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I just purchased and unlocked a Samsung Galaxy i7500 using FastGSM's system. (It cost $20 and it's used up; I can't redo it.) I know my phone has an option to "reset" it to the default/factory settings. Will doing so re-lock my phone? Is the lock hardware-level or OS/software-level? Can I upgrade the OS now that it's u...
According to the FastGSM page: "Congratulations! Your phone is permanently unlocked and can use it with different network SIM card. It will never relock again even if you do software update." ( source ) This means that even a factory reset won't relock the phone. I assume this is because Samsung phones use the /efs par...
Unlocked Galaxy i7500, Reset Will Remove it?
android
Occassionally my Wi-Fi goes into this weird state where the phone "thinks" I'm connected, but the connection simply doesn't work. Apps still seem to think I have connectivity, though they can't actually connect to anything, and the status bar still shows that I'm connected to Wi-Fi. Turning Wi-Fi off and back on resolv...
This could be a solution, but it's more a hint at the issue: The ZTE Blade suffers with losing it's Wi-Fi connection when it comes back from sleep. Perhaps you have a similar issue? The app Blade Wifi Fix by AA Android available from Google Play Store, fixes it on the Blade, you could give it a try: Some people with th...
How can I prevent my Wi-Fi connection from glitching?
android
There is already stackexchange-url ("a similar question"), which is about the Xoom and note taking. But I'd like to ask this in a more general way: Given a tablet (and a pen), how can I write - not just adding notes and comments, more like one would write on paper - in a PDF? The additional writing should be saved with...
So far the closest that I found to Xournal in Android is RepliGo Reader or ezPDF Reader . They both Allow drawing of lines, curves, freehand, etc. Save the annotations/drawings within the PDF file But in my opinion both Apps do not use the full potential of what's possible with the Thinkpad Tablet and/or xournal. It ma...
How can I write in a PDF with a tablet and a pen (a.k.a Is there a Xournal alternative for Android)?
android
I recently decided to encrypt my Xoom tablet. The process went smoothly (full power, plugged in the whole time, took about an hour) but since the encryption, it seems like my battery life has decreased. With moderate usage, I used to get close to two days worth of usage before the encryption, but now my battery usage m...
Encryption is a fairly CPU intensive process, so using more battery is not unexpected. Though it depends a lot upon the apps you use and how much they read/write to the storage. I would expect that an 'idle' Xoom with encryption would last just as long as one without, but if you use an app that does lots of little writ...
Does encrypting the Xoom tablet use battery faster?
android
Acer recently released an official upgrade to 3.2 for the Iconia A500 tablet, but the Netflix app is still not visible in the market. Is it possible to get the Netflix app on this tablet without rooting?
The hacked apk from here works: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=18058380&postcount=147
Can the Netflix app be loaded on an Acer Iconia A500 without rooting?
android
I own a dual-booting HTC-HD2 with MIUI on SD card. I already knew, from tutorials, that in order to maximize battery life I should first-boot Android only with 100% of charge. This is currently unclear to me. First, I run Windows Mobile 90% of time, and I use Android occasionally only for some programs that are not ava...
No, it is because at first boot (ie: inizialization), Android creates a Battery stat file to calibrate the battery. After the first boot, you can start Android with any battery percentage. If you think that after a long time, the battery percentage is not correctly reported, you can force Android to recreate the stats ...
Battery life in dual-boot HTC HD2
android
I am a proud owner of Motorola Defy. A few months ago I upgraded my defy from 2.1 to 2.2. Although it had new features it became a bit laggy and so finally I decided to root my defy and install MIUI Gingerbread. I was using MIUI Gingerbread all this time and suddenly it started itching me and a thought came to my mind ...
There is this tool called <code> RSD Lite </code> , which is (AFAIK) an internal tool from motorola to flash their phones. You should be able to find it around the googles. And here you should be able to pick up a stock firmware for the Defy. This method worked for my Moto Cliq XT, but don't let this be a guarantee for...
Revert from MIUI to Motoblur
android
I have a mytouch 4g running gingerbread. I want to set up adb to work with the phone over usb, but I can' figure out how to do it. Frankly, I don't really know anything more so I'm not sure what else to say. Any help is greatly appreciated
First, ensure that "USB debugging" option is enabled on your phone by going to <code> Menu -&gt; Settings -&gt; Applications -&gt; Development </code> . On some devices this option will be grayed out while your phone is connected via USB, so disconnect it first. Next step is installing the USB drivers on your computer....
how do I set up adb with MyTouch 4g?
android
Is there a way I can use ADB to determine the external storage directory (equivalent of the Android API call <code> Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory() </code> )?
<code> adb shell echo $EXTERNAL_STORAGE </code> . All credit goes to Flow for leading me to experiment and find this. Naturally you can use <code> cd $EXTERNAL_STORAGE </code> or whatever else you might need during an adb shell session.
How can I determine storage directory from ADB?
android
I have an old HP Pavilion dv2000 laptop with a busted hard drive. I want to put a compatible Android distro onto a USB thumb, plug this in to the laptop and boot into it and use it for casual www browsing. Firstly, is this possible and if so, is LiveAndroid my only option?
http://www.android-x86.org/ This is the only android distribution for Intel/AMD processors that I am aware of. It has little support, but is actively maintained. The latest version is a release candidate for Android 2.3. Obviously hardware support is hit and miss. For what it's worth it runs very well on my EEE PC. You...
What Android distro can boot from USB stick in PC/Laptop?
android
I'm trying to use the Verizon tethering app (and have tethering enabled on my Verizon account). My MacBook sees the hotspot, but does not connect successfully. I'm using WPA mode. The phone sees the Mac, but apparently never issues an IP address.
I resolved this on the Mac by turning wifi off and then back on. On the Win7 PC, running the network troubleshooter (which I believe turned the adapter off and on) also solved the problem. I believe it may be related to some state left over from a previous connection in both cases. Off-topic: with a 4G (LTE) signal, in...
Can I tether my Macbook (Lion) to my Verizon Droid Bionic using either USB or WiFi?
android
I'm interested in rooting my (Very recently bought) nexus one, and installing Cyanogenmod over Fastboot. However, on the boot screen of my device I've noticed the first line tells me that security is on, which disables the USB Interface in the bootloader: <code> Nexusone PVT Ship S-ON </code> On the Cyanogenmod wiki pa...
