text:
Apps spamming my log
I've been looking at my log recently for more development of android applications, and I've noticed my log is spammed with all sorts of information that I wouldn't considered needed to be logged.
Over time, I've notice my phone get slower. I've even noticed at this point, completely stock firmware with a number of apps from the Play Store, running music right now, and Eclipse can't even keep up with the log output on Verbose logging.
My question is related to this. Are the logs stored for a while that might cause space to gradually disappear? Is there a way to turn off some logging features as to not record to "disk" things like verbose, when apps don't even need it? I've always thought logging should be done if it's an error, not "just because". If it's debugging information, then the release version shouldn't log that much output (easily done with a simple variable switch). Am I wrong in this thinking?
Thanks in advanced!

I'm also interested in resources that might explain some "Best Practices" when dealing with logging. I don't want to log so much data that it slows down the app/system, but still want it to be useful if someone were to experience a crash.

Android logs are stored in an internal ring buffer.  As such, I don't see how even the overly verbose apps could slow the system down purely through logging.

Perhaps if you could expand on that? I've looked through it, it looks like it just gets random data and assembles it and spits it out coherently. Is there a log file generated, like the syslog of linux machines?

A ring buffer is a way of storing data so that it doesn't grow beyond a certain size.  Once you have more than X bytes/lines/whatever it overwrites older data with newer.

If the logs are really bothering you, you can deal with it two ways.
Options one is to turn them off.  You can do this with
adb shell setprop log.tag.BadTag ERROR

That will only log them if it's error or higher, but you'll have to kill the application before it'll listen.
The second option is to use logcat directly and filter out what you don't care about.  I have a logcat script that looks like this:
hounshell@hounshell:/home/hounshell/scripts$ cat logcat
#!/bin/bash

for arg; do
    if [[ "$arg" == *:* ]]; then
        args="$args $arg "
    else
        args="$args $arg:* "
    fi
done

exec adb logcat \
  dalvikvm:W \
  ActivityManager:W \
  AndroidRuntime:W \
  ${args[@]} \
  *:S

This will only log stuff that I generally actually care about.  You call it like ./logcat MyTag0 MyTag1:W MyTag2 MyTag3:D  This will log everything for tags MyTag0 and MyTag2, warnings from MyTag1, and debugging from MyTag3.  The downside here is that it's not directly in Eclipse (I personally consider that an upside, but I digress).


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1GB/8GB advertised versus 967.5 MB / 5564.6 MB actual .HELP
just recieved new android phone which should be 1GB ROM AND 8GB RAM.
ANTUTU tells me the following
memory               840.2/1008.3 MB
RAM                  175.7/967.5 MB
Internal SD card    5558.3/5564.6 MB
I'm new to Android and smartphones and am not sure exactly what these figures tell me nad if they are correct or acceptable for an 1GB/8GB phone ? Can anyone help me with this ?
Thanks .John.

Also related: Please explain the android partition structure to me

It is a general rule of thumb that all phones have less space than their advertised capacity. Can't be helped. It's never that big of a difference though.

It's never that big of a difference though. While this is a bit subjective, on the galaxy s4 it is advertised as 16Gb and you get less than 9 out of the box, that is a BIG difference to me. Almost half of the advertised memory missing on day 1. I would provide more information and some links in an answer rather than a subjective opinoin like above.

source: Stack Exchange

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

sort: votes


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mm-qcamera-daemon wakelock when idle
My phone will randomly get the mm-qcamera-daemon wakelock. I know how to fix it, a simple reboot and all that, but it pops up when my phone is idle in my pocket. The phone starts to run hot and I can't restart it until it's nearly too late.
I haven't installed many apps that use the camera, and all of them are usually closed by the time I don't use my phone at school or anything. Possible culprits IMO are Lux and Flashlight.

This is a known bug with Android 4.4.2 KitKat.  Google is aware of it and are promising a fix with the next update.
According to the Google Code discussion, simply killing the responsible app is not enough to stop the drain. A reboot is always necessary. Uninstalling the app seems to be the only sure way to avoid having this happen in the first place.
Skype seems to be the most frequent culprit because its background services seem to interface with the camera, triggering Android's bug. It is recommended to temporarily uninstall such apps until Google releases the fix.

I know, but I thought that was only on a failure to connect to camera error, not just for nothing.

Apparently it could surface from any prior usage of camera, even by background processes.  Skype is singled out because it has a tendency to "touch" camera while its services are running in the background.

Hmm. So could killing Skype be a possible solution? I have it installed.

According to the Google Code discussion, simply killing the responsible app is not enough to stop the drain. A reboot is always necessary. Uninstalling the app seems to be the only sure way to avoid having this happen in the first place.

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


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Can I upgrade my Android if i have low resolution?
I have a Samsung Galaxy Y Pro, which is a touch-and-type device, so the screen is small (2.6"), and I was wondering if i upgrade from my android 2.2 to android 3.0, will the display be as it should, or not? Many apps that are not designed to work with small screens will turn sideways, and i'm afraid that's going to happen if i upgrade my android.

How do you plan to upgrade?  Has the manufacturer released an update, or would you be installing a custom ROM?  If the latter, which one?  Note that Android 3.x was for tablets only, so if you upgrade past 2.3, you'd want to jump straight to 4.x.

@Wyzard i would install a custom rom, and if that's the case, i will install a 4.x version, but my ram is limited, i have 300MB of ram..

Jelly Bean needs about a gig of RAM (from my experience, and as a rule of thumb). Kitkat has been optimised better to support 512 RAM or more. If you only have around 300 RAM (290 I think) on the device, then it is going to be unusably slow. you are better off with the stock that came with it to be honest. The performance will be dreaful. I have a 786 ram device here with 4.1 on it and it is just HORRIBLE. I never use it. So the only one that MIGHT run is Kitkat, IF there is a ROM, but even that will be very slow. I'd say don't. 160 Mb internal memory will be an issue also.


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Google Nexus 4 Battery icon does not appear while charging
It so happened that my LG google nexus 4 was water damaged.
I kept it under a bulb to dry the water for 1 day
Next day I took it to LG service center, he opened the phone and removed the water and asked me to charge the phone for 5 hours.
I connected the phone to power cable. RED LED light kept on blinking for all 5 hours and I thought it was charging.
Then I disconnected and tried to charge it on but it did not work.
I disconnected from power pressed and hold volume control button and power button and connected the power.
I kept holding on for almost an hour.
Then I left it to charge.
Still I do not see the battery icon.But the RED LED stopped, now there is no LEDs blinking or on!! Does this mean that the battery is charging? What next Should I do.
The service center guy told me if it does not boot up, he needs to replace the motherboard and the connector. What should I do next?

I would leave the phone in rice for the next 48 hours minimum before sending it away. That seems to be the trick as the phone is quite tight, and certain components may need more time before the moisture will evaporate. Having opened a Nexus 4 myself, I can attest to how tightly the plastic seals.

Leaving in rice! does it really work?

The service center guy has removed the moisture, so no question of leaving in rice, I want to know if there is a way to turn on the phone now and stop the blinking red light?


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Why does my phone think it's low on space?
Before downloading a 1.14GB app on my Samsung Galaxy Phone, I had 1.24GB free in my internal storage. Strangely, I wasn't able to download the app and I got a message saying "Low on space. Phone storage space is getting low."
I don't understand why I only have 189MB left of internal storage on my phone when I didn't even manage to download the app. I already use Cache and Memory Cleaner and a task killer and I restarted my phone. I've tired looking through my internal storage folders on my PC, but I don't see anything that I can delete. What's happening here? Can anyone solve this?

Have you looked at any of the suggestions in the insufficient-memory tag wiki?


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HTC Zoe: Any way to turn it off?
So, in my bank app, I am used to being able to photograph the front and back of a check to be deposited. This worked fine with my Moto Razr Maxx. With my recently acquired HTC One, now running Kit Kat (but even on Android 4.3 before), it doesn't work -- the app doesn't accept the photos the One takes. I'm wondering if this is Zoe. A three-second vid is not a snap of a check. Can Zoe be turned off for simple point-and-shooting?

Zoe is not used in any app aside from the HTC camera app. The mobile banking app will have just basic access to the camera where it can take pictures and in some apps, toggle the flash. If it is not accepting your pictures, it may not be taking clear enough photos or the lighting may be insufficient. Or it could be the app itself. You may wish to try better lighting and be sure to hold absolutely still when taking the pictures. If not, contact the developer of the app for assistance.
As for turning Zoe off, it is toggled on and off in the camera app with the button on the opposite side of the screen from the shutter/video button.


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External USB bluetooth help
Hello I have a android system that I am trying to find out whether I can get USB bluetooth dongles to work on it.
Device info:
Model number: Telechips m805s tcc8925 NAND v7 board
Android version: 4.0.4 (v0.4 2013-04-11)
Kernel version: 3.0.8-TV Root@ubuntu #171 Wed April 10 22:56:21 oft 2013
Build number: Full_m805_8925-eng 4.0.4 imm76d eng.Root.20121022.190818 test key

It has the option for bluetooth in settings.


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How do I connect a PS3 Controller with Xperia P?
How do I connect a PS3 Controller with Xperia P?

If your android is rooted  you can follow the steps

Install Sixaxis Pairing tool in your pc
Install Sixaxis Controller app in your android
In android app Tap the start button and wait for bluetooth to initiate. If you
get an 'Error: Missing required protocol' message, your device is
not supported.
You must manually pair the controller with your
phone. This can be done using SixaxisPairTool in yor pc.Your phones bluetooth
address should be shown at the bottom of the main application window
and will look something like 1A:3C:13:00:21:C2; you need to enter
this number into the SixaxisPairTool
Once paired, unplug the USB cable and press the power button on the
controller. If successful, the lights on the controller will stop
blinking and a single light will remain on.
Tap the 'Change Input Method' button and select 'Sixaxis Controller'. You should now
be able to use the controller in any games or applications that
support key bindings, such as many emulators.

