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How to access media files (photos and videos) on Samsung GT-I9082?
I have a Samsung GT-I9082 mobile phone (Android 4.1.2) with lots of videos and photos. I want to move them from the phone to my notebook running Windows 7.
I connected it via USB and selected the MTP mode. I got an error on the phone, which said that my notebook is not compatible with that mode.
So I switched to PTP mode ("Connect as a camera"). Then, the notebook recognized both the device and its memory card.

But I couldn't find video files neither on the device itself, nor on the memory card. Searching for *.* shows just 4 files, and their total size is less than 10 GB (this is the occupied space on the memory card according to previous screenshot).

What can I do in order to access these media files on my notebook?

Did you not look inside the card folder?

@Sid I looked into every folder, which was visible in the Windows explorer. I didn't find not a single video in any of them.

Well, this does not really answer the question, so I'm posting it as a comment. It might help you solving your problem. Let us know how it went.

did you tried to use the SD card which you use for this device in card reader?

@h4cky Not yet. My notebook doesn't have a SD card reader.

Have you tried "Showing Hidden Files and folders"? :

"Follow these steps to display hidden files and folders.

Open Folder Options by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking >Control Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, and then clicking Folder Options.>
Click the View tab.
Under Advanced settings, click Show hidden files and folders, and then click OK."

windows.microsoft.com

Here is a step by step guide on how I took the photos off my Galaxy s4:

Connect via USB (There should be an option in the notification center which looks like this)

Tap on it and it should bring you to another menu which should look like this:

Select Camera (PTP) and move to your computer

In windows explorer under "My Computer" it should appear similar to this:

Next select your phone and it should give you two options. If in your camera settings you've decided to store to Card then select that.

Next select DCIM

and then the camera folder

Your photos should be in that folder!

Hopefully this worked for you. I'm guessing the samsung phones have similar directory setups considering they're from the same manufacturer and both are running android, although I'm running a slightly newer version.
edit: After reconnecting a couple times I ran into the same problem and fixed it by reconnecting again and before accessing the folders letting it sit connected for a minute.
Also, If you're sorting the folder by file type the videos will probably be at the bottom of the list under all of the pictures.
ANOTHER way you can possibly get the photos on the computer and the way I personally use is using dropbox camera upload feature. Just download the dropbox app on your phone enable photo uploads and download the desktop app fr your computer and every photo you take will be automatically uploaded to dropbox so you can't lose it and it will be on your computer within a couple seconds to a couple minutes depending on your connection. I use this over connecting and copying over because I found connecting it to be a little glitchy.

With Camera Upload, the photos and videos you take with your camera, phone, or tablet
  will upload automatically to Dropbox—meaning they'll be safely backed up and viewable
  anywhere.
Take advantage of Camera Upload in two ways:

Upload wirelessly from your phone or tablet using the iOS or Android app
Upload by connecting your camera, phone, or tablet to your computer and using the Mac > or Windows desktop app

dropbox.com

The DCIM/* folders are visible, but they don't contain the videos.

I made an edit to the original answer.

I've got the same issue on my I900P (running 4.1.2), and your answer works just as advertised up til step 5, where I don't see anything for the card contents, just for the camera.    However unfortunately I use an SD card for pictures to conserve memory.    But this is invisible to the explorer window view of the camera.  Any tips on how to sort this?    tx

You can try Airdroid for fast file transfer from Android to PC over WiFi. Install it in your phone, turn on mobile hotspot and connect your PC to your local network. After that, Airdroid will give you an IP address. Just open it in your web browser of your PC, and you will get a nice file manager to access files.
If you have access to adb shell, you can also use 'adb push/pull' commands to copy files to/from your Android.

My answer wont solve your USB connection problem, but as i read your request, it seems that you only want the files sent to your computer and that this is the main reason you made this question.
Since you are saying that you have lots of photos and videos on the phone, i assume that you can access these from your phone trough Android.
If i was you, i would skip the USB problem, and then connect to the computer via WiFi.
The most simple way to do this, i think is to connect to the WiFi network. Install Dropbox/Google drive or any other similar service on your computer. Install the app for the same service on your phone. And then go into your favorite photo browser/gallery and send the files over to the service and then you will have them automatically on your computer(if you have installed the applications).
This also gives you a backup of the photos and videos. (If you have had this backup today, you wouldn't have to worry about getting the files out from your phone) :)
Simple steps one by one, with my recommended service:

Connect to WiFi with your cellphone
If you dont have a Google account, make one here: Google Signup.
Most likely you have a google account, when you have an Android phone. Otherwise, you can not download apps through the Google Play.
Install "Google Drive" on your computer. You can download it from the google drive download page.
Install "Google Drive" on your phone. Download it from the Google Play store.
Go into your favorite photo browser or gallery app on your phone. You can then select all files or only the ones you wanna transfer, and choose the "share"() button and choose "Google Drive". It will then use some time depending on the internet connection you have.
You can then go on your computer and find the files inside the "Google Drive" folder.

Your files is now safely saved/backed up on three devices. Your computer, phone and "Google Drive".
I hope this solution works for you.
You can also make a permanent solution by downloading and using FolderSync wich will automatically upload photos to Google Drive when you take photos or videos.

Instead of Using MTP or PTP Scroll down your notification and pressUSB Connected and Select Turn on USB Storage then your SD card Connect To your Laptop Like a Flash Drive And you can Copy Your Media From it.

Looking at given screen shot suggest there is some sort of virus issue with your notebook or the phone itself is infected

I doubt it because I tried it on 2 different notebooks and it never worked.

@DmitriPisarenko yes you are right i interpreted it wrong.

This is just a workaround, but one that worked for me:
Use an Android file manager such as AndroXplorer to rename the video files. When I did this, they appeared for me in Windows Explorer and I could copy them as usual.


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How can I get the history list of times I started using an application?
I want all the timestamps of every time that an app has started running.
I tried searching in the Play Store but I didn't find one. I downloaded an app called AppUsage which shows the Last Launched timestamp but I want all the timestamps

The Android system stores statistics on this, which on most devices can be accessed via a hidden menu:

Open your dialer
Type *#*#4636#*#*
A menu will open. The 3rd entry should read "Usage stats" (or something similar). Tap this.

You should see a list of your apps, which tells for each app how often it was started, and how long it ran. Using the drop-down box on top, the list can be sorted by usage time, usage count, or app name.
Remark: AFAIK this list will be reset when you restart your device.

Edit: In case your device provides no dialer (thanks @ce4 for pointing out my lapsus), it will require some searching to find the appropriate menu, but it's doable. Some launchers (e.g. Apex Launcher) provide the possibility to create shortcuts to "activities" (rawly: screens provided by apps). Long-tap a free space on your homescreen, then select "shortcuts", then "activities". Now scroll through the quite long list to find it. On my LG Optimus 4X the activity is called "Test" and has a "Gear" icon (same as the "Settings" app has in this menu), so that's the first place to look for: scroll to "Settings", open the drop-down, look for "Test".

Doesn't work on my 4.3 GNex and neither on any tablet (no dialer). Found an app though, see my answer :-)

In those cases, you could try something like Apex launcher to check for the matching activity, and create a shortcut for it on your homescreen (long-tap "homescreen", select "shortcuts", then "activities"). I'm pretty sure I saw that as well on my survey a couple of months ago.

There's LaunchStats which should work as is on versions up to (including) Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This app scans the system logs for all app starts since the device was booted and extracts the data you want.
However starting with 4.1 Jelly Bean the necessary READ_LOGS permission has been restricted to system apps due to security concerns. It is still possible, but you need to grant that manually via the developer console on your PC (adb is part of the Android SDK):
 adb shell pm grant de.goddchen.android.launchstats android.permission.READ_LOGS

See more background on how to grant this permission here. You also need to enable adb debugging on your phone in the developer options.

source: Stack Exchange

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

sort: votes


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Is there a way to auto backup my phone files to my PC via wifi?
I am looking for a way to automatically transfer files in my phone to my PC (Win7) if my phone connects to my home wifi network. Thanks

I'm assuming you mean your photos/music etc. that are stored on the 'sdcard' (even though it may not be an actual SD card). If so there are a number of apps that can do this.
I personally use FolderSync (There is a lite version with some limitations)
Another option is SyncMe Wireless but i've not used it so can't comment on how good it is.

Can you sync an offline folder like /Desktop/DontWantCloud/ ?

@user1603548 as long as it's accessible on the network you can sync any folder you like without needing to go via the internet/cloud.

You may want to be careful about recommending Cheetah apps based on a new report out about Cheetah, and Google Play actions against them. See this: https://www.xda-developers.com/google-bans-600-apps-play-store/.

try BitTorent Sync. Its the best i have ever used. After all its torrent.

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

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


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Fail to connect to ADB Wifi when device goes to idle state?
I am connecting to my Android phone with ADB WiFi (no USB plugged in). However, whenever my device goes to sleep, I am losing connection and unable to reconnect.
In what I am trying to do, I need to have the screen off. And this is why I am using wake lock to keep CPU awake while device is idling. However, even with wake lock and wifi lock, I am still having the same problem.
Does anyone know how can I connect to ADB over wifi in this situation? or connect while screen is off?

My only other option would be to physically disconnect the screen.

have you looked through the other questions we've got on here about people who are having problems keeping the wifi on when the screen turns off? Eg How do I keep my wi-fi on in sleep mode, or My Samsung Galaxy Ace disconnects from Wi-Fi when sleeping even after setting the Wi-Fi sleep policy and the linked questions from those. It may also be that this is a problem with the OS version or drivers on your device, so editing your question to include your device and OS version would be helpful.


