text:
Does Youtube app playback not work with wifi?
On an HTC Evo with Sprint, when trying to playback a video, the Youtube app regularly (always?) reports it can't play a video when I'm connected to a reliable wifi network.  If I immediately turn off wifi and use only the Sprint network, it works fine.
Is this really the case?  If so, why?

After some experimentation: the EVO on Sprint can playback YouTube over WiFi.  The problem is likely some domain being blocked by the hosting WiFi network which is necessary for the YouTube app.

That must be a carrier restriction, as I am able to playback videos on my Moto DROID v1 on Verizon form the YouTube app regardless of which network I am connected to.

source: Stack Exchange

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

sort: votes


text:
Is there a good app that lets me to the app updates in one go?
Right now in the market you have to manually update each app, is there an app that automates this?

Users can update several apps at once using Android version 2.2.
An answer in the Android support forum says:

They have added this already but this
  is probably limited to market client
  app on Android 2.2 aka FroYo and
  higher firmware.

Also, I don't see anything in the market would bring this out for pre-2.2 phones, but it could be out there.

I use AppBrain it automates the install procedure a bit.

But you still can't update all at once without 2.2, right? ;)

No, the AppBrain app works just fine with older versions. It merely goes through each app in turn. You do have to press buttons at each step, but it will at least go through each one without you having to go back to the market each time.

If you're after apps that automatically update themselves when an update is available, as of Android 2.2 there is an option to mark an app to automatically update. Then you'll never be bothered by an update alert for that app again (unless the security profile changes).

The only catch to this is that if you are rooted, you may experience difficulties with automatic or manual updating from time to time, especially with system applications. I suppose that does apply to any version though.

On 2.2 (all I have access to) use the Marketplace app,
open the menu, select My Apps.
All your installed apps will be shown, any with available updates will be shown at the top.
I don't see a way to then Actually update all that have available updates though.
And apparently on older versions this feature is not available as a part of the marketplace.

At the bottom of the screen will be a button that says "Update All".

I don't see it on 2.2.

If you've got the newly redesigned Market app (with the curved green area at the top) the Update All button is now at the top of the My Apps screen, if you've got pending updates to be installed.

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


text:
How do I backup app data from a secondary account and move it to a new phone
My son has been using a rooted Galaxy S4 with Resurrection Remix Nougat 7.1.1_r6. He is under 13, so my user is the primary account, and I created a secondary account for him.  I am now switching him over to my old Nexus 9, but now that Google has accounts for kids, I have made his account the primary account on the Nexus 9.  How do I backup the app data from the secondary account on the Galaxy S4 and move it to the primary account on the Nexus 9 under a new google account?  This is what I have tried so far:

Titanium only works in the primary account and doesn't seem to let me back up data from the secondary account.
Helium only runs in the primary account, and doesn't seem to let me back up data from the secondary account.
When I connect my PC to the phone, I can view photos, but I cannot view the app data directories.

You could try [tag:adb] backup while logged in with the secondary account. I've never tried it, but IIRC it should then access the data of that account. No guarantees, but worth a try. Please let us know if that worked out then.

There is similar question on Stackoverflow: https://stackoverflow.com/q/50978678/150978

license: 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/


text:
How to type SMS in a full sized keyboard?
The only way I have to send SMS is through my Android Phone, since I don't have a GSM/3G modem.
I would like to use my Desktop's keyboard to type those SMSes.
Is there any application that would allow me to type in the keyboard and the keystrokes echo in the Android device, through bluetooth or an USB cable?

Check out WiFi Keyboard -- allows you to use your desktop's keyboard to control the Android.
NB: I have not personally tried this, but it looks pretty cool. aimed particularly at apps that require keyboard input, but still don't pop-up a virtual keyboard......
Again, WiFi, not BlueTooth. aaargh. Unless, you know, you get your PC to broadcast on BlueTooth.

bear in mind; solution preseted next is very geek centric....
Root the phone; install vnc server on phone and vnc client on computer.
Connect either by usb or wifi ; and use remote desktop to send sms.
:D
p.s. yes, i know you probably wanted some sort of bluetooth usb

If you have a Google Voice account, you could also head to http://voice.google.com/ and type your SMS messages there. Of course, have the Google Voice app on your phone so that you can sync your messages with your desktop. It works really well.

I lurve Google Voice.

If only it was available outside the US :(

@GAThrawn - Yeah. They're apparently working on it now. Hopefully you guys get it soon!

SMS2PC will let you see, reply and compose SMS messages on your desktop.  All the message are synced back to the phone too.  I tried it yesterday and it works great.  Wifi only, though.

I've tried the WiFi Keyboard, and it's magic, all you have to do is,

Connect you handset to a wifi network.
Install WiFi Keyboard on your handset.
On any text field, long press the field and choose Input Method; Wifi keyboard.
Instructions will pop, one screen of instruction.
Write the IP from your instructions screen on your handset on your PC's browser.
That's it, and it gets better, if you are a gamer, like me, you have a gaming mode option on the screen of your PC, choose it, and arrows will work for gaming, try it with Doom for example.

Performance is biblical by the way.

I would assume that if you had a full-sized keyboard and is using WiFi keyboard, that means you had a full-sized computer in front of you as well; why not play the desktop Doom?

"BlueKeyboard JP" in the Android Market is an adequate free Bluetooth keyboard driver. Here's my review and notes on special keys.

MyPhoneExplorer
I've been using it for my SE phone, and now for my android phone. Getting it to work via bluetooth was a little tricky until I read the faq at the developer's site.

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


text:
Can I get a shortcut to the Downloaded Files folder?
When an file or app downloads from a browser (as opposed to installing directly), the downloads open up.
Otherwise, I can't seem to navigate in there.
Is there a way, on a stock, un-rooted Android, to navigate to the download list?
Update: browsing through "File Manager", I see I've been staring at /sdcard/download -- how does this view "normally" open after a file download?
I'm on an HTC Incredible, Froyo 2.2, but I'd expect this to be similar for most, no?

Are you talking about downloads in the Market, or files downloaded from the internet (ie. in the browser)?

Yes, I second that question.  Didn't even think of reading it that way until I saw keightjgrant's comment.

updated to clarify, FIVE YEARS LATER, that it is browser downloads.

Usually your apps are downloaded using your browser. For accessing them you open your browser, press menu > more > downloads.

I use Dolphin as the browswer, and with there it is simply menu >> downloads -- and that's the screen I was seeing before. Sheesh. Without title-bars, there's no context for what I'm staring at. I never know if I'm looking at an application screen, or an OS screen. Well, sometimes.

If you want to add a shortcut on your home screen to your Downloads folder or any other folder for that matter get ASTRO File Manager (free).  The app is pretty useful on it's own, but it also adds the option to create a shortcut directly to any folder on the homescreen.  To do this, simply long click on the homescreen, choose "Shortcuts", then choose "ASTRO" then choose the particular folder you want a shortcut to.
I had ASTRO for a while before I realized I could do this because the option is deceiving.  At first look I thought it would create a shortcut to the app, not to a specific folder like it does.
Edit: After reading Keith's comment I realized you are probably talking about market downloads.  In that case do what Al Everett said.

Very helpful to me Matt, as I couldn't find the question "how do I create a folder shortcut on Home screen" on here.

Yes. Open up the "Market" app, open the menu, and choose "Downloads".

Go to your home screen, long press on any area then choose to add "Shortcut" => "Activities". Then you'll see a long expandable list. You need to find here "Downloads". Click on it to expand it and then choose second entry - ".DownloadList"
(Tested on Android 4.4.2 - Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini)

Just open the marketplace and under menu, you'll find Downloads.
Another suggestion, if there are apps you use a lot you can create a shortcut to your homescreen by long pressing on an area of the homescreen where there is room for an icon, select Shortcuts > Applications and pick anything to save to your homescreen. I made a few folders on my homescreen of apps, for example one is called Games, one is called Utilities. Then I filled them with the apps I use most. Long press on the homescreen, select Folders > New Folder, keep it open and press on the application launcher, long press on anything you want to save into your folder and it will save there.

With Ice Cream Sandwich, I have a new app in my app drawer called "Downloads" which brings me to a list of recently downloaded files.
Obviously you can drop this as a shortcut on your home screen.


text:
On the android Incredible, is there any way to make a shortcut to the "All Photos" view?
The HTC photo-album takes up an entire screen; is there a way to make a shortcut, or is there a smaller widget or app, that would open up the all-photos view?
The easiest method I've found is to go in via a camera, view the albums, and select "All photos"
Surely there must be a better way?
I'm on the HTC Incredible running Froyo (2.2)


text:
How can I restore my mobile internet connection?
I was tinkering with some settings to try and improve my battery life. I used several settings widgets to turn off some settings, but when I tried to use an app that required a mobile internet connection, it wasn't working anymore.
I looked through all my regular settings (2g vs 3g, roaming etc) and couldn't find what I turned off that's blocking my mobile internet connection.
So what could it be that I turned off?

You may have turned off your APN.  Quick Settings provides the most complete access to settings that I have seen. After you install it you have to customize the view to see all the different options but after you do you'll be able to toggle the APN, Mobile Data, and Airplane mode all separately to isolate which setting isn't allowing you to connect.

You know the stupid thing is, this isn't that obvious when your browsing through the settings. It's not like a toggle or something. That's also the risk with changing too much at the same time: it's hard to triage what the cause is

Very true. I like to make a ton of change before taking a breath and seeing what I screwed up.  I don't know why Android doesn't make settings more intuitive.

Did you turn off your APN access with something like APN widget?


text:
How to turn on load external Javascript on the Galaxy Nexus?
I just got my Galaxy Nexus and was browsing Stack Exchange (in both mobile and full theme) and got the following warning. As a result things like voting, the dropdown and such don't work. I never had this problem on Gingerbread, so I think it has something to do with Ice Cream Sandwich.

So I'd like to know which settings do I have to tweak so the Javascript gets loaded anyway?
It does seem to load on Dolphin, so it seems limited to the stock browser.

FYI: This does not reproduce in the emulator's stock browse (running ICS)

Maybe Stack Exchange is doing some weird stuff based on the client string and doesn't recognize the one from ICS?

