text:
VLC plugin in android browser
i found VLC for Android Beta (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.videolan.vlc.betav7neon&hl=sk) which enables to play videos in VLC player on Android. But I need VLC plugin for browser on Android (for default browser or for chrome or any other browser). Is it possible ? Can you suggest mi anything ? When I installed VLC for Android Beta it not contains web plugin...
btw, I am using android 4.1.1.

What site are you trying to play a video on? Usually they use Flash.

I have video saved on my server - and want to play it in vlc plugin in browser

How aboout if you just download the video, and play it locally using VLC media player? Otherwise, I think you'd have to create/implement a website that streams the video. At other times, the browser will ask you to open / stream the file using a 3rd-party player.

I have to stream it in browser - on windows it works fine with vlc plugin and video starts playing


text:
Steps necessary to update a custom ROM to its latest version?
Many a time when I watch YouTube videos regarding people rooting and flashing custom ROMs on their Android smartphones, they show you how to carry out the procedure both in their respective videos and perhaps also in written dialogue on their main website.
However, as far as I'm aware, most custom ROMs do not include OTA updates, therefore one would generally have to check the XDA website, for example, to be notified of a newer version to whichever custom ROM for the particular device you are using becomes available. (I believe however that the CyanogenMod Installer recently introduced may be an exception to that general rule).
It is also the case as outlined in my first paragraph that those people who have YouTube videos about rooting and flashing custom ROMs fail to do a follow-up video showing how you can install the latest version of a custom ROM they are showcasing from a previous version.
For a beginner, this may be very daunting if you would like the latest version. I would therefore like to know: what are the necessary steps that one must undertake to update a Custom Rom to its latest version from a previous version?

Assuming there isn't an OTA it is usually the same process as the last one. Use something like Titanium Backup for your User Apps. Make a nandroid backup. Wipe data / cache etc. Flash new zip file. Restore apps through Titanium Backup. I usually suscribe to the topic on XDA and check in every now and then to see if the version has gone up on the particular thread. SOMETIMES you don't need to wipe data, but they will tell you that on the thread. I find in Android as in life, a thorough wipe is always a good idea!!

@RossC So its basically the same procedure as with how a custom rom was flashed initially from the default rom on the handset/tablet ?

That's correct. At least, that way it works for all ROMs (and of course some of the initial steps might be skipped; e.g. you won't need to re-install a custom recovery). Some ROMs might provide "patch updates", but again, they are mostly installed the same way.

Yeah exactly. As an example MiUi ROMs update via OTA, but CyanogenMod nightlies must be flashed from scratch! Just to say this again: BACKUPS!! I have forgotten many times and it is a pain!

@Izzy Yes that right ClockworkMOD/TWRP recovery will already be installed. What happens in relation to GApps (if they are not included within the Custom Rom itself), would you have to reflash them separately again ?

Depends on the update. If it's a full ROM, yes. If it's a "patch update", probably not. Easy to find out: If they're missing, you need to install them :) And as RossC wrote: BACKUPS!!! You have no ideas how many cases pop up here (and on other places) from people having forgotten those. Being "a pain" is an understatement! Though with flashing, troubles are rare, it never hurts to have a cold beer in the fridge :)

@Izzy Like I said in the question its all a bit daunting to me, hopefully the CyanogenMod Installer technique will come to the Nexus 5 (as I believe its not currently available) and that will ease my anxiety into my first venture with Rooting, Flashing & Updating.....

@Izzy Alternatively I might just checkout out Xposed Framework instead, as that appears to be gaining popularity recently !

Not only recently. But that's a completely different topic (so if you've got questions towards that, please don't ask them in this post here, but use a new / check a different one :)

@Izzy I wasn't planning to. For this question I purely want to know about updating a Custom Rom to the latest version from a previously installed version, plain simple (or perhaps complicated).

Summing up from the comments:
This very much depends on...

the ROM used
the update format chosen for a specific update

Some ROMs (e.g. CyanogenMod) come with their own "updaters", where special rules might apply. Specifically, they might deliver "patch updates", where only some files will be replaced. In those cases, no further action is required (except for, maybe, a reboot).
Some other ROMs ship in specific formats, and might require special tools to be flashed (e.g. odin or heimdall for Samsung devices).
Again other ROMs are delivered using the update.zip principle, where a custom recovery is needed to install them. This update.zip may be a complete ROM, or also just a patch. Instructions usually are to be found where the updates are offered for download.
In all above cases, some "initial steps" required for the first ROM install can be skipped and must not be repeated, including...

rooting your device (custom ROMs usually come pre-rooted)
unlocking the bootloader (unless you've re-locked it)
installing a custom recovery (when it's already there, no re-install is required; though there might be updates to this as well, and a newer custom ROM might require a minimum version here as well. Again, instructions should say so)

It's always a good idea to perform a backup before installing updates (or tampering with system stuff in any other way). Points to check for include:

nandroid backup: a full "sector-wise" copy of all the important partitions. If things go wrong altogether, this enables you to revert to the exact state of when these backups were created
logical full-backup: this is performed by tools like titanium-backup, and usually includes all your apps and data. So if something is missing after the ROM update, you can substitute the necessary parts. (note that Titanium Backup also can do that with Nandroid-Backups)
adb backup: quite similar to the previous one (see the backup wiki for details and differences).

Note also that an ota-update is quite unlikely to happen with custom ROMs. Some even include an app named fota-kill to "silence" the related update check. They either bring their own updater, or none altogether. In the latter case, the user has to check himself whether and when updates are available; often a "reminder" can be setup by subscribing to the corresponding thread on XDA (or wherever the ROM comes from), but actions have to be taken manually (as described above).
As I've shown until here, videos on updating your ROM most likely do not exist as the process already has been described as part of the initial video; though a few words like "for updating, skip to index ab:cd" would be a good idea (and could be suggested in the comments).

A special case are the google-apps (short: GApps). Whether you have to re-install them or not mainly depends on whether it was a "full update" (complete ROM), or the update just replaced some files. But it's easy to figure: When finished, just check if they are there and working. If not, you obviously have to flash them again. As a full-update replaces the entire partition content, GApps would be gone with that; a "patch-update" would just replace/add some files, and not touch the GApps, so they'd still be there. GApps are never part of a custom ROM (if they are, the "ROM cook" is in trouble due to license issues).

Excellent summation. I've been doing this for years and I still forget certain things, a nandroid, or backup app data for something I need. I've installed the wrong recovery, forgot to check MD5 and so on. It's easy to panic a bit when an expensive piece of hardware goes blank, or into a bootloop. This guide is excellent reference. I would like to add: I've always been able to fix it, so stay calm folks and just start at the very start!

I may add that my worst case was a "broken copy" (removed SD card a little early, or rather the indicator went off to fast). Result was, the "update" erased all partitions and then found nothing to flash. Unfortunately, I decided to reboot. No life signs (except ADB was able to connect "something"). Even that was recoverable (bootable SD card). Seems hard to really brick a device these days, except when flashing a radio image (maybe :)

@Izzy In terms of backing up before flashing to the newest version, would titanium backup suffice, or do people (or yourself) undertake all three of the ways you mentioned ?

@Simon I usually make a Nandroid backup in addition. Makes a restore-to-previous-state a lot easier in case flashing fails (or the ROM proves "unfitting").

@Izzy So the Nandroid backup is undertaken before backing up with Titanium Backup ? (Out of interest what do you make of this App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.h3r3t1c.bkrestore&hl=en ) ?

I use TiBu on a regular basis (scheduled backups). Nandroid backups I take occasionally, but always before flashing a new ROM. Never used Nandroid Manager, so I cannot talk about it from my own experience.

@Izzy Ok thanks (sorry for late response, I never got notified)

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sort: votes


text:
Cannot send or receive SMS on Galaxy Young Duos, someone help?
I bought a Samsung Galaxy Young Duos S6102. The problem is I cannot receive nor send SMS. Sometimes, I cannot receive calls, nor call someone. I have tried rebooting my phone, changing the sim card and updating the phone's software, and at first it works, however, after a few minutes I encounter the same problem again. Can please someone help me? Thanks in advance.

It sounds like a problem with your carrier. Have you got the latest APN settings, and the correct carrier settings? You can confirm them with the Network. Since you have tried updating firmware, and changing SIM it is either your network provider or a hardware defect, I would guess. Perhaps return to the vendor and see what can be done?

Yes, I've got the latest APN settings and the correct carrier settings. Thanks, I'm going to check it my vendor. But do you think there's something I can do other than checking it with him (vendor)?

You could try an alternative text app like hangouts, or GoSMS etc, but if you can't make or receive calls also it seems like something is fundementally wrong. Do you keep losing reception? Does your 3g work ok?

Yes. Sometimes it's up, most of the time it's down. Also, sometimes the signal looks okay but if I try to send a message or call someone, it doesn't work.

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


text:
How do I change the Device Name of my Nexus 7 2013 when connecting to a hotspot?
How do I change the Device Name of my Nexus 7 2013 (not rooted)?
On my Samsung Galaxy S4 hotspot, the Nexus 7 shows up as android-xxx, where xxx is some random sequence of characters. How do I change the name to something like geffchang-nexus7?

I don't think it is possible to change device name without root. The method mentioned by RossC will change the Hotspot name displayed when devices try to connect to Nexus 7.

Unless the OEM has built in the option (Samsung have for example) you cannot change the device name without root. The nexus-7 does not have this option.
On the Samsung Galaxy S4 (for example) you can go to Settings > More > About Device > Device Name and you can change it directly from there.
For those with root:
 su
 getprop net.hostname
 setprop net.hostname <new_hostname>

Or simply download a build.prop editor app from the play store.  This requires Root also. WARNING: Any changes to this file can stop your device from working or cause unexpected behaviour, do so at YOUR OWN RISK.

To change Hotspot name:
Go to

Wireless & Networks > Tethering & Portable hotspot.