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Wired xbox controller not working with LG G2
My boyfriend purchased a USB OTG cable so he can play Android games with an Xbox 360 wired controller.  When he plugs the Xbox controller into his LG G2 nothing happens, I plugged it into my Samsung Galaxy S4 and it worked  immediately. His LG G2 recognizes a flash drive, keyboard and mouse right away so we know the cable is working just fine. What could be causing the Xbox controller to not work?
The AT&T LG G2 is rooted running 4.2.2 with stock ROM.  The Keylayout file vendor_045e_product.028e.kl used for the Xbox 360 wired controller was already on the phone.  Running the app titled "USB Device Info" with the Xbox 360 wired controller plugged in shows the controllers info in both the Android and Linux tabs.  The device seems to recognize everything it's supposed to but won't work with any games or emulators.  It wont even allow the controller to navigate the home screen.

I seem to be having the same problem with my Galaxy s3 rooted stock rom. It appears to me that the system doesn't load the driver for the Xbox controller to recognize it when plugged in. However, the app bt/usb joystick center is able to recognize and read inputs from the device. I don't know how to get the system to read those inputs however. My motive for posting this is to see if anyone has found a solution perhaps using the terminal emulator app to manually load the driver... I don't understand enough about system drivers to try this myself. Another thought I've had is if my device has the

(continuing FPSHero's comment) ...wrong key layout file is it different for each device? I have prod_0291.kl(possibly for nexus 7?) prod_0791.kcm(wireless) and apparently prod_028e.kl and I have edited their permissions to read, as is with the other keylayout files, but the system just doesn't call the file when the device is plugged in. Interestingly it recognizes keyboards usb drives etc without root access or editing system files etc.

While I do not have the final solution - I was able to make some progress in figuring out why the G2 fails to work with the 360 controller.
I've been doing diagnostics and noticed that the LG G2 USB connection manager is emulating a USB2.0 and USB3.0 device hub - which shows up when an OTG cable is connected to the phone - and while it identifies the 360 controller, its non-standard integration is likely causing the device to not be recognized by applications.
Using USB/BT Joystick Center from the play store, I was able to refuse permission to access the USB Hub devices, but permit the app to talk to the Xbox controller. (When it scans for devices, it will display "FOUND: Device Name" then prompt for permission. When it displays "FOUND: Xbox 360 Controller" approve access. Deny all other prompts, or else the software cannot communicate with the controller).
Immediately after doing the above, the controller's LEDs stopped flashing - and locked into 'Player 1' configuration. Then the software loaded a default 360 profile, and clicking on driver let me see the raw inputs from the controller. It works!
It seems to me that the device is perfectly compatible, but the LG OTG input manager is doing something funky with the input - and needs another piece of software to channel the inputs from the USB device to the system. If there were a way to get the LG software to identify it as a keyboard or gamepad, that would be ideal.
I'll keep working at it for now.


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Get the internet from my PC
I only have Internet connection from LAN through Linux PC.
How can I connect my Android 2.1 to the Internet though USB cable?

Which phone are you using? Many phone manufacturers provide software which enables Internet tethering. I have HTC One X and HTC Sync Manager which allows me to tether my phone to my laptop. But HTC Sync Manager is only available for Windows and I assume it would be case with others also.

Damn; This isn't a duplicated question. The answer provided as a duplicated from works for Windows ONLY while I'm clearly said that I'm using Linux!!!

@AlEverett: Please unmark this question as duplicate. This question refer to Linux OS not Windows.

If you're rooted you can use this...
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jasongong.tether.usb
There are other apps out there that do the same, but that one looks reliable and is free.

I think this exactly what I'm looking for but unfortunately it doesn't work although I successfully installed it... BTW: I'm using SonyEricsson Xperia X8


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What is a "Hall" sensor, and what is it used for?
On Google's specs page for the new Nexus 5, the Nexus 5's built-in sensors are listed as:

Sensors
GPS
  Gyroscope
  Accelerometer
  Compass
  Proximity/Ambient Light
  Pressure
  Hall

(Click "View Full Tech Specs" to see that list)
Looking up Hall Sensor on Wikipedia, it seems to be some sort of magnetic sensor, but it's not the compass because that's listed separately, and none of the example uses on the page seem to make much sense for a smartphone application.
What is it, and what is it useful for?

This article and this other article seem to imply that the the compass is (or can be?) a Hall Effect Sensor. But that confuses me, since - as you mentioned - the compass is mentioned separately on the Sensors list.

As you've found out, a Hall sensor detects a magnetic field. It could be that in this case it's referring to a sensor for a magnetic cover, like those in the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10. Such sensors detect the proximity of a magnet embedded in the cover or case for the device, in order to automatically turn the screen off when the cover is closed.
That would be unusual, as that kind of magnetic switch is usually a simple reed switch, which wouldn't normally be described as a Hall effect sensor. A Hall sensor would give more data about the strength of the magnetic field, which could be used by software to detect the opening or closing of the case more reliably. However, I've not seen any claim that the Nexus 5 has such a switch anyway, which is much less common on phones than tablets.
Another (just as far-fetched) guess is that it's related to the wireless charging capability. It could be that the Hall sensor is specifically there to locate the wireless charging point in relation to the phone's position.

You mention that you haven't seen any claims that it has a sensor for magnetic covers. Perhaps this may be evidence that it does?

@dotVezz Ah yes, so it does. It could well be that, then.

Some devices also use a similar sensor to determine whether  they are plugged in to a charger or a dock, such as a car dock.

Just a guess here, but the Samsung S-View flip cover knows when the cover is attached and runs only the part of the screen that is veiwable in the small window. Maybe it is the same for the Nexus.

Reed switches are bulky and have mechanical contact bounce. They require a relatively strong field to do their thing. OTOH, Hall sensors have none of these shortcomings, BUT they are powered devices.

I know the question was about the Nexus, but from Samsung's website, "Hall Sensor: Recognizes whether the cover is open or closed."

Perhaps the sensor is included on smartphones without a cover in order to support aftermarket smartphone cases which may include a small magnet on the cover to signal to the phone whenthe cover is closed.

VR headsets has a magnetic button in it. Hall sensor comes  very handy since we cannot access the display.


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Disable PIN Unlock with Certificates and WPA2 Enterprise
I want to use a Samsung device (4.1.2) within WPA2-Enterprise. When I install a certificate in order to connect to the RADIUS server, the phone immediately wants me to set up a PIN to lock it. I can't disable this setting afterwards, only by removing the certificate. Which locks me out of the wifi.
Is there any way to deactivate this behaviour of android and to keep the phone usable without entering a PIN to unlock it?

That's the whole point of certificates, right? That the publisher grants you permission to something (RADIUS server), but under their conditions. Circumventing this might be illegal behaviour, so watch out with that. Sounds like there is a valid reason to have a PIN protecting whatever may be seen there. If there isn't a valid reason, you should pick it up with the publisher and ask if the PIN restriction can be removed from the certificate.

Thank you for the reply. Well this is not the problem that the PIN is no longer protecting something. The device is given to people who are always within closed rooms. And after booting it starts immediatly some kind of container which can't be turned off. it's just some extra comfort for specific persons. But as I said. Thank you for this tip.

Similar question here: Certificate Install without mandatory PIN lockscreen


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Expand RAM on Micromax Canvas A76- Android 4.2.2
I want to use my SDcard to expand my RAM. I am falling short of RAM memory and due to which I need at least 500 MB more RAM space. For this, I have a class10 8 GB microSD card. Can anyone suggest how do I expand my RAM on my device. If any efficient apps are available in the Play Store, please let me know.
P.S. I am a new Android user.
Suggestions and help are always welcome! :)

Welcome to the Android Enthusiasts, Abhinav! First suggestion: Make the title and the text of your question match. What are you after: rooting your device, as the title suggests? Or "expanding your RAM"? → Assuming the latter, make that the title. If it turns out it requires rooting your device (which it certainly will), make that a second (separate) question (SE sites are Q&A sites, which work best using one question per post).

Thanks @Izzy! Point noted! I guess I have to go for rooting my device in either way. But, can you tell me if creating swap spaces in my memory card will really help in easing the burden over the RAM?

That might depend. Helpful resources: questions on swapper / questions tagged "swap". Studying those, you might get an idea about before/after conditions as well as possible side-effects.

You cannot expand your RAM to SDcard!
Instead you could create swap space in sdcard.
You could use applications like Swapper from google play store. The device must be rooted to do that.
Swap space may not be as fast as RAM.

How will creating swap space reduce burden over my device's RAM? If possible, could you please explain the usage of this swap space in context of Android environment?

For that, you also might wish to see Why don't most Android devices have swap area as typical OS does?. It might help in some cases; but there's most likely a reason why it's not "built-in" by default.


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Can the Mobile Management facility of Google Apps For Business be used to control which apps are installed from Google Play?
Am considering buying Google Apps For Business to improve management of a large number of Android devices.
We will provide an app that we have created to our users through our private channel. We do not want users to install any other apps unless we have authorised them.
For example, we may wish users to have WhatsApp but not Flappy Bird 2.
Can the Mobile Management facility of Google Apps For Business be used to control which apps are installed from Google Play?

Am not 100% sure where you're coming from, but Google Apps is free and on majority of Android devices, unless you're talking about some enterprisey version of Google Apps for business usage - might be better to deal directly with Google about this... Even am not sure if this is a valid question as it seems to govern corporate usage of the google channels which may be outside of scope for here... unless another AE user would give their opinion on this?

Please see edited question. I mean Google Apps For Business

Ok, fair enough :) Its a business enterprisey version you're referring to, as I have stated in my comment, you need to talk to Google themselves to find out if that can be done... :)

I think this question is perfectly on-topic for the site, but as @t0mm13b points out, I don't think our regular users have experience with Google Apps for Business. Since this is an easy pre-sales question, Google should be able to give you an answer. Please post it here when they do, to help future visitors!


