text:
Why app updates download entire app instead of only "updates"?
I find it rather strange that for updating an app in Android (or even iOS) the entire app is downloaded instead of only the actual "Updates".
The reason I find this strange is because in Windows while updating an app, only the update files are downloaded -- not the entire app -- which is more practical as it saves both time and data usage.
This would seem trivial to most, but when you need to download a huge app just for a tiny feature addition/bug fix it becomes a real PITA.
Does anyone have an explanation as to why this model was implemented?

As far as I know it does download just the updates (referred to as the "delta") on Jellybean 4.1 and above. Obviously the initial install is the full app but updates only download the data that has changed from the current installed version (i.e. the "delta" of it).
You won't see anything different when updating most app, it will still look like it's downloading the full app but on some larger apps you will see if 'jump' parts of the download which indicates that it is just getting the delta.
Engadget and AndroidCentral both have articles indicating that the Play store does provide delta updates

Just how "large" is the larger app? I mean I still need to download the entire Temple Run 2 just to have Usain Bolt! Anyway thanks for sharing the articles.

I'm not sure. I know that for something like Asphalt 6 (which is at least 1GB) that it has only downloaded the changes in the past.It might be that it is only applied to large updates, or maybe it wasn't possible to generate the delta for the Temple Run 2 update for some reason? They may only create the delta when less than a certain percentage has changed. (NB. All of this is just my thoughts)

Delta aren't instantaneous. If you download the update just after it has been pushed to the play store, delta may not have been generated for now. (just a guess)

As an Android Developer I thought the same thing, it was frustrating to say the least because one time I forgot to change one line of code, and it went out with that one line wrong, which caused the app to spit out log statements left and right.
This question has been asked on SO, but it is also on-topic here and I think this question should stay.
SO Question: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/18045290/for-mobile-app-updates-why-does-the-entire-app-need-to-be-downloaded-again
As an Android Developer, my guess would have to be the way the software is packaged. Every android app gets packed into a compressed file called an .apk. This file holds all of the code, layout files and images used to make the app function. It is kind of hard to update just part of a file, especially when it is compressed and if the developer has security features enabled like ProGuard, it would be next to impossible to implement a patch.
I'm sure Google also had some security reasons for not allowing patches. Code patches tend to leave unanticipated security holes and vulnerabilities.

AFAIK delta updates have been introduced to GPlay about half a year ago. And yes, there is also something like binary diffs. Basically, the .apk could also simply be unpacked on Google servers to compare between versions and create the necessary deltas. Though I don't know how it is actually done.

I am very interested in this now, do you have to opt into this as a developer or does Google manage this for you?

@John Google does it automatically, no actions need to be taken by the developer.

Basically Android application package file (*.apk) file is created after the app code is ready to publish,
This file is created after compilation and building and from DALVIK conversion process,
This file contains all of the resources i.e your images, audio, layouts, classes,
And As far as windows concern the .NET framework and Linux framework both works in different manner...
If you want to replace only certain code of the you can do so in android but for security you need to sign that app again..
What DALVIK do is irreversible process, so if new function is added how the old version will access it without knowing it??
That's why it requires to update whole app so that it can work and function properly..


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Would Samsung Galaxy Note II battery work on Samsung Galaxy Note?
Would Samsung Galaxy Note II battery work on Samsung Galaxy Note?
Would it fit and would the 3100mAh be a problem because the original of the Note is only 2500mAh?

It won't fit, The Note 2 batteries are physically larger than the Note 1's battery slots. Your best bet is finding a good third-party extended battery.

source: Stack Exchange

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

sort: votes


text:
Is it possible to retrieve a call without having recorded it?
I made an important call and I want to listen to it again. Unfortunately I didn't install any application to record calls. Is it possible ? Are calls recorded somewhere ?

Once you make a call, that's it! No further can do. To be able to record calls, is grey-area legally speaking, and also requires kernel capabilities to do so.

It is Illegal in the US to record a call without the consent of both parties. There is a Wiki page dedicated to it. Recording calls is something you should not personally do.

Not possible. At least not on most ROMs. Try the NSA or your country's secret services.

Technically it is not possible now. You should have installed some call recording app earlier.
I see, this call was important to you and you want to hear it at any cost.
Let me be clear if you are thinking about to getting call recording from your service provider then, you can't.
a big No, Service providers don't record any calls and ideally, they should not.
Most of the countries(US/UK/India/Europe and all others) countries have their regulations and Privacy laws to prevent this.
However, in a few cases, your calls might be recorded by the government. most of the countries have provision for call recordings(only with permission of court) and allowed to be recorded by only a few government organizations for an internal security threat.
In this kind of cases, recording of calls can be done by authorized Law Enforcement agencies only with a Legal Warrant.

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

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


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How to uninstall framaroot
i search in google and i can't find some easy way to uninstall the application (it can't be found in the play store apps). How i can uninstall (or delete) framaroot?
Thanks
Update:
I suscefully uninstalled the in the settings of the smarthphone, but it's still have root permission the android.
The questions is: how to take away the root permission?

Well i found this to delete (uninstall) SuperUser:
Use root explorer and delete superuser.apk from the /system/app folder(1). Go to the Android market and download and install super user. Use root explorer again and delete su from /system/bin (2). Go to the market and uninstall super user.
(1) I use Root App Delete, but the idea is the same.
(2) I try to delete but it's unsuccessful :)

You probably should try a reboot

Well i found this to delete (uninstall) SuperUser:

Use root explorer and delete superuser.apk from the /system/app folder(1).
Go to the Android market and download and install super user. Use root explorer again and delete su from /system/bin (2).
Go to the market and uninstall super user.

Notes:
(1) I use Root App Delete, but the idea is the same.
(2) I try to delete but it's unsuccessful :)
I solve finally using this guide:
http://www.androidrootz.com/2012/08/how-to-unroot-any-android-device.html
Resume:

Install es file explorer,
Install supersu
Start SuperSu
in es file explorer start root explorer
delete /system/bin/su
delete /system/xbin/su
Uninstall supersu

Run framaroot.apk and choose unroot.


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Samsung account not showing
Could anyone assist me with enabling my Samsung account on my S3. Each time I pressed buy in video hub I got this message on my phone:
"Your Samsung account has been disabled. Enable it by going to Applications manager > Samsung account"
I followed the instruction but there in no Samsung account among the list to enable. I tried to setup the account through "Add account>Server >sync server giving the web address, login in ID and password. Everything was accepted but still giving me same message. My Samsung account is running well on web.
please help.

If the app 'Samsung Account' has been disabled, re-enable it by using the following:
Settings > Application Manager > Use the right-most panel by panning right to the Heading 'All'. Scroll up all the way to the 'Disabled' part of the list, which is at the bottom, click 'Samsung Account' > Enable.
UPDATE: expanded instructions for clarity:
The Application Manager is initially in the 'Downloaded' panel, and the column header is underlined. To the right is the 'Running' panel, and to the far right is the 'All' panel. Disbled apps are at the bottom of the 'All' panel. Select the app you want to re-enable.

Thank you for your detailed explanations. I got all your instructions correctly however there is no disabled app at the bottom of the All panel.

You can see if your Disabled app list is active, by disabling some useless app that came with the phone, maybe one of the live wallpapers 'Windy weather', which should appear near the bottom of the 'All' panel. Select and disable it. This will provide an example of how a disabled app is marked in this list. Do this only if you believe your list is working properly. You can re-enable it if you want it back.

It worked as I disabled and re-enabled the Windy weather app. Truly I know how it works now. I have never done this before and there are no apps disabled under All panel of my phone.  Thank you for your time.

[Go]
Application Manager
Run All
[Press Left Button of smart phone for menu]
[menu will show on screen]
Select option to enable all application


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How many devices does one purchase of Android app support?
I have purchased an app from the Play Store. How many times I can install the same app on different Android devices?
Is there a limit?

How many can you afford?

Related (possible duplicate): Can bought Android apps be shared between devices you own?

There is no limit. From Google Support:

Downloading previously purchased & downloaded apps
When you download a paid or free app on Google Play, the app is
  connected to your Google Account, meaning that you get several
  benefits:

If you get a new device, remove an app to free up space, or reset your
  device, you can reinstall the app without purchasing it again.
If you have multiple devices, you can install the app on all of your devices
  without purchasing the app again.
You can quickly find free or paid
  apps that you previously downloaded.

App purchases are not bound to devices, but to the Google account they've been purchased with. So as long as you use the same Google account on the devices, there should be no limit AFAIK.

It's Completely depends upon applications but in most of the cases it is not restricted on devices or mail account,
As SPB launcher etc track your registration so you can't use those app,
But angry birds, etc you can use....It's depends upon app to app

No. If an app is submitted to the Play Store, it must comply with the Terms Of Service of the Play Store, which as mentioned above is - buy once, use on as many devices linked to that Google Account.
Developers can however choose to restrict their apps from being installed on certain types of devices - as an example, if they have a tablet version of the same app, they won't allow the phone version to be installed on a tablet that you own, thus prompting you to buy the tablet version as well. Uncommon but not unheard of.

@Amit Modak. How to put an extra layer of security like SPB launcher for app development?

@Sparx though you are right about policy and all but as of security prospective it's not the case.... Lets say you have a purchased copy of the app...app links your account which is often rear so most of the apps keep a file on your device for verification so take backup of app and that file(Which found in package directory of app depends upon developer) you can have it...and you are free to go...

@saumilm Hey mate even i am searching for that, spb uses simple registration key, but they keep track of fake serial numbers...By keeping track they are come to know who is using genuine key ....don't know much about it...will get back to you on this..


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Does Google Galaxy Nexus has Visual Voicemail?
I just realised that I cannot find any button or option in my Google Galaxy Nexus for Visual Voicemail, whereas iPhone and many other Android phones do have such feature.
Is there no visual voicemail in Google's Galaxy Nexus?