Source: http://www.dancingpixelstudios.com/sixaxiscontroller/instructions.html
Youtube video :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI3t-h390rc#t=22
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBcO_Gt0fd4


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how can I fix my Samsung Galaxy Y GT-S5360?
All of my applications are forcing to close such as its home, messaging, play store services and others.I can't make changes or even open application drawer or home.I can only open my contacts and make a call.

Is the device stock or rooted or a custom ROM? If it is stock, you will probably have to perform a factory reset. If it is a custom ROM or root, what were you doing before it happened?

i just uninstalled one application..then it automatically restarted and all of my applications are forcing to close except my contacts and call logs

What did you uninstall? And is the phone stock or rooted?

..what do you mean rooted? i uninstalled cymera.. it's a kind of camera app

Factory reset will fix your phone for sure, there is no way of finding out what is going wrong without logs! Even with logs it is going to be hard to fix if it is the stock rom on an unrooted device.

If you don't know what being rooted is, then you probably aren't rooted. This means it is stock and would likely need a factory reset. Something likely became corrupted on the /data partition.

factory reset did't work]

factory reset didn't work

As your device is stock, something likely became corrupted in the file system and a factory reset is about your only option. You will lose all your data, unless your phone will still communicate with a computer. If so, you may be able to use Kies to back up your data from the phone first.
To factory reset:

Enter recovery
Power off the device. Press and hold the volume up key and the home button while powering up the phone. Hold these keys until the Android recovery screen appears.
Use your volume keys to navigate to wipe cache partition. Press the power button to choose this option. This won't destroy your data and may allow it to boot normally. Select reboot system with the volume keys and press power. It will reboot and hopefully work. If it doesn't, follow the next step.
Enter recovery mode as described above. Select "wipe data/factory reset" with the volume keys and press power to select it. THIS WILL DELETE ALL DATA FROM YOUR DEVICE. BE SURE YOU BACKED UP ANYTHING IMPORTANT. Now reboot the system and it should be back to stock with everything working again.
If you used kies to backup your data, now you can restore it.


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sharing windows 7 cable internet connection to nexus 4 via WiFi
I am connected to the internet via an ethernet cable on my laptop pc. I want to share my PC's internet connection with my Nexus 4(Android 4.4.2).
I have created an ad-hoc network on my windows 7 pc but this network doesn't display in the available networks on my Nexus 4.
How can I share my PC's internet connection with my phone?

I'm using Connectify Hotspot Free. It have 90min limited uptime and some adds. I had same problem with sharing internet connection via Windows 7 ad-hoc so I tried a some tools to share internet but only Connectify worked well in my case.

there are some ways to reverse tether, and the simplest one is to use Connectify. Free version is limited in uptime, the full version has no restrictions. It's not even hard to convince the program to allow all functions, btw.


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Cyanogenmod: Encryption unsuccessful
I encrypted my phone. That worked fine. Then I installed another version of Cyanogenmod. This cannot decrypt the data (which is OK: There is no important data on the phone). It tells me to perform a factory reset, but even after the factory reset the phone is stuck at the "Encryption unsuccessful".
The error I get is the same as on:
Samsung Galaxy encryption failed
How do I convince Cyanogenmod that all encrypted data is deleted?
I have tried:

Factory reset
Installing the version of Cyanogenmod that encrypted the phone

The factory reset failed to format /data (and thus most likely left the old encryption in place).
Having formatted /data manually, the factory reset finally could complete successfully, and the new version of Cyanogenmod showed up.

@Downvoters: This perfectly makes sense to me, so I re-phrased it to make it easier to grasp: it could well be that CM did not know the "old" encryption key, and thus was unable to access the (existing) file system. Formatting the partition created a "virgin" file system without encryption, and thus made it accessible again (to my understanding).

You have to enter recovery mode, (mine is TWRP 2.8.1), than from recovery change data system type to etx4.

Format sdcard0 (internal storage) to ext3 file-system format  and it is going to be OK!


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Installing stock Android on Galaxy S3 fails. How to see why?
I have tried installing AUT-I9300XXUGNA5-20140129183554.zip and O2U-I9300XXUGNA5-20140224162541.zip on my S3. They both fail with "Installation aborted", but I have no problem installing cm-10.1.3-i9300.zip. I have tried both from external_sd and sideloading. Same problem.
I can see the information from the screen in /tmp/recovery.log:
-- Installing: /external_sd/O2U-I9300XXUGNA5-20140224162541.zip
Finding update package...
I:Update location: /external_sd/O2U-I9300XXUGNA5-20140224162541.zip
Opening update package...
Installing update...
Installation aborted.

The most prominent difference between AUT&O2U and cm-10 is size: The AUT&O2U are around 1 GB whereas cm-10 is around 200 MB.
Can I somehow do the installation by hand through the shell, so I can see exactly why the two zips fail to install?

Here is what I did:
unzip O2U-I9300XXUGNA5-20140224162541.zip

tar xvf ../I9300XXUGNA5_I9300O2UGNA1_I9300XXUGNA8_HOME.tar.md5

VOL Down+ Home+ Power
sudo heimdall flash --CACHE cache.img \
--BOOT boot.img \
--SYSTEM system.img \
--RECOVERY recovery.img \
--RADIO modem.bin \
--HIDDEN hidden.img \
--BOOTLOADER sboot.bin \
--TZSW tz.img

VOL Up+ Home+ Power
Wipe data/factory reset
Wipe cache partion.

VOL Down+ Home+ Power
sudo heimdall flash --CACHE cache.img \
--BOOT boot.img \
--SYSTEM system.img \
--RECOVERY recovery.img \
--RADIO modem.bin \
--HIDDEN hidden.img \
--BOOTLOADER sboot.bin \
--TZSW tz.img

A big thanks to @avirk for pointing out that stock ROMs must be installed with heimdall/ODIN and not with ClockworkMod recovery/adb.

You can't install the stock ROM zip like as custom rom. Extract the stock rom zip and you will get the .tar PDA file to flash via ODIN. Download ODIN 1.85 and also install Samsung USB driver and then reboot your phone in download mode by pressing three combo key VOL Down+ Home+ Power button. Now connect it to pc while ODIN is opened on PC. Now your phone should show up on some port and usind PDA button and browse the firmware you extracted from the zip on pc and select it and flash. You will loss the root by doing this and also all data will be wipe out.

How do I do it using GNU/Linux (i.e. no ODIN and Samsung USB driver)

I don't know about the Linux but you can so it with Mobile Odin but its paid app from Play store.

This is the link I got for Linux http://www.webupd8.org/2012/06/heimdall-odin-alternative-that-runs-on.html or use the Virtual pc to install windows.

@OleTange you might wish to check our odin tag-wiki, which mentions Heimdall as well (including some screenshots). Heimdall is a cross-platform "variant" of Odin which you should be able to use on Linux (and even Mac).


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Unable to connect Galaxy Note3 N9005 to windows 8
I'm having trouble connecting my N9005 to my pc using Windows8. The problem is it does not recognize the phone's storage and is not able to mount it.
I've tried installing Samsung Universal USB Drivers to no avail.
My laptop only has USB2 ports and if I'm correct N9005 utilizes USB v3. Could it be the cause?
I also have the same problem in Ubuntu.
UPDATE: I also tried Samsung Kies and it doesn't work either.
UPDATE 2: Upon connection my PC recognizes that the phone's been connected but it's not able to mount the storage.

USB 2.0 supports USB 3.0 no issues there

You can try the answers suggested here http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/64751/note-3-cannot-connect-to-windows-7/64752#64752

None of them seems to work.

You can try my steps, might work: http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/65062/cant-connect-samsung-note-3-to-windows-7/66943#66943

My N9005 was unable to connect via ADB on Windows 8. etc, and I fixed it by entering the *#0808# dialer code on the caller screen to change the USB connection mode.
You will see the mode about ADB at the bottom. I tried it and it worked for me, but only for the ADB connection. I did not try other options. Look for MTP options, and also find the USB driver for Windows in any case.

Click image for full size

Worked for me, it seemed the phone did not need a restart. You can go through each option with Kies 3 open and it will detect it suddenly when you get the right option AP - MTP + ADB worked for me.


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Android WIFI grey/blue icon (and performance) depends on AP?
I have a very peculiar issue with my Android Tablet.
Issue:
Tablet has good access to Internet and blue icon whenn connected to AP (access point) "A", poor access and grey icon with AP "B"
Hardware:
Ramos i9 Android 4.2.2.
Router/WIFI AP Zyxel P-2812HNU-F3 ("B" above)
Apple AirPort ("A" above)
Description:
I have the i9 since 2 weeks. After working flawlessy, since two days I notice a degraded internet performance. Tunein radios do not connect, internet page are slow etc and WIFI ICON IS GREY. The connectivty is not completely absent, it is just "slow".
With my surprise, my Huawei Y300 and other HW (iMac, iPod etc) all is working fine with my Zyxel. I did a try and turned my Huawei to WIFI Hotspot and connecting the i9 to this new WIFI, ALSO my i9 works nicely! (BLUE ICON etc etc)
I then connect my (old) AirPort to the LAN of the Zyxel, and configure teh Airport as a new WIFI. Surprise! If I connect the i9 to the AirPort all works! Notice the Airport has NO access to internet! The Airport has to go through the Zyxel!
Give the above I assume is something related to the "radio transmission" area. I then changed transmission channel and lowered transmission standard (from b/g/n to b/g) of my Zyxel, but still no result ...
Any idea? Thanks for helping me!

Related: What does it mean when the connectivity icons in the status bar go white/gray? / With Android 4.4 (KitKat), my notification icons are always gray. Am I in trouble? Maybe that helps you in analysis. Maybe your ZyXEL itself has a poor internet connection?


text:
How to get into CWM Recovery in Samsung galazy star pro s7262
As you have read the question; you know what I want.
I'm always getting into stock recovery-mode but I have flashed CWM via Odin v3.07.
I m using adb to get into recovery-modebecause when I press Vol up + home + power buttons; nothing happens. Can someone please help quickly?

