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Android devs, some ideas for you.

Hey all
I hadn't been on these boards for sometime, but you all know how it goes.... get a new phone, void the warranty right away by doing neat tricks you pick up in xda-dev forums.... or is that just me?
Well anyways, I've got 2 request for those devs that need ideas for some apps (I know there's at least 2 threads started by others that deal with this, but my requests don't fit either of the threads I've seen). First off a GPS data logger would be terrific, the camera on this phone is not bad at all, so it would be cool to be able to tag pictures with geographical data, better yet is to be able to tag any picture by using time/date of creation. This way you can take pictures with you're regular camera and still tag them (we all know the g1's battery isn't exactly going to be winning any marathons just yet).
The other idea centers around voice dialing. I'm loving this phone, but everytime I need to dial a # I miss my wizard; why you ask? well because anytime I would dial one of my contacts I would use voice command to dial the #. Now I've tried the voice dialer on the g1... not impressed, I mean it's like WAY OFF. How does "call home" translate to "call cheche"???, worst still is a cough get's translated into dialing "732 277 2222". Still I know that with some practice I'll figure it out. What's the problem you ask? well the whole point of having voice dialing is having the least amount of physical interaction with your phone to dial, at least that's what I think. As those of you that have tried it know, you either have to long press the call button, or worst still go in to the menu to start the voice dialer. On BT headsets the voice dial button doesn't do anything at all (tried 4 different ones), and the wired headset the button pauses music if tapped, while long presses start up the music player, and maybe it FF tracks while playing, not sure. Anyways without further ado, either a voice dialing app (unlikely I know), or an app that can change the assignment of hardware buttons. Can I actually make this change with AnyCut?.... if so I just feel I've type so much in vain
Anywho, recap:
1) GPS data logger.
2) Voice dialing app, or more realistically app to change hardware button assigments.

1. tried the "gps tracker" on the market?

cmavr8 said:
1. tried the "gps tracker" on the market?
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GPSTracker dont allow Geo Tagging of Photos

I know, but I though he just needed to track his position so he would manually add the tags to the photos when home.
He mentioned "just a regular camera"... He would just use the timestamps on the pictures and the tracker data...

It has logging capabilities? I think I must have read the description wrong then. That's very possible since I had just gotten home after a grueling 14 hr shift. Well I'll give it a try then. Still some options wouldn't be bad.

Yes, it takes a sample of your coordinates and speed every xx seconds and uploads it to a site. xx is configurable.
You can visit the site and see all your positions and velocities on a map.

cmavr8 said:
Yes, it takes a sample of your coordinates and speed every xx seconds and uploads it to a site. xx is configurable.
You can visit the site and see all your positions and velocities on a map.
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Yeah I tried it last night, this can definitely work. I wouldn't mind if there was some way to tag them on the phone itself..... yes I know humans are impossible to please.

Umm it tags your location data already... when in camera app hit menu settings and store location in pictures. Which records location in the picture data.
For anyone that wants to set it up to store location for other cameras... I would say take a pic with the g1 where you take a pic with another camera. For right now that is.

neoobs said:
Umm it tags your location data already... when in camera app hit menu settings and store location in pictures. Which records location in the picture data.
For anyone that wants to set it up to store location for other cameras... I would say take a pic with the g1 where you take a pic with another camera. For right now that is.
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Get the f*ck outta here!!!! LOL! Truth be told I just took a sample pic with the camera to check out the quality. As you can tell I didn't bother to press the menu button. As far as other cameras goes, I think GPS Tracker is a better choice, well for me it is. It can export to the travel log, so it's much easier. This way I just need my G1 to be on me, and with the app running in the background. I think I better think about getting an extra battery before that though.