That message means that jQuery fails to to load from http://ajax.googleapis.com

Can anyone else reproduce this on another Galaxy Nexus?

Does this happen on both wifi and mobile networks?

It happens on both @Mokubai

It turns out my probably was solved by something as simple as clearing my cache.
Which makes me feel pretty stupid, because I should have done that before even bothering to ask. I never suspected this could happen straight out of the box, guess I was wrong.

Have you enabled JavaScript in Settings -> Advanced -> Enable JavaScript? The site works normally for me on ICS stock browser on my Galaxy S.

Yup its enabled, toggling it on or off doesn't really make a difference either


text:
How can I add a search button to my dock on a Galaxy Nexus?
I just saw a tweet where someone had added a search button to the 3 docked software buttons

So I'd like to know how to add the search button (or any other) to the dock with the Back, Home and Multitasking buttons
Is this a setting of the default launcher or done through some app?

They work like normal shortcuts, just long-press the icon and drop it into the recycling bin, and then open the app menu, long-press Search and drag it down to the dock.
Edit: The dock in question is not customizable from the default settings, but it can be patched through ClockworkMod. The most comprehensive customization options I've seen can be found here.
The files need to be applied through ClockworkMod so the device has to be rooted. Just download the file you prefer, move it to the internal sdcard and apply the update from recovery. Be sure to backup first, just in case.

I think he means the buttons below that. The ones that used to be hardware buttons, and now are software.

Oops, that's what I get for reading the question too quickly, confused the work dock with the, well, dock. Would this be what you're looking for: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1355193 ?

I thought the same thing until I saw the picture, which reminded me that they're no longer hardware buttons.

That's the thing @onik, care to explain it in more detail in your answer, so others know the solution too?

Ah so I have to root it anyway, well guess there's no pain in that

According to this it's also in the MoDaCo ROM.


text:
What part of Android is responsible for reporting how much battery an app uses?
In Android Marshmallow (and maybe earlier versions), you can go to App Info and see how much battery an app has used. If you click into it, it shows much how much CPU it's used as well as keep awake and network usage. The last line on the view shows "Computed power usage".
What part of the OS calculates this power usage? If "Computed power usage" is coming up as 0-1mAh regardless of usage, where would a developer go to fix it?

Some background for this question: In many of the MM custom ROMs I've used, there's some issue with battery/CPU usage reporting. None of the apps are being listed in the battery usage screen and none of them are being listed in the CPU usage. The behavior is detailed by someone else here https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/148600/why-does-my-nexus-6ps-show-cpu-usage-option-only-show-com-android-systemui-a

I can't see how this knowledge would be useful to anyone but a ROM developer.

@MatthewRead It may not be useful, but in my opinion this is an interesting question for those who don't trust said values, or for mere curiosity as well. Not a strictly development centric question, I think.

I don't think it's a duplicate question because the other post's answer only speaks of Android generally. My question is asking specifically which part (bootloader, kernel, some part of system) of Android is responsible for that. I'm not an Android developer but I am a developer and if someone who knows better can point me to the right direction, I could investigate some repos.

@beeshyams I don't think it can be a duplicate, because the accepted answer to the other question doesn't answer this question at all.

@DanHulme: Agreed.  It explains partly how but doesn't answer this. I was in a hurry. Will retract closure and upvote the question

The strange thing is that GSam Battery Monitor seemingly correctly reports battery usage by apps...


text:
Hide Alarm icon in the status bar
I have at least one alarm set to go off daily so the "alarm clock" icon on my notification bar is really pointless.
Is there a way to make this icon hidden in Android Froyo or Android Gingerbread?

No, for the same reasons detailed in this answer.
Can I hide a program from ongoing activities in the notification bar?

That is not entirely true though, some apps allow to hide the notification. It is an app by app basis.

True enough, although I was speaking to the stock alarm clock.

Ah, yup I would agree with what you have then.

Is there any way to do it at a lower level with rooted access? Maybe replace the current stock clock/alarm app with a modified "stock" clock/alarm app?

This is not accurate, removing the icon is possible with the System UI Tuner that comes bundled with recent versions of Android. @SAGExSDX, I think you should consider changing the accepted answer, so that people aren't misled with by this incorrect answer.

On Android Marshmallow, you can use the hidden System UI Tuner.
Open the quick-setting panel, then press and hold the Settings' cog wheel until it starts spinning. You then get an additional settings entry in System > System UI Tuner > Status bar, where you can hide the alarm.

I see this menu but nothing related to showing the alarm clock icon. Only the ability to set the brightness slider or change the quick menu settings.

I must add I'm actually on CM13, so it may be different than stock MM.

After this go to System > System UI Tuner > Status bar, and then find alarm, it was at the bottom on my phone.

This works in Android 7 (Nougat) too.

Easiest way if rooted:
You can use GravityBox, to hide the Alarm-Clock-Symbol.

Open the app.
Go to "Adapt Status Bar" (I don't know the exact English translation)
Choose "Adapt Clock"
Tick the box next to "Hide Alarm Symbol"

Thanks. This is a great answer if I had stuck with the stock alarm clock. Been using Gentle Alarm for years since this question :)

There is if you use the alarm app, Gentle Alarm. Besides the plethora of amazing features that app has, you can also turn off the notification bar icon and the app still runs in the background just fine. I've been running it that way for a long time.
On a semi-related note, my favorite feature of Gentle Alarm is the ability to keep alarms scheduled, but skip as many of them in order as you want. That way if you are on vacation for one day you can turn off scheduled alarm(s) for just that day and not be annoyingly woken up. I was on vacation for a week and was able to turn them all off and the following week I didn't have to remember to turn my alarms back on, already taken care of.

Those sounds like some great features. I was hoping that there was a way to still use the stock alarm app AND hide the icon. but based on Al E's answer, it doesn't sound like you can. Getting an alternate alarm app was going to be a "if it annoys me enough" last-effort solution.

Well I would recommend getting the app for not only the annoyance factor, but also all the other features too.

I achieve this with the app; Smart Alarm Free. It simply has a setting for it. Also it's a way better alarm app.

Yes there is, but you need an app for it.
I was surprised to read that this was something people wanted, and so I ended up writing such an app (disclaimer: I wrote the app, but it is free).
It is small and lightweight, and removes the icon, but will also flash the icon every time another app updates the alarm.
If this is something that you would find useful, you can get it for free on the Google Play store:

X89 Status Ninja

In Gentle Alarm, you must go to the Settings and turn on Advanced Features. Then Other Preferences > Notifications, and then you are presented with many options for the type of notification or turning it off.

Just found this in Marshmallow for anyone coming across this question. Go to Settings > Status Bar > Status Bar Icons and from there you can uncheck the alarm icon.

Stock Marshmallow, or a custom ROM? I've only seen CyanogenMod having this option.

Actually it is CM13, but I guess I just assumed it was a stock Marshmallow option.

Provided your Android is rooted and a compatible Xposed Framework1 is installed, you can use GravityBox xposed module to hide the alarm icon.
I tested with GravityBox [N] and in it, go to Statusbar tweaks → Clock Settings → tick Hide Alarm icon.
Note that I cannot assure whether earlier Android version specific versions of GravityBox offered this tweak.
(Click image to enlarge)

1 Xposed Framework for stock Android [based] ROMs: Android 4.x, Android 5.x, 6.x and 7.x

For Oreo, I used SystemUI Tuner. Need to enable the developer options temporarily and grant it necessary rights though a computer. It exposes the necessary system settings and has few other useful settings too.
Bit more detail:
In earlier versions it was possible to invoke the "System UI Tuner" on android system by long pressing settings cog wheel after swiping down on the notification bar to expand it. Sadly it has been decided not to expose this to users on Oreo. So we need a 3rd party app (e.g. first link above). And give that app necessary permissions using developer mode. The two links give all the details and steps.

You can download Wanam Xposed from Xposed repository here.
When you open the app you'll be instructed to install the framework (I've done it personally and haven't had any problems).
Once this is done go back to the original app and there will be many customizable features available including one for hiding the alarm clock icon.
This is not my app. I just use it personally on a  stock JB 4.3 (rooted) and find it great.

if you are running Jelly Bean (or newer), there is the option of disabling all notifications from an app. The setting is per-app and can be found in Settings > Apps > (select the app) > uncheck the "Show notifications" box. The one caveat to this method is that the app will no longer show any notifications in the notification bar, but if that's acceptable to you than I've found this method to be an easy way to stop my notification drawer from filling up with unnecessary notifications.

The questioner isn't talking about a notification. He's talking about the alarm clock icon that shows up on the right-hand end of the notification bar, with the Wi-Fi and battery indicators. Notifications are at the left-hand end of the notification bar.

Also, if you disable notifications entirely for an alarm clock, nothing will pop up when the alarm goes off. To turn off a ringing alarm, you will have to start your alarm clock app from the home screen, find the alarm schedule that is currently ringing, and turn off the scheduled alarm.  You will have no option to snooze the alarm, or silence it but leave it on repeat.  You'd have to turn it off and then on again.

Sorry but I don't understand what you are saying. Could you please try to rephrase your answer. Especially your first sentence is hard to understand.

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


text:
What is the /oem partition?
Recently I had an over-the-air (OTA) update fail because the /oem partition did not pass the assert. However, it looks like the update still "succeeded" in that the /system partition had all the updated bits and the update check in Android says I'm at the latest version. I'm guessing my /oem partition is outdated now but it doesn't seem to be affecting anything.
What is the purpose and capabilities of the /oem partition?

right but how does it work and what can it do? for example, my system partition got updated via OTA but it errored out during oem partition upgrade and the version in my About Phone was wrong.

The /oem partition is used for any carrier customisations to the Android firmware; if your firmware build is not a carrier-specific one then it might be empty anyway.  This purpose is described in the Android Project Treble documentation.


text:
Is it possible to export my Google Listen Status?
I am playing with the idea of switching from a rooted stock Froyo ROM on my Droid to a Cyanogen ROM, and one of the things that is holding me back is the Google Listen status.
I want to be able to preserve the contents of my queue, and, if possible, the last stopped point on any episodes in the queue.  It would also be great if I didn't have to re-download all of the episodes in my queue (I prefer to download them in advance, when I am on wifi, rather than stream them).  If I have to re-download, that isn't a big deal, but it would be nice if I could skip this.
Is this possible?  This seems to be the only thing that does not live in the cloud (at least that affects me).

