text:
Where does SafariOnline store downloaded books?
I used the Safari Books Online "Safari to Go" app to download a book to its "Offline Bookbag". In what format is the book stored? I ask because I'm hoping to use a reader other than Safari's own app to read the downloaded book.

On my Nexus 7, my downloaded books go in /Android/data/com.safaribooksonline/files/zips. They are stored in xhtml directories which includes various metadata, images and the chapters themselves as xhtml documents.
While these look vaguely HTML like, they certainly can't be rendered in Chrome or other web browsers directly, you just end up seeing all of the mark-up as text.
I don't know how standard the xhtml format is for e-books, or whether other readers could understand the format Safari uses, but hopefully this helps point you in the right direction.

Plain html, concatenate them, include the css and images and add html extension or  so the browser knows what to do

As a developer, I more-or-less get the idea of this answer. But most of visitors here are probably not a developer and might get lost. It'd be better if you could explain the steps in more detail (e.g. linking some steps to SO, or blog that already explain this is still acceptable)


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How can I manage bookmarks in Android Firefox?
I have tried following the directions given here:-
http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/828180
However, I am not seeing a Mobile Bookmarks folder on my PC's bookmarks section within Firefox 16.0.1 so do nto know how to get this working in two-way sync between devices.

Here's what i did. Assuming you've set up the sync process:

Go to Firefox on your PC, click Bookmarks in the top right corner
Choose Unsorted Bookmarks. This opened a new window for me where i could see a section called Mobile bookmarks that i hadn't seen anywhere else.
Click and drag this Mobile Bookmarks folder to either Bookmarks Toolbar or Bookmarks Menu, whichever you want it to appear under (Note: the Bookmarks Menu is what we clicked on to start this process, i advise you try both and see which you like best).
Profit.

Hope this helps!

Strangely the Mobile Bookmarks folder appeared where it had not previously been so all seems fine.

glad to hear it worked out!

source: Stack Exchange

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

sort: votes


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Android Microsoft Ergonomic 4000 keyboard
Has any tried hooking up a Microsoft Ergonomic 4000 keyboard to a Android device. It doesn't seem to work with my Sony Xperia Table S (Android 4.0.3). However with my Raspberry PI it works like a charm. I haven't tried installing Android yet on my Raspberry but hoping someones knows something about it. I have not been able to find anything on Google about this.

There many reasons the keyboard wouldn't work the main reason would be a driver problem. Clearly the Linux disto your using on your Raspberry Pi supports the driver that allows the keyboard to function. Android isn't Linux.

Any change such a driver can be installed? I don't know a lot about Android.

@Ramhound Android is a Linux distro...

As long as your Android device supports USB keyboards at all, any USB keyboard will work.  Many Android devices don't support working as a USB master device (due to hardware limitations), but running Android on a Raspberry Pi should work fine as its USB ports are fully-featured.

I have tried other keyboards and they do work. So it seems more a software problem then a hardware problem.

@DaveKok It could also be a power consumption problem, then. I see no reason why a conforming USB keyboard would have a software-level problem with working on a device where other conforming USB keyboards work.

Hmm, not really sure how to rule out power consumption, but thanks.

You could hook it up to a computer and see what its maximum reported current draw is (OSX and Linux both have tools for that, and Windows probably does too). Those numbers aren't trustworthy but it's a start. If you're handy with a multimeter and don't mind modifying a USB extension cable you can measure the current draw directly, as well.

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


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My WiFi status icon on 4.1 is grey, even when the connection is working fine. Why?
I just switched from AOKP to the latest CyanogenMod M-build, and I'm noticing that my WiFi and 3G/H+ icons never switch to blue. This is a bit annoying as usually the grey WiFi icon is an indication that the WiFi I'm connected to isn't actually letting me out onto the Internet, but now they seem to stay grey all the time.
Is there anything I can do to troubleshoot this issue? Is it a known bug? What does the grey icon really mean? I've tried looking around the sync settings as there are some indications this might have something to do with the device not being able to contact the Google servers to sync, but sync is working fine and I'm having no real problems except the fact that it's annoying that the icon is indicating what I've previously interpreted as a problem.
edit It seems that there is an actual problem aside from the cosmetic one: in Google Talk I am completely offline, I get my contact list but it's greyed out. I also don't get notifications from the Gmail app when new mail arrives.
edit2 This was solved by simply removing CM10 and going back to AOKP. I did a full wipe before every install, either this is a bug in CM10 or it's an issue caused by my Titanium backups. Not sure, but the backups worked fine with AOKP.

What the color means is explained in What does it mean when the connectivity icons in the status bar go white/gray?

Are you sure this still applies for 4.1? They quote the 2.3 user guide in the answer, and some forum posts I Googled insinuated that this might have changed. As mentioned, sync works fine by the way.

Can't tell you about Cyanogenmod, but in Jelly Bean my wifi icon changes from blue to gray if it can't reach the Google servers.

Yes, it's still the same. I can't find the updated documentation at the moment, but Google employees have said this is still the case: https://productforums.google.com/d/msg/mobile/sFcIIp2Q2cw/R7lZ1Jnb4HQJ

Did you do a full data wipe when switching ROMs, and also not restore any settings with Titanium Backup or similar?

@bigbadonk420 Can you open the Google Talk app and make sure you are signed in?

Full wipe yes, also some TB restore yes, so that might be it :( @rnh16 interestingly, I seem to be logged in (I get the contacts list) but everything is grey and everyone's offline. I also noticed yesterday that I did not get live notifications of mail appearing in my inbox from the Gmail app. Any way to troubleshoot without wiping again?

@bigbadonk420 there are a lot of issues that may cause this, if I may ask you to try connecting on a different hotspot, or if you are trying to connect from work, check that they have not blocked communication with the Google servers used by Google Talk, or the port which Google Talk normally connects on. Note also that if you are connected on a WiFi hotspot that uses authenticated proxy, Google Talk, won't be able to communicate with Google.

I finally caved in and removed CM10, wiped completely and installed the latest AOKP instead. Works like a charm, even with TB backups.

Even I've grey icons when i'm using my college's firewalled wifi. But it turns blue when I use it at home.

When restoring with TB between different ROMs, make sure to either completely skip system apps and their data (such as e.g. SMS etc.) -- or enable TB's Migration options. Different ROMs might use different structures of their SQLite DBs; without the Migration activated, TB would simply copy the SQLite files (which would break things in those cases). With Migration enabled, it tries to merge contents instead.

@Izzy: I did choose "XML" in TB because it's supposed to integrate better, but I'm not sure that's the same thing. Anyway, I'm pretty sure you're right in that TB caused this. Will be more careful with restoring system settings in the future.

There is nothing wrong with it. Its the expected/correct behaviour of a freshly installed ROM that does not have Google Apps (gapps) installed. Thus, the telephony/wifi signal will show up as grey.
Its only when that Google Apps (gapps) are installed, then it will show up as blue, this is for ICS upwards.
In Gingerbread, if no gapps is installed, and there's wifi connectivity, its white, when gapps gets installed, it changes to the typical green that is known under Gingerbread.
To resolve this, please install the appropriate gapps suitable for your CM10 ROM.
Edit
I am under the impression that GTalk application and service is part of the GApps hence my comment below to Izzy about this...and seems to backup the fact that if gtalk service is not present, the signal colours do appear different.

Gapps was installed, if you read my question you'll see that I tried gtalk. You'll also see that the issue has been resolved by reinstalling.

t0mm13b: Just having gapps installed doesn't do the trick. I have it installed and it was working fine until a few days back, now it turned white again due to "server timeouts" on Google's end. So the color does not say "gapps installed", but "in-sync with Google Services".

@Izzy am not sure, have one handset here running gingerbread, that has no gapps, read no gtalk, gmail etc, and the wifi/telephony signal is white all the time... gtalk is part of the gapps that's what I think... :\

Sure it's white all the time with no gapps installed -- how should it be "in sync" with Google services without them? It's part of it to have gapps installed, it's just not the complete thing :)

:) I know ... but I elected not to install it as it does not sync to anything - its more of a test-bed handset... :D

I have gapps installed, and my icons are gray only on my work network. I asked a separate question, but it was closed because it was alredy answered here. But I have no idea why it happens

Since you are using cyanogenmod, this may be the case with your device and it is an issue with the RIL part of your device. This is a bug that needs to get reported to the developer of your cyanogenmod builds

This answer would be better if you supplied some information on how to get that information and where to report the bugs. For me personally, the problem has already been resolved by reinstalling, but if someone has a similar issue it would be good to have here.

You would find the official thread on XDA (its usually XDA) and post there if anyone else is having the same issue. If people are having the same problem, make a post asking the author of the thread to get help with the bug

What's a RIL part?

For me the WiFi signal turned gray and I was unable to connect to all Google apps like Playstore and Gmail.
I found out that it was because I installed freedom app and uninstalled it.
So I installed it again, and in the app settings I clicked the check-box where it says "don't install playstore updates," and uninstalled the freedom app again.
Now everything was fixed!!!
Don't install freedom app!
It messed up my phone luckily I was able to turn it back easily to the state it was before.

Thanks for the hints, Sabooki! Could you please [edit] your answer and include a link to that app on Google Play? I was searching for "freedom app", but couldn't make out which one you might have meant.

I tried to reset phone,clearing cache,Data but it wont work but now
I have a quick solution on this issue and grey wifi becomes blue in some minutes.
All you need is "Rooted Phone"
1.Install : Root Explorer

Grant SuperSU permission to Root Explorer
Mount Root Explorer into Read/Write (R/W).
Go To System > etc > locate "HOSTS" file in etc folder.
Edit Hosts file using root explorer
Insert the symbol # before the second set of IP address numbers then save the changes and exit.
Reboot your phone...
wifi icon will be blue as you start your phone back and some apps like Google play store,keep,etc will be start as normal.

Thanks.

