text:
Update an app that is not in Google Play
I have an app which is currently in beta testing. With every new version I have to send it to the users, they have to download it, uninstall the previous version (sometimes), and then install the new one.
Is there a way to update an app without it being in Google Play?

While this is certainly programming-centered, it is also specifically about apk distribution, which could be permitted here.

Are you aware that recent changes to the Play Store allow developers to distribute beta versions that way?

Al Everett: WOW I did not know that!! Thanks!

@leojg https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/3131213?hl=en

You might provide them a link! A link on your website, that would provide them with the .apk file. After downloading, the user would install that file in his android phone.
After installing, the previous version is auto-deleted and the new version is installed! User data is saved. But I have never used the developer tools from Google Play. So I am not sure, whether the Google would mark it as spam or not, because some user try out Verify And Install instead of Package Installer. Verify and Install is a Google service to check whether the app is spam or not.
So I think, if the user tries Verify and Install instead of the built-in installer, he might get some errors, saying this signature is not found on Google Play! Or something like that.
But just my guess, if your beta is placed on Google Play, then they won't show up any errors, as they would find a signature on Google Play too.
Hope I am not wrong: Because I have never used either Verify and Install or Google Play Developer tools. So I might be wrong somewhere. But still there is a functionality to install apps, but that also depends whether the user is allowing the installation of Unknown Apps (Apps which are not downloaded from Google Play).

Yes, that's a solution. But could that work if the user has allow unknown origins disable?

Umm no, that won't work! user will have to first change the settings.

Always welcome for help! :)

There are multiple solutions to this. Google Play Beta has already be mentioned, but AFAIK has the (minor?) drawback that users need either to be active in G+ or Google groups (at least the former is a no-go for me, which is why I e.g. do not participate in the current SE app beta).
One alternative would be to have a link to where you host your app, always using the same name (e.g. my-latest.apk). This way you just need to drop them a note whenever you've placed a new version, and they can directly download it to their devices and install.
Another alternative would be using Aptoide, where you could establish your own repository/channel (they call it "store"). There's an app available for your users, which is similar to GooglePlayStore – which means no notices or manual checking needed, updates are signaled automatically. Aptoide (aka Bazaar) permits public and private stores, so you can chose how open your beta should be. For details, you might want to check with the introductionary video clip.

Awesome, I will check Aptoide


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How to remove other apps icons (like Skype or WhatsApp) from contact and phone app?
I would like to keep Skype Mobile installed but get rid of its icons from contacts AND/OR from being asked whether I want to make a call to the contact through Skype or other similarly annoying application. Is there any facility in Android that allows me to keep the control of that? Uncle Google isn't much helpful in that matter.
Moreover I have two Skype icons per contact on my phone. And that the thing that hits my taste.
Phone details: Sony Xperia S, Android 4.1.2

go to Settings > Accouts and choose Skype/WhatsApp > then search for each one how do you remove the sync contacts. After this your Contacts list should update not showing Skype/WhatsApp data.
As for the call using skype, you should have the option to choose Phone and click Use Always.
This is very phone dependent, so if you cannot find this options, tell us more about your phone and Android version.

I selected once "Use Always" for calls, now the simpler dialog appears with two buttons, Skype and Phone Call. It just requires to tap one of options, no additional buttons at the bottom.
I've added phone details to the question content.

Additional subquestion: Selecting remove account informs me that this will delete all related account information from the phone, is it means that it will remove my account from the Skype application itself?

Go to your Contacts app and hit the menu key - choose 'Contacts to display' - you can choose to display contacts from a single app source or click on Customized list and it's setting button to choose which app sources to show contact data from and which ones to ignore.

source: Stack Exchange

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

sort: votes


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printing solution on android which prints to a dotmatrix POS printer through **USB**
am newbie for android.
I was looking for a printing solution on android which prints to a dotmatrix POS printer through USB.
I'm able to print some non readable symbols from android tablet (through some third party apps like printhand,printershare). These apps don't have driver for this cheap printer(TVS-RP45-Shoppe).
I have a 'PPD' file of the Dotmatrix POS printer.
I need to know how to install this PPD file into android.
similar to this >> usb otg thermal printer interface to android tab with usb device But I have the PPD file.
Andoid tablet MID ST-10 Karbonn smart tab - android ICS
printer TVS-RP45-Shoppe
Trying to print programmatically like usb interfacing. any help highly appreciated .
Thank you all.

Just a suggestion, printing over a network is a lot easier, especially if it is a cheap printer and you are having USB driver issues. If you can print over a network you should try that as an alternative if you can't get it to work over USB.

Thankyou john,But the user who about to use this would not have any network fecility, and they dont want bluetooth solution also which was printing something atleast.

More over am very much interested in finding the usb solution since a newbie.
Can you tell me will it work if I gain root access and install the PPD file for the printer?
OR
Can you suggest me a way to write a code which reads PPD file from SD card and prints through usb?.
Which is possible?
Thanks.

My advice: Root your device first. Then copy that available PPD file into particular APPS driver location and proceed USB printing.

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


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AOKP Permission Manager?
I am running Paranoid Android and love it, but it is hard on battery life. So I am looking at flashing back to AOKP.
In looking around, I've seen some vague references to a "Permission Management" (such as mentioned here) in the latest AOKP... but after googling for a couple days, can find no real details on it.
Is this something that is in the current stable builds of AOKP, or is just referring to the built-in one from Android 4.3 in the latest AOKP nightlies?
If anyone can point me to an article with a some good information on this feature and its current build status, I'd be very grateful. Been missing this functionality since LBE Privacy Guard died with Jelly Bean.
Mind you, I am aware of other options such as LBE, PDroid, XPrivacy.
I'm looking specifically for more information about AOKP's permission management.
Thanks!

As you've tagged your question permissions: Did you check our permissions tag-wiki? Also, the privacy tag-wiki might prove helpful. LBE and alternatives are also dealt with in how to fake my personal information.

I'm aware of other options. I've used LBE Privacy Guard - until the great Jelly Bean Crash. And used LBE Security, but that thing is MASSIVE overkill. I'm not so much asking about the options - I'm aware of PDroid and XPrivacy. I'm more asking specifically if anyone has any links to more details about the AOKP implementation beyond that small blurb linked.

Ah – sorry, then I misunderstood your question (I fully agree on the complete overkill of LBE SM and might add it's not even as reliable as LBE PG, from the readings on XDA). You might want to add that comment to the end of your question directly to make things clear so nobody misses that ;)

Well, I've gone and flashed over to AOKP, so figured I'd update this with an answer about their Permissions management. It is found towards the bottom of the root Settings screen.
For each user-installed app it lets you turn off specific permissions. Essentially a very basic version of what LBE Privacy Guard used to let you do.
Some features that are missing:

Ability to group by a permission (e.g. Access Location) and see all apps that use it with ability to disable them in this view
Ability to change permissions on system apps (e.g. camera to disable geotagging completely)

So all in all, it's a nice feature, and more than available in most ROMs I know of without extensive modding/flashing of additional frameworks and things.
Potentially the 2nd item above could - at least in some cases - be gotten around by using something like ROM Toolbox to convert the system app to a user app... but I'm not sure what other ramifications doing so would have.

UPDATE: I wound up installing the Xposed framework and the XPrivacy module. As nice as it is having it baked into the ROM, the one built in to AOKP is very limited and doesn't let you filter to find apps using specific permissions. You have to just go through every single app manually. XPrivacy does allow you to filter/search.


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Use custom lock screen on encrypted Jelly Bean device
I recently enabled encryption on my Nexus S running Android 4.1.1. I'm aware of all the benefits and drawbacks, and device encryption is definitely something I want. It's currently working fine.
However, one small caveat I overlooked is that encryption requires a password or PIN lock screen. I assumed (somewhat foolishly) that I'd be able to change back to the lock screen of my choice once the encryption process was complete. I like using a pattern lock, because I can set it to not display any visual cues, which makes shoulder-surfing a lot more difficult. It's also quick and easy to enter a relatively complex code.
The password I used to encrypt the device was intentionally long and complex, making it something I certainly don't want to be entering every time I want to check my messages. I don't want to change it to something shorter, because increased security was the whole point of doing this in the first place.
Is there a way I can go back to using a pattern lock screen? I understand that encryption is irreversible, and I don't really want to remove it. I just want my old lock screen back.
EDIT: I notice that changing the code for my lock screen also changes the key used to decrypt the device, which I assume is why you're not allowed to use a different type of lock screen. I very specifically do not want to be using the same code to encrypt the storage as I'm using to unlock the screen. That seems like a terrible idea, and I can't believe it's really the way Android does it.

You're correctly pointing out that both passwords are connected – which was already pointed out being "bad" by several other places (including security companies). Have you checked with the XPosed framework? I know it provides modules to e.g. use the camera from the lockscreen without unlocking the device. There might be other related modules offering you some relief (I didn't check them all, so I cannot really tell – I'm just starting to play with the framework and its modules).

Maybe:
lifehacker: Three Ways to Improve Your Android's Lock Screen Security
recommending:

Picture Password
Hidden Lock

Unfortunately, native Android solution, like proposed here via "vdc cryptfs changepw newpass" seem to work only on rooted devices.

That native solution is a good find, and something I may end up adopting, but it still only solves half the problem. At least by my understanding, the OS will still restrict you to only allowing PIN/password authentication, so you still won't be able to use a different type of lockscreen.

It still doesn't bypass the password authentication.

It looks like related bug "Issue 29468: Different passwords for encryption and screen lock".

Lots of good suggestions being thrown around in those comments. It's a shame this was reported almost 2 years ago and still hasn't been fixed.

sadly, that link is authwalled. can you please post it or a mirror that is accessible without a google account?

I solved this issue by using the swype keyboard. This way I can choose an easy unlock pattern, translate it to a long and complex password on the keyboard (even with lowercase and uppercase letters) and train swype to recognize it.
Now I have to enter the complex password only once at boot time (swype is not available at boot time). To unlock the lock screen I can use my gesture and swype translates it to the complex passwort.
For the encryption process you should enter the password once letter by letter and once with your gesture. This way you can be sure that swype really produces your desired password when you use your gesture.
Works great so far on my Nexus 4 (with Android 4.4).