You need to hold Volume Up + Home and then Hold power until the phone vibrates, let go of the volume button but keep holding Home and Volume up, it should boot into recovery then. Holding them makes a difference. Alternatively can you simply go to Restart > Recovery from your device? If not since you are rooted you can install Wanam Xposed and then install a 4 way reboot (Reboot, Fast Reboot, Reboot to Recovery, Reboot to Download Mode).


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Unable to upgrade ROM [status 7] and Failed to verify whole-life package
i am having an issue upgrading my Serioux S800TAB to android 4.2.2: i get an error: status 7. I have googled the error, and done what the tutorial said, but now i have the error "Failed to verify whole-life package". Any tips on how can i make the ROM work?

Are you flashing a custom ROM? What's the name of the ROM? What recovery are you using? CWM? TWRP?

Or are you flashing a stock ROM?

What is "the tutorial"? What did it say? Can you include the basic steps of what you did?

I tried CyanogenMod, but i didn't know which one to download, so i downloaded a random one. And the tutorial said to browse to \META-INF\com\google\android\updater-script and remove the first lines of code.

You can't just download any ROM and remove the asserts from the manifest. That is a sure fire way to brick your device. You need to find a ROM that is compatible with your device.
The status 7 error is there because you are installing a package that doesn't match the hardware you are trying to install it on. It is a safety measure. The guide for deleting the asserts from the manifest is only meant to allow flashing the file in an older recovery that doesn't recognize the asserts in the manifest. When doing this you have to be absolutely sure that you are installing on the proper device.  If you delete the asserts and install on an incompatible device, it may fail still or it could flash, rendering your device useless.
Find a proper ROM for your device and install that. Don't just pick one unless you want to brick your device.

Error code 7 can also be out of space as well..

Yes it can and that is good information to know as well. Thanks @t0mm13b. Based on the OP, however, this definitely seems to be related to the assert check in recovery. It is always scary when you read "I didn't know which one to download so I just picked a random one."

well, i do not know which one could be good for my tablet, i tried searching but i didn't seem to find anything

It is very possible that there isn't a CM build for your device. In order to get CM on a device, there have to be developers who have the devices who are willing to build it and make it compatible. When you have these obscure inexpensive tablets the odds of finding a CM build for it are pretty low. You may be able to find some ROMs for it, but even that is just a guess. ROMs are not universal. You must use a ROM designed for your device or you could destroy it. If you can't find any ROMs for your device, then you are stuck on stock unless you learn to build ROMs yourself.


text:
How do I logout of Hangout on Android 4.4?
Hangout is the default messaging app in Android 4.4. I know that it's possible to use a third party application for SMS, but it there a way to log out of hangout entirely? Or at least to block the notifications? I keep receiving chat notification both on my phone and my computer and it's really annoying.
I do not want to uninstall/deactivate it because I still want to be able to use it while I'm on the road.

https://support.google.com/hangouts/answer/3118600?hl=en
this doesn't work? I haven't tried it, because I don't have hangouts on my phone.
EDIT 1
Sign out of Hangouts
TIP: If you don’t want to receive notifications, enable Snooze notifications.
Touch Menu  > Settings > Touch your Google account > scroll to the bottom and touch Sign out.

So simple that I'm seriously ashamed that I didn't find that on my own... Thanks!

Welcome to  Android Enthusiasts! Whilst this may theoretically answer the question, it would be preferable to include the essential parts of the answer here, and provide the link for reference. Otherwise, your answer becomes useless in case the link dies.


text:
Bootloop issue with LG G2
This phone seriously hates roms and alterations. It seems like everything I do screws something up. So I eventually got a custom rom installed and working perfectly. Then I backed up my phone with TWRP and tried to install Jishnu's camera mod apk. Well, my phone is now stuck in a bootloop. It shows "LG" then "Google" Then the kitkat four circles boot animation forever. I can't get to TWRP with power+down but I can get to download mode.
I just tried the hard reset thing where you hold the power button until the notification light blinks and then let go and quickly hold volume down. I did this 5 times, still no luck. I really need help with this.
I just followed the boot-loop tag-wiki and none of it worked. I'm not able to get into safe mode or my bootloader. It just keeps booting no matter what button combo I do. Except, I can get into download mode, but I don't know how to fix it with that. I have the Canadian LG G2 D803.
How can I fix this? Please help!

You need 9 more rep to join chat (where you have good chances to find him – no guarantees, though, but others are there as well). You could check some of those tag-wikis if you might improve them: 5 approved edits would give you 10 points, so you could enter chat. // Again: let's move above details into the question, and clean up (remove) the obsolete comments then :)

Alright so what else can I do to fix this issue?

I did have a problem similar similar to this with my D802. The solution may probably be the same for you. Here's what I've done:
At first to install all prerequisites, follow this article - starting from 1) Download all the files below up to 5. copy all files and folders ...
Afterwards:

Run cmd as admin (was needed for me to get the system's hosts-file changed).
From cmd run Automatic Offline Procedure.vbs
Put your phone into download mode (Vol-UP + plug USB)
Within R&D Flash Tool:

"Select Type" - 3GQCT
"Phone Mode" - Emergency
"Select KDZ file" on the right hand side: choose your previously loaded stock ROM
Click the (flat) button titled "Normal web upgrade test"

In the next window click on "Upgrade Start"
Now on "Clear phone software update registry" and select "Different Country" and your language (if possible – was empty with me)
Enjoy your phone being flashed with the stock ROM after having pressed "OK" :)

This should do the trick. At least this worked for me without any problems. If there are any problems or questions regarding the R&D Tool, please referer to this thread on XDA-Developers.
I know, it's probably too late for you. But maybe this can help others in the future. :)
Regards, mh166


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Nexus 5 4G issues
I have got a nexus 5 device on O2 network which supposedly has 4G. When I am out and about and not connected to WiFi I use my data. I can have all 4 bars and Hrsp+ yet when I load up play store or Google chrome it can take minutes to load a single webpage
 Why is this, it can be really annoying when I'm out and want to quickly search something and it take 5 minutes to load. Thanks.

The "bars" actually just state the signal strength – so basically you could have all 5 or whatever bars, but no data at all. Data speed depends on multiple other factors not all fully known to me; one example is "available bandwidth" divided by "connected devices using it".
So if the capacity of the cell tower has been "reached", even with full bars and SuperDuperWhatsnot+++ data connection: highway full means stop-and-go.
Not sure if that's the case with your issue (to find out, you'd need to contact your provider/carrier) – but at least it's one possible explanation. I'd expect the device to switch to another "band" in such a case, though; but it could be there's simply no other one available, or configuration keeps it from doing so.


text:
Where can I get the software that installs google apps for CyanogenMod
I installed CyanogenMod a while ago. Yesterday I uninstalled Google Play and Google Play Services. Now I need to reinstall them again.
I downloaded the gapps zip file but I need to know what was the software used to install them from my computer to the phone

You can check with the corresponding Wiki page at the CyanogenMod website to find the correct version of the GApps zip file.
Once downloaded, place it into the root of your SDCard, then reboot your device into (custom) recovery. From there, chose "install zip from sdcard", and select the file you've just downloaded. That should install GApps on your device.


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CM 11 Link volumes when toggling through (Silent, Vibrate, Noise)
I have a question about CM 11 volumes.  I have a Sprint Galaxy Note II, running cm-11-20140226-NIGHTLY, and this is referring to the volume toggle that you can add when you pull down the right side of the notification bar (quick access tiles).
Basically, for the sound tile, is there a way to force all three of the phone volumes (ringer, media, and alarm) to go to zero when I am in silent or vibrate mode (well, the ringer volume would be set to vibrate for vibrate mode, but you get the point)?

Go under Settings - Sound
Volumes -> check Silent mode affects notifications. Click OK
Under Notifications, check Vibrate on notification - In vibrate mode, all notifications will vibrate regardless of individual app settings.
Hope that helps.


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Moto G - Debugging for Android
When I open the Android Device chooser it shows a phone. But, instead of the serial number and other details it shows a series of question marks - "????????".
Any suggestions on how I can use the phone for debugging?

Have you installed the Motorola Devicemanager (for the USB driver)? Also make sure the device unlocked and screen is on. My Moto G is displayed correctly in Eclipse on Windows 7.

Thanks Robert!
The problem was with the selection mode. Apparently MTP doesn't work too well with Ubuntu. When I switched to PTP the USB debugging started working.

You should mention the used operating system in your next question...

You should ask, before replying.

Usually only Windows users don't mention their operating system.

The problem was with the selection mode.
Apparently MTP doesn't work too well with Ubuntu. When I switched to PTP the USB debugging started working.


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CWM or TWRP not supported?
I'm trying to install CWM or TWRP for my D801 LG G2 and they both say "device not supported". TWRP doesn't give me any other options, but CWM shows D802 is supported. Can I install that or will it brick my phone?
Also, can I install CM11 with CWM or is that a TWRP only type of thing?
Thanks!

The "device not supported" message means that you probably downloaded the recovery image for a different device (AT&T's LG G2 "d802", or International LG G2 "d800".)  You can override this check, but it's not recommended, as the devices might be different enough that you could cause irreparable damage to it (a.k.a. "bricking".)
The most current TWRP for T-Mobile's LG G2 (d801) is located here.  I could not find an official ClockworkMod recovery for the d801, but you may want to search appropriate sections on XDA-Developers forums for unofficial builds that are compatible with your phone.  Another recovery image according to CM's installation wiki can be downloaded from here, but must be flashed with loki_flash tool, as described in the installation instructions.


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Does QueueTube download complete videos or audio only?
There is a Queuetube app that enables listening to YouTube material while the application is minimized. YouTube app stops playing videos when minimized; this app plays sound only.
Does this mean it is downloading audio only or just playing audio from a downloaded video format?
This is important because I need to know how much memory my Xperia will download from YouTube.

I am the developer. It was using the full video streams up until last week when I released version 1.8.
However it is possible that the android MediaPlayer when given a video stream, doesn't bother to download the video too, but I doubt so.
Now it specifically downloads audio-only streams, however only on Android 4.3+ devices.
Android 4.2 and lower still stream the full video because the OS isn't compatible with the audio only streams.
To give you an idea of bandwidth consumption, a 5 minute song takes up about...

