text:
galaxy s2 wont turn on just keeps popping up us cellular symbol than re does it again
My galaxy s2 charges normally but when I turn it on, it starts up and then just randomly keeps restarting. I have taken out the battery and it still does it. It also charges just fine when I just plug in my charger to my phone it shows up like it normally does with the battery and the dots under it. It was working just fine about 2 hours ago and now it wont load at all!
How do I fix this?

Are you rooted? Using a custom ROM?

Which android version you are using? Are you using stock firmware or any custom ROM?

As you correctly tagged your question 'boot-loop': have you checked the boot-loop tag-wiki? As many other tags, it contains some useful first-aid hints. You can reach those tag-wikis easily: hover your mouse over the tag, then select "info" in the pop-up. Or simply click/tapp the tag, and then select "Learn more..." (or simply the "info" tab).


text:
Find PHYS_OFFSET value for mkbootimg
As I was following the instructions from here, I found a problem that my /proc/config.gz does not contain CONFIG_PHYS_OFFSET setting. But my /proc/iomem contains 40000000-5bffffff : System RAM.
What value should I use for --base argument of mkbootimg? I am guessing 0x40000000, but I may be completely wrong.

Ive been told on IRC that my guess is correct. I am going to "answer my question" after checking it

source: Stack Exchange

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

sort: votes


text:
adb restore time
I want to use the adb restore . I use adb restore to restore a backup. But my problem after some delay if i don't click  ok, the mechanism restore stops. I want my restore do not stop. And if possible it starts automatically and it does not expect a validation for me. used adb back up to get my backup.ab. Then i use adb restore backup.ab

You will always have to approve on the device when initiating an adb backup or adb restore -- this is a security measure. Otherwise any villain could obtain your data (adb backup) or place malware on your device (adb restore).
If you don't approve the action on your device, it is assumed it could be mentioned villain intending some evil actions, and hence the process is aborted -- again said security measure.
To my knowledge, there isn't anything (apart from applying some hack to the adb code/libraries/binaries on the device itself) to "work around" this.

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


text:
Is there a way to type German and French characters from the stock keyboard?
I want to type French and German accents and stuff using some kind of add-on to the stock keyboard.  I don't want to switch between boards.  I see there are a lot of keyboards in the Play store but I need one that doesn't interfere with the stability of the stock one.
I'm using a Samsung Galaxy S3 running Android 4.1.1

You can "long press" a key, which will give you alternative letters if alternative symbols are associated with it. Try it with the letter "E". To select the desired letter/symbol slide your finger to the side.

I use Anysoft Keyboard for writing with accented, etc. characters. Try it.

See http://www.reddit.com/r/Nexus5/comments/2atmt4/german_keyboard/.  this method works for me.

Enable German keyboard by going to settings > language & input > then clicking the settings button next to Google keyboard >input languages > select German. To type ß, you'll need to hold down the s key, then it'll pop up, same for ü under u, Å under A, etc.

Long press on keys gives alternate symbols. However for ß , you have to make sure the keyboard is in lower case as upper case would simply show SS instead of ß


text:
Does MHL video out support both analog and digital signal conversion and output function?
I have a Galaxy Note II, which uses MHL micro USB out to HDMI.  I'd like to run the video signal thru a composite video (RCA) converter cable to my old school device.  Does Android support this sort of video output conversion natively, or would I need to forget this cable and get an HDMI-to-composite converter box for in the middle?

To use the MHL output of the phone (using micro USB connector) you need to either have a device (such as a TV) that supports MHL directly, or use a dongle to convert MHL to some other standard (such as HDMI, VGA or Composite) that you can use with your device. This is done entirely in the dongle. So as long as your device outputs MHL and you have the dongle, it should work just fine. Currently the only dongles in the market are MHL to HDMI (although there are MHL to VGA and Composite coming to the market soon!). So, you can't wait for the new dongles, you have to get another dongle/box that converts HDMI to Composite and connect it to your MHL-HDMI dongle.


text:
Tablet Genesis 7240 + Android + Bit Web Server dont work
I buyed a table GENESIS 7240 + Android 4.0.3 and I've installed the app named Bit Web Server -- but it is not working correcly, not starting.
The App works fine on my Galaxy Note, That proves Its not a problem with the app,  but we need it working in my GENESIS tablet.
ERROR: when I access the address http://localhost:8080, says it can not access:

Error 102 (net::ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED): The server refused the connection

====================================================================
The bug was resolved.
Restarting the tablet with Wifi disabled and then start the app, thats it.

We're going to need more information in order to effectively help you. What do you mean by "not working"? "NGO"? Non-Government Organization? How is that germane to the question?

I'm work on a Non-Government Organization NGO.

I teach to 20 students, will install the BIT WEB SERVER, on tablets Model: GENESIS 7240.

We would like to help you. Really. But you haven't added any information that will help us help you. That you're in an NGO has no bearing on the problem. What we really need is for you to [edit] your question to tell us what "not working" means. What is it doing? What messages are you receiving? What have you tried? (I recognize we probably have a language barrier here.)

As for the "language barrier": use Google Translate if you can't help it. You see, we try to make the best out of it, even improving your question's spelling and phrasing. But as Al wrote: We need more details in order to be able to help you.

Very tanks for all help.
I've posted the images of aplications and the errors.

i've try a lot of things but, no success

It's works now. have to restart without wifi. and then start the aplication. thats all.

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


text:
Simple way to toggle between 2G and 3G connection
TL;DR
Usually, I have my device locked to "2G only" for multiple reasons:

saving battery-life
no need for "high-speed" to simply be informed about new mail or doing the little contacts/calendar syncs (not much changes, either)

But from time to time, I could use 3G:

some area that has bad 2G coverage (data-wise)
the occasional "internet use" e.g. with a navigation app, looking up "a little more" on the web, or installing something from google-play-store

For those occasions, I find it impractical to navigate to the settings page and change that manually -- even when done via some "shortcut" placed on a homescreen. Preferably, I want to be able to automate this via tasker, to e.g. automatically switch when entering/leaving the "bad coverage area" or when one of those apps is in foreground (both conditions are covered by tasker, just the "action" is missing). I checked thoroughly on our site here, on the google-play-store, and even did an extensive Google search -- but all that turned up was either a shortcut or a kernel patch for specific ROMs, both no-gos for me.
Hence my...
Question:
Is there any easy way to switch between 2G/3G mode? As said, shortcuts to the settings page do not count (so Can anyone reccomend a 2g / 3g switching widget? is no option). Wanted criteria include:

not requiring more than one tap (preferably no tap to trigger the action, see below)
a big plus (and favorite wish): ability to be triggered via tasker
not depending on specific ROMs (should work with stock-rom)
preferably not involving root -- but options requiring root would still be fine with me
command-line hacks are fine with me as well :)

You will almost certainly need to be rooted to do what you're asking; like the GPS, I don't believe non-system Apps have the ability to toggle that.

Which phone have you got? My Tasker has a 2G/3G toggle (under the Net action category when adding a task), but it's disabled on my LTE S3.

@HarshaK I will not be rooted -- but my devices are :) That's why I wrote "options requiring root would still be fine with me", though a solution not requiring root would be useful for a broader audience. I'm well aware that a non-root solution is quite unlikely -- but hey, I thought the same when I posted my question about "full backup of non-rooted devices", and got a big surprise. So why not again? :)

@TreborRude Same for me, though the device is rooted (looks like Tasker itself does not make use of that). Current device list: see my profile :) Most important ATM would be the LG Optimus 4X -- but again, if the solution is available for a broader audience, all the better.

I don't get why a widget is not accepted? Switch pro has a button to do exactly what you want with a single tap, you don't need to be root AFAIK, and is not ROM specific. No tasker support I'm afraid though.

I didn't say a widget is "not accepted" -- I said shortcuts to the settings page are no option. Don't get confused by the phrasing of the question title linked, take a look behind it :) A one-tap solution is a compromise (for me; so feel free to make it an answer -- it's certainly a valid solution and all that someone else might need!). I prefer something I can automate with Tasker. Still, my focus might have moved a little meanwhile, though...

With Xposed module and Gravity Box installed, the pull down status bar can be customised even on stock ROM (of course it has to be rooted).
I have a Nexus 5 running stock 4.4.4 and following is how it looks:

With these installed, one can swipe down with two fingers from top and just tap the last tile shown as "3G" in the image. Though this nearly misses the first requirement of using no more than one tap, technically it still does as you have swipe down and use one tap.
That tile toggles between 3G, 2G, 2G3G states.  There is a minor lag to see the signal strength tile to reflect the status as "H+" or "E".
By installing the Gravity Box, I was also able to bring in the additional tiles like "Torch On/Off", "Auto Rotate Lock" etc which were not available in the stock ROM.
Update:
Thanks to jsen who was kind enough to share an intent to switch between 2G and 3G using Tasker and Gravity Box (that implies Xposed framework and rooting).
To avoid a dead link in future, the content of that Tasker hack is as below:
Send Intent [
Action: gravitybox.intent.action.CHANGE_NETWORK_TYPE
Cat: None
Mime Type:
Data:
Extra: networkType:1
Extra:
Package:
Class:
Target: Broadcast Receiver]

networkType enum values are:
0: WCDMA Preferred
1: GSM only <-- This would be "2G" on GSM networks
2: WCDMA only <--WCDMA is "3G" on GSM networks. You may know it as HSPA
3: GSM auto (PRL)
4: CDMA auto (PRL)
5: CDMA only <-- This would be "2G" on CDMA networks
6: EvDo only <-- EvDo is "3G" on CDMA networks
7: GSM/CDMA auto (PRL)
8: LTE/CDMA auto (PRL)
9: LTE/GSM auto (PRL)
10: LTE/GSM/CDMA auto (PRL)
11: LTE only
12: "unknown"

In my office, I have very bad 2G signal which drops my call very frequently. Hence I used to switch to 3G when I reach office. I created an entry task named "Enable 3G" and an exit task named "Enable 2G" which just sends intent as above. With Tasker's "Cell Near" state I can ask Tasker to enable 3G when I am near office and switch back to 2G while leaving.