Interesting approach. The downside that I see though, is that Swype now has your password stored, so one has to ensure that this doesn't leak somewhere (eg, if Swype uploads your dictionaries; also, when you swype something similar to your password in say, a browser, and swype inserts your password, the browser history now potentially stores that word for a long time). But like I said, interesting idea anyway.

I use the following settings:

Settings / Security / Automatically lock 30 minutes after sleep
Settings / Security / Power button instantly locks OFF

So I have to write in my encryption and lock screen password only after 30 minutes of not using the device.
"Screen off and lock" app can be used to lock the device immediately.
I don't have any experience with "screen lock pro" app, but that should by useful based on its description.

A less than ideal solution is disabling the lock screen altogether using an app such as NoLock.


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How to get fitness apps to locate music on google music
I'm a runner. My music and playlists are on Google Music. I have all of my music downloaded to my device. I can't seem to figure out how to get apps like Runtastic or Nike+ to locate my Google Play Music. Any pointers? Do I need to manually move the files around on my device (android...Samsung GS3)?

I haven't used any of those apps, but why can't you just have your actual music apps running in the background? Google Play Music will run just fine in the background while you have your exercise app in the foreground counting your steps.

That works. It's just a hassle. The Nike+ app also has a feature where it stops the music when you stop running, which I like...but, yea...I'm being lazy.

Short answer you cant.
Google Music provides no API to access you music and playlists that are stored in the Google Music Cloud.

You can dump music from a playlist in the Samsung->Music folder and then choose to shuffle the library (or just play).  This will work similarly to a playlist from itunes/Google Music.  Use Explorer to simply copy/paste the files into the folder on your phone.

I've had the same troubles. I had an iPhone for years and didn't even consider for a moment that accessing the music through your running app would even be remotely complicated as with iOS all all just works.
When I switched to Android I found that it's actually a really difficult ask. In fact the running app i have used for years, Map My Run doesn't even have a music option so I've begrudgingly gone back to Nike + (after trying several others in the process) as this allows me to access the music on my phone whilst retaining a half decent running app in the process (something that some of the others didn't quite manage to deliver).
I now use an app called Media Monkey, which is a bit like iTunes, although closer to Winamp, to move the music I want on my phone across to the device. It's annoying as I spent hours uploading all my music to Google Play and setting up my playlists only to discover that I can't access it through the Nike + app. I pretty much only ever listen to the music on my phone when I run so the day Google Play and Nike start talking to each other will be a very happy day indeed! :)


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How to configure phone number in LG l7 (P-708)
i can't setup the phone number in:

Settings -> About phone -> Status -> My phone number

How i can change it in the LG L7 P-708?
It has installed Android 4.0.3

What you are trying to set is the MSISDN number on your SIM card. This can be quite difficult to do on Android. This site has a post detailing how it can be done on various phones (including non-Android) which if you have access to another device is probably the easiest way.
If you don't have access to another device then you could try the myphonenumber app. This is very flaky and only works on certain ROMS/devices.
The other option is to contact your operator as I believe this is something that they can set OTA, although most don't seem to know anything about it from my experience.

Greath, the solution works for Galaxy S (GTI9000)  - tested on 2.1 and 2.2 - Goto Contacts > Settings > Own Numbers > Create a new entry called My Number > reboot phone - C&P from link


text:
How to display current location on the home screen?
In my old phone I had a setting called "Area Info - cell information". When enabled it would show the location information next to the mobile network name, like:
  Vodafone
Foobar Street

I can't find this setting anywhere in Android :(

Not all carriers support this. And Android does not show this by default IMHO. If you're still with the same provider and in the same area, you might want to check your app drawer. Some have an app called "Cell Info" pre-installed (I have it e.g. on my LG Optimus 4X – but in my area this feature is not supported).
Alternatively, you might want to look for some location widgets you could place on your home screen. Several weather widgets also display your current location along with the weather reports.
If the notification area would suffice, you also could take a look at GPS Notification or GPS Status & Toolbox. These apps display your current position in the notification area as long as GPS is turned on (not sure whether you can configure that to city/street, as I didn't try them out).

GPS Notification (source: Google Play; click image for larger variant)
Another possibility would be "self-made widgets" using e.g. Zooper or UCCW. Again, I didn't try one of those, so I cannot say for sure whether they would go down to street level. But at least those widgets would go directly to your homescreen, and you can customize them heavily.

but they only display the city :(

I just updated my answer with additional possibilities. Hopefully one of those might do.


text:
Can I connect a pendrive to samsung galaxy core?
I want to connect a pendrive to my device Samsung Galaxy Core with an OTG cable. Can you explain how I can do this?

USB-OTG is seemingly not supported according to the specs over at Gsmarena's Galaxy Core page.
In contrast, see the SGS4, which offers USB on-the-go.

Can you give specific answer of my question

"Hardware no support OTG", what's unspecific about this answer?

Your device does not support OTG.
Download the below app and check for yourself.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.homesoft.otgtroubshooter
The app. detects and offers solutions to issues around USB Host and OTG cables. It's designed for the Nexus series, but should work with any Android device.
This app. does not offer support for USB devices. It simply detects whether they can be supported. It also detects certain Android bugs that may be affecting your system.

Care to summarize what that app is?

It cannot be done.
USB Devices interact with your Android phone through a protocol known as USB On-The-Go (USB-OTG for short). This protocol has to be implemented in the software (kernel) level on supported hardware. Unfortunately, the Galaxy Core does NOT have this protocol available.


text:
Can no longer access Hotmail account on Android device
Since moving from Hotmail to Outlook, I can no longer access emails on my Android device. I have installed, removed, and reinstalled the Outlook app, but despite my receiving emails daily my inbox is blank.
How to use a Hotmail account on an Android device?

Did you try adding some other hotmail account? at least for the sake of checking? And is your emails on a custom domain or hotmail's generic domain?

Usual solution is to remove and re-add the account, on your mobile Outlook.com.
Generally that works.
(Obviously you will lose any mails and unsent outgoing mails (manually save unsent outgoing mails first with some file-manager app, if you need them)).
Be warned: Outlook.com's Android sync is very brittle, and their support is nearly non-existent.
Beware of taking over-the-wire Android updates.

But where is the 'Outgoing' folder?

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


text:
Search a PDF for a specific phrase
Is there a way to search the text of PDFs? For example I want to be taken to the page with the word "dog" and have it highlighted? I can't find a way with Amazon Kindle or ezPDF reader. Initially I made this question app specific but at this point I don't care; I will use any app that can search PDFs.
The PDF can be searched on my desktop computer.

Amazon Kindle App does not support PDF search. Its only applicable for your kindle ebooks.

I think it depends on the PDF, if it is searchable or not, for ezPDF does have a search function that highlight the searched text, as you can see in the image below:

Screenshot (click image for larger variant)
And there are many other applications that can highlight a searched text in PDF, like Adobe Reader, MoonReader+, Quickoffice, etc.


text:
How to turn on notification light at N4?
I have just bought a Nexus 4 and the notification light doesn't work. I have checked the display and put a tick on notification light but still no light.. even when I put it on charge the light doesn't come on. Does the notification light require the internet? I have a temporary problem with my internet line...

Notification light turns only when there is a notification for say Facebook or Gmail etc not for charging and all.
There is no option of turning on the notification light at the time of charging in stock so if you need it then you can use Light Flow
It allows to put custom LED color at different events.


text:
Stream from my Android over Wifi to my amp
I have an HTC One and I would like to stream music over wifi via any player app (PowerAmp, Google Play, etc..) to a stereo amp.
I looked into Nexus Q, Sonos and more. Which one will actually support any player app in my device, letting me stream the music smoothly straight forward to my amp?

I am looking for the same solution and the only thing I have come up with is the Sonus Connect.  It sells for around $300.  Have not tried it yet, but seems to fit what you are looking for.  Basically you would transmit audio from your phone to the sonus connect.  The sonus connect would be wired to the amp and the amp to the speakers.


text:
I can't restore my contacts from my Google account
I got a new phone today same as I had before its a Sony Xperia T I had all my contacts backed up to my Google account but now I can't import them to this phone from my Google account when I sync my contacts nothing is happening does anybody have any idea what I should do?
it always work fine on my other phone when I factory reset it, then when I go to my contacts it's right there to import from Google account, on this phone it's the same but my contacts don't come in there

Are you sure you've marked Google contacts to show in your people or contact list? There might be an option to choose which contacts to show like SIM contacts, Google contacts, Facebook contacts,... in your Phone app.

Log in to your Google account, use the Play Store or Gmail app. Go to Settings > Accounts and Synch and then go to 'Contacts' and hit 'Synch now'. Your contacts will be under your GOOGLE account.  The button may be called something different or just be a 'synch' icon (2 curved arrorws in a circle) but should do the trick. If you have any issues let me know and I'll see what can be done!


text:
How can I read Chinese characters sent using messaging?
My mother sends texts in mostly Chinese due to her lack of knowledge on the English language. However, it seems like it can only be seen on iDevices, and not my Android running CyanogenMod 10.2. The text simply isn't displayed, only the English words are shown. Is it possible for me to display said Chinese text, preferably without installing mods?

Do the chinese characters appear correctly in instant messaging apps?

No, default messaging app shows it as spaces, skype shows it as rectangles.


text:
Nexus 4 rooting troubles

Installed superSu via Clockword Mod from here.
/system/xbin/su exists
SuperSu Error / Output of Root Checker:

Screenshots (click images for larger variants)
What next steps would you guys recommend?

possible duplicate of Can I get root access on my Nexus 4 without installing custom bootloader, recovery or ROM?

That question is NOTHING alike, no offence, but did you read my question?

No offense, but did you search google for the rooting procedure in the first place? It's a nexus and it shouldn't be too hard.