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To insert contacts into Hangout
I am using Kitkat - Nexus 5. While sending a message to A using Hangout, how can I insert the contact details of some other person B within the text message to be sent to A...We had this provision in Android 2.2 Froyo itself where it was shown as "Add contact" or "Insert contact" as options within the message itself.

At this time there isn't a way to attach a contact. You would have to copy and paste the details or use a different messaging app. Hangouts is still lacking in many essential features, unfortunately.


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root android device without USB debugging
Is it possible to root a galaxy note 2 locked with a pattern screen lock? I am locked out of my phone . I thought if I can root the device then i would be able to remove screen lock through admin mode but for rooting need to enable USB debugging which I am not able to thanks the phone being locked in the first place. IS there a way out of this ?

Have you had a look through this question: Can not unlock my Android device as have no internet connection? A few of the answers in there should be relevant to you, and not all of them need rooting.

will check it out. Is there a way I can enable/disable USB debugging through command line or ADB ?


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Is there a PDF/eBook Reader like the "Google Playbook"  Tablet?
I'm a really big fan of the Google Playbook reader, especially for an Android Tablet. I love the 2 columns and the effect when you go to other page. So I was wondering, is there a PDF/eBook reader with similar functionality as the Google Playbook? Unfortunately Google Playbooks don't allow to import documents in PDF or EPUB format.

You can import/upload them:
Uploading the PDF/ePub file(s) to your Library

Go to My Books
Click on 'Upload File' in the top right corner.
Choose the file(s) you wish to upload.

Getting the PDF/ePub files in you App

Go into your Google Play Books App.
Click on the button on the top left ('Read Now' or 'My Library').
Select 'My Library'.
Click on the button just underneath it ('All books').
Click on 'Uploads'.
Click the Android Menu button.
Click on 'Refresh'
When you try to open the file, you may be prompted to download it.

There are several apps you might check (ordered best recommendation first):

Moon+ Reader Pro is the best ebook reader I know. Support for the important formats (txt, html, epub, pdf, umd, fb2, chm, zip -- pdf only in the pro, said to be the fastest PDF renderer on Android), plenty libraries pre-configured to download books from (you can add your own sources), great support, and more. Just no DRM (yet; as Adobe didn't answer to the developers requests). My clear recommendation for this one.
Aldiko Book Reader supports epub, PDF, DRM -- and also can access online sources
Mantano Reader supports epub & PDF, available in several versions, supports DRM
GO Book supports epub, txt, umd, pdf and fb2 (DRM/catalogs support: unknown to me)

There are some more on the Playstore, but not all are recommendable (and some may have escaped my notice).

I tried all of those and found Mantano Reader to be the best.

After Izzy and @Fase comments i tried Mantano Reader and i love it aswell , it seems to support 2 columns but just in some PDFs, so i guess they have that option embedded?

Amazon has just updated their Kindle app to offer a two column layout for tablets. I was thrilled that they did this. Google Pay Book reader has that two page layout and I really preferred that on my tablet.
Kindle app will also read PDF files. I don't think it will do EPUB but there might be a converter out there to make it into Kindle format.
There are several places to find good free Kindle books. I rarely pay for a book anymore.

it seems that this feature only works with native kindle books, i just tried with a PDF and can not shown as 2 column, but yo can with a kindle book


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Android - “SIM card doesn't allow a connection to this network” ERROR
I have a problem with my Xperia X10 (U20i). I purchased it new. It worked fine for a week or so, then I switched to another network operator. When I try to connect automatically it says "Registered on network" but there is no signal. I changed 3 sim cards so far. Still the same. When I put the sim card in another phone that also works, the other phone manages to find the signal. I put back the sim card in my Xperia, it works fine until for some reason I have no signal and the circle continues. I love my phone, I want it to work, with this provider.
I am very annoyed. The network provider doesn't know what could it be, they blame the phone. But the phone works with other providers with no problem so I assume it is something else.
I did a factory settings restore, I checked for updates.
I want to fix it, this issue drives me crazy and I don't want to let it go, I want to FIX it.

Are you sure the phone supports the network & frequencies that your new provider uses in your area?

If you've done a factory reset and you're having the same issue with several SIM cards, odds are overwhelmingly in favor of this being a hardware issue. If you have warranty left, turn it in. If not, this is probably not easily fixed.

I think I am answering little late, but I feel my pointers might solve the issue. But still not sure.

Please check in what mode you are ? I mean are you in WCDMA only, GSM only or GSM / WCDMA preferred mode ? The best for both 3G and 2G could be GSM / WCDMA preferred mode which can switch the signal based on the 2G or 3G network. So try to change to other modes also(GSM only(For 2G only signals) or WCDMA only(For 3G only signals)).

If still no help then follow the next step.

Backup all your data to SDCard or PC and try Factory data reset. Don't do the Settings reset. Because it will do a reset of other things(Like display, Volume, etc). Factory data reset option do a reset of all the things in your phone. So make sure that all the data in your phone(Contacts, Call Log, SMS, MMS, Market Applications, etc) backed up properly.

If still no help take the phone to a nearest Sony Ericsson Customer Care center.

It might be a good idea to erase all cache, etc too

@NeelMehta - Factory data reset does it. So no need to explicitly delete the cache.

Have you tried manually choosing a network in Network & Wireless, or manually setting the APNs for your new carrier?
Also, is the phone unlocked?  If it locked to another carrier, you won't be able to use it on your current carrier until it's unlocked.

yes i have tried so many times, but still disconnecting that network.

A locked phone should stop you and prompt you for the Network Unlock key. Since you don't get that prompt, either one of two things is happening:

Phone is permanently locked (incorrect network unlock key entered too many times)
Phone is unlocked

Do you have a third provider you can test, or borrow a SIM card for?
The phone doesn't say "SIM not recognized"/"Please insert a SIM card" so my guess is frequencies. What GSM frequencies are used for the new provider?
I had a phone (Euro-version OpenMoko FreeRunner) that didn't do one of the frequencies used for GSM in the US - it would work on 1900MHz but not 850MHz - which meant that I would not have signal when many other AT&T users would.


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Galaxy ace - Can't seem to add a contact without adding them as a Google 'contact'
Every time I add a contact (via the little plus) it brings up the Google contact screen. It used to give me an option for SIM or phone storage for the contact, but this is no longer an option.

You should check Contacts -> Menu -> Settings -> Default storage (or similar), there you should have the different options, including Phone memory, SIM and Always ask.

Ledge!!! cheers mate xx

Glad to help! If this is exactly what you were looking for, I'd appreciate it if you'd set this as the accepted answer, I'd get the rep and the question is marked as answered.

On my DEFY XT it's Contacts -> Menu -> Accounts, then I can pick my account, and there is a check box for "Sync Contacts" which I've unchecked.  I assume the default location is in the phone memory (not SIM or micro-SD).  But, in Contacts -> Menu -> Import/Export, I can import from or export to the SD.
A suggestion I've heard elsewhere is that if you want some contacts synced and some not, you can create another account, and have one account sync and the other not sync.


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Where does the 'set as wallpaper' feature save your picture in Gingerbread (2.3)?
I had an image from a website which I set as my background inside the browser. I am wondering now where I can find the image in the file system, because I can't find it online anymore. I already checked all the obvious folders including Downloads, but did not find it there. In fact there is an answer for a similar question on this forum, but that is for Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) and I am on Gingerbread, which is why that answer did not help me.

/data/data/com.android.settings/files/wallpaper. It's a PNG file and appears to be uncompressed due to the size.

how do you access that? Does it require root privilates?

I have just developed an app that can save your current wallpaper to SD, share it, ect. Furthermore it automatically saves a copy of each wallpaper you set, so you will get a history of all the wallpapers you have been using.
My app is called Wallpaper Saver, can be downloaded from Google Play and is Free!
When using Wallpaper Saver files are stored in /Android/data/dk.alroe.apps.WallpaperSaverFree/files/wallpapers. You can see the path inside settings as well. It can also sync your wallpapers with Dropbox

According to this post:

Location of Current wallpaper:

For Android 4.0 and below: Once in /,

go to /data/data/com.android.settings/files.

Find a file named wallpaper in that folder and copy it to any location you want. Rename the copied file to anything.jpg or anything.png to open it as a normal image file.

This requires root.

Welcome to the Android Enthusiasts! Whilst this may theoretically answer the question, it would be preferable to include the essential parts of the answer here, and provide the link for reference. Otherwise, your answer becomes useless in case the link dies.


text:
Apps force close on a Galaxy Ace GT-S5830i
Every app I use needs to be forced closed after less than 5 minutes. Even apps I haven't even opened [before]. I've turned off my phone and restarted it multiple times and nothing seems to work. Does this mean I have to do a factory reset?

Handset rooted?

Also worth checking: My device is getting slow, apps start misbehaving/crashing. What can I do?

Yes, in this case, factory reset should be wise decision to make. Just don't forget to make a backup of your files before you do so.

• First is make very sure you've free space of memory. My One Plus handset makes this behaviour when it is near to 'out of storage'.
• Second is make sure you have not deleted any root directory by opening file manager with some specific app explorer. (This might create problem as once i meshed up with those folders and end up tolerating crashes.)
• Third is the last option do a factory reset .

This sounds like a file permissions issue on the data directory.
The only fix would be to wipe, however if rooted and/or have a custom recovery, you should first try the fix permissions option.
Otherwise, you will have to do a factory reset.


text:
What if you accidentally deleted some important apps and can't install them back?
What if you accidentally deleted some important apps and can't install them back because Google Play doesn't have them? For example android system, com.android  dun server and com.android.lgsetup wizard (i.e. basically apps that are originally there).
And every few seconds this message will appear:

"Sorry! The process com.android.phone has stopped unexpectedly. Please
  try again."