Done! Thanks for the update: Now it fits 100%, as the Tasker part can do that automatically. You might wish to add that a Tasker task also can be used as shortcut on the homescreen for manual toggle, when needed.

Note that on CM11, the network toggle is already included by default. It's not recommended to use GravityBox with this ROM unfortunately (at least to what I've read), so the auto-toggle via the specified intent is not available there (unless someone can add the corresponding intent for this case).

I've been looking for automated network switching for years, and I had always thought that this kind of behaviour was only possible using Cyanogen (or similar) ROMs. Anyway, I recently found some threads on XDA that suggest that this might not be true.
First, it seems that in Sony Devices it's possible to tweak the system to show a 2G/3G toggle:
http://www.xda-developers.com/android/serajr-power-toggles-brings-settings-to-the-small-app-world/
And there's also this other thread that shows you how to "open" any ROM (even stock) so 2G/3G switching is possible. I don't fully understand the process, but as far as I see it should even work with Tasker:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1731187
All methods require rooting the phone, though, which I think is unavoidable.

If I get that right, the first one is limited to Sony devices – and the second requires to code, patch, and compile code of a system app. Not really fitted for end-users, unfortunately.

The hassle free and simple way is to install a launcher which lets you launch "tasks" like Holo Launcher. Just long press Desktop -> Shortcuts -> Activities -> Settings. Once under Settings you might have to dig in to grab the right one. It's a bit tricky but once done, you are all set.
I haven't tried it on my new Android but works great on my older GB device.

In Nova launcher you can add a widget -> Activities -> Phone services -> Network settings.

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


text:
Can I charge my Samsung tablet without the plug in charger? Are there any other ways?
I have a Samsung Galaxy Tablet but my charger is a little broken. It only charges if I play around with it but that frustrates me. Is there any other way I can charge my tablet without wasting money? Can I plug it in an Apple computer or Dell?

As with all other devices, any USB power source should do: laptop, computer, etc.

The charger needs to output at least 2A to charge.
While by default USB ports don't output that much, Asus has a bit of software called AI Charger that should let you charge off some USB ports. Lifehacker reports it works on other motherboards and some Android devices.
However in the long run, getting the charger is a much better idea. You can use it on other devices (like future tablets!), and you're not tricking your desktop or laptop into doing something it normally does not do.

2A is undoubtedly preferred but it is not required. See this answer to a related question.

unscientifically, I've not had much luck charging my tablet off USB, though I grant I've not tried AI Charger myself despite having a compatible motherboards. I still think getting an approved, compatible charger is the smart thing to do here, however

One of the main advantages to USB chargers is standards-based compatibility - you can plug a phone or tablet into the USB port on your computer and it should charge without and software, settings, or modification. The amperage negotiated with that port will be lower than 2 A though (500-1500 mA) which is why a dedicated 2 A wall charger works more quickly.

I ran into a similar situation, I just bought a USB wall charger. This way you can charge your IPod, tablet or whatever all from the same USB socket.
As Izzy stated in the comments, you can always just plug it into your computer as well.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/GoPro---USB-Wall-Charger/6608113.p?id=1218767500831&skuId=6608113

I wouldn't buy one online, just go to Walmart (or your Walmart equivalent). Almost all cell phone stores carry them as well, but they sometimes charge more for them.


text:
ADB without USB connection
The micro-USB port of my Xperia Arc with ICS it's broken. How can I enter to ADB by wireless, without connecting the cable? I am not root, and I need to enter to ADB to root my phone. I can connect to my phone from my PC by SSH. Or there's a another way to root it?

The easiest way is to get a warranty replacement phone. :)

In general though, physical damage isn't convered by warranty. I also wonder how one charges a phone with a broken USB port

I can charge the battery with a external charger for batteries.

@elm390 have you tried a different USB cord? Have you tried charging it using a wall charger?

It's not the USB cable. The pins of the port are totaly broken.

There are apps out there to help you do this:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.exi.adbmngr&hl=en
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.naooh.adbwireless&hl=en
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cn.com.wxtech.adbwireless
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.easyadb

as far as I know, this is the only way to use ADB without using a USB cable. All of these apps however, require root.
If I were in your situation, I would try to get the warranty on the device. It would be a lot of screwing around to get and working without a USB cable. If you try rooting your device and you mess it up, you risk bricking the device all together, which then voids your warranty. I would at least try to get the warranty, the worst that could happen is they say no.
Hope this helped!

Thanks. You're right. That apps require root, and it's possible to connect with ADB wirelessly without root, but I need to pair it before, connecting it with USB, and that's not an option for me.

@elm390 Your best option is just to try to get the warranty on the device, the work arounds for this are going to be pretty messy and time consuming. Using adb over a network allows for all sorts of security risks if proper precautions are not taken.


text:
Cannot ping Android devices on same wifi network
I have a Nexus 7 running CyanogenMod 10.1. For some reason I cannot reach it from my laptop on the same wifi network. I cannot ping in either direction. In the past i have been only able to ping one way.
Just tried out on my HTC Sensation and haven't the same issue. Also the Nexus and HTC cant reach each other either.
I have had similar problems with other Android devices. In the past I was developing an app and I could not establish a socket connection from the Android device to my computer. Once I was able to successfully ping the laptop from my device everything worked.
Don't know if it is clear this isn't persistent. In the past I fiddled around and they eventually talked but there was no consistent solution.
I have observed this on 2 different wifi networks.

I know this question is quite old now, but I came across this looking to for an answer and managed to work it out myself.
What I did was download a root file explorer (I used Root Browser from JRummy Apps) and navigate to /proc/sys/net/ipv4 edit icmp_echo_ignore_all so that it is a 1-line, 1-character file that simply says 0 (when I opened the file, it was set to 1)
No reboot, ICMP requests started working upon saving. Hope that helps someone else!

In wireless Networks settings- check the following:

Make Sure "Guest Policy" is disabled or Unchecked and
In Advanced Option: WPA Mode is selected "WPA2 Only and Encryption is selected "AES/CCMP" only

how does this work? Any technical background of why this should be causing these obsure issues? Please add an explanation why you think that this would solve this problem - thanks! :)

Also, wireless settings where? The router? Please clarify.


text:
Why are Google Talk notifications at a low volume?
When I am chatting with someone in Google Talk and I receive a message, the notification sound is played at a very low volume, low enough that I have some difficulty hearing it.
But if I receive a message in Google Talk while the application isn't open, the notification sound is at full volume.
I have notification volume cranked up to maximum in Android's settings, and Google Talk doesn't seem to have a separate setting for this that I've been able to locate.
How do I get my notifications to be played at full volume in Google Talk?
The device is a Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX with Jelly Bean 4.1.2.

When you are chatting with someone, you already know that you are chatting. You can see messages as they come. You are already notified.
So Google Talk behaves intelligently and reduces notification volume. - thats for your answer
To get louder notification, the only way to fix this would be a Custom ROM with modified Google Talk app, where you can disable this feature.

Google talk notifications are not always at low volume. They are loud when the chat screen is either inactive or when phone screen is locked/turned off.
The only time when I see low notifications is when I am actually typing on the screen and the chat is active.
I am running Android 4.4 KitKat, so this might not be the case with other OS versions, otherwise, the logic given in the above answer seems true.

But if I receive a message in Google Talk while the application isn't
  open, the notification sound is at full volume

This is actually meaningful, isn't it?
Anyways, I have also used custom CM ROMs in the past, which has an app called DSP manager. Setting the EQ settings to a Treble high gave me better ringtones and notifications volume.


text:
Direct VISIBLE connection required for GPS?
I am confused by the type of connection GPS requires. Some people say it requires a direct visible connection to the satellite, while others only refer to a direct connection without the specific need for a visible connection.
Basically the question is whether GPS also works in a pocket or with a case/bumper.

GPS works fine in a case or pocket.
You do need a generally unobstructed view (from a radio perspective, not necessarily a visible perspective) of the sky (no trees/buildings/etc. in the way, but thin barriers, like say a tent, won't present a problem.) in order to pick up the GPS signals from the satellites.
Ideally, you should have as clear and as wide a view of the sky as possible.  Ideal conditions would be standing in a flat empty field with visibility to the horizon in all directions.
Narrow that view of the sky by adding buildings and trees and your ability to obtain an accurate lock starts to degrade and you get more and more error in your position, until such point where you can't get an accurate lock (or in extreme cases, like being in a deep basement or similar, any lock at all) at all.

Thank you. So it is really a radio signal and nothing visible-like like infrared for example (it confused me as people often say for TV satellites you should have good weather, which would make me believe it requires an actual visible connection).

@user32840 The "good weather" bit about satellite TV is due to the radio frequencies satellite TV works on (specifically, the Ka and Ku bands), which are quite suitable to rain fade, where the water absorbs the energy of the transmission, like what happens in a microwave oven.  The L band used by GPS is not very susceptible to that effect.

AGPS tends to work better in indoor areas since it uses phone signals and wireless signals in addition to GPS signals to get a better idea of where the phone is. This also helps where there's no direct connection. I do also believe that there's some degree of inertial navigation used by some map applications, since I have seen google navigation work inside a tunnel where I know GPS dosen't work. Pockets should be trivial to get a signal through, as should bumpers, unless they are specifically made to shield signals (which is implausible)


text:
Is there a way to force apps to use internal memory only?
I have a Sony Xperia U, and my 8GB of memory are divided in three parts: 2GB phone memory, 4 GB internal memory (replacing the MicroSD slot) and 2GB that I haven't really figured out about.
I don't want to mess with repartition. I just want to use each one as they must be used.
The problem is: many apps are optimized to save many things in SD, but for this phone it is not really useful, as it has plenty of space in phone memory! What can I do to make automatic created app data use internal memory only, leaving SD (internal, in Xperia U's case) free for my own use?
Edit: Thank you for your answers! John, my device is rooted, so, could you explain further about those permissions, please? Thanks in advance!