Considering my question references clockwork mod, superSu, and the su executable (and it's path), you can conclude that I have a reasonable understanding of rooting.


text:
"Unfortunately, Clock has stopped" when trying to create or edit alarm
Recently I started to face a very weird bug.
Whenever I try to tap on Create alarm button, or on existing alarm
I am getting this "Unfortunately, Clock has stopped"
This is a system app I don't know what to do now.
What it could be?
What I tried:

Delete Data from App Manager
Clear cache
Restart the smartphone

Some info:

default (but upgraded) firmware  - Android 4.1.2
Device Galaxy Note II GT-N7100

Can you use adb logcat to get more information about the crash?

So finally I was able to fix this weirdo.
Since this answer doesnt really tell what was causing this. I will remark any further answers if they can tell what was the problem
I will just describe what I did.

Root your device
Install Clean Master
Give it the root access (it will ask itself)
Remove all bloatware
Run cleaning routines
Hope that it helped you

I had a similar problem but on another device, though try if it can fix your problem this is the what I did:
I opened the Terminal Emulator and typed:
$ su
# logcat

Then I held 'Volume down' (a.k.a. Ctrl) and 'c' to stop the output. I scrolled a bit up in the output and found a line that said:
E/SQLiteOpenHelper( 5231): Couldn't open alarms.db for writing (will try read-only):
E/SQLiteOpenHelper( 5231): android.database.sqlite.SQLiteException: Can't downgrade database from version 7 to 5

OK, so this is where it's breaking. I wasn't really interested in finding out what should the proper combination of ownership/permissions for the file as I didn't really trust it would end just here, downgrading database version offers a range of situations that can go wrong. And since I don't really care for my past alarm clock times, I got rid of the old database:
# cd /data/data/com.android.deskclock/databases
# mv alarms.db alarms.db.bak

otherwise at the time I looked out for this problem the only other solution I saw was to wipe and restore my phone.
If you do so, don't forget to backup all your data first!
Good luck, I hope it helped you or someone.

just a note: device has to be rooted

I finally rooted my device and tried this solution. I couldn't see the problem: "E/SQLiteOpenHelper" but still wanted to try. though the package called "com.android.app.clockpackage" instead of "com.android.deskclock" and alarms.db is called alarm.db in my case this didn't help

Clock has stopped when editting or creating alarm after updating to Lollipop.
I notice the solution for me is this issue only occur when my phone is in silent.
You can edit the alarm or create another alarm when your phone is not in silent mode.
other solution is do not put your phone in silent mode instead put the volume down

Make sure your phone isn't on silent! I had the same problem until i realized that i was using the profile Silent and for some reason this didn't allow me to set the alarm. After changing to Default profile the problem was fixed.

I tried it with no success. There's probably another reason. Anyway, recently my device has started to be slower than usual, probably there's some hardware error I suspect it's a system flash memory problem.

This weird phenomenon came into my phone too..(Huawei honor6)
This might be helpful to those who are panic struck!
There is no need to worry..just follow the given below instructions and that might allow you to access the clocks again .
Clear cache data...either by using app or system app
Turn up the phone volumes
And if the above two doesn't work just reboot your phone....
Hope this helps you recover your accessibility to clocks

this didn't help me

I just called Verizon Wireless tech support back. The guy had seen this problem once before and found a fix for it. I haven't seen this fix posted on any website, but it worked immediately. Please let me know if this works for you
Go to Settings--Date and Time--Select Date Format, and then choose a date format. Once I picked 'regional' the clock worked without the error "unfortunately, clock has stopped"
Before I tried clearing cache and doing a factory reset You don't have to do this if this "choose date format" works. Please comment and let me know if this helped you. I'm curious if this will work across the board. Maybe even for phones other than Samsung Galaxy S4. I'm stoked!

It didn't work for me. I have an LG Magna.

I had a similar problem on my fresh S5 (after manually adding an adb backup, so the data might not have been so fresh after all). However, I managed to get rid of the problem without rooting the device:
This is what helped me solve the issue:
$ logcat
...
D/MediaProvider(29294): Upgrading media database from version 601 to 713
...
E/DatabaseUtils(29294): android.database.sqlite.SQLiteException: ...

Apparently, a database upgrade failed (so yes, android or some app does attempt to solve these kind of problem but do not interact with the user in any meaningful way, i.e. offer a fresh reset). However, the culprit here, the media database could be reset via the app manager (media storage app).
I hope this helps others that get into this issue.

After DB deletions, cache and Dalvic cache clearing, Silent mode was the culprit.


text:
Screen turns black during call after adding SD card
I have a Colours X120Q (Shine II) running Android 4.2.1.
Phone calls worked fine before I added a SD card in the device, after which the screen started turning black (shutting off) during calls. This behaviour continued even after I removed the SD card. There are no apparent setting for proximity sensors nor are there any options in the call setting of the phone application.
What can I do other than restoring factory settings?

This is expected behaviour. The screen turns off during a call to prevent you from accidentally pressing on the screen.
I don't know if it possible to turn this off without rooting. It seems on some Samsung firmwares there is an option within the phone app but if you have checked there then I don't think it's possible.

Thanks. Shouldn't this behaviour activate only when the proximity sensor is activated? Shouldn't this behaviour cease whenever the power or other button is pressed? Currently AndroSensor shows 0.0in proximity.

I removed the film where the sensor is at. The problem is practically solved. However I don't get why it started only after I added a SD Card?


text:
What video chat works between the Android and iOS?
What video chat works between the Android and iOS? For example between a Samsung Galaxy and iPhone.

Skype and Hangouts should work. There are probably other apps too, but you can google them yourself

Is Hangout available on iOS?

Yes. https://itunes.apple.com/in/app/hangouts/id643496868?mt=8

You should try Skype, The best way to achieve Video Calls over the phone , Free and Easy to use

authors: พีรดา ตัณสุเทพ


text:
Does Google Nexus 4 work in India?
I am planning to buy a Nexus 4 from US and want to use it in India.
Should I expect any issues with this?
Is that phone compatible with all carriers in India?
Are there any power related problems?

Yes the phone is compatible with all Indian carriers. I personally use it on Vodafone.  Side note: Why are you buying it from the US when it's available here? The $200 model is sold out you know.

Maybe because it's cheaper in the US?

Because here nexus 4 is more costlier than brought from US.
Here price: 26000
US: 249$= approx 16000

There was an India-specific version released with a different Android build, including a different Radio. (Build JDQ39E).
I don't believe there are any hardware differences, and I have personally never been to India. If it doesn't work when you get it home, you may need to flash the Indian version's radio image with Fastboot.
Link for the radio (and many other radios).

Can you please tell me that what is that radio image?
And how come it affect over here(in india)?

I already specified the build number with the radio and gave a link. I don't know anything else about it, sorry.


text:
Connect Samsung Galaxy tab 2 P3100 to a GPS dongle/ Receiver
I have a Samsung galaxy tab 2 p3100. I have an android application which uses its internal GPS to get Latitude, Longitude values. But the lat, long values getting from this tab is not accurate. So I want to connect an external GPS Dongle / receiver to tab and get lat, long values from the external device instead of from tab.
I want to know is there any external GPS Dongle / receiver device that supports Galaxy tab2  or any other android device? And if yes, which is the device and how to connect it?

There are several options available to you, but make sure that you know that the app you're using supports them!
You can go with a Bluetooth GPS receiver like this one. Reviewers mention that it works with Android, but not iOS. One reviewer says it works perfectly, another says that not all apps work with it. (I'm inclined to believe that the user who mentions that it needs an app is mistaken)
You can also get a USB bluetooth receiver like this one with an OTG Cable like this, but these are designed to be used with PC hardware, so support for Android may or may not be very good.
I would personally go with the bluetooth option for convenience and because there are others who have done it with Android devices already.

Thanks for the reply. But I am afraid these devices are not available in India. I am trying to find out if I can get these in any shopping site in India. I will get back to you if I get any one for more info on these.

The same kind of devices are probably available in India, even if it's not the same brand name. The links I included are only examples.


text:
Is full device encryption possible on LG Optimus L5 II (LG-E460)?
After starting the encryption process from within the Device Policy Manager for Google Apps the device will reboot, and immediately get stuck on the boot loader while happily displaying the LG logo until it runs out of power.
Reinstalling the software image using the LG Mobile Support Tool makes no difference. It successfully installs the software, reboots the phone  - and we're back to the permanent LG logo again.
Naturally I assumed I had a problem with the specific device, so I then went ahead and bricked a second LG-E460 in the exact same way.
Any way to fix the boot problem?
While reinstalling the software made no difference, a hard factory reset (triggered by holding down power, volume down and quickset) let the device return to a bootable state.
Can the LG-E460 be set up with encryption at all? Any reason as to why it might not work? I kinda thought of storage encryption as more of a universal Android thing and never considered that a mid range phone might not have such features.
Lack of such essential security features would reduce these phones to children's toys in my eyes. Even if I could work around my personal security concerns, in these parts, full device encryption is very much a requirement to access just about any business related system or network, or even to sync contacts, schedule and mail with company services.

It's not really clear what you're asking now. Would I be right in thinking you've fixed the boot problem now, and only want to get full-device encryption working?

He asks if he can use device encryption without entering an unbootable state... (I think)

Correct, it's now clear that the encryption  (and not some coincidental issue) was causing the boot problem, and that it is possible to undo the damage through a hard reset. The remaining question is then whether it is possible to encrypt the device at all. I'll try to make the title a little more descriptive.

You probably can encrypt your device by installing CyanogenMod, and entering the following command in the Terminal Emulator app:
vdc enablecrypto inplace PASSWORD

where PASSWORD is replaced by your password. If that command won't work, try replacing inplace with wipe although be careful, since that will wipe all of your data.

I don't have any LG phones any longer, so this is just out of curiosity now: Does that mean that CyanogenMod provides software only encryption, meaning one that does not depend on any cryptography hardware
?

It would appear that TWRP provides software encryption (OpenAES) although it looks like the TWRP custom recovery don't work too well with the L5 specifically.