And I cannot even go the browser or Task Killer because every time I do, it will force quit. How can I reinstall those apps? I think I cleared all data for those but I did not clear the browser and so why can't I open the browser?
Do I really need to send it for repair or can I fix it?

What phone do you have? Just you mention lgsetup..

Android LG one forget the model but touch screen

If you deleted those files, your phone must be rooted. You might try asking in some LG-specific forums whether or not anyone has the .apk files that you need and install them using adb. Otherwise, you'll need to obtain some complete ROM for your device and install it, with the complete loss of data that isn't on the SD card. However, since you're rooted, you should be able to use adb to perform a full backup if you can't install Titanium Backup.

Why is it you think these apps were uninstalled? Did you press Clear Data for those apps or did you remove them completely in some way?

For common system apps like the ones you've mentioned, there's no way to uninstall or reinstall them: without root, it at all you can disable them (not all of them even). But they are usually not held in the playstore for re-installation. Even if they receive updates via the playstore (like GMail, Maps, and the Playstore app itself), some of them must reside on the /system partition in order to function correctly (the Google Play app is one example for that).
But as the same situation could also apply to "normal apps", let's take a closer look:
User apps
Though they are usually coming via Google Play, it might well happen they get removed there one day (recent examples are the ad-blockers which got banned). For this, tools like AppMonster come in handy: they enable you to store a copy of the apps .apk file to your SDcard (the Pro version even can do so automatically whenever an app is installed/updated). So in case you have to remove an app for some reason, and want to re-install it later (or even if you want to install the same app on a device without Google account), you can do so by side-loading the .apk. Uninstallation, of course, is easily done either via Settings→Apps, or even via AppMonster itself.
System apps
Here it's a lot different. Without root, you can at maximum disable an app (Settings→Apps, scroll to the app, open its details, press the Disable button) -- if your device is running Android 4.0 or later, that is.
With root, things become a little different: theoretically, you could uninstall everything. A practical issue might be you're rendering your device unusable, if you e.g. uninstall something basic to the system. Also, removing their data might be an issue on re-install. So if you really have need for this, here's my recommendation:

Get ADB installed on your computer (either via the full Android SDK -- or using a minimal installation, see Is there a minimal installation of ADB?
Make a backup of the app you're going to uninstall to be prepared in case something goes wrong. You can use adb backup for this, which backs up the app including its data.
Make a copy of the app's .apk file for a re-install. You can use adb pull for this. The .apk is located in /system/app, so your command could look like adb pull /system/app/Browser.apk . to copy the browser's .apk from the device to the current directory on your computer.
Now that you have two fall-backs, you can try to uninstall the app. Again using ADB, you first call adb shell, then you need to become root (su), and now you can use the pm (package manager) tool to pm uninstall com.package.name. You can also remove the .apk from /system/app.

To re-install the app, you simply copy the .apk back to /system/app. To restore the data, you can use adb restore.
Note that dealing with system apps always bears the risk to render your system unusable. So it's always recommended to make a complete backup (best using Nandroid backup from your custom recovery) prior to such operations -- so in the worst case, you can go back to where you've started.
Dealing with the "The process X has stopped unexpectedly" error
There are several ways to deal with this error. To my knowledge, none of them includes uninstalling a system app.

if the app in question is a user app

delete its cache. If that doesn't help:
delete its data. If that still doesn't help:
delete the app. If that cannot be done due to the app being in a "force-close-loop":
boot into safe-mode, and delete the app from there.

if the app in question is a system app:

pray you've got a good backup :)
as with the user app: first try delete cache, then data.
nothing goes? Then you've got to do a factory-reset

if he really managed to uninstall a system app, then a factory reset might not be able to help, since you normally can only uninstall system app if you're rooted and can modify system partition. If things are really that bad then you'll have to flash a new ROM.

@LieRyan That's correct. The factory-reset didn't refer to an uninstalled/deleted app, but to the "process X has stopped unexpectedly" error.

The best thing to do is to make a backup, and do a factory reset.


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Mount external SD-card for the secondary user
When I create a new user on my Asus MemMO Pad 10 (in addition to the existing primary user), the new user does not "see" the external SD card (I've tried a 64gb Micro-SDXC/exFAT and a 2gb Micro-SD/FAT32). When I switch to the primary user, "Preparing an external device" is displayed at the top of the screen and the SD card becomes "visible" as "external device".
I.e. external SD card is not automatically mounted to the secondary user, only for primary one.
Is this a feature of the Android system or ASUS tablets only? How can I make my Micro-SD card mount for the secondary user? (In case I need root access, I would consider installing it)
Device: ASUS MeMO Pad 10 (ME102A), Android 4.2.2, root access not installed.

Sorry for my English

Hello, did you manage to solve that? Thanks.

Some people wrote in 2013 that this is impossible, or at least was impossible back then. Here is what I found on a SonyMobile forum:
"Each user gets their own [internal] space and only the owner has access to the external SD-card."
"One of the reasons for not sharing the SD card is security: FAT file system doesn't allow even for the basic Linux type permissions, thus it's impossible to secure a user's files. I agree it's a bummer but they [Google] have to go w/ the most secure of the solutions..."
(Link to the SonyMobile forum)


text:
More than 50 android devices on same username/password
I have between 50-100 Android devices.  They are being used as a sensor network. Another 50 are coming online soon.  The devices need to download an app from the play store.  So I need to login with a google username/password.  For now, I have been using the same username/password on all the devices.  However, now google is asking me to resign in to the devices after a week or so.  This didn't happen before.  I think the number of devices on the same account is tripping some alarm.
Does anyone have any recomendations for how to set up 50+ devices so that they are all able to download and receive updates from the app store?

Google Play won't let you do this. You can only have a few devices attached to each account at a time. This is to stop people abusing the facility of using paid content from any device on their account.
If the app is an open-source one, or it's under your control, you should distribute it to all your devices through a different mechanism (e.g. a custom app list on F-droid). Otherwise, you should contact the developer of the app and ask to make a volume licensing deal. Unless they're already dealing with enterprise customers, they won't be prepared for this situation, but I think most app developers will be willing to help you out for a reasonable bulk price.

The app is under my control.  The reason I've been using the app store is to get the automatic updating.  Is there a way to have many devices and still get the auto-updating, without building the auto-updating infrastructure?

Yeah: use a different app delivery platform that's not targeted for retail use. There are several third-party solutions; even if you roll your own, you can still use GCM to push the updates to clients.

I tried poking around.  Do you have a name or two for the third party solutions?

not yet tested... but a lead http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15213211/update-an-android-app-without-google-play

As app publishing questions are off-topic for this site, which deals with end-user questions only, I don't think it would be appropriate to recommend a distributor for your app.

i think if it answers the question it would be alright

"Is there a way to have many devices and still get the auto-updating, without building the auto-updating infrastructure?" Sure, just use different accounts for each device.


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Nexus 5 takes forever and a day to charge
Since I have installed franco Kernel on my device, charging takes longer than normal  (I'd guess 4-5 hours?). But today charging became extremely slow. I plugged it in overnight and this morning it was at 87%.

In the screenshot you can see that it was on for ~ 1d 20h, and ~ 1d 10h it was on battery. That means it needed ~ 10h to get from 4% to 87%. Is this a common problem with the franco Kernel?
PS: I plugged it into the wall, not USB.

Looks like your cell reception is pretty bad, that might contribute to slowing your charging time. Are you using the original plug and cable?

It could be the cable, using a PC to charge, a dodgy custom kernel, rogue applications/processes using a lot of power, the bad cell reception you seem to have. It's very hard to tell with the information given. I'd try another ROM AND Kernel and see if this persists.

I am using the original plug and an amazon basics cable. This may be the cause. Wireless charging gives me ~550mA.

try charging with your phone off, to isolate the problem. If it is a software/power usage problem then it will charge faster, if its the cable or charger itself then it will charge at the same speed.


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How can I cancel an Android Device Manager Erase command?
Using Android Device Manager from my PC, several devices are listed, including one that no longer belongs to me. While attempting to remove this device from my list I inadvertently sent an 'Erase' command to the other devices. Fortunately, none of these devices had Android Device Manager enabled as a device manager, so the request was ignored. Phew! But I'm now a bit concerned that the request will be pending, and that at some time in the future an Android software upgrade will enable Device Manager and my data will disappear.
Can anyone tell me a way of cancelling the 'Erase' command, or whether the command will 'time-out' at some time?

ADM only works if the device is signed into the Google account that you're using in the web interface. If the device in question no longer belongs to you, presumably it will never sign into your account, so there's nothing to worry about.

Thanks, Dan. That's reassuring. Also, I just checked a bit more carefully and what I thought was an attempt to erase the data on all my devices was just a Gmail sent to all my devices telling me that ADM was about to erase the data on the device that no longer belongs to me. Breathing a hearty sigh of relief...

This answer doesn't work for the scenario where you send a wipe signal to your phone, but then recover your phone and want to avoid wiping it but continue using it.


text:
Accessible Android Reader Application for text, epub, daisy and PDF formats
I need to find applications for particular formats of books:
1) ePub - Cool Reader, Ideal
2) Daisy - Darwin Reader
3) Txt - Accessible Talkback Editor
4) PDF- Adobe Reader, Smart Q Reader
Requirement:
Application with Reading Granularity Support for blind or low vision users from external keyboard-  Page, Sentence, Word and Sentence level selection of text while reading.
Problem:
There is no app which is clear or has documented the external keyboard usage for blinds or low vision users, except Accessible Talkback Editor none on the app has a clear UI/Documentation to suggest the Granularity selection.

