digital certificates, as well as the intermediate certificates and the Certificate Revocation List (CRL)

For anyone who is curious, I believe I found the answer:

Linux: There is no central root certificate program as part of Linux.
  When running on Linux, Google Chrome uses the Mozilla Network Security
  Services (NSS) library to perform certificate verification. When
  packaged or built from source, NSS includes certificates vetted
  according to the Mozilla Root Certificate Program. For most Linux
  users, it is sufficient that once included in the Mozilla Root
  Program, users of Google Chrome should see your root CA as trusted.
  However, please be aware that Linux distributions which package NSS
  may further alter this list with additions or removals based on local,
  distribution-specific root certificate programs, if any.
Android: Please file a bug at
  http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/entry .
Note that, similar to Linux, the certificates included within the
  Android sources may be further altered by device manufacturers or
  carriers, pursuant to their local programs.

Link:
https://www.chromium.org/Home/chromium-security/root-ca-policy#TOC-Root-Certificate-Programs
Mozilla bundle:
https://wiki.mozilla.org/CA:IncludedCAs


text:
How can I stop my text messages going into my email on my Galaxy S7
My text messages are suddenly appearing in my email inbox.  There are several places to turn off sync.  I want my calendar, email etc to syn but not my text messages.  How do I turn that off on a Galaxy S7 model?

You have to go into the Email app, select More, select Settings, select your account under the Accounts heading, scroll down to Exchange Active Sync settings and turn off Sync Messages.


text:
show carrier name on status bar (galaxy A5 2016)
I have a Samsung galaxy A5 2016, and I would like to know if somebody knows how to activate to show the carrier name in the status bar.
I have searched in the entire menu (settings) but I cannot find this option.
I would appreciate your help!
Thank you in advance

I've been trying to do the same to my devices, and after extensive searching it looks like the only way out is to root and modify the SystemUI yourself. Refer here and here for steps on how to do this. This still works as of Android 6.0.
This will be even harder to do on Samsung phones, because their framework is tightly integrated and you might not even be able to decompile the framework in the first place.


text:
Nexus 7 2013 USB connection failed
I've used my Nexus to test CM and other ROMs before; but now with 6.0.1, I simply can't get it to work with USB neither under Windows or Linux.
On Lubuntu it says:
[  36.853678] usb 3-1: new full-speed USB device number 6 using xhci_hcd
[  36.965697] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71
[  37.181684] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71
[  37.941764] usb 3-1: Device not responding to setup address.

On Windows 10, it is Unknown USB Device (Device Descriptor Request Failed).
I've tried 3 cables and 3 other devices (Windows Phone, Android), everything else is working. I've opened up and cleaned the USB port, nothing happened. The device charges successfully.
I have installed all Google Drivers and whatnot, adb and fastboot doesn't see the device - not in normal mode, not in recovery mode.
If I connect the device, it will not show the USB connection options on Android.
Any suggestions?

it turned out it was a cable issue. still amazing - all other usb2 devices worked correctly, but the nexus 7. 4th cable to the rescue.


text:
How to fix "My Phone Number - Unknown" on Nexus 5?
I had a standard SIM card, but I bought Nexus 5 and changed it for micro SIM card with saving my phone number. Now in Settings when I want find information about my phone number I only see "Unknown". I understand that the new micro SIM card doesn't have my phone number in memory, but maybe can I fix it in some way?

I think if you set up a default profile (the little person in the notification bar ) with your number and name, it should make that the owner of the phone, and maybe it'll update itself

@ProbablyThis but in profile settings for person in the notification bar I can change only my name and avatar...How to change phone number?


text:
How to edit update.zip to prevent fastboot removal and recovery reverting to stock?
I have an Alcatel Idol 3 (6045Y variant) with TWRP and yesterday i received the Marshmallow update notification. As other users noticed, this update also removes fastboot commands and reverts the recovery back to stock. Now, i have downloaded the update.zip file and transferred it on my PC in order to edit updater-script (possibly other files?) so i can keep fastboot and/or TWRP. If this is my updater-script content, am i safe with removing this line and keep TWRP?
package_extract_dir("recovery", "/system");

Please note recovery folder contains file recovery-from-boot.p and bin folder which contains this script.
Also, some devs at XDA reported we can't have both fastboot commands and a working Marshmallow system, why is it so? Can't i simply remove the line where it flashes the new aboot partition (which, i'm not sure, contains fastboot commands)?

It usually requires a new boot.img which contains your kernel..
If you flash the update, it should flash all images, Network, Boot, System, Recovery and even sometimes the Cache..
 I would imagine that you need to Patch the boot.img to work with TWRP, or other custom recovery...
Sometimes it's a simple as changing SElinux permissions off enforcing ...
You can try to edit the recovery script because it does work on some devices, but you will most likely hit some sort of " checking update.zip is valid "... ( this usually makes a md5 and then calculates the update.zip md5 against the original )


text:
How to use OTG (ethernet) and power on Nexus 5X using Type C connector?
I would like to both power and connect a Nexus 5X via Ethernet (using an USB to Ethernet adaptor).
Here's what I tried to far:

a Type C OTG to USB Female adaptor: Ethernet adaptor works on it's own
a Type C to microUSB adaptor + power OTG cable/hub: Power works, but OTG doesn't work

Is there a Type C OTG Cable that supports power/charing too, or a Type C powered USB Hub ?
Otherwise, is there a pinout for the Type C connector describing how to hack an OTG + power cable (similar to the microUSB pinouts on this page) ?

From what I know, you'll want to get a usb c to usb a adapter that also has a power in port like this. Then you should be able to just plug in your ethernet adapter to the female usb a. If it's drawing too much power I've never had issues plugging usb hubs into otg cables so I can't see adding a powered usb hub into the mix being an issue.

Thanks @Nano(+1), I'll give that a go.
So far I've tried this Anker USB-C Hub with Ethernet and Power and connected it to a 5V 3A power supply but it either powers but doesn't do Ethernet (if power is connected before Ethernet) or Ethernet and no power (if I connect Ethernet before power). I'd like both at the same time. I hope the one you recommend will work.

