ADB/Fastboot not detecting Android stuck in bootloader

before we go any further, please make sure your usb cable is working correctly, and try using different ones if it is not the case. If not, please try again as it the most annoying device I've had for getting into recovery. You basically need to hold power and then press volume up and immediately release both of them. It's very picky.


Android Chrome browser is making a duplicate of every photo downloaded to my external SD card

This answer I found on google.support and I  Copied and pasted, I'm not sure if that's okay? Or not I'm sure I will find out momentarily .
We are aware of this issue and are working on a fix for this. To resolve this immediately, you'll need to reset the permission for the Google Photos App by following the steps below. Once these steps are complete, the duplicates should disappear after a few minutes.

Long press the Photos App icon
Tap the "i" button on the top right corner to go into App info
Tap "Permissions"
Tap "Storage" under Allowed
Tap "Deny" and tap "Deny anyway"
Re-open the Photos app
Tap "Allow" when prompted with "Allow Photos to access photos, media, and files on your device?"
Hope that helps....    :)


Alternative way to transfer many files between two Android phones with many restrictions

try shareit application from playstore installing in both mobiles. it works on wifi and you can send your data very fastly. mobiles connect to eachother using wifi but desnot need to connect to any other wifi network so no need to worry about privacy


What does the "VimTouch Full Runtime" do?

From browsing the source code, this appears to be the same as the vim-runtime package as provided in most Linux distributions. It ships a variety of Vim scripts which provide additional functionality, such as additional color schemes, file type handling, automatic indentation, etc.

Without this package, Vim operates in a minimal mode and many features that are provided by these scripts are not available.


What's that little button with the squares called?


Getting "E:Error in /sdcard/.zip (status 7)" while upgrading Android Nexus 4.0.1 to 4.1.x (Jelly bean)

The explanation is simple, as I have suspected, there's a verification mis-match in the build.prop, see below,
Starting recovery on Fri Jan  4 20:43:32 2013
can't open /dev/tty0: No such file or directory
framebuffer: fd 3 (480 x 800)
ClockworkMod Recovery v5.0.2.0
recovery filesystem table
=========================
  0 /tmp ramdisk (null) (null)
  1 /sdcard vfat /dev/block/platform/s3c-sdhci.0/by-name/media (null)
  2 /system ext4 /dev/block/platform/s3c-sdhci.0/by-name/system (null)
  3 /cache yaffs2 cache (null)
  4 /data ext4 /dev/block/platform/s3c-sdhci.0/by-name/userdata (null)
  5 /misc mtd misc (null)
  6 /boot mtd boot (null)
  7 /recovery mtd recovery (null)
  8 /bootloader mtd bootloader (null)
  9 /radio mtd radio (null)

W:Unable to get recovery.fstab info for /sd-ext during fstab generation!
I:Completed outputting fstab.
I:Processing arguments.
Fixing execute permissions for /cache
mtd: successfully wrote block at 0
I:Set boot command "boot-recovery"
I:Checking arguments.
I:device_recovery_start()
Command: "/sbin/recovery"

ro.secure=0
ro.allow.mock.location=1
ro.debuggable=1
persist.service.adb.enable=1
ro.build.id=GRJ22
ro.build.display.id=GRJ90
ro.build.version.incremental=121341
ro.build.version.sdk=10
ro.build.version.codename=REL
ro.build.version.release=2.3.5
ro.build.date=Mon Sep  5 11:04:10 PDT 2011
ro.build.date.utc=0
ro.build.type=eng
ro.build.user=koush
ro.build.host=Koushik-Lion.local
ro.build.tags=test-keys
ro.product.model=Nexus S
ro.product.brand=google
ro.product.name=soju
ro.product.device=crespo
ro.product.board=herring
ro.product.cpu.abi=armeabi-v7a
ro.product.cpu.abi2=armeabi
ro.product.manufacturer=samsung
ro.product.locale.language=en
ro.product.locale.region=US
ro.wifi.channels=
ro.board.platform=s5pc110
ro.build.product=crespo
ro.build.description=soju-user 2.3.4 GRJ22 121341 release-keys
ro.build.fingerprint=google/soju/crespo:2.3.4/GRJ22/121341:user/release-keys
rild.libpath=/vendor/lib/libsec-ril.so
rild.libargs=-d /dev/ttyS0
ro.sf.lcd_density=240
keyguard.no_require_sim=true
ro.opengles.version=131072
wifi.interface=eth0
wifi.supplicant_scan_interval=15
dalvik.vm.heapsize=32m
ro.rommanager.developerid=cyanogenmod
ro.url.legal=http://www.google.com/intl/%s/mobile/android/basic/phone-legal.html
ro.url.legal.android_privacy=http://www.google.com/intl/%s/mobile/android/basic/privacy.html
ro.com.google.clientidbase=android-google
ro.com.android.wifi-watchlist=GoogleGuest
ro.setupwizard.enterprise_mode=1
ro.com.android.dateformat=MM-dd-yyyy
ro.com.android.dataroaming=false
ro.config.ringtone=Playa.ogg
ro.config.notification_sound=regulus.ogg
ro.config.alarm_alert=Alarm_Beep_03.ogg
ro.ril.enable.managed.roaming=1
ro.ril.oem.nosim.ecclist=911,112,999,000,08,118,120,122,110,119,995
ro.ril.emc.mode=2
ro.modversion=CyanogenMod-7.1.0-RC1-NS-KANG
ro.kernel.android.checkjni=1
ro.setupwizard.mode=OPTIONAL
dalvik.vm.dexopt-flags=m=y
net.bt.name=Android
net.change=net.bt.name
dalvik.vm.stack-trace-file=/data/anr/traces.txt
ro.factorytest=0
ro.serialno=3334E1630CFF00EC
ro.bootmode=unknown
ro.baseband=I9020XXKI1
ro.carrier=ATT
ro.bootloader=I9020XXKL1
ro.hardware=herring
ro.revision=16
init.svc.recovery=running
init.svc.adbd=running

I:Checking for extendedcommand...
I:Skipping execution of extendedcommand, file not found...
mtd: successfully wrote block at 0
I:Set boot command ""

-- Installing: /sdcard/VQ8PQk_V.zip
mtd: successfully wrote block at 0
I:Set boot command "boot-recovery"
Finding update package...
I:Update location: /sdcard/VQ8PQk_V.zip
Opening update package...
Installing update...
script aborted: assert failed: file_getprop("/system/build.prop", "ro.build.fingerprint") == "google/soju/crespo:2.3.6/GRK39F/189904:user/release-keys" ||
       file_getprop("/system/build.prop", "ro.build.fingerprint") == "google/soju/crespo:4.0.3/IML74K/239410:user/release-keys"
assert failed: file_getprop("/system/build.prop", "ro.build.fingerprint") == "google/soju/crespo:2.3.6/GRK39F/189904:user/release-keys" ||       file_getprop("/system/build.prop", "ro.build.fingerprint") == "google/soju/crespo:4.0.3/IML74K/239410:user/release-keys"
E:Error in /sdcard/VQ8PQk_V.zip
(Status 7)
Installation aborted.
mtd: successfully wrote block at 0
I:Set boot command ""

The ro.build.fingerprint contains this google/soju/crespo:2.3.4/GRJ22/121341:user/release-keys but the update performed a verification check on the fingerprint which resulted in mis-match and there-by producing Error code 7.
Notice the last few lines of the recovery.log, i.e. the update was expecting the handset to have this version of Gingerbread - google/soju/crespo:2.3.6/GRK39F/189904:user/release-keys OR expecting Ice Cream Sandwich google/soju/crespo:4.0.3/IML74K/239410:user/release-keys
This is meaning, that the version of Gingerbread on your handset is too old for the update to work. (Its Gingerbread 2.3.4 that is on it!) am not 100% sure how this recovery is showing the fingerprint as GB 2.3.4 if the OP states in the comments that the handset is running ICS 4.0.1
So to resolve the issue, you need to flash to Gingerbread v 2.3.6 Ice Cream Sandwich v.4.0.3 first, then apply the update and it should work then.
Edit
It transpires the OP is running ICS v. 4.0.1, the update script was performing a check for either 2.3.6 or 4.0.3 which is something that I have missed inadvertently.


Google Services Framework keeps stopping

try wiping dalvik cache, re-flashing the rom and the GPApps. that is how i have fixed this issue in the past on my nexus 6. if that dose not fix it wipe all data and cache in twrp then re-flash rom and GPApps


Is there a reasonably straightforward way to download videos from proprietary web browser players?

'Easier' solution: have you tried Firefox on Android and the myriad of video downloader add-ons you can get there? One of them might work. I don't have the time to test them all now but let us know if one works.

'Harder' solution: I tried digging around on that site you gave, on a desktop you just need to fire up dev tools and look for the first .bin file in the network tab (once you start playing the video) then throw it into youtube-dl [url]. Tip: use the search filter to find it. I feel there might be some way to automate this with a Python script or similar.

https://rg3.github.io/youtube-dl/


How to make Android play music reliably, without chopping?

Try turning off any applications or hardware that uses a lot of the phone's resources.  Turn off GPS, WIFI, Network Service, and dim the backlight.  Also shut down any other running applications than the ones you need for playing music.  If this still doesn't work your device may not have enough memory.


As mentioned, I would be happy with sed.
Still as later mentioned in a comment, I am in a virtual environment, so no trouble dropping one OS and start using the newer one.

Apparently, my problem was staying in Android 5.1.  Starting version 6 Android includes ToyBox, a rather limited alternative to BusyBox, legally compatible with the non-free license of Android.

The ToyBox hint comes from the author of droidvim.


The answer for questions 1 and 2 is that some apps on Android are compiled purely in Java/Dalvik bytecode, and others are compiled as native C/C++. Since Dalvik bytecode is not native, it has separate interpreters for different architectures. However, since C/C++ native apps and libraries are compiled for a specific architecture, they can be run only on the specific architecture.

Since most of the rooting apps use exploits of the Android system, they need to be compiled in C. This prevents them from being universally used, and require them to be recompiled for each architecture.


Clean LineageOS 17.1 install and empty device - can't work out how to mount data partition in TWRP?

First let's have a look why it is not (yet) possible to mount encrypted userdata partition from TWRP especially on Samung devices.
Encryption is hardware-backed in TEE and therefore vendor specific. Furthermore ...