How about exporting to a different podcatcher?

I would suggest using a utility such as TitaniumBackup to completely back-up all your applications and your data. It will be stored on your SD card so that you can restore them all after you've installed your new ROM, and you wouldn't even notice that it was gone.

+1 Titanium is the way to go if you are rooted and switching from stock to custom rom (or to another custom rom)

This looks like exactly what I have been looking for. Titanium backup, where have you been all my life?

This is actually one of the few apps I've paid for the donate version. It's really nice to be able to just set it to back-up right before I switch to a new ROM.

Titanium Backup is a great app. I will upvote this answer. Too bad it doesn't do what I really want, which is to transfer the queue to another podcast program (like BeyondPod) now that Google Listen is probably never going to be updated again.


text:
How to Edit Track in Google "My Tracks"?
I frequently for get to turn off Google My Tracks recording. When forget this after biking or hiking, it leaves a big trail on my track from where I got into my car and drove home. Is there an easy way to trim this portion of the track? Or to enter an edit mode in My Tracks or Google Maps to remove the extra section?
Thanks!
(PS can some one add a tag for google-my-tracks.

Upload the map to Google from your device
On maps.google.com, click "My maps" (top left, below the Google Maps logo)
Select the map you want to edit
Click the 'edit' button (top right in the left sidebar)
The line is now editable. Right-click points on the line you want to delete and select 'Delete this point'.

Is there a way to send it back to My Tracks?

endolith, at the moment you cannot do that. See http://groups.google.com/group/mytracks/browse_thread/thread/0aec47f8dec64588#.


text:
Can you see your groups and pages in the Facebook for Android application?
I just received my mobile (Samsung Galaxy S) this week, so I'm really just playing around with it and the various applications.
On facebook for Android: is there a way to see your groups and pages ? You can see and type messages, see your profile and your inbox, but I can't seem to find the groups I can see on the website.

The Facebook for Android does not currently support groups and pages.  Try accessing these features via http://m.facebook.com or http://touch.facebook.com


text:
How do I turn off the HTC Desire boot jingle?
Even with a set of headphones plugged in, when I reboot my HTC Desire it (ironically) still plays the 'quietly brilliant' boot screen jingle loudly on the built-in speaker.
This can be utterly annoying when lying in bed and the handset needs a reboot as it invariably wakes up the wife.
Can this be turned off or replaced?

There's an app for, well, turning off the sound on shutdown and then back on at startup.  As I've got Tasker I no longer use it, but you're looking for Silent Boot by Anton Weber.

With Silent Boot I still can hear a very short part of the shutdown jingle (maybe a couple of micro seconds before Silent Boot can deactivate the sound). Tasker has a little longer and the first three notes of the sound are played before it is muted. I'm a Tasker newbie and used "Silent Mode On" for the "Device Shutdown" event. Is there a more optimal way do do this?

The only way I found to silence it was to have the phone on vibrate when it reboots.  Doesn't seem to play any sounds when it comes back up then.

Setting to "Silent mode" will also have this effect.


text:
What is the round circle next to the "do not dispose in household waste" icon on my Moto Droid?
There is a round indicator of some sort under the battery cover approx 3/16" of an inch in diameter.  It is located to the left of the "Do not dispose with household waste" icon (looks like a trash can with an X over it.  The indicator appears white with red "X"s; I believe it has been this way since the phone was new, but I can't be sure.
What does this indicate?

Edit:  Added picture

I'm not sure asking about a sticker counts as an Android question, but others may disagree.

Could be a warning to recycle the battery instead of throwing it away.

I'd agree with @Matthew regarding this - it's a battery question, not an Android one.

To be clear, this is not part of the battery, it's on the phone body, but you have to remove the battery door to see it.  It looks like more than a simple sticker... there is a hole in the body of the phone specifically to reveal a view of it.   I'll post a photo shortly.

Perhaps it's a water damage sticker -- it might go more red if water gets on it, or something.

+1 Looks like a water damage indicator, it's that same shade of light-ish red as the cross-hatching on the water damage indicator on my company phone.

Yes, it's a water/moisture damage indicator.

Searching on "droid water damage indicator" shows lots of sources that agree.    Apparently it turns solid red if it gets wet.   Accepting answer.    Thanks.


text:
Can I use tasker to turn LTE/4G mode on/off on my Droid Bionic?
I'd like to turn LTE on while I'm at work and off at home; I have the appropriate profiles, but I can't find an appropriate action.   Is this something that could be done with an intent?

I was hoping the "Wimax" or "Mobile Data 2G/3G" Net Actions would be what you need, but after looking around it doesn't look like Tasker supports 4G on/off switching. Per Tasker forum user Pent regarding this issue (on a different phone):

If this isn't currently a feature is there any way to implement it?

It isn't and there's no 'official' way to implement it. I was hoping
  there would be something in ICS, but don't think there is after a
  quick scan.
One day I'll have to do some research, but I prefer working on
  features that will still work going forwards and benefit everyone.
Pent

Sorry for the bad news.

Thanks.   I found this writeup on the Motorolo dev site that talks about how to detect the network type, but I found no sign of an API that would let you change the preference, so there's probably no way for Tasker to implement it.  :-(

Why don't you just go to settings then wireless and networks then mobile networks and change it from both 4G LTE/CDMA to just CDMA when you get off work? Problem solved, check it out.

The point of apps like Tasker is to automate tasks like what you describe. You can't do anything with Tasker you couldn't already do manually. So, your answer isn't really an answer.

Gina, that's what I've been doing, but @Al Everett is exactly right; I was hoping that Tasker could take care of it for me.


text:
How can I abort a voice mis-dialed call?
When I use voice dialing, the wrong contact is selected often enough that I'd like a chance to abort the call before it starts.    If I tap the call button on my headset, it seems to transfer the call back to the phone; by the time I reach for the phone, and hang up, I've left a missed call on a random person's phone.
What is the proper way to abort a call from the headset when the dialer picks the wrong contact?   Is there some way to get a bit more delay before the call connects?
Moto Droid (stock), 2.2, Moto H720 headset.

I can't seem to find anything online about a Motorola H20 headset.  Is that definitely the model number?

I would personally treat the problem instead of the symptoms ... see if you can get an app that can better recognize your voice or something :)

@ToxMox It's H720.   Fixed the post.   @Matthew Read -- it's the stock voice dialer.  I do have a number of non-English names in my contact list, I'm not sure if that may be part of the reason for the miscues.

The new Voice Search is supposed to adjust itself to your voice over time.

Grrrr -- called "Mehmet" instead of "Marlene" again.   Not sure how it can adjust to my voice if there's no way to give feedback that it got it wrong.

I ended up compromising on this by setting Google Voice to "Ask on every call", which gave me a chance to cancel the call.    The downside is having to touch "make call without Google Voice" to put the call through.

On my Spica (Samdroid Froyo Mod), there are two stock voice caller, the Android's stock "Voice Dialer" (com.android.voicedialer):

On the stock Android Voice Dialer, when you start the Voice Dialer app and then speak "Call ", this shows up:

the stock Voice Dialer can be cancelled by pressing the highlighted "Cancel" button. The Voice Dialer does not automatically call the contact, it waits for you to tap on the contact's name to start the call.
The other voice caller is using Google-branded "Voice Search" (com.google.android.voicesearch):

when you tap on the Voice Search button on the Google Search Widget and then speak "Call " this screen shows up:

the Google-branded Voice Search automatically dial after a short delay the spoken contact, and you can tap "Cancel" before the spinning highlighting is out to cancel the call without leaving missed calls.
I'm not sure which voice dialer you're using, can you clarify?

It's the stock Bluetooth voice dialer -- which displays a screen like the one on the left if the screen is on and unlocked, except the heading says "Bluetooth Voice Dialer".   I want a way to cancel the call from the headset -- if the phone is in the car dock, I may have to turn on the display, unlock the phone, and then go to the phone app to hang up the call that's connecting.   If the phone is in my jeans pocket under a winter coat, similar problem....

On my "dumb" Moto Razr, if I tap the call button on the headset after it announces who it's calling, it hangs up without completing a call.   I'd really like something similar here.


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Book library management solutions, that allows adding titles with a upc reader?
What would be a good easy way to catalog my physical book library with a UPC reader on android? Would you have suggestions for a simple individual library management solutions?

Have a look at this application Book Catalogue

Goodreads has an app for this that works with their website, which includes book reviews and recommendations as well.
You can sort books by shelves, which can correspond to physical shelves if you choose (e.g. living room, bedroom, lent out to a friend).


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How can I determine the hardware video file decoding capability of my android phone?
I have many video files. I want convert all the files to a playable format for my phone... would H264 or xvid work?
I just want to convert to a hardware decode-able format to save my phone battery.

What phone? If you need a list of formats that your phone can decode using hardware, it is necessary for us to know what phone are you talking about, so we can know what chip uses and what formats are supported.

Since XviD is just an MPEG-4 type, that's a very good bet.  There are probably phones that natively decode H.264 as well, but given its relative newness and Google's recent disapproval of it, it's not as likely.  For more specific information, we'd need the model of your phone.  You can also just Google "Droid X chipset" or "HTC Wildfire specs", for examples, and then when you find the video chip/processor just Google whether it decodes your codec of choice.

the specs just says 'support h264', does it mean hardware decoding?

If it's referring to the chip, yes.  If it's referring to the phone, then it probably means software support.

http://developer.android.com/guide/appendix/media-formats.html
Some devices may play more formats, but these are supported by every phone.


