Database Info

[Q] Lock Apps?

Is there any way I can lock some of my apps with another another app? I have many cousins and they like to go threw my phone and I would like to lock just certain apps like my messages and pictures not my whole phone.

Same here
Sent from my HD7 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App

Some launchers let you hide certain apps. For Windows Phone, that's probably not possible. Without some sort of exploit, the design of a Windows Phone app is supposed to be very limited.
On the other hand, you could have an application with a password-protect feature that would store your archived pictures and messages.

I'm afraid that this isn't possible in WP7. You would probably need some kind of replacement launcher to make this happen.

Same problem

SecureIt app for photos
You can always download SecureIt app from the marketplace. You can store private pics there and then delete them from your camera roll, or albums. As for text messages I have no idea.

I wasn't able to find SecureIt app on the Market Place. Has it been removed or non existent anymore?

What are the repercussions of removing contacts provider in Android?

Personally I think the contacts provider (and other providers)in Android is a huge security risk. Every app and it's brother wants full access to your contacts so they can mine them for usable information. This can be just to add easy links to friends or to spam them with advertisements or offers to identity theft.
I've started using a pim manager that does not access Androids contact provider, calendar provider , tasks or other providers in it's operations.(And I really wish it was open source)
I have already removed the Google sync apks from my device and have removed contacts, calendar in the past. But not the providers.
It might cause some badly written apps to crash.
But I can't forsee any other serious problems.
Ideas? Thoughts?

Honestly sounds like a good idea..
Myself I decided to go for a while without any gapps and any other "store" installed on my phone.
My contacts are imported from a .vcf file which i update manually when needed.
I also have installed AFWall+ and i blocked the internet access to pretty much all the other apps including the system ones.. (everything i could get away with basically )
This could be a solution as well but it's rudimentary one at the moment.
nutpants said:
Personally I think the contacts provider (and other providers)in Android is a huge security risk. Every app and it's brother wants full access to your contacts so they can mine them for usable information. This can be just to add easy links to friends or to spam them with advertisements or offers to identity theft.
I've started using a pim manager that does not access Androids contact provider, calendar provider , tasks or other providers in it's operations.(And I really wish it was open source)
I have already removed the Google sync apks from my device and have removed contacts, calendar in the past. But not the providers.
It might cause some badly written apps to crash.
But I can't forsee any other serious problems.
Ideas? Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I already don't have Google apps on my device.
Everything blocked with afwall+ using profiles so things only get net when I'm using them on the net.
Fdroid is where I get 90% of my software and from the internet for much of the other 10%
I have a old phone with nothing on it personal at all. Which has play store for the 3 or 4 paid apps I need, it does updates for them and a few free ones. I copy the apks over to my daily driver.
I constantly hound developers on play store to support offline devices and not to implement features that break the app when there is no internet. Even app I don't use lol.
(I have 2 tablets and far too many old phones.only two devices are online(some are local lan only))
Someone should start a offline foundation. But being online it might be ridiculous..

I too removed contacts by using /system/app mover from f-droid. It was unintended as I wanted them as a user application but they wouldn't work like this and the icon vanished, that was fine with me for a long time. The other day I wanted contacts for signal (and telegram also won't work without them). I restored the application files from a backup,
For reference in /system/app/ the missing files were
SecContacts.apk
SecContactsProvider.apk
Other contacts programs like Simple Contacts can't run without a system permission called com.android.contacts and without those files in /system/app the permission doesn't get created at boot. The result being that no contact creation is possible.
What I would really like is a modified version of the system app that passes contacts data to the calling program depending on individual contact entry permissions with regard to each calling app; one list for telegram, another for signal etc. I gather that recent android versions above 6.0.0 have functionality to check calling application certificates so something along these lines should be possible. For earlier versions it might be necessary to switch between multiple contacts databases before starting the messaging app and also removing it from the autoboot list.
https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/permissions/defining

Apps you need on Android?

Hi guys, I want you to tell me what are the apps you recommend having on Android, I think I'm missing a lot of them thats why I create this thread.
Everything, from security to customization.

Twitter or WeChat
some Weather app
Netease Cloud Music
some Navigator app
S Health
amazon appstore or amazon underground
some bank app
......

unity
unity remote

Authy or some other authenticator app to enable 2 factor authentication. you NEED this on at least your email. This can save you thousands of dollars years from now, if someone gets access to your email (very easy though most older recovery options, name of your dog, your mothers maiden name, the street you grew up on, etc).
A mobile scanner app. I am liking officelens 90% of the time.
Pocketcasts for podcasts
Smart audiobook reader
Lastpass(my favorite) or any other password manager(1password, keepass, etc). You should never use the same password twice, same reason as item number 1
Save your local area in maps options, this will save you lots of data and speed up maps by a lot sometimes.

Let me choose which apps I can run on device

I am looking for possibility to run only:
- phone
- contact list
- chrome
- camera
- music player
on Android device. I want to check app first before I decide to give permission to run it. I want to run Phone app but I want to block SMS app and all other messaging apps.
How can I set it up ?
The purpose is to give the smartfone to the kid but with very limited options, so it's not using messaging and other chat apps , the only way of communication is just phone call but also I want her to have a Web Browser and phone Contact list, Camera and some Music apps so she can use it as a player anytime.
No distracting apps loaded with ads, no texting, no notifications.
Please help with the simplest solution for that.
Thank you

Location Sharing and/or an App with Routines

I am looking for an Android app which will at predetermined times share my location with selected people. I don't want real time sharing because of battery issues. It would also be useful if I could also create a routine which did the same whenever I connect to WiFi.
I am planning a solo cycle tour through Europe which will involve me being away from all family and friends for up to 3 months. My wife has expressed a concern about my safety and has asked that I let her know where I am on a regular basis.
I could allow her access to my Google account so she can use Find My Device but given her technical skills it would be better if she simply got a WhatsApp message with a map pin.

GPS Logger - Apps on Google Play
A simple and lightweight app for recording your position and your path
play.google.com

I don't see any way of sending my location.

If you won't create a simple routine at your own use this app
Send My GPS Location - Apps on Google Play
Share location and GPS coordinates with close friends.
play.google.com

Maybe I wasn't clear enough - my apologies.
I am looking for an app which will automatically send my location to a contact at predefined times. I would like this to happen when my phone is in my pocket or bag whilst I am cycling or walking.
Obviously I can do it manually when I remember but if I am in difficulty then the automatic option acts as a safety feature.
I am looking at Tasker to see if I can create a routine using that app and SMS.
Thanks to @xXx yYy for his/her help so far.