Request??
Now that we have root and bb linked to the system. Is somebody working on an application with a gui to first list services and applications running. Then to stop/kill services and applications. Possibly with safe guardiing the specific kernal process' that will cause headaches? Could be usefull while running programs such as myspace, steel, pacman and the many other applications that never fully close once run and slow the G1 to intolera
Intolerable speed. My two cents

Well memory up professional might help out; although, the process is automated, so it's not like you can choose what to close. Still, for what I've heard Android supposedly does a good job of making memory available. Try it out though, it might help you.

masr1979 said:
Well memory up professional might help out; although, the process is automated, so it's not like you can choose what to close. Still, for what I've heard Android supposedly does a good job of making memory available. Try it out though, it might help you.
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Click to collapse
$15 i think not. Way too much money for a memory manager!

Good News for Developers, Bad News for Pirates!!

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/28/new-licensing-service-replacing-existing-copy-protection-metho/
Looks like pretty soon the days of people copy and pasting apk's all over the place are coming to an end.
I hope this doesn't make theming harder.. We'll see.
From reading that article,
Seems like airplane mode or a firewall would crush all the hopes and dreams of google and app devs.
It seems that every time we open an app it needs to verify that it's been paid for by contacting a "licensing" server and retrieving a response.
I feel like that could slow down launch times, and being unable to use an app when offline would be like UBISOFT hell all over again.
I really hope google puts a lot of thought into this..

I wonder if this if already being done? Every time I try to play that golf game on my EVO on an airplane while the radios are off I get a FC when it starts. As soon as I an on the ground and turn the radios on the game works fine.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

what if you are in an area with no signal or on a plane or something? you cant open any apps???

This is already in place in a number of apps, one is IP Cam Viewer.
I paid the money for it. I transferred all my files to my wife's Evo 4G, and thought "hell I'll see if it works..." Well it didn't. When I try to open the app, it tells me that I have to purchase it from the marketplace.
I'm all for buying apps when they're good, and I understand single user licensing. Guess I was just hoping I wouldn't have to spend double the money for all the apps I use.

simplyphp said:
This is already in place in a number of apps, one is IP Cam Viewer.
I paid the money for it. I transferred all my files to my wife's Evo 4G, and thought "hell I'll see if it works..." Well it didn't. When I try to open the app, it tells me that I have to purchase it from the marketplace.
I'm all for buying apps when they're good, and I understand single user licensing. Guess I was just hoping I wouldn't have to spend double the money for all the apps I use.
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I've heard of couples sharing the same email as apps get replicated on the two phone

I can confirm that they don't get replicated..
I have two evo's right now under the same email and they're definitely not replicating crap.

cahiatt said:
I wonder if this if already being done? Every time I try to play that golf game on my EVO on an airplane while the radios are off I get a FC when it starts. As soon as I an on the ground and turn the radios on the game works fine.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that's a problem I understand about paying for apps but not working when I'm in a place with no signal. I see a law suit brewing up. I paid for the app I should be able to use the app whenever I want to. Class action law suit coming real soon.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

Crap....
"A limitation of copy protection is that applications using it can be installed only on compatible devices that provide a secure internal storage environment. For example, a copy-protected application cannot be downloaded from Market to a device that provides root access"
...Seriously???
EDIT - the above quote was misrepresented in the place I copied from...research shows it to be misleading. the actual bit of Google's text is posted over on page to of this thread. disregard my indignation in this post...

This is discouraging, because a lot of people like to try the full before they buy it expecting more than what full has to offer, only to be disappointed later.

willwgp said:
This is discouraging, because a lot of people like to try the full before they buy it expecting more than what full has to offer, only to be disappointed later.
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You do get a 24 hour refund option when you buy from the market so I'm not worried about trying before you buy. I do worry about not being able to play something when I'm in the bathroom at work because I don't get a signal there.

well how many ppl do actually piracy apps??? oh my bad forgot that this is Android, for a second i though it was apple!!