... some vendors such as Samsung use their own encryption techniques. Without heavy deconstruction/decompiling of custom library blobs, and successful ports by an active maintainer, this may never be done.

TWRP FAQ
sandy framework DerbyCon 3.0

Decryption involves the underlaying firmware. It requires to mount various partitions and running libraries for communication with (TEE) Trusted Execution Environment.

Azeria TrustZone Research

For Qualcomm devices it is necessary to run qseecomd (for Exynos devices the Trustonic Kinibi daemon). In this example the modem partition is mounted with mounttodecrypt flag (qualcomm)
/firmware   vfat   /dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/modem   flags=slotselect;display="Firmware";mounttodecrypt;fsflags=ro

As we can see on this list of libraries also the vendor partition is mounted. This is also OEM specific content used by LineageOS and not included in TWRP by default
/firmware/image/cmnlib.b00
/firmware/image/cmnlib.b01
/firmware/image/cmnlib.b02
/firmware/image/cmnlib.b03
/firmware/image/cmnlib.mdt
/firmware/image/keymaste.b00
/firmware/image/keymaste.b01
/firmware/image/keymaste.b02
/firmware/image/keymaste.b03
/firmware/image/keymaste.mdt
/system/bin/linker64
/system/bin/qseecomd
/system/lib64/hw/keystore.qcom.so
/system/lib64/libbacktrace.so
/system/lib64/libbinder.so
/system/lib64/libcnefeatureconfig.so
/system/lib64/libc.so
/system/lib64/libcutils.so
/system/lib64/libEGL.so
/system/lib64/libgccdemangle.so
/system/lib64/libGLES_trace.so
/system/lib64/libGLESv2.so
/system/lib64/libgui.so
/system/lib64/libhardware.so
/system/lib64/liblog.so
/system/lib64/libm.so
/system/lib64/libnetd_client.so
/system/lib64/libsigchain.so
/system/lib64/libstdc++.so
/system/lib64/libstlport.so
/system/lib64/libsync.so
/system/lib64/libui.so
/system/lib64/libunwind-ptrace.so
/system/lib64/libunwind.so
/system/lib64/libutils.so
/system/vendor/lib64/libdiag.so
/system/vendor/lib64/libdrmfs.so
/system/vendor/lib64/libdrmtime.so
/system/vendor/lib64/libNimsWrap.so
/system/vendor/lib64/libQSEEComAPI.so
/system/vendor/lib64/librpmb.so
/system/vendor/lib64/lib-sec-disp.so
/system/vendor/lib64/libsecureui.so
/system/vendor/lib64/libsecureui_svcsock.so
/system/vendor/lib64/libssd.so
/system/vendor/lib64/libStDrvInt.so
/system/vendor/lib64/libtime_genoff.so
/system/vendor/lib64/libvendorconn.so

TeamWin github oneplus2

Now, as we know there is a lot of research to make decryption working, it's obviously TWRP maintainers are desperate overhelmed with providing encryption support for all devices. Therefore decryption is always only a goody, heavily depending on maintainers knowledge and engagement.
That might one reason why android modding scene prefer to run custom ROMs unencrypted

Encryption is forced since Android 5.0 with forceencrypt= flag in fstab (FDE) or fileencryption= (FBE)

source.android.com Full-Disk Encryption

The flags encryptable= forceencrypt= and forcefdeorfbe= are always pointing to crypto footer. Therefore they are interchangeable.

android.googlesource.com fs_mgr_fstab.cpp

To disable force encryption (FDE) use the first flag. Edit your fstab entry for userdata partition and replace forceencrypt= with encryptable=
/dev/block/platform/11120000.ufs/by-name/USERDATA   /data   ext4   noatime,nosuid,nodev,discard,errors=panic   wait,check,encryptable=footer,length=-20480,reservedsize=128M

This can be done from TWRP by installing no-verity-opt-encrypt-6.1.zip

no-verity-opt-encrypt-6.1.zip (FDE)

The benefit of having force encryption disabled while keeping the availability for encryption is in the nature of Direct Boot vs Secure Start. Upon first boot, the device creates a randomly generated 128-bit master key and then hashes it with a password and stored salt. The resultant hash is also signed through TEE (such as TrustZone), which uses hash of the signature to encrypt the master key. There are four kinds of encryption states:

default
PIN
password
pattern

On Direct Boot the former one is forced with 'default_password', indeed that's how most android devices still encrypted. (TWRP always probes against 'default_password' and only asking for password if decryption failes.)
If you choose Secure Start from security menu the keystore password is re-created using your current lock screen credentials. downside of this encryption state android won't boot until correct passphrase is entered.

To overcome this the benefits of Secure Start with Direct Boot was merged in (FBE) File-Based Encryption, which was introduced with Android 7.0 and enforced for devices shipped with Android 10+
Be aware there is no way to disable enforcement of (FBE) File-Based Encryption. Therefore the only method left is to disable encryption completely by deleting the fileencryption= flag from fstab (with no proper replacement). Indeed that is how Magisk does currently when flashed from TWRP.
Universal DM-Verity ForceEncrypt Disk Quota Disabler will disable encryption completely

Universal DM-Verity ForceEncrypt Disk Quota Disabler (FBE)


Android Wear on Samsung Galaxy Gear Live

Gear Live doesn't even have a SIM slot, so how would you expect GSM?

It does have limited WiFi capabilities which are enabled in an earlier update to Android Wear.


ROM flashing using Odin on Galaxy S4 interrupted. Odin is still running. Is there anything I can do?

After waiting a couple of days and not finding any answers, I restarted the device. It booted to a screen saying

  Firmware upgrade encountered an issue. Please select recovery mode in Kies & try again.

I tried using recovery mode in Kies, but Kies gave me an error message saying that the device is not supported. However, I noticed that the text in the upper left corner of the screen indicated that the phone was in Odin mode (showing the above message instead of the usual Downloading...do not turn off target!!!). So, I launched the Odin desktop app and tried flashing the firmware again, and that worked.

Basically, I was lucky. In some cases if a ROM flash fails, you can't get back into Odin mode. So, I'm posting this in case it helps someone, but I'm not going to mark this as the accepted answer, because I'd like to see if anyone has a solution that avoids taking the risk of restarting and hoping for the best.


Will a Samsung Galaxy S3 4G/LTE bought in the US work or be made to work on UK 4G?

Is that true?

Yes, this is true. The USA is currently using the 700, 800 (Sprint only, I think), 1700 and 1900 MHz bands for LTE service, whereas European providers are using 800, 900, 1800, and 2600 MHz (Wikipedia).

  If it's true, can the US variant be persuaded to work in the UK, 4G-wise? I'm not shy of flashing custom ROMs and so forth.

No. The frequency limitation is not set by the software - it's the antenna. Flashing custom ROMs will not allow you to access frequencies that the antenna is physically unable to support, so there's nothing you can do short of modifying the hardware.

  I'm assuming that it will work without issue on 3G?

This could potentially depend slightly on which specific variant you want, I suppose. The AT&T one supports 850, 1900, and 2100 MHz frequencies, the T-Mobile USA one also supports 1700 on top of the other three. According to this table, T-Mobile UK uses the 2100 MHz band, so either should be compatible with their 3G service in that case.


Why did my phone lose the ringtone configuration?

I don't know if it could be your case, but if your phone is connected to your computer with UMS (USB Mass Storage) enabled along having a custom ringtone stored on your SD card (/ringtones folder) instead of MTP this will give you this kind of problem.

The phone will use a default ringtone since it cannot access the SD card files, because the UMS mode requires exclusive access to the mass storage.


The updates for Android Wear OS are released by Google.

As depicted in the image below. Find the source of image here

Hope this satisfies your query.


It is possible that the actual screen is malfunctioning and you will need to take it back to your retailer to get fixed


Viewing File System through a Windows Laptop

As Shywim wrote, direct access from your Windows PC is limited to certain directories – by default. But there are some helpers available to give you more details. Some examples include:

DavDrive Lite – make the local file system available via WebDAV. This would require another 3rd party tool on your Windows PC (some WebDAV client)
FTPServer – a small and lightweight FTP server. I'm not sure how much of your internal storage can be exposed with this without root.
AirDroid – access your files (and much more) via your web browser on the PC. AirDroid is a feature-loaded remote maintenance tool for your Android device, and does much more than just let you copy/paste files.
As you're using Windows: MyPhoneExplorer Client might be worth a look as well. It requires a PC companion (available for free on their website), and offers you a lot of additional features to maintain your Android device remotely.

Of course, there would be other means. Also already mentioned was ADB. For this, you might want to take a look at QtADB as graphical frontend – and at Is there a minimal installation of ADB? for how to get ADB set up without too much overhead.


I accidentally deleted all applications from my Android phone

Typically, you can reset your phone to its factory settings using this answer: https://android.stackexchange.com/a/77088/67135

However, that won't work: it will only wipe /data, restoring your phone to it's factory settings, not restoring the entire ROM.

The reason why ODIN did not work is that ODIN only works for genuine Samsung phones, with Samsung firmware.

You'll need to get a update.zip file for your phone to flash in recovery. Unfortunately, clones don't usually have these files available.


I found the answer. These were actually images I saved from Gamedia Browser, which I was able to open like regular images.


Anybody can help? My File manager shows 2.46gigs but there are not many apps in it!!!!why?

No you wont loose any data rather than its own data . The memory you are seeing can depend on many factors your file manager might also showing the memory consumed by operating system which can take huge amount of memory. Try changing the file manager. Hope this helps.


What is inside the "other" category in the storage settings and how can I delete these large files eating my storage space?

Other section has all the remaining extension files e.g. Zip, rar, log, backup etc. You can remove these manually or you can use some app like ES File Explorer which can scan storage and recommend some files to delete.


Where can I find a good comparison of available custom ROMs?

The Android Release Matrix at AndroidSpin is pretty comprehensive.

There is also the PDAdb.net Rom Respository, although I don't think it's as user friendsly as the AndroidSpin db.

Last (and least relevant to your question) is theunlockr's list of Android Roms (I just thought it was worth mentioning).