Nexus Ones do not ship with 'S-OFF', they ship with a "locked" bootloader which then must be unlocked. You can actually use fastboot to unlock the bootloader, just run <code> fastboot oem unlock </code> on your PC using ADB (Android Device Bridge). MoDaCo has a post here with complete instructions and a multi-platform ...
Unlocking the Bootloader on a Nexus One with S-On
android
I have an android and all of a sudden shazam doesn't work. It crashes whenever I open it up, so I want to clear the data but I have a lot of tags in there and I want to download the songs but I can't even look through the list... Anyone know where the tags are stored and if there is a way for me to retrieve them?
Ok, so it seems the only way to do this on android is to contact shazam customer support, give them your IMEI number and they will send you the list.
Anyone knows where Shazam stores tags?
android
Merging the gmail contacts with the phones address list has many advantages, but also one nagging problem. While the gmail contacts contain full names, and in English, I want the display name in the dialer to be in Hebrew and I often use nicknames or first names only. Is there some workaround? The easiest method I can ...
Dw contact manager supports this feature http://crowdin.net/project/dw-contact-group-manager
Sort contacts by different field (not first \ last name)
android
My Samsung Galaxy S II phone crashed and after I restarted it, there was an SD card notification icon that says "SD Card blank or has unsupported filesystem" with the only option of formatting the card. However, the contents of the SD card like photos taken or videos is accessible just fine UPDATE: the card seems to be...
SD Card blank or has unsupported filesystem means your SD Card has corrupted data. The only way is to get it normal is to Format it. Now what about the Data on SD Card ? If you are using Linux Machine then there is something called TestDisk . Install it on your PC. Now connect your phone with SD Card inserted to you PC...
How to get rid of "SD Card blank or has unsupported filesystem" notification
android
After I sign in, i'm asked to set a voicemail PIN, and immediately after that i get the error: Your phone number could not be verified. Please try again. How do I verify my phone for Google Voice usage on my Android? Note: I'm using <code> Nexus one </code> with the latest 2.3.6 update. I'm not a US citizen. And I can ...
You mentioned that you're not a US citizen, but do you live in the US and have a US phone number? If not, Google voice is not yet available outside US, and you just have to wait for them to expand the service.
Google Voice : Your phone number couldn't be verified
android
I've just got a new Motorola Atrix 4g and have experience random reboots of the phone, this generally happens when it is in my pocket or otherwise unattended. Usually during the work day when browsing, playing games, listening to music or using the GPS it behaves itself. Anyone got any ideas?
Sounds like a hardware issue. I suggest promptly replacing it with your carrier before your return grace period is up (30 days with AT&amp;T, for example.) You will need to do this at the same store where you purchased the handset. I have the exact same problem with my new Atrix. Unfortunately (for me) I unlocked its b...
Motorola Atrix 4g reboots itself
android
I am new to Android Platform and I Like to know whether it is possible for an Android device (App) to communicate with Linux/XP system via USB port for 2 way communication. If yes how can it be done? What I want to achieve: I have a PC running Linux and I want to write a small App in my Android device to send and recei...
This isn't possible on most devices, since they don't support USB Host mode. Some devices have USB OTG support or a USB Host port, but these are relatively rare devices so far. In theory you could write an application on Win/Linux to access the phone via USB but not the other way around.
Communicating with a device via USB port , is it possible?
android
I'm running Cyanogenmod 7.1RC1 on my Desire. When my phone is not on silent, I can hear the ringtone on my headphones when someone calls me, which is great. However, when my phone is on silent and my headphones are plugged in, an incoming call will not produce a ringtone over the headphones. I would prefer it if my pho...
You could create a tasker profile that sets the ringer volume when a Bluetooth headset is connected. I'm not sure how to handle the case when you disconnect the headset, though. You would only want to set the volume back to zero if it was zero when it was connected. Edit: tasker gives access to current ringer volume vi...
How do I make my phone play a ringtone over my headphones despite being on "silent"?
android
I just got my Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet. It does not have a GSM/UMTS/3G module but there is an SMS/MMS icon. What is the purpose of this app? Does Android allow me to send and receive SMS/MMS over my Wifi Internet connection, or is it just a leftover? I am not interested in any alternatives to the stock app. I am more cur...
As for now I consider the stock SMS/MMS app a leftover on tablet devices without an GSM/UMTS module. I serves no purpose on such devices.
Can I use the stock SMS/MMS app on an Android tablet without UMTS module?
android
I want to know the remaining time of my cell phone battery. Android only gives me how much battery in terms of percentage has been consumed since the last charging. However, what I want is to know how much more time I have before my phone goes off? How can I get that information?
Battery Indicator Pro or a similar alternative might help. In addition to showing the remaining battery in numbers, it also tries to "guesstimate" the remaining minutes, depending on light/medium/heavy usage.
How to know how much battery in terms of hours and minutes is left on my phone?
android
Imagine that you want to do something, while the display in is action (not in sleep mode) and at the same time, you don't want to do anything else. This situation is like children lock , in which, all buttons fail to react, temporarily, to disable any kind of interaction by a child. Is there a way to achieve this in An...
If your talking within your app, this is impossible as you cannot override the home button even if it is soft or hard button. So a full lock is always impossible. This is to stop rogue app's taking full control of the phone.
Is there a way to disable touch temporarily?
android
I used to have a HTC Magic, and I recently switched to a Samsung Galaxy S2. One thing I miss is the ability to Show/hide the keyboard, on the HTC Magic, a long press of the menu key toggled the keyboard's visibility, is there a way to achieve the same thing on the Galaxy S2? (I tried several long presses and various sw...
Posted my question too quickly, I just found a way to do a bit the same, when the keyboard is out, a press on back will hide it, this is handy when filling forms with numerous entries, to make the keyboard pop out again simply click in a text field... This is enough so far, and a long press on the menu will bring out t...
Show/Hide Keyboard on the Samsung Galaxy S2
android
I installed Firefox on my android from the market app, then I installed flash from the market app, and Firefox still does not display flash on sites like charlierose.com for example. Any idea what it is I need to do in order to get flash to work on Firefox?
Current version of Firefox for Android does not support Flash content. Mozilla developers said that they are working on it, and eventually Flash will work in some future version. No ETA was given though.