What is "Reading Granularity Support"? I tried Googling the term and nothing related to blind or low vision support showed up (other than this question).

Its forcing the TalkBack to read as per Page, Sentence, Word or Alphabet level and stop after reading that part.


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How can I encode an MP3 file in Android using LAME?
Can anyone tell me how to encode a MP3 file in Android (as you would by using lame.dll in Windows or lame.so in Linux)?

You can't use the Linux or Windows versions of LAME in Android, just like you can't run the PC versions of MS Word or OpenOffice in Android.  Applications are written for particular OSes and architectures, or for cross-platform frameworks like Java.  (Android doesn't have a true full JVM, though.)
A quick search returned Lame4Android, an Android app you can use to encode WAVE files as MP3.  It doesn't look like it can do anything else; if you need more functionality then you probably need to find or make a native port of LAME or another encoder.


text:
How do, or can you hide account contacts on the Galaxy S III?
Okay, so I just upgraded from the Galaxy S Captivate to a shiny new Galaxy S III.
In both the stock TouchWiz ROM and the AOKP ROM I later ran, on my Captivate, i could set specific accounts to not show their contacts in my address book. Specifically, while I want to sync my Facebook contacts to get photos for people, I don't want all my Facebook contacts showing up in my phone address book.
Poke around as I might though, I cannot find any way to hide a specific account from the address book on the Galaxy S III. Is there any way to do this?
I should note, I am running the AT&T version.

Generally that stuff is under Settings | Accounts & Sync.

Well, the accounts are all listed there, but there's nothing about showing/hiding them in the address book. On my stock Captivate there was a setting directly in Samsung's contacts/address book app. But I see no such settings in their new on on the S III.

Hmm, backed it up and tried flashing in the stock ICS contacts app, and it would't run.  :(

I just encountered this same problem on a new Galaxy SIII with Verizon. I'm using stock Android 4.1.2 and found the answer to be simple. Just open the Contacts app, then click the phone's Menu button, then choose the "Contacts to Display" menu, the select the gear icon to the right of "Customized list", then choose the respective contacts account, then uncheck (or check) the email contact groups that you wish to hide, press "Done" in the upper right when finished. That should have activate the "Customized list", but you can return to that menu to confirm.
That's it! simple and no need to install custom ROM.

Same issue here, That particular option was in CYM7.5 on my Dell streak. was a nice addition IMO.
Only thing I can suggest, unless there's some sort of third party app for it, is to install a custom rom such as CYM or any other AOSP ROM, I doubt any of the Customized samsung rom's will give you this.
You will lose all the official Samsung junk with an AOSP rom, but at least it'll be stock ICS rather than the crappy samsung replacement apps.
(I like some of the samsung mods such as palm swipe to screen grab, but the SMS app and Contacts app suck)

Annoying thing is even Samsung had this in their old TouchWIZ, but took it out!  :-?  The built in Camera app is pretty nice too... that's really the biggest thing keeping me from jumping to an AOSP ROM; though I might once AOKP gets their JB ROM out.

Go to contacts and open context menu. You can hide contacts without phone number in settings or you can select which account to show.


text:
AOKP Permission Manager?
I am running Paranoid Android and love it, but it is hard on battery life. So I am looking at flashing back to AOKP.
In looking around, I've seen some vague references to a "Permission Management" (such as mentioned here) in the latest AOKP... but after googling for a couple days, can find no real details on it.
Is this something that is in the current stable builds of AOKP, or is just referring to the built-in one from Android 4.3 in the latest AOKP nightlies?
If anyone can point me to an article with a some good information on this feature and its current build status, I'd be very grateful. Been missing this functionality since LBE Privacy Guard died with Jelly Bean.
Mind you, I am aware of other options such as LBE, PDroid, XPrivacy.
I'm looking specifically for more information about AOKP's permission management.
Thanks!

As you've tagged your question permissions: Did you check our permissions tag-wiki? Also, the privacy tag-wiki might prove helpful. LBE and alternatives are also dealt with in how to fake my personal information.

I'm aware of other options. I've used LBE Privacy Guard - until the great Jelly Bean Crash. And used LBE Security, but that thing is MASSIVE overkill. I'm not so much asking about the options - I'm aware of PDroid and XPrivacy. I'm more asking specifically if anyone has any links to more details about the AOKP implementation beyond that small blurb linked.

Ah – sorry, then I misunderstood your question (I fully agree on the complete overkill of LBE SM and might add it's not even as reliable as LBE PG, from the readings on XDA). You might want to add that comment to the end of your question directly to make things clear so nobody misses that ;)

Well, I've gone and flashed over to AOKP, so figured I'd update this with an answer about their Permissions management. It is found towards the bottom of the root Settings screen.
For each user-installed app it lets you turn off specific permissions. Essentially a very basic version of what LBE Privacy Guard used to let you do.
Some features that are missing:

Ability to group by a permission (e.g. Access Location) and see all apps that use it with ability to disable them in this view
Ability to change permissions on system apps (e.g. camera to disable geotagging completely)

So all in all, it's a nice feature, and more than available in most ROMs I know of without extensive modding/flashing of additional frameworks and things.
Potentially the 2nd item above could - at least in some cases - be gotten around by using something like ROM Toolbox to convert the system app to a user app... but I'm not sure what other ramifications doing so would have.

UPDATE: I wound up installing the Xposed framework and the XPrivacy module. As nice as it is having it baked into the ROM, the one built in to AOKP is very limited and doesn't let you filter to find apps using specific permissions. You have to just go through every single app manually. XPrivacy does allow you to filter/search.


text:
How can I get the QuickContactBadge to show an action for sending Instant Messages?
I'm wondering if there are any instant messaging apps which link to contact data fields and use intents to add a Send Instant Message action to the QuickContactBadge shown in many places when clicking on a contact.
I remember the Samsung-added (or was it AT&T-added, I don't remember) IM app that came OEM on my Galaxy S Captivate way back did this.
Are there any IM apps in the market that will allow me to click on a contact, pop-open the QuickContactBadge and then send an IM right from there?


text:
Can I hide a specific Google Now place card?
Google Now is very cool, and I like how it shows places you may be interested in nearby.
I'm wondering though, is there any way to tell it "No, I'm not interested in that place, please don't show it to me again"?
Note that I don't want to turn off the nearby places cards entirely, I want to see those, I just want to dismiss specific places and not see cards for them again.
Can I do this?
Note also, if there is a way, it doesn't necessarily need to be in Google Now, ... if there's even a way to go on the web and add the place to an ignore list or something or anything.

You can swipe them away, but I don't think that prevents them from coming back.

No, it definitely does not. I keep swiping it away, and it keeps coming back.

An individual place can be swiped away, but there is no way to tell Google Now to never show you a specific place again.


text:
How can I attach a default sms template text to a specific contact number?
I would like to attach a certain text to a specific contact number to used as default text when I want to send a text.
In other words: as soon as I select a contact to send a text message to: some default text should already be inserted.
I am aware that programs like tasker can do this. Although undoubtedly a very impressive program, it seems to me to be an overkill to install a program like this, just to have this one feature.
Is this possible ?

not exactly a duplicate but pretty close: Sending an SMS message via one click?

@Daniel: I saw the question after I posted mine, but I think my question is indeed slightly different (certainly when looking at the question text it self). So I decided to leave me question be.

I kind of agree - I placed the link in case someone was looking for either answer.

I can't actually see a way of doing this with Tasker.  With Go SMS you can set up per-contact Signatures, which is almost what you want, but not quite (you can't edit the signature, it just gets appended to whatever you type)

chompSMS by Delicious Inc. available from Google Play Store.

with lots of extra features like Quick Reply, Quick Compose, Scheduled Messages, Passcode Lock, Privacy, Easy Pick Emoji's, Templates (text snippets), Signatures, heaps of customization options (notifications, ringtones, colors, fonts, wallpapers), Blacklisting and much more!

May diverge a bit from your precise goal, but works like a charm to achieve the same end.
You can use this app to have a ton of templates prepared, and use them when texting someone.
Instead of typing over and over the same thing on different messages, either at the beginning, middle or end of a text, you just long tab the message body and pick up the desired template.


text:
How can I graph or chart date related values ( each date having one value )
NEW QUESTION

I wish to enter dates with corresponding values, and have these values charted in a line or block graph. If the chart and values could be exported, that would be nice.

UPDATE
Since the original title containing the words graph and commodities did not seem to produce any results, I have now changed the question to a more general question. Original question was: I am looking for a way to edit and graph my own commodities off line ?
USE ( to clarify the question )

I could use this to create a graph from manually entered stock exchange values, but also to follow up my weight, or hart beat values, or whatever chart whose values change daily.
I know that you can use a spreadsheet to do this, but I am looking for a more specialised program.
I am running Froyo 2.2.1 on a Samsung Galaxy S and Archos 101 pad ( if this should make a difference ).

UPDATE AFTER INITIAL COMMENTS
Left the original question here, so that any read could understand the initial comments.
I am looking for a stocks program where I can add and edit my own daily/weekly stock figures.
I want some graph too.
I don't want nor seek a program which offers real time or on line updated stock quotes.
I have looked in the marked, but there are tens or hundreds of stocks programs, and I really don't want to try them all ( especially because most if not all of them emphasise how easy it is to have real time updated values ).


text:
How can I fix a Droid Razr Maxx's power button?
Suddenly, today, the power button stopped working.  I tried to turn off the screen and it wouldn't.  Everything else works just fine.  Eventually the screen timed out, and wouldn't turn back on.  Plugging it into a charger turns the screen back on, but that's fairly useless away from power...
I had heard that soft reset (power button+volume down) fixes it, but not even that worked.  It would only register it as volume down.  I plugged it into adb and rebooted it that way, to no avail.
What can I do?