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Is there a way to use PC browser bookmarklets with the Android Browser or Dolphin HD?
Can I make these work on Android or is there a google place to create or convert bookmarklets to make them Android Compatible?

see also: http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/1054/is-there-a-way-to-use-userscripts-greasemonkey-scripts-on-the-android-browser-o

Finally got it to work and it wasn't complicated at all.
Simply create a bookmark and paste the javascript into the URL field.  I've tried it on this bookmarklet that does a google definition search:
javascript: s = (window.getSelection ? window.getSelection() : document.getSelection ? document.getSelection() : document.selection.createRange().text); if (s == '') { l = parent.frames.length; if (l != 1) { for (i = 0; i < l; i++) { s = parent.frames[i].document.getSelection ? parent.frames[i].document.getSelection() : parent.frames[i].document.selection.createRange().text; if (s) { break; } } } } if (s == '') { void( s = prompt('Google Define:
Enter a term or mark some text.','') ); } if (s) { s = String(s); s = s.replace(/^s*|s*$/g,''); s = escape(s);void( bmw = open('http://www.google.com/search?num=100&start=0&q=define:'+s+'','GoogleDefineBM'+String(Math.round(Math.random()*1000))) );}
To get it saved as a bookmark I just saved the text in evernote then copied it on my phone an pasted it in the url field of "new bookmark."  To make it even easier to access I created a custom dolphin gesture that opens it as "Go To URL".  Now when I'm browsing and I want to lookup a word I hit the gesture button and draw a "d" and it brings up a popup that allows me to lookup the word.
I've only tried this on Dolphin Browser HD.

Unfortunately on Firefox and Chrome for Android it doesn't work.

But with Dolphin Browser it does work.

Works in Chrome mobile. Here's the recipe:
PREPARE
Create a bookmarklet = add a script to your bookmarks:

on Chrome PC¹, then sync (so your bookmarks show up in Chrome mobile on your phone)
or directly in Chrome mobile on your phone²

USE
Do not invoke/call the script (on phone) by looking it up in Chrome Bookmarks (menu [ ⋮ ] / Bookmarks) → that doesn't work. You have to tap the URL bar and start typing the bookmarklet's name. Select the bookmarklet from the list (it'll begin with javascript:blahblahblah…).

¹) on any webpage hit Chrome's button [ ⭐ ] on URL bar then [More] in the popup that appears, then enter the bookmarklet name, URL (=code beginning with javascript:blahblahblah…), optionally choose folder, then hit [Save]
²) on any webpage hit Chrome's button [ ⋮ ] then [ ⭐ ] then [Edit] on a bar that shows down the screen, then enter the bookmarklet name, URL (=code beginning with javascript:blahblahblah…), optionally choose folder, then hit [←] to save and go back

It isn't so much being "Android compatible" as being compatible with the specific browser.
That being said... I haven't gotten URL-based javascript to execute in Dolphin, but that proves nothing.

"Simply create a bookmark and paste the javascript into the URL field."
Bookmark a page that you have not bookmarked, then modify the bookmark, Name, Address, Folder (to something like "Bookmarklets"), and Assign a Gesture, then Add.
Suggest you create a gesture to create a bookmark and draw a five pointed star as that gesture. (or use the "+" at the left end of the address bar.)
For more information see http://dmcritchie.mvps.org/dolphin/dolphin_mygestures.htm

This does not work in Chrome.

Chrome to Phone and also...
Phone to Chrome,
Once the the linkys gets synchronized, then its merely a matter of bookmarking it.
The only onus, is that Chrome is installed on the PC Desktop, in that way, linkys can be shared.


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Change idle screen
Is there some way to change the "sweep glass" idle screen (screen you see when the phone comes back from turning off screen)?
I like the "sweep glass" screen, but have seen some others. Eg. Screen similar to the "phone call" screen - two options (answer, reject) that need to be swiped to either side.
Aside: idea of puzzle pieces for messages, emails, etc is brilliant!

I've been using WidgetLocker (AppBrain). Its very customizable and has worked like a charm for me.

Note: WidgetLocker is not free.

Not willing to pay for apps just yet. Gotta figure out the stuff I have first. Plus there's so many free apps...

@cofiem Skip a coffee break at Starbucks and buy yourself a couple of apps.  Developers need the support so they can make more awesome apps for everyone.  Plus, there is a 24 hour return period so you can get your money back if you do not like the app (unlike Apple where all purchases are final).

@Bryan Denny This article sums up my feelings pretty well. I haven't yet explored everything on the phone, and don't yet feel like I want to go buy things. http://fury.com/2010/09/the-first-step-to-fixing-the-android-marketplace-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-android-marketplace/

There's flyscreen, which lets you put widgets and such on your lock screen. (App brain link)

I'll give it a go.


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Is there any way to crop widgets in HTC Sense?
I've seen people crop off part of a widget to make it take up less space.  Is there any readily-available way to do this on an HTC phone with Sense (Droid Incredible, to be specific)?

If you purchase the paid version of launcher pro you can crop widgets. Just long press on a widget with Launcher Pro installed and running, and then let go. It should be highlighted in an off orange/yellow color. In the lower right corner is a little arrow type icon, click this and drag to crop the widget.
Not sure how to do this otherwise.

The downside is you can't do use Sense widgets in Launcher Pro (AFAIK)

True but for most HTC widgets there are alternatives that give almost the same functionality. I just wish HTC would buy out the Launcher Pro team so we had a choice of launcher and both would work with widgets. That would be sweet!

If I decide I don't like Launcher Pro, will I be able to uninstall it and get my Sense UI and widgets back?

Yes, as long as you don't clear defaults or cache for Sense you should lose anything. think of launchers as another desktop that will run on top of Sense. In fact I also recommend downloading Home Switcher as well. That way you can easily go back and forth till you decide which one you like better.

FYI: In the unpaid version of Launcher Pro you can resize widgets when you add them.

I don't get that option. I just added a widget and nothing happened except the widget it's now on my homescreen.

@Webs: Long-click on the widget.  It should turn yellow and show a little drag tab in the bottom right.  (Then, if you have the free version, you get a nice annoying message about how that feature is only available in the paid version)

Yea I know how to resize them, read my answer you were commenting on. But Joe said this could be done with the unpaid version.


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How can I choose between Shazam and SoundHound?
I want a Music ID app, I have tried both Shazam and SoundHound which were good. They both have a limit of 5 songs, and cost $5 to upgrade to unlimited. Before purchasing one of them, I want to make sure I'm making the right choice. What are the advantages/disadvantages of each one?
Are there any other competing apps I should consider?
Update: I used SoundHound's old name, Midomi, accidentally.

Google Sound Search is free of charge.

I would pick a handful of songs that are of the type of music you like and see how each one does at identifying them.  Also consider how long it takes each one to get you your results.  Also if you buy music through a particular service, consider the app's ability to interface easily with that service.  The other big thing to consider would be startup time of the app, since you want to be able to tag a song before it ends!

Both are pretty much the same. I've found that each one sometimes can't identify songs that the other one can.
Both have pretty much the exact same features. SoundHound is a little quicker at recognising the song... it doesn't need that full 10 seconds of the song and will sometimes stop after only 5 seconds of recording.
I'm not 100% sure if Shazam has this but SoundHound also allows you to view the artist and album of the song... i.e. so if you've identified the song, SoundHouse will show you which album that song is from and you can then browse that album right within SoundHound which is pretty good.
I used both but in the end chose to use SoundHound because of the mentioned features above.

I've used both and usually Shazam gets me a better result on slower networks. Soundhound has some great extra features. But for long-term, I think I would just use an app like Shazam or Soundhound to find a song I hear, not to share or anything like that.

I use SoundHound.  It also costs $5 for the full version.  I can't really articulate why, though; I just liked the interface better.


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How can I configure my phone to automatically connect to remembered wifi networks? (after having left the device to sleep)
That question occured to me when I saw the WIFI_MODE_FULL API documentation:

Wi-Fi will be kept active, and will behave normally, i.e., it will attempt to automatically establish a connection to a remembered access point that is within range, and will do periodic scans if there are remembered access points but none are in range.

However, in my recent experience, my Nexus One never connects automatically to my remembered networks (It just displays the notification that some open networks are available). However the programming API suggests that it should be able to connect automatically - how can I configure my phone to do that?
I have a Nexus One with Android 2.2.
Edit: Thank you for your comments. After checking, I have found that my N1 does connect automatically to the remembered networks - but after I have left it to sleep, it is never connected (even though I set the Wifi sleep policy to "Never") - and when I open the Wireless configuration panel, I find that my remembered networks are "disabled". How can I prevent that?

That is odd.  It should just connect.  That is why my Droid does, and I'd find it hard to believe that the Nexus One is different.  I believe that is a feature of Android, not the phone.  Are you using any other apps the control the WiFi like Quick Settings or Tasker?

Same here.  It should automatically connect to any networks you have previously connected to before.

@Matt, @Bryan Denny: Thank you for your comments - I have found that the incriminating behavior happens after the screen is turned off, then on - despite setting the wifi sleep policy to "Never", I find that my phone is never connected in these cases.

I've just started seeing this same problem after the latest Froyo OTA upgrade. Maybe that's related?

@Jacob: Set your wireless connection Sleep Policy (advanced settings in Wireless Configuration) to "When screen turns off". If the problem persists, then it is different from mine.

I have this same problem, intermittently, with my N1/froyo/CM6. I don't know why it happens, but it's been happening since the froyo update afair.
I've noticed it happens less often if I stay in one place. This led me to the theory that, since I live at a university, the fact that networks will pop in and out of range even as I enter my dorm and walk up to my room will make my N1 think that the network's unstable and thus disable it.
Toggling definitely fixes the issue.

That could be it. Would mean that in fact, choosing the "Sleep = Never" option can negatively affect usability. (Because it disconnects and disables the device while screen is off.)

I have had a similar problem, though intermittent, on my ADP2 (=MyTouch 3G) running Froyo (via CM6).  I believe that networks become disabled when a connection attempt fails.  I suspect something like the first connection attempt occurring when you are only barely in range, and once that fails, the network is "disabled" until you explicitly choose it and successfully connect.

Thank you for your reply - essentially the same as Sohum's - but there can be only one accepted answer. ;)

You could kill two birds with one stone... y5 is a little app that automatically toggles the wifi connection when you enter/leave cells with known wifi access points. I would bet that toggling wifi might help it connect when it detects a network it knows.