Usually on android phones this is a carrier supplied feature.  You can get some visual voicemail app from the play store, or you can move your voicemail from the carrier's system to Google Voice, which provides it.


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is it possible that my current chat on whatsapp is visible in my previously used phone?
last month i have sold my phone to someone.
and now i got the information that my whatsapp chat was visible on that phone.
Now, is it possible that my current chats on whatsapp(the chats on my new phone) will still be visible on my old phone???

Did you do a factory reset or wipe your device before selling it?

You should specify which chat application you are concerned about. As long as the login credentials are no longer stored on that phone or you have changed them, any new chat data shouldn't be accesible anymore.

hey, i am talking about my chats on whatsapp...

@ChrisF So it is relevant. If hitesh didn't factory-reset the device, his credentials are still stored on it. If he didn't even have a lock pattern/pin/password set up, the new owner has easy access to it. So still the question remains, hitesh: Did you factory-reset the device before selling it?

@Izzy - I assumed that he would be seeing other things that would indicate that the new user was logging in with his credentials.

no i didn't,,,but isn't it impossible that whatsapp is always active on one phone number???

hey guys,,i just want to know that after i started using whatsapp on my new phone (with my previous contact number), those chats will also be going to my previous phone(handset) or not ???

If you didn't factory-reset your device, many things are possible – as the new owner has full access to all data you've left on it.

i am not concerned about the previously stored data(or previous chats),,, i just want to know that my is my current chats (whatsapp) visible on the old phone..??

There are other apps which allow users to view Whatsapp conversations without starting the official Whatsapp application. Whatsapp also performs a backup of your conversations and stores it on the SD card (internal or external, depending on device). It's possible that when the new user entered his credentials, the app detected a previous backup and allowed the new user to import the old conversations in.
AFAIK, Whatsapp authenticates the app with the SIM card that is present in the device. So, your  new chats should NOT be visible. In any case, prudence dictates that when selling a phone, ALWAYS perform a Factory Reset AND wipe the data off the internal / external SD card(s).


text:
How do I edit a post on Facebook either through the app or through a browser from an S3?
I know you can edit a status post if it has a picture in it on the desktop but when I try to do the same thing through a browser on my S3 or through the app it doesn't work.  Any tips on the problem?
OS: 4.1.1
S3

Sounds more like a Facebook issue rather than an Android related one. Anyway, did you try accessing the desktop version of the page from your phone's browser?

Yes, I have but it's something sbout the Android OS though or the touchscreen because it works on PC.


text:
Import/Export option not found in messages app (4.1.2)
I just upgraded my cell phone to android 4.1.2. And I was shocked to see that there is no import/export option in my messages app. While in 4.1.1 there was the option of import/export.
My search for solution: I have tried many other apps for messages too, they all lack the import/export feature.
I then tried a new ROM of same version, 4.1.2! But again same results.
My Question:
Is there a ROM issue, or 4.1.2 does not allow this feature to import/export?
My cellphone: I am using Qmobile A8. I have tried ROMs by INCPak

If all you want to do is transfer your SMS messages to another device or back them up, use an app like SMS Backup & Restore- that allows you to import / export / back up your SMS messages for posterity.
It also allows a user to selectively pick and choose which conversations you want to backup or restore.

Perfect..I would love to use this one! :) Thanks..


text:
Does Nexus 7 2013 have 3G support?
Nexus 7 2013 has 4G support, but I can't find any information on 3G support. If I get a Nexus 7 4G model, can I use 3G?

The current New Nexus 7's only support wifi. They do not support any mobile data yet. But once they are released with mobile data support, you can count on them supporting older networks, like 3g (HSPA/HSPA+) as well as supporting 4g (LTE). LTE coverage is not wide enough for them to only support 4g.

At this very moment, Google offer nexus 7 4g model. Is it support old 3g network?

@mef_ NO, it doesn't.

I'm just guessing, but I'd be astonished if it didn't support 3g, and 2g, and Edge.  I've never heard of a phone that didn't support the older, slower protocols.

Seems to support ONLY 4G.
Comparison of Nexus 7 2012 and 2013 versions.

Yes, it does support 2G (GSM/EDGE) and 3G (UMTS/HSPA+).
Source: https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/3248332

Nexus 7 (2013) Tech Specs (LTE)
North America and Japan:
GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
HSPA+: 850/900/1900/2100/AWS (1700/2100) MHz (Bands: 1/2/4/5/8)
LTE: 700/850/1700/1800/1900/2100 MHZ (Bands: 1/2/3/4/5/13/17)
Rest of World:
GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
HSPA+: 850/900/1900/2100/AWS (1700/2100) MHz (Bands: 1/2/4/5/8)
LTE: 800/850/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600 MHz (Bands: 1/2/3/4/5/7/20)

Note that it appears that there are two Nexus 7 2013 LTE models, which differ in LTE bands, but UMTS and GSM bands appear the same.


text:
Samsung Galaxy S phone USB device recognized by host VirtualBox OS but undefined in guest OS
My phone model is

Samsung Galaxy
S SGH-T959

When plugged in via USB cable, the phone is well recognized by Windows as below snapshot.

But when I select the Samsung phone device from Device menu of the  VirtualBox guest OS window as below snapshot, the device is not regconized after Windows try to auto update driver for that device :(

Is the USB icon on the VirtualBox enabled on the guest OS.
If that's disabled, the USB on the host side will not pass it through the guest, this requires the handset plugged in host side.
It's a small icon on the bottom of the VM window, near the hard disk where it shows blinking activity? Click on that, to enable USB pass-through.
Are you intending to flash the device from within a VM?

Yes the icon is flashing @t0mm13b. And yes I do ^^ You got my intention in flashing the device from a VM since the flasing tool(s) available on the internet are full of scary trojan/virus :-(

@NamG.VU All I can say is, be careful in flashing a handset from within a VM. Sure USB pass through are somewhat better than what it used to be, but there is a risk involved, be better off to flash it from the host instead for better stability in USB commmunications.


text:
Does GPS signal quality influence battery life?
Does bad/weak GPS signal affect battery life? For instance, when in the city downtown with lots of tall buildings or in the woods or mountains, will running GPS drain the battery faster?

Is this related to the question you asked previously?

No, I consider the questions as separate topics.

No. Bad cellphone coverage decreases battery life because the phone has to transmit with more power to be able to communicate back to the cell tower. It's like when you can barely hear someone hollering at you: you shout louder too to make sure they can hear you. But GPS is a one-way signal: the phone only receives it, it doesn't transmit anything. It doesn't matter how much attenuation there is: either the phone can hear or it can't.
The only way a weak GPS signal would cause more power use is if you leave the screen turned on waiting for an app to get a position fix :-)

GPS generally affects battery life significantly only when used (in standby, its energy consumption is neglible, usually far below 1 mW). But when it tries to aquire a fix (i.e. you want to know your current position), it might reach consumption values comparable to your device's screen (~500 mW).
So in your described situation, it might influence battery life. But the "if" and the "how much" depends on how often apps try to aquire a fix. While this usually is done in foreground (i.e. you actively trigger it), there might well be apps using it in background, such as e.g. Location Reminders.

GPS eat up battery, as described in How much does “GPSing” drain the battery?. But I have no clue is poor GPS reception decreases battery significantly. And I also read this somewhere: GPS only takes up battery life when something uses the fine position permission.
However, it drains more battery if you allow the GPS to be assisted by your network provider. In the Samsung Galaxy S4, this is found in System settings > More > Location Services > Use wireless networks. It will use network information to make GPS location even more accurate based on network cell sites that are found nearby. And if network is poor (e.g. 1-bar signal), the phone works harder and drains more power.

Well, network location is not used to make GPS more accurate – it's rather a (less accurate) substitute. If you're pointing at AGPS: That's used to speed up the GPS fix by downloading the almanac data from the network instead of from the satellites.

I'll neither say yes or a no to this question. :)
Debateable - if you're acquiring a GPS fix through Wifi, you will not get it in the woods or mountains  :)
However, if pulling 3G data across in order to acquire a fix, the question then steps in, how much battery juice is eaten up when trying to get a good "proper" signal (in between switching masts to get a better signal threshold) etc. (This ties in with @Dan's answer here)
Don't forget some apps will attempt to get a location as well Facebook is one example of such app.
Depends on what apps installed that have location permission, and as well as for services running in the background, all of these, will inevitably, slurp juice trying to run to obtain a GPS fix. So user bias can come in there as well.
One handset with just Maps will claim its fast, another handset with Facebook, Maps, G+, FourSquared will claim its slow.


text:
Hide application from app grid?
I want my app grid to be minimized to the app I want only. Some apps are built-in by my phone provider and cannot be uninstalled from the phone via System - Application menu.
I saw the old phone Samsung Galaxy S that helps us to hide it from app grid but with my new Android phone the Galaxy Nexus, I cannot find it.
How can I get that?

It depends on the launcher you are using. The stock Samsung Galaxy S4 launcher (TouchWiz) supports it.

If the stock launcher doesn't have it, you can use Nova Launcher. It allows you to hide apps so you don't see them on the app drawer.

UPDATE #1: According to Izzy's comments below, the following launchers also have a similar feature:

Apex Launcher
Go Launcher Ex
ADW Launcher
ADW Launcher Ex

Same applies for some other Launchers as well, so you have something to select from: e.g. Apex Launcher or Go Launcher Ex.

@Izzy Thanks! That's good to know. Added it into the answer.

You're welcome! I bet there are a lot more, but those 3 are the only ones I'm sure of :) // Edit: ADW Launcher and ADW Launcher Ex also seem to support this (according to their playstore descriptions: hide unwanted apps).

A launcher means I have to use a new homescreen? I don't want it that way since the app drawer/app grid has nothing to do with my homescreen in hiding its items. I really don't want to get it via a launcher app. Is there a app just built to hide app in app grid solely?

@NamG.VU Added a new paragraph in mu answer - 1st paragraph.