Just to clarify a couple of things:
There are 2 ways to use the Licensing - one is Strict - you CAN NOT USE THE APP WITHOUT ACCESS TO MARKETPLACE. Personally, screw that.
Option 2, however, is a non-strict policy. Server managed, where the license is 'cached' to storage. You also can programmatically set how long your app can be used without any license check.
That'd be the way i go

josue85 said:
You do get a 24 hour refund option when you buy from the market so I'm not worried about trying before you buy. I do worry about not being able to play something when I'm in the bathroom at work because I don't get a signal there.
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That'll be up to the developer. I like this approach, as I'd be happy to do say... a 5-7 day turn around on the license check. After 7 days with no data signal, seriously, where the hell are you? LOL
Besides, if you've used a paid app for 7 days, and by that time can't decide if you need it or not - wow.
And of course, as soon as you got signal again, the license check would go through and you can use the app again, no problem.
I'm sure there will be UbiSoft and EA style implementations though - way too damn draconian for my tastes. I don't care to know every single second that someone's using my app. I would just like to know that they haven't 'copied that floppy' as it were LOL
I have no doubts this will be defeated in time, though. All it would really take is mimicking the server license response, which can be extracted from the locally cached license of an actual paid product.
People that pirate software are going to do it, regardless. Don't make the honest people pay the price of draconian DRM.
The best approach I can make as a developer, is give my customers the features they want, in a stable, good performing package, and discourage 'casual' piracy. Beyond that, it's out of the developer's control, and honestly, any more than that usually just pisses off the customer and annoys the pirates for about a day and a half.

Ok...had to read the SDK paperwork as I really wanted to know this...my previous post was incorrect and here is the update...
From Google:
Android Market Licensing is a flexible, secure mechanism for controlling access to your applications. It effectively replaces the copy-protection mechanism offered on Android Market and gives you wider distribution potential for your applications.
A limitation of the legacy copy-protection mechanism on Android Market is that applications using it can be installed only on compatible devices that provide a secure internal storage environment. For example, an application using the copy-protection mechanism cannot be downloaded from Market to a device that provides root access, and the application cannot be installed to a device's SD card.
With Android Market licensing, you can move to a license-based model in which access is not bound to the characteristics of the host device, but to your publisher account on Android Market and the licensing policy that you define. Your application can be installed and controlled on any compatible device on any storage, including SD card.
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Click to collapse
Also...there are options for the Devs to allow for apps to be used a chosen number of times before they need to check in for licenses. Strict has to check in every time....other option allows dev to choose based on times used or time since last check in.
SO...all in all I am much less worried about this now.

topdnbass said:
I can confirm that they don't get replicated..
I have two evo's right now under the same email and they're definitely not replicating crap.
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Click to collapse
With licensing the dev can choose whether an app can be accessed from different phones. It is an option...
(greeked...multiple times)

Question: Does that mean we won't be able to open, modify, and resign apks? Like...to change the appearance (make a widget clear, etc).

More like bad news for paying consumers. That's who always pays for everything. Those of us who actually buy the products.
I plan on speaking with my wallet. I wont buy any app that requires I have an internet connection.

A limitation of the legacy copy-protection mechanism on Android Market is that applications using it can be installed only on compatible devices that provide a secure internal storage environment. For example, an application using the copy-protection mechanism cannot be downloaded from Market to a device that provides root access, and the application cannot be installed to a device's SD card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wait so according to google us rooted folk couldn't download copy-protected apps before now?
Urrr, i think im missing something

This is actually a nice implementation for both the software developer and the user. Most will implement this where it only has to check-in every week or two. So the odds of getting caught in a spot where there is no connection is low.
At the end of the day, it is a pretty straightforward way to handle copy protection that really shouldn't inconvenience anyone.
Also it will bring more developers to the platform if they know they don't have to worry as much about piracy.

Piracy will still run rampant. People will find ways to circumvent this, that's just how it is. At least it will curb some piracy since copying and pasting an apk file wasn't much of a deterrent.