3MB video stream, HD Audio disabled
12MB video stream, HD Audio enabled
3MB audio-only stream, if your device supports it. The sound quality is about equal (possibly a little better) than HD Audio with video.

On Android 4.3+ devices, the HD Audio switch in settings doesn't really do anything..

According to the comments of reviewers, it's streaming only audio. So, it's lighter on the download.


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Show which program / task uses the camera (in background)
On my Samsung Galaxy S2 I9100 with CM11, I always hear a very subtle click of the autofocus whenever the camera app is loaded. Since some weeks, I heard that sound randomly, especially after every restart and reconnect with WiFi. This somehow scares me and looks a bit like my phone is supervised.
Is there a possibility on android (with / without root access) to find out which task uses the camera?

Install the Permissions app, and look the the apps under take pictures and videos.

thanks, lots of apps there. I was looking for something like a task manager which shows the active task that just accessed camera functions, or a method to restrict camera access and show which tasks are asking for it. I have cerberus and wheresmydroid installed and could imagine them to stalk after my pictures, or potentially a virus.

@Axel Are there any pictures being taken?

The camera is definitely being accessed since I see the camera lens moving every once in a while (once every 30 mins up to once every 15secs),and due to a hardware imprecision the lens touches the glass of the camera, which results in a very distinct click sound. Pictures don't show up in the gallery, but apps like Cerberus can do that easily without leaving any hint besides on my phone the click sound.

XPrivacy seems to be the tool of choice for these issues, although a bit tough to get through all the settings. Could not find the spying app yet, but will keep this post updated.


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What is this CJK app and why is it on my phone?
I was going through my apps and discovered this:

Um, what? Unfortunately, I'm not fluent in the language that the app is titled with (Chinese, I'm guessing?), so I have no idea what it is or where it came from. Any ideas? I tend to be careful with what I download (no third-party markets) so I would be surprised if it was malware, but that being said it still looks mighty suspicious to me.
It's a Galaxy Nexus running Android 4.3 if that's relevant.

That there's a "Disable" button rather than "Uninstall" indicates it's a system app. As far as I know, there is no official 4.3 for the Galaxy Nexus, so what custom ROM are you using?

Maybe I'm mistaken, I'm just running stock Android. Under "Settings -> About phone -> Android Version" it says 4.3.

Who's your carrier then?

Sprint. (15 chars)

@AlE. Yes there is an official 4.3 for the GN. There is no 4.4. See, e.g., https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images#takjujwr66y

It looks like it's Google's Pinyin IME. The icon has since changed to use squares instead of circles, but you can still see that it is generally the same, and you can find examples of the old round icon on the Internet still. It's still on the page for Google's Windows variant, in fact:

Google must evidently ship this in their vanilla Android builds for Nexus devices, which would explain why it cannot be uninstalled. This seems to be verified by various sites around the web (one, two, three).

Guess that's it. Any idea why it's showing up in Chinese on my device instead of "Google Pinyin IME"?

@mikeTheLiar: I can't say for sure, but if I were to hazard a guess I would say it's in Chinese so that a user who needs it (i.e. someone who only speaks Chinese) will be able to read the label.

Which is a fair enough point, but when I see an app that I didn't install, which can't be uninstalled, with a title in Chinese, my first thought isn't "Oh, clearly this is intended for a Chinese speaker. Nothing to see here." My first thought it "OH NOEZ HAXORS! Do I have to change all my passwords and my bank account information now?"


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Galaxy Note GT-N7000 won't connect to Google apps on Wi-Fi
My Samsung Galaxy Note says it's connected to my Wi-Fi at home, and I can get onto some websites.
Google Mail, Google Search and Google Maps are not connected, but all will work if I switch Wi-Fi off.
I have had this phone for 18 months trouble-free.

Can you open Google Play, and is able to download an app (when on wi-fi)?


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Tasker Profile Help
I have been playing around with Tasker lately and had a good idea that I would like to implement but I am new to Tasker and so I can only create simple profiles.
My idea, for myself, is that my phone remains without some sort of password or pin, until someone places their hand above the proximity sensor on my Galaxy S4. Then, the phone requires a password/pin. Otherwise, it remains without one.
How would I go about doing such a thing? I played around with the proximity sensor but I set the context for the proximity sensor as a "State" and I'm not sure how to set something that would implement the proximity sensor. Also, I would like to know if I can set it to lock the phone when someone's hand is within a certain distance.

Is there anyone that can help me with this?

Basically the proximity sensor gives 1 if it's covered, 0 if not. So you just want to use the state to detect it, then run a task for activating the password.


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Galaxy S3 Mini does not turn screen off anymore
Over a month ago, my Galaxy S3 Mini started having problems. It doesn't turn its screen off anymore even if I press power button.
Also, the pop-up menu appears suddenly a thousand times a day.
I also checked that there is no new firmware available.

Did you install any app before that happened? (maybe a pirated app)

What pop-up menu? 2) Have you disabled screen lock? 3) As @geffchang said have you pirated any apps, when did this start?

Hi Guys I've no pirate app installed. There were few games which were all installed through Google Play. It could be a harware fault. However I'm not reliant to change stock rom to a custom one.

If it's still under warranty, it might be better to send it to customer service. :)


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Why can't I connect my bluetooth speaker to my android tablet?
I have an android tablet without bluetooth enabled ability. I also have an Ematic 8 in 1 bluetooth enabled speaker. I've tried several times to connect the speaker to the tablet using the audio 3.5 to 3.5 cable, but to no avail. It will not play the music. The music starts and plays, but no sound comes out. Can my device play through the speaker? And are all portable speakers bluetooth enabled? Thank you for any help you can give and I will await your response.

After you plugged-in the speaker cable to the phone, have you tried increasing the volume?

There may be a switch between Bluetooth, any other inputs and the 3.5mm jack. Ensure that is in the correct position if you wish to use auxiliary input. Check the instruction manual if there is one present on the function of the auxiliary port.

Most Bluetooth speakers (not all) have a 3.5mm jack for the sole purpose of audio out, not audio in. Because of this, audio can not be sent to the Bluetooth speaker via auxiliary cable to be played, because the speaker's sole purpose is to output audio over a Bluetooth connection or through headphones in the speaker's 3.5mm jack.
My suggestion is to gain access to a device with Bluetooth and connect to the speaker to play music. Once this is done, connect headphones to the 3.5mm jack in  the speaker and see if the sound is played through the headphones, as opposed to sound coming directly from the speaker. If sound does play through the headphones, then you've found your solution.


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No confirm prompt when trying to use adb backup
I'm trying to do an adb backup of my Galaxy S3 (i747m), but after receiving the "Now unlock your device and confirm the backup operation" order from adb, I never receive the prompt on the device. It just sits there.
Locking and unlocking it does nothing, entering the command locked or unlocked changes nothing, setting the desktop backup password in development options does nothing, disabling the lockscreen does nothing.
Device is running the stock Samsung 4.1 ROM and is rooted.  Computer is windows 7.
How can I get this backup to go through?

(1) Did you enable USB debugging? (2) What command are you using? adb backup -apk -shared -all -f mybackup.ab?

@geffchang - 1. Yes.  2. adb backup -apk -noshared -nosystem -f pre-cyan.ab  the .ab file gets creayed, but it remains empty.

I'm digging up this question since I found it looking for the same problem.
Putting single quotes around the parameters solved it for me:
adb backup '-all -apk -shared -f mymobile.ab'

I had the same problem as OP with a Huawei KIW-L21, and your answer solved it, thanks.

Noice ! Solved for me


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Galaxy S4 bluetooth voice commands
Can anyone help me out. I recently changed my Razr for Galaxy S4 (SCH-I545) on Verizon. I would like to access S-Voice from my bluetooth headpiece, but if I have a pin number set for the phone's lock screen, the S-Voice app won't start when I push the bluetooth button until I unlock the screen. Sort of defeats the purpose of hands free use such as in the car. On the Droid Razr there was an option in the settings under security to allow bluetooth voice control with the phone locked, but I can't find this on the Galaxy. The hands free bluetooth access works if the lock screen pin is disabled, but I prefer to have the pin number set, especially if I'm out and about, and it's a pain to go into settings to disable the pin everytime I get in the car. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Dan

What about looking into the settings menu in S-voice --> settings --> headset mode to see if anything might be unchecked?

See if Delayed Lock works for you. It's a 7-day trial app, with in-app purchase for license.

Additionally, there is also an optional notification in the Android
  status bar and a widget to immediately reenable the lock screen, and
  free plugins to automatically keep the device unlocked while connected to a specific WiFi network / Bluetooth device or at certain
  locations.

Others have used a combination of Tasker and Secure Settings with this configuration:
Profile: State > Bluetooth Connected
Task > Plugin > Secure Settings > Password/Pin > Disabled
Exit Task:
Task > Plugin > Secure Settings > Password/Pin > Enabled (Set to my old
PIN number)


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No option for "mobile network" on Dell Venue 8
My friend has bought new "Dell Venue 8 3830" tablet with Android JellyBean 4.3.
Now we want to connect a 3g dongle (D-Link) via a micro-usb cable which came with it.
When i connect the dongle to the device the dongle shows solid green light (which probably means connected), but when i go up in settings of the tablet i dont see an option to turn on and use the device.
All the blog i read tells to enable the "Mobile Network" option in settings; But on this device theres no such option.
Wireless Settings
      - Wifi
      - B/T
      - Hotspot
      - Data Usage
      - More...
             - Airplane Mode
             - VPN
             - Tethering

(1) Can you post a link to the blog? (2) I'm assuming you want to use the 3G dongle so that the tablet gets 3G access (as a consumer of data). Is that right?

http://androidtipguys.com/forum/setting-up-mobile-network-android-tablet-658.html is one of them

Yes

NO it does not have a sim card slot.

