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[Q] New owner of a Note Pro 12.2 - Questions

Hello everybody,
I just bought a Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 (unlocked LTE edition). I have to say that although I am quite an experienced Windows user, I am totally new to Android. So far I really enjoy this tablet and I am trying to use it as at least 70-80% as a laptop replacement (if possible).
I have some issues though and I would like to ask for your help:
1. Adobe Flash Player: I was reading that unfortunately Android 4.4 does not support flash player any more. Although I am also not a big fan of flash, it seems that is required quite often (e.g. for youtube videos, facebook games, etc...). I found on the XDA forum in another thread that it should be possible to use flash player with the Dolphin web browser. I would like to ask you if there is a way to install flash also on Chrome or Firefox.
2. Youtube: I often get the message that the content is not available on mobile devices. Is there any way to bypass this somehow? Also is there a way to always load desktop websites instead of the mobile ones?
3. RemotePC: I tried RemotePC which comes pre-installed with the device and I like it quite a lot (although it's a bit slow). However, I have not found a way to transfer files from my laptop to the Note. Could you please help me with that? Also, are there maybe any other apps which perform better than the RemotePC?
4. Media Player: Whuch media player would you suggest? Is there a media player such as VLC for PC which can handle all different video and audio files (MKV, AC3, AVI, etc...)
5. Rooting: I have read some stuff regarding rooting and it seems that it's really worth it. I would like to ask you if is it possible to root Note Pro 12.2 and if yes then how to unroot it in case I would need to use my warranty.
I know that these are quite a lot of questions and I would be really grateful if you could help me!
Thanks a lot!

elessar2014 said:
Hello everybody,
I just bought a Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 (unlocked LTE edition). I have to say that although I am quite an experienced Windows user, I am totally new to Android. So far I really enjoy this tablet and I am trying to use it as at least 70-80% as a laptop replacement (if possible).
I have some issues though and I would like to ask for your help:
1. Adobe Flash Player
2. Youtube
3. RemotePC
4. Media Player
5. Rooting
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. The problem with using Flash is that the -browsers- won't support it in KitKat. I can only get it to work with Dolphin. I use Lightning + for everything else, though.
2. Maybe this: http://imgur.com/zc2Kzan. Otherwise, I just watch the videos using Dolphin set to 'Desktop' mode.
3. To transfer files, I use either Ex File Explorer (free) or Solid Explorer (paid, but super awesome). I use a different program to connect to my PC remotely, though, and it is fairly quick: Real VNC Viewer which used to be $10, but is now free. I have TightVNC installed on my computer.
4. I use Archos or MX Player. Archos is beautiful, but you have to buy the codec pack to play everything else. MX Player comes in free and paid, but I don't care for the interface. The combination of both (I've not paid for the codecs) plays every file streaming from my computer. I'm sure if I pay for the codec pack, Archos will play everything.
5. I've rooted, and I'm 100% satisfied. I have a lot of apps that require root. I'm sure unrooting is possible, but I will never have the need. Plus, once you're rooted the Knox counter is tripped.

Perfect... Thank you very much for your help!!
I have another question regarding youtube... Is it possible to continue play the video in the background when I switch tabs or I open another app?
Also what is this Knox counter and what does it mean that it will be tripped? If I eventually root the tablet, do I have to re-install all the downloaded apps from the beginning?

elessar2014 said:
Perfect... Thank you very much for your help!!
I have another question regarding youtube... Is it possible to continue play the video in the background when I switch tabs or I open another app?
Also what is this Knox counter and what does it mean that it will be tripped? If I eventually root the tablet, do I have to re-install all the downloaded apps from the beginning?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are apps that can do that, yes. PVSTAR+ is one. I suppose with multi-window mode you could have YouTube playing in one window and doing other things in the other window? I've not tried.
I'm not sure what the Knox counter is, actually. I believe the original purpose was to show if the device's software had been modified. When you root, Knox shows the device was tampered with. When I rooted, I didn't have to re-install anything.

ExtremeRyno said:
I'm not sure what the Knox counter is, actually. I believe the original purpose was to show if the device's software had been modified. When you root, Knox shows the device was tampered with. When I rooted, I didn't have to re-install anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While the Knox counter will tell Sammy and everyone whether or not your device has been tampered with / rooted etc, its primary purpose is for the enterprise. The Knox partition (if you enable it) creates a "secure" work environment which is what many companies want with their mobile devices. Software policies can be easily put into place which read the Knox counter and if it has been tripped will treat the knox device as either 1) a typical unsecured device and let it on the network however the admins allow unsecured devices on, or 2) prevent the device from hooking up to the network even with a knox partition in tact.
Knox is Samsung's way of trying to break the Windows / iOS (and once upon a time BB) lock on the secure corporate / government world. I actually think the idea is brilliant as you have two partitions, one to install all your home crap on, and a tight secure partition strictly for work.