In the source code I see this sets a preference which is later read and enables the checking of NET_CAPABILITY_VALIDATED. This capability is documented as "Indicates that connectivity on this network was successfully validated." which tells you absolutely nothing. However, an example is given for "a network with NET_CAPABILITY_INTERNET, it means that Internet connectivity was successfully detected." Digging into when that capability is set: "Indicates that this network should be able to reach the internet."
So if it expects that a connection should reach the internet, some part of the OS will check it, and then apps can check that the check was successful, and only then they will try themselves to talk to the internet. That's what this switch does.
Presumably this will prevent custom setups from working, such as when you change routes after making a WiFi hotspot (without mobile data enabled) where it wouldn't expect to be able to reach the internet regardless of whether it can. Or if you, indeed, have a VPN where the email server is reachable but the internet in general is not.


Storing data on external SD Card in Android 4 (ICS) for Sony Xperia J?

You can move the apps in your phone memory to your internal storage easily with your app settings. Goto Settings -> Apps and select the apps you want to move. Then click the Move to internal storage button.

Or use an app like App to SD to do this conveniently.

If you want to make your SD card the default location, go through the below steps.

Install android SDK
Connect your device with USB debugging enabled
Run the command Cd C:android-Sdk-Windowsplatform-Tools in cmd
Enter the command adb devices and you should see your attached device listed on the screen.
Enter the command adb shell pm getInstallLocationwhich will show you the current value of InstallLocation of your device. It would be one among the following:

0 [Auto]: Let The Phone Decide The Best Location For An App
1 [Internal]: It Installs Everything In The Internal Storage
2 [External]: It Installs Everything In The Memory Card

Enter the command adb shell pm setInstallLocation 2 to change the install location to external memory.
If everything works fine, you would not see any message on the screen. You can now disconnect your device from the PC.

Refer this for more information and screencaps


You can try wiping your cache partition:

Turn off your device
Press a combination of Vol +  + Vol - +  Power key buttons and hold them down.
Release only the Power button when the device vibrates
Release the other buttons when the Recovery Menu screen appears
Using the Vol +/Vol - buttons to navigate, select Wipe cache partition
Press the Power key , which will act the enter key on your keyboard.
Wait for the process to finish.
You can then reboot the device and see if the issue is  fixed
.


Got mail with URL pointing to an APK called com.android.fixed.update, what is this?

Are you sure it really was one of your relatives sending this mail -- and not just a spammer using their address as sender (as the URL suggests)? I would for sure NOT install that, to me it looks like malware. Ask that relative first if and why and what he sent.

A Google Search revealed some related information:

on XDA one encountered something similar, and they assume it's rather malware
BestAppMarket informs this app was removed from Google Play (hm, guess why). Same information is found at AndroidInformer
and here it comes: VirusTotal clearly lists it as malware, being detected as such by several malware scanners.

Conclusion: Keep your fingers OFF! Do NOT install!


Making Tasker write into the external SD card

Have a look at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/tasker/zuY21R_bvyU
where Pent said:

Here's a nice link explaining the situation:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/eyes-free/rspqjlmu_ss

As I understand it, if on lollipop or 'portable' mode on marshmallow are used, access is required via a special API. I've looked at this API (DocumentFile) and it's going to require rewriting huge chunks of code used for the file functions, plus some awkwardness with the user pre-accepting file operations
on external SD (and I don't know how long that preacceptance stays valid, potentially making it
useless for later automation)

Summary, I'm not going to be doing this in the near future, if more mainstream devices start to get SD I may reconsider.


I have similar problem with my Nexus7. Try NOMone Resolution Changer. It allows you to choose diferent aspect ratio for screen. Is it possible to find combination to suit your needs:

  Two Android shell commands control screen resolution and density (dots per inch):

  am display-size
  am display-density

  For Android 4.3 and higher, these two commands were moved from am to wm. Now they are:

  wm size
  wm density

  This application nicely wraps these two commands so you can try different settings quickly and easily. It doesn't implement these functions, it merely uses them. So, if they don't behave well on your device then there is nothing we can do about it, please don't rate us down. We are just trying to make things easier.


How to change my device location on the Play Store

(May 2013) I've contacted Google and this is their response:

  Thanks for contacting us about country support for Google Play.

  We use the billing address of your default payment instrument in
  Google Wallet to help determine your home country for accessing the
  Play Store. Our collection of content can vary by country, so your
  view of the Play Store may differ from what others are seeing when you
  travel outside of the country listed on your default payment method's
  billing address.

  Please note that you must have a valid payment method with a billing
  address located inside a country in order to access that country's
  Play Store.

  If you're having issues viewing your intended country's Play Store and
  would like to change your default payment method or update an existing
  billing address in Google Wallet, please use the following steps:

  1) Sign into your Google Wallet account to manage your payment methods
  https://wallet.google.com/manage/paymentMethods

  2) Add a new card or change your default payment instrument to one
  with a billing address located inside your desired country

  3) Open the Play Store and navigate to any item available for download

  4) Click to begin a download until you reach the "Accept and buy"
  screen (no need to complete the purchase)

  5) Close the Play Store and clear data for the Google Play Store
  application (Settings > Apps > Google Play Store > Clear Data) or
  clear your browser cache

  6) Re-open the Play Store. You should now see the Play Store that
  matches your default payment instrument's billing country.

  If you haven't yet added a payment method to your account for the
  first time, please add a card directly from the Play Store with a
  billing address that matches your intended country location. Then,
  follow steps 3 through 6 to show your intended country's Play Store.

  If you believe that you're experiencing a different location-related
  issue, please first verify if the country of your primary payment
  method matches your intended country. If the countries match, please
  provide any screenshots and additional details that might help me
  resolve your issue.

  We appreciate your feedback as we continue bringing more content to
  Google Play. Thank you for reaching out!

(July 2015) Update

Due to the popularity of this answer, I've decided to add bits to this answer which others have pointed out to improve and update this answer.

The Accept and buy screen is only available on desktop (not mobile) - thanks @fwuensche
Google Wallet has changed since the original answer was posted, also try to change your address on these links - thanks @corbacho
Settings
Address Book
Clear all cache and data from the Play Store app
If you're in a "family account", leave it
Try these steps of removing and adding back your account - thanks @Dushy
Google customer support suggests it may take between 30 minutes to 24 hours for the address on the account to refresh.


Do you know other Android keypad commands (dialer codes)?

This page has a good listing of keypad commands.

Here is the post:

*#*#4636#*#*

This code can be used to get some interesting information about your phone and battery. It shows following 4 menus on screen:

Phone information
Battery information
Battery history
Usage statistics

*#*#7780#*#*

This code can be used for a factory data reset. It'll remove following things:

Google account settings stored in your phone
System and application data and settings
Downloaded applications

It'll NOT remove:

Current system software and bundled applications
SD card files e.g. photos, music files, etc.

PS: Once you give this code, you get a prompt screen asking you to click on "Reset phone" button. So you get a chance to cancel your operation.

*2767*3855#

Think before you give this code. This code is used for factory format. It'll remove all files and settings including the internal memory storage. It'll also reinstall the phone firmware.

PS: Once you give this code, there is no way to cancel the operation unless you remove the battery from the phone. So think twice before giving this code.

*#*#34971539#*#*

This code is used to get information about phone camera. It shows following 4 menus:

Update camera firmware in image (Don't try this option)
Update camera firmware in SD card
Get camera firmware version
Get firmware update count

WARNING: Never use the first option otherwise your phone camera will stop working and you'll need to take your phone to service center to reinstall camera firmware.

*#*#7594#*#*

This one is my favorite one. This code can be used to change the "End Call / Power" button action in your phone. Be default, if you long press the button, it shows a screen asking you to select any option from Silent mode, Airplane mode and Power off.

You can change this action using this code. You can enable direct power off on this button so you don't need to waste your time in selecting the option.

*#*#273283*255*663282*#*#*

This code opens a File copy screen where you can backup your media files e.g. Images, Sound, Video and Voice memo.

*#*#197328640#*#*

This code can be used to enter into Service mode. You can run various tests and change settings in the service mode.

WLAN, GPS and Bluetooth Test Codes:

*#*#232339#*#* OR *#*#526#*#* OR *#*#528#*#* - WLAN test (Use "Menu" button to start various tests)

*#*#232338#*#* - Shows WiFi MAC address

*#*#1472365#*#* - GPS test

*#*#1575#*#* - Another GPS test

*#*#232331#*#* - Bluetooth test

*#*#232337#*# - Shows Bluetooth device address

*#*#8255#*#*

This code can be used to launch GTalk Service Monitor.

Codes to get Firmware version information:

*#*#4986*2650468#*#* - PDA, Phone, H/W, RFCallDate

*#*#1234#*#* - PDA and Phone

*#*#1111#*#* - FTA SW Version

*#*#2222#*#* - FTA HW Version

*#*#44336#*#* - PDA, Phone, CSC, Build Time, Changelist number

Codes to launch various Factory Tests:

*#*#0283#*#* - Packet Loopback

*#*#0*#*#* - LCD test

*#*#0673#*#* OR *#*#0289#*#* - Melody test

*#*#0842#*#* - Device test (Vibration test and BackLight test)

*#*#2663#*#* - Touch screen version

*#*#2664#*#* - Touch screen test

*#*#0588#*#* - Proximity sensor test

*#*#3264#*#* - RAM version


Can't connect Samsung Note 3 to a Windows 7 VM in VirtualBox

I found the solution:

Check the VirtualBox version and go to their website and update the extension pack.

This is on a Fedora 20 system and after updating the VirtualBox "extension pack" and uninstalling all the all the "Universal Serial Bus controllers" drivers in "Device Manager" of the guest(Windows 7), and then shutting down the guest and rebooting the host. Everything is back to normal and working. Yei


Galaxy S5 after System Update is asking for SIM Network Unlock PIN

My suggestion would be to talk to your network provider and ask them why are you seeing the above mentioned error message only after updating the firmware. Ideally it should not happen as you have bought an unlocked phone.


Suggestions for syncing data to someone besides Google? Funambol?

You might also want to take a look at ownCloud. It comes with its own Android App. Quoting Wikipedia:

  ownCloud is a software suite that provides a location-independent storage area for data (cloud storage). The project was launched in January 2010 by KDE developer Frank Karlitschek to create a Free software alternative to commercial cloud providers. In contrast to commercial storage services, ownCloud can be installed on a private server at no additional cost.

Which means: You can run it on your own hardware. But there are also some providers offering this service. Or you could have your ownCloud hosted with a provider of your own choice.

ownCloud is under permanent development -- so listing its features here would not be wise, as things might change. If all three links I provided "go dead", the service will probably as well -- so as long as this is not the case, please refer to those links for closer information.