(Your English is fine. Better, even, than some native speakers.)

If you had a rooted device, you could set the folder permissions within the SD card to root only.

If the developer coded that in his app, there's not much you can do. If he coded the "path" (e.g. /sdcard/funnyapp, or using getExternalStorageDirectory() (which is how it should be done) and appends /funnyapp (or whatever directory), you could play with symlinks (linking that location to internal storage) -- but even that will most likely fail, as symlinks will be "not supported" by the "sdcard's" file system.

Adding to Izzy's comment above, you are out of luck if the the developer explicitly wants the app to be installed in somewhere. More info regarding this can be found in Android support documents. @Izzy, Your comment is the answer to this question, isn't it?

you say your phone is rooted, it is then possible to change the default installation location that the packagagemanager uses to install apps. this will only work with apps that allow it, as others have already pointed out, apps may choose to ignore the packagemanagers recommendation and install to internal/external anyway even if you choose the opposite. also, big game files in the obb directory are stored where the obb directory actually is located; this is dependent on which phone you use.
to change the default installation directory:
1) use terminal emulator from google play (or, alternatively, enable usb debugging and use adb)
2) in terminal emulator, enter:
su

accept the superuser request, then try either:
pm setInstallLocation X

or:
pm set-install-location X

where X can either be
0 = let packagamanager decide
1 = install on internal by default
2 = install on external by default

As Sid encouraged, I'll convert my comment to an answer -- while merging in details from the other comments:
There are mainly two ways the SDCard is addressed from within apps:

hardcoded path (e.g. /sdcard/funnyapp)
using Androids API, i.e. getExternalStorageDirectory()

While 1. might fail if the SDCard is mounted to a different place, 2. would lead the app to store things in the "first" SDCard (on devices with internal SDCard, that means internal SDCard, on others external). But both cases share the fact: if the app doesn't offer a configuration option, there's nothing you can do to change that. Android does not offer a corresponding setting, and Symlinks don't work on SDCards (due to file system limitations).
Same applies to the storage used for the app itself, as Sid wrote pointing to Android support documents (see also the developers documentation on App Install Location for this). While in most cases one can move an app using the App2SD feature built into Android, the developer can overrule this so his app cannot be moved.
As for John's comment, this wouldn't really work. Still a little explanation on what he most likely meant: Using "root powers", you could change ownership of all files and directories. So his idea probably was to make all things on your SDCard owned by root, and only readable to others. This wouldn't work for multiple reasons:

This would make things even more complicated to you (as you couldn't write either without becoming root before, every single time).
You could not do that on directory level (e.g. doing it for every single directory except for one with a "fantasy name" like e.g. "MyOwnDocs", where you could store your stuff without the trouble from the previous argument), as the file system on the card (FAT) does not support that.
It could somehow if you use a script to remount the card read-write each time when you want to write to it, and make it read-only again once you're done. But again, this complication most likely isn't worth it. In addition, some apps might crash with a read-only SDCard, as they (for good reasons) don't expect an SDCard present but not writable.

TL;DR
So in short: If the apps cannot be configured such themselves, there's no way to accomplish this (except for re-writing those apps).

symlinks don't work on fat but he can mount bind a folder like: mount -o bind /internal/dir /sdcard/dir

Try using Lucky Patcher and installing the app's apk as a system app.

Could you link to Lucky Patcher?  Will this actually change where the app saves things?


text:
Maps location out by 12,742km - the other side of the world
OK, I am mystified.
We used to live in the UK. Two plus years ago we moved to New Zealand. My wife has just bought a brand new samsung galaxy note 10.1 (running 4.0). I have installed 4.2 on my eeePC.
When we run "Maps" BOTH devices show our location as our old house in the UK from
two plus years ago.
The galaxy note has a built in GPS. Location services are turned on. A GPS status and indeed other free apps show the correct location in New Zealand.
My eeePC does not have a GPS. We both created new gmail accounts for these devices.
Surely the built-in GPS should have priority over any guessed position nonsense.
My questions:
1) Where is it getting the old position from?
2) How can we fix the Galaxy Note 10.1? (my wife is not very happy)

Try clearing the cache for Google Maps

if you see a seperate app called Google Settings as seen here then please open it and check the settings for Maps and latitude and Location settings.

Are you using WiFi while checking location and you have the same WiFi router as before? Google uses WiFi access points to give coarse location fixes and these take time to update as it has to "learn" that the location of the WiFi access point has changed. More info can be found for example on ZDNet.

@onik's answer is the most likely here. To figure out, if you took your WiFi router with you: temporarily switch it off, and but a (borrowed) one in its place. See where Google puts you then.


text:
Block Google Play installing certain applications
I want to block the Google Play Store from installing a certain list of applications or only allow the Google Play Store to install that list of applications.
Is there any way to write a program to do that?

Are you trying to get rid of stock applications that your phone won't allow you to remove?

All the applications are fine.  I am preventing the users trying to install some apps that the admin doesn't allow them to install on the mobile phone.  To make an example, suppose a corporation distributes company-controlled phones to its employees but the company doesn't want its employees to install any app that the company doesn't allow.

So you're probably looking into some kind of "device administrator" stuff. I'm not familiar with that, but the keyword might prove helpful to your search ;)

If you really want to know about writing an app to do this, then this question is better suited for Stack Overflow. A moderator can migrate it for you if you flag the question and ask them nicely. I've not flagged your post myself in case there's some non-development solution to your problem. In the meantime, it's possible to use a Broadcast Receiver to receive "package installed" events, and may be possible to use the PackageManager to uninstall them.

Your specific question is:

Is there any way to write a program to do that?

Yes, it would be hard for the Android programmer novice, but it can be done. It would be a lot easier to do with root permission as well. For a long time companies liked to stick with BlackBerry because they were easier to 'child lock'. More and more, I am actually seeing people with IPhones now having this 'company child lock software'.
I'm sure companies out there are making software for Android devices that inhibit the use of certain apps and prevent downloading them all together. You could probably pay to get this software onto a device but it would probably be very expensive.

There's also the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) model they could use. That's like Samsung Knox (expect to see more of this sort of thing in Android going forward, but that's not official yet shhh). You have your apps and your things yourself, but the secure Knox part of the device will only allow enterprise / white listed applications to be installed. Any custom kernels / ROMs will trigger Knox permanently and might be a good corporate solution. For the record: I HATE Knox, but that's another conversation!


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Will this android rom work for hd7?
Will this hd2 rom work on the hd7 since they have almost the same hardware?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1930240

I would NOT RECOMMEND using a ROM that was not built to go with your specific device. If you use a ROM that doesn't go with your device, even if the ROM goes with your device on a different carrier, you risk bricking the device. Make sure that your device specs match EXACTLY to the ROM specs.
Rule of thumb when it comes to ROMs:

close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

As long as the radio image is left untouched, unbricking should be possible. But you're correct: it saves a lot of trouble sticking to "exact matches" instead of trying "close misses". However, if one is willing to risk some trouble, and no trouble comes -- that information might be useful to others :D

John is right, you're safer avoiding it. But you might want to ask this question over on XDA, where you're more likely to find someone crazy enough to have tried it. If it does turn out to be possible, feel free to answer your own question.


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How to recover lost contacts from samsung galaxy s3
I was closing all my unused running programs on my galaxy S3, and suddenly closed the contacts app. When I checked my contacts afterwards they were all gone. But when I checked my call logs, the corresponding name for each number showed for few seconds, and then disappeared as though all contacts were deleted from the phone.
Does that mean it is stored somewhere in the phone? I tried recovering from GMail, but unfortunately I had not sync'd my contacts initially. Please help to recover as they were all my office related contacts.

Jerome, is your device rooted? If so, the very first thing I'd recommend to do is pulling a copy from your contacts database, e.g. via adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.telephony/databases/* /home/jerome/backup, so you at least get what is still left (before you potentially destroy anything else). Only after that I'd go for a reboot (in the hope something just "got stuck" and might be "freed" this way), or try other things which might be writing to the database.

Izzy, i haven't rooted the phone as yet. I just got the phone last week & haven't done anything as yet, except clear the unused running programs done last night:(

Sorry for that! So hopefully you didn't enter to much information which might be lost. Remember two things out of this: 1) make sure to have a good backup (check the backup tag-wiki for details), and 2) careful with task-killers (they mostly cause more harm than anything), let Android take care of that itself (see: Minimized Apps: Do they consume more battery?).

If the phone was synced with your Google Account, you just have to re-sync it and you'll get all your contacts back.

I did, but its not there. I even went to my gmail account & said restore, but nothing shows even if i gv a time frame. There is a contact storage shown about 8mb on the applications in the settings. Anyway of restoring it back?

You might want to take a look at Full Backup of non-rooted devices to at least a) get a backup/copy of what's there, and b) be prepared in the future... But I'd say as you used your device for just a week, re-entering the information lost will be faster than any fiddling-around to restore things.

1st at all..try to off the phone..turn it back after 15-20sec..
see if it fix or no.
other option..
-try to see if u got save the contact to the sim card..
if u got save there..try to restore back..
-try to see if u got back up the phone on the memory or not..
contact number will be not lost if u not reset/format the phone
if this not fix..i will tell other method..

To clarify: Contacts will for sure be lost when factory-resetting ("formatting") the device, as Jerome seems to have no backup!

Offed the phone & turned it back on & it's still the same. I haven't saved any no's on the sim too. How do i check if i have backed up the phone? I didn't format or reset the phone.

he only force stop the application..u may try check at the backup on setting..

try to go into the phone book setting..check the setting there if got change or no..

Nothing changed in phone book settings. I checked the backup on settings, but it does not show any place to restore. I have only ticked for the programs to be backed up 2 gmail only

when receive the sms or incoming call.did you get the contact name? or just only get the number without the name?this will help to know the contact phone book was broken or not.