Unfortunately the link (the one on banggood.com) is dead now.


text:
"Viper4android" removed "Audiofx" app permanently
To save time, you can just read the bold writing OR the short summary at the end
I saw some reviews of "Viper4Android", it looked good so I installed it on my OnePlus One (CM13 NOT CM13S). The tutorial I followed was in the description of this YouTube video. I flashed the viper4android zip file (which I downloaded from the tutorial video) in TWRP recovery, in the zip file name it said "lolli" meaning lollipop which isn't the android version I use but apparently all I needed to do for it to work on Marshmallow was enabled init.d and create a file named "08setperm" to the init.d directory created when init.d was enabled.
I followed all the steps of the written text tutorial but after I rebooted my phone as the last step, the viper4android app wasn't making any changes, so after some looking around the app and on the internet for ways to make it work, I concluded that I simply couldn't use it on my device.
I began uninstalling it by first uninstalling the drivers in the app itself. Then I undone the changes I made in the "Universal Init.d" App and deleted everything in that app that I could. I uninstalled "Universal Init.d" when this was complete.
I rebooted the phone and tested the viper4android app to make sure it didn't just magically start working and it didn't so I closed it and used Titanium Backup to uninstall it as it was installed as a system app.
After I rebooted my phone once again, to clear the ram of any evidence of viper4android, I noticed that the "AudioFX" app was gone. I had planned on going back to using that app again as an equalizer since viper4android wasn't working.
I flashed a zip I found somewhere on XDA which was the AudioFX app for CM13, upon opening the app, it would remain blank with only the title bar reading "AudioFX". So it basically wasn't functional.
I then tried updating to the latest build (CM13 nightlies) using CyanDelta, I had the latest update downloaded and I then let CyanDelta automatically flash the zip along with romracers v80 xposed framework zip and then clear the cache etc.
After it was completely booted, I noticed the AudioFX app was still missing. I will continue to flash the latest nightly builds until the audiofx app is reinstalled from them.
The point is, viper4android completely removed the audiofx app from my phone and I can't get it back even if I flash the latest nightly build of CM13. Right now I am flashing a nightly build straight from cyanogenmod downloads that hasn't been messed with by CyanDelta as a test.
Thank in advance!

Using TWRP, do an advanced wipe on all but internal storage.  Then freshly flash CyanogenMod.

This is correct.  CyanDelta only flashes the changes, so if AudioFX was in a previous version then it won't be flashed as part of a newer version.  OP needs to flash the entire ROM.


text:
Disable the Google OTA updates completely
My android device is rooted and I would like to disable the Google OTA updates completely.
I did following steps:

Installed Disable Services and allowed it for root access.
Opened Disable Services
Under System Apps, selected Google Services Framework
I found SystemUpdateService is already unchecked.
I checked it and again unchecked it, then I restarted the android device.

However I see the notification for System Update. For its temporary resolution, I unchecked the notification of Google Play Services.
Please help me to disable the Google OTA updates completely
Regards
GNS

Sometimes it's put in
settings > about phone > software updates > turn to manual updates only

Hi..there is no option to turn off software update manually in settings > about phone.


text:
Accessing and Controlling an Android Device Remotely
I tried AirStream and AirDroid but like Teamviewer both are not successful and satisfactory.
What apps can be used for access, controlling and providing support for an android device from another android device and desktop computer?
Regards
GNS

Upvoted for the Android->Android part - I'd like to know as well. As for PC->Android, tried Splashtop yet?

You need to be more specific, Sens SMS remotely, Call remotely, Watch the screen etc....

Like we access, support and control Windows Computer using TeamViewer or Logmein Rescue; I would like to access, support and control an Android Device from another Android Device and Windows Computer.


text:
what's the difference between mount point /sdcard & /sd-ext in recovery.fstab
This is the recovery.fstab
# mount point   fstype    device        [device2]

/boot       mtd         boot
/cache      ext4        /dev/block/mmcblk0p39
/data       ext4        /dev/block/mmcblk0p40
/misc       mtd         /dev/block/mmcblk0p11
/recovery   mtd         /dev/block/mmcblk0p14
/sdcard     vfat        /dev/block/mmcblk0p1        /dev/block/mmcblk0
/system     ext4        /dev/block/mmcblk0p38
/sd-ext     ext4        /dev/block/mmcblk0p2

What actually made me confused is , /sdcard has device & device2 while others don't.
And I wanna know , which is my Micro SD-CARD, sd-ext / sdcard?
and what is device2 ?


text:
Samsung's equivalent to Fastboot's Temporary Flash
Questions that address Samsung not having fastboot can be found here and here.
My question:
With fastboot you are able to use fastboot boot boot.img to temporarily boot your phone with a custom kernel, and upon reboot use the stock kernel. Is there an alternate to the above command for Samsung phones. Because with Odin, it overwrites the current kernel, so if the custom kernel doesn't work your left with a soft-bricked phone and have to re-flash stock firmware losing all your data.

And that's one big reason why you should have a custom recovery! :) You shouldn't even be flashing boot imgs with Odin if you ask me.

@AndyYan Pretty sure OP mean fastboot boot bootable.img and it's amazing... It's a way of booting something (a kernel, recovery, etc) one time without modifying anything. Wanna try this kernel without flashing it, no problem... How about fire up TWRP well leaving stock recovery on the device so we can still take an OTA? Sure, you can do that. Wanna see if that new hacked recovery you just compiled works? Oh, it doesn't, just hold power and it's gone. And no, there is no Odin equivalent because Samsung doesn't support fastboot.

@AndyYan Yea that is what I would be using if possible, their is TWRP for my device which works on Kit Kat, but not Lollipop. This is where I wanted to allow a custom kernel so I can get another attack vector to gain root, and then modify the necessary files. My device is considered a low activity device, therefor its left up to me to craft my own root. Odin/Heimdall is the only other way to flash to the device other then TWRP, which I mentioned doesn't work with the current version of my device

@acejavelin Yes you are correct, that is what I want to achieve. And as linked, I have mentioned about odin replacing fastboot

@acejavelin I'm only focusing on the latter part of the story. As for the former part, yes I don't think there's a Samsung equivalent.