My thoughts exactly. Knox has nothing to do with the hardware warranty.
Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk

[Q] blocking ads in apps

hello all,
i just bought nexus 5.... i am kind of noob when it comes to android.
is there i can block all annoying ads that crops up within apps and browser?
i dont want to risk rooting my phone.
pls suggest me easiest, secure way to do this....
thanks.

You can try opting out from Ads from Google Settings but the only way to get rid of all the ads is to use an app like adaway which needs root. I don't know why you think it's a risk rooting your phone?? You can get back to stock anytime to claim warranty.

vin4yak said:
You can try opting out from Ads from Google Settings but the only way to get rid of all the ads is to use an app like adaway which needs root. I don't know why you think it's a risk rooting your phone?? You can get back to stock anytime to claim warranty.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hello
since i am new to android, i dont want to mess up/experiment on my phone. atleast till i get hang of it.
i used play a lot with my N95 before. so, till i get firm grasp on android inner workings, i wouldnt want to do anything with its in built features.
further, rooting is bit too technical for me..... there is no application that can root with just a click like it existed with S60 V3 OS.....
so will wait till such a thing comes up.

Try to find in playstore

lambo98 said:
Try to find in playstore
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank u for this grt suggestion.
fyi: all ad blocking apps r removed from playstore. only detectors r whats there.

ags84 said:
further, rooting is bit too technical for me..... there is no application that can root with just a click like it existed with S60 V3 OS.....
so will wait till such a thing comes up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even though there are tools available to do this (simple search on xda will locate those), you really should take the time to understand the 4-5 (simple) steps involved in rooting. That way, you know exactly what is happening (versus a toolkit that will attempt to do everything for you, and just tell you "all done" - without you having a clue about what really happened). The advantage of understanding these steps is that later, if you want to install an update or want to switch kernels and read a guide that tells you to flash "xyz", or restore from nandroid etc, you will not be clueless. Or if somebody tries to help you with an issue, and asks you to go your recovery, you won't be asking "how do I go to recovery screen"
My suggestion: If you are ever planning to root your Nexus 5, read the first 2 posts at http://forum.xda-developers.com/goo...ide-nexus-5-how-to-unlock-bootloader-t2507905 - especially the parts highlighted in red.
Then, read it again <-- repeat till you understand it. If you have questions, read/search that thread to see if somebody already asked that question - and if not, ask in that thread.
The Nexus is probably the easiest device to root. But don't root till you are comfortable with it, and understand the steps involved.
Since you mentioned in your first post that you didn't want to root, you could try https://adblockplus.org/en/about
I must admit that I tried it once and wasn't able to get it to work right, and so I just installed adaway (that requires root) instead.

jj14 said:
Even though there are tools available to do this (simple search on xda will locate those), you really should take the time to understand the 4-5 (simple) steps involved in rooting. That way, you know exactly what is happening (versus a toolkit that will attempt to do everything for you, and just tell you "all done" - without you having a clue about what really happened). The advantage of understanding these steps is that later, if you want to install an update or want to switch kernels and read a guide that tells you to flash "xyz", or restore from nandroid etc, you will not be clueless. Or if somebody tries to help you with an issue, and asks you to go your recovery, you won't be asking "how do I go to recovery screen"
My suggestion: If you are ever planning to root your Nexus 5, read the first 2 posts at http://forum.xda-developers.com/goo...ide-nexus-5-how-to-unlock-bootloader-t2507905 - especially the parts highlighted in red.
Then, read it again <-- repeat till you understand it. If you have questions, read/search that thread to see if somebody already asked that question - and if not, ask in that thread.
The Nexus is probably the easiest device to root. But don't root till you are comfortable with it, and understand the steps involved.
Since you mentioned in your first post that you didn't want to root, you could try https://adblockplus.org/en/about
I must admit that I tried it once and wasn't able to get it to work right, and so I just installed adaway (that requires root) instead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you for the insight.
i am reading it and will root only after i fully understand it.
i did try adblockplus. got it when i searched on google.
as u said, it doesnt work right..... so i thought of asking it here as it is comman problem faced by many android users.
cheers.

ags84 said:
thank you for the insight.
i am reading it and will root only after i fully understand it.
i did try adblockplus. got it when i searched on google.
as u said, it doesnt work right..... so i thought of asking it here as it is comman problem faced by many android users.
cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ad Block Plus got nuked by Google, unfortunately. You need root to do this for all apps and on all connection types.

ags84 said:
i am reading it and will root only after i fully understand it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good on you to take the time to learn.
Short of rooting your phone and installing an ad-blocker, you would have to pay for "pro" versions of apps you use, which often remove ads from the app as part of the upgrade.

MoaAB hands down is the best add blocker! But u need root...
(Mother of all Add Blockers)

Nothing is going to fully block ads without root. Nope. ?