@armz the Google Backup settings don't help in this case, as meanwhile it would have "updated" the backup with the "empty set". And as for incoming calls/SMS, Jerome already wrote in connection with the call log: the corresponding name for each number showed for few seconds, and then disappeared. Jerome: Please check to make an adb backup ASAP (see my comment on the other answer). The longer you wait and fiddle around, the smaller the chances to restore anything.


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Is there a list that explains the risks involved with each granted application permission type?
Usually, an installed Android app will request permissions such as

Phone calls

read phone state and identity

or

System tools

prevent phone from sleeping

But the actual consequences from a privacy standpoint are often a mystery to me. Is there a resource that explains the risks involved in these permissions in greater detail? Especially regarding privacy and personal information security.
(Pros would be such as one with practical examples, analysis, pitfalls, and providing complete lists.)

For anybody wondering about the idea behind this question, a good reading is: Does your flashlight app know where you are? Probing Android permissions, an article on TechRepublic. Interesting reading for all of you who didn't care that much about those "stupid" popup on app installations. Quote: 95% users were surprised this app sent their phone's unique id to mobile ads providers, similarly their location...

PS: I've just updated my answer with another source. I've summed up information from all around the web (wherever I could find pieces) and compiled a list of permissions, what they mean, and what implications they might have.

General information
You might want to take a look at What do the permissions that applications require mean? -- our "community wiki" which hopefully becomes such a ressource one day. Next to that, you might want to take a look at App Permissions Explained – What Do They Really Mean?, a blog article at AndroidPIT giving at least some short explanations.
TechPP's article Use Permissions to Secure Your Private Data from Android Apps goes a little deeper into details (recommended reading!). Another nice overview is provided by BinaryDroids.
Edit: I've tried to sum up information from all kind of sources I could find, so the probably most comprehensive collection can be found at Android.IzzySoft.DE: Permissions. Don't be afraid of the ".DE": it serves its content in English as well. (Disclosure: I'm the owner, creator, and maintainer of that site.)
A last direct recommendation is How App Permissions Work & Why You Should Care -- and for more, please visit our good old aunt Google :)

Edit: I could not resist to add more valuable hints, as this is a very sensitive topic. So I will continue updating my answer:

OWASP Mobile Application Security
Android permissions explained, security tips, and avoiding malware, a very thorough article on more than just permissions (seemingly similar article here)
What Can a Zero-Permissions Android App Do?
The ins and outs of scary Android App Permissions (a general introduction into permissions and the "abouts")
Not directly an answer, but an interesting ressource on our sister-site: Studies on Android users' attitude to security. Names a lot of further sources, studies, etc., including "permissions"
How to find those permission-grabbing add-ons in Android (link dead) reveals another interesting fact I was not aware of, as obvious as it might look once you know it: advertising networks get the same Android-permissions as the installed app they’re associated with. Ouch! A paradise for profilers... and, There are more permission-grabbing add-ons...
Smartphone apps: Is your privacy protected?
Use Permissions to Secure Your Private Data from Android Apps (while already from 7/2010, it still has good explanations on permissions existing back then -- and still there today)

Advertizement inside apps
Also keep in mind that many permissions some app requests might not be required by the app itself -- but rather by some ad module that app uses. So according to TechRepublic (page 404 now), MobFox and AdMob, two of the biggest ad networks, require the following permissions: INTERNET, ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE, ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION, and READ_PHONE_STATE (so they can know who you are [READ_PHONE_STATE: phone number, IMEI/IMSI], where about you are [ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION], what networks you are connected to [ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE], and whom you are communicating with [again READ_PHONE_STATE, while in call, for the "remote number"]). Does this look a bit too paranoid? That doesn't mean nobody's after you, see Deep Dive Into Ad Network Behavior on Android.
Which means: if you don't feel well with some combinations, you might simply check if the app on your wishlist also has a paid version -- which might do without those permissions, as it does not carry the "ad module". Speaking of this: Addons Detector will help you figure out which of your apps carry such a module piggyback. In this context, also consider: as trustworthy as the app developer might be, (s)he might not be aware of and has no influence on what those "ad modules" do with your data. Remember: advertising networks get the same Android-permissions as the installed app they’re associated with.13
On this topic, also read:

Android ad networks found accessing users’ private data
Free Android apps often secretly make calls, use the camera
How to Curb Aggressive Mobile Ad Networks (interesting to read for users, recommended reading for developers!)
Android Adware abusing permissions, Collecting more than they need
Reports Show Aggressive Mobile Apps Want Many Permissions They Don't Need
Mobile Ad Networks Accused Of Invasive Apps (with a "real life example" -- or rather "live example"?)
Top Mobile Ad Networks: Check out the networks on what permissions they want, how developers rate them, and more

Was this shocking news for you? Did I infect you with some "paranoia" -- and now you fell "left alone" with your bad feelings? I won't leave you without some recommendations. First, you might want to know which potential "data thieves" you already invited to your device, unaware of those risks. It's usually no bad intention of the developer (you know: "No money, no honey" -- the devs have to make a living as well). So having identified some "bad guys", you might want to confront the dev and give him the option to switch to a different, less "dangerous" ad provider (after all, the dev might have been unaware of the risks involved as well). If he's unwilling, you can still decide whether to kick the offender from your device. Or to "go pro", if there's a pay version available which comes without an ad module inside -- and honor the dev's work while safe-guarding your data, which I'd say is a typical win-win situation.
So: What options do you have? I will give a few examples below.

Addons Detector knows a lot of those modules. High rated (4.7 stars at more than 3,000 ratings), it not only detects ad modules, but also analytics, development, and licensing modules
Lookout Ad Network Detector -- nomen est omen -- concentrates on the ad modules. Its additional value is the ability to tell you exactly what data is being collected, and by whom. Comparable rating (4.4 at > 3,000 ratings)
TrustGo Ad Detector offers comparable features, and also gives you details on the ad networks' behaviour and backgrounds. Currently 4.5 at ~ 2,000 ratings.

"Root users" might also have heard of several ad-blocking apps (e.g. Adaway, Adblock Plus -- the latter not even requiring root), some of them able to not only "block by host/IP", but directly de-activating the ad modules. Well, those are no longer available on the playstore, as Google has banned them. But you certainly will find them in other places on the web. Make sure to select a trustworthy source, if you plan to make use of those. I recommend F-Droid, which has its own "market app" with the same name, so you get updates as well. All apps there are open source and thus free of charge. And no, obviously no "hacked pro versions for free", all fully legal and lawful :)


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Fake/Dummy/mock internet for spam apps
There are a lot of apps which require internet to run whether be spam or good apps.
Is there any way to make them feel there is internet connection without actually running internet kind of fake/mock internet connection for such apps?
FYI, I am using ICS (Android 4.0.4)

The best way to prevent spammy apps from accessing the Internet is to uninstall them.

@Chahk: True but i also meant there are good apps and games too which require internet for marketing or ads and not their internal functionality to work with internet :)


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SD card in Android virtual device
I have created an Android virtual device with sd-card.
Now I want to create another Android virtual device with sd-card with same data.
Where can I find the sd-card image file?
By the way, I'm using Eclipse Juno on Windows 8.

Not being familiar with Eclipse: Is your question about a problem with your Android device, or is it rather a development thingy? Your question is not clear to me in this regard.

@Izzy: Not related to android device. Strictly related to development.

Ooops... In that case: sorry, development questions are off topic here (see our [FAQ], we are a user-oriented Q&A site). To find a good place for your issue, I recommend checking Where can I ask questions that aren't Android Enthusiast questions? -- which lists a lot of good ressources. Remember though you're always welcome here with questions from a user's standpoint, as described by our [FAQ] :)

I think this question is okay to stay here. I can imagine a power user using an Android emulator needing this information.

I agree with @AlEverett it is possible a non-developer might find this information useful.

You're welcome -- though the bigger thanks belongs to John it seems :) And @AlEverett yes, agreed. Just as soon as Eclipse comes into play, it's rather a developer -- but true, the answer could be useful to power-users as well.

Here is what I would do:
Clean way
Your SD card image is stored in the following location:
~/.android/avd/<avd name>.avd/sdcard.img

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10680992/in-avd-emulator-how-to-see-sdcard-folder-and-install-apk-to-avd

So, if your AVD is named SCREEN_LARGE, then your image file would be at:
~/.android/avd/SCREEN_LARGE.avd/sdcard.img

I am using a Mac but I'm sure the location for the .android folder should be inside of your 'User' folder as well.
You can then duplicate this file and then use it with another AVD.
Less clean way
copy all of your files/folders that you want off of the old image from ADB:
adb pull <dir or file>

How to use adb pull

Then, using ADB create a brand new Image:
mksdcard <size> <file>

mksdcard can be found in the  tools/ directory of your sdk folder.

Then load the AVD with the new image:
emulator -sdcard <filepath>

Once the AVD has loaded your new image, you can then push your files:
adb push <dir or file>

info taken from Google page:

http://developer.android.com/tools/devices/emulator.html#sdcard

I hope this helped!


text:
Network connectivity issues on apps and sites with SSL
I'm using Asus Memo Pad (ME172V) running Android 4.1.1. Apps (Facebook, Play Store, Yahoo! Mail, Skype, etc) cannot access the WiFi network. I can browse using Chrome (except for SSL sites) and can use the YouTube app.
Tried:

Rebooting via safe mode
Clear app cache
Removing and adding accounts

As the OP didn't add the solution as an answer himself...
OP found the answer to the issue himself, strange as it might sound:

noticed that the device date and time is not correct. corrected it and it worked.