Then

Tick the box next to Portable Wi-Fi hotspot
    Tap Portable Wi-Fihotspot settings and you can edit the Wi-Fi network
    name, and choose a password.

Enter your name there!

No, I want to change the name of my tablet, not the hotspot name of my tablet. My S4 is the wi-fi hotspot. In the list of connected devices, my Nexus 7 shows up as android-xxx. I want the S4 to see this as geffchang-nexus7, but NOT through renaming it in S4.

My apologies, the S4 lets you do this easily... but it seems you cannot on the nexus devices without root. I updated my answer with both options to clarify and how to do it with root. Updated: Can you try settings then on bottom at About Device and change the name there? I don't have my nexus and I'm nearly sure it's specific to the device I do have with me (S4) but it is worth a shot I guess!!

I've re-updated my answer as far as I know you can't but see if it is in the 'About Device' section. 99% sure you can't but I've expanded the answer for others with this question to include other OEMs, Nexus specific and how to change the Hotspot name also, I've also added the root method of changing it to give all options. Sorry it doesn't seem possible as it stands for you.

It's not in the About tablet section. I might look into rooting it instead.

I don't think it's possible without root.
If you are rooted then install a terminal emulator on the tablet. Enter the following:

su
getprop net.hostname
setprop net.hostname {new_hostname}

The 'getprop' command will return the current hostname, so you can double-check it before setting the new one. Reboot to refresh network assignments.
Taken from here (the method without root didn't show up for me so not including that)
Or you could install an app from the play store that will allow you to change the host name. I expect they're doing the same thing as the commands above though, as they all require root.


text:
Support for Dolby Digital?
I have an embedded Android system and I connect it to my TV via HDMI.
Also my system has an Optical audio port.
I would like to know...
Does Android support Dolby digital (via MHL or HDMI or any other option)?

Welcome to the Android Enthusiasts, Campiador! Please note that our site works best using exactly one question per post. I'd suggest you keep the first here, as further, development questions are off-topic at this place (see our [help/on-topic] for details). They are dealt with at our sister-site Stack Overflow.

Thanks for updating. I just did a little Google search, and wrote an answer. Note that I didn't dig very deep, and have made no practical tests.

Though I found no concrete specs saying all (or which) Android devices might (or might not) support it, there are strong indications that it's possible (and at least partly supported):

Jabra advertizes its app for Dolby sound. No explicit mention of "Dolby digital, though.
XDA has a thread titled Beats audio with dolby digital advanced audio; as you can see, this explicitly mentions "Dolby digital". As this discusses an Android app, this pre-supposes the technical possibility.
AndroidAyuda.com has a Spanish article on this topic, which also implicates the availability

There are about 5 million hits for a google search on 'android "dolby digital"', which you might want to check some more from. The few I've picked didn't state any restrictions as to the device (though there are probably some, for what use does the support make if you have no appropriate output, such as HDMI). But it's clear that the Android OS is no hindrance to it.
TL;DR: Android itself can obviously deal with it, if the device supports it.

android does not support dolby (digital) / DTS
dont compare beats with dolby / DTS
beats is just an equalizer software layer in between your mixer in android
it doesnt encode audio streams from applications, applications have to have build in support for that
for music dolby playback its useless, for video playback it is impossible
since android needs to have encoder support in the kernel itself
then the application for playback needs to support it
dolby digital is not giving licence to android platform, they are very picky
ipad and macs have encoder support and licence for it
for example cinexplayer for iOS has exellent support for dolby/dts
cinexplayer has also an android app, but no dolby/dts support duo android limitations
i'm android developer and tried all sorts of things by using code hacks in custom roms to get
some kind of dolby playback
if the music/video app doesnt support build in dolby/dts then obviously
you cannot encode the audio stream for dolby/dts so it doesnt matter
even if you have support in the kernel and beats audio and all that crap

Dolby® Digital Plus™ is built into many Android devices out in the market. This means
  Android Applications and Games can have amazing immersive sound by
  integrating the Dolby® Audio API for Android™

Support is there in many of the devices, but it is up to the developers of the games/applications to implement it:
Dolby API for Android


text:
Single Window Menu screen in Nexus 5
I am using Nexus 5 with Android 4.4.2. Its menu screen contains "3 screens" to accommodate all the apps I have. But I remember in older Android (I think I saw it in Galaxy S phone) that all the apps were put in single screen and we could scroll down to get any app.
So I want to change this "multi-window" menu screen to a single scrollable window.
Is it possible in KitKat? if so, how?

I don't think the Google Experience launcher has this customisation. You could install a third party launcher like Nova or Apex that should have this

@RossC, I'd say that qualifies as a full-on answer. If you post it as an answer, I'd certainly upvote it.

Currently on the nexus-5 stock launcher the 'Google Experience Launcher' or 'GEL' for short, there is no way to customise the app picker / app drawer. You could install a free third party launcher such as Nova Launcher which I have checked and it has a 'List' option, or Apex Launcher
The potential downside to a third party launcher is you will lose the Google Now integration on the left most homescreen and the Ok google functionality.

You can endure it or get rid of GEL. Google may release updates with more functionality in the future, but to be honest they've stuck with Horizontal scrolling for a long time now and I don't anticipate any change.

@AbidRahmanK - there's no reason that you have to endure it. You can install any of a large selection of high quality third-party launchers that have this feature. You would lose the ability to say "Okay Google" to get to GNow, but Google Now itself is still available in the same way it was before 4.4 - by dragging up from the bottom of the screen.

@dotVezz yeah I do agree, personally I'm a big fan of Nova Launcher, but I had to add the warning that you lose OK Google functionality AND the leftmost screen / google now integration which may be a factor in changing launcher, depending on personal preference.


text:
Poor performance of HDR in Nexus 5
I am using Nexus 5, and the image taken with HDR is very poor quality. I have updated to 4.4.2, still no improvement. So to make sure I am doing it correctly, I installed another app "Best HDR" and compared images with that of Android and the first one is much better.
I will put the two images here (images are compressed for fast uploading, so they will be a little blurry than the real):

Taken with Android HDR / Taken with Best HDR (click images for larger variants)

Taken with a normal camera (click images for larger variants)

Taken with Android HDR / Taken with Best HDR (click images for larger variants)
Question: Why is it like this? Is the HDR of Android that bad or am I doing anything wrong?

AFAIR, Nexus 5 used Google Camera as the default camera.

More of a photography question than an Android question, I think. Remember that HDR is High Dynamic Range, essentially your camera takes 3 (or more) pictures at different exposures: One normal, one bight, one dark (EV -1,0,+1). It then combines all of these to create an image that represents what 'what your eyes see' by bringing out the dark parts of the photo with the light copy and dimming the bright parts with the dark copy (a simplified explanation).
With the images you have shown me, it seems as if you are shooting directly into a light source, and while this works if you want to shoot a silhouette, it's not the best option for HDR style photography unless you have control on how to edit the Highlights/Shadow -essentially Photoshop type post-processing. This is not very conducive to HDR imaging, and thusly will produce 'bad' (not desired) images. I would suggest taking a picture where the light source is behind the phone (not aimed at the lens) as a HDR comparison.
To explain for the difference between Stock Camera HDR and Best HDR Pro, my thoughts go to the HDR algorithm. I assume that both apps have a different way of processing HDR images, and from the looks of it, the Stock Camera is using an algorithm that avoids the use of noise while Best HDR Pro is pushing either ISO or brightness up to give a more HDR like look.
Like I stated before, take images with light coming in from different directions and try to take images with quite a bit of detail (flowers, landscapes, ect.) to get a good comparison. That should help you decide on the performance of the apps themselves.

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


text:
Run android on windows 7
All I want to do running Android on Windows 7 is using whatsapp for certain group discussion.
I tried BlueStacks, but it causing keyboard issue, at many times, certain key act like got stuck, keep repeating, and when this happen, I have to restart my windows.
quit the bluestack won't help.
now I want to try other (free) option, any recommendation?
youwave is not free.
I come across this androvm, but the file type is ova , no idea how to run it at present.
just to re-clarify:
I already running WhatsApp over BlueStack on my Windows 7 64 bits.
But it comes with a side effect, very bad. At time, my keyboard seems like got 1 key stuck, and keep repeatively pressing it unstopped.
the keyboard is absolute fine. I kill/quit BlueStack if I don't plan to use the WhatsApp, which is auto-start whenever i login.
when the funny keyboard issue happened, the only way to resolve it is reboot, quit the BlueStack won't help at all.

android-x86 perhaps?

You're probably wasting time if you're doing this just for WhatsApp. WhatsApp won't let you run it on anything without an active phone connection. Try taking the SIM card out of your phone and rebooting it and WhatsApp will complain and fail to work even if you have a wifi connection. They do all of their authentication based on your phone connection details.

Why not try Genymotion?

I already runnning WhatsApp over BlueStack. It's working. The problem is with the buggy keyboard behavior.

what's the downvote about?

I re-upvoted. You really could have worked harder on the grammar and capitalization though. I also added an answer. Please try Andy emulator. Excellent software and super easy to install

You could simply unplug the keyboard and plug it back in. Works for me every time.

How do you unplug a software keyboard? His keyboard problem is in software

You could install the Android SDK and run an instance of Android through the emulator. Probably not the simplest solution but the emulator usually runs pretty well for developers.

While this will let you install APK's, it still won't work with WhatsApp, which requires a cellular connection and a phone number.

Thanks for the precision, I was not aware of that because I don't use this app.

Absolutely. You can use Andy for Windows. It's heavy software but extremely powerful for testing or just having fun!
Andy is definitely the simplest option.

You can use Bluestacks; works as emulator.

You did see that the Asker has already said he tried Bluestacks and that it didn't work out?

actually, it worked. but it has a side effect, funny keyboard issue.


text:
Change calendar location viewer
When I put in a location for an event in the Google Calendar on my Nexus 4, and then select it later it opens up in Google Earth which I do not want to happen.
How can I change it to open in Google Maps, so I can use the location for directions?
I have looked under Settings > calendar but there was nothing under the default open header.
Am I looking in right place?