How can I run touch screen games in non-touch Android PC?

You can play it with a trackpad or mouse most of the time.


Try going in settings - apps - wrench icon - draw over other apps - deselect the app you think is showing the overlay.
I'd recommend you to uninstall the app after.


For future reference, choosing repair for /data in TWRP seems to solve bootloops right after encryption. The device stays encrypted. This worked on two of my devices and I didn't notice any data loss.


Can't format SD card as internal storage

It seems that they disabled that function for the Motorola phones. But I found a way to force it using ADB commands. Here are two links with instructions to do so if someone faces the same situation as me.
How to turn a portable SD card into internal storage via ADB command?

How to Easily Make MicroSD Card Become Internal Memory Without Root – No More Insufficient Storage


What position do cellular communcation (1G, 2G, 3G, 4G or other function only implemented in phone) play in Android operating system archtecture?

If it is in kernel layer, it means that there should be an independent kernel repository or patch specific for cell phone other that tab computer, smart television and music player. It would not be a good design of architecture and will be difficult to maintain.

Bingo. Lots of device specific stuff are in binary blob drivers which only work for specific devices. Android has no common platform like a PC. Those drivers are held by the device manufacturers or system-on-a-chip vendors.

See: Why is it that Android still can't be installed as regular OS?, and Why are there not generic phone OS installers?

Based on this article from LWN.net: An update on the Android problem is seems like the Android kernel problem is improving, but architectural changes like Project Treble would only benefit devices already integrated with those changes.

And so posts like Is there a technical reason Android update story is so bad? will remain valid for some time.

If you wish to go down deeper, at least be aware of the content in the AOSP Architecture documentation

Yes, but what about cellular radio

Mobile telephony radio is managed via a baseband processor which will have its own CPU/RAM/Firmware. Control communication appears to be done by serial AT commands. Realize that baseband processors may differ based on device model.

For more detail see:
How mobile OS talks to baseband OS and How does Modem code talk to Android code

But why doesn't it boot?

Flashing software that isn't specifically designed for the hardware could/would result in bricking. A quick check of the specs for a Samsung Galaxy Note II shows two different CPUs - Exynos and Qualcomm. While both may run ARM code, the internal architecture is different: i.e. number of cores, GPU driver, camera driver, memory layout etc. Putting a US AT&T firmware, designed for Exynos, on hardware for China Mobile, containing Qualcomm, is guaranteed won't work.

Response to Update 1

While the CPU chipset may be the same, GT-N7108 radio band support for the USA is poor with no 3G bands, which means that the physical baseband processor would be different for Galaxy Note II models marketed and sold in the USA. As part of the boot process, the baseband processor is checked (further details in prior links), that could easily result in a non-operational state.


What version of your Android.?
Marshmallow? Then my suspect is doze mode are intercept everything when screen off in favour to save some juice (battery) to last little longer.


My touchscreen does not work, need a way to remote control phone

Give androidscreencast a try.  You may already need to have USB Debugging enabled for it to work, but you've said you already have that enabled, so should be ok.  It just needs a USB connection to the phone and goes over the ADB protocol.


Any difference between the back ups made by Titanium and Nandroid?

The two are actually quite different. Titanium backs up apps and settings only. Nandroid backs up everything including the OS. Titanium is useful when messing with apps and settings, since you have the option of restoring only what you want. Nandroid backups are largely for when you totally b0rk your phone and need to restore it to a more or less pristine state.

The biggest difference is that Titanium requires a working Android installation, while Nandroid only requires a working CWM or other custom recovery.

Just to clarify, Nandroid only backs up your /system, /data and a few other partitions. It does not backup your SD card. Titanium backup may back up some of the stuff on your SD card, but not necessarily all of it, only data that associated with an app will be backed up (and perhaps a few other things like photos and music).


android.process.acore stopped - CM10 on Galaxy S3

Is it possible that google restores faulty contacts each time you did a factory reset? deactivate google sync for contacts and delete data for contacts and contact storage. This will delete all your contacts so make a backup!

(sorry I meant to write this in the comments section... now I don't know how to delete this.)


There is nothing to worry. You just have to flash the images properly.

Please follow the steps mentioned in this Android Enthusiasts answer.

The initial bootup usually takes time around 10 to 15 minutes. I'm up and running 5.0.1 without any problems.


Wifi connections work by talking to a local wireless access point so, basically, you need to be within reach of one.  Public access points can be found in pubs, coffee shops and the like. You may also have one at home.


Text bubble randomly changing color on Galaxy S6's stock Messaging app on Android 6.0

After a lot of research I haven't (and from the comments, it looks like neither have other users) been able to find any resources on the internet regarding this curious phenomenon.

I am, therefore, forced to accept this as some sort of Easter egg from the Samsung developers' side (although, in my opinion, Easter eggs should at least look nice.).

This also means that you don't really get an option to 'opt-out'. If it really bothers you, you can Contact Samsung (although their 'Live Chat' feature seems badly designed since I couldn't get a representative to talk to me even after 30 minutes) or use another messaging app.


How to make Google Maps Navigation show forward as up?

It turns out that the solution to this is rather easy, but scarcely documented.

To switch between forward-is-up and north-is-up, simply tap the red/white compass needle in the upper left hand corner of the screen.

On the updated maps, where the red/white compass icon is no longer there, goto settings and turn off "North is always up'


Huawei Honor 6X Emui 5.0 Android 7.0. Not Core GMS package problem

Did you try to install Google Play store apk from apkmirror?
Before install it you have to install

Google service framework 7.1.2,
google account manager 7.1.2,
Google Contacts Sync 7.1.2,
google play services 11.7.45 (430-174122868).

Find them on APKMirror, choose version that i recommended above for arm android 7.0.

Google Play store needs 4 apps above to work normally.


Is there a way to automatically turn off the wireless hotspot once I get back home?

Other than MacroDroid which is already covered by 3DDario here, you can consider any of the following apps -- none requires root for the goal.

Tasker (paid; 7 day free trial).

Profile: Any of the following would do:

Location: choose the location
State → Net → WiFi Near → fill the details -- I'm unsure whether it would work if the hotspot is enabled.

Task → (Action) → Net → WiFi Tether → Off

Since the final goal is to connect to Wi-Fi at home, another action can be Net → WiFi → Set → On.

Droid Automation (free/paid) may also work here.

Trigger: Location area (Geofencing - Beta) →  fill the details
Task: Networks → Wi-Fi → Enable

The dry run worked for me.

Condi (free) also worked in my test case.

Action:

Connectivity and Sensors → WiFi Tethering →  Off
Connectivity and Sensors → WiFi  →  On

Condition: Location → select location

Done!


connection of jio wifi in Android 5.1 version

Some sites recommend to restart the router device, and sometime it works.
Instead of every time restart the router to solve the Wi-Fi problem, it worked for me:

Inside the router configuration (e.g., accessing the IP 192.168.0.1), change the "Group key update" value from 0 to 30 seconds, under the "Wireless > Security" configuration, right below the WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK item.

Router: TP-LINK TL-WR740N / TL-WR740ND.


How much damage could one do to an unrooted device?

From within the Android system itself, all you risk on the great majority of devices is losing data such as media, apps, logs and configurations. Anyhow, if one manages to damage it more than that, it is usually repairable through a factory reset.

Whether or not your device is rooted, you can always do it harm by flashing bad bootloaders, recoveries/recovery images, inadequate update.zip files and a few other things, so always watch out for that.

I strongly recommend that you do a backup anyway -- it's a fairly simple process and it's worth it just to stay on the safe side.


How can I determine the block size of the filesystem on my Android?

You can use tune2fs (shell command) for this. The target output entry is 'Block size'. The corresponding block device (mmcblk1p1) depends on your hardware and needs to be replaced respectively.

tune2fs -l /dev/block/mmcblk1p1


Google Chrome's traffic compression servers may be blocked.
They work as proxies and compress your traffic from non-secured websites. Also they are fully transparent so that the server always knows who you are even though you used that proxy.
This means they send the HTTP-X-FORWARDED-FOR flag which seems to be blocked by the website you try to access.


Screen offset when running some Android apps on PC (not Chromebook)

Before we address your theory and subsequent request for a fix, we need to establish some basic info about Android.

Firstly, Android is a Mobile Operating System.  Your laptop is most likely more closely related to the common desktop/personal computer type of operating system.

  "While computers such as typical laptops are 'mobile', the operating systems usually used on them are not considered mobile ones, as they were originally designed for desktop computers that historically did not have or need specific mobile features."  --  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_operating_system

As such, your laptop's hardware is not the best host for the Android OS.  Since Android is built on top of the Linux Kernel, it usually is built to contain just enough hardware configuration and driver support to function on its intended build target or host device - usually a mobile phone or tablet.

  "While the Linux kernel contains code for all the different chip architectures and hardware drivers it supports, an individual system runs only a fraction of the codebase. An average laptop uses around 2 million lines of kernel code from 5 thousand files to function properly, while the Pixel phone uses 3.2 million lines of kernel code from 6 thousand files (due to the increased complexity of an SoC)."  --  https://source.android.com/devices/architecture/kernel

This means that the Android OS you installed on laptop hardware is doing its damnedest to actually function.  The stripped down Linux Kernel now driving your laptop's hardware more than likely is falling back to generic drivers with limited feature capabilities.

Secondly, your laptop probably has hardware features not usually found in native Android - and conversely, the Android OS looks for mobile-centric hardware features in order to, for example, render the UI.

Which brings me to your first inquiry;

  My theory is that the app is a portrait app, but when it is displayed on a horizontal screen (like a Chromebook), it will stretch out these edges...

This has a grain of truth in that Android doesn't know how to properly drive your laptop's display.  Android has tons of sensors, including a bevy of Motion Sensors that help Android decide on configurations screen orientation.

Since among other things your laptop lacks these sensors, Android cannot determine in which orientation to display the user interface.  The Android OS you installed is probably having difficulty ascertaining other display hardware attributes such as pixel density, resolution, color encoding, screen size, etc... hence the "stretched out edges" you note.

Finally;

  tell me how to fix it

You're more than welcome to contribute to the Android Open Source Project while simultaneously building your own custom Linux kernel with help from around the Internet.  Though this is an utterly daunting task for even seasoned developers.