If there is no SIM card slot, then how do you expect to have an option Mobile networks. It is meant for networking via sim card.

Check Settings → Wireless & networks → More → Mobile networks → Data enabled to enable it
See user guide

The OP states that the "Mobile Network" option is not there.


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Installing TextSecure, but missing Google Play
I am running a custom ROM (Android 4.2.1) and want to install TextSecure from Whisper Systems. To support push messages Google Play is needed for Google Cloud Messages.
How can I install Google Play?
EDIT, installing the google package fails, installation aborted every time.

Install the Google package for your custom ROM. For instance cyanogenmod you flash the ROM then the Google package, ask whoever made the ROM for the correct version you need, most developers would put instructons in the first topic in their thread.


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Installs for Google play & other app stores
A user can download the android app from any where - Google play, Amazon app store, Opera app store, Samsung app store..
Some of the android apps can also be ported into other OS providing access to android apps, like Kindle Fire OS, Blackberry OS, Nokia X.
Do install numbers seen in Google play developer statistics include installs from other app stores like amazon, opera, Samsung etc.,?
How about android apps that can be installed non-android devices as stated above?

You will have to ask Google how they compute the statistics. Overall, this question is off-topic here because it is about publishing of apps.

The app stores you mention are different from each other. So, they maintain separate / different statistics.


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Saving a Web page for offline viewing
I am using Sony Xperia Z with android 4.3. Is there any way I can save Web pages on my device to view it offline. Will it require an app? If yes, any free app for the purpose.

Stock Browser (the one with blue icon) from Android jellybean supports offline reading with saving web pages..
Menu-> Save for offline reading
Opera mini for Android also supports saving web pages
Menu-> Saved Pages-> Save

Just as a note for others reading this: Stock browser depends on the actual device you are using. This may be spot on for the Sony Xperia Z but it may not apply to other devices. Chrome is the new stock browser for Nexus / Google devices. Samsung 'Internet' is on Samsung devices, HTC Browser and so on.

All the below apps are free and on google-play-store
You could use Google Chrome BETA which supports offline web pages.
 This article entitled 4 hidden settings to make Chrome for Android even better mentions this. Here is the relevant extract:

Make Web pages accessible offline
Ever surfing the Web from your phone and suddenly find yourself in a dead-zone with no connection? This next setting will let you continue to view content, provided you've opened the page before and have a cached version of it on your device.
To enable it, head back into the Chrome flags section and find the option called "Enable offline cache mode." Tap enable and restart.

From XDA Developers  Best Android browser for offline reading thread:

Firefox  can save pages as PDF
 There is Offline Browser which could be very useful to you.
 Dolphin Browser HD has offline support.

XDA also mentions Opera Mini and Boat Browser, but I haven't used them in many years.
Alternatively to a browser, something like  Pocket  can save things for offline use, as a specific function so you can use any broswer you want!

the best app for offline browsing: Offline Browser.
You can save not only a single page, but also a whole portion of the site

You can use Nossfeer and make it work in any browser/OS. No need to download anything.


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How does Over-the-air updates (OTA) work
I read the Wikipedia article but it's not totally clear on how Android updates are pushed to devices. This is what I understood but am not certain which is correct so please add details to approve or disapprove my statements.
Case A
Phone has some service that periodically checks manufacturers servers (with some sort of polling) then if there is a new update it informs the user with a notification.
User than clicks the notification and downloads and installs update from manufacturers server
Case B
OS updates are just like ordinary software updates, there is a Google Cloud Messaging or similar broadcast receiver active on the phone and manufacturers just send message using this which shows user a notification.
User than clicks the notification and downloads and installs update from manufacturers server
Case C
Phone is notified about the updates by the mobile network (over-the-air provisioning (OTAP) like MMS and WAP settings) and than it shows a notification of the update.
User than clicks the notification and downloads and installs update from his/hers mobile network provider
These all seem probable but consider these cases:
What would happen if phone is not registered on network for a long time and internet is disabled (think of a tablet without internet access for example)?
Why are phones with same version (international version) of firmware getting new updates at different times on different networks?
NOTE: I recently found out that CyanogenMod has OverTheAir updates in newer versions, how are they doing this, I doubt they have mobile network providers support?

I think part of your confusion is down to the fact that the correct answer is "all of the above and more". There is no one way that Android gets OTA updates, different manufacturers and different phone networks do it differently.

Cases A to C are valid options. In the remaining case, the devices simply would not receive OTA updates: though the name is "over the AIR", it still requires a network. Updates are not a kind of flu (though it sometimes looks like :)

Another reason why same updates on same handsets happen at different times is because most manufacturers/carriers release OTA updates in staged roll-outs, meaning that they notify subscribers in small batches over the course of a few days/weeks.  They do this to avoid overloading their server when many people try downloading (usually sizable) update files simultaneously.

CyanogenMod ROM has a built-in Updater application which can periodically (or manually) check their servers for a new release of the ROM.  Your current ROM version and date stamp are sent (in a completely anonymous way, no identifiable information is sent for privacy reasons) to their servers, and any new versions are returned.  The user is then presented with a notification, and can choose to download the update (entire ROM actually) and automatically or manually flash it via Recovery.

Thank you for response. This does explain that CyanogenMod uses Case A which I explained in the question but doesn't actually answer the question of how factory Firmware does this.


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Moving apk to system/app. Operation failed
I have rooted my Nexus 5 and am trying to move an apk to the system/apps directory but keep getting "Operation Failed". I am trying to move from the /data/app directory to the /system/app directory to give access to system only settings.
I have changed /system and /system/app to permissions of 777 with "Root Browser".
What needs to be changed to allow for this?

My answer: I had to remount by explicitly using /system/bin/mount -o ... rather than just mount -o .... I'm guessing that at some point the version in /system/xbin started taking priority and for some reason that version fails silently. More info here: http://android.stackexchange.com/a/110883/109855

Most devices have the system partition mounted as read-only. You need to remount the partition with write access so that you can modify the files.
This free app should work. Other utilities such as ES File Explorer and Titanium Backup also have the ability to remount the system partition as writeable.
Alternatively, you can use a Terminal Emulator or ADB to run the following command, which should remount the volume as well.
su
mount -o remount,rw /system /system
After the volume is mounted as read/write, you can go ahead and move the app over. The volume will remain read/write until you reboot the device, at which time it will revert to read-only.

Use ES File Explorer..
Select menu-> Switch on Root Explorer under Tools.
Again click on Root Explorer.
A pop up window will appear.
Select Mount R/W -> Select RW option from the new popup for '/' and 'system'.
Now onto your operation.
You will now be able to move the files without failure.


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How to execute shell script from suid binaries
I've a rooted phone and created a root:root owned binary with suid bit set. It's supposed to be a wrapper for a shell script that needs root to work. Calling system("/system/bin/sh ./script") doesn't have the desired effect -- script still doesn't get root privilages. I tried calling setuid(0); setgid(0) in my wrapper, but that doesn't work. How do I run suid scripts on Android?

Can you post your full code?


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How can i transfer phone memory apps to external SD card
I am getting very low space please help.
I want to install or transfer apps on external SD card completly.

See also our fine insufficient-memory tag-wiki for additional ideas concerning your "low space" issue.

Use app2sd app from play store

Go to settings-> Manage Applications->
Select the app-> Move to SD Card


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Does the Google Authenticator app negatively impact a fully charged device
I have the Google Authenticator installed on my phone. I notice the codes are generated constantly. It appears the app is running constantly in the background.
Does this app has a major impact on a fully charged android device?

The app is not running in the background.  When you start it, it generates codes based on an algorithm tied to your original configuration.
It for sure will not impact your battery, and is not running in the background (the time based codes it creates, are constantly changing though - every 60 seconds - or however long).
But the app is only using resources when it is running, and servicing out the codes to you.

Check the 'battery' section in the settings and see if it shows up there. Also, does it run at startup automatically? Because I'm NOT seeing that on my DROID 4 - it only seems to startup when I use it, and then (like every android app), it hangs around until it gets killed off. Is that what you are seeing?

I don't see the Google Authenticator app in the battery section. And, I don't know how to tell if the app runs at startup.


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Google now frequent crash
I have installed Google now in  CM 11 beta 5 running in htc explorer ,every time I make a search it freezes and crashes.I have rebooted again and again but no relief .it keeps on crashing.Can any one suggest me what to do

Can you try getting the logs of the crash?

how can I get the log?

CM 11 BETA <-- the word beta is a clue here, CM is generally quite buggy outside of stable releases. You'll have to raise a report with CM and see if it is a know issue and maybe a later build will address it. However, if you want a daily driver for your phone you are better off with a stable build of CM or another ROM. Otherwise you are nearly guaranteed to have issues. Alternatively, re-flash you gapps making sure you are using the correct KitKat ones from the CM site.


text:
Disable Google docs in Dolphin Mini?
The answer to how to download PDFs leads to a link describing that Dolphin mini uses google docs for opening pdf  and other documents.
From a programmers perspective this is a nice solution - the content is just passed to a web-service that displays the content on the browser.
But what if you do not like Google to read your pdfs at all?
What if you want to download a pdf, but the links to do so is generated so you can not press longer on it to start a download instead?
So as a follow up this question arises: How can I completely disable that google-docs-feature in Dolphin Mini?

I'm afraid I don't know how to answer this. Is there any reason why you prefer to use Dolphin Mini instead of Dolphin?

@geffchang I have both installed. I am using Dolphin without graphics as browser on low bandwith connections, while using mini as "secure" browser on high bandwith connectios. Less features, less attack vectors was my line of thought.


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How to make my android device remember my paired TV in You Tube?
I successfully paired my android device with my TV, but unfortunately after turning down the TV, the association is forgotten. It is a nice feature to have them paired, but it is really  annoying to have to reenter the pairing number every time. Is it possible to make this pairing permanent?
I'm pairing the YouTube app in my Sony blu-ray player with my Nexus 7 android device.