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Has anyone found out why some BIONICs won't charge fully on non-BIONIC wall chargers?
This seems to be a fairly common issue.
Upon attempting to charge my Motorola DROID BIONIC with two non-Motorola microUSB wall chargers, I couldn't get the phone past 40%. With the Moto charger, it charges fully (though apparently pretty slowly).
I know the BIONIC's battery is a 3.8v, and my chargers are all 3.7, but the voltage difference doesn't seem large enough to cause a problem. Is is possible the BIONIC can read the difference in the voltage, even if it is small, and is coded not to fully charge on these non-Moto chargers?
Both HTC chargers I've tried were 200mA. It seems maybe the amperage is too low to charge the phone. I'll try and find a higher power one to test.

I doubt the 0.1 V difference is enough, but it's possible that the charger has a chip in it that allows the device to determine what it's connected to.  What's the amperage, though?  That's probably relevant.  And does it matter whether the phone is on or off while charging?

Both the HTC chargers I tried are 200mA. Perhaps the amperage is just too low - this would make sense.

If you don't have a higher capacity charger available, try turning the display off, and if you can, enable airplane mode to reduce power consumption by the radios.   This might give the 200mA charger a chance to make some progress.

@David 200mA is tiny, I'm surprised you can charge anything much with that. The on-board USB ports on PCs are a maximum of 500mA and people complain that they're far to slow for charging compared to a wall plug charger

Does the phone begin discharging at 40%?  Does it indicate that it is still charging, but the charge never exceeds 40%?
I have had charging issues with my Motorol DROID v1.  What I've come to understand is that the power delivered by the car adapter is less than the power drawn by the phone when the GPS is on.  I would suspect that a couple of factors might be in play here:

Connectivity problems

If the connection between the charging cable and the phone might be poor, perhaps due to poor connector seating or swelling due to heat.  It could be that, after charging for a period of time the phone heats up and expands to the point that the connection is lost.  The phone stops charging, cools, and the connection is made again.

Phone behavior at or above 40% charge

Do you have Tasker or some other automation tool running that has rules about which features / services to run at a particular charge level?  If so, you could be seeing that the services cause the phone to draw power at the same rate that it is charged, preventing further charging.
These are really just guesses.  If you have one, I would try hooking up a 3rd party charger that is rated for the same power output.  If the phone charges completely this way, even though it is not a Moto branded charger, it is a pretty good bet that your HTC chargers just aren't cutting the mustard with your Moto phone.

After testing with yet another 3rd party charger (this one is 500mA), it seems to work, if slowly. It seems like these old HTC 200mA chargers are pretty useless for this thing.

I doubt this.  I've charged my BIONIC using the following:

Griffin technologies Power Jolt Dual car charger - rated 1A
Motorola car charger for original Motorola DROID - rated 850 mA
Motorola Wall charger for original Motorola DROID - rated 850 mA
Motorola wall charger for BIONIC - rated 850 mA

In addition, I've used 3 different USB charging cables connected to my computer in 2 different ways - to a powered USB 2.0 HUB as well as directly off the motherboard USB rear connector.

USB gold plated ferro-core cable from monoprice connected to powered USB hub - rated 500 mA
USB original Motorola cable that came with the BIONIC connected to the powered hub - rated 500 mA
USB gold plated ferro-core cable from monoprice connected to motherboard USB - rated 500 mA
USB original Motorola cable that came with the BIONIC connected motherboard USB - rated 500 mA

All have charged the phone perfectly fine.
In addition, I've also charged the spare battery in the battery charger using the Griffin in the truck and both Motorola wall units at home to a full charge.
So far, I've had no issues with charging.  Now, any charging performed through the computer USB and / or powered USB hub takes much longer than car / wall charging, but that;s to be expected, with a 35% increase in amperage in those versus regular USB.
I also have the power saving elements of the UI completely disabled, and I live in an area with only 3G access, but I have not disabled 4G on its own.

That's the thing - it doesn't seem to affect everyone. Kellex over at Droid-life had the problem as well, but a number of users are saying they don't experience it. However, the HTC chargers I tried are both rated 200mA. Maybe they're just too weak.

200mA? That's way below USB standard - USB 2.0 is 5v 500mA (connect at 100mA & ask for more power) - no wonder it doesn't work!


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how to replace gmail with the new inbox by gmail
I've got an invite to the new inbox by gmail service. I downloaded the app, but I can't seem to make it the default mailing app on the phone. (when I receive new emails, I get system notifications from the gmail app and not from the inbox app).
I tried to list the inbox app as the default mailing app using "Default App Manager" from the play store, but I guess that deals more with handling "mailto" commands and such, not with system notifications.
how do I get Inbox to show notifications instead of gmail?
I kinda randomly got 2-3 notifications from inbox while trying to make it work, but I have no idea why it happened.
thanks in advance!

Have you tried disabling the gmail app?

Enable notifications for Inbox:

tap menu icon
tap settings (just above Help & feedback" at bottom of screen
tap your email address
check "New messages" and your choice of Vibrations, Lights, and sound.
Tap "Turn off Gmail notifications" & confirm (if displayed)

Disable notifications in the Gmail app (if "Turn off Gmail notifications" is not displayed in Inbox):

swipe from left to right to expose mailbox list, labels, and settings
scroll down to "Settings"
tap your email address
uncheck "Notifications"

(repeat for each email address if you have multiple set up).
You'll be able to see your mail from either app, but notifications will now come from Inbox instead of Gmail.

There is been an update for Inbox that allow you to directly disable Gmail notification from the settings menu

yep, that's the answer. they added this feature after I asked this question

Just a note to others, I am new to android and couldn't figure out why my IFTTT notifications were not working with inbox.  The above answer is correct, but it turns out if its is specifically an "if gmail then *". inbox won't display the notification. It needs to be "if email then *" for inbox notifications.

Another note : In "manage account", if you select 'google' and then one of your email, you can choose what apps sync your data for that account, so you can unsync your gmail if you want to. Ad for those using gmail with some email adresses you can unsync inbox for those.

Go to apps>gmail and click disable (you may have to uninstall updates first)
Enjoy

EDIT: Please use the other solution if you have more than one gmail account

That's not really a great answer - Gmail still has a use...especially considering it serves much more than just your Google email accounts now.

Also, for people, like me, who have multiple gmail accounts tied to their device, but not all of them are enabled with Inbox. This solves one problem, and causes another.

Yes, I have used the other solution as well


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Difference between VLingo and the built in Voice functionality in Android?
My wife is contemplating an Android phone, and loved the demo she saw of VLingo on a Blackberry.  I keep noting that this is all built in and free on Android.  I imagine since they are cross coding anyway, might as well offer it for Android at least (It IS offered for Android, as well as iPhone and Blackberry).
So a couple of things:
What are the differences between VLingo and the built in functionality?
Are there other alternatives?
I like the Google technology currently used, and am playing with VLingo on my Blackberry, and am not so impressed yet.  I am waiting to be wowed.

I don't see how there can be a single, correct answer to this. You're asking for opinions, which is not the kind of questions we prefer on this site.

Agreed, this is subjective and should be closed.  And if VLingo hasn't actually been released for Android, this isn't really even an Android question.

I am asking for pro-cons.  Which is not exactly opinion.  And it was released for Android.

@Al Everett am asking for pro-cons.  Which is not exactly opinion.  And it was released for Android.   @Matthew Read : I edited to say that it has been released for Android.

@geoffc Pros and cons are absolutely subjective opinions, that doesn't make sense.

"Why would you" is definitely asking for subjective input. If you, perhaps, edited the question asking for objective details of the differences between the two products that would make it a better question.

@aL Everett Question topic changed.  I will edit it again to change it to list of differences.

I tried VLingo for a while on my Evo and wasn't impressed.  It did not seem to offer any value to me above that provided by the built-in voice actions.  I uninstalled it after trying it for a couple of months.

I can see why an iPhone, or BB would want such an app, I am trying to figure out how it improves upon Google included code!  Thanks for the response.   I think if I had to choose voice recognition code, I would choose Googles over most anyone, just knowing how they scale things...

@user921: Can you be more specific?


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Installing Froyo on Milestone
Is there a way to install Froyo on the Motorola Milestone?
I understand that Motorola is planning a deployment of this release in Q1 2011 but I just wish I had it now!

See: http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/2696/when-will-my-phone-get-android-2-2-froyo

Official update has been released.

Stock Froyo?  No, not at the moment.
Custom ROM?  Take a look at XDA Forums, there are some ROMs currently in progress, but might be unstable on your phone.

Froyo is released for the Milestone
Go to this page to get it from motorola: http://www.motorola.com/staticfiles/Support/GB-EN/froyo/milestonenotification.htm


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Access synced Exchange calendar from desktop browser
I know this is a bit tangential, but bear with me.
The Exchange calendar sync works perfectly for me, however, it would be AWESOME if I could see my exchange calendar with my other Google calendars in the desktop browser, just like it does on my phone. :) It looks like the Exchange Sync uses Google Calendar to merge both my personal Google calendar and my business exchange calendar on the phone.
Any way to recreate this on the desktop browser and see all my calendars together? I have a rooted Nexus One running the stock Froyo 2.2 rom.

If you have Outlook 2007, you can use the built-in Publish My Calendar feature to publish it to Microsoft servers, which will make the ICS feed available to add as a calendar in Google Calendar.
In Outlook 2007, go to the Calendar section and click the "Publish My Calendar..." link. Fill out that dialog and it will start syncing.
If necessary, feel free to adjust which calendars are shown in your Android device via the Calendar app's Option menu item "Calendars".

This is a good idea, but I'm trying to avoid setting up another sync, especially one that is reliant on my desktop app running. It seems like the built-in sync is using a Google Calendar, but maybe not.

Everything that's synced to your Google Calendar on your phone should also be on your Google Calendar on the net (https://www.google.com/calendar).  You can have multiple calendars in Google Calendar, perhaps the calendar you're phone is syncing to isn't set to be visible in the web view?