On a second thought, this is a very plausible reason, considering the questions hint about except for SSL sites: If the local date is too far in the past, SSL certificates are "not yet valid" -- and if it's too far in the future, they are "no longer valid". In both cases, establishing a secured connection must fail.


text:
Android phone does not know its location despite all the sensors being turned on
We are facing a very strange problem while fetching device location in Android 2.3 handset. Google Map does not show proper location too. I have turned on Gps, mobile data and agreed to Google terms for the wireless based location calculation.
Rebooting the phone also did not help.
Right now, I have no idea how to make the device location-aware.

What make/model are you using?

When you go into Google Maps, does anything appear in the status bar to indicate that it's attempting to access GPS location (in my case, it's a crosshair with a flashing dot inside, which stops flashing once a location has been received). You might also want to try the GPS Test app and see what that tells you.

I agree with @TreborRude, you should also clear your cache for google maps. Connecting to Wifi can also improve your location accuracy, especially if you are indoors.


text:
Is SD card damaged
I bought 32GB SanDisk class 10/UHS1 SD card from Flipkart.com
Many times it fails to load all apps from SD card and many time it simply says in notifications "Damaged SD card", or suddenly notifies "Safe to remove SD card"!!! But it also loads all apps many times. What could be the reason?
Actually I inserted this SD card by first copy pasting the whole content of old SD card to it. Can this be the reason for such behavior? Should I clean format this SD card and then insert clean ed one and then let Android to format it? And make up a clean start?
Since in many instances it loads all apps, I am thinking it must not be damaged. But want some advice. Should I request Flipkart for re-shipping a new one?

My friend had a similar problem, he went into the Verizon store and they just flat out gave him a new card, it took like 5 minutes. We were actually out of there so quickly he forgot to thank the lady behind the desk. His card was completely corrupted and he lost all of his files and such.
Your card seems to be partially corrupted or not corrupted at all. What I would do is copy all of the files from the SD card onto a backup drive and then flash a new SD card with your old SD card files.
If the card still does not work:
at this point it almost has to be the files on the actual SD card. I would a couple files onto the SD card at a time until you find the corrupted file(s). Then you should delete the corrupted files, there isn't much you can do to restore them.
If you have a Mac, I am a fan of DiskUtil, it works really well even for fixing SD cards. I'm sure there is a similiar tool for Windows or Ubuntu.
Hope this helped!

What do you mean by flash a new SD card, just copy pasting the whole content? actually when I copy pasted old sd content to newer ones I realised that the size of pasted one was smaller than the first sd card content size, also I realized that this is common problem in Android, is there any robust method to move sd card content from one to another? I believe copy pasting content is culprit here. Do u think the same?

I don't think copy/paste contents is the culprit. But it's known that some combinations of device/sdcard can cause problems. So if you can afford another card, try a different brand/model/class (e.g. a class-6 should be fast enough in 99% of all cases, so you might want to chose a class-6 of a different manufacturer), and see if your problems persist.

@Izzy is correct, class 6 SD cards are the most reliable and the most compatible. I would get the warranty on the card and try to replace it with a class 6.

@John now I tried to uninstall those apps that werent not loading (which I copied from older sd card) and installed them back from PlayStore and now they are working fine. I have tested if they get loaded even after rebooting the phone or reinserting the card. Can this be the reason that simply copy pasting old sd cards' content to the new one is not working on my phone

@Mahesha999 it might be working for now but it's possible that in the near future the card will become corrupted again. It is very possible you are using an SD card that is not compatible with your Android device.

If I were you I'd whip that thing out of your phone, pop it in an SD card reader connected to a laptop/desktop, backup the card, then erase and format it fully using the SD card formatting tool (v4) from the SD Association and then test it thoroughly with H2testw 1.4 assuming you have a computer with Windows. There's an article which talks a bit about testing SD cards here. I think there's another tool called F3 that can do something similar on a Mac if you've got one of those.
If you run into any errors along the way then you've probably got a dodgy card. If not then maybe you've got a compatibility problem with that card and your phone and I'd go with a slower card, and possibly a smaller one.
Best of luck!

But then what about re-copying data from the old SD card to the newly formatted SD card? How will you do that?


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Install USB host drivers on Android ICS
I have a Desire HD running a custom rom: Android ICS 4.0.4. I ran USB Host Diagnostics software and connected my camera through a USB OTG cable but the phone does not detect the camera. I am thinking the ICS rom that I have on does not include the USB Host drivers. Can I install them on my phone in any other ROM or do I need to install a different ROM?

This doesn't belong here, but that aside...
You don't really "install" the drivers. The framework needed for USB OTG is often found in custom kernels, you should be looking there.
This question is also probably best asked on the forum thread of the custom ROM you flashed. A quick look at your device's forum on XDA shows a fully working stock-based Custom ROM that supports USB OTG out of the box.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2204384
I'd start with that.


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How to setup Google+ to instant upload pictures which take from Camera Zoom FX?
I like Camera ZOOM FX, but I want Google+ instant upload. How can I make them work together?

Does Camera Zoom FX allow you to set the directory where pictures are saved? If so, maybe setting it to the same directory used by the Camera app will work.

I just did a test and got it to work. Thanks to Trebor Rude for the clue.
You need to save your Camera Zoom FX photos to the same place as the default camera. You'll end up with the untouched photo as well as the photo with the applied effects in your Instant Upload on Google+.
To change where Camera Zoom FX saves its photos...

Choose Settings | All Settings
Choose Save
Change the "Camera folder:" to Default. (It's probably on CameraZoom.) It will now show a save location like "Folder = /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera"

This answer makes perfect sense, but bizarrely it doesn't work for me. Photos taken with the native Android Camera app get uploaded every time. Even forcing Google Photos to sync, it ignores the CameraZoom photos. I tried modifying the filename so it doesn't include the "CameraZoom-" prefix, but the filename doesn't quite match the format of the Camera app.

@KJH: Now that Google Photos has supplanted Google+ Photos, this question (and answer) are probably out of date. You need to tell Google Photos what folders to upload.

Thanks @Al for the quick response. Understood about the G+ vs Photos. It just made sense that Photos would simply upload the photos it found in the default Camera folder, but apparently it doesn't work that way. Unfortunately, the "Select folders to back up" option in Photos isn't working for me. Back to the drawing board...


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How to keep display always off during the call on HTC Sense 4.1 (Android 4.0.1)?
My wife has a problem with HTC Desire X (HTC Sense on Android 4.1) that during the call sometimes (in ~10% cases) the screens goes on for no reason. This cause phone calls to be canceled, loud speaker to be on, etc.
I do not know how to reproduce it, but I was on another side of the line already many times when this problem has happened.
The solution I see is to disable this "automatic on" feature. When the call button is pressed or the phone call is answered, the screen should go off and can be switched on only by pressing a hardware button (central or on/off button) and not by the proximity sensor.
I could not find an application that can do this.... Is there any?
If not, is it possible in theory to create such app without replacing the HTC Sense interface?
ADDED: Are there maybe some other interfaces around that have such settings? In Samsung or other devices?

I've never heard of an app to do this, and I know there isn't any option to do it with Sense. You might be able to do it with Tasker by having it detect when a call is taking place and then having it switch the screen off, but I'm not familiar enough with tasker to know for sure. But I've seen a lot of these issues are actually just a screen protector covering the proximity sensor (or a really dirty screen covering it). Does your wife have a screen protector on the phone?

No, she has no protector. But yes, the screen may become dirty or she may move the phone around or some strange problems with the sensor on this particular phone. It's difficult to tell...

I also strongly suspect some screen protector being the culprit, as it was in some related cases I've heard of. But it could also be the proximity sensor itself being faulty. I'm not sure if your device has a fitting test routine, but you could check if you find one in the service menu (*#*#197328640#*#* or *#*#7378423#*#*), otherwise check with your service technician to make sure.

I had a phone that did that before, I turned of the 'in-pocket detection' setting and it stopped.

Is she left handed? The sensor is on the top left side of the phone making it miss the ear sometimes when holding the phone with the left hand while talking.


text:
Bluetooth audio connection confirmation with Tasker
Just bought Tasker, my goal is that when I get into my car I have a Jabra Freeway, it has a motion sensor and turns on when it detects motion. But my VZW Galaxy Nexus won't always connect. I get tired of checking, how do I go about creating a task or profile that would allow me to hear a notification sound to act as a confirmation that the phone connected. I'd like to get in, and hear for example a text tone on the Bluetooth to let me know it's connected. I need a step by step walkthrough. I haven't found one online?

I just found a related question which might be worth a look as well: Can Tasker/Locale tell me what BT device is connected?. As Tasker and Locale share the same plugin interface, the answer from Locale Support is valid here as well :)

You could make use of the condition State→Bluetooth Connected:

The device is connected to another device via Bluetooth. If either of Name or Address are specified, they must match a connected device.
Connections to non-paired devices (e.g. while pairing is taking place) are ignored.
Warning: Tasker can't directly detect when a BT device is connected, only when a connection or disconnection is made.

As for the task, take a look at Music Play:

Play a sound file from the SD card.
File is the path to the file on the SD card e.g. Music/wow.mp3

Alternatively: Notify Sound:

Show a notification on the top bar and play a sound.
The specified Title will appear on the bar initially. Notifications with a particular (non-empty) title replace existing ones with that title.
When the notification area is pulled down, the specified Text will be visible.

Or Notify Vibrate, Play Ringtone, Say (Synthesize the given Text into speech)...
Trying a raw thing (I didn't test this):

Condition: State→Bluetooth Connected (specify the parameters)
Task: Say "You are connected now."

For more information, you might want to take a look at the User Manual. Also check the Tasker Homepage itself for more Guides, FAQ, How-Tos, etc. Moreover, the Wiki contains a lot of ready profiles, step-throughs, and more.

I'm still new, and can't upvote you yet with my reputation. But I really appreciate your help and you helped me figure it out. I can now also get my phone to tell me to buckle up or whatever I want which adds a cool factor! You're awesome. Thanks!!