I'm downvoting this because it's non-specific, I looked into my host file and it had nothing but "localhost" in it. I have no idea why yours would have stuff in it, but that doesn't seem like standard behavior from Android if you ask me.


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Is there a way to flash a boot.img from recovery without a computer?
Is there a way to flash a boot.img on your SD card without having to connect to a PC?
Is there an equivalent of the fastboot command?
I'm on a HTC Amaze 4G currently.

Do you have S-OFF? Which device are you using?

fastboot flash boot boot.img
Use this in fastboot mode.

HTC Amaze 4G, no S-Off, it flipped to S-On on recently trying to install a new ROM. No luck yet. I've also tried fastboot in the terminal of TWRP recovery, but it says fastboot -> no such command.

From what I understand now, it seems I won't be able to flash anything without S-Off, I'll try that and see if maybe fastboot then becomes available.

fastboot can't be used from the recovery

Once you have S-OFF you should be able to flash a custom recovery.  Just flash one that supports IMG files, such as ClockworkMod (ROM Manager).

I was able to install 4ext, with S-On still active.

Yes that is possible, but flashing roms through recovery will not flash the boot.img due to S-ON status. boot.img has to be flashed through fastboot via pc. See my previous comments for the command to be used from your computer terminal/command-prompt.


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Which IMEI number should I use to unlock my Motorola DROID 2 Global (A956): IMEI or IMEI SV?
I recently bought an unlock code to unlock a Motorola DROID 2 Global which was locked to the Verizon Wireless network.
Navigating to the About phone section: Menu -> Settings -> About Phone -> Status, I saw two IMEI numbers.

I used the top one (IMEI) as the code to complete the unlock process. However, when I tried to unlock the device, it rejected the code.

Should I have used the IMEI SV?

I have Android 2.3.4 but this device is normally equipped with 2.2, could that be the problem?

You should probably use the IMEI.  The IMEI ends with a checksum, whereas IMEI SV ends with a Software Version number which shouldn't be relevant.

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


text:
Why my S3 device sounds when magnetic card is put on its back?

Possible Duplicate:
Why does my Galaxy S3 make a noise when I put it down?

Why my samsung S3 play a sound when I put above my gym magnetic card? Only with this card the device play this type of sound. Nothing happen if I put it above credit card or other magnetic/chip support.
The gym card open doors and let me enter inside the gym if I've paid. There's a way (maybe an app) to read what happen when my s3 grab that card?

NFC, most likely.

Can you better define magnetic card?

You were right. For magnetic card I mean a card with a band all along the card, in opposition to chip card i.e. a card with a single chip on it.
My gym card doesn't have a chip (or at least I haven't found it), so it's more likely that this is a magnetic one (even if I can't see a sort of magnetic bar).

Seems like a duplicate of Why does my Galaxy S3 make a noise when I put it down?

Yes, it's duplicate. Confirmed that I want something to read data above card and data exchanged between devices.

Your S3 has an NFC chip in it that can read and write NFC tags which are a type of RFID. RFID is most commonly used for things like identification chips for dogs and NFC for public transport payment cards like Octopus or Oyster. It's also in quite a lot of credit and debit cards now too.
The card will have some kind of tag in it - the NXP TagInfo app will give you information about what kind of tag it is.


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Do I have to backup Titanium Backup's keys?
I just bought Titanium Backup and set up a scheduled encrypted backup of user+system apps and data, followed by Dropbox sync. Assuming I remember the passphrase, is all the data required for restoration backed up? Or do I have to manually backup the private key and encrypted symmetric key?

The FAQ of Titanium Backup about crypthography states that you just need the passphrase to recover any backup. That must mean that the private key file is stored along with all of your backups, because it could never work in any other ways. The big problem with that FAQ is that it should states this explicitly IMHO so to make things clearer for us users.
I took a peek at the first bytes of some backupped file (I am talking about the application data here, because Titanium Backup does not backup apks period), guess what I saw?
I found the very same ASCII sequence in the first lines of the backup files: those files are named something.gz but they are actually not gzip files (because of the key that has been put in front of them. Gzip files begin with hex codes 1F 8B 08. Those files do not).
If you run Linux and want to check it out, download two of your backups on the PC and try this command, that shows the first four lines of the file:
$ head -n 4 cgeo.geocaching-20130919-000250.tar.gz

My output is:
TB_ARMOR_V1
0w5AkcCA9rGtSy3Ecrag19p/FYQ=
BNpyGZq/PQYmpDXkXwji2lQGIQY=
MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA5GNADCBiQKBgQDWLUH3i295TA9XwPgbzwXEk/0eqowW2xcoxbOQo7NYeqGvctC7dNM33CEh+az25Wj2iTo+kzdIpwM7Y6o5vjW+D/yBCv9nDV1+HLNyut3GDQon84yR6BlgbQJT5QoIra5f6FN+wtqF5/ifW88nzuia2fUOv/IqRVQhHxIY7LPkMQIDAQAB

Quite odd for a binary file, isn't it? By the way that must be, yes, my TB private key enciphered with my passphrase. I don't give a thing about sharing it because you would need my backup files and my passphrase as well, to get anything useful out of.
Now, if you run run the same command on a different backup file:
$ head -n 4 com.amazon.kindle-20130919-000004.tar.gz
Guess what? You'll get the same s*it!
TB_ARMOR_V1
0w5AkcCA9rGtSy3Ecrag19p/FYQ=
BNpyGZq/PQYmpDXkXwji2lQGIQY=
MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA5GNADCBiQKBgQDWLUH3i295TA9XwPgbzwXEk/0eqowW2xcoxbOQo7NYeqGvctC7dNM33CEh+az25Wj2iTo+kzdIpwM7Y6o5vjW+D/yBCv9nDV1+HLNyut3GDQon84yR6BlgbQJT5QoIra5f6FN+wtqF5/ifW88nzuia2fUOv/IqRVQhHxIY7LPkMQIDAQAB

This simply could not be a coincidence. :)
From a certain point onward everything in backup files finally becomes binary.
This behavior makes a lot of sense because that would mean that we can only share the backup files and forget about everything - with the passphrase, we can recover our backups, period.
Still, I really think that the developer should document a procedure about how to recover our own legitimate data (we know the passphrase, so it's us!) from any computer with a decent crypto tools set (read: OpenSSL).

it's not that crazy to store the keys in the header of files, but normally not the same keys. normally you have got a file encryption key (FEK, it's one per file) which is stored in the file header and get encrypted by the master key. normally also the master key gets generated using the passphrase so you pipe the passphrase through some SHA or better bcrypt or scrypt or PBKDEF2 and get the private key from that. so actually you only store the FEK and meta data like key length in files.

This means that having an encryption key stronger than your passphrase is useless.

As @Dakatine hints, the master key is pre-pended on the file, which is then concatenated by encrypted content.
I didn't bother researching the TB_ARMOR_V1 file format, because someone already has made a python command line tool https://github.com/phyber/TiBUdecrypter

You only need to remember the passphrase. I've done this before.
If you're worried, you could always create a nandroid backup of your entire system, then wipe and install a custom rom. Install TB, and try to restore an app with just a passphrase. If it needs something you lack, then you have your answer and can go back to recovery and restore the nandroid. But as I said, I have done this process already and know that the password is all that is needed.


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Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 (GT P1000 with 2.2version android) stuck in boot-loop on update to CM10
I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7 (GT P 1000) with Android 2.2. A couple of days ago, I decided to update my Tab to JellyBean, and I searched the web for its procedure
I found a HowTo at AndroidAuthority. After downloading the files and placing them on the internal SD, I followed its procedure about the recovery mode. My tab started to update but in the middle of upgrading it stopped and restarted.
After that, my tab continuously follows this trend 1. Booting 2. Loading the OS 3. Rebooting 4. Go to 1! I could not even return its OS to is previous state!
I could not even go to the Recovery mode to do something.
Someone told me that each phone has a ROM or something like downgrading thing which I should download it and follow another procedure. I think I should do something like formatting and reinstalling a fresh, brand new Android OS on it like the procedure when we want to install a new Windows OS on our PC.
Does anybody by any chance know what should I do?

In short, CM9/10 is horribly broken and especially for a tablet... well... best you can do is to use a stock firmware and flash that manually instead. Give it time for the devs to stabilize it, I have heard of people putting in a P1000 ROM on top of P1010 and vice versa and end up in that situation.

Did your procedure include wiping App Cache and Dalvik Cache? Did you by any chance miss those steps? In that case, a factory reset might help. Keep in mind that this deletes all your data -- but that was part of the CM10 upgrade either.


text:
Hide Superuser?
There are many apps out there that will hide your root su file and this seems to work well enough, but none of them are capable of hiding the Superuser application, not even 'Hide My Root' which claims it can do it but actually it doesn't do anything (Galaxy Nexus JB4.1.1., Superuser 3.1.1). Is there any way I could hide the Superuser app in such a manner that I could bring it back easily with an app rather than having to re-root my phone and re-mount/restore or just re-install the app itself?
My motives are not nefarious, actually I just want to get email on my phone but our 'Good' policy blocks rooted phones and once it sees Superuser it bails. This conflicts with the many tools I need available to me which require root access. I've tried putting Superuser into Ghost mode but this does little other than remove it from the launcher. I've tried SuperSU as an alternative to Superuser and Good still recognizes that. Maybe if there were some other lesser known Superuser app that might work but I haven't been able to find one yet.

SuperUser doesn't need root to be installed, and if you can hide su without removing it where does the problem arise?

The problem is I need to hide Superuser temporarily

There is an easy way to hide root/Superuser temporarily. Just rename the Superuser app/apps to some other name in /system/app.
The disadvantage is that this will disable root for all apps.

I was going to say that you were out of luck because I think Good actually checks for signs of being rooted, like an edited build.prop with usually unused arguments, odd system apps, root manager, any root access.
Again, I'm not 100% sure as I don't have any of it's source code.
But then I found this!!!
first you'll need to install Xposed
after that disable Good
then install this apk
go into Xposed, enable the module installed above and reboot (to be sure it's active)
then re-enable Good, might not work as this module hasn't been updated, but worth a shot

Quite an old question asked in the days when Su detection mechanism are far inferior (no SafetyNet). Still it does count as valid...