A better option, in my opinion, is to reinstall a more appropriate Operating System for your laptop (e.g., Windows, Ubuntu, etc...) and simply run an Android emulation software suite such as BlueStacks 4 or Nox Android Emulator.


HTC G2 crashes, comes back on falsely saying battery level is 0%

It is possible that the problem is in your battery more precisely in battery controller.

There are a few possible solutions:

Try recalibrating your battery.
Try removing /data/system/batterystats.bin.
Put somebody's battery inside (if you know somebody with the same model) and look how phone works. If it works fine with somebody's battery then just buy new one.


The android developers web site has the new features for users and developers listed under the "Android 3.2 platform". Digging into that page, under the revisions heading it lists "3.2, Revision 1" as the only revision. I would guess that this would be the 3.2.1 update then.

  New user features

  Optimizations for a wider range of tablets

  Android 3.2 includes a
  variety of optimizations across the system to ensure a great user
  experience on a wider range of tablet devices.

  Compatibility zoom for
  fixed-sized apps

  Android 3.2 introduces a new compatibility zoom mode
  that gives users a new way to view fixed-sized apps on larger devices.
  The new mode provides a pixel-scaled alternative to the standard UI
  stretching for apps that are not designed to run on larger screen
  sizes, such as on tablets. The new mode is accessible to users from a
  menu icon in the system bar, for apps that need compatibility support.

  Media sync from SD card

  On devices that support an SD card, users can
  now load media files directly from the SD card to apps that use them.
  A system facility makes the files accessible to apps from the system
  media store.


How do I get more space and get my memory card to start working?

I have the same problem with Samsung Galaxy Ace 2. To make your default storage the sd card you need to modify vold.fstab. But to modify this file you need to root your phone.
I think there is no other way to do this.

Hope I have helped =).


How to Install marshmallow update on Swipe elite plus ?

My first reflex would be to check CyanogenMod. Since your device is no longer supported by the manufacturer, you need a custom Android to be able to update.

So your device is Swipe Elite Plus. It is no longer produced by Swipe. Swipe owns FreedomOS, and it can be installed on Elite devices. It looks like the Swipe devices are exclusive to India.

  We have our eyes on the future, and aim to put India among the top 10 nations in the world. It will be our strategic vision and innovative solutions that will bring leading new tablet technologies to the nation. And soon, to the world.

In order to have something custom developed by someone, that someone must be able to get that device. By being limited to India, it greatly reduces the chances of the device being supported by someone else when the manufacturer will drop it. In short, while it is a good device in itself, it's a bad idea to get one.

Official CyanogenMod is not available for the Swipe Elite Plus. Official TWRP is not available for the Swipe Elite Plus. However, there might be unofficial ports.

The best place for finding unofficial stuff is indubitably XDA-Developers. However, there are only one topic about the Elite Swipe Plus. You can look there, but I didn't find anything.

Your last resort now is to look at these posts :

How do I update Android on my device?

Where can I find stock or custom ROMs for my Android device?


How to disable the camera sound on a Huawei G525?

Search the settings inside the camera app there should be one to change/disable camera sounds. If there's no such option, I'm afraid the only alternative you have is to try alternative 3rd part camera apps.


It means data is being transferred to and from your device. That doesn't necessarily mean it is working.

You should try to use a speedtest app with and without the antenna to see if there is a difference in connection


Automatic time on Nexus 5X says it's 2017 already, one day ahead

I was just reading this article:

http://android.wonderhowto.com/how-to/set-your-android-atomic-time-for-perfectly-synced-clock-0170500/

It suggests your phone is using the NITZ service to sync time, which relies on good carrier service.

The article says that if this service is bad, it might take your phone out of properly synced time.

You can try installing the suggested app.

Without root, you won't be able to sync automatically, but you can sync manually every week or so.


From Google maps support, Platinum product expert treebles says (2/5/20)

If your issue is that the bicycling mode of transportation is not available to you, it means that it is not available in your country. There are few countries where this mode of transporation is enabled.

In the same thread you find instances of it being available earlier but not anymore.

So, Google decides when and where to activate and they won't tell you list of countries in which it is available :(

Sadly there's no list of supported areas and Google never announces where it's rolling out beforehand.


How to capture video stream from Android phone screen and show it on laptop?

I don't think this one is mentioned in the question Al linked to above, but I've used Droid@Screen to demo things at my office with pretty good success. It probably only gets around 10-15 FPS or so if I was going to take a guess at frame rate, but it appears a bit more smooth than the other options I've tried (including Android Screencast and a VNC connection).


Can I load a ROM from a 7" Galaxy Tab onto a 10" Galaxy Tab?

No, the key parts of the ROM would be the kernel and all the drivers for the hardware. The boot image is likely different too. These devices are not the same so you would end up, at the very least, "soft bricking" your device. Even when a device is basically the same, take all of the Galaxy S devices (vibrant, captivate, facinate, epic, i9000), all are basically the same device, but you cannot "cross flash" the ROMs between them. This is because the smallest change in hardware or boot image prevents this.


First, see my relevant answer over here in regards to "killing tasks", especially the use of task killers.

The only way to stop these background tasks is to either:

Turn off any sort of background notifications the app does (check the settings for each app)
Uninstall the app or if you are rooted, you could "freeze" it with Titanium Backup.

Beyond that, you aren't going to be able to do much more. It's up to the programmer to decide when he needs to have a background task run, and a good programmer will let you have to turn these background tasks off (usually it is caused by polling for notifications).


What does the green/amber/red light next to the time remaining in navigation mean?

Google Maps Navigation also provides Live Traffic Information along your route, updated every few minutes. A red/amber/green light in the corner shows if there are any traffic problems anticipated along your route. If there are, you can see where the holdups are and have the option to press to re-route which will find a route avoiding the traffic holdups.

Source: http://mobile.jack-frost.co.uk/google_maps_navigation_review_uk.php
Also: http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/android/thread?tid=4f7b34dd18f74b75&hl=en
(Via: Google Search For "google navigation amber green light")


How to reset or unlock the lock screen on HTC One M8 without doing factory reset?

Using ADB

If you have access to an adb shell, you can try this:

adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key

And just in case

adb shell rm /data/system/password.key

Using a (custom) recovery

If you have a custom recovery (otherwise look it up), you can flash Aroma File Manager or just use your recovery's file manager:

With this, you go to /data/system and delete gesture.key and (if needed) password.key.

Hope this helps


Android restore bootstrap nandroid backup after a failed rom flash

Sigh. You are bricked. Not an easy fix. You have options, though.:

Flash the stock ROM via PC, and see if it is a soft brick. If that works, you'll be at step 1 again, but that's better than a unusable phone. This is assuming you can aaccess a mode to flash ROMS via PC.
1.5. Make a USB jig (look up one, it varies on device). Use it, and it will make option 1 easier.

1.7. Take apart your phone, grab the hard drive, load it into anything that will take it(again, look it up, I know someone asked about it here a while back) and grab the backup, then do option 1.

Keep trying to get it to boot up, and keep it charged. You may just get lucky.
Take it to the manufacturer, and say it just stopped working. Provided they don't work out what you did, it''ll be at stock again.
Throw it in a bin :(

Some of those may be crazy, but there is often little available for bricked devices. I have lost two devices like this.


How can phone companies detect tethering (incl. Wifi hotspot)

How they detect that someone is tethering a device isn't something that network providers often want to talk about, for the obvious reason that the more consumers know about how this is being detected, the easier it is for them to find ways to hide the fact that they're doing it, and avoid the associated extra charges (1). However there are certain known techniques that will give away the fact that you're currently tethering, if your Service Provider happens to be running the right tool to check for these indicators:
Your Phone asks your network if tethering is allowed
The first and easiest method is that some phones will query the network to check whether the current contract allows tethering, and then totally disable the tethering options on the device in software if not. This generally only happens if you are running an OS version that has been customized by your Provider, example 1 example 2.
Your phone tells your network that you are tethering
It's also rumoured that some phones have a second set of APN details saved in them by the phone network, when you enable tethering they switch over to using this second APN for all tethered traffic, while using the normal APN for traffic originating on the phone. However I haven't found any concrete evidence of this, other than people finding odd APNs and wondering what they're for (bear in mind that an unlocked phone bought off-contract may have hundreds or thousands of APNs stored on it, ready for use on whichever network in whichever country the eventual owner decides to use it).
Inspecting the network packets for their TTL (time to live)
Every network packet travelling across a TCP/IP network, like the internet, has a built-in time-to-live (TTL) set on it, so that in case there is a problem with that packet reaching its destination this will stop it travelling around the network forever clogging everything up.
The way this works is that the packet starts with a TTL number (say 128) set on it when it leaves the sending device (your phone, or laptop), and then every time that packet travels through a router of any kind (like your home broadband router, or a router at your ISP or phone company) that router subtracts one from the TTL (which would decrement the TTL to 127 in this example), the next router it travels through will in turn decrement the TTL again, and so on, if the TTL ever reaches zero then the router it's at discards the packet and doesn't transmit it again.
When your phone is tethering it acts like a router so, as the packet passes from your tethered laptop through your phone and onto the phone network, your phone will subtract "1" from the TTL to show that the packet has passed through its first router. The phone networks know what the expected TTLs from common devices are (for instance packets from an iPhone always start at a TTL of 64), and so they can spot when they're one less (or totally different) than they're expecting.
MAC address inspection
Devices on a TCP/IP network, like the internet, all have a unique MAC ID set on their network interfaces. This is made up of two halves, one half identifying the manufacturer of the interface, and the other half being a unique identifier assigned by the manufacturer (like a serial number). Every network packet that is sent out will have been "stamped" with the MAC address of the originating device's network port. The MAC address of your laptop's wifi card will have a very different manufacturer and serial code than the MAC address of your phone's 3G interface.
TCP/IP Stack Fingerprinting
Different computer Operating Systems (eg Android, iOS, Windows, Mac OSX, Linux, etc) set up their TCP/IP stacks with different default values and settings (eg the Initial Packet Size, Initial TTL,  Window Size...). The combination of these values can give a "fingerprint" that can be used to identify what operating system is running on the originating device. A side-effect of this may mean that if you're using an uncommon OS, or an OS that's similar to your phone's on your other device, your tethering may not be spotted.
Looking at the Destination IP/URL
You can learn a lot by what a device regularly communicates with.
For instance, many OSs these days do Captive Portal Detection when they first connect to a wifi network (such as your wifi tether connection), they do this by trying to connect to a known web server across the internet, and checking to see if they get the response that they're expecting. If the expected response is not received, then it's likely that the wifi connection you're on is a "captive portal" and may need you to log in, or pay, to connect to it. As Microsoft OSs (like Windows Vista and Windows 7 check with a Microsoft server by default and other OSs like Android, MacOS and so on all connect to their parent company's servers to do these checks, it can be used as a good indication of the operating system just after the initial connection is made.
Additionally, if a device regularly contacts the Windows Update servers, then it's very likely that device is a Windows PC or laptop, whereas if it regularly checks with Google's Android update servers, then it's probably a phone. Or if they can see that you're connecting to the Apple App Store, but the IMEI of the device that your SIM card is in indicates that it's not an Apple device, maybe you're tethering an iPad to an Android phone?
More sophisticated systems can look at a whole range of data seeing who you're communicating with (eg are you connecting to the Facebook app's API servers which is more likely from a phone, or to Facebook's web servers which is more likely from a PC) and add a whole load of these indicators together to create a fingerprint that indicates what sort of device you're likely to be using. Some of these fingerprints can be caught out when new device types and services come out, for instance there are reports that just after tablets with built-in 3G came out, some owners of these on the AT&T network received mails warning them that they'd been tethering when they hadn't, as the fingerprint from this new style of device didn't look like a typical phone.