Encryption does not work with a custom recovery and the only way  it used to work with TWRP is now deprecated.


text:
Can I disable USB Debugging on Android smartpones from Windows via adb.exe?
I have to install Applications on dozens of android smartphones and I am currently writing a program to automate this process. I know I can't remotely enable USB Debugging, so my question is: Can I use ADB.exe to send a command to the smartphone that disables USB Debugging immediatly or puts the disable in a command queue to execute at next reboot?
Thanks

If the device in question is rooted, you can write to the system settings directly from a shell command in adb shell. The name of the setting to write depends on which Android version you have.
If your device isn't rooted, you can't change the USB debugging setting from adb or any non-system app.

It's not rooted. Thanks for the answer. Is it possible to switch usb debugging off through SQLite? Sadly I have little knowledge with Android.

No: that's the method that requires root.

Yes it is possible using ADB to disable USB debugging.
Using the appropriate shell input keyevent commands you can navigate the GUI and change the setting.

And what are those commands?


text:
can i use my android phone as a bluetooth receiver for my pc
is it possible to connect my phone with usb cable to my pc and use the phone as a Bluetooth receiver

How to use an Android device as bluetooth USB dongle?

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure this isn't possible.
If it is, then it will depend largely on the phone you have and drivers available from the community or manufacturer. It won't be something any Android phone can do, even if it does have Bluetooth, it will depend on a lot of external factors.
Alternatively, USB bluetooth dongles are very small - and inexpensive on Amazon, Newegg, or in most electronics stores and other places.

@joserodrigo If you're satisfied, don't forget to mark this as the accepted answer (with the tick/check mark on the left), so other users will know your question is answered.


text:
Can't use ADB with Nexus 4 after 4.3 update
Here's a funky issue. I've been using ADB without any problems on 4.2.1 and 4.2.2 on my Nexus 4 (Stock Android and some CM10-based ROMs). When I flashed a CM10.2-based rom (JellyBro, I believe?) a few months ago, I was never able to get ADB to work, so I restored a nandroid of my previous setup. After a while, I decided to flash the stock 4.3 image  and see if I still have the problem. I do.
The setup?

Phone: Nexus 4
Phone OS: Android 4.3 (Factory)
Computer OS: Linux Mint 15

Okay, the problem?

I cannot use ADB with my N4 on 4.3.
I cannot authorize my computer with my device.

What have you tried so far?

I just tried to use the default feature. The phone should prompt to authorize my computer, but I never get a prompt.
I checked /data/misc/adb/  and the directory was empty.

Even so, I decided to click the "Revoke USB debugging authorizations" option in Developer options.

I copied ~/.android/adbkey.pub from my Linux box and put its contents in  a new file named /data/misc/adb/adb_key on my device.

When that didn't work, I rebooted the device.
When that didn't work, I disabled/enabled ADB on the device.
When that didn't work, I killed adb on my computer, then restarted it.
When a-c didn't work, I did them all sequentially before trying again, which also didn't work.

Exactly the same as above, but put it in /data/misc/adb/adb_keys intead of adb_key (because XDA and other sites cite both filenames).
Clicked the "Revoke USB debugging authorizations" button again. Rebooted the phone, killed ADB on my computer. Still no prompts to authorize.
It only removed /data/misc/adb/adb_keys, not adb_key. So I'm pretty sure adb_key is the wrong filename (despite being cited at a frequency on par with the correct name).
Update my platform-tools and Android SDK packages. No dice.

Can't actually update; I have the most recent version (18.0.1)

Remove and reinstall platform-tools. No dice.
By the way, my permissions for the adb_keys file are 300. Owner is root. Group is root. Or in other terms:
ls -l adb_keys
-rw------- root root

Are you sure this is only happening to you on 4.3?

Yes. I have no problems after installing any 4.2 rom with recovery, or the 4.2.2 factory image with fastboot.

And it's exactly the same issue with factory 4.3 or a 4.3-based ROM?

Yes. Although I've only tried two or three roms, plus the factory image. There may be a magical rom out there somewhere that does work though.

Have you tried any other devices?

I tested adb with my girlfriend's 2012 Nexus 7 running 4.3. It had no issues at all.

Any other computers?

Unfortunately no. I only have my Linux Mint 15 box.

Okay, so that's basically the gist of it. Does anyone else have any clever ideas? (Or does anyone see where I was an idiot and made a mistake?)
File transfers over MTP also work fine.
Flashing the 20130910 nightly build of PAC-man actually gave me working ADB without the need to authorize my computer at all. This is fortunate, but the original question is still up in the air: Why can't I get it to work on stock?

Just to confirm, you've got the latest version of adb? tools/android in your SDK download doesn't show any updates available?

Indeed; As I mentioned above (although with terrible formatting), I did attempt to update, but already have the latest version.

What are the permissions on the USB device, and what does adb devices say? Sometimes different images use different USB IDs.

Try to switch the device into PTP mode (under Settings -> Storage -> USB Computer Connection and  manually select the connection mode...) and connect to computer. Let it install, switch back to USB mode and plug in again.
Update: XDA tread

No dice. Thanks though.

I had the same issue and I solved it by updating to the latest SDK tools using Android SDK Manager. The problem is actually on your adb not on your phone.

I my question, I note that I updated my platform-tools package, and also mentioned in comments that I updated to the latest version of the SDK Tools. Thanks for the suggestion though.

This worked for me at first and then it stopped working again! I reflashed my phone to a previous build to fix it temporarily!

Windows 7
To install the Android USB driver on Windows 7 for the first time:
Connect your Android-powered device to your computer's USB port.
Right-click on Computer from your desktop or Windows Explorer, and select Manage.
Select Devices in the left pane.
Locate and expand Other device in the right pane.
Right-click the device name (such as Nexus S) and select Update Driver Software. This will launch the Hardware Update Wizard.
Select Browse my computer for driver software and click Next.
Click Browse and locate the USB driver folder. (The Google USB Driver is located in \extras\google\usb_driver.)
Click Next to install the driver.

I think you're missing the important step of how you got the Google USB Driver onto your hard drive?

The OP also states that they are using Linux not Windows so I'm not sure how this helps them...

Additionally, leaving your email in a public space doesn't seem like a particularly good idea. I'll edit your answer to remove the email just so that it isn't immediately visible.


text:
Combining Facebook contacts with SIM card numbers
I have a new HTC One Mini and I can only import all of my contacts from Facebook, not just the ones I want in my phonebook contacts list, so that is really annoying.
Also, I added a few numbers to the SIM card, but I can't combine them with the Facebook contact that ubersync has come up with; I also can't add numbers to the existing Facebook contacts.
In addition, I can't edit the contacts I've added so far to the SIM card, so they can have images like in Facebook.
Adding contacts to this phone is really annoying the hell out of me, am I being stupid?

Let me explain in brief the difference between SIM storage and Phone storage. The later section will contain your solution.
There are two types of storage options for contacts, messages, etc.
SIM Storage-The contacts that will be stored in the SIM card of the service provider of your device are called SIM stored contacts.
Advantages:-

You can have your contacts safely stored and is highly portable. Even if tomorrow your phone crashes (formatting, etc.), you will have your contacts with you and don't need to search for them as when you place the SIM in another device, the contacts from the SIM memory will be displayed easily.

Your contacts will be safe and private because most applications have access to only the phone memory but not to the SIM memory, so some annoying apps cannot leak your contacts info to other third party's

Disadvantages:-

As you know, the SIM card has very limited space, so it cannot have more contacts to be stored.

Bigger names cannot be saved as there are restrictions to store a name with a limited set of characters (approximately 6 or 7).

If you lost the SIM, then you have lost all your contacts irrespective of the storage area where you stored them.

Cannot personalise the contacts stored in the SIM (adding pictures, date of birth, email id, etc.)

Double display of contact numbers (if you use what's an app like messenger, it will display double contacts: list 1 with the SIM card and 2 with the WhatsApp contacts list).

Phone storage-The contacts which are stored in the phone's storage area and have a predefined space limit by the Manufacturer are phone storage contacts.
Advantages:-

As the contacts storage area is more you can store more contacts when compared to the SIM card.

Personalise add/modify any details to your contacts (third-party apps can add photos, etc. to your contacts display).

No double display of contacts if you are using any messenger because all the details of one contact are displayed under a single name.

Apps can check your contacts in phone memory and can update it with all the relevant information.

Disadvantages:-

As your contacts are being stored on the phone memory, your contacts will not be portable because if tomorrow your phone crashes/is modified/updated, then you lose all the contacts because the complete phone memory will be wiped out.

You will lose security over your contacts as most applications have access to the phone memory and will eventually leak the data to their servers.

Now coming to the answer, you can simply combine your Facebook contacts with all the details like photos by

Step 1:-First, move all your contacts in phone memory

Step 2-Under the display option, disable view contacts from SIM (in order to avoid duplicate from SIM card).

Step 3-Next as you have your contacts on your phone, you can simply synchronize your contacts with your Facebook mobile application.

Step 4 (not necessary but good to follow)-After a complete synchronization, restart your device and then you can see the pictures of the user from the relevant apps you use.

Upload all of your sim contacts to gmail contacts with email addresses of contacts.
Then select the facebook account from the accounts and choose to sync to existing contacts.

It is currently working on my galaxy note 2.

Merge/Add your phone contacts to Google Contacts then use a service such as FullContact to update your Google Contacts with Facebook data. Then, display and use only Google Contacts on your phone and delete all the contacts saved on your device.

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


text:
Huawei Ascend P1 is sending SMS automatically everyday
I bought a Huawei Ascend P1 and installed some apps. But for the past 3-4 days, I see an alert that an SMS has been sent and 1.50 INR has been deducted. How will it unlock and send an SMS?
I found from my mobile carrier that the SMS was sent to the same number. The following apps have the SEND_SMS permission, but I am confused because most of them are system apps, and a few like WhatsApp & True Caller are trusted. I really don't understand what's going on as I see that the questions related to this topic seem different.

"Rayman Jungle Run" looks suspicious.