For unrooted try Andblock (not ABP) http://code.google.com/p/andblock/
You need to import a host file (menu > import), and set Port to 8080
Blocks web ads only

Lord Childe said:
For unrooted try Andblock (not ABD) http://code.google.com/p/andblock/
You need to import a host file (menu > import), and set Port to 8080
Blocks web ads only
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So just for browsers you mean? If that's the case you can just use AdBlock Plus extensions/addons for your respective browser.
Adblock (unrooted, side load APK) will still work for WiFi just not on a data connection and needs to be setup as a proxy, or is it just for data? Can't remember.

bblzd said:
So just for browsers you mean? If that's the case you can just use Ad Block Plus extensions/addons for your respective browser.
Adblock (unrooted, side load APK) will still work for WiFi just not on a data connection and needs to be setup as a proxy, or is it just for data? Can't remember.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It’s plugged as ‘Andblock’, yet the app is named ‘Adblock’ – very confusing. And I’m sure it’s intentional, given the similarities with ABP.
Before I rooted my device I used Andblock (Adblock) – it works with 3g/4g, whereas ABP unrooted only works over wifi. Anyway, standalone ABP for Android is riddled with bugs and inconsistencies – brilliant as a FF addon in Windows, might be good as a browser ext. for Android - but if you're unrooted and use a browser that hasn’t got an ABP ext. then you’re buggered.
A device isn’t completely free of ads even with root - the famed MoaAB doesn't block every app ad.

What do I lose by rooting and/or custom ROM

Hi, newbie here.
I'd love to root my Galaxy S7 (SM-G930FD) and maybe even install a new ROM. However, I'm concerned about losing some nice features of the phone.
At first thought, three key features that I like are: Samsung Pay, device encryption, and Samsung's encrypted folder. (For my line of work, I have to be very very security conscious, so device encryption is important.)
Also, along the lines of security, any recommendations for the most secure OS for the S7 phone, and possibly a firewall to manage net traffic?
Thanks!

Adding small reply to my own post.
Looks like rooting will permanently disable Samsung pay. But, looks like Google Pay should still work. (If your bank supports it.)
Looks like TW bootloader can't handle whole-phone encryption, so that's a loss of a major security tool.

But still nothing like loosing some camera features as with some Sonys?

I've rooted my s7 from the start and since I am enjoying full camera support, can even use snapchat (though under Parrallel space, so it's not obvious)
Don't use and will never use Samsung Pay (It's not working here in The Netherlands anyhow) and all other banking apps I use do work.

Should I root? What are the perks of it for the S8+ (what have you used root for)?

I've come back to Android after being on iOS for the past 2 or so years. Bought an S8+. With the S8 and S8+ rooted, I'm wondering if I should go about it. I don't like the 80% battery max that comes with it, or that there is no official Xposed support. Im mainly looking for a system wide adblock (which I dont believe I can do without Xposed(?)). Is there any reason you guys would recommend rooting, other than debloat? What else am I missing/forgetting?

Nope, you don't need root if you don't want to mod your system; ad blocker is available without root, just google "adhell 2". This is the 1st phone that I don't have rooted since I don't need it - I can do 90% of the stuff without root. I.e. you can't turn data off from Tasker without root. One of the things I miss. Also, find Knox very usefull - which is lost after root. Just my opinion though.

pr0necr0 said:
I've come back to Android after being on iOS for the past 2 or so years. Bought an S8+. With the S8 and S8+ rooted, I'm wondering if I should go about it. I don't like the 80% battery max that comes with it, or that there is no official Xposed support. Im mainly looking for a system wide adblock (which I dont believe I can do without Xposed(?)). Is there any reason you guys would recommend rooting, other than debloat? What else am I missing/forgetting?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can get adblocking with "AdHell" or "Disconnect for samsung browser" from plays store.
You can theme you device with Substratum or from this thread https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s8+/themes/substratum-inversion-ui-overlay-overlays-t3604341 or the inbuilt theme store.
You disable any system app you like with Package Disabler Pro.
You can get Xposed-like tweaks from this thread: https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s8+/themes/mods-small-collection-tweaks-t3657119.
Really no point in rooting these days!

My S8+ is rooted right now, and I'm on the fence about going back to non-root. If ad blocking is your main concert there are SEVERAL no-root options. I used Disconnect for Samsung (google it, you'll find an APK somewhere) that is a system wide ad block that does allow some ad's... Other ad block methods are Ad Hell, AdGuard, Block This - and I'm sure there are many others... they essentially create a VPN on the device and route all traffic through the VPN and block the things you wouldn't want.
The issue with the bootloader locked rooting methods is they are based on the ENG BOOT kernel which is designed for debugging/testing/repair etc... so you ABSOLUTELY get a performance hit... and a battery hit. The S8+ is so fast the performance hit isn't nearly as bad as it was on the S7E, the battery hit is another story... 80% and I don't think it "stops" charging at 80 - maybe just me? but my phone is warm in the morning charging wired or wirelessly. Again, could be just me. YMMV.
Not to take anything away from the guys who worked hard on getting the root method released. They are awesome and have done a great job - they deserve all the praise in the community they can get. But without TWRP and custom roms, and the ability to create those types or rom's - root isn't quite the same.... AGAIN THAT COULD BE JUST ME! YMMV!