I kinda want to down-to-earth this answer because it's just a set of links with no overview or information. ,

@AndyYan at least an answer a few years late is better than never

@acejavelin will add some info from my deleted answer


text:
Android OS update with out active service
I have an HTC device which we use for development currently running Android 2.2.1. While trying to update it from:
Settings > Software update > Check new

it shows the following for quite some time and then goes to an error message:

Software Update
Checking for new Software available now.

This phone doesn't have active service right now though I am connected to WiFi. Does this matter? Does Android prevent you from updating the OS if your device is not activated on a cellular carrier?

I think that check is for OTAs, which come from the provider, so it's not so much being prevented as just not possible.  Have you tried using HTC Sync and an update installer from their website?

No Android doesn't block if you are not on a cellular network. Did a OTA update of my Galaxy Nexus a couple of weeks back without inserting a SIM.
I think HTC has released no more newer builds for your phone hence you don't see it.


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In MIUI 2.10.12, where do I set it so that I get pop up notifications?
This is the first time I'm using MIUI as my ROM and I swear I managed to make it pop out an alert window when someone messages me. Now, however, I can't seem to figure out how to do it again. When I get a message, it just shows up on the status bar above. How do I re-enable it again?


text:
How to increase the internal memory of HTC desire GSM?
I have S-offed my phone installed the rom oxygen with HBOOT oxygen_r2. My internal phone storage was almost doubled from 115 MB left before installing HBOOT and now it is 298 MB left after installing oxygen_r2 HBOOT with oxygen 2.3.2 rom.
After that, I have flashed the new recovery from Clockworkmod 5.2 .. or something to with 4EXT recovery but now there is no increase in memory after I have flashed the new recovery. I still left with 298 MB Internal Memory.
Can someone please tell me how to increase more internal Memory other than using ext partition? Does changing recovery image will increase memory as just I did ??

300MB are the absolute maximum you can get without having an EXT4 partition on the sd card as a replacement.
Having a look at http://alpharev.nl/ you see that there's only a 330MB partition left, however none of my preferred ROMs fit that. It's made for some special ROM called Oxygen which I didn't like.
With custom CM9/CM10 builds however I had to switch back to Bravo Stock again and I set up an external EXT4 1GB partition on my SD card. Those 1024MB are far better than having 30MB more (330MB instead of close to 300MB).


text:
Why can't my device connect to my home Wi-Fi, but is able to connect to others?
Another user asked a question that covers the same grounds as my issue, but it has no answers and very few details about what was tried.
My router is an DVG-G5402SP using the 802.11g standard and the security type WPA/WPA2 PSK.

When I try to connect the Wi-Fi in my phone both manually and auto, it presents a message mentioning out of range, even though I'm sitting right beside the router.
I really did a lot of changes such as changing the ssid of my router and the security type but nothing seem to work.
I'm able to connect to others Wi-Fi available on my area, just can't connect to my home Wi-Fi.

My question is:
How can I deal with this situation as to successfully connect to my home Wi-Fi?

Welcome to Android Enthusiasts! You are probably referring to this question?

Strongly recommend looking at: http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/29291/wifi-connection-dropping

Have you looked at (both for Galaxy Ace): http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/22356/wifi-doesnt-stay-connected OR http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/8869/why-does-wifi-show-an-error-whenever-i-try-to-reconnect-galaxy-ace

Try using a different channel.

It's not easy to know, but:
2 posibilities:

Check that the IP address configuration is correct.
DHCP is properly configured, if needed.
If you can't connect, try to change the security of your Wi-Fi...
Check if the MAC access is enabled.

Good luck!

My tablet was connected to my home wifi and then stopped. Sitting in the same room as my router it reports the connection as out of range. I am using an old router set as an access point and everything else (android phones and laptops) connect to it just fine. To correct the problem I went in and reset the channel on the AP from 13 to 11  and VOILA instant connection.

That's in fact an interesting explanation, as channels above 11 are IMHO "restricted" in some areas. There might be a reason for that :)

This is a quite old D-Link WiFi router.
It likely needs to be either replaced or a firmware update.

It may need to be re-configured to use different channels, to be compatible with the Samsung Galaxy Ace.


text:
How can I automatically change volume/GPS/wifi/etc settings based on time and location?
I put Jelly Bean on my Verizon Samsung Galaxy SIII using http://www.cyanogenmod.com/blog/cyanogenmod-10-m2.
I like the "Profiles" feature, with which I can set ringtone volume, GPS on/off, wifi on/off, etc for different scenarios (work, home, traveling, etc).
However, I'd prefer that my phone just "know" when and how to change profiles.  E.g. at certain times of day on certain days of the week, it should be Profile 1.  If I'm at location X, it should switch to Profile 2.
I figure this should be possible since it has a clock and geolocation abilities.  I just haven't figured out how.

Check apps like Llama and Tasker.

Just a note: Profiles is a Cyanogenmod feature, not a Jelly Bean feature.

Oh really? I could have sworn I heard about it as a Jelly Bean feature before I even knew about Cyanogenmod. Interesting.

Llama (free!) can also do this for you, and some say it's better than Tasker.

With Llama, you can configure certain "areas" that trigger "events" when you enter them, or leave them, or are in them.
You can also trigger events by time of day, or combine areas and times.
A trigger can change the sound profile but also turn other services on or off - for instance, it could turn off WiFi while you're neither home nor at work except during weekends.

You need to install Tasker and then install Profile 4 Tasker which will allow you to manipulate your CM profiles via tasker.

Aw man... is there seriously not a free way to do it?  It's shocking to me that what I'm talking about isn't built in to all smart-phones.  I'll accept this answer if someone doesn't tell me a cheaper way.

Another good app for changing the volume is Audio Mode Switcher.
There you can do everything according to automatically switching the audio-profile in one App.
You can define a weekly schedules to switch to a given profile. You can schedule multiple start and end times (i.e. when you go to sleep etc.).
It also offers a calendar integration, where you can choose to switch to a certain mode at a defined event. These events can be chosen according to their calendar and/or keyword based - I think this is very useful i.e. I can mute the phone if the word "cinema" is in the title and mute at all events in my work-calendar.
Furthermore location-based switching is also possible.


text:
Android OS (ICS) consumes more data in background in Funbook
I bought Micromax Funbook P3000 (All Winner A10-based clone) one month back and I have a 3G USB Dongle (Tata Photon+), I have a 10 GB plan, in that 5GB was used by Android OS itself. How to stop this as I find no option to "Stop background data"?


text:
How to use camera without unlocking phone? (Jelly Bean on S3)
I put Jelly Bean on my Verizon Samsung Galaxy SIII using http://www.cyanogenmod.com/blog/cyanogenmod-10-m2.
I know that it should be possible for me to use my camera to take pictures quickly (without unlocking my phone). (See Is it possible to use the camera without unlocking first?)
But I haven't figured out how.
I use a 4x4 pattern lock screen.

possible duplicate of Is it possible to use the camera without unlocking first?

@roxan - The other question was talking about 2.2 and the answers were saying things like this should be fixed in ICS, while this question is specifically about jelly-bean, so unless there is a specific policy on cross-version duplicates (I've just checked on meta and can't find one) I don't think this is an exact duplicate.

I'm pretty sure (but not positive) that pattern lock and the camera shortcut are mutually exclusive. You can have one but not both, unless you find a custom lockscreen app that supports it.

see this post, it may help.
https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/52596/how-do-you-skip-the-pin-to-go-directly-to-the-camera-from-the-lock-screen
(I disclose I am the developper of the proposed solution)

WHAT THE MANUAL DOES NOT SAY IS:
Camera Quick Access = On (Might as well switch this off as it cant work out how to get by the Pattern Recognition for the camera to auto start)
WHAT IS DOES SAY IS:
Settings->Scroll down to Personal->Lock screen->Lock screen options->Scroll down to Features->Camera quick access ON
Camera quick access:
While the screen is locked, and help upright tap and hold the screen, and then
rotate the device to the landscape view to launch the camera (when
the camera shortcut is activated).
See p. 152 of the Samsung User Manual from September 2012 Jelly Bean version.

I couldn't tell from your answer (until I read your label for your edit, which said "Missed out the most important part that to get it to work you have to change from Pattern Recognition") that you're basically saying "You can't do it."  Bummer. Thanks though.

I do it frequently on a Q700 XOLO. Simply swipe downwards on the lock screen. And then you get to the default camera screen. You can even add another app there if you want to use them without unlocking your phone.


text:
Watch Coursera's videos with the video app on Jelly Bean
Coursera has a html5 based video viewer that works on the android browser on Jelly Bean, but I would like instead to use the video app, in order to have full screen and better controls.
On my Kindle Fire (first version) the Silk browser automatically opens the video with the video app and then returns to the html5 player when the video ends.
Is there a way to achieve this on Jelly Bean?
I am using a galaxy nexus S but shouldn't matter.
Thanks!

What browser are you using (Stock, Chrome, etc.)?

I am using stock

I tried now also with Chrome, and behaves exactly like Stock, it opens the html5 player which has tiny control buttons.

Have you tried downloading it? IIRC there are download buttons on the right.

I would not be surprised if this was due to added HTML5 support in Android 4.0 where as the original Kindle Fire is based on Android 2.3 and was lacking in HTML5 support.

@RichardBorcsik I know I can download it, but really I would like to just stream it.

@ZnewmaN I do not think so, in the Kindle Fire I see the interface, and in fact I can also answer the questions, so the HTML5 interface is definitely working, just as soon as the video starts, it switches from the browser to the video app.