Rayman doesn't have SMS permission from the play store. Did you get a fake copy, or did you sideload an illegal one? That would be my first guess on it.

@RossC, Confirmed...It doesn't.

Note: As indicated by 3 answers, the real problem is indeed on Huawei. While Rayman Jungle Run is certainly suspicious, it's a red-herring on this question.

The list of apps in your screenshot includes "Rayman Jungle Run". This doesn't have any reason to send SMS messages, and the genuine game listed on Google Play doesn't require that permission.
It seems likely that you've been taken in by a fake or trojan that pretends to be the game you wanted, but in fact sends SMS to premium numbers behind your back, to make money. This is commonplace if you try to download commercial games from game piracy sites. There are also sometimes quite convincing fakes on Google Play.
Uninstall the app immediately. If the messages stop, and you're convinced that was the culprit, you should report it to the site you downloaded it from. If you downloaded it from Google Play, then you can report it directly within the Play Store app, and Google will remove it.
If your country has a government agency responsible for policing premium phone and SMS services, you should report the app and the number it sent messages to to that agency. They'll want to know that the SMS number has been used for fraudulent purposes, and may be able to shut down the company that originated the scam.

Thankyou so much for your answer I'llcheck it.. but for my problem I got solution please see my answer.

I found the problematical app. This is related to Huawei's app.
After searching/tracing the number, I found that the number the SMS was sent to was Huawei Server number. It will work like this:
When you put SIM card for the first time, it will auto send an SMS to that number for registering the start of warranty period. But in my case, I am facing network issues, so whenever my network disconnects & reestablishes, it will send SMS every time it happens. I only cannot figure out why it's still sending SMS if it's one time process.
Anyway, there is an app in my list called com.android.huawei.gpms which is responsible for this activity. So I simply go to Settings - Apps - All - com.android.huawei.gpms - Disable, and that weird problem was solved for now.

It is not a any app or virus, It is defect of Huawei software, you need to install fix available at Huawei support->Download site "Auto Sms Fixed Software"
http://www.huaweidevice.co.in/Support/Downloads/

As @saurin said, it is due to a bug, and they released update.
Here is snapshot of reply email from Huawei with instructions.

Glad it is fixed. Please mark your or @saurin's solution as answer.


text:
Migrating data from a Galaxy S3 Mini to a normal Galaxy S3?
My sister has a Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini, but for whatever reason she threw her money away purchasing a regular Galaxy S3 yesterday, saying she prefer the bigger form factor. (I'm not gonna get into that.)
She asked me yesterday if there is any way to move her currently stored data in the S3 Mini to the regular S3 phone (both of which, I figure, are running the same 'Droid version). This basically encompasses contacts, messages, and app data (like notes and so on), but not necessarily the apps themselves.
I am a complete neophyte in Android stuff, since the only thing I've done in it is basically rooting an old Xperia X8 phone running 2.1 Éclair in order to have screenshot utilities work and to be able to delete the disgusting default home screen UI the phone has, and even most of that was done for me by someone else.
If this can't be done, I'll settle for being able to move the contacts from one phone to the other and screw everything else. ¬_¬


text:
stuck on logo, cwm recovery not showing
I recently tried to install cwm recovery on my qmobile a2 (mtk) phone, according to the method stated in xda forum for my device.
I don't know what I did wrong, but now when I restart my mobile to recovery mode, the logo appears and is just stuck on that.  Cwm menu is not showing.  I didn't make a backup of the stock recovery.
I tried to install cwm 5, cwm 6, and others with many methods like spflash tool, rom manager, mtk, mobile uncle tools, etc. but still no luck.
Many users have installed cwm in the same mobile that I have why I am stuck.
Is there a manual way that I can delete the system recovery and put my cwm recovery to that directory in which it is located?  or please give me a suggestion.

I edited your question to make it more clear what your problem is.  Please let me know if I dropped anything you considered relevant to the problem.

@user2232093 I am was also having same problem and I did it with AIO FLASHER software which you need to install in PC and in fastboot mode U can connect your mobile to PC and Go in recovery mode from PC and Flash the rom

So a new Qmobile User?
Let me explain buddy! The ROMs you get from these developers (INCPak for example) are neither tested nor developed correctly. They just create a ROM and upload it somewhere just to show off there names.
What you are facing is something like a ROM issue, the ROM you installed is not able to access the kernel or firmware or blabla, or is having some other issues.
I would like to advise you to please reinstall the ROM! If you can. Secondly please try to understand that when you install a new ROM, everything from previous ROM is removed, and new are installed (flashed). So, when you install a new ROM CWM is also removed, and Stock Recovery is placed there! So you cannot access CWM now. And unfortunately you know that when you are not able to use CWM you cannot flash new ROMs (without any issues; stock ROMs can also update the firmware or other stuff).
Now what happened to your phone is, that its not bricked! If it was bricked, then it might not even had started as the name suggests "Brick". Its working but accessing the cache, or booloader! You must try to wipe everything!
What you can do will be: Reinstall the ROM but this time try to Wipe out all Data,

Wipe Data/ Factory Reset
Wipe Cache
Advanced --> Wide dalvik cache
Install ROM from SDCard --> Choose --> rom_name.zip

I try this everytime to install the ROM for my Qmobile Noir A8 (yes, I was bit by same snake named INCPak). So this method should work!
You cannot replace the system files, without being Rooted! And you said you are having a new ROM, so this is almost impossible! However, if you manage to remove this CWM, and go back to the basic recovery, you might get lucky to replace the CWM by using the Install zip from SDCard and enter the zip for CWM
And believe me, never ever try to flash a ROM created or shared by them! They are not developers they are kid messing stuff out! Try to spread this message too.
Hope you get something, if not the stock rom, then atleast some ROM to run your phone!

i didn't flashed rom i just flashed recovery
and my recovery is not working so how can wipe data as i am unable to goto recovery mode ;(

Ok, for that! Can you get back to your phone? Also check! is your phone able to boot?

yeah i can reboot and use it just recovery is not opening :(

Oh, then you can try to do a factory reset!

when i do factory reset it restarts and again stucks on logo :'(

And at the same time, you have also voided your warranty! :(

@AfzaalAhmadZeeshan Can you please tell me, where can I get the original ROM for Qmobile A8? I am facing the same issue. I have followed your steps, at the end it turned out that I haven't got the ROM in my SD Card. So could you please tell me where can I get that?

Which method did you use to install CWM Recovery? This guide states that installing from ROM Manager isn't ok.
Personally, I didn't get my MTK device working with CWM recovery. You should probably try some other recoveries (e.g. TWRP) and flash it through spflashtool (as the most stable method).


text:
How can I determine the space used by contacts on my Android device?
How can I see how much space my contacts data is using on Android, including pictures? I have quite a lot contacts (~2500).
I have four android devices (2.1, 2.3, and 4.0.4). Only one of those is rooted.

Go to the Settings app (not the settings in the Contacts app). Go to the list of apps (Apps or Applications manager) and change from Downloaded to All. Find an app in the list called Contacts storage and click on it. There you can see how much storage it's using. Since this app only stores your contacts, all that storage is being used for your contacts. (Actually, it takes up some space even when you have no contacts, but only about 4kB.)

Still works in Android 6.


text:
AFWall+ allow DHCP+DNS services without allow all root?
Picked up AFWall+ today when heard it is the fork of Droidwall (which had been sold off to Avast).
Bonus is that AFWall+ has an entry for "(Tethering) - DHCP+DNS services".
Problem is that entry doesn't work unless I also allow "(root) - Applications running as root".  ("Doesn't work"=connecting device gives error "Avoided poor internet connection".)
I believe the following script would still require root to be allowed, but unsure.
$IPTABLES -A "afwall-wifi" -p TCP --destination-port 67 -j RETURN || exit
$IPTABLES -A "afwall-wifi" -p UDP --destination-port 67 -j RETURN || exit

(Built from:
DroidWall and Wireless Tethering and
https://github.com/ukanth/afwall/wiki/CustomScripts )
The goal is to not blanket whitelist all Root apps, but still allow DCHP/DNS out over the Wi-Fi interface (phone as wifi hot spot).
Is this even possible?  If so, how so?
(Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III SPH-L710 running Avatar nightly_3.1-658-20130823-NIGHTLY-d2spr , based on CM 10.1 , android 4.2.2 )

On my stock Android 4.2.1, I don't need to allow (Tethering) - DNS+DHCP service, let alone (root) - Applications running as root for DHCP/DNS over Wifi hostpot in AFwall+. My system can get the IP easily but would not connect to internet unless I change my system's DNS setting to some public DNS like 8.8.8.8. It is a fix that I once saw on a forum.
That said, my system would not receive the IP from my other two devices running Android 4.4.4 if I don't allow (Tethering) - DNS+DHCP service. Even then, I still have to tweak that DNS setting to browse the Internet on my system.
I don't know the reason for such behavior, but never ever I needed to allow (root) - Applications running as root or those IP-tables rules you mentioned.


text:
Making notifications easier to hear when listening to music
I would like to find some way to make it more likely for me to hear my notifications (mostly incoming SMS) while I'm playing music on my phone.
The phone does vibrate, but that is of little help if I'm not very close to it. And it does play the notification sound, but it easily gets lost among the music. It's very frustrating to miss a text message and answer it way too late even though you were right next to your phone.
Ideally, I'd want to make it so that the music's volume is cut for about a second of silence, then the notification sound would play, followed by another second of silence, and then the music would come back.
Actually that's the only solution I can think of, but I don't know everything. Surely, it's possible, since most media apps are able to cut their volume to play the ringtone if a call comes during playback. But does there exist a solution?
Details
Google Nexus 4
Android 4.3
Music applications in cause
(though I wish this not to be necessary, since a cross-application solution is required to be practical with several applications)

AlarmDroid (Internet radio stream)
TuneIn Radio
Rocket Player


text:
Can I "purchase" a free book from the Store without providing a credit card number?
There are a few books on Google Play that are free. Can I obtain said books without providing a credit card number?