[APP] Security - How To Make Life Difficult For A Thief

One of my Beta Team Members on XDA is having to sit things out, as some punk bee-hatch stole his Desire S in a pub last Monday.
This got me thinking about how I'd be able to make a thief's life difficult (even though I have insurance) if mine ever got stolen.
Screen lock patterns are important! I know they can be a pain, but any other security measures mentioned below are useless if a thief can simply go into your settings and delete your Google account. Most people are familiar with smartphones now.
I already have tracking ability courtesy of Lookout Mobile Security. I highly recommend this as even the free version also provides scanning of apps for malware/viruses. When installed though, it's important to go into settings, select 'Missing Device' and enable 'Better Protection'. It gives the app admin rights so that you can Lock and Wipe your phone remotely, and makes the app harder to uninstall.
If you don't have this when your phone is stolen, all is not lost yet. As quickly as you can, get to a PC and log into the Android Marketplace, and remotely install something from the same makers of Lookout Mobile Security called Plan B. This will install on your phone and provide the same tracking/locking/wiping features of Lookout. It has the added trick of e-mailing you location updates every 5 minutes in case the phone is on the move. It has gotten some very glowing reviews from people who have followed their stolen phone to a thief's house!
OK but what if your thief gets indoors before you can turn the GPS on to track it? Here is where the next app (combined with a screen lock pattern) gives you another option. I've decided it's well worth the £2. Just in case the tracking software doesn't get a decent GPS lock. The police wont want to search a 1km radius from a cell tower triangulation!
It is called GotYa! Face trap! Every time a thief makes a failed attempt at cracking my screen lock pattern, the phone takes a quiet photo with the front-facing camera, and then e-mails it to me! It works! I love it! It's the first time I've found a proper use for the front facing camera. I don't video call. If you live in an area like mine, the police are very aware of who the usual suspects are, and sending them a mug-shot is definitely worth a try. They have to go outside sooner or later (possibly to take your phone to a shop to get it wiped) and it's all extra ammo in case they (and they will) deny all knowledge of having your phone.
Lookout Mobile Security: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.lookout&feature=search_result
Plan B: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.lookout.labs.planb&feature=more_from_developer
GotYa! Face trap!: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.myboyfriendisageek.gotya&feature=more_from_developer
Don't forget though, it's all for nothing if someone can get into you settings in the first place! Screen Lock!
Please add any other security apps/measures that you have found successful.
Edit 11/10/11: In further scouring of the Market for more security based apps, I have come across another one that I feel deserves a mention. It is called Visidon AppLock. It is another app for locking certain areas of your phone down, but this one uses face recognition software to determine if the owner of the phone is the one holding it. It’s another nice use of the front-facing camera.
Once properly set up it is very fast at recognising your fizzog when you try to access one of the specified protected areas. The face-training part is quite well done. So far it is proving fast and reliable enough to not prove a nuisance after already having got past a lock pattern. It’s only weakness is that it will obviously require a certain amount of ambient light to tell who it is looking at. It becomes unreliable in low light, but intelligently the developers will not allow you to set the security before first choosing a manual password to bypass the camera if light levels do not allow face recognition.
In fairness it could be more use as an alternative to a lock pattern if you just don’t like the idea of entering one every time you wake the phone up, as you only need to lock down certain areas of your phone. Again, intelligently the developers of this app make the ‘Settings’ and ‘Market’ locked by default, but you should also add any file explorers, titanium backup, or any other app which would allow a thief to remove/delete files, apps or accounts. It’s then up to you if you want to lock down your e-mail/sms/gallery.
Visidon AppLock: https://market.android.com/details?id=visidon.AppLock&feature=search_result

I will try GotYa!, SSounds Interesting ..
Nice Effort Mate

Liking the sound of that GotYa app lol
Defo gonna give it a try.
Nice guide too

Thanks! Nice Guide!
But I wonder if sombody ever had a real Virus on his Android device?
I heared that in the news sometimes, but i never heared from anyone that realy had a problem with a Virus on Android?