Use a custom launcher like ADW to freely arrange icons and add/remove them.
If you want to uninstall apps that your firmware will not let you, use adb.

Sorry if I accidentally downvoted this answer. I can't seem to upvote agqin unless the answer is edited.

It is edited ^^ @geffchang

@Lennart So nice to know that we can uninstall firmware-protecting apps! I'm excited to try that ^^


text:
Cant flash any new firmware - Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet with CWM
I have problem with my Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet. One day it just stopped working and get stuck on Lenovo logo on start. I tried to use recovery mod (pushing VOL UP several times during start), it says that it cant mount /cache directory. I tried Wipe cache and Factory reset options, non worked, still same problem. So I googled and found, that I am not the only one with this problem. I found and read this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2318140 and then this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1745450 and flashed CWM on partition 6, so now I have CWM-based Recovery (v6.0.1.2). I downloaded CyanogenMod (CM10 Alpha 0.8.1), copied to my SD Card (formated as FAT32) and tried Install zip from sdcard -> Choose zip from external sdcard. But I get E: Cant mount /extern_sd/ and I am stuck.
Tried to google this, but I found only alternative recovery mod (TWRP), but it cant be used for my device (at least I think so, since Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet is not listed in supported devices list).
Can you give me any pointers what to do next? I am kinda lost now


text:
Do running applications and background processes have any effects on Power Consumption?
I need some help with android applications: Do running applications and background processes have any effects on Power Consumption of the Battery (running down so fast)?

Please take a look at our battery-life tag-wiki, which will answer your question.

I would say "Yes" through my own observations.  Apps like live wallpapers do have an effect on  battery life.  Add to that any active radios like WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, Mobile data and battery life can go down the tubes.  I have learned to disable things if I am not able to charge right away or need a bit more battery life.  I would also like to mention about running apps and background processes, I would suggest not disabling them unless you know what you are doing.


text:
Possible to backup an android by just copying all the files?
Is it possible to backup an android by just copying all the files onto a PC? Is it really necessary to use a backup program?
I just dragged and dropped all the files from my android internal storage, and they appear to be all there. The question is whether they can actually be used if I need to restore something.
Seems like everywhere I look there are programs to archive everything into one backup file, and then save the backup file on a cloud or you copy it to your PC. Is this really necessary? Is it possible to get by just copying all the files?

Same question here: Backup Possibility?. Same answer: Backup – yes. Restore: Probably not. Or at maximum partially. Or with such a huge overhead, that it isn't worth it. For better ways, see Full Backup of non-rooted devices.


text:
How can I make files available to a restricted profile?
For example I have an emulator and I want the restricted profile to have access to the ROM directory but it seems like the restricted profile has it's own directory structure separate from admin.
I foresee similar problems with any side loaded media like video, audio, eBooks, etc.

Put them on the SD card. App data on the internal storage is completely segregated between users (regardless of whether they're full or restricted users), but there's only one SD card for all users. You can add a fake SD card to an emulator: it's another file on the host system, like the fake internal storage.

Unfortunately I'm using a Nexus7 so no SD card slot and the emulated one must be user specific as it's not showing the roms folder


text:
Connecting Android tablet as testing device
I have a problem related to connectivity between my desktop (Windows) and tablet (Android 4.1). I bought a new device (Colorovo City Tab Vision 7) and now I want to use it for testing of my applications, because emulation of android is very slow on my computer, although I forced it to create snapshot every run.
I have downloaded SDK with Google drivers and also some unofficial drivers I found on web.
When I connect my device, it first appears 'Other device' (label is CTVision7) and it's marked as unknown. I tried to install drivers (Google) for it, but windows said that they aren't suitable for my device, as it's not able to find them in specified directory.
After these attempts I tried unofficial drivers. Their installation worked and now my device appears as Android phone, what seems to be good.
But when I run adb devices or launch application in eclipse, there's no available device.
I have turned USB debugging on, so it should work.
Am I missing some step to make my device available for debugging, or are my drivers wrong? Is there any way to get drivers which surely work?

I'd suggest to give Koushik's Universal Android USB Driver a try. Works for many devices.

I tried with same result. Driver is successfuly installed, but adb doesn't see my device.

Do you get the notification on the tablet to say that USB debugging is connected?

Yes, I do. I also tried to connect Samsung Galaxy Tab (which uses different connector) and it worked with Koushik's drivers. Can I get older version of adb and whole SDK somewhere?

which adb version are you using right now ? Try adb version 1.0.31.

And where can I download older versions? I was looking a bit for them on android web and didn't found.

Try this universal ADB driver.

Hi, just FYI, since Google+ is not available anymore, the file cannot be downloaded anymore. It'll be appreciated if you could find another source and fix it. Thanks.

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


text:
How to display touch points on screen
My Galaxy Note with stock ROM had an option via Settings > Developer > Show touch points (or something like that). Now, I updated to CyanogenMod, based on Android 4.3 but I can't find an option similar to that anywhere.
My screen was damaged once. Since then, I needed to see the detected touch points on screen at all times, so I can see when the touchscreen gets stuck.
Is there an option (or even an app) for that? I Googled around and looked at the Play Store, but only found multi-touch tester apps. I need something that shows the touch points at all times and in all apps.

Looking a bit further I discovered that I have to click 7 times on Build number on phone details to enable the Developer settings.

I will, but I can only do it tomorrow (2 days after the question).


text:
Google Search app cannot find installed apps
My Android phone is Samsung Galaxy Grand (I9082). I rooted it and flashed Google apps into it. Everything works well except for this: Google Search just cannot find installed apps for me. I believe my settings are correct.
Here are some screenshots:

As you can see in the screenshots, I have Kindle installed, but Google Search simply cannot find it for me. Actually, it cannot find any installed apps for me.
Any idea what could possibly cause this?

This is just Google wanting you to use the search box to generate paid clicks for them. It doesn't make them any money to help you find apps on your device, the search box is there for a reason - to send you to the web and click on ads.

This doesn't really answer the question since Google Search is, in fact, able to search for local data on phones, as shown in this and this articles.

actually I found if you pull UP on the search bar, there's a separate search which is the built in phone apps search. nicely hidden tho!


text:
Drivers for Nexus 4 for Windows XP
I don't have any software on my laptop for my Nexus 4 drivers. Where can I get the driver software to download it for my Nexus 4 for Windows XP?

If you're looking for drivers that will allow you to connect your phone to the PC, you can install the Universal Naked Drivers found on XDA. This is compatible with Windows XP.
NOTE: This driver is by 1wayjonny, and works with Nexus 4, Nexus 10, Nexus Q, and Nexus S.

Is this the same as Koushik's Universal Android USB Driver? Or rather something specific to the Nexus 4 in question?

@Izzy No, it's a different driver. I added a last paragraph in my answer. It's targeted for Nexus devices.

Ah, I see, thanks. Unfortunately, the Universal driver I've mentioned does not list which devices it supports (the examples show a Nexus built by Samsung), but it's reported to work with many devices from XP to Win8.

@Izzy I think Koushik's driver is supposed to work, if not most models. So, I think it's better than the one I suggested. But I think this one will work for her case.

I was not doubting you, geff :) I just didn't hear about the "naked driver" before (well, I have no Samsung phone/tabby). Good to know a second alternative: in case one doesn't do, just try the other :) I just need to remember: Nex 4-10-Q for the naked... Thanks for the forum-link, BTW!

this one when I plugged in my nexus it said not recognized, I pointed it to the driver it installed it. But plugging my nexus in it isn't making a drive letter. And I don't see it in disk management either. In settings..storage..menu.. I have MTP selected and PTP deselected.

@geffchang Hi, I installed the driver you posted and for me as well, same as posted by barlop, I do not get a drive letter in "My Computer" - how can I access my phone drive?

@cerr, barlop Make sure you are using the orginal cable. If the computer is not detecting your phone, try plugging it to a different port. Try and try until you succeed. :)

Well, I got it working eventually when I realized that I have to unlock my phone before I connect it and all of a sudden it started working just fine... :)


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How to add another language to a Samsung Galaxy Chat physical keyboard?
Having got a Samsung Galaxy Chat (B5330) I'd like to use its physical keyboard to to enter not only english but also central european (czech) and cyrillic (russian) letters (I am ok with english-only key labels). So, any directions on where and how?

Possibly related: How do I add a new language? / How do I add another keyboard layout to my ICS phone?

You can try External Keyboard Helper, which is designed for bluetooth/usb keyboards but I believe it should work for the Chat's physical keyboard!

I had a similar issue as I was learning Spanish. I was finding it almost impossible to key in the Spanish words using English text, one by one character. To get round this, I enabled two languages and therefore my phone now recognises both Spanish and English words and therefore I have no problems when switching from contacting colleagues to learning languages. To do this, go onto 'Settings', then 'Language and input'. Then scroll down to the option titled 'Samsung keyboard' and click the setting cog next to it. You should then see an option called 'Input languages' and from there, you should see a list of all the available languages on your phone. Simply check all the tickboxes of any languages you would like to use and then those languages will be enabled and you'll be able to type with them throughout any app on your phone. Hope this helps and answers your question.

Does this work for the physical keyboard as well? Or is it only for on-screen touch keyboards?

I'm not sure actually, sorry. None of my devices have a physical keyboard. I just knew this was the method to do it on a standard Samsung device.

Then this most likely won't work for this question. It's just for on-screen keyboards, I'm pretty sure.

The problem is (at least was in the older and many newer versions of Android) there's not a simple way (to my knowledge - without adb/root) to add language layouts. Even the common ones like Czech (QWERTZ) were missing for a long time.
For a simple solution you want to find packaged keyboard layouts (usually tiny .apk) but be wary of malicious ones.
If you want to create/import layout(s) I believe you should start looking into Key Layout Files (.kl) but I personally haven't done it that way.
For me, Raidsix Input Devices (.apk (<100kB)) helped back in the day (from Google Play, when it was there year(s) ago). However it isn't available anymore and there seems to be no official or trustworthy way to obtain it.
I still have it on my tablet so I shared it now with other tools to come in the future. Link [Mediafire]

If you decinde to install Raidsix Input Devices then after the installation you'll just have more options in the System Settings for keyboard languages (layouts) (usually called 'Language and input') => The steps will be the same like other answers here afterwards

You can try a 3rd-party keyboard like GO SMS Pro. It will allow you to use different keyboard layouts, including Russian. I think it has Czech (but probably not written in English).