The power button is handled at a very low level by something like a watchdog, so if it's not working, the problem is probably in hardware, not software. That means it probably needs physically replacing. Take it to a repair shop and have them check it out.
Even if you don't think you did anything to break it, it could be the result of an earlier impact: e.g. it cracked the circuit board, but only after continued use has the crack broken the electrical circuit.


text:
Why would the screen to a Droid Razr Maxx randomly break?
I read many good reviews about the Droid Razr Maxx which mainly focused on its large 3300 mA battery. All reviews brag about how long the phone lasts before running out of power.
Most reviews on Amazon speak highly of the phone too.
HOWEVER, I came across this blog Droid Razr Maxx – Broken Screen
Surprisingly, a LOT of people are complaining about having cracks in their screens. Some admit that their phone fell to the ground, but many others say the screen cracked without falling.
Does this have to do with the large 3300mA irremovable battery? I mean is this because of the battery heating up and expanding?
Is this a flaw in Motorola's version of Ginger Bread?
Note:
AFAIK, the screen is made of Gorilla -unbreakable- glass, so I think most people mean the LCD screen cracked.
UPDATE
Here is another link from Verizon's forums about customers suffering from the same problem. Some of them say it wasn't dropped.

For some reason I'm doubtful that the battery would be the cause. I would bet in most cases, the phones were dropped. But this is simply speculation. Gingerbread (software) shouldn't be the cause of a hardware issue.

@BryanDenny I added a link to Verizon's forums where some people say the screen cracked after 24 hours of purchase! Some claim the screen cracked while they were bringing the phone out of their pocket!!

Short Answer
There's no such thing as "randomly break", phone owners tend to use or make up terms to disguise their ineffectiveness to explain what happened, or as an excuse to avoid saying "I broke my phone".
Common factors leading to the Glass or the display damage are, but not limited to:

Manufacturer fault, a damage batch;
Device falling or getting tossed;
User sat down with the device in his back pocket.

Keep reading as to better understand the misleading information found on the mentioned forums!

Clear some ideas

Randomly break
There's no such thing like "randomly break", every device that physically breaks has a cause behind.
Faulty Software
The software is not responsible for the device physical damage, the software interacts and allows the usage of the hardware. Every software that directly interacts with the hardware has built in fail-safes to prevent abuses. Take the example of a battery charge, when you are charging the system may present you with a message informing that the charge process was interrupted to prevent heat damage to the device.
Glass or Display
While users tend to call screen and say "my screen is broken", they should actually be specific enough as to clarify if the glass is broken or the display module is broken. The two are very distinct, carrying different reasons as to why they may have broken.

Why would a glass or display module break?

The Glass
The Motorola Droid Razr Maxx comes equipped with a GORILLA® GLASS. Despite the heavy promotion that its indestructible, there's no truth to that. This glass enables your device to resist damage like scrapes, bumps and drops, from the abuses that come with everyday use.
A small drop in the right angle can shred the glass due to the force propagation within the impact point to the remaining of the device:
e.g.,
Take a 22 inches fall, is just over 4 times the height of the phone. Comparing this to a Human been, could the average 6' tall person survive a fall of over 24' without breaking in some way?
On the other hand, a battery dilatation due to excessive heat will never cause the glass to break. Way before that, the plastic casing would crack, some components could even melt, and eventually the glass would fell off, lying on the floor shining like a brand new one :)
From the CORNING® GORILLA® GLASS - FAQS:

CAN I BREAK GORILLA GLASS?
If subjected to enough abuse, Gorilla Glass can break. However, Gorilla Glass is better able to survive the real-world events that most commonly cause glass to scratch, chip, or break.

The display

Schematic of an active matrix OLED display
The Motorola Droid Razr Maxx comes equipped with Motorola's Super AMOLED Advanced. While the glass is designed and used with one specific purpose, the protection of the display from scrapes, bumps and drops, the display can be affected from other directions, not just by its front.
If a phone falls and hits the ground by its corner, the glass has no effect protecting the display. The phone casing may not be sufficient to absorve the impact, and the resulting force from the impact may damage or even crack the display.
The display is actually more sensitive than the remaining components of a mobile device.

Prevent damaging the display or glass
The best way to prevent damage to the device, either by accident or by careless handling during use are:

Avoid charging the device while exposed to heat or direct sunlight.
Protect it with an exterior rubber casing, to absorb the impact force generated when it falls.
If carried closely with hard objects, consider using a device casing, preferably made of leather or any other robust material to prevent damage from bumps.
Don't carry the phone inside tight jeans or in your back pocket. Your natural movements or if you sit down, may exercise overwhelming force into the device.


text:
Only one thumbnail for all photos
I downloaded the million moments app which basically makes a cool album from the photos you choose. The problem is in the import screen when I choose photos, all the photos just have the thumbnail of one of my photos. Now this is a headache because I can't pick the photos I like and I have to resort to picking the whole folder. I just discovered today that even the Flickr app has this problem. Now I think I'm sure my phone is at fault, my question is how do I fix this? Even with the media rescans the thumbnails still aren't correct and just shows 1 of my photos. Quickpic and the stock gallery don't have this problem though. Any ideas what's wrong?

When I had this problem it was caused by a corrupt SD card, so you should check that out soon: the longer you leave it, the more likely it'll corrupt a file you don't have a backup of.
For now, try clearing the cache of any app that shows the problem (from Settings → Apps). If that doesn't help, clear the data of the Media storage app, from the same screen, and then reboot the phone. The Media storage app is responsible for indexing your photos and music and letting apps search them, so clearing its data often helps fix problems with the photo index, such as broken thumbnails.

I think I can rule out the media storage and the corrupt SD card. I tried the first many times because even my mp3s have duplicated names, and it didn't work. For the corrupt SD card I had an SD card before and I tried the app there, it had this thumbnail problem. I gave the SD card to my sibling who has a Samsung phone and the app works perfectly on that phone with my old SD card. Guess the only thing left to do is to clear the cache of the app that shows the problem. I'll come back with the result.


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MP3 tags in Hebrew show up in gibberish on my phone
I have some songs on my computer with Hebrew files names and Hebrew tags.
When I copy them to my phone, the file names appear OK, but the tags appear in gibberish.  This is true both for the default player (I have a Samsung Galaxy S, so that's the default) and for Winamp.
Is there any way to change the font for the tags so that it appears correctly?

It seems that the problem was the encoding that Windows Media Player used.  It uses the Windows Hebrew code-page (1255).  I used foobar2000 with the Chacon plugin to change it to the Mac Hebrew code-page (10005) which seems to be supported by my phone.

So are you aware of a program (or a .NET way) to run a routine that will rename all the file-names and tags to compatible Hebrew, so it doesn't show up in my native MP3 player as gibberish?

No, I only know how to do it manually using the method above.  Note that this affects Google Music as well, so maybe somebody has addressed this in a forum relevant for that as well.

This might be useful here. https://superuser.com/questions/1063195/how-to-convert-hebrew-id3-metadata-tags-from-cp1255-to-utf-8

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/


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How do you link to applications in the Android market?
When posting app links, I'm always using a link on Cyrket or AppBrain -- becuase I can't get a link to anything in the official Android Market.
But I have seen some links out there for use w/ Android itself ( ''market://'' protocol ):
market://details?id=de.schildbach.oeffi

(as seen @ Android Dev Studio)
Is it possible to web-link to apps in the Market so that a non-Android user can link to the appropriate Market page in a non-Android web browser?

This question is being marked as duplicate of a closed question, that in turn mentions this one as duplicate (infinite cycle)!

If you are talking about making a link that goes directly to the app in the market on an Android device, yes, just append the Package Name to the market://details?id= or market://search?q=pname: to create the link.  In your example above the Package Name is: de.schildbach.oeffi.
If you don't know the package name you can get it from AndroLib.  It's a pain because their pages are so busy but if you can't find it just do a text search for "Package Name."
Just to be clear this link format only works when clicked on and Android Market enabled device.

Update: Yes. You now access the full Android Market on the website, and when you use the link format that therefromhere mentions in his answer (with http://market...), users clicking it on their phone will be brought to app in the market and users clicking on it on the web will be brought to the app's market web page.
Edit: No. The Android Market can only be accessed on Android Devices (more specifically only Android Devices with the Android Market Enabled).

I've clarified the original post.

I added a new answer.  Do you think I should I have done this or edited my original answer?  And yes I probably should post this question in meta but I'm running late, will do later.

I believe you should refine your answer when you get a chance and then delete the extra.

It's a work-in-progress, and we got an excellent answer out of it; thanks!

It's worth noting that you don't have to use the market:// protocol - you can swap in
http://market.android.com/ instead of market://.
eg these two links should have the same effect:

http://market.android.com/details?id=de.schildbach.oeffi
market://details?id=de.schildbach.oeffi

Unfortunately, this currently isn't quite as useful as it could be since a non-Android browser will just get a 404 from the http:// link, but I imagine if Google wanted to they could give you a useful page instead.
See the Publishing Your Applications page in the Android developer guide for more details.

Also, some websites (like this one apparently) will automatically linkify the first one, but not the second.

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/


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Have you got flash to play on your stock Froyo yet?
I have been playing flash videos using skyfire, but I would really like to play some games like chopper using flash.
How can I get flash enabled on Froyo? I have heard that Froyo supports adobe flash.

You can download the Flash Player 10.1 app from the Market or by going to http://adobe.com on your phone and clicking on the Get Adobe Flash Player button.

Not sure what you mean by "stock", I have a T-Mobile G2, it has Android 2.2 out of the box, and Flash was pre-loaded. There is flash handling enabled in the browser and (I presume) in the YouTube application.

Back when this question was asked, Flash was not available on Android without using the Skyfire browser or a customized ROM.