My workplace has Exchange email and I've managed to have it sync with my Google account and NOT use my main Google calendar, with relatively little work.
I have the following setup:

Me@google personal Google account
Me@work Exchange account
Me@work Google account (go to Google, Sign Up for new account, use Me@work as "existing email address") that is separate from my main Google account
Google Calendar Sync on my work computer linking to my Me@work Google account
Me@work Google calendar shared with my Me@google Google calendar

It does have the downside of needing the a computer to be active (no easy way around that that I know of) but it has the upside that it partitions my work events into a separate calendar and integrates tightly into my heavy personal Google use.
There IS a .NET application that someone wrote that lives as a service on a Windows server and periodically does the sync itself.  But I can't seem to find it now, and it does require you to have a Windows server you'd be allowed to run it on.  And if you have to leave a Windows machine running anyway, you could just put Outlook on it and use Google Calendar Sync.
If you had admin rights on the Exchange server, this might also be an option: http://code.google.com/p/google-calendar-connectors/wiki/Overview


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Where are my photos saved?
I want to categorize/reorganize the photos in my gallery.  I feel like I've been all over the place in ASTRO, looking them, but I can't seem to find them.  I see my downloads, and some other photo folders I've moved stuff to while plugged in to my computer, but not the photos I've taken with the camera.
I've checked /mnt/sdcard/dcim, but all it has are three directories: Camera (empty), Icons (empty) and .thumbnails (full of cryptic cache files).  Same story at /sdcard/dcim (I think those two are symlinked).
Where are my photos?
If it makes a difference, I'm on an HTC Incredible.
edit
In my camera settings, it is set to save photos to the phone's memory, not my sd card.

Aha, found them!
/emmc/DCIM
Then most of them are in the 100MEDIA sub directory.

Your photos should be in the DCIM folder.  I have an HTC EVo and all photos from my camera are in /sdcard/DCIM/100MEDIA/.  I doubt this would help but maybe you should try another file manager.
Try taking a photo and then go to your DCIM directory to see if any new folders or images are there.
It looks like you solved your issue!  Just so others have a method to help themselves if they get stuck i'm adding this to my answer:
If you can view any photos in HTC photo app you can long press on the photo and select the Details option.  This should provide you with a File path

No luck.  Same as /mnt/sdcard/dcim.  I think the two are symlinked.

Yeah i figured as much but I thought it was worth a shot. Question: when you take a photo can you see it when you select the photo button next to the shutter button?

See the bottom part of my revised answer - that might help.


text:
HTC Sense crashing often on Incredible since update to Froyo (Android 2.2)
Since I upgraded my Incredible to Android 2.2, Froyo, the HTC Sense UI has been crashing often, but always when I am in an app.  In other words, sometimes when I exit an app, I see that the Sense launcher is restarting.  Anyone know why that is happening and/or how I can fix it?

It could be a memory issue.  How much memory is available on the phone? (Settings -> SD card & phone storage -> Available space under Internal phone storage)
Additionally, do you have too many unnecessary services running?  (Settings -> Applications -> Running Services, look at the memory bar at the bottom of the screen)

I have 1.8 GB free on my SD card and 5.92 GB free on my phone storage.

I actively manage what services I have running and am not running many.  The memory bar is mostly green.

@penti hmm... not sure what else to suggest, I don't own an HTC device (with Sense).  No task killers automatically killing off tasks?

No, I stopped using a task killer after I saw recommendations on this site against using a task killer and I am still seeing the Sense launcher occasionally re-start.

This happened to me when Sprint updated the Hero to 2.1.  I assumed Android was killing Sense due to memory constraints.  I've rooted and been much happier since.

If memory isn't the issue, try going to Settings > Applications > Manage applications > All and then find "HTC Sense" about half way down and click on it. Click Clear data and Clear defaults. Then reboot your phone or shut it down and power back on. Then see if that helps.
If you are still stuck you will need to wipe your phone, start from scratch, and then install apps in batches, a few at a time checking the apps and playing with them to find the culprit. Once you find the trouble maker, uninstall it and have a happy phone.


text:
Does juice defender randomly drop your data connection?
Does it drop your data connection? I have experienced that since I installed it a week ago. Sometimes it will randomly choose to drop your data connection.

Please rephrase in the form of a question, like "Does 'Juice Defender' ever drop your data connection?"

If its dropping your data connection, why haven't you uninstalled it already?
Seriously, there are things you can do with stock applications to improve your battery life, like turning off wifi, gps, data connection manually, all of which can be down easily with the Power Control widget.
Also, I noticed that there's a beta version of the app that is noted as being frequently unstable. Is this the version you're using? If so, buyer beware.

I think it's more likely that he is using some kind of default defender setting which drops data at some point to save battery. But yes, people should not be using apps they don't understand.


text:
How do I remove duplicate contacts from Google+?
I have a problem with my contacts in conjunction with google+.
Like most, I had already a lot of people in my contactlist, which is synced with the contacts in google mail. With google-plus, I have added a lot of people to circles. Those people from Google+ are now all individual entries in my contacts, but only on the phone.
After deletion I recognized, that all people are also removed from my circles.
So how to add people to circles, without having them appear as duplicate contacts?
EDIT:
Thanks anyone, yes, some of you are right - it seems that those people are put in an extra list "Other contacts" (also visible in the web interface). You have to uncheck this group in the settings > displaysettings. Can someone of those people put this in an answer, so I can accept it, thanks :)

The same problems happens with Google Talk. I hope that Google fixes that soon.

I can't recreate the issue. None of the people I have added to google+ have been added to my phones contact list. Is there anything I should do to trigger it? (HD2, Android 2.3.7, CyanogenMod 7)

@bendemes they are put in to "All Other Contacts" group, and I think by default in CM7, that group is not displayed.

Are you sure they're not in your Google Contacts on the web? Did you look under "Other Contacts"? It's my experience that adding someone to a G+ Circle adds them to "Other Contacts" and has resulted in some duplication for me. If you're displaying "Other Contacts" on your phone that would account for what you're seeing (since those contacts are mostly hidden from you in the web app).

@RyanConrad Oh yes I see the all other contacts option if I tick it I do then see all my Google+ contacts in my contacts list creating dupes. I might have missed something but why don't you just hide all other contacts? Or only show those with phone numbers?

When you Circle someone in Google+, it also adds them in the "Other Contacts" in Google Contacts.
Simply de-select "Other Contacts" in the Contacts app to remove these contacts from your view.
When multiple show up (in Google's New Contact vies), deselect the person's old contact info from ANY circle. That way Google doesn't "hang on" to them, they get integrated into your existing contact for that person.

The best solution I've found is to join contacts:

Select the duplicate contact
Edit the contact
Access the menu for the edit contact page, and select the Join action.  You can then select the contact you want to merge with.

This is also a nice solution, so I did a upvote. But I follow people (and G+ pages) on G+ that don't belong in my contactlist, this is no perfect match for me.


text:
Asus EEE Transformer never gets a GPS fix unless I reboot it
I have an Asus EEE Transformer (not the prime) that has unreliable GPS performance. I usually just fire up Google Maps in my car and use the navigation but the tablet always gets stuck with "Searching for GPS". This can go on for over 30 minutes in which the tablet either won't get a signal at all, or might get one every once in a while, update the map, and then go back to "Searching for GPS".
I have tried the following things:

Done the same navigation with my Nexus One in the same car and it has no problem receiving a signal right away and finding it's location so I'm pretty sure it's not environmental conditions.
I tether the Transformer to my Nexus One for internet so at first I thought using the "Use wireless networks" for location was just trying to get the location from the phone but toggling the option on or off doesn't seem to make it work worse or better one way or the other.
The amazon reviews don't seem to indicate an overwhelming problem with the Transformer with GPS.
I have tried the tips in this forum thread on the transformer forums.
I've tried installing GPSfix and using that tool but it doesn't seem to help.
Android version is 3.2.1, GPS version is 5.5.8, and Build # is: HTK.US_epad-8.6.5.19-20111107

So far the only reliable means to get the GPS working seems to be to shutdown the tablet and fire it up again, at which point the GPS and Google Navigation works right away, which leads me to believe that it's a software or configuration problem rather than a hardware issue.

I have tried it with my Asus TF without any problems. It took about two minutes to get a GPS fix but it worked. What firmware version do you have?

It definitely is a software configuration. There are 2 possible reasons for this problem:

Servers its contacting - When Google Maps on your tablet/phone contacts the GPS satellites, its done through a special set of servers. Sometimes, the manufacturer might have set the system to connect to a set of particularly busy servers. It has been shown that connecting to other servers with lower traffic can give dramatically faster lock on times.
Possible bug in the initial configuration - when the manufacturer was setting up the initial build configuration, an unintended bug could have been introduced.

The solution to both can be done I believe through a simple fix in the gps.conf file but that would require root access. When I was running the stock firmware on my Asus Transformer, I was having the same problem. Now I am running a Custom ROM and I have no troubles with lock on in Google Maps.

Perhaps this was the problem?  (from the forum thread you posted):

Originally Posted by prbgd
    I am totally confused now. I just got confirmation from ASUS a few days ago. The tech person there said the GPS (US model) will not work if there is no WiFi. This is a firmware issue. It may be fixed in next firmware update.

Update: after the latest firmware upgrade today, GPS is working great now even without WiFi.

If that wasn't the problem: sometimes when I use my android device without cell signal it can take quite a while to get a GPS fix.  I think it might be a combination of it using cell towers to improve GPS fix time, and having a connection to the internet to download GPS assistance data.
If you do have an internet connection when you're trying to get a GPS fix, the GPS Status & Toolbox app will let you download GPS assistance data, which could possibly improve your fix time.  Just install the app, open it up, go to Menu --> Tools --> Manage A-GPS state --> Download.


text:
Can't buy any paid apps on Google Play store, shows "An error occurred. Please try again."
On my Nexus 7, I keep getting

An error occurred. Please try again.

Over and over when attempting to buy any paid apps on the Google Play store. It works fine for free apps, but always returns this same error when I try to buy a paid app. I've "tried again" a dozen times with the same result.

I checked my Google account and the Nexus 7 shows up as properly attached to my account. It also works OK in Mail, Calendar, and the other bundled Google apps on the device.
I don't understand why I'm getting this error, which tells me nothing. I'd like to buy some Android apps for my Nexus 7, but I can't!
Based on one of the comments, I tried buying the same app on the Google Play website, and I get an odd message next to the Nexus 7 (which does show up in the list of devices for me):

You have not opened the Google Play Store app recently on this device. Please open it and try again.