You're welcome! If that solves your issue, you can hit the checkmark next to the answer to "accept" it. This shows to others: This is a workable solution :)

Yup, I choose the check mark to choose this as a solution... it took me a few minutes to figure it out, but I got it.


text:
How can I get daydream mode to remain active throughout the night when using the wireless charger?
Daydream mode is working as it should on a stock Nexus 4 4.2 device using the wireless charger however after a period of time daydream mode will shut off and put the screen in to sleep mode. This is not very conducive to being used as a clock in the middle of the night and thus I need to determine how I can get it to remain active throughout the evening, for an indeterminate amount of time.
I believe this is occurring after the phone reaches a certain charge, power delivery is suspended at which time once the sleep threshold is reached the phone will turn off, unless charging resumes. I could in theory set the sleep time to 30 minutes but would prefer a more elegant option.

@Al Everett Why was the Jelly Bean tag removed? The tag states, Android 4.2 is an incremental update in the "Jelly Bean" version series which debuted with the Nexus 4 and Nexus 10. Please only use this tag if you feel your question is specific to Android 4.2 which this question is specific to...

Your question is specific to Daydream. That that's the version where it was implemented is only incidental to the question. Presumably Android 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, etc., will also have the Daydream function.

It's specific to the OEM wireless charger which is specific to the Nexus 4 as power is not suspended from a USB power source but is suspended from the charger. Perhaps a wireless-charger tag would suffice but did not exist. The wireless charger is the unique piece here, not daydream, thus the addition of the jelly bean tag at minimum got it close to narrowing in on just the Nexus 4.

Are you sure it's got anything to do with the wireless charger? Have you tried with a wired charger? Tags should describe the question not the device/environment.

I don't feel like arguing. If you think the tag belongs then put it back. Just don't be surprised if someone else takes it out.

Since wireless charging actually stops charging at 100%, daydream will not stay active.  There's a open issue for this at https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=48980
As a workaround, you can root your phone and, go to a command prompt and type the following:
su
svc power stayon true


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External HDD not recognized by tablet
I have an external 320GB HDD with Backtrack on it, partitioned as follows:
-partition '/' ext4
-partition '/home' ext4
-swap
-free partition fat32
The problem comes when I connect it to my tablet [Vonino Orin S --jellybean 4.1.1]; even if I connect the HDD to an external power supply the tablet doesn't recognize it; even more, sometimes I get a notification "Storage removed. Insert a new one.".
Is there a specific way [size, FS] my HDD must to be partitioned?

It may be looking for FAT, unfortunately.


text:
Motorola XT610 (Droid Pro) Root
I've tried rooting my phone using z4root and after the entire process, I still get access denied with the su command in abd shell.  I followed the instructions at droidforums.  The first result from Google suggests the same tool.  Is there anything else that I may have missed, or is this procedure outdated?
System Version: 4.7.3.XT610.Verizon.en.US
Model Number: Droid Pro
Android Version: 2.3.4
Kernel Version: 2.6.32.9-ge13b57a


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Difference between "nandroid" and "nandroid + ext"
I own a CM9 Motorola Backflip MB300. I'm planning downgrading it and reapplying the stock ROM. To prevent rendering it unusable, I'm going to perform a nandroid backup, but I get two options: "backup" and "backup + ext".
What is the difference?

Just a raw guess: Some ROMs use a special partition for App2SD+, called "sd-ext". Most don't. So I often saw errors like skipping sd-ext, or something with "not found". Might be they "outsourced" that from the usual Nandroid backup to avoid irritation with that error.


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How to gain S-OFF on HTC Salsa
I want to root my HTC Salsa phone. According to this link I need to gain S-OFF on my Mobile.
There is nice article to gain S-OFF.
But my Question: Is there an alternative way, without using any hardware to gain S-OFF ?

I've just added your device to our rooting index (linking here), as it is not yet covered on our site. You might want to check the questions on other HTC devices linked from there, as S-OFF is a HTC speciality. It might turn up something useful, until a direct answer turns up here. If you found a solution yourself, feel free to answer your own question and accept the answer :)

the Salsa is supported by the official HTCdev bootloader unlock process
While this does not make your phone S-OFF (which would allow overwriting things like the radio software), it does make enough of the partitions writable to install custom recoveries like ClockWorkMod, root the device (by installing rooting packages like superuser or SuperSU), and install custom ROMs that don't need updated bootloaders (the vast majority).

Not Helpful buddy, Because that will not increase my Internal Memory.

Nothing will increase the physical amount of memory. 2) Most methods to deal with lack of memory in a certain partition only require root or custom ROMs (app2SD, etc.) so work fine with HTC unlock. 3) Are you talking about some sort of bizarre repartitioning process?


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Bluetooth Keyboard won't automatically connect
I have a Logitech k810 Bluetooth keyboard, which can switch between 3 devices with corresponding buttons. I have it paired with my Windows 7 laptop, a Tablet, and an HTC Rezound with Andorid 4.0.3.
I can switch between Windows and my Android tablet with no issue. I just press the corresponding button on the keyboard and 2 seconds later I can type on either device.
When trying to switch to my phone, the keyboard LED blinks as it attempts to connect but never does. There is no indication on the phone. The keyboard's Bluetooth profile on the phone is activated (checkbox is checked). If I select the device in the Bluetooth device list, it says "Please press any key on your keyboard to reconnect.", but pressing keys does nothing.

It appears the only way to actually connect it is to press the conncect button on the keyboard and manually go to the phone's Bluetooth device profile options and click on the already checked checkbox for the keyboard input.

I imagine this would happen with my phone and any Bluetooth keyboard, which ruins the convenience of a keyboard at all.
Any clues as to the issue? I'd love to be able to just connect without spending 2 minutes doing so every time.

I see the same message when I tap my computer (!) in the list of Bluetooth devices on my HTC with Android 6. Why does it think my computer is a keyboard?


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How Do I Launch The SDK Emulator?
How do I use the Android emulator? I made an AVD device in Eclipse, now im trying to launch it via command prompt. Android is the AVD name. I have also installed all the files for Android 4.2.2 in SDK manager. This is what I type into cmd: emulator -avd <android> -gpu on. It spits out, system cannot find the file specified.

By the way, this question is only marginally on topic for this site. This site is intended for questions about using Android devices. Questions about developing for Android belong on Stack Overflow. The emulator is a bit of a gray area, since it's usually used by developers, but non-developers could have some use for it too.

It sounds like the directory that emulator resides in isn't in your PATH. The path isn't updated by the installation of the SDK.

You shouldn't have <angle brackets> around the filename. They're used in examples to show you that you need to change that part of the command (to the AVD name you chose), and you shouldn't type them in.

Also a good possibility for causing the stated problem. I'm so used to that convention I didn't even consider this answer.

To be fair, I didn't think of your answer either until I read it :-)

You need to install AVD Manager inorder to run emulator...check for those and try running using the menu Tools|Android|AVD Manager after installing the necessary files and starting them...Wish u have success


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Record video and send it to server
I want to record a video, and stream it directly to the server while recording (i.e. the video should be saved on the server, not necessarily locally on the Android device). How can this be accomplished? The built-in camera app does not seem to offer this feature.

Please note that Is there an app for X questions are off topic on our site (see the [FAQ] for details). You should be open to all solutions for an issue :) So forgive me a little re-phrasing (feel free to edit it again if I missed something).

You're welcome! Though in some cases it seems pretty clear the answer will be "use this-and-that app", we try to keep our minds open. In the 9 months I'm here with ASE, I've seen a lot of surprising answers and solutions I've never thought of -- so I stopped thinking about something being "impossible" (and switched that to "unlikely, but who knows" :)

Partial solution: IP Webcam. I use this app to have fun from time to time. You can view live feed by accessing the phone's ip, it does not upload to a server.

I am also finding the same solution for record and directly upload to server. Can anyone have solution for this ?

A simplistic solution to your problem would be the following:

Set up any one of the IP Camera apps on the Play store.
Access the IP Camera app's web interface via the server.
Set the web interface to record the video feed to its storage.

This would work; but you haven't specified if you own the server or not, what type of server it is, or whether you are on the same WiFi network as the phone.


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Widget to show calendar events and TODO items merged in a single agenda?
The Calendar application works with Google Calendar and its agenda style is really useful. Nevertheless, for some reason, it does not work with Google Tasks, so I use GTasks that works with the Google Tasks. I use both of them really intensively, but none of them can show both calendar events and todo items. Sometimes it's very inconvenient because I have to switch between widgets and merge the overall timeline in my mind.
So is there any widget to show calendar events and TODO items at once? Agenda style would be a real plus.
Thanks in advance.

You might want to take a look at Pure Calendar Widget. Will cost you about two bucks, but does exactly what you request:

Widget for Agenda / Tasks / TODO (agenda style)

Synced with Google calendars
Show calendars from Google, TouchDown & Moto/LG Exchange
Show tasks from Astrid, Tasks (Team), MyPhoneExplorer, Ultimate To-Do List, TaskSync, CalenGoo, DGT Gtd, gTasks, Got To Do, Task Organizer, Due Today, TouchDown, Pocket Informant

Pure Calendar Widget / Agenda Widget for Android (source: Google Play; click image for larger variant)
An alternative could be Agenda Widget for Android (second screenshot above), which has a free trial variant (which I linked) and comes close to what the previously mentioned does.
As I don't use any of those, I cannot tell you which might fit you best -- but at least with the free variant, you might want to give it a try :)

Yes, I saw Pure Calendar Widget either, and I hoped that there are still some candidates except of it. I'm just playing with Agenda Widget, and it looks pretty amazing and highly customizable (for example, you can set set a custom date/time range -- the Calendar widget simply offers one week). So it really seems to be worthy for giving a try. Thank you very much!

Just curious @izzy why you don't seem to feel this question is off-topic as "Can you recommend an app which does X?" Is it specific enough?

@TreborRude Actually, it's border-lining (and I thought about that hint, yes). But it's easily re-phrased to "How can I display that info together in one place, so I don't have to switch around". While in such cases I usually do the actual re-phrasing, I missed it here as I was short on time (had to switch offices, so I had to decide between placing the answer and re-phrasing the question)...