Are you sure, Al? The question is tagged 2.2-Froyo. 2.2 had the flash update.

@Michael An upgrade fixed it. At that time, it was not available.


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I’m new to SetCPU on Moto Droid and need help
I'm running rooted stock Android 2.2 on a Motorola Droid. I was hoping other users of the app could give me some advice.
First question: whats the best underclock setting for a good balance between performance and longer battery life? How much longer battery life is it giving you on average?
Second question: I told it to autodetect the phone and I can seem to only overclock to 800mhz. How do I overclock to 1ghz. How high can I/should I overclock? I'm only overclocking when I play psx4droid.
Third question: any recommended profiles to setup?
Thanks!

@Rich I tried to break it down for clarity vs. one jumbo question, but I'll keep that in mind next time, thanks


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Why is my captivate able to run flash on android 2.1?
I just noticed that my Captivate can play some flash videos, animations, and to an extent, flash games using the stock android browser running android 2.1. It is incredibly slow and takes forever to load, but it does work as far as i could tell (although incredibly slowly and it uses huge amounts of CPU before it finishes loading...almost like it is recompiling the flash application before running it).
My phone status still says that my phone is running 2.1 eclair and I thought that only 2.2 could run flash. Also I haven't downloaded the flash 10.1 application yet either.
What is going on?

Samsung put the "Flash Lite" plugin on the Galaxy S for 2.1.  It supports the basics.  This blog shows some devices that use the plugin: http://www.adobe-flashlite.com/
Edit: Adobe now has a list of devices that can run full Flash.  http://www.adobe.com/flashplatform/certified_devices/

So this is a samsung specific feature? How dose the plugin work? Is it actually recompiling the application before running it?

I don't believe there's any recompilation - full Flash 10.1 is also very slow on my Galaxy S with 2.2.  I've added a link to a blog that lists some devices with Flash Lite.


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How can I search the contents of the books I added to my Google books?
I want to search the contents of the books I added to my Google Books account.
The Google Books web site offers a search my library option.
But I want to search the contents of the books in my Google Books account from my Android device and from an Android application which is optimized for small screens.

I think your question could be worded better as it seems to ask a couple of questions.
Google books are filed as cryptic alphanumeric IDs, and they seem to be HTML type files it makes it more difficult than with most other book types.

finding books on your device is very easy, use an explorer like File Expert or Astro (both are free, however Astro's search function is better) which contain a search option. You will probably have to use multiple searches depending on how many different types of ebooks you have on your SD card - I know I have epubs, mobi, prcs, pdf, txt and doc files.
If you are looking specifically for just your google books then as long as you have set to store them on the SD card they will be under the following path - Storage Card/Android/Data/com.google.android.apps.books
Searching contents of books within google books - you can't from the library or app itself, unless you are already in the book - in which case press menu and then use search.
However due to the nature of google books you could probably do this much quicker via the website. With other book and file types you could try Astro's search within text - might just pull up what you are looking for as I have had this work on some txt and doc files.


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I can't send a picture attachment together with a text message any more ( Samsung Galaxy S). Any idea why?
I tried to send a text message - attaching a photo already on my phone ( the first time ) and attaching a picture taken at time of send ( the second time ).
However, when I try to send this text message - the status remains sending ( an my correspondent does not receive the message ).
Is this a problem with my phone company, you think, or can I have changed some setting somehow. Is there a setting that can be set, anyhow ?
I did send picture attachments with text message before , some weeks ago , but not after upgrading to Froyo 2.2.1 ( just to be complete - can't think this has anything to do with it ).
------------- [ UPDATE ]-------------------------
Something I noticed but did not mention before : if I view a text message with a picture attached, and press the image to 'view' it,*a sort of movie view is started*e.g. with the picture at the top of the screen, and a Start, Rewind and Forward button at the bottom. Pressing the Start will 'play' the picture as move of about 5 seconds - since it is a picture, of course the image does not change. I am pretty sure this was not the case when I sent some image messages a couple of weeks ago. To be complete: even the image messages I did send before now show this 'movie' type of action.

Regarding your update: This is normal behaviour, at least on my Galaxy S this has been happening ever since 2.1-update1.

In case this helps someone with the same problem, I have the solution :
I had to check the Settings - Wireless and network - Mobile network - Use packet data check box. When this was done, I could send picture MMS messages.
Maybe obvious for some .. but it sure was one setting I thought I should not need just to send an MMS message.

You could check your MMS APN settings, they can be found in Settings -> Wireless and network -> Mobile networks -> Access point names. There should be some reference to MMS settings and it should have your operator's MMS settings. Also, check out the settings found in Messaging -> Menu button -> Settings -> Multimedia message (MMS) settings -> Creation mode. Verify these and try again :)

nope, all these settings seem to be set as I would expect them to be set. Strange. Gonna try and reboot the phone. You never know, do you ?

I assume you have a Belgian carrier?  Some sites you can check for MMS settings:

BASE and Simyo: http://googleandroidwiki.com/index.php/Carrier:APN_List#Belgium_Carriers
Proximus: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=544312
Mobistar and others (in the listing): http://androidforums.com/2146157-post2.html

settings are correct ( at least they are the same as in the link you provided - I have Proximus as Belgian carrier ). Thanks for the link. But still no luck ...

just tried the power down - wait 10 seconds ( as the guy in the Proximus thread gives as solution ), but that doesn't solve the problem. Will try and phone the support from Proximus ( that will be a laugh ) !

I had a similar problem in the UK with Orange after I rooted my phone. Settings all looked correct. Deleting the two APN profiles that were there and re entering them by hand following instructions on a page similar to those provided by @Matthew Read fixed it.
I urge you to try deleting and re-entering the APN's by hand.

did that, didn't help. See my own answer ( the accepted one, where I found the solution ).

APologies, didn't notice your own answer, or that it was accepted (why is it not at top of thread?)

ordered by votes ?  You could help here  :)

If you have troubles sending text message- attaching a photo, go to Settings > applications > Manage applications, select tap All, press "Messaging" and finaly press Clear data. Your "use packet data" must to be activated.

I've had a similar problem, APNs 'appeared' correct, company phone so the liaison guy reported the issue to telco (O2), settings needed sending over the air to fix, and something their end.
...had to wait a few hours for the settings to be received but MMS etc did start working.

Is simple, after you press play you need to press menu > attached and finaly save, You can see the picture in Gallery.

I had the same problem. Photo messages just said «sending» but never went. Solved problem by enabling packet data and turning on 3G. WiFi wouldn't work.
Once I switched to mobile-data, photos were sent instantly.

I had to select Settings --> Wireless and Network --> Mobile network settings and under network operators I had to search and then choose my provider that came up in the list.


text:
Controller For SGS3 Mini
I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini and I would like to know if I can Play games trough a controller to make it more easier.

Android supports USB controllers (using the standard USB HID profile) and Bluetooth controllers (again, if they use the standard Bluetooth HID profile). Wireless controllers that use a special wireless receiver probably won't work with Android (but they might if the wireless receiver acts as a USB HID device).
To use a USB controller with your phone, you need a USB-on-the-go adapter so you can plug the USB cable into the USB-on-the-go socket on your phone (i.e. the same socket you use to charge it).
In addition, the game needs to be written specifically to support game controllers. The description of the game on Google Play will probably mention controller support. It might have settings for the button layout (since not all controllers use the same layout), or it might be designed for one kind of controller in particular (such as Playstation controllers and clones).
There are even some Bluetooth game controllers designed specifically to work with smartphones, such as the Moga Pro. They have the conventional button layout, and often include their own app store selling compatible apps and games.


text:
Google maps displays black screen when trying to navigate
When getting directions to a new place on Google maps (using navigate) I get a black screen where the map tile should be.
Sometimes after a few seconds, Maps force closes and I have to type the place again.
It takes me about 4 or 5 attempts to get it working.
I have tried:

Uninstalling and reinstalling Google Maps
Clearing cache
Clearing data
Factory reset
Different ROM

Here are some screenshots of the issue:

Have you installed latest version?

Of course, I have been experiencing the same issue for a few versions though.

Screenshots would be welcome :-)

I'll update as soon as I can get some :)

Does this issue happen only when navigating or also when generally using Maps? Does the problem change if viewing the map using satellite mode?

Its only when navigating, and it still happens in satellite mode

Is your GPS working properly? Can you try this app and report back.

Tested and GPS works fine

I've updated the question with screenshots that I grabbed yesterday. Any ideas would be appreciated!


text:
"Ok Google" voice action bugs - Reminder voice action gives me a Google search
Ok, so here're my issues with "Ok Google" on the Nexus 5:

When I say - "Ok Google" Remind me to call XYZ at Work, the reminder page does not pop up. It does a Google search. On the other hand, if I say "Ok Google" Remind me to charge phone when I reach home, the reminder page pops up. I have both my home and work addresses listed and I have no clue as to why this is happening.
When I say "Ok Google, Call (name)", it only dials if it's an old contact. So if I add a new contact, Google says "Please choose contact".
When I Say "Ok Google, note to self" it recognizes but it does not store as a note.

Could any of you help me with the same, please?

I tried it now, the first one does do a google search.
The second one, I go it working. Create the new contact, try to search for it my typing the name. Then if you try it will call.
The third one does work, it will create an empty note but will not save it untill you do it manually.


text:
USB Condenser mic with Nexus 10 tablet
I've got a Samsung / Google Nexus 10 tablet, and I'd like to find a way to use my AudioTechnica AT2020 USB condenser microphone with it. The microphone has a standard USB type B connector on it (similar to a printer), and the typical cable goes to a USB type A connector.
Does anyone know if there is any way to hook this up, so I can record audio with my tablet?