But, but, but I have the Google Play store open right now on my device!

Have you tried purchasing using the web site in your desktop browser? That might reveal a more descriptive (or at least different) error message.

Do you have Google Wallet setup?  This could cause an odd error.

It may be some maintenance error, sometimes it has happened to me even with free apps. I recommend to wait an hour or two and try again.

Any chance you're rooted? Seems like some similar cases of this are solved by installing a different version of the Play Store, but you'd need root to try that (example).

not rooted, all default, has been consistently happening since I got it for about a week.

@dan good idea that gives me slightly more info, still no idea what I need to do to fix this!

Sounds like your N7 isn't able to communicate with Google. This is usually done with C2DM/XMPP by a background process called "Google Services"  and would explain why paid Apps don't work. IIRC gTalk uses the same infrastructure, does it work on the N7? (asking just out of curiosity)

@flow Google Talk seems to work fine.. nobody to chat with at the moment but I can set status, type messages to others, etc.

Can I joke a bit?

According to this thread on code.google.com (from April 2012), it seems that one user solved a similar issue after they were advised to turn off 2 step auth to use Google Play:

I'm having same issue & tech just advised I have to turn off 2 step
  verification to get into Play.

So I would disable 2 step auth on the Google account associated with the device and try again. (If that doesn't work, I wonder if it's even worth trying a factory reset with 2 step auth turned off...)
BTW: That thread is in the issues list for source code behind the Google Authenticator Application. The issue is not actually related to that application, however, after setting up 2 step auth the user reportedly could not access Google Play so that is why they blamed that app.

Alternatively (still assuming 2 step auth is part of the issue), you could create an app-specific password for Google Play as described in this answer. Quoting that answer:

Create an app-specific password for Google Play at https://accounts.google.com/IssuedAuthSubTokens (E.g., name it "Android Phone Play Store").
On the phone, add a 2nd Google account (All Settings > Accounts & sync).
Launch Google's Play Store.
Go to Menu > Accounts.
Switch account; then, switch back.
When it asks for a password, enter the app-specific password you've created.

I am definitely using 2-factor auth, so this is possible

@JeffAtwood did the latter work for you?

@jrg have not had time to check but seems the most plausible explanation

I experienced a problem with 2-factor when factory resetting a device (HTC Incredible with Gingerbread). Upon entering Google account info, I would get an error (until I turned off 2-factor auth). So it seems reasonable that 2-factor could cause an issue with the (market) account on a new device.

In order of least to most destructive.

clear data on market app, reboot
remove your google account, reboot, add it again
clear data from google framework services (this is similar to above, in that it will log you out, but I'm not sure what else this clears), reboot, sign back in.

the 3rd one was what finally fixed it for me and I haven't had the issue again.

excellent! how exactly do I do #3 in your list though? Eldar's answer covers #1, and #2 is pretty simple.

@JeffAtwood: Look for "Google Framework Services" in the Settings->Apps list.

@eldar well, I went to "Google Framework Services" in apps, cleared data for that app, rebooted the tablet and... same error unfortunately. Going to have to try more stuff.

I recall seeing a post on RootzWiki where someone was seeing a very similar issue, though on a Galaxy Nexus. Specifically, he had the following symptoms:

To my dismay I found that I get an error no matter what I try to buy. Free apps seem to work fine.

The solution he ultimately ended up finding was:

Got it! Found a tweet from Peter Alfonso stating to uninstall the market updates and clear cache.

To do this, go into Settings->Apps, swipe left to the "All" tab, then select the Play Store (it should be titled "Google Play Store" so look in the 'G' area) and press Uninstall Updates. Once that's finished, hit Clear cache, or Clear data if you want to wipe all of its data completely. Once you've done that, relaunch the Play Store and try to purchase the app again.

this is great, but I don't see any "Uninstall Updates" on the Google Play Store app info page. I see: Clear Data, Clear Cache, Clear Defaults. I'll try clearing cache and data now.

Done, then rebooted tablet, same error unfortunately.

@JeffAtwood: It's possible that the N7 ships with the most recent version of Play, then, so there's actually no updates to uninstall.

I just had this problem on my Nexus 7, though error message was Authentication is required. You need to sign into your Google Account, but same symptoms, everything worked fine except for downloading paid apps.
The problem was Google Wallet was disabled. To protect your data and privacy, your Apps Google Wallet account will be suspended when your account password is reset by your Google Apps administrator. Which was news to me and the root cause. I had to ring them to renable Wallet, then Google Play started working again for paid apps.

Issue reported on Google:
[#4319215] Paid apps are not available in territories
Payment and buying apps/in-app items -> [#4319215] Paid apps are not available in territories

We’ve received reports that some users living in a territory don’t have access to the same Android apps on Google Play as that territory’s parent country. You may be experiencing this issue if:

You live in a non-sovereign geographic region or a country subdivision
You’re receiving error messages when trying to purchase Android apps on Google Play or you don’t see paid apps on Google Play at all (you’re only seeing free apps)

There is no workaround available right now, but we’ll continue to update this page with developments, so check back soon.
Issue first reported on: February 1, 2012
  Last updated on: July 3, 2012

Are you on a territory? If not, consider reporting your issue at Google Staff.

I am in the USA, so far as I know, that is not a territory?

@JeffAtwood Dono.. hence me asking! Don't really understand how the "map" gets divided where you are :) (Portugal here)

@JeffAtwood Here for certain things, like telecommunications, we're divided by territories..


text:
How can I read the chat logs from WhatsApp messenger on my Windows machine?
How can I copy over the whatsApp chat messages to a text editor? Are there any specific files I need to copy? I don't care for the media files, I just need the transcript of chat.
I am using the Motorola G phone.
I have noticed the files are stored using some encryption on the phone. I am able to copy the files from the phones internal memory to my Windows 7 computer.
The files look something like this msgstore-2014-01-08.1.db.crypt
Opening the file in a text editor gives out a bunch of unprintable characters. Since this is encrypted data, I expected that to happen. So how can I decrypt this text file on my windows computer?
Iï#®ÿùuÆÍ\ ¥Ÿ-5r
ƒX«¿œ‰ùjÏ½Ä!Ði°‘Ú¹^¬

The simplest method is to use the EMAIL CONVERSATION option from within a conversation.
Tap the overflow menu (3 dots), the MORE > EMAIL CONVERSATION.
That brings up a popup allowing you to either attach media files or send the chat without the media files.
There's also Whatsapp Toolbox which has similar functionality but requires ROOT access.

The email conversation has worked for me.


text:
Is Skype available for all Android flavors or just Verizon?
I see that Skype offers an Android version, but it only works on Verizon? Fring used to connect to Skype, but now it looks like they don't. Is there no Skype client for Android?

See also http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/9664/can-i-install-skype-on-my-xperia

Skype is avaiable now for everyone on the Market, in case you are still looking!

Android 2.1 or later required.

Press release: http://about.skype.com/press/2010/10/android.html

As of today...Skype is not working on my ATT Samsung Galaxy-S Captivate. Fails to download...and others are complaining of problems.

As of Skype 2.1 for Android (August 4, 2011), according to the Skype Blog.
The following Android devices are supported:

Acer A5
HTC Desire (2.2)
HTC Desire HD
HTC Evo 3D
HTC Evo 4G
HTC Flyer
HTC Incredible S
HTC Sensation
HTC Thunderbolt - Verizon (2.2) (US only)
LG Revolution - Verizon (2.2) (US only)
Samsung Droid Charge - Verizon (2.2) (US only)
Samsung Galaxy S
Samsung Galaxy S II
Samsung Galaxy Tab
Sony Ericsson Xperia mini pro
Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY
Sony Ericsson Xperia ray

Right now skype for android is limited to VZW, but you aren't missing much. You can't use it to make skype out calls over a data connection, only skype to skype calls.  You can make skype out calls but VZW redirects the call over their voice network so it uses your minutes. Also, you can't use it over wifi, only on 3G. I believe VZW is behind all these restrictios, and I believe that the carrier restrictions aren't from skype either.  Most carriers will block the app unless its gutted like the skype app for VZW.  If you want a full featured skype app, don't hold your breath. I suspect the carriers will continue to work dilligently to f#@k up the experience. If you are looking to make data calls, look into finding a good SIP service and use SIPdroid.  You could also try frings new fring out service but I'm not very optomistic about that one.
Update: It's now possible to make Skype Out calls over 3G with some hacks

If you want to make skype calls over wifi you can use Fring or Nimbuzz, both should be available in the market. I think you can also do calls over 3G but YMMV and it will eat into your data plan like a fat kit in a chocolate warehouse.
If you are on Verizon Wireless in the US or on Three in the UK (Possibly elsewhere) you can download an official skype app that only uses data for presence (who's logged in etc), when you want to make a skype call it calls a toll free number which is then redirected to Skype so it's not using your Data allowance and not killing the network for others. I don't know about the US but in the Uk this only works over 3g and will often fail to work if you have wireless enabled and are within range of a Wifi network.
Using this App on Three(UK) you can make Skype out calls and even configure your phone to automatically use Skype for international phone calls instead of just dialling the number normally.

Skype has blocked Fring and Nimbuzz now, and presumably any other client that used to work.

There was an official Skype Lite app available on international Android Markets for quite a while (it was definitely on the UK Market at one time as I had it on my old phone), but they've pulled that totally now, and as far as I know it is literally only available to one carrier in one country, which seems like a bizarre decision.

See this other question for the various Skype apps and options available now depending on your phone model and what your phone network allows http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/9664/can-i-install-skype-on-my-xperia

Not until Skype opens up their app on other carriers. Which rumors keep coming out that it will happen soon, but hasn't yet.
XDA has some threads on attempting to get Skype working on non VZW phones, but no dice.


text:
Is it possible to create a shortcut that launches a web page in Firefox when using another browser as default?
I have a web page that I visit that I'd like to open in Firefox via a home screen shortcut (it uses SVG, which isn't supported by the default browser).    Firefox doesn't show in the list of possible shortcuts, nor do I see any option in Firefox to create one.    Btw, I like Firefox, but I'm not ready to make it my default browser yet, so I really want to continue to use the stock Browser for everything but this one shortcut.
I'm running Firefox 7.0.1 / Fennec 7.0.1 on Gingerbread 2.3.4

Edited to mention that I don't wish to change default browser at this time.    Also, for those that will recommend Dolphin HD, it doesn't support SVG yet either.