I don't think so. You need a Google Wallet account and that needs at least one credit card. Your only other option is probably to have a gift card balance, but admittedly I've not tried that.

Give it a try maybe?

debit card also works. no need for bank accounts and even students can get one.

Looks like it depends on the book. From Google Play support:

Downloading free music, TV shows, and certain free books and magazines is still considered a transaction, even when the price of the item is $0.00. If you don't have a credit card associated to your Google Wallet account or if you don't haven't set up a Google Wallet account, you'll be prompted to add a new payment method upon when downloading certain content from Google Play.

Google has released an app called Google Opinion Rewards. With this, users can get a couple cents at a time, which allows them to "purchase" these books now.

Can you download the app without a credit card?

@RobertHarvey Yep, you can download free apps on the Play Store without a credit card.

How do you do that?  Do you just hit "skip" when they ask you for a credit card?

I was not sure about the working of the App, but I installed, registered and answered first dummy survey. After around half an hour I got actual survey, which credited 10/-. This can be used for test/free purchases.

No you cannot read them with out providing your credit card details.
You have to provide them or use Google Wallet.

Please don't use txtspk.

It seems that it used to be possible to register with a generated card number. You can get those for example here: http://www.darkcoding.net/credit-card-numbers/
See How to get Google Music Without Credit Card for Free Music.
Unfortunately I am not able to register a generated card number any more. It seems that Google started to perform additional checks of the numbers.

Simply, No you cannot.
A sad fact really, as many youngsters want to read through their phone and this limits many to do so.

What did this answer provide that the others don't?


text:
App drawer on stock Android not alphabetized
I have a Nexus 4 with stock Android and no modifications. I installed a flashlight app and for some reason it is first in my app drawer despite it starting with a "f" and not an "a". As a developer I find this intriguing. Does anybody know how this developer managed to put his app first in the drawer or is this some type of bug?

I can't say for sure, but there's probably a zero-width non-breaking space, or some other invisible or unprintable character, at the start of the label, causing it to sort ahead of normal characters.

I tend to agree with Dan. I also note that this app has a worrying number of app permissions for a simple flashlight app. Why, for instance, does it need access to change system settings or to read external storage? I recommend you dump it and get something else, and not just for the annoying end-around of alpha sorting.

@AlEverett good point

I had the same problem with the same app. I uninstalled it after reading Al's post.


text:
Loudspeaker on HTC One does not work while using Skype
I have an HTC One and I have Skype installed on it. I tried calling another Skype user who has a Samsung Galaxy S3, and chatting to her on Skype works fine, but while on a call the HTC switches its loudspeaker off.  I have to put the phone to my ear to hear the other person, which makes video chat impossible.
I haven't tried un-installing and reinstalling Skype yet in case it causes more problems.  There are no settings within Skype while you're using it that allows you to switch loudspeaker on/off.  Only for video and microphone are these options available.
Does anyone know why is this happening?


text:
Chinese Galaxy note has no google account
I am using a Galaxy note [GT i9220], it has samsung account for cloud synchronization but no google account.
I9220ZCLSF
It supports Chinese / Korean / English language only.
using Android 4.1.2
It seems I could set up gmail through exchange synchronization which is not so efficient.

Is there a way to enable google account ?
Once solved, can I sync contact both to Samsung and Gooogle cloud ?

UPDATE: I just want a google account for email, addressbook and calendar sync. Do I necessarily need to flash cyanogen mod to enable google account ?


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What material is Note II screen
I made a little bit of research and I didn't find anything conclusive.
It is not listed in Gorilla Glass list. But somewhere I found its screen is glass, but someone else reported he scratched its screen keeping the device in his pocket without protection.
From a practical point of view how easily will the screen get any scratch if no protection film or case is used?

Due to a disclosure agreement, Corning (who make about 90% of screens) will not answer any questions on what devices use their technology. However, Samsung have said: "GT-N7100 does not have Gorilla Glass 2. Thank you for your interest."
That doesn't say who makes it or what type of material it is I'm afraid. However, from friends and others I would say get a screen protector, it is MORE scratch prone than say the S4 (G Glass 3) but not more than the average device. Just remember the screen is BIG and that gives it more leverage if it is in a tight pocket / bag and is likely to have more force on it in these situations.
I'll keep looking and update if I find out!

Any links? This isn't wikipedia or anything (no "citation needed"), but I'd enjoy reading the articles that talk about the non-disclosure agreement.

Nothing concrete I'm afraid, I just know people there. Anything online is just speculation on XDA / Android forums. It's weird that it isn't something that you are told upfront. It has a such and such processor, it has mystery screen, it has a blah GPU etc. I don't get it, but I'll get digging for you! :) Speaking of wiki they have it on their list of devices that DO have it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_devices_with_Gorilla_Glass    I'm at a loss here, Samsung say one thing, Corning say nothing, and now this!


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How can I ensure reliable updates for an Android phone/device?
My Android phone has been abandoned by the manufacturer and carrier. It's stuck on 2.2, and doesn't seem likely to get any updates in the future, nor can I find updated ROMs for it.
I'd be willing to purchase a new phone, but how can I ensure that it will be supported? Does Google, or any carrier, or any manufacturer, make any guarantees about providing timely updates for their phones?

No manufacturer makes any promises about future system updates for a device. They would shoot themselves in the foot if they would, because if the device fails to get a good market share the resources needed to keep an device up to date would be  lost.
I order to ensure that you get updates for your Android devices you have basically two options:

Go with a Google device, that is the ones sold as Nexus. Those devices usually receive Android updates first and for a long time span (~2-3 years)
Pick a device which has an established active mod community or is likely to get one. For example Samsung's Galaxy S was a massive success, it was one of the most sold Smartphones at a time. This is a massive incentive for modders to work on the device and deliver a good quality mod, like Cyanogenmod.

If you go with 2., you could for example go to the Cyanogenmod site an research which devices they currently support. Also try to get a feeling how good the device is supported, how active the maintainer for the device is.

If I try to pick a device with a likely mod community, is it more useful to pick a device with similar internals to the Nexus devices?

Not necessary, but something to consider. For example the Galaxy S has such a good mod support because Google release the sources (including hw drivers) for the Nexus S, which is basically the Galaxy S with minor modifications.

Do I understand correctly that the support for the Nexus devices is in the AOSP releases, or are the open source releases device-free, and the device support is added in later?

IIRC AOSP just comes with drivers from the linux kernel. But often the hardware used in mobile devices requires proprietary drivers.

Which nexus devices have received 4 years of updates? The nexus S, announced late 2010, is no longer supported and was last updated to 4.1.2.

Correct, I edited my post. 4 years was maybe to optimistic.

@Flow: So, AOSP, as released, does not contain the needed drivers for any device, even the Nexus devices? (I was thinking that if I got a device as close as possible to the Nexus, that AOSP Builds for that device would come sooner, as it would require less work. If AOSP come with no drivers, then that doesn't help any.)

The only devices that you can be confident about getting timely updates for are Nexus devices. These tend to get updates for at least 18 months and they receive them as soon as Google releases them (they're essentially Google devices made by other manufacturers).
All other manufacturers take a while to release an update once it is released by Google, typical 3+ months. They also have less incentive to release updates as they want you to buy their latest-and-greatest new phone.

I'd +1000 if I could. Fortunately, Google's push to divorce Google Play Services from the underlying OS is making not having the latest-and-greatest OS version less of an issue.

I really want a device with a hardware keyboard, and none of the Nexus phones have one. The last Google phone to come with one was the G2. :-(

IMHO hardware keyboards are overrated. I also tough once so, but given the size of the current displays, a on screen keyboard is also very useable when it comes to fast typing.


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Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 port name
What is the name of the flat port (that you use for charging) that comes with Samsung Galaxy Tab 2? I bough a USB keyboard and I'm looking forward to buy an adapter for it.
I'll attatch some images of the port I've found on the internet:

Wikipedia just refers to it as the "Samsung proprietary connector"

If you're looking to buy a cable that you can use to attach a USB keyboard to that connector, then everywhere I've seen calls it something like a "30-pin Samsung socket", and the cables are called something like "30-pin to USB OTG adapter cable" or "USB OTG Adapter Cable for Samsung Galaxy Tab 2", eg examples on Amazon.com, or on eBay.com.
Samsung themselves either seem to avoid naming the port when they're selling their official adapters and cables that plug into it, or just call it a "30 Pin": "Galaxy Tab Adapters" or "Galaxy Tab™ Data Cable (Charging) USB to 30 Pin"

The Galaxy Tab 2 user manual merely calls it the "multifunction jack". Link is to the pdf file. See the diagram on page 17.


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Control PDF presentations on Linux -- Samsung Galaxy Note 2
I use LaTeX for all my presentations and therefore use a PDF viewer as my presentation software. I would like to be able to control my PDF presentations using my Galaxy Note 2. I'm looking for an app. to help me do that.
Features I need

Navigate slides from phone.
See slide preview on phone.
Linux compatible.

Bonus features

Ability to annotate slides using S-Pen.
PDF-viewer agnosticism (i.e. works with most/all PDF viewers).
Free.

Connectivity with either Bluetooth or WiFi would be acceptable.
Is there such an app. around? Barring that, is there a general purpose Linux remote around?

Try gremote, it's good for presentation, but difficult to configure

Anyremote for Android

Can you edit your comment into your answer. Also, please try to add more details and links to the app in Google Play.


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How do I install Google Apps 20130812 into CyanogenMod 10.1 (Android 4.2.2)?
I am attempting to install the Google Apps (gapps) 20130812 update for Android 4.2.2 on my Samsung Galaxy Fascinate which is running CyanogenMod 10.1-20130723-NIGHTLY-fascinatemtd utilizing ClockworkMod v4.0.1.0. I have pushed the gapps-jb-20130812-signed.zip file to the device's SD-Card.
Once I have booted into ClockworkMod I select install zip from sdcard then chosse zip from sdcard then select gapps-jb-20130812-signed.zip and confirm that I am sure I want to install. ClockworkMod then goes through the process of installing Google Apps for Android 4.2.2 and indicates that it succeeded in doing so.