This happens me all the time, through several updates of the Youtube app. I think it's just a 'feature'.


text:
Can I install any file browser if I don't already have one
Ok. Long story short I'm an idiot. I have a rooted Kyocera Hydro, with no recovery(no access to cpu to port my own). I deleted stock file and internet browsers. I also have no access to the play store because im only on wifi and the signal bars are grey. In an attempt to fix that I did a factory reset. So, since no signal, cannot sign in to google account, no file or internet browser. I have all my apps backed up on the sd cards, and other phones to bluetooth files. By changing .apk to .jpg I can send es file over, but cannot change back to install. am I missing something. Is there any way to install es remotely with out a cpu. Oh and I can't flash stock rom cause no recovery mode. Help?

See also: How can I install an app given only its APK file? / Install APK from external_sd / How do I install a .apk on my Nexus 7 using the browser?

You cannot install apk without a computer or working Wi-Fi or data connection.
But, you can install apk via adb to your device.

Disclaimer: You need a computer/laptop in order to accomplish this.

Since the device is operational, you can enable USB debugging. Then follow the steps given in this thread.
An excerpt from the thread is given below.

You can manually install your app by doing the following:

Install Android SDK tools from this page (Download for other platforms → SDK Tools Only.)
Install USB drivers for the phone (usually from manufacturer's site.)
Turn on USB debugging on the phone (in Settings → Developer options)
Connect the phone via USB (you can also do this over Wi-Fi with a number of apps if the phone is rooted.)
Open Command Prompt or Terminal and navigate to the "platform-tools" sub-directory of where you installed the SDK tools.
Issue the following command: adb install path_to_apk\your_app.apk

Keep in mind though that you are still essentially "letting them have"
  the apk, since the installation simply copies the APK file to the
  appropriate directory on the phone (usually /data/app or
  /data/app-private) and registers it with Android's Package Manager.
  A knowledgeable enough user can still retrieve the APK.

Thanks to Chahk for his answer. Thank him for the solution.

Correction: In step 1, in place of SDK tools, you can just copy just the platform binaries (adb and fastboot) and continue to step 2.

And if you don't want to install the entire SDK (not really needed if you don't plan to develop for Android), see: Is there a minimal installation of ADB?

@Izzy, you are right. In fact, you can just download the platform binaries and can work with them.

In fact, I even used the most basic solution (just copied the two binaries :) And besides: You cannot install apk without a computer or working Wi-Fi or data connection. is not 100% true. You can copy the .apk to SDCard, and try to open it using the web browser – amongst others (see the other questions linked above ;) +1, though :)

@Izzy, never knew it could be done via browser. Thanks for the tip. Also, OP doesn't seem to have a browser as he mentioned he has deleted them. Will edit the answer for the binaries.

There are plenty of alternatives (though most not working for OP as he deleted the "core apps" and lacks connection), e.g. also sending the .apk by mail and running if from the attachments.


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Entering Samsung Codes on the Galaxy S4 - Verizon
This is likely an embarrassing question, but I may not be the only one struggling.
I am trying to figure out a problem with my phone by using these secret dialer codes. I am entering these codes into my phone, but nothing is happening. When I call the entered number, I get the typical Verizon lady saying "The call cannot be completed as dialed..."
I specifically have used a code from this link (this addresses the problem I am having) and have tried multiple others from here*, but all give that same problem. Is there something that I am missing? Do I have to be a super user or something along those lines?
*Note: I know these may not be specific to my device, but some of these look to be universal regardless of manufacturer or model.

You shouldn't trust such a list of secret codes, simply because secret codes are not only device specific but mostly app specific.
Secret Codes are generally defined by the applications installed on the device.
If you want to have a valid list of secret codes available on your device, you should use an automated secret codes crawler.
I recently developped an Open Source app that crawls AndroidManifest.xml files on your device to found secret codes, and allows you to execute the secret codes available on your device.
You can get it on the Play Store or on the GitHub repository Android-Secret Codes.
But keep in mind that sometimes, secret codes are just executing themselves silently (without visual hint)

Not all "secret codes" are app specific, see: supplementary service codes. They can be devided into generic (GSM) codes, provider/carrier-specific codes, manufacturer/device-specific codes, and "software-specific" codes (ROM/apps). Does your app cover them all (maybe except for the 3rd group, as that might be difficult)?

Sure, I forgot this aspect. As far as I know, "Secret Codes" are only app specific, and triggered by the system if they are registered in AndroidManifest.xml files. When I talk about Android Secret Codes, I'm refering to this: TelephonyIntents.SECRET_CODE_ACTION, and codes that starts with *#*# and ends with #*#*. But I'm aware that lots of others secret codes can be triggerred at a different level like USSD codes. By the way, I don't known any way of crawling these codes...

Thanks for the update, Simon! I wasn't aware there's an API element named by that. From this it's clear what you refer to by the term, which somehow "voids" my claims. "Secret Codes" obviously is not a term with a clear definition :)

Just enter these codes in dial pad. The moment you type the last # key it will automatically open a window with information.(No need of hitting dial button)
These codes have been confirmed working on Galaxy S4 models.

*#06# IMEI number
*#0*# Test screen
*#0283# Audio loopback
*#2663# Firmware and Update versions
*#12580*369# Software and Hardware info
*#0228# Battery Status
*#2263# RF Band selection
*#9090# Service Mode
*#7284# UART MODEM PDA
*#8736364# Update Settings
*#7353# QUICK TEST MENU

Note: NONE OF THESE CODES WORK on Android 4.3!

This is just a copy-paste from the 2nd link in the original post.  It doesn't answer the question of how to properly enter these codes on a given handset.

Edited.Actually this is not a copy paste from the second link. This is confirmed working code on S4

Working on GT-I9505 for sure, not sure about verison variant.

They don't work on Verizon phones.

Yes, I can verify that, These DO NOT work on Verizon SCH-I545

No the codes work with sch-i545 vrufng6. Only need to be roooted and change efs/carrier hidden menu disable to enable thats all

Can you explain how to do this?


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How to remove google acccount from my LG 4X HD/ P880
I had my gmail account from an old employer disabled. It keeps on notifying me on "Account Action Required". I can only disable the sync in "Accounts and Settings", not remove it entirely. How do I remove it?
I use the 4.2 OEM OS.

Is it set as the primary Google account of the phone?

@onik No, I added it third

There should be an option to remove non-primary Google accounts if you go to Settings -> Accounts & Sync -> (the Google account), tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner and select Remove Account.

Although in my case, I used the hardware "three dots" button


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How to purchase an app on Google Play without a credit card?
I live in India and I don't have a credit card. I have tried using debit cards, internet banking and a virtual credit card from my bank (State Bank of India), but none of them work.
How can I purchase an app (PowerAmp) without a credit card?
Google Wallet is not acceptable because my phone runs Gingerbread and it isn't compatible.

Have you considered using the Amazon App Store ?

yes, it doesn't work for amazon either

I am from India.  I think Google play gift card is not available in India till now.  I will tell you a method through which you can purchase android apps from Play Store in India without credit card.
The only legal way to buy paid apps from Play Store other than credit card is by creating Virtual Credit Card. Virtual Credit Card is an artificial credit card which acts similarly like any ordinary credit card and you can use it for on line shopping. But in virtual credit card you have to transfer the amount first just like debit cards.
There are two trusted ways of creating Virtual Credit Card -

Create Virtual Credit Card from bank - Many banks are having a service of creating a virtual credit card for online shopping. STATE BANK OF INDIA and HDFC BANK are two banks which I have used for creating Virtual Credit Card especially HDFC BANK's NetSafe service is awesome and just perfect for any online shopper. Amount charged for creating virtual credit card is very minimum.
Create Virtual Credit Card from Entropay - If your bank doesn't give the service of creating virtual credit cards then you can use ENTROPAY for purchasing apps from the Play Store. Entropay is an online service which I strongly recommend for creating virtual credit cards, as it is completely safe and secure. All your information is protected by encryption. Creating virtual credit card through is very easy you just need to fill up your details and your virtual credit card is ready in minutes, now transfer your fund to virtual credit card and start shopping. EntroPay is used worldwide and processes thousands of transactions daily. For using EntroPay you need to pay certain charges.

Earlier Google only sells android apps through its Play Store in India but now Google has start selling books and movies also, so this Virtual Credit Card method work perfectly with them also means you can buy android apps, eBooks and movies without credit card using Virtual Credit Cards.
I hope this post is helpful for you.

i have already created state bank virtual credit card worth rs 100.but google play says : invalid credit card

you should just go get another card from banks like ICICI. That's your only option as of today.

Entropay for me with pnb debit card, many thanks

Perhaps you can mail-order a Play Store gift card - https://play.google.com/intl/en-US_us/about/giftcards/#lightbox

The google play cards are really usefull to keep a connection to the bank or credit card off the account. (limited ammount to drain) .   I use them myself, but it should be noted that they still land in a "google wallet" when extracted into the system of thiers.  I did not know this was something that cannot be done on some systems, because it seemed like it was based on the store app itself.

I appreciate your intention of buying applications in spite of the difficulty you face.
If your question is about only buying Poweramp, you can buy it from its website directly.
The website permits following payment options (and Paypal):

You can try your State Bank of India's debit card (old card is a Maestro and the new one is Visa) or even the virtual card.

Did you notice the amount difference ?? In play store its only 59 . If I pay through the given site, I have to pay 190 Rs extra. Anyway thank for your answer, I purchased app using my frnd CITI bank credit card.

That's because Poweramp is being sold at a special price in India, Russia and Brasil (see here).

Google Play Cards can be bought at many stores (depending on your country).
There are also Websites providing instant Gift Card-codes.
I have personally used and can recommend this site for German speaking countries.
For everyone that is interested in keeping banking information away from Google (as far as that is possible today) that is the only viable option.
The codes are redeemed within the Play Store --> Options --> Redeem Gift Code
The money is then added to your account to use on any app, movie, music or In-App-Purchase.

authors: Василь Євсеєнко


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Which android devices have optimized encryption hardware?
I've been using a Nexus 5 for a while and using FS encryption. Apple's iOS Security document states that:

Every iOS device has a dedicated AES 256 crypto engine built into the DMA path
  between the flash storage and main system memory, making file encryption highly
  efficient. Along with the AES engine, SHA-1 is implemented in hardware, further reducing
  cryptographic operation overhead.