I'm prompted to select what I want to use to open the link, so it looks like you've set a default action for that Intent.
You'll need to go to Settings > Apps > (downloaded or all) > Earth > Clear defaults. Next time you click a location in the calendar it should prompt you for what you want to use to open it.
Unfortunately, this resets all the defaults for Google Earth.

Thanks, i went and checked system > apps > calender. Didnt think of checking earth thanks for the help

It's always the app reacting to your request you need to check whether it's set as default. Think of it as an "on duty" badge: the one wearing it does the job. So if you want someone else doing it, you know where to pick the badge :)


text:
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 wont charge while on and battery is discharging
So after reformatting my phone, resetting to defaults, nothing has seem to work.
I even took it to my cell provider to see the tech, they didn't do anything.
Whats weird is that it had 20% and so i took the battery out of the phone and stuck it back in, right when it turned on says 55%, strange right? Does anyone know WTF to do I really want to chuck this phone away, nothing but problems :(

That is indeed strange. I wonder if your battery itself is damaged or faulty. Did the tech test to see if it worked with a different battery?

Thats what i thought as well. He did a battery test and he said the battery is fine. I'm not sure if he tried with another battery, i don't think so. Hmm, I am going to go back and see if he can do another battery. I hope so.


text:
How to disable the Denial Log Reporting Service on SGS4?
On my Samsung Galaxy S4 I've accidentally accepted a privacy policy for the "Samsung Denial Log Reporting Service" in a popped notification. I've found in Google that it "Captures SE for Android denials in Enforcement mode on the device and uploads them to a Samsung Server".
Does anyone know how to disable this crap option?

This as you may know is part of Samsung Knox. I had this same issue and never got an answer from Samsung so I rooted the phone and installed a Knox free ROM. Obviously that isn't for everyone. Can you open the Knox app? You should be able to disable this denial report logging from the settings.

@RossC No, I don't seem to be able to open the Knox app.. I have android 4.2.2, if that matters.

Ok, shot in the dark: Log out of your Samsung account, and log back in. It should (hopefully) ask this question again, select 'do not show for 30 days' and cancel the request! Let me know if it works, I'll keep looking. I can't test it here as I have a knox free ROM!

@RossC I've tried relogging into Samsung account, no question so far.

Samsung Knox is a thorn in my side. It's negatively affecting the dev community and this kind of thing is not helping. You may be stuck with this reporting going on. The only things I can think of left are go into Settings > More > Appliction Manager and try to disable anything Knox related. I doubt this will work. You could root the phone but this WILL trip the Knox counter to 0x1 and MAY have warranty implications, install a knox free ROM. You could wait to see if logging in has affected it, reboot and see. Failing that welcome to the wonderful world of locked bootloaders and 'helpful' Knox.

If you hit the menu button on your home screen is there a 'Knox Settins' option? I doubt it in 4.4.2 though. Are you due an update to 4.3?

@RossC Nope, no such option there. I guess I'm recieving the 4.3 update soon. Thank you for your help.

You could do a factory reset, but I have seen conflicting reports on whether this actually works or not. Sorry about this, Knox is a major issue for everyone at the moment. Rooting is the most direct way to kill knox where it stands, but it's not necessarily the best route for everyone.

You need to root your phone and remove or "freeze" everything related to OTA and KNOX. Once done, you can remove the all AVC audit file(s) in the directory: /data/misc/audit/. You may also need to put SEAndroid into Permissive mode with: su 0 setenforce 0, but this only lasts until next reboot.


text:
Play Music (KitKat): update library not working
I use BitTorrent Sync to transfer audio files to my Nexus 5. All files are transfered to the 'music' directory. When new files are added to this directory, the only way to update Play Music's library is rebooting android. There is an update button in Play Music ("Vernieuwen" in dutch) but this does not add the new files. To be honest I expected Play Music to automatically add the new files.
What can be the cause of this problem? And is there a way to solve it?
Possibly related questions:

Stock Google Music app does not scan subdirectory in Android 4.2.1
The music player keeps displaying deleted songs. How do I remove them or refresh the library?
Kitkat 4.4.2 and Play music: won't find files

One of the advantages of a physical SD card: unmounting and re-mounting it triggers the media scanner. But that's unlikely to be an option for you. 1
Depending on your Android version, there are different apps available on Google Play to help you out. The "version difference": starting with Kitkat, the old mechanism of triggering the media scanner does no longer work, "normal apps" are denied the permission to call it. But there's at least one new app available where the dev found a "loop-hole" to give back the functionality.
Some examples for pre-Kitkat scanners can be found in the link of "footnote 1", SD Scanner is the one promising to work with Kitkat.

1 see my answer here for a more detailed explanation of the background

Solution 1: Just play it
If you are an KitKat user that just wants to listen the music, regardless of recognizing it on the best way (like showing ID3 tags, allowing to modify files etc.), just use Es File Explorer. So you can see the folders on SD Card, long press on some folders choose to and play it or to add to playlist, all using embedded music player.
Solution 2: Play + Modify
Want to modify/delete/add media files? Alles klar: only open Es File Explorer, enter on external storage, go to Android\data, create a folder called "com.estrongs.android.pop" (yeah, you can!), and put all media files in it, using subfolders or not. Shazam!
KitKat does not allow to modify files on external storage when they are outside the folder of the app that is trying to modify them, but not inside.
Help me :)
If you find better app to play these files, inform me, please :) but it is the only one  I know that performs Solution 2 on KitKat.


text:
how do i get out of safe mode on htc desire s?
Just put music on SD card, started up phone after re-inserting SD card, but it came on in 'safe mode'. Any ideas on how to switch safe mode off?

Turn the phone off
Turn it back on and hold the up volume button

Let me know if it works or not. There are also other solutions.
Source.


text:
Remove folder from App Drawer in TouchWiz (not home screen / app launcher)
TouchWiz (TouchWiz Nature UX on Samsung Galaxy S III mini) allows creating folders and reorganizing application in application list / app drawer (in "Apps") when using 'Customisable grid' view type:
"Menu > View type > Customisable grid", then "Menu > Create folder"

This allows creating folders to group applications. You can edit name of folder by touching it and then touching on name, you can put such folder on home screen / launcher via long press, and you can put applications in folder via "Menu > Edit" and selecting folder (edit works only on folders); then in this edit mode you can add apps with "+", and remove them by moving them outside folder.

I cannot find however how to remove such folder from TouchWiz app drawer.
(The articles and answers I have found by googling are about folders on home screens, i.e. in apps launcher not apps drawer).

Once you have created a folder in the Apps (i.e. I created a "Temp") and then  remove it:
1. Go to the App Drawer, Apps, and find the panel holding the folder.
2. Menu > Edit
3. Press and hold the folder until "Remove" appears.
4. Drag to Trash Can (Remove).
5. Save

Gone.

For Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge, follow the steps below:
Go to App Drawer -> Click Edit -> Click Minus ("-") sign on the folder you wish to remove -> Click Delete on the warning displayed and you are done.
The apps will not be uninstalled, only the folder will be removed. The apps would show normally in the App Drawer afterwards.


text:
Can not uninstall standard Android keyboard or get it back working
I want to uninstall the standard Android keyboard com.android.inputmethod.latin.
I googled and found multiple threads discussing this problem.
What I did so far:
1.) Uninstall via intent -> doesn't work
2.) adb uninstall com.android.inputmethod.latin
3.) adb uninstall -k com.android.inputmethod.latin
4.) My phone is rooted: adb root, adb shell, pm uninstall -k com.android.inputmethod.latin
But non of these methods worked yet. The AOSP Keyboard is still for selection in the android settings and the package is still shown when executing pm list packages | grep latin
The problem is: my keyboard isn't working any more :D
So can i reinstall or uninstall it?
Please help me!

Is it possible it will not uninstall because it leaves you with none? Maybe load an alternate keyboard first, for failover to occur, freeing the latin keyboard for removal?

I managed to install the softkeyboard. Stil, can't uninstall or reinstall it

Maybe  you can remove manually using adb shell.
adb remount
adb shell
adb su
cd system
cd app
rm yourapkname.apk -> Change to the apk you want to remove
reboot


text:
Infinite Reboot Loop
I have a HTC EVO 4G (aka Supersonic) running Android 2.3.5 (aka Gingerbread) and last night I turned it off because it was running low on power. I connected it to the charger before going to bed and called it a night, my normal process (except for shutting it down).
This morning I turn it on and it starts up with the device screen (HTC EVOTM 4G) and then a few seconds later it shows the Sprint 4G animation, and usually after that it loads the OS and you slide down continue but now it just reboots again and again in an infinite loop. I can only stop it by pulling the battery.
Anyone experience this? Know what's causing it? Have a solution to it? I need the phone and its critical that I resolve this as soon as possible. Thanks everyone.
Update - 12/18/13
I went ahead and cleared the cache and the dalvik cache and still couldn't get it to boot into the OS, it would load the slide screen and then freeze up for a second and go back into the loop. From then on, it wouldn't even get to that screen, just would reboot after the startup animation.
I was not even running a custom ROM, just the stock ROM rooted but went ahead and flashed a stock ROM back on it and got it up and running but still bugs me that I had to lose all my customization and start over without knowing what the heck went wrong.
Anyone have any ideas?


text:
Comprehensive list of Android apps that detect and don't work with rooted phones
I've been trying to determine if there is a comprehensive list of Android apps that have root detection built in and do not run if root is detected. Examples would be Good for Enterprise, Fox Digital Copy, Barclays Mobile Banking, and DIRECTV GenieGO.
Is there such a list?

How can it be comprehensive? There are new apps coming out all of the time.

Comprehensive as of today, or recently. Obviously there will be new apps, there isn't a list of any kind.

List questions like this aren't a good fit for Stack Exchange sites because they require a lot of continuing effort to keep up-to-date.