When I reboot the Fascinate none of the gapps are listed. What am I missing? How do I install Google Apps 20130812 into CyanogenMod 10.1 (Android 4.2.2)?

You mean, after the installation you boot into phone and there is no google market?

@Rat2000 exactly. After installing in ClockworkMod and rebooting into CyanogenMod there are no Google Apps, market or otherwise.

And you are positive that the installation finishes successfully? I mean this is very strange what you are saying here. In the thread from where you downloaded the app, isn't there any gapps posted? mayby you need another link or smth

@Rat2000 is there a way to take a screenshot while running ClockworkMod? If not I can just take a picture of the phone.

No you do not need to take a picture, if you read on the screen that the instalation was successful I belive you. Did you try and download the gapps again from the website?

In CWM recovery try going into Mounts menu and mounting the /system partition before flashing the gapps zip.

@Chahk when I tried to mount /system I received the message Error mounting /system!. Regardless I tried to install the gapps again and as you might expect it did not work.

@Rat2000 I decided to upload a picture because there are some other messages accompanying the installation success message. Those messages appear when I load the install from zip screen.

Mayby it would be better if you reinstall CM completle, wipe dalvik cache and partitions and download again gapps and install it.

Error while mounting /system partition is bad.  I would also recommend starting clean.  Also, it would be beneficial to check if there is an updated version of the Recovery image for your Fascinate available.

@Rat2000 I am using jt1134's ClockworkMod Recovery which is recommended on CyanogemMod page for installing CM on a Fascinate device. Is there a better version of ClockworkMod I should be using?

@Chahk where can I find recent Recovery images for my Fascinate? As indicated above not having a ton of luck with my Googlfu.

Good question.  The latest version on the official page seems to be even older than the one you are using (3.0.0.8), but I'd try that anyway.  Try the version from this thread.  Worst case - you can always revert back to stock and start again.

I had this problem. Apparently when you boot into recovery with the 3-button-method, you can't install zips. No idea why.
Solutions to try:

Enable Reboot into Recovery in Power Menu. First, enable Developer Options by going to Settings > About phone > tap Build number a bunch of times. Then go to Settings > Developer Options > Advanced Reboot. Then power down and select Reboot into Recovery. This option never appeared on the Power Menu for me. No idea why.
Use ADB to reboot into recovery. Enable USB (Android) debugging via Developer Options. I gave root access to Apps and ADB also. Plug device into USB port on laptop with ADB. Enter this into your terminal:
adb reboot recovery

If you haven't installed ADB, I would try here first if you're on Ubuntu or Debian: http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Doc:_adb_intro

actually the option number 2 worked where you have to enable the recovery from power menu than it will flash successfully and all will be well. Thanks

The "Error mounting /system" line seems a bit off as I believe that's where the gapps update is applied. If you mount /system manually, what happens? You'll find the option at 'mounts and storage' > '- mount /system'
If you're successful in mounting it, try installing the gapps zip file again.

It fails when trying to mount. That error is left over from trying to manually mount.

My solution was to flash back to Factory Rom (EH03 Gingerbread). Reinstalled CWM and SU, then flashed CM 10.1 once more from SD Card.  CWM returns to boot option menu after install, at which point I installed gapps BEFORE rebooting into fresh flash of 10.1 - Problem solved.

Do you aware of these,20130812
MD5: 5f22f046e37038a3856eeb825e73d4ed
Not compatible with 4.3.x!
Not recommended for 4.2.1.
Does not include GalleryGoogle, meaning no Photosphere-equipped Camera app.
Gmail added to package (for those who could not download through Play Store) and updated to 4.5.2-714156.
Google+ added to package (to fix Location map tiles bug) and updated to 4.1.0.50809204.
Google Play Services updated to 3.2.25.
Google Play Store updated to 4.3.11.
Google Search updated to 2.6.7.721924.
TalkBack updated to 3.4.0.
for more details please refer this link

He is installing the correct package

I got that issue when moving from c10.0.1 to 0.2.
I have to re-flash it and worked for me. Try it now.

Not sure if you managed to resolve this but I had the same problem and found a fix.
First, I had to flash using rt4formatter, then mount /system and then flash the google apps. This worked for some of my google services but still missing google play and and other things. Only gmail and calender were installed.

Unfortunately, I have not resolved the issue. In fact I think I bricked the phone in the process and have not got back around to trying to fix. When I Googled rt4formatter I only found this page. Do you have a link to it?

This doesn't seem like much of a fix if it only installed Gmail and Google calendar (and I also cannot find this "rt4formatter" anywhere on the Internet).


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OpenVPN vs built in vpn
I am running an openvpn server with open key infrastructure at home that I connect to whenever I'm away. I am at the moment running this via the official openvpn client app, but found that there is a vpn setting in the system settings. Are there any advantages with one over the other, or could I just get rid of the extra app and go with the "native" option?
I am using cyanogenmod 10.1.3-RC2-I9300 4.2.2 on a Samsung Galaxy S3

What do you mean by "official OpenVPN client app?"

I don't really remember what I meant.

I used to use PPTP, but switched to OpenVPN, which is now what I prefer.
As far as security, OpenVPN is known to be pretty bulletproof. PPTP is the only one with real issues, though it's still fine for protecting against your average dope using Firesheep at Starbucks.
Given the recent NSA revelations I personally wouldn't touch the ones by Cisco and/or Microsoft (PPTP, L2TP) with a 10 foot pole. The other ones supported by Android were designed in the open by committee (the IETF), which I know nothing about other than we now know the NSA tried to influence that kind of thing. But I think it's unlikely they seriously broke them if they tried so whether that bothers you depends on your level of paranoia about the NSA.
As far as the UI goes, the built in VPN configuration UI is a little clunky, and OpenVPN's is a little more clunky. But when you want to connect to the VPN, you have to go through a few layers of settings to get to the built in stuff, whereas you can have the OpenVPN icon right on your homescreen.
The built in VPN doesn't attempt to reconnect if you get disconnected. OpenVPN can be configured to retry a certain number of times. This was big for me.

You can't use the native option for OpenVPN as it's not compatible with IPSec, IKE, PPTP, or L2TP, which are the only types of VPNs supported by Android:
http://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/341-openvpn-compatibility.html

Cyanogenmod supports OpenVPN as an added option.  So, in a sense, it is supported without the external OpenVPN app.  Since the OpenVPN app requires Android 4.0+, this is the only option for some with older devices.

@jbrookover - Does it? What version?

Ha!  Whatever version I installed 2 years ago :)  These days, I wouldn't recommend anything below Android 4.0, which supports the OpenVPN app.

All VPN protocols (PPTP L2TP, OpenVPN) have distinct advantages and disadvantages.
Here are some points that might be useful to consider:

OpenVPN is the protocols least likely to be blocked by servers or firewalls  and generally thought to be the most secure. It's because both PPTP & L2TP uses fixed ports, if your service provider or firewall blocks certain communication ports used by PPTP or L2TP, they won’t work while openVPN can be configured to use any port (on the server side) and supports multiple protocols.
Most operating systems and devices have built-in support for PPTP and you simply need to fill in a server address, a username and password to configure and no additional software is needed while OpenVPN requires installing additional software. On some devices it can be complicated. Sometimes a user is required to deal with certificates, configuration files, etc.
In terms of speed, generally speaking, less encryption means greater speed but at the cost of less security. However, if your devices are of reasonable speed this should not be a major factor.
Some people say openVPN on UDP is the fastest but according to my own experience on pureVPN, they are all more or less the same. Speed depends much more on your connection to the server and other factors.

In a nutshell, it's best to consider your security requirements and pick a protocol accordingly.


text:
How to interrupt Android boot sequence to force it boot to Linux kernel only
I am trying to do some low level performance testing related to device processor cores through adb which I feel it is affected by Android background services and system stuff.
As I know that the Android boot sequence stages are as follow:

Execute Boot ROM code.
Execute the boot loader.
Load the Linux kernel.
Launch Zygote, which initializes the Dalvik VM.
System server which loads the Android system.

So my question is how can I interrupt this sequence to force it stop on stage 3 to load Linux kernel. This can help me implement my intermediary performance testings before loading again Android system.
Does Fastboot or Clockworkmod recovery can help here and load my device to a kind of Linux kernel?
Any hint will be appreciated.
Thanks.

Related: How to boot Ubuntu persistent live USB on Android?

No. Android's not like a desktop GNU/Linux distro, where you can press I to get an interactive boot, or skip X and just boot to a shell. The only way to achieve this would be to build your own custom ROM after editing the init scripts (which have much the same function as on a desktop GNU/Linux system) to tailor the boot process how you like.

Thanks for you quick reply, but do you think Fastboot or any recovery tool (such as CWM) will boot me to a Linux-like environment where Android system is not controlling?

No. I'm sorry if that wasn't already clear enough.

If you are able to root your device or install alternative Android distro (Clockworkmod), you might have options available:

Rooting device: I am not sure if Android root image allows modification (read-write file system). If yes, you probably could edit the boot scripts to allow enabling your system modifications. Or moving the init process (not sure what that is in Android) away and replacing it with your own init program that after enabling your modifications would exec() the original init (init is the first process (with PID 1) that is run by unixy operating systems).
Using alternative Android distro (assuming CWN). If you can run CWN in your device, you could study how to build your own image and modify it for your needs.

Beyond the step of rooting or installing/running alternative image, gaining shell access, I have the impression that - once you determine which road to take - you could have better luck in getting the specifics (boot script locations and the way they operate, help with creating your own CWN image) answered at http://stackoverflow.com!


text:
Why/ How do some manufacturers remove the Encryption option?
I've owned two Android tablets now - one a no-name cheapo device (running 4.1.1); the other a more mainstream Asus Memopad HD 7 (4.2.1).  Neither have had the "System" -> "Security" -> "Encrypt Data" option; that is,  the option is simply not there, rather than being present but greyed out.
I'm really disappointed and, above all, bewildered by this: what motivation has a company for removing such a useful feature when it comes built into stock Android? What other devices have people used that don't have this feature?
As an addendum: does anyone know of any e-mail clients that will encrypt all your e-mail and passwords as they are written to disk, so that if the device falls into "enemy hands", as it were, they won't be able to read them, even if they have root access? I'm thinking specifically as a workaround for the confusing lack of whole device encryption, here.
Thanks!