Do any of the Android devices have such hardware to reduce encryption overhead? Is it part of a standard like iOS?

Not a direct answer to your question, but you might find some of the links in the answers to this previous question helpful: Hardware backed Credentials Storage on Galaxy Nexus

Encryption on Android uses the dm-crypt layer in the Linux kernel.

Fundamentally Android requires the developer to implement encryption directly (ie, there is no OS supplied framework for this).
To the best of my knowledge, there is no current Android hardware with Encryption built into to the hardware.  The new "Black Phone" that Boeing is reportedly making for the US defense industry is likely an exception to this (the phone HW was specifically engineered for security).
Basically iOS is encrypted by default, and Android requires the devloper to implement encryption in their applications.

Android has full-device storage encryption. It doesn't make a lot of sense to say the developer has to implement encryption directly. The Java standard library has several encryption features too.

Some devices do have hardware backed keystores which holds key pairs http://nelenkov.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/credential-storage-enhancements-android-43.html

This changed since I wrote this, as Android now does support encryption directly.


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Play Store updates downloaded on 3G network by ignoring settings
On my Xperia J phone Google Play Store setting of automatic updates is set to: Wi-fi only.
To my greatest surprise, yesterday it started to download 50MBs of updates when I was on 3G and my 200MB package was almost exceeded.
I checked the Data usage of Google Play Store on my 3G network and on Wifi: Wifi has 432 MB traffic, 3G has 82 MB (with wifi-only settings).
My question is: what settings should I use to prevent the abuse of my 3G package? Have you experienced similar behavior?

Is your phone rooted ?

No, it is not. It has low internal storage (about 70 MB), but it is not rooted.

Exact same symptoms here, also using a Sony Xperia phone, Android 4.1.2. And it is using far and away more 3G bandwidth than anything else on this handset. ...Just found the same behaviour on my Android 4.2.2 cheap Chinese phone.
We will try switching off google play updates completely, and see if it stops it. (If I forget to report back, please ask!)

If you haven't done so already, try going to Settings - Data usage, then press the menu key and choose "Restrict background data".
This sets all sync functions to only work on Wi-Fi, maybe it also helps with your Play Store problem. Be careful though, if you rely on sync to work even when you are not on Wi-Fi (Gmail for example), this is not the right option for you.

You're missing the final step, keen: what you write just establishes a general data limit. After enabling that, one has to scroll the list of apps below it, and deactivate (turn-off) background data usage for the app in question explicitly. Other apps are only affected then when the set limit is reached. But yes, that's the right path :)

You can also make use of No Root Firewall if you want only some apps to access the Internet from your phone if your device is not rooted. If your device is rooted you can use AFWall+


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Does 3G has to start and stop with every transmission? (energy overhead)
Does anyone know what has to happen for 3G to send some data (when 3G is on in Android settings, using Nexus 4)?
Does it has to initialize somehow at the beginning or to go back to some stable mode in the end of every transmission?
If yes, would length of that tail or head overhead depend on size of transmitted file/data?

This question is borderline off-topic, since cell radio chips that are baked into most phones are for the most part OS-agnostic. Is there a particular problem you are trying to solve here?

what head or tail are you referring to? Does not make sense. As @chakh stated, care to pin-point specifically what is the problem at hand?


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Is there a way to have 2 devices on a single Google account
My Mom has a Samsung tablet that she uses 90% of the time. I bought her a Chromebook before I knew my brother had gotten her the Samsung. She uses the tablet for quickly looking at Facebook and Gmail because she can walk around with it and the Chromebook at the table for Internet browsing because the Chromebook has a much larger screen.
Recently she wanted to be able to check her bank account so I thought it best to put it on the device used least and less likely to be lost, the Chromebook. But when I try and install the app from Google Play only the Samsung is listed.
Is there any way to add a device to that Google account. I already have it so the Chromebook logs in automatically to Facebook and Gmail for her, that way she can be up to date on either device because it is the same GMail and Facebook account. Is that the same as logging into the Google Account? If not how do I get there?
I do not want to copy paid apps to 2 devices or anything that would be seen as cheating, I just want it easy for her to check e-mail and Facebook from either device without having to teach her to log in and out.
Thank you for your help
Philip

Google Play is only for Android apps. Android apps do not work on the Chromebook, which is why you only see the tablet listed in the Play Store. The Chromebook is basically the Chrome Web browser wrapped in a keyboard and screen and that is it.
You can check the Chrome Web Store for an app for her bank, but even if there is one, it is likely just going to be a shortcut that loads the bank's website. If there isn't an app for it in the Chrome Web Store, just bookmark it for her.
And to answer the overall question, you can have as many Android devices tied to the Google account as you want and it isn't a problem having a paid app on more than one device, as long as it is signed in to that Google account.


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Intercepting app HTTP requests
I wanted to be able to intercept HTTP/HTTPS requests in apps on Android. I figured the best way to do this was with Bluestacks and Proxycap. But when I configured both of them together, it still didn't intercept app requests. Does anyone have any idea how I could achieve this? Thank you!

I was struggling with the same issue for a while. Finally, found a way out to track traffic coming from the emulator. You can start the emulator using:
emulator -avd <emuName> -http-proxy http://<SYSTEM_IP>:<PORT>
where emuName should be replaced with your emulator instance's name; SYSTEM_IP should be replaced with your system's IP address and PORT should be the port where the interceptor is running.
You can take a look at this:
http://stick2code.blogspot.in/2014/04/intercept-http-requests-sent-from-app.html.
Hope it helps!

While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential parts of the answer here and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers can become invalid if the linked page changes.

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


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AVD's configuration is missing a kernal file
Recently I've migrated from windows to ubuntu, installed Android SDk in Ubuntu 12.10 and created the AVD launched it shows this Error: This AVD's configuration is missing a kernal file, I installed ARM EABI v7a System Image for all the Android 4.X.X. Still it is not allowing me to get the AVD. Help me to spot the issue.

did  u try restarting after installing ??

try this http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9712605/emulator-error-this-avds-configuration-is-missing-a-kernel-file

I already referred this page but no use


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Google Glass Stuck at the “Glass” screen
My Google Glass is stuck at Glass screen and doesn't go beyond that. Can't fastboot either. The device is recognized by the Android Development Tools Eclipse plugin.

If you have exhausted your normal local troubleshooting (e.g. power off device; power on by holding "on" button for 15 seconds, etc.), then your best bet is to call a Glass Guide -- 800-GLASSXE. They should be able to work you through the problem.


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Security Pattern doesn't work on first attempt
On my HTC One, when I enter the correct security pattern, it doesn't always unlock the phone. No error message will be presented either. Basically nothing happens once the correct pattern has been put in.
I then need to re-enter the pattern a 2nd time, and it will then unlock the phone.
Why is this happening? Is this a known issue?

just curious what about the pin or passcode lock

@user3275057 No issues with pin/passcode lock

did u try changing the pattern??

Do you have "visible pattern" turned on? It might show you what is going on.

@user3275057 Yes I have, same issue.

@DanHulme Yes I do, I'm entering the correct pattern.

Can you just try giving it 3 seconds after the screen comes on? I think it is a lag issue


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Very high mobile data usage reported by carrier, no evidence in phone
My phone is a galaxy Note II, I found out yesterday that I breached the 5 GB limit of data usage for the month when the carrier completely cut my data connections.
I went to check the reported usage in the system settings and it just shows 687 MB used for the month, the highest usage app is facebook with just a little over 100 MB used.
Now here's some facts:

Running Ditto Note 3 v 3.2 (android 4.3) (based on XXUEMK9) (Baseband: N7100XXUEMJ9)
Never used tethering this month
I always keep 3G off at night and when I'm on WIFI

How do I find out what could have caused all this data usage?
The detailed connections report from the carrier will come in 2 months so I can't know anything yet from that, I'd like to try and figure out something now.
I will be getting a data plan upgrade that will allow me 500 more MB for the month but I'm afraid that if I don't do something fast I might end up wasting all the data again, for now I'm planning of clean flashing the newest release of the rom but I'd like to know if there is some app that will let me monitor data usage in a more detailed way as it seems the built-in android graph doesn't record this hidden data that was used.

In the meantime, get an app like 3G Watchdog, which I used when I wasn't on unlimited data.  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.rgruet.android.g3watchdog

Turns out it was the carrier that messed up something as it seems I wasn't the only one to get this issue, so I didn't really use all that data.

There's a difference between the amount of data reported from your device, and from what your carrier counts. Usually, that's minor; but with bad connections and frequent retries, the difference might get bigger:
Imagine you want to transfer a 10 MB file. Android counts 10 MB, and so usually does the carrier. But with a bad connection, and, say, all data-packages had to be re-transmitted 10 times until being transferred successfully, Android might still count a 10 MB file transfer, while your carrier sees 100 MB data traffic.
I've got to admit I don't know for sure how Android calculates data transfer here, so the above might not truly reflect it (though your description suggests something like that – or an error on your carrier's side, which you might wish to check with him). The "usual differences" are that the carrier calculates in "units" (e.g. "per 10 kB block"), while Android calculates the real size. Differences here are usually not much larger than 10% on average.

I checked with the carrier and they confirmed I used 5 GB of data, I asked for the detailed reports but it will take two months to get my hands on them.
Consider that I always used the phone the same way up until now, it's hard to believe that about 600 MB can translate into 5 GB in only 15 days.

Exactly my thought. To me, the most likely cause is the carriers "counter" went havoc. I cannot imagine how Android's statistics could be that far off. Unless some malware managed to bypass it, which I consider unlikely (but not impossible). But two month for giving details feels a bit strange as well; how shall you be able to compare that with your data then?