Try Jorte Calendar. It merges Google Calendar and Tasks flawlessely
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.co.johospace.jorte&hl=en

I use Simple Calendar Widget.
Different skins
* Possibility to choose which calendars to show
* Font style and background customization
* Show or hide current day of month
* Possibility to choose which application to open
* Support of tasks using Dato GTasks or Astrid
I cannot post images but here is a link to the app: link


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How to get the Enter (Return) key in Messaging (MMS) app - Jelly Bean
I have JellyBean 4.2 and my friend also has the same.
I have been fond of using the "Enter" or "return" key while typing messages. I like paragraphs in messages. But I have a "Smiley" Button.
My friend however has the enter key. See the Screen shot:

Screenshot (click image for larger variant)
How to get the Enter button like in the screen shot?

I'd start with examining the settings of the Messaging app to see if anything looks relevant.

I have drilled down my phone for all possible settings. Let alone be that of Messaging App :)

Fair enough. :-) Which phones have you and your friend got? And are you both using the stock keyboard?

I am using stock kb of Jelly Bean. I don't know about my friend. Both have a Galaxy S. Both have custom ROMs as well, hence the jelly bean

If you are using CyanogenMod (or a derivative of it), you can enable the enter key under Messaging -> Menu -> Settings -> Soft Keyboard Type -> Show the Enter Key

Sadly, the Soft Keyboard Type option is missing from recent CyanogenMod builds.

I updated my ROM to a CM variant (SlimBean to be specific) and found this in the settings

This worked for me. Thanks to bassmadrigal's comment.

Sadly, this option is missing from recent cyanogenmod builds.

press the shift key and see the change in the icon for the smiley. It changes to the enter key.

This works on Google Keyboard in KitKat 4.4.4.

this works. if you cannot see it at first you must switch to English lang first and then try pressing shift above number switch key.

This should really be the recognized answer. Conformed with Google Keyboard and Messenger on Cyanogen OS 12.1

Doesn't work on Jellybean. I seriously hope whatever marketing dipshit thought this up has lost their job by now.

Messaging -> Menu -> Settings -> Soft Keyboard Type -> Show the Enter Key

You can use newline in Android Jelly Bean while texting too.
While typing hold shift key the smiley icon will change to newline icon then move your finger to that newline button, it gives me newline in my text message.
Just make sure that holding shift and moving finger to that newline button will be done very fast and quick otherwise the button will do some other operation like going to execute "previous" action.

Alternatively, replace the stock text/messaging app with something like "Textra" from the play store. This will bring back the return key as standard.

Go to GO Keyboard Settings - under 'Input' select 'More..' - select 'Smiley Key Setting' - select 'Off'.  Done!

This needs a preamble: "If you're using GO Keyboard, ..."


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When calling my screen goes black on LG P880
After updating in Android 4.1.2 my screen goes black. Screen works again only when the call is finished.
I know about the feature when you put the phone on ear it goes black and the second you remove the phone from your ear , the screen turns on again.
But now is different. Now it goes black the same second when I press call and there's nothing that brings it back until the call is over!
Please help.

It sounds like your proximity sensor is either broken or blocked. Do you have a screen protector? If the screen protector isn't decent enough or have a spot cut out for the proximity sensor, it would disable the screen as soon as a call is started (because it thinks it is next to your ear since it is blocked). This can also happen if your screen over the proximity sensor is extremely dirty. The other option is that your sensor is defective. As far as I know, there isn't much that can be done for this.

I don't have any screen protector. More often screen goes black other times it remain on and even if I cover the sensor it remains on.I'm not sure there's something with proximity sensor. This occurred right after upgrade of Android.

It works! All I had to do is to calibrate proximity sensor. From hiden menu (dial 3845#*880#) > Device Test -> All Auto Test Menu Full -> ALC / Proximity Test.

@Patrick Please don't add a comment just to say thanks. You have enough rep to upvote questions and answers if you find them helpful, which is our way of saying thanks.

How do you end your call?

Based from OP's comment, you have to calibrate the proximity sensor:

Go to "Secret Menu" by dialing 3845#*880#
Select "Device Test"
Select "All Auto Test Menu Full"
Choose "ALC / Proximity Test"

I had the same problem with my LG Optimus 4X P880: whenever I wanted to make a call, the screen was going to off position; only after finishing the call it turned back on.
I think it is nothing but a software problem in Android version 4.1.2. So I rolled back from 4.1.2 Jelly Bean to 4.0.3 Icecream Sandwich. Now my phone is working properly.


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AutoSync is disabled in Android ICS LG P920 3D. How turn it on?
After upgrade Android from 2.3.x to 4.0.3 I can't turn on auto synchronization.
When Im trying I get msg:
AutoSync is disabled. Synchronization is enabled manually by server policy.

In Settings -> Accounts & sync have a disabled switcher as on the screens below.
Do you know how can I turn on auto sync?
Device model: LG Optimus P920 3D.
Android version: 4.0.4
I'm abroad and using wifi and roaming GSM.
Screenshoots:

Just to clearify: Are you talking about ActiveSync (MS Exchange), as the error message mentions a "server policy"? If not, which AutoSync do you refer to exactly?

It sounds like you are trying to sync a MS Exchange account. I imagine the newer versions of Android correctly follow the policies set forth by the Exchange Server, and in this case the server admin has not allowed auto sync. The older version of Android likely didn't implement the proper security requests of the server, so you were able to have auto sync despite the Exchange admin having told the device not to do that. So now, you'll have to talk with your Exchange admin to ask them to enable this feature.

Thanks for advice, problem was with MS Exchange.
I had to delete MS Exchange account and recreate after this Exchange asked me about permission for account and everything works fine.


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When I send or receive a call, the person on the other side can't hear me
When I make a phone call, people on the other tell me that my sound is like I am speaking in a huge water pot or something like a pot.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S3.

Are you using a headset? How is coverage (signal strength) in those cases? Have you the possibility to compare with another device (same carrier/network etc) in the same area -- and if so, are the problems reproduceable?

The people I'm talking to often complain about my voice when I'm using the speakerphone.

Check the microphone of the device. On the S3 I believe it is the little hole on the right side of the charging port.  I have seen this issue numerous times and on occasion, it's a clogged or semi clogged mic port. If the issue is intermittent, the aforementioned possibility is less likely. Other times it is network related, app related or, worst case, a failing microphone.

I've had this problem with my own S3. Usually, it happens when I'm holding the phone angled away from my head. In my case, holding the phone flat against the side of my head helps. I'm not sure if it's some sort of background noise cancellation gone wonky or what, but that little shift in position is all it takes for me.

It could be any or all of the following:

Speaker's volume is too low if you have a protective case around your S3. Otterbox cases, and a few others, have been known to cause problem with the S3's speaker.
To be fair though, speakers on Samsung devices are notoriously bad when it comes to receving and transmitting sound.
Some Android firmware installed on the S3 can cause the audio software to lower the volume unnecessarily. Try upgrading your S3 to the latest Android firmware, like Jellybean, KitKat or later.


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My Galaxy Tab 10.1 fell straight from the bed. Will this influence the Tab life?
Last night, I left the Tab next to me and it fell from my bed onto the floor. The Tab now has a crack in the upper right corner and a little depression between the frame and the screen.  Will this affect the Tab's lifespan/usability or is just cosmetic?

It could have an effect on the digitizer eventually.

Anytime you have a crack or gap in a device where it isn't supposed to be can mean you may run into additional issues. The device will now be more prone to issues from moisture and/or dirt and it may not be as sturdy and could be more likely to break even more when moved the wrong way or dropped (even from a lower height).
If there are cracks in the digitizer (the glass that you touch), it can cause issues with recognizing input from your fingers. And you have the possibility of glass splinters ending up in your finger (depending on how the glass cracked). To help with the possibility of splinters or having it crack further, a screen protector could help (but it isn't guaranteed to prevent anything else).
But the act itself of being cracked (as long as it didn't cause internal hardware damage or too much damage to the screen), shouldn't cause any shortening of life of your product. It is just what may happen after the crack (moisture, dirt, etc) that can shorten the life of the tablet.


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Is there a way to share OTR keys between different applications?
I have IM+ pro installed on my phone and purchased the OTR upgrade.
On my linux laptop I have pidgin installed and the OTR plugin active.
I set both XMPP resources - laptop and nexus - to the same priority, I simply set IM+ pro to 1, to share messages between devices. I prefer to use OTR communication whenever possible but I have not yet found a way to share the OTR keys already on my laptop with my phone.
How can I achieve OTR communication that can be decrypted on both devices equally?


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A way to get the current resolution size and DPI from the command line/terminal/adb?
I've got adb access to my android phone.
So I know that I can override screen density and screen resolution with the am command provided with Android. That's great and dandy, I guess. But is there a way to grab those two numbers from the command line? I know the pm utility can do some information gathering, most notably pm list features to see if the Android device has wireless, bluetooth, gps, etc. pm doesn't seem to do much more information reporting than this, though.
It would be helpful to know what versions of Android that the command is supported for. Ideally I would like something that works on Android 2.2+ (Froyo), but taking something that only works from 4.0.3+ (Ice Cream Sandwich) is fine too. I would also like it if there was a way to figure this out without root access.
I know that it's possible to get the screen resolution and density programmatically, as described in this question.

the result and precise format of the dumpsys command depends on the hardware vendor (of graphics chipset/driver and handset itself) but you should be able to find that info in the adb shell dumpsys display output

So I could call adb shell dumpsys display | grep mBaseDisplayInfo to get the appropriate information? It seems to match up, on my nexus 7 dumpsys reports the density to be 213 and the resolution to be 800x1280. It also reports information on rotation and such, neat. I didn't know dumpsys existed, but it seems to report on a lot of useful information as noted here: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11201659/android-adb-shell-dumpsys-tool

yes. the problem is that different phones could have a  different format of this line

adb shell dumpsys display  | grep mRequestedMode  Then adb shell dumpsys display  | grep mMode={id= to get the modeinfo

In Android versions equipped with wm tool, you can use the commands:
adb shell wm size      # shows the real size and current size
adb shell wm density   # shows the real density and current density

(Click image to enlarge)

I've tested successfully on stock Android 5.x and 6.x. Since wm tool comes with Android 4.3.x and 4.4.x as well, the solution may work on them as well.