I think fastboot is denied on Samsung devices by design, in the context of Knox.  Counter gets tripped when custom recovery or ROM replaces stock. If fastboot were allowed and one had unlocked bootloader (international versions), one could probably by pass Knox restrictions and say flash a custom recovery, which Samsung didn't want. Obviously, Samsung will not reason this in public forums. That's my guess @acejavelin,

@beeshyams The aforementioned links at the top of the post state that samsung switch fastboot for their download mode/Odin, the logical conclusion is becuse it adds extra security.

@Matt07211 : true, but my point (not well articulated) is that it is at the cost of choking functionality like fastboot

@beeshyams Yes i realized that and had mentioned that in my comment, do you happen to know if download mode has that temp functionality or do you believe that it was casted aside

AFAIK download mode never permitted what you are seeking. Can't quote a source but on the contrary won't find a source of way at XDA to say it is possible

Okay, thanks for that info, feel free to post it as answer and if possible quote a source ;) and reap the karma


text:
How to browse files on my PC from my Android phone via USB?
Through USB, I can readily browse my Android's file hierarchy using my PC.
How can I browse files on my PC using my Android 4.4 device?
The "ES File Explorer" app doesn't appear to facilitate this.
Specifically what I'd like to do is use my Android (in conjunction with VLC for Android) to watch video files that are stored on my PC.
I can do this over my wifi network, but it just seems so darn silly to use wifi when the USB is plugged in.  Silly enough to warrant asking the question, anyway.
Just in case it matters, the desired files are actually on a network drive.
Phone > USB > PC₁ > Network Drive > PC₂
Thanks for any advice!

When connected via USB, phone goes into MTP mode. Only when you disconnect it will your phone recognize the new file additions on its internal/sd card storage. Nothing you can do about it.

Also watching video on your phone using media stored on a computer via USB sounds weird. You might as well watch it on your monitor.

Well, it was worth a shot anyhow.  Did some reading on this protocol (thanks!), though I can't say I appreciate its nuances.  Asking Android to treat a USB connection exactly like a LAN connection seems like an entirely trivial request.

It is matter of "master" and "slave". The master can see what is inside the slave but not the countrary. When you plug your phone to the PC, the PC is the master and the phone is the slave. Consequently you cannot explore what is inside your PC with your phone.

Ah, sure.  This makes sense to me.  Guess I wouldn't gain much if they were like network peers, but I just assumed it would be possible via USB.  Thanks for clarifying.


text:
Is there a way to enforce a minimum WiFi quality level before switching from mobile networks?
My phone has access to various hotspot networks in the area I live in. When I walk down the street, now and again I pass by a hotspot and my phone will attempt to connect.
As often as not, the phone will connect, but for whatever reason, it will be a weak connection, and effectively my internet access stops. My phone abandons my cellular network connection in favour of the wifi, even though the wifi is bringing in little or no data.
Is there a way I can enforce a minimum standard of connectivity to a wifi network so that my phone won't leave my mobile connection in favour of hotspots that are useless?

For preventing mobile to WiFi switchover, when latter strength is low, see in developer options, aggressive WiFi to mobile handover should help (not tried by me)

@beeshyams,Thank you for responding. I've set the option as you suggested, so I will give it a day or so to see if it really does make a difference.

@beeshyams, so, I've tried the aggressive wifi handover option for the last few days, and unfortunately I can't say that it has made a noticeable improvement. I still find that my phone will favour near-useless wifi connections over mobile data. So, thank you for the suggestion, but it seems I'm still in search of a solution.

If automation is an option try Macrodroid. This macro disables your WiFi when you are away from home network. Of course, you have to enable manually, when you want to connect to a hotspot. Trigger: disconnect from WiFi network ( your home NW) Action:  Disable WiFi Constraints: None. This is a basic approach and can be refined


text:
Drive for Samsung Galaxy S5 doesn't show in any laptop
Samsung Galaxy S5, Model - G900P doesn't shows it drive in laptops.
I tried this on 7-8 laptops with 7-8 USB cables (both full sized and small ones.) The ADB option gave following results but still there is no drive shown. After connection with the phone the phone's screen shows nothing but "No Photos Selected".

I also tried this with KIES but was no good .Here's a screenshot what KIES showed.

(The Phone was purchased from USA and later unlocked.) I have drivers too, all properly installed and my laptop shows other Samsung mobiles easily.
Edit Note: I recently ran the device (as emulator) through android studio(ie it detected the phone and installed through adb smoothly). Amazingly the app got installed and ran fine. I wonder how!

I have the same problem and it is likely related to the device settings on the phone and your version of Android.  I started having a similar issue when I updated from 5 to Android 6.0.1.  When a USB is connected, your phone is likely in Charging only mode so it shows up on the pc but the drives are not visible.  Unlock developer mode and change the USB setting to MTP. See if that helps.
I am able to swipe down from the top screen when connected and change it to MTP since it seems to default to charging only once the screen goes into lock mode.
Hope this helps!
Good luck.

Everyone knows this buddy :D. Sorry to say but this is not working.


text:
What's missing to run Next Radio, and how can I get/install it?
I've got a Samsung Galaxy S4 (Verizon), currently running Lollipop as provided by the carrier -- not rooted.  Verizon has apparently recently begun to allow NextRadio to run on some of their phones, including the S7 and S7 Edge, but the app (which plays FM radio off the air) still reports something about required software missing when I try to install it.  I presume, at this point, that this is a missing driver or similar that would normally be supplied in an update from the provider, but of course Verizon is barely updating security on Lollipop and S4 platforms at this time.
Is there any way to get the required driver on my phone so I can use NextRadio or some other FM radio app?  Ideally without rooting the phone, but if rooting and updating to a newer Android version is required, a recommendation on rooting app or method would be appreciated as well.  If it matters, I run Kubuntu 14.04 on my computer, though I also have Kubuntu 16.04 installed; there's not a single Windows machine in my house.