Try installing an alternative video player like Mx Video Player. It should prompt you when you start the video to ask you if you want to open it with that or the browser. If the default video player doesn't show up there that would mean the intents are not properly set up in the app's manifest.

thanks @RichardBorcsik I tested Mx Video Player, both using Stock and Chrome, but it does not start when I start the video, I still see the Coursera HTML5 player.

it looks like nobody on stackexchange knows how to achieve this, so there is no answer.

I just download the videos upfront and watch them with MX Player.

thanks, but I do not want to download the videos upfront. And if I download them, then I can just play them with the default video app.

@AndreaZ What video app do you want it to open with then?

any app would be fine, I'd prefer the stock video app but it does not matter. the point is that I do not want to download them upfront, but to stream them.

I tried a random course on there, after I pushed play, I pushed the "full screen" button that is in the bottom right of the video and it went full screen and the buttons were a lot easier to use.

Is the Coursera HTML5 player an app installed onto the device? If so, have you tried disabling it in the app settings menu?
From ICS, system apps could be disabled.

No, it is just embedded in the Coursera web page

There are a number of unofficial applications in the market (Google Play, Amazon). I've also developed my own application: Coursera On The Go. A free version is here! Coursera On The Go Free


text:
My touchscreen does not work, need a way to remote control phone
My touch screen on my LG GT540 gone totally unresponsive. I would like to do some final things on the phone, before recycling it. It is a rooted, runs 2.3 cyanogenmod, has usb debug switched on. Is there an app, which can control it via USB?
Please note, that all solutions, that needs even a touch on the screen won't work. And I guess I have to unlock the phone (not a security lock).
thanks

I stumbled on an app which when installed in your computer running Windows can access the phone (connected through USB) as if you can remotely access it. It does not require any app installation, but require a rooted phone with USB debugging on. On the PC side, it needs Android SDK installed. I first came to know about it through one of a comment in this forum. But very unfortunately I could not remember the app name. Posting as a comment so that if any one can remember can help.

Is this what you are looking for [paid app]: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vmlite.vncserver&hl=en
However, if you are willing to go through a lengthy process [but free], you can follow the tutorial here to access your phone via PC.

Thanks a lot, I have the time to try it. The process is not lengthy, you just have to start a java app from the web, if you have android SDK. And it works!!!

Give androidscreencast a try.  You may already need to have USB Debugging enabled for it to work, but you've said you already have that enabled, so should be ok.  It just needs a USB connection to the phone and goes over the ADB protocol.

yep, that's what @input suggested

Use a USB-OTG cable to connect a mouse. You can even make your own by cutting and soldering a microUSB cable to the female end of a USB extension cable.

Scrcpy is awesome!
It uses adb directly for backend and it doesn't block those remote screen restricted apps too. And since it's adb. You can remote control via same network wirelessly.
For linux users. It's available on most of package managers.

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


text:
What folders does TitaniumBackup need to survive a wipe?
I'm thinking, if I want to do a complete wipe and also format the SD card to get rid of a bunch of old crap, what do I need to extract from the phone and then put back in for TitaniumBackup to still work? Is there a single folder that contains all of TB's settings and backups that you can just copy and then put back in to restore apps and system settings? Or does TB stash settings/backups in several places on the SD card?

All you need is the TitaniumBackup folder on the SD card. This contains all your backup information.
Make sure to have the Auto-sync TB settings preference checked. Titanium Backup, ironically, won't back itself up when running a backup. This check-box ensures that your settings for the app are saved as well (such as schedules and preferences).
You can also create an update.zip file which can be used to install TB in the recovery: Go to the menu, click More, then scroll down until you see Create "update.zip". This particular file will not be stored in the TitaniumBackup folder, but rather on the root of your sd card.
After you wipe everything, just copy the TitaniumBackup folder back onto the SD card, install your rom, and install TB (either from Google Play or from the update.zip file if you created it). It should automatically pick up all its old settings and be ready to restore your apps.

I had no idea I could create an update.zip to run together with my ROMs and kernels, this will save a lot of time. Thanks!

Just to be clear, the update.zip only installs TB. You still need to restore your apps after.


text:
Android keyboard - Tab into next form field?
I'm using a tablet with Android 2.2. Is there something like Tab to switch to the next form field?

Closely related, if not a duplicate: How do I type a tabulation character on an Xperia?

Do you mean with an external keyboard or the on-screen keyboard?
With the on-screen keyboard, usually the <Enter> key turns into a <Next> key (looks like a right arrow) when there is another field after the current one. At least, this seems to be how most apps on Android work.
Sometimes it doesn't change functionality; this happens most often in web forms where the enter key is a valid input.

That doesn't work when the field is  a textarea (multi-lines).  The  key inserts a newline.

If you have SWYPE, all you need to do is long press the SPACE bar.
Alternatively, you can download Hacker's Keyboard from the Play Store. It has TAB/CTRL/ESC/ARROW keys etc


text:
How to get full list of apps in play-store
Is there a way to get a list with all the apps in google play?
And if so is there a way to find the SDK from any app created there?

There are several hundred thousand apps in the Play Store, with more added every day. Not to mention the device, carrier, and location restrictions which will make your list different than mine. As for getting the SDK, do you mean APK? If so, there's been at least one question on here on how to get the APK of an app from the Play Store. Search around a bit. It would help us to help you if we knew what sort of problem you're trying to solve.

As of June 27th, 2012 Google has announced over 600,000 app in the Google Play. Now, if you want the whole list at once, you should ask Google for it. I'm sure that based on regulations and privacy laws they won't give it to you. As Al Everett said, they are many more added each day as well as removed. I personally have just removed 2 of my apps from the store 2 days ago. So the list will only be valid at the moment it's generated.
As for the SDK... Download it from Android SDK site. Unless you're looking for an APK.


text:
Galaxy Tab Multi Device App Installation
I am planning on having a few labs of Galaxy Tabs (60+ tabs), and I need a way to manage all of these. Primarily I need a way to automatically install apps on all of these at once. I know there is a solution called Meraki but it won't install the apps for you it just sends a notification and the user has to install individually install the app which is kinda useless.

This could be possible from the command line, using SSH, but would require additional knowledge.

Mobile Device Manager might be a solution for you. You can find an introduction with screenshots and more on AndroidTapp. Quoting:

3CX Mobile Device Manager is a flexible and easy to implement service that allows a user to remotely manage, locate and administrate mobile devices. From the comfort of a web browser you can control multiple devices in a variety of ways. It’s a great option for network administrators who, in addition to swathes of desktop PCs and laptops to worry about, now also has to ensure the company’s smartphones and tablets are secure and up to date.

authors: Сағындық Кенжебаев


text:
How to install Android apps without having Google Play?
If you have Google Play application installed is very easy to find and install an application. But some devices seem not to have Google Play application installed. Maybe you can use Google Play in browser to search for those applications.
Is there a way you can find and download the .apk files if you know the application name without rooting and installing Google Play application?

It seems like what you're asking is covered in either (or both) How can I download an APK file from the Play Store? and How can I install an app given only its APK file?

What you're referring to here is called sideloading - this is a term used when loading an app on to a device without using the/a market store.
It is possible to get APK files for apps, but there're generally good reasons why most developers don't make these publicly available - some developers will make these available thought, it depends on the individual.
I would email the developer in question and ask if you could have an APK version of the app.  I wouldn't imagine that they would have any issues with this if your request is legitimate and above board.

Many android devices which do not support the Google Play store DO support Amazon Appstore, which functions much the same. You can browse or search thousands of android apps on Amazon's site, or via the app itself, and upon finding one you like, you can install it directly, just as you would via Google Play. You can purchase paid apps using your amazon account, as well as download many free ones. There are other apps of this nature as well, such as GetJar.

Indeed. We have a whole question on Alternative Android Markets. What are the alternative Android app markets?

I made a stupid mistake on the other device is called Plays Store and here it is called simply Market, anyway I found you can also download it as an .apk file and install it.

Play Store is the new name for the older Market app :-)

@Josh You are right, on one device I have Gingerbread on the other I have Ice Cream Sandwich.


text:
Pressing MENU button pops up voice search
I am using LG-P509 with Android 2.2.2..
from last week on pressing the MENU button, I get the "Voice search" app opened up. Be it in home page or in any application. This gives trouble as I couldn't use any of the options in any application. For example, if I am in Mail application (exchange), where I need to use MENU button for options (like forward mail), pressing MENU pops up voice search. I searched the settings but couldn't find any way to get this corrected.
Can anyone suggest a solution please?

Did you install a custom rom? I ask because my phone, the Optimus V for Virgin Mobile, has a counterpart for Sprint called the Optimus S. Their Home and Menu buttons are swapped, but they are otherwise duplicate phones. So a rom for one can work on the other, except you have to worry about keys being mapped to the wrong device.


text:
HLS Streaming in native browser
I've read in numerous sites that Android has supported HLS streaming since 3.0.
However, I've been unsuccessful in getting any HLS stream to play back as it should on devices I've tested.
HTC OneX running 4.0.x
Samsung Galaxy Nexus 4.1.x
I can't find any definitive answers on true HLS support in Android. Does anyone have a good answer here or point me to an article describing the limitations?

Are you trying to play in a browser?  I have found that is not supported but playing in an Android app using the native MediaPlayer should work.

Yes, I'm specifically asking about a native android browser. But since I asked this question, it seems to be supported now, both in native and in Chrome on Android 4.4


text:
How can I edit all columns of my Google Drive spreadsheets?
When I open Google Drive on my web browser (Firefox) I can edit every column in every row of all my gDrive spreadsheets. When I try to edit one of the spreadsheets on my Nexus 7, I can only edit the first two columns. It's a large spreadsheet because it's something like a scientific laboratory book. Another spreadsheet can be edited without limits. So what is wrong with the spreadsheet I cannot edit? Is there any setting I have to change? How can I edit the rest of the spreadsheet?

Seems like i am not the only one with this problem. I don't know, maybe it's not a setting but a bug?

Have you tried the Google Docs app? It was updated recently and actually has a real editor for spreadsheets.