I don't think the OS supports USB audio, so you'd need to find a custom ROM and kernel that do.


text:
download several files to tablet from drive
I would like to download approx. 100 pictures from google-drive to my tablet.
I found only one way, only one picture by one.
Is there a way to "download all"?

From this page you can zip and download all Drive files

Google drive has the ability to download a bunch of files and folders in a zip file.
To do so , just select the files and folders and select More > Download > Download from Google Drive
The files will be zipped and it will take some time for the process depending upon the size of the files and folders. You can either wait with that window open by looking into the estimated time or you can click 'Email when ready' which will send you a email with link to zip file onces its done.

Note the max zip size is 2Gb.
An alternative would be to do the following:
Sync the files to your computer using the google drive client app:

Install the google drive app on your computer
On drive.google.com, drag the folder shared with you from "Shared with me" to "My Drive"
Now all the files should automagically appear on the "Google drive" folder on your computer

As I understand, you describe actions taken on PC.

@user55150 Is there no option in the app, the first way was SUPPOSED to be the app, and the other for your PC if it is quicker. Ok, I've added a third option, from the Play store, hopefully ONE of these will work!

My question belongs to working with a tablet. On the tablet I open the Google Drive app, see my files and cannot find the option as "mark all" or "download all". Thanks for help.

@user55150 try the app I linked to. I know it is with the tablet, but if there is NO option (and the app doesn't work) then you may HAVE to do it on a PC or one by one. I'm trying to find a way to get your files over for you, unfortunately Drive doens't make it easy (one of MANY reasons I would never, ever use Google Drive tbh). Try the app and let me know. Fingers crossed!!

authors: Роман Гостюшкин


text:
Play Store updating over Mobile Data when it is not supposed to
Today I got a bit of a nasty surprise with my mobile data and I am not sure how to correct it.
In my settings for the Play Store I have (and had for ages) download only on Wifi.
This month something has changed as my phone has gone over its data allowance and looking at the list of apps and usage the top bandwidth user is the Play Store on Mobile Data with 540Mb.
I do not understand why the Play Store is updating on Mobile data even though it is not supposed to?
Under the Wifi Usage tab the Play store is also the largest user of bandwidth, which I do expect as that is what is supposed to happen.
Any ideas why Play Store is running over Mobile Data?

Are you sure it was updating apps? The update setting only applies to automatic updates, not to anything Play Store downloads while you're using it (e.g. when installing new apps).

Not sure what the Play store app was doing. It was not installing any new apps as I have not added a new app for about 2 months. The mobile data graph shows a sudden increase about a week ago (A very sharp rise) and all the other apps have a bandwidth usage of around 6mb at most.

It could be the play store updating ITSELF as it does. There is no setting for this, only the 'auto update apps' as mentioned by Dan.

Duplicate of http://android.stackexchange.com/q/65445/36187  (Though the comments here are more useful - how often does play store update itself??)

Google Play Store/Services does actually download stuffs over mobile data. Its a bit annoying and under certain circumstances can be quite frustrating, in cases like if someone went camping or on a trip with limited data plans, and google play used all of it to update stuffs.
Well, things you could do are, turning off mobile data when not in use, although as soon as you go online, it'll srart downloading.
Second thing you could do is, turn on powersaving mode, which reduces the amount of power consumption and also restricts background data.
Third thing you can do is enable restrict background apps which is separate from power saving as it only includes restricting apps from taking up data in the background over mobile data plans.
And the fourth and probably my favorite is to use a firewall app. Although firewall apps are build into modern Android versions, google play being a system app has an upper hand over that function. That's when a firewall app like "NETGUARD" comes in handy. This app basically stops all incoming and outgoing traffic from your phone (except apps that you allow) with the help of a vpn that routes to localhost. This app is hands down one of my fav so far, and yeah, might as well give it a try perhaps?
This app is available both on F-Droid and on Google Play Store. Hope this helps (:

https://android.stackexchange.com/q/227035

I had the same issue. The solution, which worked for me has been going to Settings → Data usage → Data Saving Mode. Besides switching this mode on and off, there is an additional menu called Unlimited Data Access, in which you can activate this feature on per app basis. In my case, Play Store was activated. Switching this option to off brought me over the hump and I am fine now.


text:
Galaxy S2, Hangouts app deletes incoming text messages
Incoming SMS messages tend to get deleted immediately on my Galaxy S2. The original messages app does not cause any issues, but if I turn on hangouts it goes nits.
Edit: were talking about an unrooted galaxy s2 with the latest Samsung firmware. If I disable hangout sms feature everything is fine.  Funny thing there was a big period of time when hangouts worked flawlessly.  I guess the desire is to use hangouts for sms if possible.

There could possibly be a bug which is causing the app to Delete the latest incoming messages .

Un-install the application.
Power off and wait for 2-3mins
Switch ON the device and install the App from the Play store
Check for and install the latest updates for Hangouts from the play
store

Always keep your applications up to date in order to avoid some bugs like this in the future

This cannot possibly work. Hangouts cannot be uninstalled and I tried removing updates.  It's always kept up to date.  Oh well was hoping someone knew of a workaround.

@DmitriyLikhten to be fair it can be uninstalled on many devices. What version of Android are you on? Have you rooted the device? Are you running a custom ROM?

@DmitriyLikhten if you cannot un-install the software then at least go for disable it .By this you won't have to update the application and it won't bother you for good


text:
Entering a backtick with the Swype keyboard
I have a Samsung Galaxy S and use the Swype keyboard by default (OK, I'm addicted to it).  Using Swype, I can't find the backtick character, `, which limits my ability to answer questions or add comments on these SE sites.  It exists in the Android keyboard, but going to Settings > Locale and text midway through entering a post is a pain, especially if I want to switch back to Swype afterwards so I have to do it twice.
I think I've done an exhaustive search of all the characters available (long press, extra-long-press, symbol key, etc.).  Does the backtick exist in the Swype keyboard and I just haven't noticed it?  If not, is there a way that I can customize the Swype keyboard to include the backtick?

BTW, it does look like the swype developers have been aware of the problem for the past 7 months. I would have thought it would have been fixed by now. swype.uservoice.com/forums/55960-swype-for-android-beta/… – Will Z Oct 19 at 13:25

If you only need the backtick for when you're entering code on StackExchange sites, then there's actually no reason to type the character.
Any time you're in a Question or Answer box, there's a set of icons just above the box, pressing the 101 010 button puts a pair of matching backticks into the text box at the current cursor location, with some replacable text in between, now just type over that text with Swype (or paste over). Works perfectly on my Galaxy S with Swype enabled.
Edit
For more recent versions of Swype, see MiquelFire's answer where the backtick is now available as an extended character on the .' key beside the space bar.

Hah! I generally have my phone in landscape mode when using the web browser so I never even see those buttons, but it's easy enough to turn it 90 degrees.  I just realized too that I can type a comment into the Answer box, then cut and past it into the comment box!

Seems that backtick have been there on Extra-Long-Press-on-"." at least from SWYPE version 2.72 that is on my Samsung Galaxy S2.

Another confirmation that the back tick isn't on Swype. But, you don't need to dig that deep to switch.. Long press in the input area, choose "Input method" and then you can select the Samsung or Android keyboards. Another long press and two clicks and you are back to Swype.

+1. Didn't know you could change keyboards like that.  One of these days I'll have to RTFM. :)

Holding down the '. key will get you a menu of extra characters to type. I saw the ` there.
2012-10-09 Update: I recently check with the beta version of Swype, and noticed that the ` had moved to r4 key, but my original answer is still valid for the version of Swype built into my phone. Future versions of Swype may move special keys around, and you may need to hunt them down.

Confirmed that the latest version of Swype does allow this.

I've never used that symbol on my phone before, but looked in my version of Swype, not the Galaxy S version but still the latest update, and didn't find the backtick. Looks like you will have to send an email to the Swype team and hope they listen, or get around using it. Sorry man.

This doesn't really answer the question.


text:
Why am I not receiving network signals on a Samsung S3 T-999?
I just bought a Samsung S3 T-999. The problem is when I switch the cellphone on, it connects to my network but just for a second. The moment that second is gone, I lose signal completely.  So it's not like the IMEI is corrupted or something. Moreover, the phone is not asking for an unlock code at all, so I assume it is unlocked too.
What could possibly be the problem? How can I solve it?
This is the screenshot:

It was a really stupid thing. My phone's network mode was set to cdma while my country operates in gsm. It solved it.


text:
Play audio of flash video while screen is off?
I want to listen to the audio portion of flash on my Droid preferably with the screen off.  Sites like InfoQ.com have great interviews in flash that I want to just listen to.

I have had to keep my phone on and the screen off to save power before. I have made use of this app and it works well for me.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.japp.blackscreen
This app needs the ability to display over other apps, but it has saved me a lot of battery. Hope it helps!

This may be a silly thing to say, but have you tried loading a site with flash, and letting it play? I would have thought it would just continue even if the screen goes blank.
If it does stop when the screen goes blank, can you download it and play it using one of the audio players that supports .flv and has the option to continue playing in the backgound? Is there an app that can play .flv?
Regarding playing non-MP4 or H.264:

Chinese app called Wuzhenhua Player
RockPlayerBase
CorePlayer, but doesn't seem to support Android (it's got a mobile version :/)
DroidACIR says it supports .flv-based audio streams
Another flv player

Here's a SO question about having trouble stopping flash when leaving the browser.
HTH

Yes I have tried.  As soon as the screen blanks while I just listen at my desk (to save battery life) the audio stops.  Example presentation I want to listen to while driving preferably:  http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2010/08/19.html

@Brian Do you charge your phone while driving? If so you could switch on the "Stay awake: phone will never sleep while charging" option under the Development settings to stop the screen turning off.