This method doesn't work for galaxy chat since it has physical keyboard.

You need to go into input properties and choose the languages you want.
If you do not find the desired language then you must root your phone and use an app like language enabler from Google Play.

aww you cant just make your physical keyboard to enter different language, You can try this:
-Use On Screen Keyboard
-download Google input for your desired language
-and change input method by long clicking any textfield

this isnt a right answer to any question @Dr.andro

There is no other option @cyberwalker

@Dr.Andro, I'm fairly certain there are other options. See my answer. You don't just have to take my word for it, you can look at the reviews for that app I linked.

authors: สมพงษ์ สุรวัฒนานันท์


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Transfer data from one user to another in 4.3
I have the Nexus 7, and I just updated to 4.3, and I'm creating restricted profiles for my kids. They use to play in my main profile, and they progressed a lot in several games and, when they access their new user, they have to start over. Is there anyway to migrate the application data from my main user to the restricted users? I'm not rooted. Tks

Possibly related and helpful: How to migrate 4.1 primary user's app data to new 4.2 secondary user? / Converting an existing user to a restricted profile / How to migrate applications to other user account without downloading the applications again? / How can I move application user data to a different user? (also see the "Related" section of this question)

Had the same problem with my kid's profile. Finally solved, but it required root access.
This is what I did:

Close all running app instances.
From command prompt start ADB shell:
c:\> adb shell

Switch to root user (your device must be rooted):
shell> su

Go to in target profile directory:
root> cd /data/user/[profile_user_id]

For example: profile_user_id is 10 for first restricted profile.
Rename app directory (to have a back up copy)
root> mv [app_dir] [app_dir].old

Copy app data from main profile (id=0) to new profile:
root> cp -r /data/user/0/[app_dir] .

Change owner for files just copied:
root> find [app_dir] | xargs chown [app_user]:[app_group]

Restart device (not sure if it is really needed).

I'd just make a small adjustment to Tonto|One's answer: use "cp -a" rather than "cp -r". This preserves symlinks (typically to a lib directory) and avoids the need for the chown step.

chown is required to set the owner to the new user. Also, there's a -R (recursive) option so running find isn't necessary. chown -R  [app_user]:[app_group] [app_dir] (ls -l [app_dir] to know what they are before step 5)


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Outlook.com app cannot be used with data/3G
I have been using the the Hotmail app to check my emails. Recently I downloaded the Outlook.com app since it is advertised for better performance and I preferred it's layout over the Hotmail app.
It works fine with my home and office WiFi. But when I tried to use it with my data (3G) connection, it does not synchronize with the server. My email is on a .com domain I own. Also I cannot even download the attachments of the previously synced emails.
Is this a bug of the app or something is wrong with my device?

This is an error with your network setting. Nothing is wrong with your device or the app.

Goto Settings -> More Settings -> Mobile Networks
Now go to Access Point Names
Click your APN, (e.g. O2)
Delete the Proxy and delete the IP Address within it, so it is "Not set"

This was solved in the Microsoft forums.

Thanks a lot boss! this is a life saver!! worked like a charm!!


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Checking virus/security status of specific app?
So I let my 8 year old cousins play a game on my tablet for a bit and next thing i knew they had downloaded and installed three new games, some of which acted suspiciously, displaying notifications every second until another app was installed for example.  Is there any way I can check if these apps on the market are legitimate, or if my system has been compromised?  I use this device to check my primary email and access bank statements etc.

Reading the reviews on the app store could be useful too. People aren't shy about complaining when an app is a bad actor.

Though I know of no definite way, I'd suggest looking them up on AppBrain. Additionally to the "Permissions" tab we had in playstore before their "Win-8 relaunch", that site offers a tab "Permissions & concerns", where some things are pointed out.
It might also be worth taking a look at their search results: Spam apps are "filtered" at AppBrain, so they show up single-line instead of full-heights in the result list.
While all that might only give indicators (and no definite answers), it's one step in the desired direction at least. A second step would be searching the web for reports. Including the app names (with links) in your question might also give you the chance somebody here recognizes the one or other.


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Google Maps always zooming out
The Google Maps on my Android phone got updated and now everything's screwed up. It keeps automatically zooming way out. It does this whenever the phone changes orientation or when the screen is locked. How do I keep it from automatically zooming out?
The version is 7.1.0 (#701000802).
Here's an example. It automatically goes to the second image after a few seconds, I think because I move the phone.

Click the images for larger variant
May I know the reason why it happens? Maybe it's not a problem with Google Maps but my device.

The app does this because you're not in navigation mode, you're browsing the route. It zooms out to fit the entire route on your screen when you reorient the device. If you don't want it to zoom, press the navigation button in the lower right corner and optionally switch off voice navigation.

How do you get back into navigation mode? I don't see it in the settings menu.

This answer is partially correct. Take note that Maps doesn't provide navigation mode with public transportation anymore (as shown with 'train' icon on the screenshot). Also, pressing the auto-orientation button doesn't prevent zooming out when the device orientation changes.


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Fix permission option removed from CWM recovery 6.0.3.6
I updated to latest ClockWorkMode recovery in my Galaxy S 3(AT&T,d2att).
New version is 6.0.3.6.
And noticed that Fix Permission option is removed from it.
I used that option when flasing ROMs.
I can't find why they did so. Will it affects flashing  new ROMs?   Is it not necessary?
Anyone knows reason behind that update?

It was removed because

It's total placebo these days. I wrote it for dealing with the silly things that happen when we used to put apps on SD before Android supported it. Since then, it's been something of a sugar pill that magically fixes all problems without actually doing anything.

(Taken from the commit history, posted by Steve Kondik)

So that's it.
It always did nothing. But Koushik Dutta keeps that option in ROM Manager.

That's probably an oversight, I don't think he's updated it recently but I expect it'll disappear from there soon too.

Based on this post from XDA, fix permissions was removed. I haven't seen any reason why. However, somebody made a flashable zip to put it back in.


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Android and gTalk
I have three Gmail accounts. All of them are configured on my Samsung Galaxy 5. My phone is on Wi-Fi almost every time so accounts are always active. Gmail has an ability to chat. The problem is when I connect to one of my Gmail accounts using computer, I can  only see in gTalk that only one my Gmail account is active, online.
Always one and always the same... though all three accounts are online on my phone and ready to receive mails or talks. Others are always shown as offline. Maybe there is a program which helps to do this, or maybe the idea  is that this active account is the first on my phone?
Is it possible to do that all accounts would be shown as active in gTalk? Thank You all in advance.

The Talk app has now been replaced with Hangouts. Unlike Talk, Hangouts allows switching from one account to another.
However, like most apps, you can't have two apps that are the same (i.e. a copy of an app) running at the same time. So, it wouldn't be possible to have multiple Hangouts accounts active simultaneously on the same phone.

Sounds like a contradiction to me: Hangouts supports multiple accounts, but it wouldn't be possible to have multiple Hangouts (accounts) running on the same phone? Or is it that while Hangouts does support multiple accounts, and one can switch between them, still only one of the accounts can be active at a given time?

@Izzy Perhaps, multiple users is the correct term? In Talk before, you could only use it with 1 user, even though you had other accounts on the phone. You could not change this user.

No, accounts is fine. But if I guessed right, it might be more clear to write "active simultaneously on the same device" instead of "running on the same phone". But I'm no native English speaker either :)

@Izzy I reworded my answer so that it's more or less appropriate. But hopefully, it makes sense.


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Where can I find the photos autosynced by Google?
My Android phone autosyncs all the photos I took to my Google account. Where could I find it? I'm using Google cloud services to sync photos.
I tried looking at my Google Drive, but it says that I don't have any back-up files. I also checked in Google+, but there are no photos.

You should be able to find them here. If they are not there then your phone is probably not actually uploading them.
If it's not uploading photos check that in Settings > Accounts > Google > "your account" > Google Photos is checked. Also check in Google+ > Settings > Auto-backup that it is configured to upload, there are also some settings to control when (on wifi/charging etc).

Oh, my phone doesnt uploading the photos. How could I sync it to my google account ?


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Is there an app like Touchwiz Blocking Mode?
I have a Galaxy Nexus and I want the features of Touchwiz Blocking Mode.
I have done lots of googling but can find only spam call and text blockers.
I want this functionality to block all communications while I sleep except from my fiancee. So basically flight mode but with an exception for one contact.

I think Ultimate Call Blocker Free might be what you are looking for.
You could also try some of these:

Call Control
Call Blocker

Ultimate Call Blocker Free gets mediocre reviews and it sounds unreliable.

Call Control is incompatible with my Galaxy Nexus and Google Play won't install it. I don't know why

Call Blocker gets plenty of negative reviews.

Call blocker has a average rating of 4.3 out of 5, so those are not "plenty" of negative reviews. 5.579 ratings in total, 3.858 5 stars, 811 4 stars, etc.. not so bad I think

Also, I see Call blocker in my Galaxy nexus as compatible... maybe it is restricted by location instead of Mobile? I'm in spain right now.

I'm in UK. The first page of reviews shown on Google Play are very mixed. Maybe it got less good recently.

Using the Llama app, you can set up a “Silent” profile with ring and notification volume set to zero, then add some people to the “noisy” contacts list in the profile to be able to hear rings from them (not sure about SMS). You can either select the needed profile manually, or add rules to switch them automatically (according to the current time or any other events supported by Llama — there are lots of automation possibilities there).
Note that in this case people who call you will just get no answer (although your operator might support some form of call redirection after a timeout). Other call blocking apps may have different behavior (e.g., immediately redirect unwanted calls to voicemail), but Llama cannot do anything with incoming calls except silencing the ring.