Awesome article!
Another useful app is Android Lost which allows you to control many of your phone's functions over the internet or through SMS. It does quiet a lot and is FREE!

I like the idea of this
Maybe a good delaying tactic in GSM based phones would be some kind of bonding material to stick the sim car in but can be taken off by the owner when needed!

f0xy said:
I like the idea of this
Maybe a good delaying tactic in GSM based phones would be some kind of bonding material to stick the sim car in but can be taken off by the owner when needed!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Gotya! App can send a text to another phone if the sim card is swapped out.
Sent from my HTC Desire S using xda premium

wnp_79 Like the sound of Gotya! have been using the paid version of Lookout for a few months now and really do like it and think it is worth the money.
EDIT Just bought Gotya! and tested it out on one of the daughters ,the lengths you go to to get a pic of your teenage daughter lmfao.
Seriuosly though this looks a really good app and also set it up to post pics to my facebook wall as well as my emails

Isn't there any app that would provide location info by triangulating off cell towers? For the indoor case.

ando roido said:
Isn't there any app that would provide location info by triangulating off cell towers? For the indoor case.
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Yes the face trap does give a cell tower location of gps is unavailable. Its not much use though. In my area it would mean hundreds of houses!
Sent from my HTC Desire S using xda premium

But it would narrow down list of villains a lot though

Nice tips but useless in 90% of the theft situations. From my experience and alot of discussions regarding this subject, FIRST thing a thief is doing afer stealing a phone is to...take out the battery and power off the phone.
No software or tracking method cand be used in this case unfortunately. The thief doesn't care about your calendar or agenda (there are some rare situations when you're a public person or something but this is not the point here), it cares about the phone itself and how to sell it quickly and make some easy money. More than that, the thiefs are usualy in a group that has at least one (or connection to) a phone "specialist", good enough to reflash your phone and install some other blank new ROM on it.
And to be honest, if I get my phone stolen, my last concern is what the thief is going to do with it....the thing that bothers me alot is that I don't have my phone anymore.

Very good information, helpful for protecting your phone when you live in dodgy areas

just tried out the vidison facelock, and it works really well and quickly, so it doesn't really bother in daily usage... definately a nice way to provide my work e-mails some added security...

Kaspersky Mobile Security 9 have Anti-Theft solution.
Remotely Block your phone if it is lost or stolen. Just send a predefined SMS to your phone and your device will be blocked and no-one will be able to access its contents. You can even choose to remotely Wipe your data.
NEW! Set a prearranged message that will be displayed on the screen if the smartphone is blocked, allowing any law-abiding citizen that finds your smartphone to return it to you.
You can locate your smartphone using GPS Find. Just send an SMS with the appropriate password to the missing device and you will receive a link to Google Maps showing the exact location of the device.
The first thing a thief normally does is to remove your smartphone’s SIM card. If the SIM is replaced, SIM Watch will immediately block the device and send you an email with the new number.
I don't know is this enough to protect phone but I also know that you can find it via police and court...

I've been using Prey on the laptop for years and it works excellent and free, I'm hoping Prey Anti Theft from the market will do the same for the phone, also free.
HTC Desire S~Tapatalk

thanks good info was looking for this for a while.

must have GotYa! great post..
for desire s owners in the philippines (preferably globe telecom) i am not sure if this can also protect you from thieves. but i've been thinking about globe's sim retention program. you can sim lock your phone and if it gets lost. just rush into any globe service center and pamper yourself with a no cost sim retention program.
just my two cents

https://market.android.com/details?...DEsImNvbS5sbWF4aS5hbnRpdGhlZnRpbnN0YWxsZXIiXQ..

Paid TomTom Software, pay once, and install on all?