The most comprehensive list I've seen its available on the RootCloak website, towards the bottom...
http://repo.xposed.info/module/com.devadvance.rootcloak

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

Just for the record, I wrote that list after asking this question... :)


text:
WPA2-Enterprise: PAP not shown in phase 2 auth spinner
I need to setup a 802.1x EAP Wi-Fi network on a JellyBean device (Motorola Moto G).
The network is managed by the university, and they are using eduroam.
In the university configuration guide they show how to setup a TTLS-PAP connection. The problem is, in my device, the only options available in the phase 2 authentication spinner are None, MSCHAPV2 and GTC.
The configuration guide shows screenshots for gingerbread devices where PAP is also available. I've been googling a bit and seems that some ICS devices also have it available.
Could this be a problem of this particular device? Or could it be a problem of all JellyBean devices? Is this option available in KitKat?
Thanks in advance.

UPDATE
I've checked this option is shown in an old gingerbread phone. Also being shown in a 4.1 tablet.

At least in this device, the network configuration dialog is plagued with bugs.
What I did is to create the network, save it, then long click to modify it and the options appear.
I've also used WiFi Manager to configure the network. Good to know someone developed an app to do what Google couldn't get right.
And I've seen some other bugs in this dialog too. For instance, when you type the CA certificate name, then you save the network, and then you open it again to modify, the cert name is no longer there (this field used to be a spinner in previous versions, but now it is a regular text field).
A similar problem happens with the password. After typing it and saving the network, then opening the network again to modify it, the password field only contains a single character.
And it somehow seems to save the configuration mostly Ok, it is just the dialog is not initialized correctly with the previously saved fields.

Ok buddy, this method works for me:
*I have found a way to make it connect - at least it worked for me! You have to select the network from the list but while it's trying to connect, you have to long press on the network and select modify to bring up the settings window. Then just enter your settings as normal.
I only had to do this once to set up the network and now it connects automatically.*
The autor is flarge in XDA forums, i don´t linked, i don´t know if here i can do it.
CYA!

Yes, please do link to the source. We want answers to be self-contained, but we also want to give credit where credit is due.


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How can I root a Samsung Galaxy Ch@t B5330?
I could find no working (but one not working and one based on very old Android version) root package (nor a custom ROM like Cyanogenmod support) for my Android smartphone (Samsung Galaxy Ch@at B-5330) but I need it desperately. I have general Java programming and Linux administration skills. Can I do the trick myself? How do the root ROMs authors do it? I know how to reset the root password on a normal Linux PC but have no idea of how to do it on a phone.

xda-developers has several guides on rooting this device, have you checked their forums ?

Yes, @svarog, I have tried the roms published there with no luck (4.1.2 version hangs "flashing" for hours until the battery gets depleted and changes nothing and another one is Android 2.2 or 2.3 which is just too obsolete to consider)


text:
Google+ video sync configured for WiFi-only but took place over 4G anyway
Two days ago, AT&T surprised me with three bandwidth warnings within a few seconds. In quick succession, our wireless account (i) exceeded 2/3 of the 300 MB limit, (ii) exceeded 90% of the 300 MB limit, and (iii) exceeded the limit, resulting in an excess bandwidth surcharge.
I isolated the culprit to one of our S3 minis. According to the onboard usage log, Google+ had unexpectedly burned 200 MB in background transfers. I guess that this was a transfer of a 200 MB video, because that S3 had just taken one.
Google+ came from AT&T preinstalled and preconfigured to automatically back up videos, but only when there is a WiFi connection available. I think this means a transfer should never have occurred over 4G.
I have found numerous forum threads – such as "Suddenly high data usage (Google+?)" over at AndroidCentral.com – in which identical experiences were reported, both in 2012 and 2013. Some of these threads implicate another app called Gallery, which also comes preinstalled and which I do not use and know nothing about. For more examples, Google [ android google+ sudden data usage ].
Is there a long-standing bug in Google+? How can I correct it going forward? Can I force Google+ to honor the WiFi-only setting? Do I need to change a setting in Gallery?
Can I expect to recover the surcharge from AT&T, considering that they were the ones to preinstall and preconfigure the software so that this could happen?

I've not encountered this bug, and I'm a pretty heavy G+ user. As for whether you can get the money back from AT&T, that's beyond the scope of this site.

If you have your WiFi set to 'switch networks' (default setting in 4.3+) then it will jump to 4g if it thinks your connection is unstable. I find it constantly tells me the WiFi is unstable on the Galaxy S4, it seems very delicate in Samsung devices. This is a solid WiFi connection I'm using about 2 feet from the router! Pop into your WiFi advanced settings.

@RossC On this device, Android 4.2.2, I see a setting "Check for Internet service: Auto switch between Wi-Fi networks and mobile networks". It's turned off.


text:
Generally speaking why do tablets have lower quality cameras than phones?
I've done some comparisons looking at the specs on wikipedia and generally speaking tablets that have come out around the same times phones did, have cameras that are a few megapixels fewer than the ones on phones. Is there a technical reason why it's harder to have a camera in a tablet?

The manufacturer is trying to help you. Walking around taking photos with a tablet makes you look like a twerp, so they try to discourage you by not putting a good quality camera in there.
That might be a slightly silly answer, but it's not entirely untrue. Taking photos with your phone is really popular these days, because you always have your phone with you. The quality of the phone camera is therefore a big selling point, and manufacturers compete on that.
It's much less common to take photos with a tablet: not just because you look like a twit holding it up, but because people don't take a tablet with them on a night out, or a bike ride. Tablets are mainly for using at home on the couch, or in bed, at the office, or on a long train ride. The cameras on tablets are mainly targeted at scanning QR codes, and maybe doing a little video calling over the Internet. For this reason, the camera quality isn't such a selling point, and it makes more sense for manufacturers to spend the budget on other factors that consumers rate, such as the screen, the RAM, and the processing power.


text:
Which photos get automatically backed up to G+
When using the G+ Auto Backup feature, do only my camera photos get backed up? What about downloaded photos, those that I create, or the ones that I transfer from PC to my phone via USB?
The support page and the Photos app seem to be unclear about this.

From what I have read, the only photos that are backed up are those in the folder named "DCIM/Camera", which should include photos from your camera. If you move other photos there (e.g. downloaded, etc.), they should be backed up.


text:
3G web browsing problems despite full bars
I consistently have problems browsing the web via my 3G connections despite the fact that it shows that I've got a "good" signal. Often I will have the blue bars but they eventually turn grey after the connection fails. If I keep hitting retry on Chrome it will eventually load the page.
Does anyone have any ideas on what is going on here? Is my carrier doing something strange?

(This is on a Galaxy Nexus running Jelly Bean, build number JWR66Y, baseband I9250XXLJ1)

Check the access points(Settings>More>Mobile Network>Access Points) that you have set. In most cases, people have trouble because of the APs they have chosen. Also, try using another SIM card of a different carrier in 3G mode. If all goes well we will know your own phone isn't at fault.


text:
Turn off notification sounds and vibrations while allowing phone calls to trigger sound and/or vibration on Nexus 5
I have a Nexus 5 running Android 4.3.2. I want to turn off all sound and vibration notifications for all apps, while allowing phone calls to trigger sound and/or vibrations. Is there a way to do this?
I have tried following the advice at How can I turn off Notification Sounds and leave phone sounds on but the answers don't work. There's no separate slider for notifications, and the AudioManager app doesn't shut off vibrations. I have tried the official Google answer but there's no setting, Vibrate -> Never, and setting notifications to silent does not stop the vibrations. I've tried the individual app settings, too, but there's no setting for vibration in the official twitter app, for example.
I can stop specific apps from sending any notifications at all, but that's not what I want. I want the notifications to show up in the drop-down, I just don't want any sounds or vibrations.

https://twitter.com/ScarySloth/status/413127987681169408 states that you can turn it off in twitter from the account settings rather than the general settings. Perhaps the answer is that this IS ALWAYS configurable on a per-app basis?

Just to back up your findings on twitter, I've always thought it was a per-app setting and acted on that. Turning the phone to vibrate/silent mode will override individual app settings though - to my understanding.

@dotVezz that's exactly it. If you want all apps bar one to do something you  have to change all the apps individually. The vibrate/silent mode will override this setting, but that is obviously for ALL apps.

This is an issue I have as well, it lies with the apps, whose settings override the default ringer and vibration settings. In order to completely disable vibrations you will have to disable them in Settings > Sound, and individually in each app.
Twitter app you will have to go to Settings >  and there is a Notification Settings sections that allows you to disable vibration.
As an aspiring developer, it will be my goal to default to system settings but allow for customization, as it should be...

Thank you, and particularly thank you for your plans to default your app to the existing system settings.

Go to settings> Sounds> then there should be an option Vibrate there should be vibrator intensity and click on it and you can take off the vibrating off your phone for completely even on apps that were still vibrating even though phone would be on silent.

It's not there on Nexus 5 running stock AOSP, which is the device used by OP. Which phone model, Android version, and custom ROM are you testing this on?

Go to Settings -> Notificaton Manager and change the settings.

I do not have an option called Notification Manager under settings. Could you edit your answer and expand it to say how that will allow the original asker to turn off all notification sounds?

Also, just in case, please mention the device model, Android version, and whether you're using custom ROM or not. These 3 factors usually affect the setting.

Settings -> Device -> Audio profiles -> General -> Options (next to General) -> Default notification sound -> Silent (it is the first option from the top)

There is no such setting on my Nexus 5.

Just in case, please mention the device model, Android version, and whether you're using custom ROM or not. These 3 factors usually affect the setting.

Setting -> Audio Profile -> Create a new profile will allow to you to set it up.

There is no such setting.

Just in case, please mention the device model, Android version, and whether you're using custom ROM or not. These 3 factors usually affect the setting.


text:
How can I set an alarm on all my Android devices at once for free?
I would like to be able to set an alarm on all my Android devices at once.
The application Timely Alarm Clock has this feature ("Cloud synchronization enables a seamless experience across phones and tablets.") but the latter costs $2.5.
Are there any free alternatives?

You could create an event in the Google calendar. Provided all your devices are synced, that should trigger all of them.

I try to not read this as "is there an app...", as that would be off-topic according to our guidelines (see What topics can I ask about here? for details).
So apart from looking for a different app to save some peanuts, you could live with the ads (according to its description, the app is available for free with ads; there's no note to the cloud feature being restricted to payment, neither does the related description on the product's webpage, nor the FAQ on How can I synchronize my devices mention that).
according to Krampus' comment below, the cloud functionality seems to be restricted to "premium users" indeed, though none of the material cited says so
Alternatively, there is the possibility to utilize a synchronized calendar (like the Google Calendar) for that: Create an event, which then is synchronized across your devices. So the alert should trigger on all of them.

I use (and love) Timely. Because I wanted the cloud sync so bad I ponied up for the in-app payment.

@Krampus so it doesn't work without upgrading? Reading all the app's descriptions (even the FAQ, as my answer states), I've found no hint this were reserved for "premium users" (in fact, while the desc on play talks about "premium features", it names not a single one belonging to that).

The app works fine for free, but if you want to sync your alarms to all your devices that costs extra.


text:
fastboot not finding SPH-L720 on Linux
This is with Ubuntu 13.10 on the host and a Sprint Samsung Galaxy S4 SPH-L720.
When in normal mode, 'adb devices' finds my phone.
I do 'adb reboot bootloader' to reboot my phone into bootloader mode.
'fastboot devices' comes back empty. 'sudo fastboot devices' also comes back empty.
I have setup the udev rules file accordingly (replaced my real login with myuser)
~  cat /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="04e8", MODE="0666", GROUP="myuser"

lsusb returns the following (fyi, the device is an S4, not an S2)
Bus 002 Device 006: ID 04e8:685d Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd GT-I9100 Phone [Galaxy S II] (Download mode)

I've read a ton of articles on this and I can't get this working. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

I don't know that the S4 has a fastboot mode. Typically you would flash Samsung devices with Odin.

I believe it's called download mode, but it definitely has it. This probably differs on the different carrier variants.

I know about download mode, that's what Odin is for. I believe that's different from a fastboot mode, though. For example, my old Galaxy Nexus had both modes, but I think that was because it was a Nexus device. I don't think that carrier branded Samsung phones typically have a way to use fastboot.

Depending on what you want to do with fastboot, there's an alternative for Samsung phones called Heimdall. I used it on my SIII mini to install TWRP.

Accordingly to the answer to this question, Samsung devices do not support fastboot.
This thread on XDA Forums states the same.


text:
Partition problem in AOSP build
I am compiling the AOSP rom for Nexus 7 flo. After the build is completed, I always end up at this screen "type password to decrypt storage".
The factory images work correctly, and the device works. Also there has never been any password. I could understand that the problem seemed to be with userdata partition, so I flashed everything from the factory images, and then flashed only my own compiled userdata.img. And it works, so I am left clueless as to where the problem could be?
Any ideas?
Edit1:
So after some searching/asking around, it seems this problem can occur if partitions overwrite each other (any of the img files is too big, particularly boot.img). But how can I verify this? Any thoughts on this?

Are you using make -j# otapackage? If so it should result in a ZIP that should flash with no problems.
Also fastboot format all partitions to get rid of the decrypt error.
If the source is untouched, i.e. the ROM compiled is the same as the stock ROM, the images should flash without any such error.

I wasn't using otapackage.

OK, I kind of fixed it/ worked around it.
The issue was with the fstab file. In case of 4.3 and later it is fstab.device in device/vendor/product. This has by default how the partitions need to be mounted when the system boots up which by the way is mentioned in init.rc included in the same directory and gets packed into ramdisk.img. In my case, this file had a "encrypatable:some path" for userdata partition. I removed that parameter, and it worked. Interesting to see that the stock ramdisk also uses the same parameter and works. Guess, it needs more looking into, but works for me now.


text:
IS it OK to flash stock ROM from other country?
Is it OK if I flash my phone with a stock ROM from another country? Wouldn't it have a negative effect?

Yes, it's OK to flash stock ROM from another country. BUT, take note that it may have different languages, and a different baseband/modem. Having a different baseband can cause network issues (or a very hot phone), but you can flash a baseband that works for your country.

You can also flash the baseband separately from the ROM.


text:
I can't flash a custom rom onto my Galaxy Note N700
I just wiped my data and dalvic cache and formatted /cache, /system and /data. I put philz touch recovery (an enhanced CWM) on my phone and now wanted to install a rom. But when I install OmniROM it always tells me failed to verify whole-file signaure, and when I want to use CyanogenMod it tells me error in tmp/update.zip status 7.
The problem now, is that I now have no ROM on my phone and only can be in recovery mode. But, when I use adb sideload filename in the console I only get error: closed also my Windows doesn't show my phone so I can't put another ROM on it to test it.
What could I do ? I have no system on my phone at the moment and can only go into recovery mode.

Do you have a custom recovery installed? You should be able to mount your SD card through the recovery. Alternatively can you get an SD card adapter for your computer and copy another ROM on to it? Have you verified the MD5 sum of the zip file? Is it for your exact device model?

Took me a little to see the device. Searching for N700 didn't convince me #D So full ack to RossC's comment. I take it "philz touch recovery" is a custom recovery (never heard of it, though); so the culprit could be you've picked an incompatible ROM, or your download was incomplete. Have you tried opening the update.zip on your computer to check whether it's broken? // also please check the links I've added, if they're correct :)

Hi. Look at my answer. I solved the issue and also answered to your comments. Thanks for your support

I fixed it! I did it like this:
The problem .. ? I don't know it.
In console these commands helped me
adb start-server // start the adb
adb usb          // restart the mobile phone with usb mode
adb sideload philzrecovery.zip //
adb reboot recovery
adb sideload custom rom
adb sideload google apps

Answering both comments of RossC and Izzy
I didn't have a custom recovery installed. philz touch recovery is a custom recovery that is based on cwm and has a touch interface. U can see it here
MD5 sum was okay and was the same as from the downloaded page. So that would mean there were no corrupt files or downloads. Gladly that it worked. Just seems like you can't flash custom roms with a stock recovery (I don't know if it's true, but seems like it).
So the steps are ( for windows )

Install adb driver ( I used these )
Navigate to the installation foldler with CMD (next steps are cmd commands)
adb start-server
adb usb
adb start-server
In mobile phone "Install zip from ADB"
adb sideload  (PhilZ Recovery)
adb reboot recovery
adb start-server
In mobile phone "Install zip from ADB"
adb sideload  (Custom ROM)
adb reboot

Done!


text:
Wifi issue on my Nexus 4
I recently updated android version to 4.4.2 on my Nexus 4. After this update my apps like "watsapp", "LINE", "VIBER" are having connectivity issue when connecting through WiFi, But I could open the browser and could access the web pages. I didn't have this issue with the previous android version.
Can anyone suggest how to resolve this issue.

Welcome to the Android Enthusiasts, Sanzee! That's a question we've got multiple times already. Please check: Mobile network: browser is OK, apps doesn't connect internet / Unable to use apps that access the Internet on wifi / Only whatsapp working on Wi-Fi and no other apps connecting(Android). Does any of those help you?

The mentioned links are not appropriate for me.

Mind to explain why? We could help you better with some more background. Please [edit] your question and add why those questions (or rather their answers) don't match your issue.

As you have mentioned problem seems to be coming after updation to android version to 4.4.2 you may want to refer to android-4-3-no-internet-access-unable-to-connect-to-the-proxy-server-error.
The reason seems to be If you have cleared your Google Service Framework data to recieve the update, it will change your device ID that google uses to recognise your device.


text:
Reduce size from Whatsapp
Whatsapp backups take a lot of space. Is there any possible way to save more space without totally messing up Whatsapp?

I would imagine there isn't much you can do. If Whatsapp images/videos/media are stored on your device memory you could move/delete them. Even if you could move it to external sd the notifications wouldn't work on it. Otherwise you're looking at clearing caches regularly or a more extreme is to root and find a ROM with EXT support to mimic internal SD on the external SD.


text:
Why Can I Not Access My Devices Localhost Over Data?
While experimenting with the Bit Web Server app I have noticed that when I attempt to access my device's localhost, the connection seems to be sent somewhere else.
Using the localhost button in the app sends me to http://localhost:8080, however this displays a blank page, whilst removing the port number takes me to a page that has the following written on it:  Bytemobile Dummy Web Server.
When accessing http://localhost:8080 with no connection (WiFi and Data are turned off) I simply get Unable to connect to the proxy server.
I can however connect to my device's localhost fine when connected to WiFi.
Why can I not connect to my device's localhost? Surely it should not need a connection for it to connect to itself. Why does it only work when WiFi is enabled and how do I change this behavior?

This is rather a networking question, and not specific to Android. If you ommit the :8080, this corresponds to using :80, which is the port a web server usually listens to. Most likely reason for your error is: there's nothing listening on port 8080.

Bit Web Server is listening to :8080 by default.I expected :8080 to display the webpage and :80 to not connect.
Since disabling the proxy in my APN setting everything is working as expected.

The clue is in the error message, which says it can't connect to the proxy server. If your device is configured to use a web proxy, then it'll never connect directly to localhost: it connects to the web proxy and asks that for the web page you really want. This won't work with a local web server.
To use a local web server, turn off your web proxy settings. See this related question for more info about that.

Thanks, turns out my problem was a little different.
It was a proxy but it was in my APN settings.


text:
Gallery preview folder takes about 1GB, how to delete it?
I've got a Samsung Galaxy S2 Plus (GT-I9105P) with Android 4.2.2 and I've got many photos. The folder with the Gallery previews (the one that stores thumbnail to load images faster) takes about 1GB of storage (815,9MB, precisely) and if I delete it, when I open the Gallery app it recreates.

Here you can see it (click image to enlarge)
"Anteprime galleria" in Italian means "Gallery previews". The folder itself is called "DCIM" and it's in the phone's memory (All my photos are in teh SD card) and it contains an hidden .thumbnails folder.

So, how can I delete it and make sure it won't recreate?

Do you really want to do that? That might lead to you no more being able to see your images in the gallery. But if you want to try:

open a file manager of your choice and navigate to the DCIM folder
delete the .thumbnails directory
create a file named .thumbnails
open the file's properties, and set it "read only"

Now, as there cannot be two objects with the identical name, the gallery cannot re-create the folder. As the existing object is a file, it cannot put its thumbnails in there, either.

Thanks, I tried and it worked fine. Nothing happened to the photos, and seems like the gallery loads it even faster than before!

The first part was expected, the second irritates me. But important thing is, it worked and solved your issue :)

@Izzy well great, it's going to bother me now also. That... doesn't make sense unless they are cached (which is very unlikely). I would have thought they wouldn't work, and certainly not after a reboot!

@RossC Thinking about it: What would happen if the card were full, no space left? Gallery couldn't generate thumbnails then either. As a dev, I would consider that possibility. What rather puzzles me is that it should "load even faster than before". While it should work, I'd expect it to be slower (as it always has to load the "big file").

@Izzy Ah, that I hadn't considered that. Without seeing the files that were there, and what it is loading now there is no way to know for sure. If it was out of space though the thumbnails would already be there and no new pictures could be added that would need thumbnails. I'm pretty confused. Either it loads thumbnails, which should be the faster way, or the entire thing which would initially be much slower. It just doesn't add up to me. Edit: Unless the thumbnail gallery had hundreds of thumbnails for removed/deleted/moved images and was lagging very badly.

@RossC the "disk" could also be filled remotely, i.e. by copying files from your computer until it's "filled up". No thumbnails for the copied pics. And no space left to create any. It would be bad practice to have the gallery ignore new pics then; the media scanner could still update its library (different storage). Just loading should take longer than, especially when displaying a collection of more than one file (as opposed to directly opening a single file).

For deleting the thumbnails you need to follow the following steps no need to download any app for it.

create a new folder on your desktop, inside that folder create a text document and rename it as .file
make as many text document files with extension as .file as there are .thumbnail files under your DCIM folder => .thumbnail files and rename the text document files with exactly the same name as .thumbnail files (or you can make some text document files and rename them again and again with the new .thumbnail files).
delete all the original .thumbnail files and replace it with the new text document files that you made with the extension .file
reboot your phone and you are done.


text:
How can I reset the Play Store content filter pin?
I have forgotten my Google Play Content filter pin and would like to reset it so I can download some apps that are being blocked.
Does anyone know how I can reset the pin?

This article suggests that it can be disabled by clearing the app data for the Play Store. I'm not sure if that's still relevant though. EDIT: Confirmed it works on Android 4.4.

You can reset the Content Filter pin by clearing the app data for the Play Store. This will clear the pin and also remove the filter.

Go to Settings > Apps
Tap on "Google Play Store"
Tap the "Clear Data" button.

Go to Settings > Apps
Tap on "Google Play Store"
Tap the "Clear Data" button.


text:
Full size for previously uploaded Google+ Instant Upload/Auto Backup photos
At some point I changed my Google+ Auto Backup settings to upload photos at full size. I am now switching phones and would like all of the photos on the phone to be backed up to Google+ at full size.  But many of these were backed up earlier when Google+ did not do full size backups.
If I do a manual upload from the Auto Backup settings page, will it reload these previously uploaded files at full size?

I can't see why not. It will backup whatever is there, you may end up with the full size and the smaller ones. Could you just copy the pics onto SD or your PC, it might just be easier!

I don't believe it will but I don't know for sure.

@RossC, the reason I believe it might not is that I assume Auto Backup is smart enough only to incrementally load new pictures, not reload already uploaded ones. So my question comes down to whether Auto Backup will consider these new photos or not.


text:
How can I merge a contact between the phone only list and my Google account?
I managed to create a phone-only contact which was then linked to the contact's Facebook account. I've also got a Google contact for the same person which has additional contact information in it.
I'd like to merge the contacts so that I only have one entry for this person but with the combined information. I don't want to have to copy the information manually between the accounts.
The phone is running Android version 2.3.7 and it's the contacts manager that came with the phone.
I've checked the similar questions, bit none seems to address my specific issue.

Android version? And do you know what contact manager app you are using?

@Caleb - I've updated the question.

 I'm sorry I won't be of much help as I don't have a Gingerbread device around any more and my memory isn't going to serve me. Contact merge handling has been updated about 20 times since those days (mostly for the better) but it should be possible. You just have to find somebody that knows. In 'good news', with some time on seedy interwebs and help from hacked Russian ROM's you should be able to bring that device up to 4.x/Ice Cream Sandwich.


text:
After moving App data to SD card, the data still occupy space in internal SD
I moved all application data to the SD card but, while I was navigating the internal storage files I came across a folder of the millionaire game, holding a huge amount of data and consuming my limited internal storage.
App info
Millionaire
Total                            173 MB
App                              0.93 MB
USB storage app       23.41 MB
Data                             60 KB
SD card                       149 MB

149 Mb is on your SD card, the rest must remain on the internal storage. Despite the name 'move to SD' it only  moves a portion of the appliction to the SD card.

When I checked the game path at Android/data/com.ea.monopolymillionaire_row it's 144 MB.  This directory on internal storage.

That's very odd, they way it dislays is counter intuative on some devices. It means that the total is 173, 149 of which SHOULD be on the SD card, but it may be moved onto the emulated storage, which android refers to as... "SD", which does not help. It looks to me (I'd need confirmation on this_ that 0.93 is on your EXT SD card (the actual physical card) and 149 is on the emulated / SD storage on your device. This may be the way the app was designed to be honest, and you may need root to do anything further with it. But I'd appreciate feedback from others on that.

How do I check for that? I'm new to android world :-), and do you think that root is safe and won't harm my cell?

You've already checked it, I think from above USB storage is the physical SD card, and SD is the internal sd memory. Rooting is not 100% safe, you void your warranty and it CAN brick your device. I've rooted every phone I own, but there is always that risk there and I can't recommend it without you knowing the risks and reading a lot on the topic first. I woudln't recommend it entirely.

@RossC thanks for being in, your reply gave me a real insight into the risks of rooting.  I won't do it now, as my cell is  just 1 week old. btw, thanks for your concern :-)  and sorry for my English.


text:
Can't download apps from Google Play store via mobile network
I have a Sony Xperia sola in Egypt. I bought it with Gingerbread, then I upgraded to ICS 4.0.4. After the upgrade, I became unable to download any apps from Google Play using my mobile network, and while using Wi-Fi the download is slower than before the upgrade.
I tried all available solutions like clearing cache or clearing data from Google Play or Google Services Framework, in Settings -> Apps -> All. How can I fix this problem? As it is very serious, many times I'm at places without Wi-fi and I need to download a missing app, or upgrade another one.

Have you checked your APN settings are correct? Have you set it to 'GSM/WCDMA preferred' by default?

This really sounds stupid, but when the time and date are wrong, most Google apps won't work.

You may have a problem with data connectivity. You can check this (See, for example, here)) by either

Looking the type of your data connectivity in
settings -> about phone -> status -> mobile network type
Consulting the icon indicator on top. H+ and 3G should allow you to download apps.

It you are not on a fast network it may be that the APN settings are not correct for your carrier or that your account is not defined correctly with your carrier. For APN settings you can consult your carrier, its web site or an app (look for APN and your country name). For account definition you'll need to consult your carrier.
WiFi maybe slower because 4.0 is heavy on the Xperia sola because it only has 512MB RAM. You can watch the RAM load with an app such as Android system info

Assuming you have a Mobile Data plan or working WiFi connection:

Go to App Info page of Play store.
Clear data and then Clear cache
Then click on Force stop
Now download latest Play store .apk file from this link
After the download, install the Play Store from the file.
Done.

If nothing works just go to Google hangout installed on your devica and sign in and signout 5 times,then return to playstore and try downloading any app,it might work. I called up the google support team and got the issue fixed in this way.


text:
Where is the / or /sbin file system or directory mounted from on Android?
Where does the root file system (ie, / not /system) come from on Android? I can see that /system is mounted
cat /proc/mounts

rootfs / rootfs ro,relatime 0 0
  ...
/dev/block/mtdblock8 /system ext4 ro,noatime,nodiratime,barrier=1,data=ordered,noauto_da_alloc 0 0
/dev/block/mtdblock6 /data ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,noatime,nodiratime,barrier=1,data=ordered,noauto_da_alloc 0 0

I can see that /system and /data are mounted from mtdblockX devices. And that / is mounted on the 'virtual' type 'rootfs'.
There are a bunch of files and directories in / (I'm interested in /sbin) that don't seem to be mounted on a mount point over /. Where do those files come from? (I want to get RW access to /sbin) Is this done with some 'chroot' magic? -- it it from some 'boot' image? (In this specific example I'm using a Minix Neo X5 with Android)

Before anyone votes to close - while this may be more appropriate on [android.se] as it is, perhaps it could be generalised to Linux as a whole, which would be on-topic on [su]. (And remember that Android as an OS is not off-topic, just questions relating purely to phones with no computer involved - so Android x86 on a traditional computer would also be on-topic.)

This isn't a 'how to you program this' sort of question.  The purpose is to understand where the data/files come from so I can write the program to manipulate the contents (of /sbin) on various systems.

The rootfs is setup by kernel and init,  /sbin is part of initrd.img aka ramdisk.
Initrd.img is part of boot partition, and needs to be unpacked to be edited.
Here is some good info on boot process and editing  boot partition http://www.slideshare.net/chrissimmonds/android-bootslides20
XDA forum HOWTO: Unpack, Edit, and Repack Boot Images
Also, newer devices are requiring boot partition to be signed, and unless bootloader is unlocked, any editing will cause device not to boot.

Quote from http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-initrd/

The Linux® initial RAM disk (initrd) is a temporary root file system that is mounted during system boot to support the two-state boot process. The initrd contains various executables and drivers that permit the real root file system to be mounted, after which the initrd RAM disk is unmounted and its memory freed. In many embedded Linux systems, the initrd is the final root file system


text:
"Connection to server lost / Touch to retry" when resuming Youtube video
Viewing videos with youtube app works fine except when I close the app and get back to the video later. I see the cursor at the time I left it but I get "Connection to server lost / Touch to retry", the video won't resume and touching actually doesn't seem to retry.
The only option is going back to the main app screen, swipe away the video and opening it again.
This happens both on a Samsung Galaxy S3 with Android 4.1.2 and on a Nexus 5 with Android 4.4.2
Is there anything I can do to fix this issue and be able to resume videos again?

Very annoying indeed!


text:
How do I install a self compiled android image onto an SD card, and run Android from said sd card?
I have compiled a generic version of Android KitKat from source, and run it in the Android SDK emulator.  I now want to take that version of Android I created, which sits in my ../out/target/product/generic/ folder and install it to run on an SD card in a tablet.
How would I go about partitioning, formatting, copying over all the required Android files, etc.?

Welcome to the Android Enthusiasts! I'm afraid your issue is beyond the scope of our site (it's rather a development specific question). Furthermore: As you write "generic version", I'm not sure whether it would even run on your device, unless you've included the hardware specific drivers.

Thanks for the welcome Francisco :)  I currently have a Linux dev environment set up.  I did indeed have a rough time getting adb to recognize the android device through Windows.  The manufacturer does not provide USB drivers.  It resulted in me switching to Linux as it doesn't require OEM drivers to detect the device.
I have been searching all over the past week or so trying to find some help with unlocking the bootloader on this device, but can't find anything.  It seems most sites focus on the most popular and widely used devices.  And that makes sense.

So I've given up on rooting and flashing my device.  I was going to try and setup a dual boot through SD Card.

As for hardware drivers required by android, it may not run with all the features or not run at all, but I would like to at least try.  I could always recompile with changes or added drivers.  Recompiling the kernel and dealing with patches is also a concern.  Right now I'm just trying to get something running.

Also Sorry Izzy, I meant to thank you for the welcome.  I think I saw an edit to my original post done by Francisco, and thought he was the commenter a second.  Thank you Izzy.

No problem. You're right, Francisco did an edit to your post. He would have welcomed you as well, but I was faster. So we take your thanks together and share :) Good luck with your issue, and sorry I cannot further help with it.

I assume you can you adb to push it on, but don't take my word. You run the risk of bricking your device. XDA-developers.com is the best place to ask Android questions. They also deal with this technical side.
Sorry for this not being a real answer, but I can't comment and they can help you out more.
Generic Answer

Get root access
Unlock Bootloader
Install custom recovery like a Clockwork Mod
Flash ROM

I have frequented that site many times this past week.  Sadly, it seems almost all questions on that site referring to my device or a model similar get no or vague responses.  I guess it is to be expected since this isn't a Samsung/Nexus/etc.

First step is to root your device. Next is to unlock your Bootloader. Once you get those two steps done then the rest is a breeze. Use your custom recovery to install your ROM.

There is no need to partition. Recoveries allow you to boot in select ROMS. I don't remember if they install on the phone or sd card, but my bet is on the phone. Ivan imagine some problems with booting from the sdcard with a phone. What phone is it?

The closest cousin would be the Positivo YPY 10.

I have never heard of it. However, I just looked it up. They look nice, but I can't understand the web page. Google is your best friend. Go through as many Google pages as you can until you find a root and unlocked Bootloader solution.    If you had sufficient knowledge in reverse engineering then you might be able to create a root kit to give you root. I would Google and check XDA. XDA does seem more knowledgable for Android technical. Maybe even spam thread n XDA until you get a reply?


text:
Android keyboard crashes continuously
Since this afternoon the Android keyboard crashes continuously on my phone, Samsung Galaxy S2. I have Avatarrom installed. I tried to delete the Dalvik Cache (cache/dalvik cache and data/dalvik cache), restarted the phone, but that didn't help.
Today I installed BTSync (Bittorrent Sync) on my phone. I don't know if it has anything to do with these problems.
(See update below - I have disabled App Protector!) I have App Protector installed, and it protects the system menu, so I can't open that. I can't open the Playstore to download SSHdroid or some other tool that will allow me to remotely access the phone. I cannot paste passwords into App Protector. I don't have a second keyboard installed.
I do have ES File Explorer installed, without protection, and can use that to clear the cache or remove files. It has root access.
Rom Toolbox is installed without protection. I can open the App Manager in Room Toolbox, but cannot remove App Protector. Freezing the app doesn't work either. Because the keyboard crashes so often it's difficult to do anything.
So I'm wondering what options are left for me. I have lockeck myself out it seems. Of course I can install a new rom, but if possible I want to avoid that route. What suggestions do you have?

UPDATE
I managed to disable App Protector. I copied a text file with the password for App Protector to the phone. I copied the text, and I could copy the password and that worked, so I disabled it immediately.
I have installed Thumb Keyboard, but that doesn't help.

I updated Avatarrom with the 4.0.10 Nightly update. That fixed the problem. The keyboard crashes are history.

Accept your answer with the green tick/check mark, so other visitors can see your problem is solved.


text:
Edit navigation bar (Soft Buttons)?
I just bought a low-end Android tablet (using Android 4.2.2), and it has 6 virtual buttons on the bottom of the screen :

Home
Apps
Back
Volume down
Volume up
Screenshot

I don't need the last 3, since I have physical buttons for the volume, and I rarely make screenshots. I looked for a way to remove them but couldn't find anything.
Any suggestion appreciated.
Thanks

As I could not verify it myself, not an answer but a comment: you might wish to take a look at the Xposed module Xposed Additions. From its description: includes Full control of how the device should react during USB Plug/UnPlug and button re-map which allows you to assign new actions to click or long press of each button, including disabling it. Not sure if "disable" in this context means "remove", but certainly worth a try. Please let us know if it works, so I can make it an answer (or not :)

This guide has some information on how to manually edit the navigation bar. It seems quite risky since you will have to rebuild and replace the System UI app, but this is the official way of doing it. Though it's for Android 4.4.2, it should work on versions up to Nougat.


text:
Android photo viewer that doesn't blank screen
I have many photos of my family on my phone. I like to draw with my daughters and I invariably end up drawing family members. It would be really nice to have an android phone app that displays a photo and simply leaves it there without allowing the screen to dim or to lock the phone. Certainly such permissions are commonly used by video player apps, but photo viewer apps seem to always allow screen dimming and phone locking.
Is there such a photo viewer app? I would expect a handful, but haven't been able to find one.
(Yes, I know display costs battery, and that if I don't close it my battery will be drained.)

You could just turn the screen timeout off in Settins > Display while you use it, it's not elegant but might just be easier. Alternatively there are play store apps for this, but they basically just do that. Alternatively there is a Keep screen on while charging option you could use if it is convenient to leve it plugged in while you draw together.

I have looked for that kind of app in all my installed apps but no photo viewer requests such permission. I really doubt there is a photo viewer that keeps your screen awake, because of battery drain (which is not exactly what an average user would be looking for)
Maybe what you should do instead is to search in Google Play for an app made specifically for keeping your screen awake, and use it with your favorite photo viewer. There are lots of them, and many are free, like this one (Keep Screen On)


text:
"Youtube for TV" device compatibility
I have a Genesis GT-1230 tablet, running Android 4.0.3. It has an HDMI output that I can connect to my TV. My goal is to use Youtube Remote on my phone, paired to the the Youtube for TV app watch videos.
I already have Youtube Remote on my phone, and I can pair it with a browser on my computer. However I'd like to try it on my TV, and I got no HDMI devices other than this tablet. So my plan is to at least try Youtube for TV on this tablet and see if it suites me.
I'm trying to install the "Youtube for TV" app but Google Play says it is incompatible. So I tried to install on other device, and sideload it to the tablet (I have done this before sucessfully). The problem is, I can't find any device compatible with it.
I have tried with Motorola MB300, MB525, Moto Spice, Moto G, Genesis GT1230, (and "emulated" Nexus 4, Galaxy S3, Nexus 7 and ASUS Transformer Pad TF300TG). None was successfull.

None of those devices is a television or set-top box. The app is designed for Google TV. I would not expect it to work with any phones or tablets. Is there a reason why you're trying to install this rather than the regular YouTube app?

@eldarerathis: "The app is designed for Google TV". Where is it stated? I couldn't find a requirement list for the app. As for why / what I want, I am updating the question.

That's what "for TV" means. It's intended to signify that it's a Google TV app. You can verify this further by looking at the package name for the app (com.google.android.youtube.googletv) and the fact that the "Visit Developer's Website" link on the Play Store page takes you to http://www.google.com/tv/

@eldarerathis Well noted; I hadn't noticed this. Do I need a Google TV set-top-box or there are generic android-powered TVs that qualify?

@eldarerathis Guess you should make that an answer :)


text:
Delay on screen wake
When I push my power button to wake my device it takes 1-4 seconds for the screen to turn on and show the lock screenp. I have seen that others have solved the issue by turning off power-saving mode and auto-brightness, but I have done both and neither fixes it. What could be causing this lag?
I just updated my Note 2 to Android 4.3 although I have been experiencing these symptoms for a long time before that. I am using ADW Launcher.

The Galaxy S4 does exactly the same half the time. It seems to be down to Touchwiz and its incredible amount of bloat and lag. The launcher will make no difference. I rooted and installed the 'google edition' ROM and the lag is 100% gone at all stages so it seems to be Touchwiz I'm afraid. You could download a 3rd party lock screen and see if it helps, but I'd imagine not.

TouchWiz has been slightly problematic since Android 4.1; but it is much worst from Android 4.2. Like RossC said, try another Android widget.


text:
Check if an app is installed on the device
I'm trying to use the package name and determine the apk path of an app to check if my app is installed in the device.
pathCmd = './adb shell pm path ' + packageName

pathData = os.popen(pathCmd,"r")

for pathInfo in pathData:

    print pathInfo

    if not pathInfo:
        print "App not found on the device"

    else:
        print "App found on the device"

This doesn't give me the list of apps that are not installed. Any idea whats wrong with my script?

Before people vote to close, this doesn't seem to be a clear-cut development question. While it's true that he is developing a script, it's also an ADB question. It's essentially something you could do in bash or in a Windows batch. I'll let the community decide if this is off-topic or not.

Consider to accept your own answer if there is no other answer, and if it solved your problem, thanks.

This did the trick guys.
pathCmd = './adb shell pm path ' + packageName
result = os.popen(pathCmd).read()
if result:
    print "App found on the device"
else:
    print "App not found on the device"

This give system output as string and looks for string length to confirm the presence of an app in the device. Its usually an empty string that is received for a package name that doesn't exist in the device.


text:
Which Android handsets support in-line call recording?
In-line call recording feature is not something that can be found in the specifications listed by the manufactures or on the websites aggregating such data such as GSM Arena. It is also a source of bad rep given to the developers of call recording apps because the general public does not understand that they own devices which do not support such feature for one reason or another and the app they use have nothing to do with it. A short trip around the Web only confirms that there is a lot of confusion surrounding this subject.
If you own an Android device and are able to verify whether it and its stock  ROM support in-line call recording please post the make and model. I'm not sure if the country of purchase is necessary but I would not be surprised if handsets sold in some countries had this feature enabled while in others disabled (in the same fashion as DVD players supported different regions depending on where they were sold).
The in-line recording should result in a recording where both the caller and the callee can be heard loud, clear and background noise free, just as they can hear each other during the conversation. It should be achievable while having the handset by the ear with the loudspeaker set to off.
Some information on handsets that do not have such feature can be found on the Google Play storefronts. I was initially going to pre-populate the below list with the 'unconfirmed' information from there but I think it will be better if it grows organically :-)

It depends on the hardware (can the voice be sent to the processor) and the baseband (which can always be updated) and the carrier network, and the legality in a particular country around doing this. Any list  here will be very fluid as basebands are constantly updated, custom ROMs can sometimes enable the feature on a device that doesn't officially support this feature. There is an API for this function but my conversations with network providers seem to indicate that most people do not want to be recorded and there are legal ramifications in many places. There's too many variables.

@RossC Thank you for listing the extra factors, I was wondering what else needs to be taken into account.

Android phones WITH in-line call recording capability

a
b
c

Android phones WITHOUT in-line call recording capability

HTC Incredible S (possible with custom kernel)
Motorola Atrix 4G MB860 (UK) (an unofficial ROM enabling the feature known to exist)
n

What handset makers say
Motorola UK - "We are sorry to inform you that due to privacy reasons, none of our phones comes with the in-call recording feature. There are some applications in Google Play that may perform this, however we cannot give support for their use. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you."
Acer UK - "In order to use the in line call recording, the unit should have the call recorder application on the unit. You can download the application from google store."
Sony UK - "Sadly we can confirm that no Sony Xperia handset has the ability to record calls as standard. However you may be able to download a third party application to do this but as it would be third party we would not be able to gaurantee it would fully work. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this."
Samsung UK - "Unfortunately, we don't have a handset on the market that has this as a registered feature. However, there may be some third party applications available for download that may allow you to record telephone conversations. As these are third party and not developed by Samsung, I am unable to recommend any specific application to you."
LG UK - "I am really sorry to advise that we don’t have a handset that will do in-line call recording I would like to apologize for this."


text:
My note 3 will not mount on to my computer
I used to plug it in, and it would show up and I could download the pictures and movies and such. Today, it will not mount. It is charging from the computer, but I can not download any of the stuff I've done.
Running windows 7 on my computer.
I've turned it off and on again, it is not working.
I probably have added an app or two, I am not sure. It has been a while since I uploaded from this phone, but I plug it into the computer every night. Is it possible I accidentally hit a tick box and instructed it not to mount?

Welcome to the Android Enthusiasts, Daniel! We will need a few more details in order to be able to help you: Anything changed since it worked last time (settings, new apps)? And the old IT question: "Have you turned it off and on again?" Sometimes things get stuck, so a reboot might help.

Also: have you tried connecting your Galaxy Note 3 to another computer, if any? Have you tried with a different (but compatible, of course) USB cable, if any?

You probably don't have the correct Samsung USB drivers for Windows 7. Download the USB drivers, install it, plug in your Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and let Windows install the appropriate drivers to allow your device to connect seamlessly with Windows.

What operating system do you run on your computer? That sometimes happened to me when I used Windows. Have you tried using AirDroid, though? I use that now. It basically does remotely, what you would do with a USB.
But that's just an alternative, I'll wait for your response to see if maybe I have a solution.

Indeed, this is a good emergency solution if what you need is to transfer files between your computer and your device with some urgency.

Yes, it is, haha. Is this not what you were trying to do, though? Because you have cross-file browsing and sending SMS, accessing camera, Gallery and more. But have you tried another cable? Or maybe mount settings in Android?

I know the requirements, but you don't need the same network now, only "any" type of network connection. But that just uses up more carrier data.

Well this isn't an FAQ per say, but try: http://airdroid.com/download/ I'm trying to find the FAQ as well.

Computer requirements: There is no need to install any software or drivers on your PC/Mac though - an existing web browser (Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari) is enough. Source: Install AirDroid. (This info is from Oct 15, 2013)

The Questioner submitted an edit to your answer stating that they run Windows 7.  I presume they were trying to add a comment.

I solved similar problems by installing Samsung Kies on my Laptop (Windows 7). It installed all drivers that couldn't be found using Windows Update.


text:
Displaying all images automatically in the gmail app?
Is there any setting in the gmail app to show images automatically when you open an email instead of pressing on the little links?

Currently Gmail Released new App 4.7.2 with Auto Show Image feature By storing all images in specific server(Correct me if wrong).
See here
Link to Apk file

Not seeing anything so far...

Featured Gmail App released..link is in answer.

As for latest version 4.7.1 (946962), there is no way to show images automatically for all messages. But for version 4.7.2 (967015) it is possible. See my other answer to this question for more details.
In version 4.7.1 (946962) it works as follows:

By default when you receive a message, it doesn't show pictures and it
displays a button to allow pictures  for this message.
If you click this button, all pictures will be displayed for this message, and there will be a button asking if you want to show pictures for all messages from the same sender.
If you click this button, the sender will be added to picture approvals list.

You can clear such list from Settings menu, as indicated in the following screenshots. This way all messages will return to default layout (don't show pictures).

Ugh. This blows.

Good news for you: Google is currently rolling out Gmail 4.7.2 (967015), which allows to show inline images without using the steps described in my previous answer. Here is what you'll have to do:

Download Gmail app update. You can either wait to be rolled out to your device or download it from this page (because in this case it will be an app sideload, you'll have to make sure you enabled installation from Unknown Sources before).

When installed, by default it will behave as previous version, i.e. showing the Show pictures / Always show pictures from this sender links, so you'll have to configure this to not happen (don't worry: this is done only once). Tap the overflow menu on Gmail action bar (not the message one) and select Settings. Then, in Settings screen tap your account.

In your account, scroll down to Data usage section and tap Images. By default it will be selected Ask before showing, so you'll have to select Always show.

Go back repeatedly until you get to your inbox. From now on, when you open a message, you'll be able to see inline images without confirmation.

Notice: This Images setting (Always show) will override the picture approvals state, so if you Clear picture approvals as shown in my previous answer, you'll still see inline images in all messages, until you change the images setting back to Ask before showing.

authors: ภูริต สุรินทร


text:
How to sync Google Account every one hour?
If I turn on sync of my Galaxy Nexus, it makes batter life short. But I need sync my Google Account. So is there a way I can sync automatically every one hour?

There are several approaches to accomplish this. Ready-to-use tools like JuiceDefender or GreenPower "stutter" data (i.e. turn data & sync on only in certain intervals, as you requested). The same could be accomplished using an automation tool like tasker or Llama, which then could be used for other automation as well.
Apart from that, you might want to check what you've enabled to sync (see: Settings→Account & Sync). Maybe you don't need to sync all of that, so you can uncheck parts. I found that about have the stuff enabled there by default I didn't want or need. Less stuff to sync also means less power needed for the job. And bandwidth saved as a side-effect.

How can I do it using Tasker?

Creating a profile that fires time-based (every hour), and in the task 1) toggle sync on, 2) "Tasker Wait" for 5 minutes, 3) toggle sync off – for a starter :)


text:
Identify Unlocked Device's Carrier
I bought an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S3 I9300 a while ago, this phone was imported by an independent store and not any of the local cellular carriers.
And my phone is not getting firmware updates, I suspect the carrier is not releasing the updates but I can't check it because I don't even know what carrier my phone is set to.
How can I tell what carrier my phone "belongs to"?

Galaxy S3 I9300 is international version.

Look at the S3 variants.
S3 belongs to specific carrier has specific model numbers according to Country and Carrier.
Are you sure about it was an unlocked version??

I'm not sure about anything, both the Settings->Device Info screen and the sticker behind the battery say "GT-I9300", I didn't buy it from a cellular carrier or the official Samsung distributor so I assume it's a "gray market" unit. it got a firmware update once, my wife has the same model (bought from the same store but at a different time from a different shipment) and got 3 updates in the same time

If you're adventurous and know your way around Odin (Samsung's firmware flashing tool), you can go here to get the correct regional firmware for your S3. You can also download Odin from the same site and use it to manually flash your device with a new firmware. Doing it this way, the firmware you installed will be the "Vanilla / bare-bone" release from Samsung that does not have all the crap if you installed using a carrier's custom Android firmware.