Note: yes, the question restricts to now archaic Android version but the problem seems relevant for just any Android version. I decided to bring information not covered in accepted answer.

Is this measurement in pixels?

@IgorGanapolsky that I do not know.

I know this is unrelated, but what terminal emulator are you using?

@Tri Material Terminal Emulator. Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=yarolegovich.materialterminal&hl=en_US&gl=US

@Firelord when using wm density, my phone reports the supported dpi is 420, but when using dumpsys display | grep dpi, it reports that the display dpi supported is 560. So i am confused on which is the correct reading or if wm density isn't actually dpi? So you know what's going on here?

I am not to sure about these entries from getprop: ~ $ getprop | grep ro.sf [ro.sf.init.lcd_density]: [560] [ro.sf.lcd_density]: [420] guess i will Google it

@james28909 In my OnePlus 6 (Android 11), wm density reports Physical density and Override density. Override density is what I (the user) has manually configured. Physical density is that the device came with. dumpsys display reports the same info as BaseDisplayInfo and OverrideDisplayInfo. I don't know about [ro.sf.init.lcd_density].

@Firelord yes sir, i understand what you mean. I were just wondering why dumpsys display | grep dpi reports a higher dpi than wm density. If you use termux or a terminal emulator, try that dumpster command and you will see what i mean. I also wonder what the property [ro.sf.init.lcd_density]: is, or what it controls. My Googlefu could not find anything informative about this property. Also, thanks for responding :)

@james28909 I think you should ask this as a separate question. dumpsys in my device does not report density higher than what wm command does. // No problem. No need to call me Sir. :)

If display service isn't available in dumpsys, you may look for line ro.sf.lcd_density= into /system/build.prop. To get it from phone:
adb pull /system/build.prop


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How to mount a remote FTP share as local folder/directory?
I would like to mount a remote FTP share as local directory (or drive) on Cyanogenmod and be able to access it like it was a regular folder and browse files on it.
Ideally, an app would mount FTP as a folder and let me browse files in it outside of that app, but if it can be done without any app, it is also acceptable. The folder need to be browsable by any application afterwards.
Can anyone suggest a solution?
Thank you in advance

Maybe SSHFSAndroid? It's alpha software so be ready for some bumps.

This won't directly mount it as a drive but ASTRO File Manager can emulate that experience. It will give you the same experience it does for local filesystems but with a FTP file system.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.metago.astro for the download.

The aim is to be able to browse files outside of that application like a regular folder, is this possible with Astro FM? If not, the answer is not correct sorry.

@AdnanDoric Sadly ASTRO can't do that. You could have a look at http://fuse.sourceforge.net/


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Can I install "HTC Wildfire" or "Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini" firmware on "Samsung Galaxy Pocket"?
Can I install "HTC Wildfire" or "Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini" firmware on "Samsung Galaxy Pocket"?
Hello, I want to installdifferent manufacturer's firmware on my Samsung Galaxy Pocket.
Samsung Galaxy Pocket specs:
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_pocket_s5300-4612.php
HTC Wildfire specs:
http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_wildfire-3337.php
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini specs:
www.gsmarena.com/sony_ericsson_xperia_x10_mini-3125.php
Is it possible to install any official (or unoficial) firmware of these phones (HTC or Sony Ericsson) on my Samsung Galaxy Pocket?
Thanks....

You shouldn't do that thing. Take in mind that each device is special and each firmware is specifically made for that device.
If you try to flash a different firmware you will brick you phone.


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How can I print web pages from my Android to a wireless Printer?
There is a system I log into online that generates web pages for a printing. This works great on the PC using Chrome, Firefox and IE.
I would like a way to print these web pages from the tablet (Galaxy 2, Android 4). Unfortunately, these web pages I am referring to require me to be logged in. Many print apps I have found simply re-visit the URL without using my login credentials. That will not work for me.
The best solution I have found was to use Firefox's save PDF feature, then open the PDF with the Cloud Print app, which would then print to my PC or one of the Google Cloud ready printers.
Ideally it would connect using WiFi or Bluetooth, but the Cloud Print over Internet idea is good enough for now.

Unfortunately it takes 7 clicks at this point (menu -> tools -> save pdf -> open status bar -> open the pdf (at this point Cloud Print is set as default) -> click print (with default printer) -> click back to go back)
Not to mention, there will be many pdf files just sitting on the phone that should eventually be cleaned up.

Can you recommend a better solution?

Way too many questions in one post. I'd strongly suggest to split them up, starting with the basics first, and then asking additional questions separately when needed. This is a Q&A site -- which means: One question plus its answers belong together on one page. The first item of your list is more than enough for a question. Chances of answers increase dramatically if you edit your question and remove the other items for now.

Edited. Is this better?

Did you look at any of the other questions tagged [tag:printing]? This is likely a duplicate of one of them.

@AlEverett right idea -- but take a look at his 2nd paragraph: with the location being password-protected, most of the "standard solutions" (cloud printing etc.) might fail. Still, there might as well be some questions already addressing that.

With e.g. Is there a way to print from an Android tablet (preferably without a PC/cloud)? your problem might be reduced to "How to open a PDF directly from behind a password-protected URL"...


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What is the difference between Superuser from ChainsDD and Superuser from ClockworkMod?
A while ago I rooted my LG Optimus Slider. The process installed Superuser from ChainsDD.
Now I see that there is another Superuser from ClockworkMod, developed by Koush.
What is the difference between these two different versions of Superuser? I thought that Superuser had been developed by both Adam Shanks (ChainsDD) and Koushik Dutta (koush, also author of Clockwork Recovery).
Superuser from ChainsDD has been giving me trouble for a while now (Slow response, crashes, etc.), and I am looking for alternatives to see if it would help.

Quick followup to my question: I have been using Superuser from ClockworkMod since April and it works great. I have found it to be much more stable then Superuser from ChainsDD and it is open source.

On this question, you might want to check an article on GetAndroidStuff called Superuser vs SuperSU. Quoting:

SuperSU improves everything about Superuser and adds more options. The free version offers faster notifications, there is possibility of disabling them for each app and a new interface, attractive and easy to handle. In addition, according to developer claims by using SuperSU you’ll enjoy higher speed from the apps that require root rights, especially on Android 4.0+. The paid version called SuperSU Pro provides the opportunity to keep root rights after a system update, which usually cancels these rights. Although the method is not guaranteed the option is very useful. We have password protection and advanced log configuration settings for each application.

You might also want to read SuperSU Brings Better SuperUser Root Permission Management to Android. Quoting from that article:

SuperSU is basically SuperUser on steroids. According to the developer, it “allows for advanced management of Superuser access rights for all the apps on your device that need root.”.

ChainsDD versus ClockworkMod
As I initially missed you were not asking about SuperSU, but ChainsDD versus ClockworkMod: Let's take a look at AndroidPolice:

Koush's SuperUser is free and Open Source
Sources are available at Github
it supports JellyBeans (4.2+) MultiUser (SuperSU does this as well)
it will never have a pais version, which would go against the whole open-source principle
like SuperSU, it makes use of the new android.permission.ACCESS_SUPERUSER permission (already used by several root-apps)
PIN Protection
Request Timeout
Customize notifications
x86 and ARM support
tablet optimized (Koush speaks of "tablet mode", so no fear it wouldn't do on a phone :)

Read more in the linked post at AndroidPolice.

Thanks. I did actually find that article but it discusses SuperSU vs. Superuser. I'm curious about the two different apps (from two different developers), both named Superuser.

Ooops... I must have missed that... Updated my answer accordingly, sorry.

it will never have a pai[d] version, which would go against the whole open-source principle -- Why so? It is supposed to be free in speech not in beer. Could it be that I interpreted it otherwise.

@Firelord Ask that the one on AndroidPolice – I was just quoting: and he assured me that there would not be a paid/premium version of Superuser, which would go against the whole open-source principle. (check it out for yourself if you don't believe me ;) I know there are open-source apps with paid versions on Playstore (eg. DAVDroid), others have "donation packages".

I don't know if this helps, but you could check this review between SuperUser and SuperSu https://www.unlockunit.com/blog/supersu-vs-superuser-whats-difference
tldr: supersu is the better one between the two


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Missing application shortcuts
We got a generic Jellybean tablet, and some of the preinstalled apps (Chrome, Maps and others) do not appear in the app drawer for some reason.
They do appear in the Google Play list of installed apps, and in the included Apk Installer.
How can I create home screen shortcuts to these apps?

Is your Jelly Bean 4.1 or 4.2? And is the tablet totally stock Android, or does it have manufacturer customizations?

4.1. It probably has some customization. (is there such a thing as stock Android?)

I see 3 solutions for you:

You can use QuickShortcutMaker (or any similar) application to add launcher to any installed application (or Android Activity).
Not sure if it helps, but you can check your launcher's settings. There should be item "Hidden applications" (or similar).
Install and use another launcher.

QuickShortcutMaker didn't work (it claims to create the shortcut, but it's nowhere to be found). The launcher doesn't seem to have have settings. I have reset app preferences, and made sure those apps aren't disabled. Using another launcher is a potential workaround, but I'd have to research which one,

@DiegoMijelshon, I've tried QuickShortcutMaker - it works fine on 2.3 and 4.1. Just add widget and select needed activity - very easy. About new launcher: try Apex Launcher - it's similar to default Trebuchet but much powerful.

OK, I got QuickShortcutMaker to work.