Related question: http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/28607/non-default-browser-for-specific-web-page

Is the problem still relevant or has been solved?

@Firelord - wow, that was a while back... I just tested with Firefox 40.0.3 on Android 4.4.4 KitKat -- a  Home Screen shortcut saved with Firefox launches with Firefox, even though another browser (Chrome in this case) is the default.

I've never used Firefox for Android, but if it is the same as other Android browsers, then you should be able to create a home screen bookmark and choose which browser to open the bookmark in (unless you previously saved defaults, then you need to clear the defaults first).

Thanks Lie.   At this point, I don't want to change my default browser; I was hoping I could do it for a specific shortcut.


text:
PC from/to Android voice communication without Internet
I want to call my PC using my Android phone (and vice versa) without internet. PC to Android or Android to PC, not just Android to Android. I think it is possible, but not sure if there is a program like that.
What apps do I need to install both on PC and Android phone?

Do you mean calling inside a WiFi without internet access, or without any data connection?

OK, just use Linphone. That's the app the old answer recommended, as you can just use the same program on Win/OSX/Linux/Android/iOS. You don't need internet, but you do still need to have IP connectivity between the devices (if one can ping the other then you're good to go).

Please don't add comments as answers. Invest some time in the site and you will gain sufficient privileges to upvote answers you like, or to add actual comments when seeking clarification of any issues. If you know of apps that will specifically help the OP then please provide links etc. I can't see how the answer will solve this to be honest, as it's phone to phone VoIP, rather than what the OP is attempting.

If the goal is to talk directly between PCs, Android devices, or a combination, then SIP is a good route to go. The question I linked to was about Android to Android SIP but, as the comments there discussed, SIP can be P2P or use a server, and SIP clients on an Android phone or PC are interoperable. Those clients for Android solve the Android half of this question, although some Googling also turned up Linphone, which runs on Win/OSX/Linux/Android/iOS: http://www.linphone.org/technical-corner/linphone/overview


text:
Slow opening of calendar items
I've bought an HTC Desire HD yesterday with Android 2.2 Froyo and HTC Sense. So I migrated my calendar items manually and it seemed to pick up some connections from my Facebook and my Twitter, which was nice..
But:
From time to time the calendar app just becomes really really slow for some reason, the sync icon is running, and the items just won't open. When this happens I keep staring at a blank screen for about 20 seconds which is really annoying...
When I check out what he is syncing its always either Facebook, or the Google calendar.
I already tried to switch these things off, but it does not seem to help :( ...
It even goes to the point where the whole calendar app just crashes, or even takes HTC Sense with it..
How can I make the calendar fast?
Thanks in advance!

A hard reset gave me the solution..

True, but until there is a better answer, it will be your only option I'm afraid..


text:
What's the reason that the alarm clock isn't working when the phone is turned off?
I know that the alarm isn't working when the phone is turned off, but my question is: Why doesn't this work? What were the developers/engineers thinking?
I always used my mobile phones as alarm clocks and even very old mobile phone support alarm clocks when they are turned off.

My old piece of crap Motorola v360 used to be able to do this, I think in Android the Alarm is running on top of the OS and not on a low level like these simpler phones.

You really mean off, like powered down, not just not connected to a cell network?

I never turn mine off.   I use Tasker to turn notifications off overnight, and if I really don't want calls, I use airplane mode.

There is no power to the phone when it's off.  It's actually off.  Some phones have a minimalistic charging mode that just shows a battery animation, but I have yet to see an Android device that boots into a clock-only type mode.
The Android OS is designed to use minimal power when not in use.  If you have a problem with the battery dying overnight, it's probably due to a third-party app.

Can it really not spare the amount of power required to run a digital watch for three years on a tiny button battery minus the overhead of the LCD screen?

I'm sure it can, but most Android devices are apparently designed for people like me who want the phone to be off when we shut it down.

So if it would be able to do it, it should be possible to write a custom alarm clock that can do it?

@Roflcoptr: No, this is not software problem so you cannot simply write a software. You need hardware alarm clock to be able to turn on an Android phone that is turned off.

I bought the desktop dock. Works well.

Your old mobile phone wasn't really "off" when you turned it off.

Not necessarily.  If the phone had a separate RTC chip you could power off the phone part and have only the RTC powered. When the RTC alarm would trigger it could wake the phone's main micro-controller. I'm surprised Android devices don't feature this kind of hardware.

Uhh, yes necessarily. If it was running an alarm clock it was on, not off.

After setting your alarm, instead of powering off the phone, turn airplane mode on. This way the operating system is closed to an idle state with the clock running.
HTC could link holding the power button to turning airplane mode on and going to standby.
An then when the user holds the power button again to turn the phone on, the phone would actually perform a restart. The power on/off function would appear the same as before.

I disagree; there are some applications that use a non-trivial amount of power that we would complain about if there were no easy way to save them. This way when we turn off the phone, it uses almost no power at all; the only power used is that by the battery.

I did an "experiment" with my phone (Samsung Nexus S, Android 2.3):
Settings --> Date & Time --> Automatic --> OFF
Then I manually set the time to a wrong value (real time + 5 minutes).
I switched the phone off. With off I mean really off, not standby, the status when the alarm does not work.
After a few minutes I turned it on again.
The time displayed was still the wrong value I set before, i.e. the updated current real time + 5 minutes.
This means that the phone should have an internal clock that works even when it is off. In reality it may not have one, but it should store the delta between the current time obtained from the network and the time I set; however this seems to be quite unrealistic.
So, this makes me think that Android phones have an internal clock with its own battery, and this should be able to make the phone boot at the appropriate time.
Could be something missing in the Android OS itself?
P.S.:
Does anyone know if it it possible to make the phone wake up at a specific time? If it was, we just should make it boot five minutes before the alarm is set...

Interesting idea, but this would only work if no PIN is required, or if you also implement your pin somewhere. or isn't it necessary to enter the PIN to make the AlarmManager working?

Please don't use your answer to introduce new questions. This is not a discussion forum. If you're not answering the original question, create your own.

Having an RTC (Real-Time clock) hardware that is running while the phone is powered down does not imply that the RTC can wake up the phone from power off. For the RTC to wake up the phone, it needs to be able to bootstrap the CPU, in essence, having the same machinery as the power button. Also, there needs to be a mechanism for the OS to set the RTC's wake up time, and then it had to store this time inside itself. The mechanism for an alarmed RTC is much more complex than a regular RTC, which is just a simple binary counter. A regular RTC cannot be used to wake up the OS.

However, you've got a point; a CPU is orders of magnitude much more complex than even an alarmed RTC, and addition of alarmed RTC would be very nice, as it allows things that are impossible without one.

Of course it has an internal clock, otherwise you'd have to input the time every time you power off.


text:
Black screen ASUS Transformer TF301, what can I do to recover?
My Transformer TF301 is stuck at a black screen, well sort of a backlit black screen.
I have tried Volume Down-Power (for 10, 20, and 30 seconds) no joy.  VolumeUp-Power, no joy.
Finally found something thin enough (staple in the end) to push the hardware reset button.
No joy.
Holding power is not shutting it off either.
My son (six years old) is the only real user, and I cannot imagine he installed/rooted it. I see no visual sign that he damaged it.  It is in a case as well, which should mitigate any physical damage he might cause.
If I hold power button it goes black, but any other press and you get a backlit black screen.  Nothing seems to budge it.
What are my options to recover?

Is there any visible damage to the tablet (from a drop or liquid spill, for example?)

None.  Looks perfect.  Do not think he dropped it.  It is in a case, and he watches in carpeted rooms.

Are you able to boot it in Recovery mode by holding Vol Down and Power buttons together for 10-15 seconds?

@Chahk As I addressed in the question itself, no.

Try doing the Vol Down+Power combination again, and then while it's in that state connect it to a PC via USB cable.  Does the PC recognize an external device (and try to download drivers?)  Basically trying to see if only the screen is somehow damaged.

@Chahk Since it never gets into ANY state with Vol Down + power, nothing else happens when it is connected.  I get an icon for the Transformer. but no file system to browse.

let us continue this discussion in chat

In the end, I took it to a computer store that fixes screens and was informed a soldered wire had come loose, was re-soldered and it continues to work fine to this day.  Was only $30 to fix!


text:
How do I troubleshoot the updgrade process of  my ASUS Transformer to 3.2.1?
I just got a new ASUS Eee Transformer TF101.  (Ironically on the day the Prime is officially released/announced.  Oh well).
It came with Android 3.1 per the Settings page.  I tried Settings: About tablet: System Update and am told there are no updates available.
I read that 3.2 is available on these devices.  (I know 4.0/ICS is still a future thing).
How do I get to 3.2 on this device?  No obvious downloads on Asustek web page.
I am on my WiFi at home, checking mail, downloading apps, etc.
So how do I troubleshoot why the Over The Air upgrade did not show an available update, when there has been one available since early 2011 (many moons ago).
I am logged in to my Google Account. (I have my Gmail, Google Voice, and Youtube accounts all connecting ok).
What else can I check or look at, to understand why the OTA upgrade is not being made available.

possible duplicate of When will my device get the Android 3.x update (Honeycomb)?

@RyanConrad I already know from lots of web links that 3.2.1 is available on my device.  The issue is it is NOT getting the update.   So how do I troubleshoot this?

For a manual approach, I found a download link for the Firmware off the Asus site.
I think my mistake earlier was in the download pages OS selector I looked at WinXP, Win7, never considered (or noticed) that Android was an OS option.
Then you download and unzip the 250 meg file.
Then you copy it to an SD card, with ASUS as the folder at the root.
Pop it into the Tranformer, and you get a notification that it is preparing the SD card, and then that there is a Software Update available.
At that point, you are at the same basic functionality as the Over The Air upgrade path.  Make sure you are plugged in (or do not run out of power).
However, this is a workaround, as opposed to fixing the core issue, of why the OTA upgrade was not available.