Does the error message mention any missing software specifically? As far as rooting concerned, if you find a rom and a recovery image for your device, most instructions are for odin on windows. On 16.04 you can install sudo apt-get install heimdall-flash heimdall-flash-frontend to use instead of odin. You should be able to find tutorials on how to use heimdall. Use the command heimdall-frontend to start up the GUI.

And here is some discussion which mentions moble odin. I've never used it.http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3/help/how-to-odin-linux-t1912921

Okay, so I can (probably) root my S4 with Mobile Odin or use heimdall from Kubuntu to flash a ROM on the S4.  Now I need to go ask another question about a rooted S4.


text:
STAMINA / Ultra STAMINA mode on Marshmallow?
Since the update to Marshmallow, I can't find the STAMINA or Ultra STAMINA modes in the options or app drawer.
While there now is a option that seems to do a equivalent of the STAMINA mode, I presume it have been superseded by Android itself, but what about Ultra STAMINA?
The device I use is a XPeria Z3C, which should be equivalent to a XPeria Z3.

@beeshyams: XPeria Z3C.

Stamina Mode removed in Marshmallow
Sony announced in their beta rollout for Marshmallow

The Marshmallow version of Android has its own smart solution for managing power consumption (Doze and App Standby). These functions are integrated directly into Android 6.0, which made Stamina mode redundant. In other words, Stamina mode was removed from M.

However, Stamina Mode is considered better than Doze mode ( for details see earlier link) :

Doze mode requires your phone to be geographically stationary (ie. sitting on a desk and not in your pocket).
Doze mode can only be interrupted by high priority GCM messages. Your favorite app’s developer didn’t set a notification as high priority? Too bad, you have to wait until the next maintanence window to be notified.
Doze mode’s white-list does not truly exempt an app from all restrictions.
Doze mode cannot be disabled. Having issues with notifications on Android 6.0? Too bad.

Stamina and Ultra Stamina Mode Return
Stamina Mode users resentment at this perhaps forced Sony to reconsider and Stamina Mode and Ultra Stamina Mode have been announced as below:

Xperia Z5 series
Xperia Z2, Z3 series

Not as good as original Modes
But the Stamina Mode is said to be a watered down version and is more akin to stock Android Power Saving mode ( mainly because whitelisting of apps isn't possible):

Presumably, Sony felt immense pressure from customers who wanted STAMINA back, but also did not want to break Google’s terms and conditions for using Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Quite where Sony will go now with their device software remains to be seen, but as it stands, the new STAMINA mode is simply not as effective or as usable as the old way.

As of now I haven't come across any mention of Stamina or Ultra Stamina Mode in Android 7

Well, the first article talk about a "New Stamina mode" and a "New Ultra Stamina mode", but no mention of where they are. I do have 6.0.1...

In the meantime, Stamina and ULTRA Stamina have returned


text:
Apps report the phone's using mobile data even though it's connected to a WIFI
My Oneplus One, running cm-13.0-20160906-NIGHTLY-bacon, has been in a situation for quite a while that apps, for instance Google Photos, report it's using mobile data even though it's actually connected to a WIFI. This prevents Google Photos from automatically syncing my pictures. The WIFI connection is not set as metered. I'm not sure if it's a CM bug or something as I don't see similar reports on xda forum.

The problem is really troublesome. I was trying to solve it all night. I did a full wipe & fresh flash but it didn't help. I dirty-flashed old builds including cm-13.0-20160730-NIGHTLY-bacon and cm-13.0-20160802-NIGHTLY-bacon, the problem remained. Then I restored a 6/6 twrp backup, problem solved! I dirty-flashed the latest nightly onto the restored backup, everything worked like a charm. It's beyond my knowledge to tell what went wrong but anyhow it's solved and hopefully it won't happen again.


text:
SMS only fetched when I turn the screen on
XPeria Z3C on Marshmallow.
Starting some weeks ago, I don't receive notification unless I turn on the screen. While that was business as usual for games and other "come check X", it started to do that to received SMS too.
The result is that, when I think about ulocking my phone, I see SMS coming, sometimes dated more than half a hour ago, usually in the range of 5~20min ago. I randomly get notified, never on time, sometimes in the range of 2~5min ago, more often 10~20min ago.
I think it is related to some power saving options that reduced (way too much) the fetching of new message when in idle mode, but the only one I found is the new "Battery Saver", which is turned off.
Relevant informations:

Rebooting didn't help.
Removing the battery is sadly not a option on this phone.
SMS notification is on Priority
Battery Saver is off
Default SMS app.

That might happen because Android 6 has a function called Doze.  Try going into Settings - Battery and look for Battery Optimization. Add there the apps that you want to make sure they sync / ignore battery optimization and see if it still happens.
http://www.androidcentral.com/inside-marshmallow-what-doze-how-do-i-use-it-and-what-does-it-do

OP has mentioned default SMS app. That should not be affected by Doze

@beeshyams: The Sony default SMS app is not the stock Google messaging app, and it seems it got "optimized". I ve removed the "optimization", will report if it changed something.

Not really. It happened to me on my S5, that's why i said it might be an option. It was fixed after an update, but still, it happened.

I confirm it is due to Google "optimization".


text:
How do I root an LG Phoenix 2?
I put Kingroot and many other rooting apps on my laptop and phone and all say failed it's a LG Phoenix 2 6.0 marshmallow please help,I did everything to root and still nothing.

There is no Root method out A.T.M. Kingroot has gotten 18059 requests (time of 9-11-16 2:34AM) so they might work on it soon


text:
Samsung build number and rooting SM-G900P
I would like to root my Boost Mobile  Samsung S5. I've read up enough to know that I need to be 100% about the model and software build version before proceeding with the root.
My provider: Boost/Sprint
Model: SM-G900P
Build: mmb29m.g900pvpu3cpg1
Android 6.0.1
I've looked around and found confirmations for this build with one difference, the builds confirmed don't have the "1" at the end of the build I.D.
Can anyone explain the significance of the 1 at the end of my build?
Also will I need to reactivate my service if I root?

Reference

Can anyone explain the significance of the 1 at the end

Quoting from reference

....The last character is actually the version number or revising code in that specific month

It is not of significance when choosing firmware, it is only a minor build variation

Also will I need to reactivate my service if I root?

No

Thank you! So ill go ahead and proceed with the root.  Do you know of a good program to use for this model?

Welcome to Android Enthusiasts. Thanks. Best place for detailed instructions and getting user experiences is XDA. This would be a good starting point to read

We have a rooting guide on this site also. http://android.stackexchange.com/q/1184/131553


text:
USB debugging in lenevo vibe p1 through android studio
I am using android studio in dell inspiron laptops. I want to use my lenevo vibe p1 phone for usb debugging. I have installed oem usb driver for my phone in my laptop. Also enabled usb debugging option in my phone. But if I try to test the app through usb debugging, it shows no device connected or found etc.(even though I connected my phone through a usb cable.

Download PdaNet+ software from below link, and enable debugging mode in your mobile.All devices can easily connect as a Debugging.Its working for me.Try it.I hope it is definately usefull for you.This software is avilable windows as well as MacOS.
http://pdanet.co/a/


text:
Why do many apps (Including the stack exchange app) need the 'send MMS' permission?
Many, many apps seem to need the 'send MMS' permission, even though there is no clear reason why, including but not limited to the Stack exchange app. Why?
Device: Bush SPIRA B3 5 running ArchOS (Official ROM where the permissions manager.... Works really well, for once) on android 6.0. No system updates available AFAIK. The device is encrypted (I was not allowed to have it unencrypted, for security reasons.)
Seller: Argos UK

Screenshot provided by concerned friend. I agree with him though
Edit: I have read the possible dupe here and although it covers it quite well, so I shall be more specific: Why does the stack exchange app need send MMS/email the, permissions?
This question is also in meta Why does the Stack Exchange app need permission to send MMS?

Possible duplicate of Why does every app has/needs the permission "Send MMS" and "Send Email"?

@beeshyams alright, possibly. It still does not explain why these two always seem enabled together, or why Stack exchange (for example) needs it, though I'll take that one to meta.

Dan , if that is your specific question, you could edit your question to include a reference to the dupe and ask, IMO

Only reason that makes sense is for SHARING. Without the permission you can't share within the app natively, but you could with a 3rd party app. So the permission, somewhere, needs to be enabled. If the permission in question is still a concern, disable the permission across the board. Allow a 3rd party app, that you trust, be your SHARE app and you should be good.

From my experience, I strongly suspect that's because of some "low granularity" in the quite imperfect permission system, that something only vaguely related to SMS/MMS is covered by the same permission. Especially with that "fake control" introduced with MM, things are really a mess (as they don't even give you real control, one entry covers too many things you'd rather need separate).

Retracted close vote after reading valid comment of @izzy

@Izzy true, but ArchOS devices (Argos' ROM, v. Close to stock) use a heavily modified permission management. If you don't want an app to use your GPS, it ain't using its GPS. Why I brought an ArchOS/Bush device in the first place.

@DanBrown that's a different thing. Same is true for rooted devices using a real permission manager (e.g. Xprivacy; but I can see what you're referring to). Which I btw. consulted concerning the SE app, and couldn't find access to SMS/MMS. Just in the very same section, there's some sub-permission to get provider configuration values which seems to be in use. Not being too familiar with what's covered by it, I cannot tell more. // May I suggest to add those Archos details to your question directly? Important deail IMHO.

@Izzy Will do, shortly. Funnily enough, somebody brought up a similar point on the meta.

OK. So I found something odd: in permissions manager, the app requests MMS and email. In the app manager, it requests the more logical Contacts and Storage. The two do correlate- if I disable MMS, stack exchange cannot access my storage (likewise with email and contacts) Shadow Wizard on the meta is correct - it's a ROM bug, albeit a small one that is just a typo.


text:
Switching data and apps between 2 Nexus phones
Is there any fast or easy way to switch apps and data between 2 Nexus phones?
First is Nexus 5 running Android 6.0.1 MOB30Y, second one is Nexus 4 running Android 5.1.1 LMY48T

What do you mean by "switching"? Taking literally, two devices with completely different configuration (including apps installed) changing their roles? Or do you rather want to keep things in sync?

Changing roles is the right idea

In that case, no easy fast way I'm afraid. All I'm aware of would go along the lines of backing up the entire two devices, wiping them, and restoring cross-wise. Untried possible alternative: using profiles on both devices and syncing those cross-wise.


text:
Possible to detach a system app from the Play Store?
Is it possible to detach a system app from the Play Store, without disabling or uninstalling it?
I would prefer to leave the system app in its partition, and not move it.
Solution should be compatible with Android KitKat.  Solutions requiring root privileges are completely acceptable.
The device is rooted. I've already tried using TiBu to detach apps from playstore, but it didn't work (they don't get detached at all, so the scheduling won't help either; researching it online, it seems like it is a known problem with Titanium Backup, and has been for a long time).

@Izzy Now I have. :)  When I tried doing any detaching in Titanium Backup, it didn't have any effect.  Putting something that didn't have any effect on a repeated schedule seems like it will just have no effect more often! :)  But it does seem that it worked for Craig... curious... maybe because his test device was running Lollipop and mine was running KitKat... or maybe due to other Android ROM fragmentation differences.

I rather suspect "other" here (or it must have skipped Kitkat in "working"), as my last try definitely was pre-Kitkat. Without that schedule, apps stayed disconnected for me no longer than 24h. So maybe just try again? Or are you still on Kitkat?

To confirm TiBu doesn't work with kit kat . I had issues with Google play updates  with my previous phone and restored Nandroid with earlier version of Play and tried as hard as i could with TiBu, ROM Toolbox Pro, nothing worked ( updated within few hours ). Mr. Google didn't show an alternate way @izzy. Scheduling didn't help either


text:
How to block Apps Advertisements?
I rooted my android device.
After rooting, is it possible to block or stop advertisements coming on apps?
If yes, please guide me for resolving this issue.
Regards
GNS

If you want to stop advertizements, the best cure is an Ad-Blocker. I e.g. use AdAway, which modifies Androids hosts file so "ad servers" are no longer found – while accessing other resources works fine.
As Ahmed pointed out, buying the full version of an app usually ends the ads in that app as well (and rewards the dev for the work done). So ad blockers are rather for the "left overs": apps which have no ad-free version, plus preventing other "evil stuff" (as possibly infected ads on websites).

Hi.. Thank you for replying me and resolving my concerns. I understand that full version of an app usually ends the apps but in some cases like News Apps or Classified Apps, it’s not true. AdAway requires root permission. What should I do for non-rooted android device?

Follow the first link, and check for an ad blocker not requiring root? Right the first candidate of that list explicitly states "no root", and is available from my own F-Droid compatible repo: Adguard. Same applies to Seven Adclear :)

I used Ad-Blocker and AdGuard on non-rooted device. Both are not able to stop in-apps ads.

Sorry, then I cannot help further. I usually root my devices almost before unboxing them – and don't buy devices I cannot root.


text:
Nexus 6p won't charge on included charger
Not sure what to make of this one.  I have two nexus 6P's.

Phone A won't charge on included charger+cable+outlet, however it does charge on a variety of other chargers I have access to.
Phone B charges on the same charger+cable+outlet Phone A won't charge on

Any ideas as to what's wrong and how to resolve?
Edit: From comments Both phones charging on the same setup (charger/cable/outlet).

You have left out information on USB cable. When you say charger, do you mean "charger+ USB cable" or just the charger. It makes a difference. Please edit your question to clarify

Also are you charging both phones from same point charging point or Dodger points? If different, it could be a charging point problem

Both phones charging on the same setup (charger/cable/outlet).

The uncooperative phone started charging again on the included charger setup after a reboot.


text:
How to factory reset a Gingerbread device?
I found an old phone of mine while cleaning, and would like to donate it. I've googled how to do a factory reset on a gingerbread device, and all of them say the same thing: go to Settings -> Privacy, and then click the Factory Data Reset button under Personal Data. The problem is, I don't have that option. My Privacy settings only have Lock Screen (display message text), and Backup and Restore (Back up my settings and Automatic Restore.) I don't have a Personal Data section.
The phone does not have a SIM card installed, but does have a google account attached, plus a lot of apps with on-board data. I know I can disconnect the google account, but how can I wipe all the apps and reset the phone to "new"?
It's a rooted HTC Sensation, if it matters, and I think is running CyanogenMod. (Like I said, it's an old phone...)

If it's running CyanogenMod then it likely has a custom recovery loaded on it already. Just boot into it, wipe data / factory reset and wipe internal storage.

One thing to be noted before factory resetting an android is that you still end up having the root access on your device. In that case, I would rather suggest you to (unroot) it first. Download the firmware and then flash it. This will remove the root access (unroot) and also remove any data on your phone.


text:
Lollipop: OpenVPN connects, no data. Jellybean: Connects, gets data
I have 2 Azpen tablets, one running 5.1.1, the other running 4.2.2.  I have an OpenVPN server and I am able to connect and use it successfully with a variety of devices (Windows, Linux, and the 4.2.2 tablet).
On both tablets I use OpenVPN Connect.
However, with the 5.1.1 tablet, it connects, I receive 4.02 Mbytes of data, and then nothing else ever happens.  Applications are unable to get any data from the network.
Something else is clearly wrong too, because when I hit Disconnect in OpenVPN Connect, it does not disconnect cleanly. It seems to hang for a few seconds, then I get a message about "threads", and the normal network connection does not come back until I power the tablet off and back on.  If I try to connect again with OpenVPN before the power cycle, it hangs at the DNS step.
The OpenVPN config files on both devices are identical except for the device-specific items.  I have to think there is a setting somewhere on the Lollipop tablet that I'm missing. (I'm much more familiar with the 4.2.2 tablet).
Comparing the logfiles does not shed any light.  I keep coming back to a problem or setting on the tablet that I can't find.
Has anyone else had this problem and fixed it?
Note: apparently not a duplicate of Can't connect to OpenVPN properly on Lollipop

It turns out Lollipop has bugs relating to routing of VPN connections when OpenVPN is used.  This reddit post gave me the clue that the problem was routing on the client side.  After a lot of trial and error, by switching to OpenVPN for Android client (which gives better control over settings) I was able to set up manual routes and get it to connect and work.


text:
Nexus 9 upgrade to Nougat fails - how can I diagnose the problem?
I'm trying to OTA upgrade a Nexus 9 tablet running 5.0.1 to Nougat. I download the update, verify, and tell it to install. After a little bit, I get the "dead robot" screen that says "Error".
I did a factory reset, downloaded the update again, ran it again, and got the dead robot again.
I've been googling, but I can't find anything offhand that explains what might be happening.
Is there any way I can debug or diagnose the problem?

Rooted? System modified? It shouldn't error out if not.

@AndyYan: Not that I know of. It's a work tablet that we've done very little to.

Well if you've already done a factory reset then I assume there's no precious data to be backed up on the device - in that case just grab a factory image, install appropriate drivers and flash manually. The one for the WiFi variant is already out.

Yeah, that's basically what I ended up doing: Side-loading 7.0 from my laptop.


text:
Odin error : NAND Write Start!! FAIL! (Auth) can't flash stock rom SM-G530H
Can't complete the Stock ROM flash on my galaxy grand prime SM-G530H. The following error is shown inside the Odin message box.
<ID:0/010> Added!!
<ID:0/010> Odin v.3 engine (ID:10)..
<ID:0/010> File analysis..
<ID:0/010> SetupConnection..
<ID:0/010> Initialzation..
<ID:0/010> Get PIT for mapping..
<ID:0/010> Firmware update start..
<ID:0/010> aboot.mbn
<ID:0/010> NAND Write Start!!
<ID:0/010> FAIL! (Auth)
<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)

I hope the problem is with the NAND Write Start!! part.
I tried with three of the stock ROMs and getting the same result. What should I do to overcome this problem?

Comment threads really aren't great for this kind of interactive debugging, so I've moved the conversation to chat. Please come back and write up an answer when you've solved the problem between you.

I'm pretty sure you're in Recovery mode. Put your device in Download mode (turn your device off, press and hold volume down and home buttons, then press and hold the power button until the download warning appears, then volume up to continue, connect USB and run Odin) to flash with Odin.
Putting your phone in Recovery mode is done the same way except volume up is pressed with the home key instead of volume down.


text:
Browser sound does not mute and comes from the ears speaker during calls
I have Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro with Android 5.1.1 and MIUI 8.0.
When I have website with music opened and receive a call, I can hear the music from the ear speaker. It is wrong because I can't hear the other party properly.

What music app, this sounds like an app problem, or you didn't give it Phone permissions (so it can see call state).

@acejavelin It is not an app, it is a browser game: https://tr.fruitshake.mobi/


text:
Which Android phones support MiFare Classic NFC tags?
I have to use MiFare Classic NFC tags, which Android phones can read and write to it? Couldn't find it on the internet.

Here's a source for both Mifare Classic and Mifare Ultralight, published last month
Smartphones and Tablets Compatible with NFC Tags


text:
OnePlus 3: Unknown process 99041
I seem to have this odd app 99041 running in the background and I have no idea what it is. The fact that it doesn't even have a proper name makes me think it's a bit dodgy.
Any ideas?

I did do some searching before I posted this; I don't have an issue with battery usage as that process used up a mere 1%. My question was about the process itself and what it does, as I've never seen it before.

If it has no name but just "a number", it's usually some "native" system background process (the number is the "user ID"). You could find out more using adb shell or a terminal app, if you're not afraid of the command line – or using a process monitor app. A good choice here would be OS Monitor, which is available on F-Droid as well as on Google Play:

OS Monitor (source: Google Play; click images for larger variants)
Your candidate would find its equivalent in the process "149" (3rd line from the bottom) in the first screenshot. Being a "native binary", Android cannot find any information in its package list, and thus only gives an ID. First entry in the second screenshot shows what details you can additionally obtain on a process by using OS Monitor.


text:
How to change time on Android 6 (Nexus 5x) with display off (adb?)
I need to change time on my phone while screen is powered off (because of some notifications I need to test).
On other devices I did this in adb shell as root by typing:
    date -s "YYYYMMDD.hhmmss"

But on this device my command has no effect (just printing out current time).
Do you have any advices?

I found answer here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/32498628/change-date-on-rooted-device-android-m
I used wrong date format, apparently since Android M I should use
   adb shell date $(date +%m%d%H%M%Y)

This works to me (in adb shell signed as root):
toolbox date -s 20161231.235959
Sat Dec 31 23:59:59 GMT 2016


text:
Does Andriod have an event viewer and how do I access it?
I have a new Samsung S7 for 3 months now - My phone crashes in a big way around once a month, I mean I can't even do the factory reset because I cannot get to the recovery screen, no buttons are responsive so holding them to get to the recovery menu is useless, I have to wait till the battery dies before I can recharge it and switch it back on so I can carry out a factory reset before it will crash again (usually 20 minute time frame before it will crash again).
I barley have anything installed (as this is my 3rd time of factory resetting my phone it gets boring re-adding apps etc so only the essential apps are installed whatsapp, bbc news, stock apps)
I work in IT, if this happened on a server I would go view the event viewer to find out what exactly was the root cause, or at least a clue towards why, my question is do android phones have an event viewer hidden away or is there something that I can install that will capture information?
The phone is on the latest firmware & android version and has not been modified or tampered with in any way shape or form.
Kind Regards

Our logging tag-wiki might be a good starter :)

Please check this post it might be helpful: How can I view and examine the Android log?


text:
Oneplus2, define/add user ringtones
I'm have a OnePlus2 device and I can't seem to set a different ringtone other than those provided with the ROM (Oxygen OS 3.1.0). I can't see an option for it under Settings > Sound and Notification.
Am I missing something? Is there a way to set a ringtone without flashing a new Rom or adding some cheap app for it ?

Have you already checked with our ringtone tag-wiki and the questions using that tag?

hi thanks for the tip, an old answer gave me a hint

Glad to read! If it solved your issue: Shall we close your question as duplicate to that? Or is there something to add, so you could write up an answer to your own question?

it may be a dupe of this http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/21293/how-can-i-turn-songs-from-google-play-music-into-ringtones, the solution is the same but the questions are different.

As @Izzy hinted to check the tag wiki, I found this old answer
How do I set a custom MP3 as a ringtone for other notifications?
The answer said I should put the ringtone file at a certain directory in my SD card, that directory doesn't exist in my device but instead I noticed a ringtones directory that Hangouts created to insert it's own notification sounds.
I placed an mp3 file in there and now I can set it from Sound and Notification.

"that directory doesn't exist in my device": Simply create it :) See my answer here.

it was already created when hangouts inserted it's audio files there, or at least i think it did

Yupp – but there's more than one directory (one for ringtones, one for alarms, etc.) :)


text:
Now on Tap option gone
I have a new samsung galaxy j5 2016. First it was like this when I bought it and the seller turned it on without a sim and i don't know how he configured it:

I could use now on tap even without google account (a couple of times I saw it showed up but then it didn't). So then I signed in and it worked fine too, and Now on Tap menu was still separate from search and now
(Now on tap worked without google now working because of region restrict).
Then I did a factory-reset from the settings and I skipped all the initial configuration to default options without a SIM CARD or WIFI
but it still looks like this:

I don't want to sign in because of the region and phone is not rooted or anything, and google play services doesn't update if I don't sign in, so it is default 1 month ago update from security update of galaxy apps.

solved!
download the different version of google app from not play store
 update google play store to non Samsung version
now on tap separate option from google now appears
you can enable and use it without signing in


text:
Birthdays not displayed initially
Just received my Honor 7 and imported my outlook.com stuff to a corporate account. Everything is imported and working correctly, except that birthdays are not displayed in the calendar.
They do get displayed after I remove them from a contact, save, and then add them back in. This is a lot of work so I'm hoping someone can suggest a better alternative?


text:
How to get the data about which Android devices have certain vulnerabilities?
I am doing security research on Android devices.
However, I do not know which Android devices have which vulnerabilities.
For example, CVE-2013-2597 and CVE-2013-6123 work only on specific Qualcomm chipsets. If I want to buy a device for testing, I do not know which one to buy.
Is there any data available on this kind of mapping or statistics?

Are you looking for the results of vulnerability tests by device, or for hardware/software component/feature lists etc.?

Either can be good.


text:
Issue with WhatsApp's downloaded videos
I have got a new Moto G4 Plus. When I tap to play a downloaded video message, I tap it many times but it doesn't play. However, when I go back to all chats and return to the message, it then opens finely with one tap only. Please tell what's with it?

Try updating the Google Photo app from Google Play, or install it.

First reboot your mobile and try to uninstall and reinstall it back...

It is already updated.

@VigneshReddy  I often hate doing thus, but still will try and update you.


text:
Does "clear data" of a running app also "force stop"?
In settings, if you go to an app and click "clear data" does that also cause the "force stop" function to be activated?
I'm thinking that when you clear the data of an app, the app is basically returned to the state it was in when you just installed it, so it necessitates a "force stop". Is this correct?

Yes, you are correct.  Any running app will be stopped if you clear its data, which you can verify pretty easily by selecting an app from the Running list in Settings → Apps and clearing its data; it will disappear from the list.  I verified this myself quite a while ago out of curiosity.  It is, of course, expected for the reason you mention — getting rid of the data that the app was working with will almost certainly make its state invalid or could cause partial (i.e., corrupt) data to be saved later.


text:
Asus ZE551KL Wifi Battery Drain when turned on but barely using it
I recenty bought an Asus Zenfone 2 Laser (ZE551KL) with Marshmallow. Battery wasn't good from the start but it got worse and worse, mainly because Wi-Fi uses up to 2/3 of a full charge. I don't watch videos, I don't download content, I only read or play games about 1 hour day. Most of the drain happen mostly when the phone is on standby even if wi-fi is disabled in sleep.

Notify when public network is available is OFF
Keep Wi-Fi on during sleep set to NEVER
Improve location with Wi-Fi scanning is OFF

The only thing that works is disabling the Wi-Fi.

How can I prevent so much battery use by Wi-Fi?

Try these : Location → Scanning → WiFi Scanning - disabled ;
Location → Mode → Battery Saving

Location is always turned OFF and set to GPS only which won't use wi-fi. Wi-Fi scanning is already OFF.

Use another app like Gsam battery monitor to verify if the WiFi usage is actually high. My device Moto X Play was reported to have the same problem, whereas the actual consumption was not high. Just to eliminate that possibility


text:
Unpacking 'Non-Standard' Boot.img Problems for 64 Bit Device
This is in relation to this XDA thread and my thread on xda. This is a cross post from XDA, trying my luck on here. I also asked this question on Stackoverflow, but am covering all my  bases and trying my luck here as well.
Device specs, just in case someone asks
Device Specifications:

Current Android Version: Android Lollipop 5.1.1
Chipset: Marvell Armada PXA1908 (Note: Due to this being a rarely used chip, the CF-Auto root won't work)
Custom Recovery Status: TWRP 3.0.2-0 (Not working with lollipop)
Root Status (This is technically why I am here):  Android KitKat 4.4.4 (Root), Android Lollipop 5.1.1 (NO ROOT Yet)
ARMv8 64-bit

Now let's get into my steps up to the point and then my problem.
Note: In the kernel readme it states to use the toolchain 4.8 but when I use it, it complains of not being able to find gcc. Also in the read me it states "get Toolchain download and install arm-eabi-4.8 toolchain for ARM EABI.(64bit)" and when reading up on it, it says to use aarch64 for ARM 64 Bit devices.
Device Source Code can be found at Here
cd ~/android
export CROSS_COMPILE=~/android/ndk/toolchains/aarch64-linux-android-4.9/prebuilt/linux-x86_64/bin/aarch64-linux-android-
cd ~/android/kernel
make ARCH=arm64 pxa1908_xcover3lte_eur_defconfig
make ARCH=arm64

This outputs: Image, Image.gz, .dts and .dtb files.
Where's the kernel readme (I believe this hasn't been update since kitkat) says the output will be,
    - Kernel : Kernel/arch/arm/boot/zImage
    - module : Kernel/drivers//.ko
Note: when trying to compile with the 32- bit ARM toolchain it fails,  as the config is found in arm64, wheres other configs are found in arm.
So know I have a kernel (Image or Image.gz), and some .dts and .dtb files. Now to unpack boot.img, this is where problems occur. When trying to use tools like abootimg or the various different versions of unmkbootimg, they complain about non-standard boot.img.

or

While also try saving it as a zImage when its meant to be a Image.gz, or they extract it without throwing any errors, but when looking at the extracted files with a hex editor, it is all 00 throughout the files, therefore a useless file.
So therefor I tried manually unpacking with a hex editor and managed to get the kernel. Left is my Compiled and Right is the hex version.

Notice the difference in size, is this because the kernel in boot.img is stripped of its debugging items while mine isn't? If so I should look up on how to fix that.
But I am having troubles trying to extract the ramdisk via hex.
So is anyone able to Teach/Help me extract the boot.img properly (with tools like unmkbootimg or with a hex editor)
I have attached necessary files if you want to have a look at them yourself.
Files: Samsung xCover3 Files
Any help is appreciated.

After Numerous trial and error, I finally managed to output ramdisk.gz.cpio, this was from starting at the correct ramdisk hex .gz area, search 00 00 00 00 1F 8B, narrows it down to 2 sections, kernel (Image.gz) and ramdisk.gz.cpio. So for the ramdisk I started from 1F 8B and went all the way to the end of the document ( I was before stoping to early, therefor corrupting it).