I think something has gone wrong with the rom and caused this data usage, I hope somebody who is in the know of how android networking works can shed some light on the issue


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Are APK files saved on my device when I install from the Play Store?
I used a Nexus 7 for a couple of years and got a Nexus 10 earlier this year.  I installed a number of kids books/games on the 7 and wanted to transfer them to the 10.  Now I can't find some of them at the store.  Would the APK files still be located on the 7?

Are you rooted??

Try this instead it is easy you can send the app via bluetooth to anothe phone https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.traber.blueappsender

Try ES file explorer
Under settings select App Manager and select all apps. And select backup on the action bar below.
A backup of all apps apk is created to your SD card probably under backups folder(or check /set backup folder on your es file explorer, settings-> directory settings )
Now you've got all apps apk.. You can either transfer them through Bluetooth/Wi-Fi /USB connection
You can select system apps too if your phone's rooted

These instructions have changed a bit. You now have to click on Library, then APP, then long press the app you want, and then click backup.

I can confirm that Library>APP>Select All>Backup worked for me on an unrooted HTC One M9  - Android 6.0. Thanks @gsingh2011

If you are rooted you can go to /data/app in your file manager  and can copy the files.
If you are not rooted you can use any one of the following app

APK EXTRACTOR
BLUETOOTH APP SENDER

No, you don't need root to fetch an apk from /data/app/, see other answers, like ES File Explorer.

Sorry the rythm file manager which I am using does not show /data/app if you did not give root permission

@user32750578: you are right, this directory cannot be listed (ls) by non-elevated user. But APK files in that directory are publicly readable. Which means that  you can copy any of them if you know the name. You can use the package manager to find the name of APK you care about, or use application that takes care of that for you. Personally, I like the way ES File Explorer handles this.

BLUETOOTH APP SENDER  <= Accurate and ease to use

I strongly recommend using AppMonster (or rather AppMonster Pro) not only for this issue, but in general. It can create backups of all your installed apps, and the Pro version even offers to do so automatically on each install/update. That way you cannot only transfer .apk files to another device (as in your current case), but also have a fall-back available in case an update breaks stuff (or removed features): As AppMonster keeps multiple backups (one per install/update), you can easily revert to any version previously installed. Saved my day more than once.

Thanks for the recommendation.  I tried Bluetooth App Sender and it didn't work.

I'm using AppMonster for years, it never let me down. Dev is quite responsive and active, so I can recommend it by heart.

Everything you've bought or installed from the Play Store is listed under your account. A lot of the time apps that have been withdrawn from the Store are still visible to people who've used them before in this list:
https://play.google.com/apps
If you look down that list then you should be able to see the apps that you've installed before and push them to any of your devices.

If you're root, use any root browser and go to the path: /system/app/, there you'll find the apk files.

The APKs here are not the user-installed APKs, they are in /data/app. These are the preinstalled APKs.

I have copied some apk from /system/app/ to multiple devices and they install and run fine.

Download the app "ShareApps" from playstore and then share all the apps which you want from the older phone to the new phone using any of the sharing methods such as bluetooth, etc...


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Will I be removed from groups on WhatsApp if I upgrade to a new phone?
I was removed from all groups before when I changed my number. Will the same happen if I change my phone? This time, I have the same number but a different phone.

You retain your groups if you have the same number.
Off-topic, you may also want to check the official documentation on how to back-up and restore your chat history to the new phone.

I've just replaced my phone, with the same number, and I can no longer send messages to any groups I was in as it says I'm no longer a participant. I can still see all the historical messages however. There was about a month between my last phone dying and its replacement coming online.

Just backup your chat from
WhatsApp-> Settings-> Chat settings-> Backup conversations. This will back up your chats to a database on the WhatsApp folder of your SD card.
Copy the folder to your new phone and just install WhatsApp and activate your account from your number. Restore old chats when asked.

No, you won't be removed from the group unless you don't change to a new phone number. Your groups will remain the same with the same phone number as earlier. If the group admin deletes the group or removed you, it depends.
In case you want to restore the message from the old phone to the new phone, back up all data from the Whatsapp backups directory which contains all your message backups as a .crypt file encrypted, and copy this file to your new phone and restore all your message.

Why does a data backup needed ? can u explain..?Removing group is controlled by the group admin. So how does backing up data help?

Once,  I reset back to factory without backup on my phone. Then after that when I installed whatsapp again, My previous data completely  removed. Hence thereafter,  I backup data, before proceeding any  installation of OTA update,reset etc, which can be restored easily.

You won't be removed from groups if your number is same,

He will be in the group still even if he updates his number..

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


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Sending Video to iPhone user
What is the best way to send a video that is over the MMS allowed size to an iPhone user?  I really don't see any good way to do it besides uploading to some sort of 3rd party (youtube, gdrive, etc..) and then sharing it to them?  Even using non-mms with hangouts doesn't seem to allow me to send video that I have previously taken.
Any suggestions would be wonderful.

Email would be my first thought, followed immediately by cloud storage (well before thinking about MMS, don't even want to think what sending an MMS video costs)

@GAThrawn I get unlimited text and media stuff with my contract, but it is still depressing.  iMessage would let you send anything pretty much.

Previously I have used Sizable Send to transfer very large videos from my phone to my boss's. You can send them the download link via email or text.
Alternatively, if the video isn't very large you could use Dropbox in the same way
Depending on the file size it might take a while to transfer.

Email, or if not cloud storage or Instagram direct messaging. If you're close you could also do Bluetooth.


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Synchronize Gmail but not contacts
I have a phone with Android 4.2.2.
I want to sync my mails but not my contacts.
The problem is that it seems to be joined in my phone.
When I go to Settings > Account > Google I can activate synchronisation but not choose which one.
Does anyone knows how to do this or an app that allows this?

When you tap Google in your accounts list, the first option shows your user mail. Tap that and you will see a list of services which are getting synced. Untick Contacts and make sure Gmail is checked.


text:
list phone numbers by date added, other attributes
Is there a way to list phone numbers and contacts by date added, perhaps even location they were added in like if you travel alot and meet people along the way? Seems like a fairly simple feature in the age of relational databases
I'm willing to consider third party apps that do this too

I am unaware of apps that do this, but you can go into your Google Dashboard, and manage your contacts there. I am unaware if the date or location is recorded, or accessible, but you can view your contact list from different backup points over time.

@MattClark the google dashboard thing was interesting, helpful for other reasons but not specifically this, thanks for the contribution!


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Force Show Menu button (Soft keys)
I've updated to the latest nightly build of Pacman ROM, and then updated it through recovery (wiped: cache and Dalvik Cache) and the system boot up and everything works great but there are 2 exrea menu buttons (softkeys, on the left side of the screen, and on the right side) and actually they are a little bit dimmed. Is there amy solution to remove this extra menu soft keys?
Thanks in advance.

There is a setting for them in Interface > Navigation bar. You should read the instructions there and then proceed. It's similar to CyanogenMod.

Yeah you are right, I have found that option and even disable it, but still the problem is there. It looks like there is a problem with the ROM.

maybe , plz do me a favor , If my answer helped you , vote up plz :)


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How to identify camera app?
Is there a way to identify the stock camera app on an android device? Browsing the installed packages using Titanium Backup didn't show any package with "camera" in its name.
With the app identified, i hope to find some info or documentation regarding the app's features.
EDIT:
To be more precise - i'm trying to detect the name of the camera app that came with the device. I own a Galaxy Tab 3 and a Fairphone - the camera apps on both devices differ regarding functionality.

The camera and gallery apps are the same on Android 4.3 and below.
It got separated only on KitKat version.
So you have to look for gallery apk on titanium backup. Probably named Gallery 4.apk or Gallery 2.apk with com.android.gallery3d....as its package name

I think by "stock", the submitter means the name of the camera package that came with the phone (which likely is not google's app). Most devices come with their own flavor of a camera app, each with its own features and under its own package name.

Exactly - i'm trying to detect the name of the camera app that came with the device - i've edited my question. But thanks a lot @AlexanderTheGreat for a first answer!


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4.3 Lockscreen: How to drag on a lockscreen notification to go to that app?
I have a Samsung Note II. It used to be Android 4.2, and on the lockscreen, if I got a notification of an SMS, I could drag on that notification itself to unlock the phone and go straight to the SMS app.
Then 4.3 got rolled out and my phone updated itself. Now the lockscreen is a fancy multi-page customisable thing. But it's lost access to the key feature of letting me unlock and go straight to the source of a notification with one swipe.
Before (4.2):

Drag on the SMS notification -> Phone unlocks and goes straight to the SMS app.
Drag on the missed call notification -> Phone unlocks and goes straight to the phone call history.

Now (4.3):

Drag left or right on the SMS notification -> Lockscreen tries to switch to another page
Drag downwards on the SMS notification -> Lockscreen expands the empty space around the SMS notification to be a bigger empty space (?!)
To go to the SMS app, I have to (1) drag in the small "unlock phone" space, then (2) drag down my notifications bar from whatever app I end up in, and finally (3) tap the SMS notification.
I can't find any action that will simultaneously unlock the phone and take me straight to the SMS, or unlock the phone and take me straight to the phone call history (the source app of the notifications that are being displayed).

I guess I could install a custom lockscreen app like Celltick Start linked from question 49935. But it'd be nice if the smooth, easy functionality in the 4.2 lockscreen could still be available in 4.3 without using a custom app. Is there any way to do this?

Your method for the 4.3 lock screen is unnecessarily long. Just tap the lock screen notification, and then drag in the highlighted box to unlock.

Hm, hadn't discovered that. I thought the lockscreen was meant to ignore taps. Fair enough. It's still 2 taps when it used to be 1 before though.

The answer is indeed as Dan Hulme mentioned:

Tap once on the notification (SMS, phone etc). This makes that notification shrink and fade, when in fact it's selecting it; extremely unintuitive but that's the way they implemented it...
This makes an empty grey box appear in the bottom half of the screen with no label. What you need to do now is drag across this box. Again, no label, no instructions, no suggestion, bad UI; but it does what you want: unlock the screen and go to the app corresponding to the notification (SMS, phone, etc).

Thanks Dan for the answer.