Flash is not working with Firefox on Android
android
I just switched from a Droid1 to an HTC Evo 3d, and despite all the positives, one negative is sticking under my nail. On the Motorola Droid, the camera/gallery (I am not sure who is responsible for the naming of the image) had a naming convention that included a time/date stamp (i.e. 20110930122900). Unfortunately, th...
That is not currently possible on the stock camera application, however there is an open ticket with the Android project team to make such an option exposed. http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=10561 Meanwhile you can try some custom camera applications like "Camera Folders" which allows custom file name ...
How can I change the naming convention of the stock camera/gallery app?
android
Why doesn't Android keep track of the created and last accessed times as well as the last modified time for files in the file-system?
It doesn't store creation time because UNIX filesystems (generally speaking) simply don't store this anywhere, and Android doesn't seem to be any different. stackexchange-url ("This Stack Overflow question") has some discussion about this fact (you can ignore the fact that it's talking about Python - the answers are st...
Filesystem created and last accessed times
android
I an Android newbie and software developer. I just got this used HTC Droid Incredible and installed cyanogen on it. I read that when I plug it in to the laptop with a USB cable I should see a notification at the top of the phone's screen, and then be able to copy over music, etc. But I plug it in and nothing happens. W...
It was the cable. The store gave me a new cable, but it was power only. I didn't know some cables were power, but no data. I'll be returning that. Thanks to Matthew for his suggestion in the comment.
Why doesn't my Macbook see my phone (droid incredible, cyanogen)?
android
When I hold the home screen on a spot a set of options appears to add to Home. Two of these options say program and widget . To add my calendar app which syncs with my google calendar I had to use widget on the home screen. To add my task app which syncs with my google tasks, I added a program to the home screen. What ...
You basically answered the question. A widget is a 'view' on an application that will update and can be embedded in apps like the home screen. A 'program' in the home screen sense is a static link to an full-screen application startup. See the first para of the Android developer docs for more details about what a Widge...
What is the difference between Widget and program that can be added to the home screen?
android
At some point during the past 2 months the drag-down default voicemail number on my Droid X inexplicably changed from *86 to *74274 - a number that returns the pre-recorded message: "Your feature update could not be completed." How do I change the default voicemail number back to *86?
Try <code> Settings-&gt;Call Settings-&gt;Voicemail </code> . On my Fascinate this pops up with a dialog box where I can enter a new voicemail number immediately. On my EVO (CyanogenMod) I have to go into <code> Settings-&gt;Call Settings-&gt;Voicemail Settings-&gt;Voicemail Number </code> to get the same box, so it's ...
My default voicemail number somehow changed to *74274, which gives an error message. How do I switch it back to *86?
android
I found this strange "anonymous" device: HoneyTab . Never wishing to discuss whether it's worth to buy or not (it would be totally OT), my questions are simple and straight: does somebody know if this tablet can be rooted or not? Does somebody know if and how is it possible to upgrade its ROM to future versions of Andr...
stackexchange-url ("How do I root my device?") contains our collective knowledge on what devices can be rooted, with links to methods. It's incomplete, of course, so if anyone knows how to root this tablet please add the info to the answer there, even if you post it here. ROMs cannot generally be used with multiple dev...
Hacking HoneyTab
android
Many times when I unlock my phone to wake it up, there seems to be a lot of lag shortly after. For instance, simply trying to make a call or opening an app seems to take about 5 to 10 seconds or so. I can't really look at the memory usage or anything because it is only within the first 10 seconds or so. For the most pa...
After updating to a 2.3.4-based ROM that is not 2.3.3, this issue seems to be solved. See more details in the answer to this stackexchange-url ("question").
Phone is slow to respond after waking up
android
After the DigiNotar fiasco, the Guardian Project put out the CACertMan application which allows a user to modify their certificate store on a rooted device. It doesn't work on Android 2.0, which is what the PDN runs. What are my options?
The CACertMan application, while it does not support 2.1 as compiled, is trivially modifiable to compile against 2.1 SDK and minimum version can be dropped with no seemingly ill effects. Now to get that patch submitted.
PanDigital Novel - how to replace/update certificate store?
android
I would like to export both my contacts and my text messages. But I would like be able to easily read the file formats that it exports to. I can export the contacts as a VCF yet when I view it there is a lot of other data that I do not need. Is there a way to export the contacts as a file formate that excel can open an...
At least if using the stock Messaging app SMS Backup + can backup your messages in a readable format to your Gmail. And for contacts I'd recommend syncing them to Google Contacts and exporting them from there (as Chahk mentioned in the comments).
Export contacts/text messages in a readable format
android
I'm working on rooting my android kernel and most sites list http://android-dls.com/files/linux/fastboot as the place to look for the fastboot binary. However, I've been getting a 404 (Page not Found) error when attempting to access this site. Does anyone know of an alternate download location for fastboot? I'm current...
HTC used to have a copy of the Linux binary, but they changed their developers portal and now I can't find that one anymore, either. The only other pre-compiled version I've been able to find is here (link originated from this thread on droidforums.net , which also has a link to a pre-compiled OSX binary). I checked wi...
Anyone have an alternative dowload site for a fastboot binary?
android
I am using a HTC G2 running Android 2.3. I would like to access content on my phone (not on the SD Card). This includes phone contacts and any data in the phone memory. Also is there a way to access the contacts inside the SIM card via USB cable and the phone. Thanks for any assistance.
You need root to access most of the phone storage, such as the data partition and databases (e.g. contacts). Even then you need to use adb from the Android SDK which is not particularly user friendly. There's no way to access the SIM over USB that I know of &mdash; it would be pretty complicated to make that work.
How to access phone via USB cable (not SD Card)
android
My Galaxy S2 has always shown not more than 8 hours of battery life. This is with the stock ROM, as well as the recent 2.3.5 update and a rooted kernel. All the battery saving tips I've seen essentially boil down to 'turn off everything that made you buy the damn phone in the first place and use it only for voice calls...
I usually get by the day by carrying a USB charger since I always have my laptop or other computers around me. Some people get through by buying a second battery pack or a thick extended battery. Any apps that syncs every 15 minutes is battery sucker, since it prevents the phone from sleeping. Syncing every hour or so ...