The new version of gDrive fixes this problem, however the offline-compatibility is worse.

The Google Drive app by default opens spreadsheets in List view - a sort of data-entry only mode in which you can edit data but not equations.
You can select spreadsheet view - this used to be in a link at the bottom of the spreadsheet which involved zooming right out, now it seems to be at the top toward the left (this may vary by app/android version). You may need to force it to continue to the desktop view - it will warn you that you may not have access to all features.
Once in spreadsheet mode (which is a little ropey) you should be able to edit any columns.

The new version of gDrive fixes this problem, however the offline-compatibility is worse.


text:
Can I see my Play Store wishlist on the web?
Google Play store recently gained a long-awaited wishlist feature in the 3.9.16 version of the application. I was wondering whether the wishlist could be modified from the web version of the Play Store while using e.g. a PC. I looked for around the website but wasn't able to find a way to do it, but perhaps I'm missing something.
Also, would the wishlist sync to all Android devices connected to the same Google account, or is it just local to the device it has been set up on?

EDIT: Yes - As Al points out in the comments, the url is https://play.google.com/wishlist
Old Answer:
Basically no.
The same question was asked on Reddit.  It's not a stretch of the imagination to assume that they will roll out a web version, but as yet there's been no official word from Google.

I was wondering whether the wishlist could be modified from the web
  version of the Play Store while using e.g. a PC.

So far it is not possible, we must wait for the new web version of the Play Store.

Also, would the wishlist sync to all Android devices connected to the
  same Google account, or is it just local to the device it has been set
  up on?

Yes, Wish list is hold in Google cloud and it is synced among all your devices connected to the same Google account.
I am very happy with this feature and I use it extensively. I can even automatically monitor any future updates of apps on my wish list with a help of a new feature "Observed apps" in Changelog Droid application (CD). How to do it:
CD cannot synchronize with your wishlist because Google Play Store does not have an API so third party apps cannot interact with it. However, you can populate Observed apps in CD manually from within the CD itself or by opening Google Play on your device and sharing wishlist items one by one to CD. It seems to be tedious if you have your wishlist very long, but you will rewarded. Here is real example how Observed apps in Changelog Droid helped me:
In my country we have independent consumer organization dTest. They published in Google Play its own app dTest some time ago. But it worked only on phones, not on tablets. Because I don't want to have this app on my phone, but on my tablet, I put this app in my Wish list and shared it to Changelog Droid's Observed apps. After some time Changelog Droid informed me about new dTest version with tablet support so I was able to install it on my Nexus 7 the first day when this new version for tablets appeared in Google Play :)

To access your wishlist from the browser signed in to Google Play you have to click on the "Settings" button (upper right corner, gear icon) and choose "My Orders" option from the drop down list. Next on the left hand side under "Apps", "Movies", "Music", etc. you will find "My Wishlist" option. Click on that option to see/modify your wishlist.

When signed you'll find "My wishlist" in the menu on the left. (Or just go to it directly at play.google.com/wishlist.)


text:
Android system partition image on pc or sdcard
I want to take raw image of my android system partition either on sdcard or on my pc using adb or any other way.. if their is way please help

I think we need more details here. What problem are you trying to solve?

Martyn I tried your link but it gives me permission denied error. I need a dump of android OS of my galaxy mini, I want to check it for something at raw level so em new to android so please any good idea..

Upvoting because I have this issue and not sure why it was downvoted in the first place.

Here's how to get a system dump from Android:
Prepare Your PC

Ensure that your computer has the most recent version of the Java Development Kit installed. If it doesn't, download and install the most recent JDK from Oracle's Java SE Downloads page.
Navigate to the Download the Android SDK page on the Android Developers website in a Web browser and download the installer package to your computer. Double-click the downloaded file and follow the installation prompts.
Navigate in Windows Explorer to the location where you installed the SDK. By default, this is C:\Program Files\Android\android-sdk.
Double-click the SDK Manager to launch it. In the left pane file tree, check the box next to "Android SDK Platform-tools." Click "Install Packages." A confirmation window appears. Click the radio button next to "Accept All." Click "Install." A progress bar appears.

Prepare Your Phone

Press your phone's menu button from the Home screen. Tap "Settings." The Settings menu appears.
Tap "Applications." In the Application Settings menu, tap "Development."
Check the box next to "USB Debugging" in the Development menu.

Get a System Dump

Press "R" and the Windows key simultaneously on your PC keyboard to bring up the Run box. Type "cmd."
Type the following into the command window:
cd C:\Program Files\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools
Type "adb.exe shell."
Type su dd if=/dev/block/stl6 of=/sdcard/factoryfs.rfs at the ABD shell prompt. Replace "/sdcard/factoryfs.rfs" with the location to copy the file to if you don't want it on the phone's SD Card.

Reproduced in full from this site


text:
Where can I find the OTA update file?
I'm trying to locate the zip file that contains the OTA update for my Droid Bionic.  Right now, its failing to update, and every time it fails it deletes the file and I need to re-download it (takes a long time).  I was hoping to save off the update so I could try a few things on my phone and try the update.  I read online its somewhere in a /cache directory, however I dont see anything at all when I mount it to the PC and do a search for cache or even "*.zip".  Does anyone know how I can find the zip file?  Maybe I need to change the PC settings or something to search for it (I have changed the folder settings to view hidden files and system files).

/cache is typically a separate partition on your device, which wouldn't be mountable by a PC via USB. You'd probably need to first use a file manager (or shell, or something) on your device to move the file from /cache to your external storage. You probably need root for this, though.

@eldarerathis - Thanks for the response.  I have rooted my phone and downloaded "ES File Explorer File Manager" from the market.  In /cache, all I see is a file called Blur_Vesion.5.9.905.XT875.Verizon.en.US.zip which was the last update.  The new one I would expect to be something like 6.7.246.XT875.Verizon.en.US.zip, but there isnt anything like that there.  The file is about 368 MB.  Any other ideas?

Hm, not sure. I would have expected the newest OTA to be there as well, and I don't know of any other places offhand that it may have ended up.

I had a similar issue when updating from 902 to 905. I followed the two pages of instructions in the below-linked article to get me to 905:
http://androidadvices.com/update-motorola-droid-bionic-latest-59905-firmware/ Good luck!

@eldarerathis - Well I guess that file is the update for ICS.  So if you want to post it as an answer I will accept it.  Not sure why the decided to mislabel the file, but I just got it working and that was the file that got me to ICS, thx!

Two pieces of ground I want to cover here:

/cache is typically a separate partition on your device, which wouldn't be mountable by a PC via USB, which is why that isn't working. The USB connection generally accesses a directory named "sdcard" (or similar) which is used as an external storage device, although this storage area doesn't have to be physically external to the device (it may just be a partition named /sdcard rather than a physical card).
If the OTA is in /cache then you should be able to find it with a file explorer or shell on your device. Once you've found it, you could simply move the file from /cache to your external storage and then copy it over USB. You'll need root in order to access /cache, though. There are a number of file explorers that support root access, but I personally use ES File Explorer.

For Lenovo ,the location for Downloaded Update file is : internal storage > LenovoOTA or sdcard0/LenovoOTA  folder
after download completes mount to pc ,copy then execute on mobile/device otherwise file 'll be deleted after update

My device is HTC One M7
I managed to find the OTA by doing a dumpsys | grep .zip
I was already in a adb shell su session as the file was being downloaded,(after I exited and re-entered the shell and tried to run the dumpsys command I couldn't find it. I'm guessing dumpsys works on a temporary log.)
eventually I found it in the
 /data/data/com.android.providers.downloads/cache
folder
I managed to copy it to /sdcard but it wouldn't show up in Windows Explorer until I unplugged and re-plugged the USB cable in.
I guess Windows doesn't refresh the folder/directory index (or something) to see new files created in there

For samsung device /data/fota
Search for fota folder.
In that folder, you will find update.zip

Alternatively, you can flash an FXZ rom image for your current version or later. The benefit of that is that it doesn't matter what state your phone is in or if its missing bloatware that the OTA update requires.
Things you need:

FXZ image for the desired version (google search for it)
RSDLite (google search rsdlite 5.7 download)
Motorola device drivers (found on motorola's site)
USB cable

I found the OTA package in following location
/data/data/com.lenovo.ota/app_otapackages/

For my Lenovo K3 Note

for Lineage or /e/ these are saved at /data/lineageos_updates/, if you can enable an adb root shell you can pull files from there.


text:
Is there a way to get detailed information on why an OTA update fails?
I'm trying to figure out why my OTA update is failing.  I have unrooted my Droid Bionic, and did a factory reset.  It starts to update, then reaches about a quarter of the way and stops.  It just reboots without the update.
I'm trying to figure out how to save off the update file in another question here.
Once I've done that, I was wondering if there is a way to get a verbose output or a text file log of what the failure was during the update.  Does anyone know if this is possible?  Is it not shown and logged so people can't figure out what the checks are for doing the OTA?

Ok, found the answer here

When you start the update process it loads that screen with the android character and the yellow progress bar, as soon as that screen shows up press both vol up and vol down at the same time and it will switch to verbose mode where it will show each step of the install process. When it fails it will typically display a directory and apk file name.

Time to figure out what logwrapper is and why its out of date.


text:
How can I put my Nexus 7 back to factory default ?
I have a Nexus 7, that I rooted and upgraded once, but it now seems that something changed it. As it is registered in Google Play, there are way too many applications that I cannot install on it. I keep seeing statuses like "This item is not compatible with your device." while it was listed as being compatible with the tablet, as it was even analyzed in a magazine for the nexus 7.
I am ready to put it back to factory defaults, as it came out of the box. Where can I find the files to put it back ? I am familiar with CWM, and ADB.
Thanks :-)

Have a look at one of these toolkits, they each have an option for installing a stock rom back on to your device. Have included links to osx, windows and linux:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1837401 (mac)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1809195 (pc)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1848036 (linux)

Actually, I am using Linux most of the time (at least the time I can play on my tablet). I'm stuck with Windows at work.