(1) Obviously before trying any methods to by-pass tethering detection please remember to check your phone contract and your phone company's policies on tethering. They may have penalty clauses buried in their contract, Fair Use Policy, or Acceptable Use Policy for people who try to bypass their restrictions and limits.


Settings -> Sync -> Google : untick Gmail.

Settings -> Applications -> Gmail : Clear Data, Uninstall updates, Disable.


How to mark reminders as "Done" without going via Google Calendar?

I have recently discovered you can "Mark as Done" a reminder in the Google app by swiping right on the reminder itself:

Note that this is only in the app, not on the notification.

HOWEVER, if you swipe a "recurring" reminder to "Mark as Done", it will mark all future reminders as done also! This is certainly a problem for me, as I have several recurring reminders and I only want to mark the "current" one as done.


Does using Android Instant Apps count as installation on Play store?

Quoting from XDA (emphasis supplied)

  Android Instant Apps is an evolution to the way Android has done applications traditionally. Rather than downloading a full-blown application, Instant Apps allows users to “stream” apps to try it out (in reality, it’s a partial code download), without going through the hassle of downloading and installing it

So, if it is a partial download for users to try it out, it logically won't count as installation

  If Play store will not count then what is the meaning to use it from developer side. What will be benefit to the developer?

This allows app developers to reach out to an even wider audience, as they can now project a native Android app experience to the end user with something as simple as a URL: click and you’re in the app
What makes Instant Apps good for the developer outside of the increase in app range is that they don’t need to build a whole different app. Devs do need to update their existing Android apps in order to get the advantage of the Instant Apps functionality....
Android Instant Apps extends all the way back to Android Jellybean, so you aren’t restricted to only a handful of users on the latest Android version.

From a developer perspective, I suppose that Firebase Analytics also announced yesterday, will be integrated with this. Other features of Firebase Analytics:

Instead of focusing on page views, impressions or sessions, developers can see what users are doing inside the app, how paid advertising campaigns are performing with cross-network attribution and where users are coming from
Defining audiences
Better crash reporting
Notifications and Dynamic Links to to help developers grow and re-engage app user bases
Storage- Google’s cloud-to-device push messaging service Google Cloud Messaging (GCM) is being integrated into Firebase’ s backend and has been renamed as Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM)
Monetization- AdMob has been integrated into Firebase


Sure. First find a text editor that you like, then launch the editor and open the HTML file.

Many editors will also show up as an option in the launch menu for HTML files if you open them from a file browser, so you may be able to just find your HTML file in your file browser and select your text editor when you open it.

Edit: Per your comments, if you're looking for an "Open With" style menu then I can recommend File Expert. You can long press on any file and it will give you an "Open With" option which allows you to choose from the list of your installed applications. There might be other file managers that do this, too, but I'm not sure. Astro has "Open As" which is a bit more limited since it gives you a list of applications based on the file type you choose (text, music, video, image).


Choose a specific app to open a particular file

You can only open files with apps that tell Android they support that kind of file. If the app tells Android it can open that kind of file, it'll show up in the list of possible apps.

If this app you mention can open this kind of file, the developer needs to change the app to tell Android it can do so, by adding an intent filter in its manifest. You should contact the developer and ask them to do so.


As an Android developer, this is an especially frustrating aspect about delivering apps into mass market.

The wording on permission models have caused great grief, as you have pointed out, but it has gotten better.  In fact, prior to Android 5.1.1 (API 22) apps were required to request all of their permissions up-front, at install time.

Now, permissions are generally requested when they are needed - i.e., when a protected API is accessed at runtime - allowing developers in-app time to explain their intentions.

If the developer of an application were respecting the spirit of permissions enough, their applications would, ideally, still function without being granted a particular permissions.

Obviously, if you deny a photo app access to, say, the Pictures directory, the app experience might not be stellar.  However, an app should still continue to function - that is, without crashing - regardless of granted permissions.

Also, as others have pointed out in the comments, developers and publishers are encouraged to provide meaningful insight into why their app needs the permissions it is requesting.

Now, focusing on your main concern:

  . . .why aren't permissions more restrictives/specific ?

They are becoming more restrictive/specific.  For example, Google has introduced Scoped Directory Access.

  Apps such as photo apps usually just need access to specific
  directories in external storage, such as the Pictures directory.
  Existing approaches to accessing external storage aren't designed to
  easily provide targeted directory access for these types of apps. For
  example:

  Requesting READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE or WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE in your
  manifest allows access to all public directories on external storage,
  which might be more access than what your app needs.

Note the bullet point - relating to the game you mention, the developers could leverage scoped directory access models to fine-tune their permission requests.  That, in tandem with clear and concise permission explanations, would strengthen trust for app's users.

Why haven't they, as well as many other apps out there, already utilized this feature?  Well, the scoped directory APIs become available in Android 7.0 - meaning only devices running Android 7.0+ can actually use it.  It is often simply a matter of prioritization for developers on whether or not to implement different behavior on different devices.  Personally, I believe in doing what's best for the platform, but I digress.  Feel free to reach out to the app's support channels requesting changes or deeper explanations for their permission requests.


Does the Sophos Intercept X app have a feature that can prevent browser hijacks for my Chrome & Kiwi browser?

First it is totally unclear why the tabs are gone. Can be anything between a simple bug in the web browser or a sophisticated attack.
And second nobody knows what bugs and vulnerabilities are hidden in the browsers you mentioned and additionally what bugs and vulnerabilities are introduced in the next version.
Hence from my perspective the only answer you can get is NO. Nothing can prevent or stop unknown problems in a constantly updated software browsing constantly changing web sites.
You can always protect yourself only against known problems. This also applies to  software like Sophos Intercept X.


Cannot interact with Android VM - VirtualBox

You might try Andyroid.  It is a virtual machine that hosts Android and the wrapper is specialized to accomodate for the idiosyncracies that arise from using a virtual hand-held device.  I had issues with rotation using Android in VirtualBox and solved it like this.  Andyroid has a toggle switch that enables/disables the use of VT-x, so it is possible on a CPU without it.  One advantage Andyroid has over a regular VirtualBox solution is that it is tuned for Android.


The gmail app doesn't support downloading attachments. It does support viewing a limited amount of mimetypes.

If you want to download the zip file, you'll need to go to gmail.com using the browser on the phone and download it from there.

Another alternative is to use another android email client. K-9 Mail works well with Gmail accounts and can both download attachment to the SD card as well as open them from the mail itself.


Why is Google Play Music the only app that produces a "Browse" button on my car stereo?

This "browse" feature is probably part of "Audio/Video Remote Control Profile" aka AVRCP. AVRCP has different versions with different feature sets. Browsing of playlists was introduced in version AVRCP 1.4 and improved in version 1.5, according to wikipedia.
This bluetooth profile must be supported (in the correct version) by the the car stereo, the mobile phone as well as the app.


Google music: offline listening after subscription expires?

Google music doesn't store the songs you save offline like if they were normal downloads, instead it saves them

  in a randomized folder structure with obfuscated file names.

So you can't just browse them with a file manager and have access to them; they are in a cache of sort. When the subscription expires, Play music provides to delete them from your phone. If you think about it, this would make the subscription system useless, resulting in a financial loss for Google. You can try, though, this app (root required) which is able to locate the files and "decrypt" them, to make them available as simple stored files. Note also that the app currently doesn't work on Marshmellow. For more information and a guide on how to use Play music exporter check this article.


Can I get a notification of failed WiFi connection for secured network?

The best way I know is to use an app called Tasker. Its price is a little steeper than most, but it's very useful once you start playing with it. Check out lifehacker to see some other examples of what Tasker can do.

Here are the steps for what you want to do:

Open Tasker
Select "New"
Name it "wifi alert" (or whatever)
Select "OK"
Select "State"
Select "Wifi Connected"
Enter the SSID for your network
Make sure the "Invert" check box is checked
Select "Done"
Select "New Task"
Name it "disconnect" (or whatever)
Select "OK"
Select the "+" icon
Select "Alert"
Select "Popup"
Enter some text (wifi disconnected or something more ominous)
Select "Done"
Select "Done"
Select "Apply"

You could also make your phone vibrate or play a sound if you prefer. If you're worried you won't see/hear the notification in your pocket, you can also automatically disable wifi until you have the correct credentials. Just add another action to the task by going to "Net", selecting "WiFi" and setting it to "Off".

Tasker is great fun to nerd out on and isn't nearly as complicated as my numbered list might imply.


An app only can mark itself to be shown on top of the lock screen. In detail there is the flag FLAG_SHOW_WHEN_LOCKED respectively the method setShowWhenLocked that allows to mark a certain activity/screen to be shown on top of the lock screen.

This allows to use the screen without having to unlock the device. However this has to be done by the app itself. External apps can't enable this.
If your favorite apps does not support this feature you can ans the app developers if they add this feature.

And also the Android system does not allow to mark apps to shown above the lock screen. May be because this would cause a serious problem: With the app shown on top you can't unlock the device and therefore can't change back the "app on top" setting so that your device reverts to the regular state.

Alternatively there are ways to temporarily disable the automatic device lock (Google calls it "automatic unlock"). This can be achieved e.g by defining a trusted Bluetooth device that acts as a "key". If the key is next to the phone it does not lock.

See more details here: https://support.google.com/android/answer/9075927?hl=en


Nexus 4 does not ring for calls on google talk or viper when screen is locked

So after some search and posting on some other forums, it turns out that it is a bug.
I'm quoting here from  Rizy7 @ Android central forums:

"Known problem with Nexus 4 WiFi.. Google have been made aware but nothing has happened so far.. Hopefully in the next update it will be fixed. To get around the problem you either need to get a new router, set a static arp on your router or you need to change some system files which means you need a rooted device."

Source : http://forums.androidcentral.com/google-nexus-4/267885-nexus4-wont-ring-when-calling-google-talk-screen-locked.html#post2699201


Determining/stopping random phantom notifications during calls

On some Samsungs, they have a feature called Minute Minder. It will notify you around every minute of your phone call (it is usually 5-10 seconds before the actually minute mark). For people who don't have unlimited minutes, this allows them to easily know how many minutes have passed.

For the original Galaxy S, the setting is located under

Settings -> Call Settings -> All Calls -> Call Status Tones -> Minute Minder

I think with the Galaxy S 4 it's been moved to

Settings -> My Device -> Call -> Call Alerts -> Minute Minder

I'm not positive if this is the cause, but it sounds probable.


Sync contacts to more than one google accounts

You cannot do this on the phone.  Any contacts created on the phone that were added to one Gmail account, cannot easily be "copied" to the other Gmail account, especially not in-bulk.

You can however, do this quite easily on Gmail's web site:

On your computer log into your Gmail account that has your latest contacts, and click on "Contacts" link.
On the upper-right side click the "Export" link, select "Everyone (All Contacts)" and "Google CSV format" options, and click the "Export" button.
When prompted, save the "google.csv" file somewhere on your computer (e.g. C:\ drive.)
Log off your Gmail account, and log into your second Gmail account.
Go to Contacts, click on the "Import" link, click on "Choose File" button, browse to your C:\ drive (or wherever you saved the file in step 3,) select the "google.csv" file, click Open, and finally click the "Import" button.  You may also choose to add these new contacts to an existing group, or create a new one.

After a few minutes, these contacts should sync to your phone under the 2nd Gmail account.


Is there a concern as far as memory when running ICS ROM on 512MB device (DroidX)

If there is a ICS ROM available for the Droid X, it should run on a device with 512MB. The minimum requirements for ICS specified by CyanogenMod team is 256MB and a "decent GPU". I am not sure what kind of GPU the Droid X has, but you will probably have a better experience with Gingerbread then ICS on that device if the GPU isn't that great. My brother had that device and complained constantly about lag and lock up. If you have the "stock" MOTOBLUR, you will probably have a better experience just by installing any AOSP based ROM.

You can expect the footprint to be about the same, maybe a bit less, then what you see now. This is because the android OS will always try to use as much memory as possible in order to try and keep your experience better. If the application is in memory you can switch back to it faster then if it has to reload the entire application, plus it can "remember where you were".

As a side note, I don't currently see any CyanogenMod 9 builds available on the CM forums for the Droid X, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any, I just don't see them.


Writing hebrew vowels with my phone keyboard

I was able to successfully type Hebrew with vowels on a Samsung using the steps I found on another forum:

  Since a few weeks ago it became possible to type vowels in the Gboard
  app—Google's own keyboard. I strongly recommend it. I switched from
  Samsung keyboard to it.

  To type the vowels, type the consonant first, and then hold down the
  letter that begins the name of the vowel sign:

  Patakh, Hataf Patakh: פ

  Kamats, Hataf Kamats: ק

  Segol, Hataf Segol: ס

  Tsere: צ

  Hirik: ח

  Holam and Shuruq go with the letter Vav, so hold down Vav (ו) to type
  them.

  Dagesh is the same character as Shuruq, and it's available also on
  Dalet (ד).

  Kubuts is on ק, together with Kamats, even though it's a different
  sound.

  For Shin and Sin dots, use the letter Shin (ש).

  A similar system exists on Windows since Windows 8, and on recent
  desktop Linux systems (since 2013 or so). Use the Alt key and the
  above letters to type the vowels.

  For Kubuts, use \ (the backslash; mnemonic: it's diagonal, like the
  dots in Kubuts).

  For Shin and Sin dots, use the Q and W on a QWERTY keyboard (mnemonic:
  they are above ש on the physical keyboard). For Hataf characters, use
  the key to the right of the letter:

  Hataf Patakh: ]

  Hataf Kamats: ר

  Hataf Segol: ב

Taken from: https://www.duolingo.com/comment/21743347/Lack-of-Hebrew-vowels-on-keyboard


As far as I know there is no standard for sending coordinates (such as a URI scheme like gps://[latitude],[longitude]), but you could use direct links to Google Maps. The format is https://maps.google.com/maps?q=[latitude],[longitude]. This enables most phones to create a link from the text, and the coordinates are easily available for copy/pasting to other apps as well.


Add 2 more words to your personal dictionary (accessed through Settings -> Language and Input -> Personal Dictionary) and give them optional shortcuts. This will make Android start using all of the rest of the words in your personal dictionary again.

(Also make sure that Google Spell Checker is the default spell checker, also accessed in Language and Input settings.)

This might sound like strange advice, but it worked for me.

Here's what I did, as I recounted in my comment above: So I tried to recreate your problem. I added a word to my personal dictionary, with no shortcut, and when I typed it, it got the squiggly red line! Strangely enough, once I added two more non-words to the personal dictionary (accessed via Settings -> Language and Input -> Personal Dictionary) and gave them optional shortcuts, the first word, still without an optional shortcut, was actually added to my dictionary and lost its red line. And any further words I added to the dictionary worked fully, immediately. So try adding two random English words with shortcuts to your pers. dict.


Samsung galaxy grand 2 slow downs after upgrades

The easiest way to downgrade is to use ODIN (or the open source alternative, Heimdall). This describes the basic functionality of the buttons and checkboxes in ODIN.

You need to find the stock version of the firmware for your device. In your case, the you will want to find the JellyBean 4.1.2 version.

Put the phone in Download Mode.

Turn off your phone. Wait a few seconds and then proceed to the next step.
Hold volume down, home and power buttons at the same time.
Keep holding these buttons until the Samsung Logo appears on the display.
Release once you see the Samsung Logo.
Next press volume up key once in order to enter download mode.

Open ODIN on your PC. Once ODIN is open, you can connect the device via USB. You may need to disconnect from and reconnect it to the computer after this for Odin to see it.
Set the files that you found that contain the stock firmware. This will be at a minimum, a .tar file and may have some others to include like a .pit file.
Once you have that configured, and ODIN sees your device, and you follow any other instructions that you may find where you find the stock firmware, you are now ready to start ODIN.

Disclaimer: Downgrading may solve your problem, for now. You may just get the same update after you downgrade because your device will indicate that you have an outdated version of Android.

ODIN is a great tool. It was one of my favorite tools when I had samsung devices. I wish all manufacturers had a tool like this. I have fixed many devices that I soft bricked with ODIN and in far less time than any other manufacturer.

The best tip I can give when flashing (with ODIN or any method), get information from multiple sources. Read them a couple times, then follow those instructions while you are performing the steps.


I have Unknown Sources enabled on my phone, now what?

This allows you to obtain and run an application (i.e. the .apk file) from sources other than the Android Market. (i.e. you get it from a download from a developer's site, from an email, etc.). That's it.

Edit:
Once you enable Unknown Sources this post covers the rest: How can I install an app given only its APK file?.


There is no System Updates when I go to About Phone, please help?

The system updates differ from country to country or varies place to place. Same phone from one place may be provided with an update whereas same phone from another place cannot be updated. The reason for you not getting might just be this.

But please recheck :

According to GSM ARENA you phone can be updated to 5.0.

Also update is the must the flashing a custom rom is also an option.


How to disable MTP and PTP file sharing via USB on Android 5?

Thanks to @Firelord, this is the procedure to follow:

Root your phone
Install Terminal Emulator
In Terminal Emulator, run su sh -c 'echo -n none > /data/property/persist.sys.usb.config'
Restart the phone

Bonus: Now you can get rid of all those horrible vendor apps. Bye Samsung and Three!

Caveat 1: USB debugging no longer works after doing this, regardless of whether you left it enabled while following the instructions or disabled and re-enabled it. All you need to do (I just verified it) is to set the value back to adb to make it work again, but then of course you have the original problem. If there’s a magic string to make USB debugging work and simultaneously disable both MTP and PTP, I don’t know what it is (I tried with none,adb).

Caveat 2: You can’t update Android anymore without completely resetting your device. Not even de-rooting and a factory reset work - bloody Android still says I’ve made an “unauthorized modification.” Let’s recap: “Freedom 0: The freedom to run the program as you wish, for any purpose.” I had to boot into Windows and use Samsung Smart Switch for PC to upgrade.


com.google.android.trichromelibrary causes many Android apps to crash

It was a WebView issue and it has been fixed as mentioned here:
https://www.google.com/appsstatus#hl=en&v=issue&sid=1&iid=aa75515d184a2423be444d676b7ebf45

Updating Android System WebView and Google Chrome via Google Play
should now resolve the issue for all users.

Navigate to Play Store app
Search for Android System WebView (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.webview)
Select the "Update" option
Repeat these steps for Google Chrome (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.android.chrome)

For more information about updating Android apps please see:
https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/113412


Found the answer:
To decouple phone volume and speaker volume enable what's now called Disable absolute volume in developer options (looks like used to be called Disable max volume)
Taken from here


How to see all the apps I have downloaded from Google Play store?

Yes, it is possible to see all Google Play Store apps you've downloaded.

On your Android device:

1) Open Google Play Store app

2) Tap the hamburger menu in the top left corner

3) Inside the menu, tap "My apps & games"

4) You will get a list of all the apps you have installed.


contacts are not showing when I don't add a phone number

One semi-workaround is to add 0 for phone number, though that won't deal with contacts not showing prior to that i.e. when no number was entered at all.

What will work though is look for an app called "contacts" or "people". That app will list all contacts including ones where no phone number was entered.  That's  the solution. So those contacts aren't lost.

If you don't see the "contacts" or "people" app, then you could check if it's installed under settings..apps..all.  And you could try putting it in safe mode by holding the power button until it says "power off", and then when it says "power off", hold power off.  Then it asks to go into safe mode, then say ok, and let it restart into safe mode. Then see if you see the app, to make sure a third party app wasn't blocking it.. hopefully you will see it.  I saw it I think even in normal mode, it was just called "people" rather than "contacts. Whether it's "people" or "contacts" might depend on OS version.


How do I change from "Unknown" to show who is calling me?

Normally, it is the person calling you that chooses to call as unknown. Even if it is someone you know and that person is in your contacts, if they have their caller ID turned off, they will appear as unknown on your device.

However, if this happens for every single one of your contacts calling you, I doubt that it is them having their caller ID turned off. If their number appears, but not their name, then caller ID is turned on and it is your phone that is causing problems. Check if your accounts are synced and your contacts have their names set to the correct phone numbers.

If no number appears, no caller ID is coming through. I've heard about this problem before, and probably the problem is not your phone, but your service provider. Try contacting customer support and explain your problem to them. They should be able to help you further by enabling caller ID from their side.


How to restrict tablet screen orientation?

found the answer, an app that will run just one time.

create an app and add a permission to it's manifest to write_settings & listen-to-boot :

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_SETTINGS" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED" />

then make a receiver class which extends BroadcastReceivertype, with the fowlloing permissions:

    <receiver android:enabled="true" android:exported="true"
        android:name="com.example.BootCompletedReceiver"
        android:permission="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED">
        <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.QUICKBOOT_POWERON" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
        </intent-filter>
    </receiver>

then in the onReceive() method of the receiver class:

ContentResolver contentResolver = context.getContentResolver();
        //To handle device rotation
        Settings.System.putInt(contentResolver, Settings.System.ACCELEROMETER_ROTATION, 0);
        Settings.System.putInt(contentResolver, Settings.System.USER_ROTATION, Surface.ROTATION_90); // 0 for default, then 90, 180, 270

Then run this app just one time to write that permissions to the system, and then you don't need it again.


I suspect that the photos generated by the camera are slightly over the limit that Google Photos checks. MP ratings are really ballparks.


Lg optimus L 70 system update won't work

If you have an SD card slot . Shove a 2gb+ card in there and point it to download to the SD card. You can use chrome or some other browser that will let you change  download location for every download. Only if this does not work - you can try increasing the space in /system
/System and /mnt/sdcard1 these are different partitions.Try clearing the /system partition by moving some apps that do not appear to be needed system apps. This can be done using Link2SD app. You have to be very choosy- if you select some vital app and make it non system it can be a problem.


Facebook app nagging about syncing. Can it be disabled?

By request from 'Dan Hulme' who replied to my question, I got the message to pop up again and managed to get the app-info. It turns out to be an app connected to the Facebook app called 'SNS'. I simply removed the tick from the "Show notifications" option. The message no longer pops up.

It can otherwise be found on "Settings -> More -> Application manager" Shuffle so you see the "All" list, then scroll down til you find the SNS application.


Stuck mid-way through Root process (Samsung Galaxy S3 SCH-1535)

I'll put this here so you can mark your question as answered.

Some phones' stock ROMs automatically replace custom recoveries with the stock ones on boot, so when you rebooted to put the ZIP on your phone, TWRP was wiped away. So, simple, reinstall it.

As for a good ROMs, I use ParanoidAndroid on my Galaxy Nexus and I love it.


Nokia 8 does not read contents of SD Card after phone reset

Trying out this method oddly did not work, so I went ahead with formatting the SD card from within Nokia 8 once again.

Luckily I had made a backup of everything from the phone memory and from the SD card onto my PC, before I did the full reset.


Does google maps personalize the walking time to your destination?

It does not take into account your walking speed but assumes a normal walking speed. From Google Maps help

What is the Google Map walking speed? Is this a constant value or does it change depending on slope?

Normal walking speed is about 3 miles per hour - It does not adjust for distance travelled, nor for whether you are on a road or footpath.
It does adjust slightly for slope - it decreases more for uphill than it increases for downhill.

A user wanted customized speed, like you do and they were suggested to raise a feature request.


What is this type of headphone icon in notification bar?

Second one is showing a line out or auxiliary audio
 icon, which means that it had recognised that a jack had been plugged in ( but it doesn't detect a speaker or maybe it detects the speaker ) but fundamentally to differentiate  between  regular headset (with or  without mic) and speaker connected with line out

If this happens when you connect to regular headphone, it indicates some dirt or pocket flint , preventing recognition of head phone. Cleaning with a tooth pick , ear bud and blowing air to dislodge muck should fix. If it doesn't, try app mentioned here
What is this icon in my status bar?

Later versions of LG also differentiate between headphone with speaker and without speaker

I had this icon show up on a Dopod phone, owned a decade ago


Any way to remotely turn on location services without root

No, there is no hope to activate location service remotely without root access or without a system app. Change in the state of location service requires editing secure settings which cannot be done without root access or without system UI (user consent) or without a system app having the permission android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS. Since your Android doesn't meet any criteria I suggest you do not invest your time anymore in this direction.

As for any other method: I do not know but a local law enforcement agency may be able to assist you with common mobile tracking techniques.

Related: Is it possible to enable Location Services via Shell?


WhatsApp does not record the calls automatically. So, if you didn't rely on a 3rd party app (I can't make a recommendation) and you did not record the call when it happened, you cannot find any recordings of the same. This makes it impossible to get that call conversation back.


Is there a way to hide the ugly SIM Tool Kit icon from the launcher?

In NOVA launcher it is simple.
Settings / Menu / Hide applications

This will hide it in the app drawer.


GT-S6810L Driver for Samsung Galaxy Ace II needs to be installed each time device is plugged in my PC

you can update your Ace driver via right clicking on it and click on update. but if it doesn't work download the BIOS drivers with your web browser by entering your PC name and model then BIOS on google. and try updating from device manager


I do not wish Gmail contacts to appear on my device

Go to the device's Settings, under Accounts tap Google, tap the @gmail.com address, uncheck Sync Contacts and Sync People Details.

To remove already synced contacts go the phone Settings menu, Application Manager, go to All applications, then Clear Data for the Contacts and Contacts Storage apps.


Can I transfer pre-installed apps from a device with a broken screen to a different one?

You can't transfer system apps (that is, the apps that came preinstalled) to another device or back them up. The apps will be built into the Funtab's ROM (or system image), and even if you could extract the files, they almost certainly will have copy protection to stop you using them on a different device.

To make an analogy, imagine you bought a PC and it came with PowerDVD. Now imagine you were to break the PC and buy a completely different one from a different manufacturer. You wouldn't have an install disk for PowerDVD, and the old installation would have copy protection so you can only use it on that specific model of PC. If you wanted to install PowerDVD on your new PC, you'd have to go out and buy it. Preinstalled apps on Android are no different.

If you'd downloaded Angry Birds from Google Play (or most other marketplaces), you'd be able to install it on any device with your account. You wouldn't need to back it up: Google would know that you'd bought it, so they would let you download it again for free. Preinstalled apps don't work that way, though.


I finally found an android image that worked.  Here's what I did:

Plug in tablet via USB
Open Terminal
Boot tablet in recovery mode
Scroll to 'Update from ADB'
In Terminal, run adb sideload [Path to zip file of image]
Let it run
All is well!

I found the link the the image on www.androidtablets.net.

Excerpt:

  Stock 4.1.1 (A2109_A411_03_13_121127): https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BxNORR1JMMjZNTRIUlFlb2JBVTQ
  ACC89EE042C53BE7CC980DC4DAE6A3ED


What is the difference between running/installing cm7 off SD and EMMC for Nook Color?

Since the SD Cards are slower than internal NAND memory, by running a ROM off the SD  you will be sacrificing on the speed.  Things like booting up and launching apps will be noticeably slower.  The class rating of your SD Card will play a large role in how much slower your NC will feel when running in such configuration.  It's generally recommended to buy at least a Class 6 card for this purpose.

By running custom ROMs from the SD Card you will be able to easily keep the original manufacturer installed firmware intact.  In Nook Color the SD Card is set as a primary boot device, so if it contains a bootable ROM image, it will be used instead of whatever is installed on EMMC.  By just inserting such a card into the microSD slot and turning the NC on, you will be running a custom ROM.  Boot up without this card - and you're back on the EMMC ROM, be it stock or a different custom one.  This can be quite beneficial for quickly testing out new experimental ROMs (e.g. Honeycomb builds) without blowing away your main one.

Although it's possible to multi-boot off EMMC without utilizing the SD Card at all, it's a lot more complicated to set up and maintain.  This involves re-partitioning the internal memory, using a custom boot image, and modifying the start-up scripts for each ROM you'd like to have installed side-by-side.  Needless to say, this type of installation is not for a novice.


Same problem was with me I have tried flashing by flashtool by switching off my sony ST15i and then connecting to the PC by data cable and pressing vol+ key at the same time. Your phone will glow a green light it means your phone is in flashing mode. It was sucessfull, I have tried it many times it always work.But after a month it shows no servis or emergency call I don't know what to do with it but my phone works properly but remember use only Ginger Bird ROM otherwise it may be wouldn't work.


ad blocker w/ vpn, or vpn with ad blocker?

Most VPN based ad blocker Blokada don't work like traditional VPN systems, instead the VPN server is located on the same Android device. Outside of your device the traffic is just normal Internet traffic exactly as it would be without VPN based ad blocker.
The VPN based ad blocker uses the VPN system only for redirecting the traffic into the app for being able to filter the traffic. On unrooted devices the VPN system is the only way to get access to the traffic of other apps, therefore the Android VPN-client is used.
On regular VPN systems the VPN server (endpoint) is located on a server somewhere on the Internet. If the VPN is active all traffic that leaves your device is encapsulated (protected + encrypted) in a VPN data connection that is sent to the VPN server and there the data is unpacked and sent to the original server. Therefore the traffic that leaves your device is totally different and because of the additional server in-between the latency can increase depending on where the VPN server is located.
Of course it is possible to add ad blocking features to a traditional VPN.