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Samsung Galaxy S3 suddenly dies and won't turn on even after battery removal
The phone was plugged in to my computer (I was doing development) and was running all the time. Suddenly, while I was not doing development or doing anything, the phone died and I have have never been able to turn it on again.
I've tried:

Hold the Power button
Hold both Power and Volume down button
Take out the battery and put it in again
Replace the batter with another one from my friends' working-perfectly-fine Galaxy S3

The result is the same: no response from the phone at all - it's completely cold, no sound, light or vibration at all - all I've seen is the blank unchanged screen so please don't ask me about the start up screen
What can I do?

what happens if you plug it in with a charger?

Nothing, absolutely nothing at all @geffchang T_T (no light, nothing on the screen whatsoever)

Leave the battery out, (btw, check the battery to make sure its looking ok and not lumpy - if is, do not use it!) Leave device battery cover open, and unplugged, wait for a bit for the current residual voltage to dissipate eventually, give it an hour at least, then put battery back in, if no sign of life, then either charging unit is fried or motherboard fried?

I have found out through searches that this is the Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) which many have reported especially for Samsung Galaxy S3.
It was the motherboard that was broken and replacing it brought the phone back to life.

so its hardware issue?????????????????????????????????????????????

Yes, it is a hardware issue

Plug the phone back into the PC. Then use windows explorer and verify that your PC can see it. This will tell you if the phone is recoverable. If you can access everything within the phone, then it might be a dead screen.

If the phone doesn't make the startup sound or flash the notification LED, it's definitely not just the screen.

@DanHulme you are completely right :D


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Thumbnail image different to actual image
A similar question has been asked previously, however the answer is not relevant to my problem.
I have a number of photos where the thumbnail in the gallery does not match the photo displayed by the viewer (HTC Sensation, stock gallery and photo viewer).
for instance, take a picture of a child on a swing.
The thumbnail appears to be an image taken a fraction of a second earlier than the photo the viewer presents. The child is framed to the right of the photo in the thumbnail but to the left in the full view.
Is anyone able to explain why this is the case?
Also, am I able to rescue the image presented as the thumbnail (which is a better framed image)?

What question? How is your question different than that other question? (It's not that I don't believe you, but to keep from being closed as a duplicate you need to show the differences.)

Both previous questions regarding thumbnails not being the same as the actual image refer to images that have been deleted. This is in no way part of my question. My question relates to an image which appears to be taken a fraction of a second before (constituting the thumbnail) the image which the 'Gallery' presents to you.

I had the same problem with my OP5T running android 8.1. While you don't seem to be able to obtain the original images, the thumbnails can be found as low-res jpgs at:

storage/interrnal storage/DCIM/.thumbnails

Depending on what you need them for, you might still be able to use the images.
I hope my answer was helpful.


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How to switch the GSM/3G module off?
I only use my smartphone (Samsung Galaxy Chat) as a "pocket computer" (with WiFi) and don't use it to make telephone calls (I use a dual-SIM "dumbphone" for this). All the time it shows a cellular network signal indicator and reports that it can make emergency calls. Can I switch it off to save battery?
Some years ago, when I had a Benefon Esc! GSM+GPS phone, I could independently turn its GSM and GPS modules on/off. I wonder if this is possible in modern day smartphones.

You can switch your phone to Airplane mode - this will shut down ALL radios. After this, turn on ONLY the WiFi and you'll be able to use it as a WiFi only device.

That's it (according to the indication) thanks.


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HTC Desire HD Random Restart
I have a HTC Desire HD phone, I installed "Android Revolution HD" and "BlackOut Rom" to it before, I made same overclock stuff... Now my phone restarts randomly, generally while connecting mobile network, if I make it AirplaneMode and only use for wireless network connection it works (but restart sometimes too), I watched debug strings with ADB but can't find why it keeps restarting... buy the way it is not restarts when in recovery mode...
So how can I understand what is wrong with my phone ? Where should I look ?, should I install a ROM from HTC to see if it is working right...

You could start by not overclocking the device. That's a common cause of system instability even in ROMs that are usually stable. If it's still unstable because of that, it could just be instability caused by (bugs in) the ROM you're using. Try flashing back to the the stock HTC ROM.
If it's still unstable after flashing back to the stock ROM, it could be that your overclocking of the device has caused internal components to overheat, permanently damaging them. One of the functions of the CPU power governor is to slow things down when the device is overheating. Overclocking the device, or using a custom ROM where the governor is replaced by a less cautious or buggy one, defeats that protection, risking that kind of damage. If that's happened, you probably need to replace your phone and be more careful next time.


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Out Of Space error
For at least 3 years now, my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.0 running Jelly Bean is running into some problems. Ever since I hit ~300 MB left, every app I try to download from my device or the web version of Google Play has shown the error 'insufficient storage space availible'. I have tried the following so far:

Clearing Google Play cache
Clearing Google Play data
Removing Google Play updates
Uninstalling some apps
Clearing device cache
Memory Booster app

Any app seems to do this unless I have about 8x the required amount of storage left. By the way, I can't root my tablet.
(and yes, I know this has been asked before.)
Thanks!
EDIT: I now have 360 MB remaining,  and I am now trying to download a 15 MB app. After trying to download with no Google play data,  cache,  and with Google play 1.0, something must be wrong.(Edit- No, duh.)
NOTE TO MOREAKI: unfortunately, no. I do not have a rooted tablet. Memory booster seems to work downloading other apps, but most apps will not download.
Please comment if you oppose anything I have said.
Sometime I will try to root my Galaxy tab to see if that solves the problem.
Edit again: I never did.

I've just added the insufficient-memory tag to your question. You might want to check its tag-wiki for first aid. Basically, the "insufficient-memory" error is triggered once available memory drops below ~25 MB, to give you a guideline.

Do you have a rooted phone and did you install software that fiddles with dex/odex/dalvik-cache like for example Lucky Patcher? If so, in case of Lucky Patcher, you have to tap Toolbox and Remove fixes and backups (insufficient storage available). I had a similar case just the other day, where I had about 3GB free storage and no matter what, I couldn't install any apps anymore. This solved the problem.

Maybe this will help with your problem, give it a try.
If you root your device, then you can do the following to get more free space to install more apps. For me on my phone, I can free up to 500mb by doing this.(sgs2 i9100)

Install DiskUsage
Run DiskUsage and choose [Root required] -> "/Data"... Then you will see how much storage "/data/data" and "/data/dalvik-cache" uses. As far as I know you can delete the content of them both and reboot without having any problems or losing anything other then temp files. I have done this several times.
To delete the content of any file inside /Data, you will need a root file explorer, not all of them out there works. I am using "CyanogenMod File Manager", but that's not on Google Play.

Hope this helps.

None of the answers on this site for the myriad version of this question seem to address the root problem.
I've rooted my phone, moved files to the SD card, emptied my cache till my fingers were numb... But because I missed one blindingly obvious detail all my efforts created at best a very temporary fix.
When you get the insufficient space message you can then look at the phone storage (or get there from the Settings/Storage option).
The memory is shown in several sections; the first being the Device Memory, then a section for USB and Then the SD Card if there is one.  The one you need to look at is the Device memory.  Mine showed: Total space 1.97GB, Applications 0.98 MB and Available 225MB.
My 'O' Level maths should have made me ask... where is the remaining 774MB?
The answer seems to be in some Android log files that the operating system fails to 'mention'.  I found the answer at the following link:
http://www.samsungsfour.com/tutorials/play-store-error-there-insufficient-space-on-the-device-how-to-solve-fix-on-samsung-galaxy-smartphones-all-models.html
The summary is to go to the phone's dial keypad and enter: *#9900# and a screen will be displayed containing, as the second item, "Delete dumpstate/logcat".  Click it, close the screen and go and look at your storage again.  As if by magic I then had 0.91GB and my play store updates started working again.
Thanks to samsungsfour.com.

Sounds like it would work... But I'm on a tablet. How do I get to a keypad?

+1000  Thank you so much! I was searching and tapping around for hours, and almost convinced to do a factory reste -  just found your answer - voila, it works again! Shame on SAMSUNG for such a ridiculous bug in their android version.

Repost. How would I do this? I'm on a tablet.

This appears to be a Jelly Bean bug with Samsung. I've had the same problems on a Galaxy S2, Galaxy S3, and a Galaxy Note 2, all running different (but Samsung based) custom JB ROMs. Even after clearing out all pics and videos, and uninstalling all apps I was still getting 'out-of-memory.' The problem seems to start after the device gets a bit full for the first time.
Only one thing that has worked for me every time: reinstall the ROM (no data wipe necessary). Since you do not have a custom ROM installed I would suggest you try a factory reset and see if that resolves it.
Hope that helps.

Hey aggregate, I don't have a custom ROM installed. I also have many apps (and Candy Crush data- please don't judge me) that I would not be happy to lose in a factory reset. Is there a way to back up my device, wipe it, and then move the backup back to the device, and if it is possible, would it work?

@lucs100 - Hi, I have not seen any effective ways of doing this without a rooted device (you can root almost all Samsung devices easily without having to install a custom rom or wipe the device). If your device is rooted, try Titanium Backup. I've used it for nearly 3 years with no issues whatsoever. I eventually even bought the pro version.

If you have tried other methods with no success, you can try rebooting your device into Android System Recovery mode and using the "wipe cache partition" option.
Instructions for a Samsung device are below.  Other manufacturers devices will be similar but some have different keys to get into recovery mode.

Turn off your phone (Make sure it is completely off. If possible take out the battery then place it back in)
With the handset turned off, press and hold the Volume Up key.
While holding down the Volume Up key, press and hold the Home key.
With both the Volume Up key and the Home key held down, press and hold the Power key.
Release all three keys when the Samsung logo appears.
Press the Volume Down key to scroll to wipe cache partition.
With wipe cache partition highlighted, press the Power key.
Once the Cache wipe is complete, press the Power key to select
reboot system now.