Power saving tips for Galaxy S2 that don't involve turning it into a dumbphone
android
I need to create an alarm or calender event that repeats every alternate day at same time. I can not associate it with day of week, or date. I am using HTC Desire S. I also need create entries in HTC Desire S calendar that which does not sync with Google calendars.
The application Touch Calendar Free create entries in phone-only calendar called 'PC Sync'. It also has repeat option as 'repeat every x day' where I have set as x=2. These entries are visible in HTC Calendar too.
Alarm/Cal Event repeating every alternate day and that which does not sync with google
android
If I have a contact with the number 099123456, the caller ID doesn't recognize it, I need to change it to +59899123456. My phone is a Galaxy S2. I have friends with other android phones (Galaxy S1, Nexus S) and the same carrier, but they don't have this problem. Could it be some kind of setting?
It's always a good idea to save numbers in canonical format , this ensures that you will be able to call the contacts if you are roaming in an foreign country. You issue is surely related to the Android ROM you are using. You could try to use another ROM. But as I stated before, saving the numbers in a canonical format...
Caller ID for SMS doesn't recognize contacts unless I add the country code to all
android
For the PC there is a plugin for the google calendar so that edits to the calendar can be made offline. On my Android 2.1 there does not seem such an option. I am using the calendar though the browser and not an app. On the app market place I cannot find the app so I am using the browser..
As I said in several comments, the Calendar app is the way to interact with your calendar offline. If you're interacting with the calendar via the browser, you need to be connected. The Android browser doesn't support any sort of "plug-in".
Is there an 'offline' version of Google calendar for Android?
android
I was updating from the market this app and I got a package error. I uninstalled it and installed it again from scratch. No problem. Now the app is 24 mb! To me it sounds like the broken package is still sitting somewhere in my internal memory... Cleaning dalvik and application cache didn't help :( Any hints?
The new update has made the size bigger.
Google plus application is 24 mb after wrong update
android
I've just arrived at some place which offers wireless internet. When I try to connect my computer, it sends me to some specific URL in which I need to accept some terms of use, and then the Internet works fine. When I try to connect to that network with my Android, however, it's stuck on the "obtaining IP address" stag...
The issue is not with your device but with the wireless provider. That is the typical behavior when connecting to a defective hotspot, either over capacity or just a tad too far for a reliable connection... Sadly there is nothing you can do about it. It happens a lot to BT hotspots in the UK, in London most of them are...
Device stuck on "obtaining IP address", then sets network to "disabled"
android
I often set <code> Settings -&gt; Sound &amp; Display -&gt; Screen timeout </code> to <code> never timeout </code> . When I turn off the device the settings is <code> 1 minute </code> again. Do you know how to make the settings durable? My version is 2.2 (Froyo)
Try this if you added apps and somehow changed some obscure setting. Nothing to do with firmware, whoops. Setting > About device > Repair and formatting tools - Delete device configuration and installed applications Failing that or if you're using it for reading &amp; something similar. You should try one of those apps...
Durable settings of Screen timeout
android
Just what the title says; In a closed environment like a subway tunnel, or a deeper subterranean tunnel - will a GPS enabled phone be able to provide lat/long?
GPS relies on your device picking up radio signals transmitted by satellites orbiting above us, an awful lot of things can block these relatively weak signals. From Pocket GPS World: How does the Global Positioning System work? Buildings, terrain, electronic interference, or sometimes even dense foliage can block signa...
Can a GPS enabled android device provide lat/long underground?
android
As I understand it, when I set Tasker to execute a tasks in a profile that has a state context it executes the tasks once - when the state condition becomes true. Is there a task command to make Tasker re-run the profile (in case the state condition still remains true, of course)? Background: I'm trying to make Tasker ...
Add a time context to your profile. There is a repeat option (check box).
Tasker: How to trigger recheck of state context?
android
I installed the latest Google+ app version 1.07 and now the widget has stopped working, and when I go the widget list, it is no longer listed as a choice. Has this happened to others and is there a solution?
Widgets don't work when the app has been moved to the SD card. When I originally tried moving the app back to the phone to test this, I couldn't get the widget to show up in the list either. However, I restarted the phone and then the widget was available to be used. So, if you want the widget back, move the Google+ ap...
Google+ 1.07 Widget not working
android
I'm synchronizing my contacts from many accounts (Hotmail, Facebook, Gmail), everything have worked well and the OS has joined (or shows them as one) the accounts that refer to the same person. But not all accounts, since some accounts have not been joined although both accounts have the same name and one email exists ...
Raw contacts are joined according to rules described at Using the Contacts API : Two raw contacts are considered to be a match if at least one of these conditions is met: They have matching names. Their names consist of the same words but in different order (for example, "Bob Parr" and "Parr, Bob") One of them has a co...
What is the criteria that Android depends on to join contacts from different accounts?
android
Is it possible to root the Samsung Galaxy S II without installing a custom kernel or otherwise flash custom firmware?
Why do you want to avoid flashing Chainfire's kernel? From XDA : This rooted kernel is for the "rooting beginners" and those who want to keep as close to stock as possible. CF-Root takes the kernel from an original Samsung firmware, and just adds root, busybox, and ClockWorkMod (CWM4) recovery. Rooting voids your warra...
Is it possible to root the Samsung Galaxy S II without installing a custom kernel?
android
A new policy at my work is being drafted regarding email access on phones. A requirement will be that the phone must automatically have all data erased after a certain amount of failed login attempts. Let's ignore the fact that it's pretty silly to a.) be allowing work email access on personal phones when such stringen...
Apparently, this might not be a built-in security option in the OS itself, but Exchange ActiveSync can enforce this requirement.
Can Android phones be set to automatically wipe all data after a certain amount of failed logins without an app?
android
I have an original Motorola Droid. Is there a way I can save all the original pre-installed sounds/ringtones?
It looks like all of the default ringtones and notification sound files are in <code> /system/media/audio </code> . If you can't get to them when mounting via USB, you should be able to use something like ASTRO file manager to copy the files to your SD card and then get them that way. They just appear to be ogg files.
Save default installed sounds on Original Droid
android
I'm having a puzzling problem. I was pleased to see that the latest version of Google+ now supports being moved to the SD card. However, I just installed it on my HTC Desire and, having moved it to the SD card, find I now have 2MB less internal storage space on the phone than I did before! Since the previous version wa...
Version 1.0.7 is significantly larger than previous versions. Even after moving to the SD card I'm showing 14.5MB taking up system storage. That'll account for your 2MB reduction in space. Google generally hasn't allowed for their apps to be moved to the SD card, presumably so they can be sure widgets will work or othe...
Why do I have less internal storage space after moving Google+ to my SD card?
android
I've got two MP3 files from my friend via Gmail. How can I save them to my phone? There is only a Preview button...
After I installed the ASTRO file manager and I went to "Preview" - ASTRO popped up, and saying, "give a filename" ok, then it saved the files!! (the files must be ex.: zipped!!) - and then I was able to extract the files in the zip.
How to save attachment from Gmail?
android
I have a Tasker profile conditional on the phone being in the Car Dock. When I insert the phone in the dock, I sometimes get a prompt to choose which application to launch -- either Tasker or "Smart Dock", a built-in app. (When I don't get the prompt, neither seems to be notified). There is also an option to make the s...
Tasker should be seeing the event even if the system doesn't have it set as the default handler, so you should be safe setting Smart Dock as the default. (That said, you could also have Tasker handle the launch of Smart Dock.)
Which app should I select when inserting my phone into the car dock?
android
On my totally stock Bell Samsung Galaxy S2 I have my main GMail account synced to it, it is also synced to my iPod using Exchange ActiveSync. My phone's default calendar has all the events from my Google Calendar that I had been organizing and creating events from my iPod calendar with. However, when I create a new eve...
If you go into the Calendar app and press the Menu button, then select Settings you should see an options at the top for Calendars this should show all of the individual calendars on your device that are being merged together into the Calendar displayed. The top one is probably My Calendar then below that should be an ...
"Local calendar cannot sync with Google calendar..." but it can? What?
android
I have an HTC desire and have Orange as a provider in the UK. The software information displays my firmware version as being "2.1-update1". I discovered that my phone is not up to date, because after hours of searching I discovered that the reason I cannot find the google app 'phone to chrome' is because the version is...
Yes, it's up to the carrier whether to distribute the update over their network, but it looks like the update did roll out on Orange . Strange that you didn't get it and can't see it. That said, updating via HTC Sync is perfectly safe and will not void your warranty. It's nothing like rooting. I would think you should ...
How can I update my HTC Desire when the OTA update is missing?
android
OK, after having reviewed the Samsung DROID Charge, reviewing and owning a DROID BIONIC, and hearing from many Thunderbolt users, it seems like one problem is common to all Verizon 4G handsets: a dropping 3G data connection. So far, I've observed the following: My BIONIC often refuses to get a 3G data connection back w...
It seems the issue is network authentication problems caused by Verizon's switch to a UICC SIM-based authentication for both 3G and 4G connections on all of its 4G LTE devices. See this article: http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/12/19/this-is-why-your-verizon-galaxy-nexus-or-other-4g-lte-vzw-phone-is-losing-data-signal...
Why does the 3G connection drop issue happen on all Verizon 4G LTE handsets?
android
I have a rooted HTC Hero, currently running VillainRom (Android 2.1). I want to install FroydVillain (Android 2.2), which supports app2sd, but I'm not sure whether I need to repartition my SD card before I install 2.2 and if yes, how, if I want app2sd to work. Any ideas?
The CyanogenMod wiki has some info on this . Basically, their old version of apps2sd (now called apps2ext) required an EXT partition on the SD card. Their current version does not require partitioning, it's just a matter of overriding the preference of the app and moving it to the SD card anyways. Since FroydVillain is...
Do I need to (re-)partition my SD card for app2sd to work?
android
Is there an app that lets me chat with BlackBerry users just by adding their PINs? Something that simulates that my Android phone belongs to the BlackBerry network? I know there are multiplatform options like WhatsApp but I am talking about an app that lets me chat with people who are using the native BlackBerry Messen...
You can't. RIM's PIN system and BBM are proprietary. You can only communicate with a BlackBerry user via PIN messages or BBM if you have a BlackBerry. Get a new Bold 9900 / 9930, they're great! Full disclosure: I work for RIM. This is not an official statement from RIM either, this is me speaking as a user in my off ti...
How can I chat with BlackBerry users?
android
I want to give Darky's ROM a try on my Samsung Galaxy S; I'm currently running CM7 RC1. How would I go about doing this? Can I flash using recovery, or do I need odin? Do I need to revert to stock first?
Most Darky's packages I've seen are your normal update.zip variety that are flashed through recovery, so you should be good to go. If it's an Odin package it should say so &mdash; always vet your sources ( here's a good one). I see no reason to believe flashing from CM would be a problem either unless it messed with yo...
How to flash Darky's ROM from Cyanogenmod 7?
android
My wifi Xoom was just updated to 3.2.1. Anyone know what this update contains?
Motorola's Xoom Support forums has a thread that is updated when updates go out, and contains links to the lists of changes in the updates which (for US Wifi Xooms) is here . According to that two software updates have gone out in the last few weeks, HTK55D and HTK75D the first contains security updates, the second upd...
what is updated in honeycomb 3.2.1?
android
Whenever I connect my S2 to the power outlet (not to a computer), the Kies application pops up. Where do I disable this auto-activation?
Go to Settings > Applications > Development > and check USB debugging After that if you connect your S2 to a PC it will connect in USB mode and you won't get the KIES application popup.
How can I disable Kies in Samsung Galaxy S2?
android
I am using Music (latest up to today) and TTPOD as my MP3 players. After Googling, I suppose I can set my MP3 ring tone, by long press on the song through Music application. However, once I long press, there are only the following selections Play Add to playlist Delete Shop for artist More by artist Search I was expect...
This isn't the "correct" way, but IMO it's a good way: use Ringdroid. With it, you can cut a suitable part of the MP3 to be used as a ringtone. This way you can get rid of those pesky intros on songs that have a slow start and save space by not having the entire MP3 duplicate in your ringtones folder.
How to set MP3 ringtone in Android (Nexus S)
android
If I setup an email synchronization with our Exchange server, is the mail I store on my phone encrypted or readible if someone finds/steals my phone? I have enabled the unlock password (although it's not easy to unlock), but it is very easy to remove the sd-card from the phone. Is the information on that SD-card readib...
By default email will be stored in the phone's internal memory, not on the SD card. (Though you can 'move' the app to SD storage, so it is possible that the SD card gets used). As others have said, once your mail is on the SD card, there is no protection as the SD card is removable (since the data is unencrypted). For ...
Is my Exchange email encrypted on my device?
android
I'm researching a new current account, and an Android app would be a big bonus for me. None of the big few banks (Lloyds, Natwest, Barclays) seem to have apps. Santander has one but it doesn't work in the UK. Does anyone know of any UK banks which do have an Android app for viewing my balance, making transfers etc.?
From a quick search of the Market, only Northern Bank has anything obvious in there at the moment, and they're not quite one of the really big UK High St banks. (Barclays have a couple of apps but they're all related to their marketing/sponsorship nothing to do with personal accounts).
Do any UK banks have Android apps?
android
As a follow up to stackexchange-url ("this question"), is it possible to use Odin (or Heimdall) to save a complete image of my phone without root? Odin already allows me to completely overwrite pretty much everything on my phone without root. Can Odin be used to read the entire contents of the phone over USB without ro...
Odin is Samsung-only, you're right. (And as far as I know it isn't for all Samsung phones either, though I could be wrong on that.) Since Heimdall is, as far as I know, just an unofficial port of Odin I would assume it's the same, but I've never used it. Odin3 has a "Dump" function that I had never used. It seems to be...
Can I make a full backup of my phone with Odin and without root?
android
I'm migrating to a larger SD Card and I'm wondering if it is just a straightforward copy of the data from one card to the other in Windows? Specifically, can I just copy the card using Windows Explorer and paste to a temporary folder, then copy the contents of that temporary folder to the new card and have the phone be...
Joel, I've done this before, and I've had mixed results. Make sure you have Windows set to see hidden files and folders, then drag everything over. Your phone may refuse to remember the SD card-stored apps you have (as in, you've moved an app to run off the SD card), but it may also work. App settings, as far as I reme...
Changing SD Card Just a Simple Copy & Paste
android
The latest version of the Google Maps application bundled with Android allows me to pre-cache map areas. Each time a pre-cache a point it saves the map in a 10 km hamming radius of that point. I'm about to take a long vacation in various destination. Can I pre-cache those destinations and reliably use Google Maps there...
The number of areas you can pre-cache is limited by the amount of system storage you have available. It is important to note that the cache is stored in system storage, not the SD card. Also, the stored data is the base map tiles and landmarks. You will not be able to get directions based on this downloaded data, but y...
Pre-caching limitations and reliability in Google Maps
android
I have installed a ROM based on MIUI. The default launcher has 4 buttons on the bottom bar; is it possible to change the app shortcut of them?
You may Drag n drop the icons. A maximum of six is allowed
How to change bottom bar apps in MIUI launcher?
android
Whenever I try to install/upgrade an application, I get an "Installation Error: Unknown reason -110" message. What does this error mean, and how do I fix it? HTC Incredible 2 [Verizon Wireless] Edit: Updating/installing Market apps. 889MB available internal storage. Cleared cache and data on both Market &amp; Download ...
A hard reset solved the issue.
How do I fix "Unknown reason -110"?
android
In the Google Car Home app, when I click "Add Shortcut" on one of the available Car Home icons, and then select "Other applications", I am only presented with two options: Blast Monkeys Launcher Why just these two? Do apps have to register themselves specially to be available here? I know that is true for the "Car Appl...
I rebooted my phone and the problem went away (I can now see and choose from all installed apps). Must be a a bug.
Is it possible to add any arbitrary application as a shortcut in the Car Home app?
android
I have installed CyanogenMod on my HTC Desire HD a while back. Some things don't work, so I'd like to do these things: Install latest possible firmware Install latest possible standard (non-HTC) Android version If compatible with above, install rooted version (not really necessary) What steps do I need to take to do th...
There is no "standard non-HTC" version of Android, your device needs custom drivers and therefore a customized version of Android. If you install a custom ROM it will most certainly be pre-rooted. You should check XDA's Desire HD development subforum for custom ROMs. Read a few threads and decide on one that sounds goo...
Installing latest possible firmware and Android on HTC Desire HD
android
One thing I miss about HTC Sense is that their launcher button had an elongated middle button for the dialer. Is there a launcher or dock that replicates this kind of UI? (I'm using CM 7.1 RC1 on an HTC Desire.)
CyanogenMod uses ADWLauncher by default, so one option would be to simply use a Sense theme for ADW .
Launcher with long middle dock button
android
Simple question. I need to edit some Google documents on my EEE Pad Transformer with Honeycomb 3.2. I want few basic features. I want my changes to be displayed corectly in File/See revision history I want to be able to browse the file only with keyboard (that means up and down keys on the physical keyboard). I want to...
There was a recent (around 5-Oct-2011) update of the offical Google Docs App , with the following changes: What's new in this version: Optimized experience for tablet users, Honeycomb (Android 3.0+) New 3-panel interface for improved browsing Details panel showing a thumbnail and sharing information Improved sharing ex...
Is there any working implementation of Google Docs on Honeycomb?
android
What are the features that TouchWiz has that vanilla Android does not have? This question is similar to stackexchange-url ("What are the features that HTC Sense has that stock Android does not have?") but for Samsung TouchWiz.
Home Screen Up to 7 Home screens, with the ability to add and remove screens at will, and drag them around to change the order (pinch zoom the home screen) Customizable dock area at the bottom of the home screen, allowing you to stackexchange-url ("add/remove up to 4 apps"). Apps List 'Screen at a time' sideways scroll...
What are the features that TouchWiz has that vanilla Android does not have?
android
Why is there a difference in the look of the checkboxes between this device and this Samsung device ? Is this affected by the launcher, in which case the reason is clear?
Theming is independent of the launcher, although both may be considered part of the UI; for example, the TouchWiz launcher and theme are elements of Samsung's TouchWiz UI. My Samsung Vibrant is running a custom ROM called Bionix, and they've re-themed the device so my checkboxes look like this (perhaps the only thing I...
Why are the checkboxes different on different devices?
android
I don't understand why the Android 2.3 SDK docs show the home screen dock as beeing this: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Google_Nexus_S_smartphone.jpg And I have this, unchanged from 2.1 to 2.3.4 now: http://blog.nimbuzz.com/files/2010/06/samsung-galaxy-s-android-launches-2.jpg Is it a Samsung thing...
Basically, yes. That's Samsung's UI/framework, TouchWiz . Other manufacturers have their own UIs as well, including HTC's Sense and Motorola's Motoblur . The Nexus S has the "stock" Android UI.
Home screen bottom bar buttons
android
What are the features that Motoblur has that vanilla Android does not have?
Motoblur has a bunch of widget-based applications which bring your social networks and/or emails together for ease of viewing, as well as weather, rss feeds and other simple UI elements/widgets that can come in handy. However, Motoblur keeps a process running in the background for each service (type of widget) and thus...
What are the features that Motoblur has that vanilla Android does not have?
android
My father has an HTC Incredible, and a major source of frustration is that the Sense lock-screen uses a swipe gesture to unlock, which for some reason is very difficult for him, especially when trying to answer a call. I can turn the lock-screen off, but this results in the answer and decline call buttons being active ...
While it amounts to recommending major surgery for a small problem, CyanogenMod has customizable lock-screen controls. (My wife's G1 is configured to unlock when she pushes the menu button.) Of course this requires rooting, modding, and hardware buttons...but it's a solution.
Is there a lock-screen that can unlock without swiping across screen
android
Regarding stackexchange-url ("the answer to my previous question of Android's idle Wi-Fi use"), it seems like a huge waste of battery life to have Wi-Fi constantly scanning and draining battery. So it seems it would be better to turn Wi-Fi off. However, I'd still want my Android to connect automatically to my home netw...
One solution to this problem : use a tasking program such as Locale or Tasker and create certain conditions that will enable your wifi (essentially writing a script as you described). For example: Use GPS and determine if I'm at my home (I believe you can use real GPS, which will consume quite a bit of power, or base i...
Is there an application that would turn on Wi-Fi periodically just to do a quick network discovery?
android
Motorola Xoom running Honeycomb 3.1, for the last few days, every few minutes I get a popup in the middle of the screen saying: Sorry! The process com.google.process.gaps has stopped unexpectedly. PLease try again. Force close This happens when I'm running pretty much any app: browser, Google Reader, Gallery, GMail, Fi...
After a lot of experimentation and backwards and forwards and disabling and enabling various things, I've got it to the point where I haven't seen that error popup for about a week now (which is a huge improvement over it appearing every 10 minutes). Unfortunately Logcat never seemed to show any obvious, enlightening e...
How do I stop com.google.process.gaps force closing randomly?
android
Can I merge contacts in CyanogenMod 7 like I was able to do in HTC Sense? Let's that I have my contact 'John Smith', then I import contacts from Facebook and a new John Smith appeared. I want these two contacts to be merged under one single contact. Can I do that somehow in CyanogenMod 7?
Merge exists in CM 6 - edit the contact, select "join" - if it's not in 7, it's a regression.
How can I merge contacts in CyanogenMod?
android
I am trying to do rsync from my android phone to my laptop. The problem that I am facing is that the permissions are not getting preserved even when the <code> -p </code> flag is used. I have also used the other flags such as <code> -o </code> , <code> -g </code> . What may be the reason and a fix for this?
Is your SD card formatted as FAT32? If so, that's why - it's a FAT32 limitation.
Rsync does not preserve permissions while rsyncing from Android to Laptop
android
When I have Wi-Fi turned on, but not connected to any network, how much does Android use the Wi-Fi function? I'm asking this because apparently Wi-Fi activity uses considerable* amounts of battery. Is the device constantly scanning for Wi-Fi signals to find a network to connect to? Or does it only do it at some interva...
I'm pretty certain the wifi drains more when scanning than when actively connected to a network. So when you are not going to use wifi, it is better to turn it off and use cell network (which you'll be using anyways while not actively connected to a wifi).
How much does Android use Wi-Fi for network discovery when not connected?
android
I've got LG Optimus One phone (model LG-P500h). How do I find out what wifi chipset my phone has? Is there a general mechanism that will work for all phones?
Well without some specialized program, there's always <code> dmesg </code> . Turn on wifi, then run <code> dmesg </code> in a terminal/ <code> adb shell </code> /ConnectBot. Towards the end of the file you'll see debug statements about your wireless. <code> dmesg | grep -i lan </code> can be useful if you have busybox ...
How do I find out what wifi chipset my phone has?
android
This started happening with the latest Facebook app update. I don't want to disable my GPS outright -- I like that it comes up automatically when I call Google Maps. (Which usually is in a "where the hell am I" situation.) But I see no valid reason to allow Facebook to query where I am all the time. Facebook's settings...
Similar to Permissions Denied, mentioned by Matthew is LBE Privacy Guard which also allows you to selectively disable permissions for apps. Also good for disabling geo-tagging on your photos as well as preventing Facebook and/or Twitter from broadcasting your location.
New Facebook app activates GPS when launched -- how to disable?
android
Is there a way to make a shortcut to one particular document? I frequently need one particular document from a secondary account, so it's always a pain to come out of current document, change accounts and load the required document. Any ideas?
Workaround - use Google Docs via a browser, and bookmark that page.
Shortcut to particular document in Google Docs app?
android
I am developing some applications for Android and I'm getting some errors and force closes. This is rather annoying, although not as much as annoying as the loud vibrations the phone does (a long vibration and 3 quick ones). This is very unpleasant for me and for my workmates. I've set Sound > > Vibrate to "Never", but...
You're probably not going to like my answer, but I don't think there's anything you can do about it. I've tried to turn this off myself in the past, but the Android OS is such that you will receive a force close vibration no matter what. Now, regarding your application actually force closing, here are my two best guess...
Disable force close vibrations
android
I downloaded a zip-file with the browser to my phone. Now I want to either upload it to a web site (form POST) or mail it as an attachment. In the stock browser (HTC Desire with Android 2.2) I can only choose to upload from Gallery, Voice recorder, or Music. In the Gmail app I can only attach photos and in the Exchange...
Install a File Explorer, say EStrongs File Explorer , and you would be able to upload arbitrary file from the browser or attach files to Gmail.
Upload a downloaded file
android
I currently have a custom kernel and ROM installed on my android device. The kernel I'm using comes with a separate download with kernel modules that you are to install yourself if you want. However no instructions are given on how to do it, also I cannot find any tutorial on-line how to do it. So I have a bunch of <co...
Use <code> adb </code> to push them to <code> /system/lib/modules </code> , then reboot. Android should load them at boot as long as they're in that directory, I believe. <code> shell&gt; adb push module.ko /system/lib/modules/ shell&gt; adb reboot </code> If you get a "read-only filesystem" error then remount <code> /...
How to install kernel module for android?
android
I discovered a "Sound Recorder" in the application list on my Froyo handset. Why is it hidden like that with no 'launcher' or app icon to start it? I'm curious.. also because of this app ; I need to open this thing and I want to know how to do it since it is already on my phone. I don't want to pay for an app that is j...
You could try launching it from the command line using the <code> am </code> command. Either from a terminal emulator or from an <code> adb </code> shell you can try: <code> am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n com.android.soundrecorder/com.android.soundrecorder.SoundRecorder </code> This works on my EVO and on my...
How to launch the hidden Sound Recorder on Froyo?
android
This Community Wiki question is designed to be the "canonical question" for questions asking how to upgrade one's device to a new Android version. I want to get a newer version of the OS for my Android device. How can I do that?
This is a Community Wiki post. If you see a way to improve it, please go right ahead and edit it. There are multiple factors that go into the answer in your particular case. Is there an official update from the carrier/manufacturer? Then use the official method. Is there no official update, but has someone created a RO...
How do I update Android on my device?
android
I've been trying to find a way to stop getting notifications on my phone when I receive offline messages to my GTalk account. It's highly annoying to be falling asleep and suddenly receive an email notification on my phone and once I open it, it's someone saying good night or some such. Anyone know of a possible soluti...
If you still want them to show up in your inbox, things get complicated. You would have to create filters to label every kind of message you do want notifications for, and then in the Gmail app you would turn off notifications for the inbox, followed by syncing and turning on notifications for the label you just create...
Stop Android GMail from receiving GTalk offline messages notifications?
android
When I save an image from a WebPage in android browser, can you please tell me where does that go? Which directory does that file go? I tried mounting the phone to my computer, but I can't find that file. Please help. Thank you.
Use a file manager such as ASTRO File Manager . I'll use my file manager quick to check though. EDIT: So on my Galaxy S2 the directory is /sdcard/download. /sdcard is the root directory on my phone and not actually an sd card. It's the 2GB of app storage on my phone
Save an image in Android browser
android
I have tried several Google Docs editors for Android and none of them has fully featured editor functionality. Selecting things like fonts and colors is absent and I have actually tried two editors that completely messed up a document I had initially created using a computer. I read several reviews stating similar thin...
I just tested QuickOffice Pro and it will do this. It didn't seem to ruin my existing google doc either.
Is there a Google Docs editor for Android that actually works?
android
There seems to be no way of filtering or searching the app reviews in Android Market. This is a problem because it's usually the low-scored reviews that are most useful - they give an idea about what people are finding as disadvantages, so I can decide whether or not those are relevant to me or not. Is there some way a...
These days, the Google Play Store (renamed Android Marketplace) does in fact have review filtering based on the rating. Just click on "User Reviews" and the "5 stars", "4 stars" titles for the bar graphic are now clickable, and clicking them displays only reviews with that rating. Thanks, Google!
Searching and filtering Android Market app reviews
android
First does it have an acceleration, compass, or "gyroscope". Second can it make noises? Third does it work for HTC Sensation? Thanks ahead of time.
From the Sony Ericsson website, the Live View specs page has no mention of a compass, gyroscope, accelerometer or similar. It doesn't mention anything about speakers either but does mention controlling phone calls and music playback on your phone, which would suggest its not designed to make noise itself but to control...
Several general questions about Sony Ericsson Live View
android
While I know Android phones play mp4 the best, I wanted to know what other specification in this container is the best for playback, (the bitrate, resolution, fps etc). Or perhaps some other codec/format that Android can (or is designed to) play smoothly and with an acceptable file size/quality ratio? I searched the An...
It seems that most of the H.264 encoded video files do not work in Huawei IDEOS u8150 using the Hardware renderer mode. 3GPs , H.263s and less complex video profiles work at full speed in HW mode. Most FLV video files play on Software Rendering mode ( ARMv6 MXVideoPlayer ) at appreciable speed (sometimes lagging at cer...
Optimum video codec for low end Android phones?
android
I have recently had a pretty weird problem with my new LG Shine Plus which I hope you guys could help, here is what I did: When I first sign up for the phone, I purchased a one month data plan just to try things out, everything was great and I was able to use the data plan and wifi when I am at home and downloaded quit...
How did you disable the Mobile Data Networks? Did you just erase the APN data? Or did you uncheck it in the settings menu? At this point, I would suggest doing a factory reset. Your problem would likely require more troubleshooting than it's worth to fix. Make a backup if possible. Google should remember the free apps ...
Unable to use apps that access the Internet on wifi
android
My friend and I both have droids and we often user each other's wall chargers out of convenience. I was told that it's possible that my phone might explode if it's charged with a charger that wasn't built specifically for my phone. How true is this across droids?
While this is standard cover-your-assets boilerplate, the truth is you can charge your phone off of pretty much any USB charger out there, as long as the following things are true: The output specification is +5V DC, and at least 500mA. If it's more (700mA, 1000mA) you are generally fine; the phone will only draw what ...
Is my phone liable to explode if I charge it with a charger that came with a different phone?
android
I read that it stands for "ROM Update Utility". What does it do? How is it run? What partitions does it affect? How does it unroot a phone? Can I accidentally use the wrong RUU on my phone?
An RUU is a Windows executable file (HTC currently does not support Mac or Linux) that installs a ROM to your device. It will overwrite the following partitions: System (the <code> /system </code> mountpoint) Boot (the <code> /boot </code> mountpoint) Recovery User data (the <code> /data </code> mountpoint, this means ...
What is an RUU?
android
I haven't installed any screenshot applications, in fact my phone was recently wiped when upgrading to gingerbread. I have Gingerbread 2.3.4 and I use the GoLauncher homescreen. Samsung Mesmerize from US Cellular. I know they install bloatware but I've used this phone for months and it only did this after the upgrade t...
When you hold the Home key and tap Power, it takes a screenshot. Unfortunately sometimes lag causes the Home press to be delayed/extended, so if you press it and let go before hitting Power it will still happen sometimes. The original SGS stackexchange-url ("suffers from this issue") as well, though it uses Home+Back. ...
Why does my power button take screenshots?
android