Can rooting boost protection and security?
I have a question about rooting.
All my previous 5 - 6 android smartphones were rooted by me.
The main reason for rooting was to improve security and confidence in the phone - good firewall, de -bloating, control of privilegies
But now with S8+ I am having second thought about if rooting really protects vs exposes.
1) Lots of original protection features will be gone after rooting, like DM-verity
2) Automated system updates and therefore related security patches will be gone too. I am not a big fan of regular manual downloads and updates. So my once rooted system will become dated soon.
Am I taking it right?
Do a good firewall and control of priviligies outweigth the new risks that rooting could bring?
I do a lot of important things on my phone, so the protection is number the #1 thing for me.
Thanks for you thoughts

Is it worth rooting

I wanted to root my Nord, but I started to wonder is it worth it? What benefits I can aquire by rooting my phone? It has a lot of space anyway (I own 12/256 variant) so I don't care about additional space I can aquire by debloating.
Also I'm pretty happy with Oxygen OS, so I don't care about other ROMs, which can be bugged even more than OOS.
I was thinking about degoogling, but can we do a real degoogling, or it's just some kind of placebo, because they're everywhere
Other thing I was thinking was a proper call recording, can we do that with root access?
What's more there are some issues from banking apps etc.
Any other benefits? What do you guys think?

Well, that's up to you
Perhaps this similar thread helps:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/rooting-worth-it-or-hassle.4364757/
Personally, I'd say yes.
And as for google: Better to be touched inappropriately in one spot once then gang-raped for years and left to die on the harbor's bottom, eh?
Sounds harsh? Well, a googly friend did request his data some time ago - unzipped it was some 30GB and, among other things, contained his location ever since 2013 and just that meant roughly 2 location fixes every minute...
But, please, don't believe me, check their data on you for yourself:
https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3024190?hl=en

But can you really get rid Google from your phone? It's I was thinking about some time ago. Except flashig a LineageOS rom-like...

Alas, not really... but it does make a huge difference to not have your device bound by an account.
(BTW, Aurora is a nice replacement for the playstore!)
Even LineageOS has some hardwired G-crap... after all, android is google's child. For example, every single time you log on to your wifi, android tries to verify internet.
Still, I do prefer to minimize such bad behavior than to give up entirely.

I still prefer to root for using
- AdAway
- AFWall+
- Titanium Backup
- Clocksync
- Automate lots of things with Tasker
Even without a proper TWRP available so far the root process is not that much of a hassle if you read the instructions properly and as long as you know how to unpack the boot.img from a full OTA.

Ramihyn said:
I still prefer to root for using
- AdAway
- AFWall+
- Titanium Backup
- Clocksync
- Automate lots of things with Tasker
Even without a proper TWRP available so far the root process is not that much of a hassle if you read the instructions properly and as long as you know how to unpack the boot.img from a full OTA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the first and second I use AdGuard. I find it way more better than Adaway in terms of blocking ads, trackers etc. Also, you can firewall apps with it too.
To be honest it's only TB and its mighty backup/restore/root/debloat abilities makes me still considering rooting my device.
I have a patched boot.img ready to flash since about two weeks. I'm sure I can manage this, but still not sure if I really want/need to.

AdAway and AFWall+ have the huge advantage compared to Adguard (Blokada would be another alternative) that they do not consume the VPN "slot" and thus almost no battery at all.
I am using my phone regularly to dial home using my own OpenVPN server (e.g. to access my music on my NAS instead of using Spotify and co.), so I cannot use VPN based ad-removal services.

wonsky21 said:
I wanted to root my Nord, but I started to wonder is it worth it? What benefits I can aquire by rooting my phone? It has a lot of space anyway (I own 12/256 variant) so I don't care about additional space I can aquire by debloating.
Also I'm pretty happy with Oxygen OS, so I don't care about other ROMs, which can be bugged even more than OOS.
I was thinking about degoogling, but can we do a real degoogling, or it's just some kind of placebo, because they're everywhere
Other thing I was thinking was a proper call recording, can we do that with root access?
What's more there are some issues from banking apps etc.
Any other benefits? What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Degoogle....
I tried /e/Os and hope half of their marketing is true.
3/4 banking apps are running (because banks are less evil than google).
The only disappointment is not to get 48mp frontcam (like (all?) custom roms for nord).