The Cache wipe is now complete. The handset will restart.

OK, I just read on Android Central that the Wipe Cache Partition does not affect data... I have an app that clears app caches but I'll try this now! Here goes nothing!

I'm pretty sure this worked, I was able to download and install a new app no problem, except for three things... 1. My device does not have a Home Key, as there are instead three virtual Home, Back, and Task (whatever the two squares indicate) but I got around this, 2. When I pressed wipe cache partition, I got a "dead robot" error but it booted, and 3. When I signed into Google Play Games with my new app, a dialog box popped up and said my device does not support Google Play Services.

I did try this, and it did work, but now I try this, couple it with a cache wipe from App Cache Cleaner, and it leaves me with 600 mb +. Still I get the error. I've never really thought about rooting, and I'm kind of scared of losing all my data, like with a botched jailbreak on an iOS device, so does anyone have any other fixes?

I've tried this now a few times and it doesn't seem to work anymore... I'm not sure what's wrong.


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How t o get Google Now fetch info from Calendar?
Google recently announced "Now, just ask Google for your flights, reservations, package delivery info, and more
We can instantly fetch this stuff for you if it’s in your Gmail, Google Calendar, Google+, or Google Drive"
http://www.google.com/insidesearch/features/myanswers/
However, so far as I can tell, it only looks for this information in gmail, not the calendar, at least for me.
Is there some way to get Google Now to "fetch this stuff" from Google Calendar, or is Google's announcement misleading?

Reminders set in the calendar will usually show up in google now. They do for my, I usually have a "notification" type reminder. Is the card enabled in Now?
Also, you can create actual reminders (with voice or text commands) that will create a Now notification.
In the voice search, do "reminder: buy milk": you can then set the time period (evening/night/etc).
More info:
https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/3122344?hl=en

Reminders are different. Google Now provides lots of related information - see the link in my question http://www.google.com/insidesearch/features/myanswers/ and compare it to what your link describes


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Reading .pdf/ebook
I have a couple of PDF files I want to read and probably more of those in the future on my computer.
What is the best (simplest) way of transferring them to my Android 2.3 phone (Motorola Motoluxe). And how can I read them?
I am thinking of Dropbox, perhaps, or are there any better ways of accomplishing this?

Related: Suggest an app for reading PDF and CHM

You can use an app like Adobe Reader or Office suite pro to view the .pdf files in your device. There is a free version as well for the office suite.
You can simply transfer the files to your device via usb.

If you need an app to read ebooks, I would suggest Tap2Speak Reader. It doesn't have as many features as those popular ones, but is sufficient for your situation. In addition, it can use Google Translate to speak more than 50 languages. It saves you much time from finding a "usable" text-to-speech engine.

Easiest way I use is installing a good eBook reader which simply accesses files you place in its directory (in my case, Moon+ Reader in its payed version, currently 50% off its price). Then I can easily transfer my reading material (Moon+ supports a bunch of formats, including PDF, ePub, Mobi, FB2 and many more) either...

via CardReader
via USB (when connected)
wirelessly (e.g. using a sync app like FolderSync, or a network file manager like ES File Explorer, or a remote management tool like Airdroid)
via Dropbox is also available according to the description (never tried, have no Dropbox account)

You even can highlight and annotate (with PDFs, this goes directly into the PDF file; for other formats it's stored separately), integrate dictionaries like ColorDict, and much more.

I use ES File Explorer to put my pdfs on my google drive (works well with SkyDrive and Dropbox and several other cloud platforms OR you can sync over a network) and just open them with Polaris Office or Kindle on my tablet.

I downloaded the ePub reader freebie from the Play Store.  I connected my phone to my computer via USB and then dragged my epub book to my Motoluxe.  Then I opened the ePub reader and clicked on the small green + sign on the top of the page.  That allowed me to add the book that I had stored in my ebooks folder (I think that particular folder "appeared" when I installed the ePub reader. Then I read it using that reader. I am just learning to use this phone so am not sure whether that folder (directory?) existed before I downloaded the freebie reader.
(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.graphilos.epub)

Yes. Dropbox (or Box or any other Cloud Storage service) would be one feasible solution.
Another way would be to use Airdroid.
It allows you to copy content to your phone via your laptop browser.
The added advantages are:

You can send messages from your laptop
In case your phone is lost, you can delete all data remotely.

I would recommend using Pushbullet for easy and convenient file sharing across devices (among many other interesting features) and then Google's own Quickoffice does the job for PDF files.
As for ebooks, I would recommend uploading your files straight into Google Play Books (easily accessible from the Google Play Store site) and using the official Android app to read them. It's not the most feature rich, but it does the job well and few others can beat the ease of use and ability to access your books across devices.

Use USB cable and set your Android Phone as USB mass storage device, also you can send PDF as e-mail attachment, or use Google Drive, DropBox, SkyDrive cloud services etc. Other detailed information I found at http://www.file-extensions.org/pdf-file-extension

Use Google drive to share your files between devices

That's not very helpful. How does this solve the problem as described? How would one do this?


text:
Sending & Receiving SMS via WiFi
Is there a way to send and receive SMS when a cellular signal is not available, but WiFi is?  I'm often on-site at locations where the building has a strong WiFi (Internet) connection, but a simple cell signal is spotty at best.

Several services exist to send SMS via the Internet. One of the most popular (an possibly most reliable) is Google Voice.

SMS is tied in with GSM telephony standard, so the answer to your question is No.
But what you can do, is use Viber, Whatsapp to send something similar to SMS (not the GSM variety!) to each party provided they have the appropriate app installed.

Isn't there a way to send text messages through an Internet gateway, though?

That AFAIK requires a specialized SMS-to-Gateway service - for example, this was the first hit on google - http://www.ozekisms.com/ specialized GSM box attached to phone used for mass marketing campaigns over SMS, have not heard of one for personal use though!

There's actually a huge list of them here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_SMS_gateways Not sure how current, but I don't supposed there's a standard or third-party way to route them through one of those?

You're right, there isn't. Such gateways are expensive to run, so in general they're only open to certain kinds of user (for example, customers of that carrier or online service).

Use smtp to send as email thru sms email gateway. fairly easy to do. Gmail users can send 500 emails per day.
You can leave the subject blank and send it to the gateway address which is usually something like 15552005555@vtext.com. vtext.com is for text sms only for verizon, also seems to handle many metropcs and walmart numbers. works well for simple text messages. I do it all the time from my email account when i need to text someone and im out of minutes.
refer to the sms gateway list on wikipedia. it really is rediculously simple, the issue is knowing which gateway to which number. typically, users would select their carrier when submitting their number to you say via website. used to see this alot.
the code u need is here...
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/25136025/sending-mail-in-android-without-intents-using-smtp


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how to transfer contacts from a micro sim to a mini sim if the screen is broken and not getting comands?
how to transfer my contacts from a micro sim to a mini sim if my phone screen is broken and is not getting my commands neither? from a galaxy s 2 to a nexus

sorry i get the confise the sim with sd. the question is about sim cards

If your screen is broken, and doesn't take any input, I guess you either need the device to be repaired (which changes the pre-condition of your question), or to get a new device (which does the same). In both cases, you've got a working device and then proceed as normal. I guess there are adapters available for the cards.

First, be sure that the contacts from your old phone were actually stored on your SIM card. That's not the default for most Android phones, which store contacts in the device storage, or online in your Google account.

Get a SIM card adapter.
Take the card out of your old phone.
Put the card in the adapter.
Put the card+adapter into your new phone.
Transfer the contacts from the card onto the phone's memory. You can do this by editing the contacts one by one in the Contacts app, or you can find an app to import contacts from the SIM card in one operation.

Now the contacts are on your new phone, and you can replace the usual SIM card in that phone. If your new phone is SIM-locked to a different carrier, you can ask a friend and borrow their phone.
Alternativaly, you can buy a USB SIM card reader. That way, when you have the SIM card in the adapter, you can plug that into your PC and use the software that comes with the reader to save the contacts onto your PC. You can then import them into your new phone, or into your Google account.


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Broken screen/glass, turned off, pc-controll? HELP?
I was wondering if there is any ways for me to controll my phone (Sony Xperia V) with my computer?
Half of the glass/screen is broken, so i cant write anything on the lower part of the screen! The phone is not rooted, and has also been turned off, so im kinda stuck.
So, my question is:
Is there any ways for me to controll my non-rooted, turned off, screenbroken phone with my computer?
Cheers!

Will it boot at all? Is it a spider crack in the glass or did you like run it over with a car?

Please see My screen got broken, how to see on the computer what I'm doing in my device?. And as for @John: Use android phone with broken screen as WiFi camera. Furthermore: Control Android with broken screen from PC, and several more.

@Izzy I was trying to gauge whether or not the internals had been affected.

Yeah, sorry @John: I should have gone to bed (2am it was!) Didn't read your comment correctly, my apologies.

No harm done @Izzy, It's 2AM where I am now so I know how you felt! Haha cheers! Great links by the way, I have a few phones with cracked screens that I might go dig out myself and find some use for them.

Ha! So at 2am intuition kicks in, and my hinting at you proved correct nevertheless? LOL So I'm glad my mistake turned into a fortune at last :D

I got a spidercrack from near the bottomw left corner and over to the other side, only 50% of the screen, and no internals has been affected.

only thing is that the broken glass does that the touch wont work on the lower part of the screen

If I were you I would try to get control over the device using ADB. From there you can get your files back and root the device if you want. Also as Izzy suggested in the comments, there are several applications for a device with a cracked or unusable screen. Android is Linux based, so Android can do almost anything a Linux based server can do. You can find a lot of great server based applications for android by searching on Google.
Remember, Android is a Linux based operating system, so Android can do almost anything a Linux based server can do. A lot of server applications are going to require root.
It also seems your question can best be answered by: Control android with broken screen from pc

+1 from me to that. Just one handicap: While ADB gives great power to the user (I wouldn't know any more how to do without that), it requires USB Debugging on the device to be turned on. If that wasn't done before the cracker, and no trick (e.g. NFC tag) prepared to switch it on without touching the screen, OP might be in bad luck. Still, the other linked questions might provide some hints how it still can be achieved.