I've added a link to a Linux toolkit :)

Since it is a Nexus device, you don't have to root it.  Google supplies factory images for the Nexus Devices at https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images
With these images, you'll be able to reset your Nexus 7 back to factory default.


text:
Can I run a webserver on an android device?
You can make a Web server on your router providing that you rewrite its firmware with a free DD-WRT, Tomato, etc.
You can also run a on a raspberry pi, given that you can run a Web server on any device provided it runs a Linux. Can I run a Web server on an Android device, and if yes, how can I set it up?

Absolutely! You can either:

download a ready made one - like kWS - Android Web Server or
write your own - here's some code to integrate in to your project or just use as is.

It says. This app is compatible with all of your devices. good +1/accept

The book Pro Android Python with SL4A comes with some free downloadable source code, you can find it on that official site. In the source code samples there are examples of basic httpserver, and basic ftpserver. Both of those will work on Android devices, I imagine it is also possible to make a more advanced webserver using python, or perhaps even re-purpose one that is already in existence.

Is python default in Android ?

@EduardFlorinescu To my knowledge it does not come pre-installed on any devices currently. It can be installed via SL4A, or its own standalone apk installer.

http://code.google.com/p/python-for-android/ Yes thanks

There are actually several apps on the Google Play Store. A few of them even have PHP. My personal favorite is Servers Ultimate.

Till today Oct 22, 2017, there are at least 20 plus application on google play store. I personally develop every web application using my android phone . you can consider using bitweb server or kickweb server . although bitweb server is paid and kickweb server is free.
Link of kickweb server
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nokshaserver
Bit web server :
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andi.serverweb


text:
How can I tell why my sleeping phone occasionally gets warm (and battery is draining abnormally)?
My two Android phones are doing the same thing, Motorola Milestone and Samsung GS3. From time to time, it is sleeping in my pocket and it will start to get warm and the battery is then draining quite rapidly. I guess it must be caused by an application that is stuck running in the background so I am checking:

Task manager, but none of the applications seem to be using more CPU than any other, they are mostly all close to 0%.
In "Battery Statistics" only "Phone Idle" shows quite high battery usage so it does not tell me if there is a problematic application.

Currently I just reboot the phone to solve the problem but I would prefer if I was able to find the problematic application so I can close it.

You could use ADB to watch the logs perhaps there will be some clue as to what is going on when that occurs.

Do you use Skype on your phone or any other similar app?

Do adb logcat and save the output to a file, then let it go to sleep and get warm and do adb logcat again. This should show you what was called after going to sleep.

I don't use Skype or any similar apps that stays constantly open with a status icon in the top information bar.

When the problem occurs I'm usually out of my home and I need to reboot asap to prevent my battery the drain completely so it will be difficult to connect to a debug console to run the log application.

So far I found an application called Watchdog (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zomut.watchdoglite) that monitors the phone for processes that are using resources abnormally. I'll update this question with some results after I get an idea of if it works as expected.

I think this could maybe be because of several things:

You have a bad network connection. If you are on a location where there is a bad network connection, your phone will have to try very hard to keep this connection enabled. Or maybe that is also possible when you are walking in locations that have a bad connection to the outside world (in the basements of some buildings for example).
Sometimes if you are using Live backgrounds, that drains the battery too.
Another possibiliy is that your phone is syncing in the background. If you have for example enabled that calendars have to stay synced (and you have an enabled data connection), then your phone will on regular bases connect to the internet for some updates. I don't think (but I'm not sure though) that this would show up in your task manager.
It could also be that something like your GPS or Bluetooth is enabled, and becomes a problem (although I think this would show up in your task manager)

I would suggest you have a look at the services that are enabled, even when your phone is in standby mode (Bluetooth, GPS, syncing..)

I know this may look like common sense, but maybe you could simply take a piece a paper and note every single launched application whenever this happens.
After 5 iterations, you should have a pretty accurate idea of the culprit.
If not, as Tim mentionned, you should take a look at the logs to have a better understanding of what's going on on the system itself.
PS: Using a paper RATHER than an app would be encouraged, because the notepad app you would be using COULD be the culprit itself :)

Check your phones settings > Wifi settings, to see if wifi is selected to "Always" stay on. If not you can change it to go off whenever the screen goes  off.
This may help with some of the battery drainage .
Update:
@jmbouffard. - While you are in settings > About Phone > Battery Use, have you clicked the graph at the top? Sometimes only "phone idle" will show but clicking the graph will give you better details.

What are 'widow' settings? And Sufi? Wifi? He's also not asking how to reduce battery usage in general but how he can find out what is draining the battery so rapidly.


text:
Offbrand Android Tablet - Google Mail/contacts/calendar issue
I bought a Pandigital Supernova 8" tablet with Gingerbread OS, for a really good price, and despite the fact it had a lot of oddball apps on it, I was able to root it, and get google play/gmail etc on it. I'm having a real problem though, getting Google calendar/contacts to sync. I installed the Gmail app, it prompted me to login to my gmail address and mail itself works fine. But.. The contacts applet and calendar do not sync with my gmail account. If I go into the contacts applet it says there are no contacts, and there is no google selection in the "add accounts" area. While trying to figure this out, I found there were two .apk's missing, GoogleCalendarSyncConnector.apk and GoogleContactsSyncConnector.apk. Once added and the tablet rebooted, I figured this would work, but alas, it did not.  What am I missing??

Warning - I've not tried this.  I've a lot of experience with Android but haven't specifically tried hacking Google services on to a non AOSP based ROM.  I recommend that you make a full nandroid backup through clockworkmod or any other recovery tool before you attempt this.  If you can't backup, I'd think seriously about not trying this.
That said - Google doesn't like ROM developers ship their ROMs with all the Google framework apps installed, which is good for you because it means that everything you need to get up and running properly with the Playstore, GMail, Google Accounts etc can be found in one handy zip file.  Have a read up of this page, take note of this paragraph:

Google Apps packages are not cross-compatible with other major Android versions. For example, the 20120224 pack for Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) is not compatible with Gingerbread (Android 2.3). Likewise, the DRC83 package for Donut (Android 1.6) will not work with Honeycomb (Android 3.x). Flashing an incompatible package may cause a variety of bugs, boot-loops, crashes, force-closes, kernel panics, plagues, rashes, coughing, sneezing, headaches, diarrhea, vomiting blood, blood dripping from scrotum, thermonuclear war, unending Tic-Tac-Toe games, Mayan Doomsday, flooding, purple pustules forming on the face, a bricked device, exploding batteries, or nothing at all. Regardless, it is not recommended, and support will not be provided by any competent developer to a user who has done so.

The file which matches your OS version (Gingerbread, 2.3) is http://goo.im/gapps/gapps-gb-20110828-signed.zip.
Flash this file via the recovery console, or you can install manually by following the script at \META-INF\com\google\android\updater_script.
Again I warn you that you could mess up your device, and I'm willing to bet there aren't that many ROMs out there if you mess up the current one.
Good luck!

Thanks for the tip.. I don't have a third party rom on this tablet, I'm crazy about CM7, have it on my LG phone, but apparently its not available for this tablet, so the tablet is merely rooted. As far as I know, I don't have any nandroid backup on this tablet, simply TitaniumBackup, and have done several full backups of the tablet.. Will this duplicate a nandroid backup??

No. TitaniumBackup will backup your app data, apk files, cache but won't backup your OS.  I was worried that you may not be able to do a nandroid backup - this link will explain how to do a nandroid without a recovery image - http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/08/07/onandroid-allows-live-full-nandroid-backups-without-rebooting-into-recovery/.  NOTE - I don't yet know how you'd restore without a recovery image

Found the Onandroid app to do a non-recovery nandroid backup. I think I'm screwed, as when I ran it I claimed it couldn't find a /system on the tablet, which of course there IS.. I'm to the point where I think I'm gonna give this tablet to the kids and buy me a real tablet, one that includes the google apps stock and that doesn't require all this b.s. ... Thanks for the info though...


text:
Prevent SMS deletion when removing Google Account
Before, when I try to switch Google accounts (by removing old then adding new) my SMS got deleted. Is it possible to prevent this?
Also, if I maintain two Google accounts then later decide to remove one. Can I prevent SMS deletion?

The only way to remove your main Google account is to factory reset the phone which removes everything. Your best bet will be to download an app that can backup your SMS to a file.

I have tried several apps before. This is the best stand alone SMS backup.


text:
What color was the first android phone?
I'm doing some research on the first google powered phone, but I can't find out what color it officially shipped with first. Black or white?

Both from the start. See here

I believe this was the first widely-available Android phone.  As you can see, it's brownish.

Also see: http://apcmag.com/HTC_and_Optus_to_launch_Google_Android_mobile_this_week.htm AND http://www.engadget.com/product/g1


text:
Failed app installation, storage full, safe to delete files manually?
I tried to install NetFlix, and during the installation my phone rebooted. After coming back up, the internal storage space was reported as low (and it is, only a few MB left) so I can't attempt a reinstall.
Netflix is not reported as an installed app, and I cannot uninstall it.
I did a bit poking around (with root access), and the failed netflix installation is still lurking there, in the directory:
/data/data/com.netflix.mediaclient
stealing 18.1M of my precious free space.
The question is: Can I delete these files safely?

My device is GT-S5570 running Android 2.2 with root access.
Please don't suggest uninstalling "some apps" to free space (in order to reinstall and uninstall Netflix). I have moved all but 6 of my apps to an external partition on my SD card using Link2SD, so the individual apps don't take up much space. I would have to remove a lot to release enough space.
If you wonder why my space has gone so low, it's because my silly device, has only 160 MB of internal space to begin with. I usually try to keep the free internal space at somewhere around 25MB.

Before you do anything - make a Nandroid backup using ClockworkMod Recovery or any other recovery tool that you may have.  This is really important as it means that anything you can can be undone if needed.
That said - I believe you can delete these files.  I've not removed files from /data/data/ manually before, but to the best of my knowledge it won't have any bad side effects.  I recommend you try just renaming that folder to something else to start off with and run your phone for a while to see if anything bad happens, if not then you're good to just remove it.

Well, looks like it was safe to delete the files. Phone still works fine, and I got my space back.


text:
Restore SMS icon in default home lancher?
My home screen used to look like this:

As you can see there's a GoSMS icon (3rd from left).
For some reason it went away after I reboot:

Anyone knows how can I restore it?
BTW i'm on Froyo 2.2

On ICS, click on the applications icon, then select menu > edit. You can now drag-and-drop any application icon you want to the row with the default icons.
Note that you can remove the phone and contacts icons, but not the applications icon.
I'm not sure if there is a similar feature in the TouchWiz launcher on Froyo, but alternatively you can look around and install a different launcher that does allows you to customize everything. You may want to start by reading this article

Forgot to indicate I'm on Froyo

@IMB Ok, I'll edit my answer

Thanks however I actually like the default launcher since it saves me some space.

@IMB According to this post it should be possible on Froyo as well.

That did it. I actually knew that before (that's why I achieved the 1st screen shot) but I forgot it LOL. Thanks!


text:
Why doesn't my device ever show 100% charged?
I have a Samsung Google Nexus S I9020A which showed fully charged @ 92%. 100% charging doesn't seem possible. What is the reason?

A Google engineer said (on Google+, I think) that Nexus phones are designed to not charge the battery to 100 %, as it is stressful for the battery. Even when a phone shows 100% and charged, the circuitry actually charges and discharges the battery, always keeping it under 100% (and above 92%, I think).
I tried to find the source, but Google search hasn't turned anything up yet. Will add it here if I find it later.
So when your device does not show 100%, do not panic. That's by design.


text:
How to re-download in-app purchase
I've done a factory reset of my HTC One S and I re-downloaded the game Angry Birds. I had previously purchased the mighty eagle, and when trying to get it again in-game, it takes me to the play store. Play store shows a dialog "you already own this", I can either click OK or Details.
When I click OK, it just takes me back to the main screen of Angry Birds and it doesn't redownload. When I click Details, it takes me back to Angry Birds with the message "Unfortunately, Play Store has stopped". I can only click OK and what follows is a loading screen from Angry Birds itself that never stops loading.
Looks like a bug. Are there any alternatives to get the mighty eagle back?

I feel stupid for not trying this earlier, but I simply re-installed angry birds (again) and I had immediate access to the Mighty Eagle. It didn't even show me the promo and purchase screen. Strange thing is that this isn't how it went first time around, but I'm glad this is all it took.
Rovio still hasn't responded to my support ticket at the time of writing.

To answer your question 'Are there any alternatives to get the mighty eagle back?' Unfortunately not. It's up to app developers to support redownloading of in app content, and it certainly seems that you have found a bug.
Get in contact with Rovio at http://www.rovio.com/en/about-us/contact  or contact@rovio.com and explain your issue - they will be able to help you further

Thanks. That's a real bummer. In my opinion that's poor implementation from Play Store itself. I guess maybe for security reasons, but still...

It's certainly a bad user experience, I agree.  I hope you get your mighty eagle back. :)

it's not so much about the mighty eagle itself, but I find it rather offensive that content I actually paid for is unreachable.


text:
How to upgrade to Android 4.1 for Galaxy Tab GT-P1000
Is there anybody who tried upgrading from Android 2.2 on this device recently? Or do you consider it a wise decision in terms of risks / gains involved?
I found tutorials that seem pretty up to date:
http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-tab-p1000-clockworkmod-recovery-118602/
http://www.androidauthority.com/galaxy-tab-gt-p1000-gsm-android-4-1-1-cyanogenmod-10-cm10-nightly-unofficial-112424/

What's your question? If you're asking for opinions as to whether upgrading is a good idea or not, please note that we like questions that prompt answers that are based on fact, not opinion. ([FAQ])

You have to take into consideration that the 4.1 system you'd be installing isnt a stock build, it is a ROM created by a developer. Cyanogenmod is generally pretty stable, but you would want to do your homework at the XDA Developers site to determine if there are any bugs or known issues, or how the performance of 4.1 is on your device by reading users' reviews.
This would also require you to root your phone, which may invalidate your warranty, which is another consideration.


text:
How do I upgrade my Sony Xperia X10 mini to Android 2.1?
I would like to explain to my friend who lives in another country how to upgrade their phone to Android 2.1 so that they can use WhatsApp.
How can they do this?

See also: How do I update the OS on my device?

Try pointing them to this link on the Sony Mobile website: http://www.sonymobile.com/global-en/software/phones/xperia-x10-mini/
It has some software to download for mac or PC which will allow your friend to upgrade their device.


text:
How to set AutomateIt to active a task in "AND" or "OR" condition?
I want to make my smart phone smarter and I try AutomateIt because it is free. However, I don't know how to make it run a task when the task needs multiple conditions trigger. Thanks

Multiple triggers are supported on AutomateIt Pro:
http://automateitapp.com/index.php/user-guide-2/composite-triggers-actions-pro-version-only/
As of version 3.0.54 (released on Feb 2013), you can unlock Pro features from within the free version.
Read here how to unlock features:
http://automateitapp.com/new-release-rich-notification-unlock-pro-features-and-more/


text:
In search of a Terminal App that works with SSH to AWS (EC2)
I have the itch to try and see how far down this path I can get for my own work. I've got a Galaxy Tab 10.1 and a Bluetooth keyboard.
I created an AWS EC2 Micro Instance and I can SSH into it from my laptop. I copied the key to the tablet and when I try to run the same SSH I get the error:

ssh: Exited: String too long

Here's a post where someone seems to be having a similar problem. I'm not specifically using dropbear, that I know of, though. I've tried 3 or 4 different Android terminal clients and all seem to have this same problem. I do have busybox installed, so maybe it's using dropbear under the hood -- I just don't know.
I have been able to connect using ConnectBot and the ssh key file downloaded from AWS, but the UI/UX for this app is horrible and unintuitive, and if this is my only option then I'd give up. It seems to be designed for phones, has no landscape orientation support, and only connects to the EC2 instance intermittently.
I also tried creating my own key files (ssh-keygen -b 2048 -C GTab -t rsa -f id_rsa_gtab on my laptop) and installing them on the EC2 instance & tablet, but get the same error. I tried running ssh-keygen from the tablet, but it doesn't appear to be available.

Try JuiceSSH. It works perfectly and manages all connections and files in a secure way.

With Ubuntu I am unable to skip the request for a password

Check out ConnectBot.
An SSH and telnet client, and terminal emulator for local shell. Supports multiple sessions, including running them concurrently.

This is the client I use when I want to ssh to some server. It supports public/private keys, and it also does port forwarding if you need it. And you can even generate the ssh key within the app itself, without needing to first create it on the computer and import it to the android system (saves time and hassle)

Since this shows up in some searches I might as well throw this answer in.
I use Better Terminal Emulator Pro as it has better support for things like the Asus TF300 with the dockable keyboard. Including supporting the tab key that others sometimes have issues with. It does cost money though.
It does support ssh keys though they do have to be converted since it uses dropbear (as many others appear to) as the backend.

Could you elaborate on how to convert the ssh keys? That sounds like really useful information.


text:
How can I create a Google Account?
I have a new Android 4.0 device (d2pad), and I have installed Google Drive and Google+ but neither one works.  When I try to start Google Drive it gives me the message "No Google account found, exiting".  I poked around and tried to find where to create a Google account, but on the account screen I don't see a Google option.  How can I create a Google account, or what do I need to install to create one?
I see the following options on the add account screen:

Facebook
Corporate
Email
Dropbox

Corrective actions tried:

Installing "Google Play Services" from the marketplace.
Resetting to factory defaults
Installing "Google Play Services" again

I also can't log into Google for my marketplace login.

What device do you have?

Perhaps, more importantly, who is your carrier?

@AlEverett No carrier.

@Martyn cheapo d2pad.

I did some research and kept running across "Google Service Framework", but I can't see how to install that.

Probably related: How can I install the Google Apps Package (Play Store, ...) on my Android device?

I'm afraid the hardware you have bought isn't an official Android device, and so won't have google account options available to you.  I'll try and find a work around for you.

I have a D2pad as well and I am successfully using google+. like Mike C said, go to Settings>accounts&sync>add account (top right corner). There will be 4 options to choose from. Corporate/DropboX/Email/Google. Tap google and sign in to your google account. now that you setup your google account, open 1mobile market search and download and install google+. Hope this helps

OP already said that they have no "Google" option on the account creation screen.

Yeah, I have Facebook instead of Google.  Considering a factory reset ...

I just did a factory reset and still don't have a Google account option. :-(

there's a firmware update if you go to d2pad's website. http://d2pad.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=173&Itemid=208. hope that helps

@Danny Thanks, but no apparent change...

Once you have an active Google account, which you can create here
https://accounts.google.com/SignUp?continue=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&hl=en
On your Android ICS device, go to:
Settings>Accounts>Add Account
you'll see many options from which you can choose, among them Google.
Generally you can add an account by running a google app, such as reader, play or gmail, and it will ask you to sign in with your google account.

Sorry Mike, I don't see an "Google" option on the account screen.

It looks like your device isn't approved by Google, so sadly, you can't officially get Google apps for it. It also seems to be a pretty unknown tablet from an unknown manufacturer, so there isn't a community around it who might have unofficial versions.
However, if the tablet is just a rebadged version of something more popular (like many of these tablets are), this program might help you identify the actual manufacturer and get help that way.

Answers should stand on their own. It looks like the best part of this answer is behind that link you left.

Alright, I've edited it to point directly to the program now.

some people have found work arounds for this problem. i haven't tried myself but it looks like there are 2 ways it can be done. here is the linkhttp://www.androidtablets.net/forum/allwinner-a10-based/47980-can-anyone-help-me.html

Welcome to Android Enthusiasts. Please avoid answers that only contain a link because your answer becomes useless if the link is broken.
It would be best if you include the essential parts in your answer and provide the link for reference.


text:
Are calls made by third-party apps logged?
For the first time I installed app that can make calls automatically (sms/call screener). What worries me is this level of permissions -- however I have to no choice really because stock screener (Android 2.3) works only for calls (not sms), and all apps I found require that permission.
So my question is this -- are such calls (made by app) at least logged? So I could check and see "oh, call to Bahamas for $100"? Or there is a catch, and the call is logged, but the app can clear the log after call as well?

If you mean logged by your phone company then yes any calls that go over their network will be logged and billed to you. If the 3rd party app uses VoIP or something similar they won't log it as a call but then you also won't be billed for it except for the data charges.
If you mean logged on your phone so you can check it in the call history then that depends on the application as it is possible for an app to edit your call history.

Thank you. I meant by my phone, in such way, that the app cannot hide the fact it made the call. More holes in Android...

You could try https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appstar.callrecorder which is an automatic call recorder that can record calls from numbers that are not in your contacts. This wouldn't be editable by the other 3rd party application. I haven't used the app myself but it has good reviews.


text:
Why does my phone use Google Public DNS?
I was just curious to know what DNS server my phone used. So I launched a terminal emulator and I entered:
$ cat /etc/resolv.conf
nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 8.8.4.4

As you can see, my phone uses 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 as DNS servers (Google Public DNS servers).
At home (Wifi), my router is configured to give OpenDNS' servers through DHCP. But, on my phone, cat /etc/resolv.conf returns the same output. Same thing with 3G. And, even if I disable both Wifi and 3G, and then reboot the phone, it still uses Google's Public DNS servers.
I don't remember having changed resolv.conf or installed any application to change it.
My phone is an HTC Desire with CyanogenMod 7.2.0.1 (Android 2.3.7).
Can someone explain me why my phone uses Google Public DNS? Is it a common configuration for any Android devices, or CyanogenMod ROM?

According to Steve Kondik, this is essentially old code that is leftover from older versions of CyanogenMod:

This was only here for apps that were statically linked against uclibc in old CM versions. It can likely just be removed.

However, he also goes on to note:

Also, this file is NOT written when connecting to a network as /system is readonly. The actual DNS servers are read from system properties.
I also just verified that the DHCP supplied servers are actually being used, so this issue is invalid unless someone proves otherwise.

So the values in /etc/resolv.conf actually don't reflect your DNS settings. What you can do instead is use getprop to find your DNS values. You can pare it down rather nicely if you grep the output like so:
getprop | grep dns

Also worth noting: the /etc/resolv.conf file appears to have been removed completely in later versions of CyanogenMod. I don't have one on CM10 at all, but getprop does correctly show my DNS settings.

Great answser, thanks. However, getprop | grep dns doesn't return anything. getprop | grep -E '([0-9]{1,3}\.){3}[0-9]{1,3}' (looking for IPv4 address) doesn't return relevant result. Returned properties are ro.baseband, ro.build.description, ro.modversion and gsm.version.baseband. Any idea?

@Morgan: I suppose it might be some kind of difference between CM7 (you're running) and CM10 (what I tested on). What happens if you don't grep the output at all? Do you see anything relevant? (might want to pipe it into more or similar since it could be lengthy)

Now, I have relevant results: [dhcp.eth0.dns1]: [], [dhcp.eth0.dns2]: [], [dhcp.eth0.dns3]: [], [dhcp.eth0.dns4]: [], [net.dns1]: [192.168.10.110], [net.dns2]: [], [net.rmnet0.dns1]: [192.168.10.110], [net.rmnet0.dns2]: [0.0.0.0] , [net.dns1.3837]: []. Maybe my Internet connection was still disabled when I ran the command. Do you know which one is used? Do you recommend an application or a method to change it?

@Morgan: I don't have a Gingerbread device onhand to test, but there should be a way to do it in the standard wireless settings if you configure a static IP (I don't think you can do it this way if you use DHCP, unfortunately). On JB I long-press the network I'm connected to and select "Modify" to get to it. It may be under the "Advanced setttings" though (menu button when on the list of wifi networks). You can also use setprop but it won't persist across reboots/disconnects. For example. setprop net.rmnet0.dns1 <your DNS IP> should change the value of the net.rmnet0.dns1 property.

And I think the more specific one would be used by the adapter (net.rmnet0.dns1 in your case), though it may be inheriting that value from the more generic net.dns1 property.

How can I make it so I dont have to specify a DNS in the static IP settings? Google forces me to use theirs but I need to use none.

@Rhyuk: I don't know. setprop might be a temporary solution if you gave it blank values, but you'd have to run it on every boot (and I'm not sure if that would actually work).

I tried that but setprop requires a value, blank wont work :(


text:
Can I use MIUI's auto SMS + MMS backup + restore thing on another custom ICS rom?
MIUI's built in SMS + MMS backup works quite well. However, I want to try out new custom ROMs. Is it possible to add integration of that MIUI service onto another ICS rom?

No, that service is dependent on the MIUI framework. Maybe you can move the service to other ROMs but most likely it will never work. Unless the dev integrated some MIUI goodies :P

Answer: No you can't.
Reason: You can't install the MIUI Backup App on another rom, because it's a signed system APK.
Solution: Use a backup solution which is available for all roms. If you just want to backup and restore SMS, then use the free https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore
Source: I'm a MIUI Beta tester and former moderator on the original forum en.miui.com

I don't think you can use the MIUI specific functionality, but using Titanium backup you can backup your SMS and MMS:

Open Titanium Backup
Press the search icon at the top and then the filter icon which appears to the right of the search input box
At the bottom of the 'Filters' Screen, press the "Create label" button
Enter the label name - "SMS"
Press the "Add/Remove elements _" button
Find and check the "[SMS/MMS/APN] Dialer Storage 2.2" checkbox - It may be called 'Messages (SMS & MMS)' depending on what OS you're using.
Press the "OK" button and then the "Save" button
Press the back radio button
Select the "Schedules" tab
Press the "Add new schedule" button located at the bottom
On the schedule that just appeared, titled 'Redo backups for newer app versions', press the "Edit" button
On the top combo box select the arrow to pull down the menu.
Select the "Backup all system data" option
On the next combo box that says "No filtering", click the arrow to pull down a menu.
You should see your label you created.
Select your label.
Select the time you want your backup to take place
Select the days you want your backup to take place
Press the "Save" button
Check the "Enabled" check box to enable your schedule

Now Titanium Backup will automatically backup your messages at the specified time and day or days.
Note: You will need the Titanium backup pro key to access the batch operations.
You can also backup your call call history by adding '[CONTACTS/CALLS] Contacts Storage 2.2' or 'Call Log' to a label
Taken in part from this guide on XDA

Backing up system(ie non-user) apps with Titanium Backup sometimes causes FC or crashes when restored to a different ROM (esp AOSP <-> OEM ROMs), I wouldn't recommend it.

You can backup SMS, MMS and call logs to your GMail account with this free app. Being online, you wouldn't lose your backups even if wipe your sd card or lose your phone.
This is better than using Titanium Backup, as it can sometimes cause issues.


text:
status bar with icons to simulate home or power button press
i'm rooted on android 4.0.4 ICS stock.
i would like to have a status bar that even shows in full screen, which can have an icon to simulate a home button press and an icon to simulate a power button press. anyone know of an available way to do this on this rom or another rom?
thank you,

Screen off app: Screen Off and Lock
Then, something like Notification Toggle can be used to have this icon and others in the notification dropdown.

You always can install Button Savior on rooted ROMs (however I'm not aware if it has compatibility problems with some). It worths a try, because it's free (but also has a pro version to purchase).
It allows you to add hardware keys of your phone as virtual software keys on any location of the screen. So you can easily trigger home or back keys just by touching their icons on screen, even on full-screen apps and games.

thanks, but i had tried that one. it doesn't/didn't work for me since i was unable to have the icon in the status bar. having something in the status bar would allow the quick-press access and not obscure the viewing of the active app.

OK, I remember it had also an option to hide the buttons and reveal them only when you touch a tiny trigger button, so your screen won't be obscured. Have you tried that option? I currently haven't installed the app and can't say you the exact address, but you would find it in settings.

the 'trigger' or initial icon to be clicked is what i would like to have in the status bar. 0% obscurity and always-access is the goal for the icon for home/power.

I just installed "Button Savior" to check the case. You are right, it can't be placed on top or bottom, just left or right. May the developer would add that option if you ask him, because I think it hasn't any technical limitations.

thanks for your confirmation. perhaps, i do need to wait on something to be developed. i just posted this question to see if there's something already existing.


text:
Can you change the colour of the LED light on the Samsung Galaxy S3?
On the top of the phone there's a light that flashes blue when you get a text. Is there an app or setting that can change this so the colour is different for some senders who text you?

There is powerful and full-customizable GO SMS PRO which lets you set any LED color for sms incoming notifications based on sender. Also, it is a mighty alternative for stock sms app and has many useful functions and customizations.
After you installed it, run and tap menu, then Settings, and go to Advanced -> Individual Settings and add any contact to set individual notification (including LED options) for it.

How do you install it?

@Katy Simply follow the link on app name to open its page on google play site. Then click install to receive it in your phone. You should have added your google account in your phone and used google play on the phone at least once. Alternatively, open google play on phone and simply search for "GO SMS PRO".

Possible duplicate of: http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/27891/is-it-possible-to-change-the-led-notification-color-on-galaxy-s3

There are apps for controlling LEDs: LED Color Tester, Light Flow - LED Control
Both does officially support Galaxy S3.

Do those apps can set different colors for different contacts who the user receives SMS from?!! I think Katy has asked for that option.

Many custom ROMS, such as cm10, have built-in support for changing the LED color.