You're asking lots of questions at once here, and not all your questions are suited to this site's format. "What other devices have people used that don't have this feature?" doesn't have an objective answer, so it's not really suitable here. Your question about email clients sounds too much like an app recommendation. We don't tend to accept such questions, because they are heavily opinion-based, and the answers go out of date very quickly as apps come and go, and add and remove features.

To get better answers, I suggest you split your addendum into a separate question, and rephrase it as, "How do I keep my email and passwords secure without full-device encryption?" That way, you're opening it up to answers that aren't just about an app.

Thanks for the thoughts, Dan - I'll definitely split off a "How do I keep my email and passwords secure without full-device encryption?" question, but would also really like a list of other devices that don't support encryption.

This is just a guess, but it may be for certain variants of the device that go to countries covered by U.S. munitions export regulations. Strong encryption counts as a munition for the purpose of the regulations, so this feature might have been left out to allow the device to be sold in such countries. Even if the manufacturer is not from the U.S., the Android software comes from there, so it's still covered by the regulations.


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How to get an .apk file from Android device?
I need to get the apk file for an app from a development device (Galaxy Nexus). I've had very little contact with Android before.
I know the name of the app and have tried to search the "internal storage" that shows up in explorer when I connect it but no apk file with the app name shows up.
I also tried logging into the shell using adb, but I have no "find" command and no permission to list "/data/" where the apk files are supposed to be.
I'd really appreciate if someone could help me out here! Thanks!

Very similar to: Can i get .apk file of my application from a Qualcomm device?

The difference between the suggested duplicates and this is that the other questions have already rooted devices, whereas I assume this one doesn't.

I found this to be the easiest way:
adb shell pm list packages

find my apps package "my.package.name"
adb shell pm path my.package.name

adb pull /data/app/my.package.name

Thanks for your answers though!

Using another App
You could try installing an app from the Play Store to backup the apk file. Some examples (which don't require root) are Helium and App Backup & Restore (There are many others though).
Using ADB
It is also possible to use adb to retrieve the apk file using the adb pull command (you know the full package name of the app, not just the app name).
Connect your device to your computer then shell into it via adb shell
Type pm -lf to get a list of all packages installed on the system and their associated APK file path.
Scan this list for the application you want
Exit adb shell and type adb pull <path to apk>. This should save the APK in your current folder.

Install this application Es File Exlporer then follow the steps,
1. open left side panel by clicking on left top icon
2. select Tools - App Manager
this will load all installed application in your mobile. Simple select your app and do backup :)


text:
How do I keep my email and passwords secure without full-device encryption?
I bought a cheap, no-name Android 4.1.1 tablet a while back, and was dismayed  to find that the "Encrypt Data" option was simply not present in the "Settings" -> "Security" menu.  I then upgraded to a more mainstream Asus Memo Pad HD 7 assuming that this would have the full device encryption option, but this tablet didn't have it either!
So I was wondering if there were any means of keeping e-mails (including ones that were sent unencrypted)/ passwords safe from attackers who have root access in case I lose my device, in the absence of full-disk encryption? Keeping web-browser passwords/ authentication cookies secret would be very handy, too.
Thanks!

I also own the same device but my tablet shows the encryption option. You're sure you are using stock firmware?

Hi Mohit; thanks for your response. The Encryption option was finally added in an update a couple of weeks ago, so my original question is probably moot, now :)

Glad to know that problem is solved.


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FireFireFire Kindle Fire stuck in strange bootloop
I have a Kindle Fire (1st gen) using the FireFireFire bootloader to boot TWRP and AOKP. It has worked fine for a while before. Now, I cannot turn it on when it is not plugged in. When it is plugged in, it automatically boots to FireFireFire, then turns off, then back to FireFireFire, and so on. I do not have time to choose a boot. I also cannot get ADB to recognize the device because it is never on long enough. What can I do?
Thanks for any help.

Did the battery run down all the way or anything of that nature? Anything else that may have changed recently, or did this start happening suddenly without warning? In some cases a fully depleted battery has caused people to see unusual boot behavior, and charging it via the wall charger (or, generically, any higher amperage charger) for a while will typically help.

The battery is full. It has taken a while to turn on before, but I have always been able to fix it in a few minutes. If it helps, I started to need to choose a boot option to go beyond the bootloader. Other than that, nothing strange has happened.

I had the same problem with my kindle fire 1st gen.  i had to open the case, remove the battery connection to the motherboard for 20 seconds.. plugged in the battery and it started working again.


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Will JTAG wipe internal memory on Galaxy sII?
I have hard bricked my phone by flashing wrong bootloader. My phone wont show any signs of life but warming of the back side.
I have some private photos, messages, etc  that i don't want the repair man see them. He said to me that when you JTAG the phone, all the phone memory contents such as ROM and internal memory are completely wiped. Is this true? Cant he recover internal memory sdcard before or after JTAG?
Please only answer if you are 100% sure
Thank you

What do you mean, "when you JTAG the phone"? JTAG is the name of a standard used by hardware debugging interfaces. Are you going to connect a hardware debugger to your phone's mainboard?

Yes, its exactly what you mentioned. However i dont have the hardware... The complete expression would be "JTAG unbreak recovery".My phone wont boot up and using such hardware a new rom/bootloader will be forceably installed to the phone.

Your files even the deleted files Can be recovered even from dead phone with the help of JTAG or ISP Solutions !
1 - Find or Locate Pinouts
If your phone available pinouts for JTAG'ing you can JTAG otherwise you can relate to ISP pinouts if two option not available for your phone you can always chip-off and recover the DATA !
JTAG : ort-jtag.com
ISP  : emmc-pro.com

For the case of Galaxy S2 - You can JTAG or ISP Direct!

2 - Read the Full image of your phone !
After reading the full image of your phone with the software mentioned above .
You can analyze the Dump and extract your private pictures etc..
3 - Data Recovery
Data Recover : Autopsy ( Sleuth Kit )
Best Regards


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My Galaxy y s5360 is not detecting the sd card?
I am using the Galaxy Y (S5360) with Gingerbread.
A few days ago my mobile stopped detecting any charger or usb. After some time it started working again but it still wouldn't connect via usb to a PC so I can't access my SD card.
I have reset my mobile also but I am still having the same problem.

Did you check if you card in working on your computer. If your card is detected on your computer without any messages then there must be something wrong with your mobile.
Else if your computer detects your sd card and gives you any message to scan/format before using it...then consider running scandisk on your card once your computer detects it...
Hope this helps...


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Tethering a "reversed tethered" data from a pc?
I have a Samsung Galaxy S 4G mini (GT-I8190) and I know I have the hotspot feature built-in which transforms my phone into a modem. I have used it plenty of times to tether my phone to other devices (tablet, laptop, etc).
I have discovered recently that it is possible to do a Reverse Tethering and plug the phone to the computer via the USB and get data running on the phone from the PC.
Now, I am interested to combine the two - in order to transform my phone into a real router. I tried to enable the hotspot while getting data from the PC. The phone has access to the internet. And my tablet was able to join the hotspot Wi-Fi network - but it has no network access.
Can anyone shed some light on:

How USB-tunneling works as far as transmitting the data from the
PC? All I know is that it forwards data from a certain port on the
PC. I tried to find an "open code source" for the USB Tunneling app but could not. I wanted to have a look on how they manage the data.
How does the built-in hotspot feature functions? Does it only forwards the Mobile Data to the Wi-Fi? Can anyone share/direct me where to find an open code source for a  tethering app? (the built-in hotspot works perfectly - but all downloaded tethering apps fail to run on my I8190).
I tried to find a tutorial, app, or anything that can explain on how to Wi-Fi tether a Reversed Tethered data without great success. Can anyone help?

Did you solve this problem yet?

No I didn't. But if you have an unlocked phone and can program it should be potentially possible - in concept at least. I just gave up on the idea. If i will have time this weekend I might try to program something.

Reversed tetheted via Wi-Fi? Do you want to make your device a Wi-Fi repeater of some sort?

Yes, that was the general idea back in 2013. As mobile tethering packages are limited, I wanted to turn off the data package on my phone, and plug my phone to the PC - and use the PC's internet as the phone's data tethering source. The issue was that the phone gets the data and is able to use - but is not able to tether it out. So I would not call the phone being used as a "repeater" - more like the PC's antenna, or wifi-router.


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Gmail app vs. browser, in terms of data consumption
Does the Gmail app use more data than just using a web browser to check my emails?

The app definitely uses less data than a browser, because it only loads the email's contents, while the website loads a lot of stuff along with it.
The app needs to download just the gmail content and some information about it ( sender, cc etc. ).
If you're worried about data limits, then go for the app. It's both faster and uses less data.

I would assume less, as all formatting is built into the app, while using the web browser you would need to download the 'whole' page including Gmails UI etc

As far as i know the data consumption of Gmail App will be less than that of browser. Because all the styling info are built into the app itself, it only need to get the raw text data, which may be in the form of JSON or XML. But in case of browser it has to download styling info such as CSS and client side scripts such as Javascript along with email content.


text:
About WI-FI battery usage
I keep reading about how much battery does WI-FI use, but when I look in settings > battery, WI-FI shows with < 5% usage when I barely use the phone. And when I use it, the screen takes most of the battery and WI-FI doesn't even appear in the list! Does this mean I can leave WI-FI on all the time? Because 1-5% is not that much

I have the same experience with Wifi, I find leaving it on is much more convenient (your phone will prioritize Wifi over 3/4G, resulting in faster speeds and lower bills), and power consumption is negligible.
The only time when turning off Wifi conserve me some serious battery is back from my days with a Sony p990i, which runs UIQ3. Ah, old times...