@Izzy ah yes, I suppose USB Debugging would have to have been turned on before the screen got cracked. Good point.

Thanks for the answers!
I dont remember if the USB Debugging was on or off! :S
I've been trying ADB and some other things, but I dont think did it right, cause it wounldnt work. Im also kinda scared of rooting the phone cause I dont know what that will do about example; waranty, or what it would do to my phone, or if its worth it?

I've got ADB/SDK and Droid@screen and/also and emulator that came with the SDK download, but.. I have NOO idea of what I'm doing! :S

Do you care if you void the warranty? Or are you going to try to get a new one through warranty?

I dont think I will get a new one through warranty, but I read some place that rooting could "block" the phone if you did it wrong?

Hmm.. what Im trying to say is that i dont know much about rooting, what it will cause, how to do it, or if its worth it!
Or how to use ADB

How do I turn on the USB Debugging?

Ive done all this steps, but i dont find my device here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QMbvdB4_DVo

Before you do anything else I would recommend just trying to get a new one through warrenty

Okay, I dont think I will, last time I had a phone with problems I had to send it in within the very first week to get a new one. And if I send it in to were i bought it to repair, it will cost over 3.000,- NOK. :(
I'll try see if anyone can fix it for less!
Anyways, thanks for your time and help!


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How can I delete all images in the album on my Sony Xperia S?
I synched all my photos with Lightroom, now would like to delete them from my Phone. There is no delete function in the Sony Album (Android Album?) however. How can I get rid of all photos taken?

Have you tried a file manager, and deleting the images on the file system level?

I finally deleted them from Windows Explorer. However I wonder that there is not a simple function for this. I use the Phone as a camera and after thhe files are imported in LIghtroom I want to get rid of them on the phone. Looks like a special app s required to delete photos.

You might want to put your solution into an answer and accept it (the latter at least until a possible better solution might be offered ;)

Deleting based on File Extension:
You may install Terminal Emulator from Play Store. Open it and enter the commands.
find $EXTERNAL_STORAGE $SECONDARY_STORAGE -iname "*.jpg" -exec rm {} \;

You may replace *jpg with *png , *jpeg , or other extensions involving picture formats.

thats a cool idea

Connect your device to a computer and find the folder that stores the photo. Then select all with CRTL + A, right-click and select Delete option from pop up menu

as i said, that is what i did.

It's very simple step and there is no need to install any app.

Go to album
Press and select one picture/video
Once you select a picture you will see top right corner option
Open it and you will see select all

Select all images including videos and delete it.


text:
Using Skype option for making calls
Previously my dialer would give me the option of making the call through Skype, or my network. This for some reason has disappeared. It did give me the option when I send a text (of going through either Skype or Viber or network), that also stopped as of today. It does give me the option when I go through Samsungs S Voice and request it to make a call. I have cleared all defaults I can find (I do not have a dialer option - only dialer storage, all other default options are 'greyed out'), I have uninstalled and reinstalled Skype and have tried all the other advice on the forum. Would really love it if someone can help me out! I have a Samsung S3


text:
I am running Paranoid Android 3.97 but Root Checker is showing me that my Nexus 4 is not rooted
I am running Paranoid Android and Franco Kernel but I do not have access to data/data folder is empty. Root Checker app is showing me that my phone is not rooted for some reason. It was working fine when i was on Android 4.2.2(Paranoid Android 3.67). How can i fix this?
Thank You

You need to Flash the Kernel first and THEN root the device. In 4.3 google have implmended a securty feature which causes some rooting problems.


text:
Terminal commands for accessing clipboard
I am trying to access the clipboard from the terminal, but there is no pbcopy or pbpaste command.
I want to use a command, because if I can access the clipboard with a command, then I can more easily integrate clipboard access into the program that I am writing. It is for a C program and a Python program. For C, I use  system("pbpaste") and for Python, I use os.system("pbpaste").
Is there an alternative to this command? How can I access the clipboard from the terminal?

If you advise which terminal this is for. Termux has a command line access to clipboard via termux-api


text:
How to get to notifications in settings?
The title sounds misleading... There exists a shortcut under the settings shortcut widget that points to notifications. In this I can see all the notifications that my phone had (even after clearing it in the pulldown notification tray).
I have 2 questions: a) where is it actually located in the settings (I have been looking for it for a while) b) how do I clear this...there seems to be no option (do I reboot?)
Here are the screenshots that may help clarify:

Can you be more precise in what your asking? What is the end goal you are looking to achieve?

@John under android jb, there is a widget called "settings shortcut" which allows you to pick a shortcut to any setting. One of these shortcuts is to something called "Notifications". This window is shown in the last picure. It contains notifications (including ones i cleared from the dropdown bar). I like this feature and was wondering how to get to it aside from using the widget as i do not want to clutter my homescreen. I would assume it lives under settings because i found it under the "settings shortcut' widget, but i cant seem to find it anywher.

So you want to know how to get to that screen without using the widget if I am not mistaken? Also which version of Android are you running? Are you running a custom ROM?

Yes you are correct. I am running stock jb 4.3 build jwr66v

There's no way to get at this activity other than through a settings shortcut. The code for it can be found here on Github, and if you search the repository for the NotificationStation class you'll find all the entry points for it: in this case, only the shortcut intent filter in the manifest. If you examine the code you'll also see there's no way to remove old notifications from the list: as you can see in the screenshot, the greyed-out notifications are those you've dismissed from the 'normal' notification tray.
However, this class is mainly intended as a demo. Android 4.3 adds support for any application (with the appropriate permission) to access and display the list of notifications. For example, a third-party launcher might want to show them, an app might want to show all notifications in a pop-up window iOS-style, a live wallpaper or daydream could respond to them graphically, or a utility might analyse your phone use from the notifications (something like Tasker could trigger actions based on notifications appearing or being dismissed).
Because this is a new feature, and 4.3 isn't on many devices yet, it'll be a while before third-party developers invest the time needed to offer these features, but you won't have to wait long.

Interesting, it would make sense for them to at least have a way to get there especially since its a Settings shortcut...


text:
What are some reasons for big difference in time usage and small difference in mAh?
I have found an android phone with really good specs like 1.5GHz Quad Core, 1GB RAM, 5", HD screen. My question though is on the battery
Battery Size: 2000mAh
Usage Time: 6 Hours
Battery Standby: 72 Hours

In comparison with let's say Samsung S4, it comes with a battery of 2600 mah,
Stand-by     (2G) / Up to 370 h (3G)
Talk time    (2G) / Up to 17 h (3G)

Why is that big difference in the time of usage with just 600mah? I got the numbers for the S4 from Gsm Arena and the other one from the manufacturer.
Thank you for your time

How would you explain to someone who didn't understand aerodymanics or mechanical engineering why some cars get better mpg (more km/l) than others?

I'm not sure where you got those figures from, they seem a bit too good to be true. 370 hours is next to impossible for Li-ion batteries (when they are attached to smart phones). 370 hours is more than 15 days. As of 2013 there is no Android powered smart phone that can last in standby for more than 15 days. It doesn't cost a ton of battery to be connected to a cell tower, but over hours and hours of being connected, it adds up to be a lot. Plus add in a ton of background processes to the mix and you have yourself a battery eating machine.
And your figure isn't really practical anyway because I could not think of anyone who could let there phone sit on standby for 15 days without using it.
I know 2 people who have the S4 and both of them said that they can't get more than 2 days out of their charge with practical use.
So to answer your question, there is not a big difference between the two, but the S4 does come with some nice software to help you make the most out of your battery with practical use:

If I had an S4 I would definitely check this out because if you want to get the most out of your battery, this "Smart Screen" is a great start.
from Wonder How To
I think that this is the article you were referencing. This artical states that the "average" battery life is 57 hours:

now 57 hours is a more manageable number. I was interested in how the S3 did in the same test. Here are the results:

Now all of that said, the difference between the two is only 14 hours. 14 hours is a great improvement for Samsung's next S generation phone.

Don't always believe things you see on the net =)

Actually I don't think you addressed exactly why the difference is so big. but yes you do have a point in how he should think of battery consumption.

You are comparing USAGE TIME with STAND-BY TIME and TALK TIME witch is incorrect.
First of all you will never get a clear answer when comparing battery consumptions, not even when you compare 2 identical phones, because for you may by talking is a priority and for another browsing the internet, and when you would compare battery life with him there will be a very big difrence.
Now talking about GENERAL battery consumtion, for the this example assume that exactly the same operations are done at a point of a millisecond.
Now what you have failed to mention, and it is one of the most important thing, is the screen SIZE.
You will find that the screen size is one of the biggest power eater that you have on a phone, the bigger it is the more it will eat.

To answer your question(partially answer it) may by the phone with the 2600mah has a smaller screen then the one with 2000mah and it is normal to see such a big increase in battery life.

Then there is the software. Witch even tough they are all android device the way that they handle things when you close the screen is different from manufacturer to another.

And again that can be a diference to, a very big actually.

One more thing, you are comparing usage time with STAND-BY and TALK TIME. Witch both require the screen to be off, while USAGE TIME requires the phone to be on and allways use it like send a email, open a photo, then send a tweed, etc, that is usage time.

Now keeping that in mind we cannot make a decision for you if it is a big difrence or not, you will have to take a decision by your self, but one thing is for sure, don't compare usage time with stand by time.

thank you for your answer, however I mentioned that the one has 5" display and the SG4 has 5" also.

Like I sayed your error was in comparing usage time with stand by time, witch I have explaned the diffrence to.


text:
How do I stop Spotify trying to play music files from Dropbox?
When trying to play a song from dropbox I think I should have hit media player or something. Instead I think I hit spotify always and now it won't let me play my song. It goes right fo spotify and I cant find my song there. How do I change the the player to like internet or media on my galaxy s4

Settings > Application Manager > Spotify > Clear defaults
This will release the filetype from always being executed with Spotify.
The next execution of this filetype will present the dialog for your preference again.

I actually asked Spotify to remove the action, but nothing as of yet.


text:
Nexus 4 factory reset
My nexus 4 originally came with android 4.2 JB. Since then I have gotten the 4.3 update. If i perform a factory reset sometime in the future will it go back to 4.2 or will the update be still in place. Also is there anyway to downgrade the os?

Will factory resetting my device remove the Android upgrade? covers your first question (the answer is no, it won't downgrade).

Is there a way to rollback or does the upgrade overwrite the previous os?

The only way you can downgrade is rooting it and then reinstalling the stock ROM and then unrooting. Is there a reason why you want to roll back to 4.2?

There is no specific reason...the only thing I was thinking is even though the current updates add performance boost, i feel that in the future some updates may begin to slow the device down as the software will be built for newer hardware. Just curiosity i guess

Your device will only get updated so many times. My Droid 3 is still running Froyo because the Google gurus decided it was too old for the next generation of Android. Trust me, when your device receives an update, it has been thoroughly tested to make sure it is bug free and is at it's maximum performance. When your device gets too old, you will stop getting updates.


text:
Help identifying tablet manufacturer and model to get specs
I received a 7" tablet as a "gift" when I attended a presentation recently. I'd like to find out some specs about it (processor details, who the manufacturer is in case I need support, etc.). I hope someone can help point me in the right direction...
The device came in a white and blue box that said "Android" and "Tablet PC" on it. There is no mention of any manufacturer, so my guess is I got an extremely cheap Chinese tablet. The instructions seem to indicate so...the English in it is horrible.
Based on the "About tablet" section in Settings, it seems to be running stock Android 4.0.4 and its model number is "TWD_MID". I did some searches but couldn't find any conclusive manufacturer/specs.
It has 1GB of internal storage, another "internal storage" worth 1.71GB, and it has a "TF Card" slot...which takes MicroSD cards.
Thanks in advance...
Kevin

FYI, TF stands for Transflash, which is another (maybe older) name for microSD HC.

@DanHulme to be accurate, TransFlash was the original name of microSD, SDHC came years later.

Try this. SysHard Info - show system and hardware information on Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.kinocat.andinfo

I used Android System Info app and it gave me a bit more hardware information (CPU speed, CPU chip, etc.) but nothing definitive about the manufacturer...I guess it will remain a mysterious an Allwinner clone...
Thanks for the help, all...

Super easy:

Go to all settings
About Device (in my case About Phone)

Then you should see where it says Model Number that is your device. Mine says:

DROID RAZR M

as the model number (not really a number but whatever).
A quick google search will give you the specs you want. Just search for your model + "specs" and you should be able to find it pretty easily.

Edit:
If the model number did not give you enough info, try searching the Model number along with the System Version, it might give you more information. You could also use the screen size specified in the Hardware Information to narrow your results.

can you clarify what you mean by "System Version" and "Hardware Information"? How do I get those 2 pieces of information?

maybe if I use the command line (terminal), there's a place to dig out the information I'm looking for?

You could get all the specs of the device from the
Terminal, but it won't help you find out what the actual device is called.

Based on a Google search it's either an Allwinner A13 tablet or one of it's clones, but I can't be sure, since the model number is pretty generic for cheap Chinese tablets. Some specs can be found on Slatedroid.

thanks, that's about as close as I could find to specs that match up to my device...it's not perfectly accurate, but it's close.

Download the app cpu identifier, it will tell you all thee info about your device

Could you give a bit more detail, such as a link to the app, and how exactly it will help?


text:
Installing Android in Samsun Omnia M
Can I install android on samsung omnia m mobile. Currently it is running on windows 7.5 mango. It has 4gb internal space..but no slot for micro sd card. If yes, then which version of android will be suitable for my device?

It seems like a very long process and it seems like it is very hard to reverse:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1040025

From what I read you need to be pretty tech savvy to get this to work. If you have Ubuntu installed then it is a little bit easier.
You need to know how to partition a hard drive and things like that, if you are not very Linux savvy I would probably give this one a pass. If you are very Linux savvy or you are just dying to have Android then I will help you through it, but it will be a lot of instructions and it will take a very long time. And as with any non-official Android port, there are a couple of weird problems with it, but it seems they can all be fixed with work arounds.
I hope this info helped you, let me know if you decide that you are dead set on getting Android on your device. I will try to give you some pointers to help you along the way.


text:
Unlock Screen with ADB Android 4.1.2
I have a Sprint Galaxy S3 (v4.1.2?) that I've rooted with CWM. Last week the glass and display cracked, so now I can't access it directly.
I'm able to access it with adb so would like to use something like droid@screen or androidscreencast to access it.
The problem I'm having is with the screen display lock. It's set to press-then-tilt-forward to unlock the screen but I can't figure out how to send those events using adb to do it successfully.
Why doesn't droid@screen or androidscreencast do that directly anyway?
I've tried sending various keyevents including 82,83,1,3, among others, and none seem to have any effect. What is the proper keycode to send to disable the screen lock?
Thanks,
Alex

You could check whether there's a way to disable Keyguard (there must be some intent to use, as many apps like e.g. Tasker support that). That would turn any keylock off. One example how to do that I just found at Google Groups. First, that thread says the keycode should be 59 (keycode.KEYCODE_SHIFT_LEFT), but then also offers alternatives like:
$ adb shell
# cd /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases
# sqlite3 settings.db
sqlite> update system set value="-1" where name="screen_off_timeout";
sqlite> .quit
$

Heavy hack :) I'd recomment to check the value beforehand, so you can use the same way to revert things back (i.e. lock the screen again). Also, that rather looks like it would only disable the screen timeout (but not actually disable the lock if the screen is already locked). As a similar trick is used in Cannot unlock tablet as have no internet connection?, that might serve as an alternative:
> adb -d shell
# sqlite3 data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/settings.db
sqlite> update system set value=0 where name='lock_pattern_autolock';
sqlite> .exit
# exit

But this one only applies if you use pattern lock.
As written above, there should also be a way to do that via some intent, but I could not find a clue on which one that might be.


text:
How can I (permanently) remove an sd card without harming apps on the device
Forgive me if this is already asked, but I couldn't find it anywhere.  (Most results involved 1 device and moving data between 2 sd cards.  I have two devices and I want to move all data off the sd card to the first device so I can move the sd card to the second device.)
I've upgraded devices (HTC Thunderbolt to Samsung Galaxy Note II) and would like to remove my SD card from the Thunderbolt and use it in the Note II.  To get a clean start, I will format the sd card before placing it in the Note, and I know how to do this.
I want to keep my Thunderbolt and use it as a "poor man's tablet".  It's already removed from the cell service and I'll just use it on the home WiFi messing around with some odd projects.
I've already uninstalled a bunch of apps, and moved any remaining ones from the sd card back onto the Tablet.  What I don't know is how to protect the apps that remain from getting damaged when I separate them from the files they've been storing on the sd card.
For example, there's a lot stored in:

/sdcard/Android/data/  (such as Google Maps and Swiftkey)
/sdcard/data/
/sdcard/.android_secure/

How do I protect the apps on the Thunderbolt from being harmed from permanently removing the sd card?  Do I have to clear all their data, or uninstall/reinstall them after removing the card?

Did you move/install some of the apps on the SD card?

Use apps like AppMgrIII
Link:-https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.a0soft.gphone.app2sd&hl=en

As @geffchang already asked (and your question seems to confirm, by having *a lot stored in ... /sdcard/.android_secure/): Check for the apps you've installed on the SDCard, and move them back to internal storage would be the first step. For the stuff in /sdcard/Android/data/ and /sdcard/data/: If the device has an internal SDCard, try to move the stuff over there. Either the affected apps accept it, or they might need to re-download some things. Easier way: SDCards come cheap, just leave it in, might save you some headache :)

Yes, as I mentioned, I've already moved all the apps from the SD card back to internal storage.  I have AppMgrIII installed, but I don't recall if I used it or the built in OS functionality.  There is no "internal" SD card or that would have been a simple solution. Thunderbolt is still on v2.1 or 2.2.

As Izzy said in the comments really your best option is to just buy a new card. They are super cheap especially if you buy online. I just looked on Amazon and the cheapest 16 GB SD card I could fine was just over $12.00 US. I'm sure you can go to your local electronics store and pick one up for around $20.00 US if you don't want to deal with buying online and shipping and whatnot.
But, if you are stingy (most of us are, lets be honest!), make sure you have migrated all of your apps back to internal storage with AppMgr III. Once this is done you can shutdown the phone and remove the SD card.
If you want you can create a backup of your SD card just in case you need the data on it in the future. You can just copy and paste all of the files into a folder and then compress it, or you can create a disk image of the drive, whatever is more convenient to you.
Then turn on your old device with the card NOT inside of it. Go through all of your downloaded apps and see if any of them were relying on data on the card. Once you find the apps that need the SD card you can then choose to uninstall and reinstall them, or see if you can transfer the files off of the SD card and then back onto the device and then point the app to the folder. It might take a little bit of screwing around, but perhaps the feeling of having extra cash in your wallet will overcome the frustration of dealing with data migration. Good luck!


text:
New line for system built-in SMS message in Samsung Galaxy Nexus
The built-in SMS application doesn't allow me to enter new line as below snapshot. What's wrong with my keyboard :( ?

I've also noticed that on several devices. Even if it shows an enter key, that usually sends the message instead of inserting a line break. Guess the reason behind is that 160 chars don't require a word processor. Only few draw ASCII art :)

What if you long-press the enter key?