So I am thinking that instead of updating MapDroyd, NavFreeUS, and Sygic offline maps all the time, I should just buy TomTom for Android or something.
If it is indeed compatible on all devices I wish to use it on, is there an additional fee per device, or registration to activate on each device?
Or does it work just like most stuff in the market, and once I pay, I can install and update all devices that are compatible that have my Android market account on them?
Can someone with some experience with this or other paid offline nav software chime in...

I'm sure that it is linked to your google ID account, so as long as you still use the same account it should be ok. I would confirm it first though

You should ask the TomTom dev about this.
"To err is human, to forgive is divine"
Sent from my SGS II

the86d said:
So I am thinking that instead of updating MapDroyd, NavFreeUS, and Sygic offline maps all the time, I should just buy TomTom for Android or something.
If it is indeed compatible on all devices I wish to use it on, is there an additional fee per device, or registration to activate on each device?
Or does it work just like most stuff in the market, and once I pay, I can install and update all devices that are compatible that have my Android market account on them?
Can someone with some experience with this or other paid offline nav software chime in...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personal opinion, avoid Sygic.
It's counter-intuitive at its very core. Inserting an address is hard, like:
- input city
- input street, and it keeps suggesting you streets that are not from the city you chose
- same idiotic suggestions when you try to choose a place
And then it's not buy and install on all. It's got a key that's not tied to your Google account, you need to contact them to port it from one device to the other.

Across all device, but if it is incompatible u cant install on the device. Shouldnt thought cause it is just gps software
Sent from my GT-P6800 using xda app-developers app

The 11th plague said:
Personal opinion, avoid Sygic.
It's counter-intuitive at its very core. Inserting an address is hard, like:
- input city
- input street, and it keeps suggesting you streets that are not from the city you chose
- same idiotic suggestions when you try to choose a place
And then it's not buy and install on all. It's got a key that's not tied to your Google account, you need to contact them to port it from one device to the other.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am thinking that I do not want/need the traffic and real time info (special activation through tomtom?), but I want a nav/map system that would work if the grid goes down (cell towers will only stay up so long after that) as I live in an earthquake alley, just to have something if a big one were to hit. Proactive, not reactive...

Why not just use Google maps
Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

bbrad said:
Why not just use Google maps
Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
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In the event of Zombies, silly. The grid could go down for any number of reasons, and so even cell towers would go down if they are powered by generator that could run out of gas/diesel...
No, I live in earthquake alley, and try to think ahead, as it could take some time to bring grid power back up if there was a large earthquake (thing San-Fran in our recent history). Mainly a backup, just in case, but I will continue to use Google Maps until Zombies... or earthquakes, whichever comes first.
People that had food and water stored water-tight were probably better off during, and after Katrina... I have kids.

the86d said:
I am thinking that I do not want/need the traffic and real time info (special activation through tomtom?), but I want a nav/map system that would work if the grid goes down (cell towers will only stay up so long after that) as I live in an earthquake alley, just to have something if a big one were to hit. Proactive, not reactive...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then find another offline satnav. This one just isn't practical

Password manager applications

Evening all,
It may be time for me to stray away from oneSafe which I have used through my iPhone days and on android up till now. I have it on both iPad and my S6 and now wondering if there are better alternatives at a low one off cost.
Currently hitting a glitch on my s6 whereby the finger print entry doesn't actually take me into the app. It simply just takes me to the pin code.. frustrating albeit a small issue.
On my iPad however I find that additions I make on my phone do not sync very quickly or at all.. I have to force sync removing local data and waiting for it to to its thing....takes up to 8 minutes...
I've seen one password..it doesn't seem to have flexible categories for batches of passwords. I separate mine out between work, personal, utilities etc. I don't also see how limited the free version will be.. I currently have over 160 passwords and wonder if that will fit on a free account. Also given that I have a high number I don't wish to scroll scroll scroll in one mass list!!
What is everyone's preference of their chosen app and why please?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro