I've been on iOS since the start, and now I'm switching over. I've only used 1-2 Google apps in the past (Maps, Photos) and I use those with a non Google account.
My question is: Do I need to create a Google account (such as Gmail, etc) in order to fully unlock the potential of the phone, or will my non-Gmail account suffice? Thank you!
Related
Hey folks,
is it at the moment (in the future?) possbile to use a fullfeatured android-system without a google account/being bound to google? I love WM 6.5, because it comparatively is independent of any cloud stuff. Windows Mobile Phone 7 is very closed and lives in the cloud. So how open is android and to what extent is it spy-/adware?
Thx
My thoughts:
I was a WM5/6 user for quite a few years (at least 4+ years). I heavily hacked my WM phones to get the functionality I craved.
After fooling around with various Android ports to my HTC Titan, I decided to give the TBD Verizon Android phone (aka Droid) a chance when it came out. Since that fateful day, I haven't had a single regret. The Droid (and Android) is absolutely amazing.
Prior to my Droid, I had a couple of almost totally unused GMail accounts. I was resigned to the idea that to get the full functionality out of my Droid, I needed to move into the Google "cloud".
I have been amazed at how well everything flows together, now that everything syncs/baselines off of my main GMail account.
I'm not sure how functional the phone will be if you don't have a GMail account. Here is my (probably inaccurate) guess of functionality degradation you will face by not using a GMail account:
1) The Google Market may not allow you to purchase any apps. App purchases are paid through Google Checkout - Which is associated with your GMail account.
2) EMail integration is obviously very well implemented with Google. When a message is sent to my GMail account, it seems like I get it just a few seconds later on my phone. You can also set up your GMail account to poll any of your already existing email accounts from other providers. While not updated as fast as your GMail account, it still operates very well, and also color-codes which email account your messages came from. If you don't want to use GMail, the K-9 Mail app can work as an alternative to the GMail app.
3) Syncing with Google Contacts and multiple Google Calendars won't be available to you. The instant syncing of contacts/calendars is *very* useful, and works totally seamlessly. Again, updating a contact (or event) on the web (or your phone) nearly instantaneously updates the phone / web, respectively. You don't have to worry about losing contacts or calendars anymore. If you already had a GMail account with Contacts & Calendars, all that information is available on your phone within a minute or so after you have powered up your Droid for the first time. (Note: I do have some moderate gripes about how contacts are displayed & grouped on GMail & Android. I hope Google will be addressing these items soon). If your Droid gets damaged and you don't have a GMail account, you will probably have to manually reenter all your contacts / appointments.
4) Other non-Google "push" apps (such as Flight Tracker Pro) probably won't work since they need your GMail address to send their integrated information to your phone to update their app status.
5) Probably a bit of other stuff, but I'm too tired to think right now.
As far as my "who is watching my activity" paranoia level is concerned, I don't have any concerns at all about Google. I haven't seen a single instance in the months I have been using my Droid where Google appeared to be targeting any overtly obnoxious advertising in my direction. (However, if you are still concerned about ads, there is a hack to Android to block all ads). If I had any concerns, I would certainly trust Microsoft less (by a few orders of magnitude) than Google.
I'm not entirely sure how Google is making a lot of money from the Android adoption, other than having more devices natively using Google for searching (which can result in their advertising revenue). But from what I have seen, it is no worse than when you are using Google on your PC to do your web searches.
After using Android for months now, I can't ever see going back to WM6 again. WM6 was incredibly lame in comparison. Web browsing on Android is what I always hoped the WM6 platform would achieve (but never seemed to reach). Android is an amazing OS, certainly comparable to the Apple iPhone in almost all aspects, and exceeds WM6 in most aspects.
My advise would be to take the plunge and get an Android phone & GMail account set up. Try it out. If you don't like the OS (or Google cloud stuff), you can always return the phone within a couple of weeks for all the carriers, and go back to a WM6 phone.
The only thing you really need a google account for the Market. I have all syncing (mail, contacts and calendar) turned off and auto sync turned off. I believe you have to leave background sync turned on but that's it.
For everything else I use a hosted exchange account.
if you can live without google voice and google talk, then yeah. It is a fully functional OS. Market is not essential to core functionality and you can always install apks directly from sdcard as well as switch your search engine to whatever you prefer.
Ok, here's some explaination for my issue, as it's not exactly a simple situation, I do apologize for the reading that's involved...
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Recently I've added google+ to one of my google accounts. This re-enabled a previously disabled gmail account, which then proceeded to force itself as the primary login for that google account.
I already had a primary google account on my phone, which is the only account which I want to use gmail with.
When adding my account to my phone, I used the original email address (that was downgraded to secondary) as the login, but upon login, this was magically changed to be the gmail account that I did not want. After *much* searching, I found a way to delete this gmail account entirely, which seems to have worked out flawlessly as far as my online accounts work, from a browser at least. My previous login is now the primary, and my unwanted gmail account has been destroyed.
My issue now, is that this account did not get updated on my phone magically, as it did elsewhere. My phone is still showing the gmail account for that google account, rather than the email that it should be. Additionally, I still have 2 inboxes in gmail, although my secondary google account no longer has gmail associated as a product.
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So on to my question... Is there some way which I can either edit the google account on my phone to update the login (and clear the gmail association), force the phone to refresh all of that google account data (updating the login name in the process), or perhaps even delete that secondary google account from my phone so that i could re-add it fresh?
If the answer is, that i need to wipe my phone... then that is the answer, but if that could be avoided, it would save me the pain in the butt that would cause.
Thanks in advance for any help!
Figured I'd give this just one bump just in case the right person didn't see it... I'm pretty close to just resigning myself to having to wipe my phone.
Yay for google, always knowing what's best for others...
Do you have the Google+ App on your phone. Is that maybe confusing the Google sync?
If you do perhaps try deleting the app and try syncing the original account?
do google sync again
Howdy peeps.
Bought the in-app upgrade to GO Weather EX, making it the 'premium' version.
(Most will consider it over-priced, but contrary to Play Store reviews found it a great app)
Bought it under my primary Google account. Added my secondary accounts (for GMail and Google+).
Occasionally, I'll find the widget crashed or simply want to click through for more info, and find its 'premium' state has disappeared. If I opt to purchase again, it's aimed at one of my secondary accounts. If I delete the secondary account and go back in to the app, 'premium' state STILL isn't there, but opting to buy again it recognises my primary account and re-instates the paid mode.
Happens on all my devices
GOWEX doesn't exist in the other accounts
Doesn't happen with any other application
Contacted the developers: yet to receive a response
Lodged a query with Google
Anybody have suggestions (besides changing weather apps)? Similar experiences?
Pain in the rear to have to delete my secondary account every few hours. Unfortunate circumstance, but really like the app.
Hey guys,
Google disabled my account a few days ago and are not enabling it. Suffice to say I'm never getting that account back. My main concern is how do I add a new Google account while keeping all my apps intact? Like will they carry over to new account and show up in My Apps in Play Store? Also, what about Google Authenticator?
As of right now, everything is working fine on my phone (except Play Store and YouTube). I'm also able to access my Google Authenticator. How do I back it up? Can I simply add another Google account to my phone and everything will transfer? Also, I think all my bought apps are gone for good?
BTW, my phone is Poco F1 and I'm currently running latest MIUI Global Stable, and I have it rooted with TWRP and Magisk.
Any help in this regards will be greatly appreciated.
Thanx a lot in advance
Please help. I'm mostly concerned about Google Authenticator.
OR will I have to disable 2FA on all my Google Authenticator accounts and enable after adding new Google account?
Nevermind.
You can add another google account. If your account is disable it is hard to get it back. You can contact google.
You can add remove apps from store with other google account. Your youtube channel is difficult to get back.
Why your account is disabled.
This is a very old problem, and Google isn't fixing it for reasons best known to them.
I have multiple Google accounts in my device, each for a specific purpose. I buy apps using one account, while I use another account for backups, adding devices like earphones, speakers, etc.
The problems experienced are as follows:
1. Some of the apps where I have in-app purchases fail to verify the account. For some apps, uninstalling and reinstalling using the right account on Google Play Store resolves this problem, while for others, the solution is to remove the other accounts one by one, until the app successfully verifies the account used to make the in-app purchases.
2. I bought a new pair of earphones that support Fast Pair. When trying to set it up, it was not showing the account that I wanted to add the device to. The only way was to remove the accounts from the device one by one until the account I wanted to use showed up on the Fast Pair screen.
3. Purchases on Google Play Store: Same problem when Google Play Store shows the wrong account for making a purchase. Only way is to remove other accounts one by one until the one you want is selected.
Google isn't offering a way to simply change the account that the user wants to use for any of the above scenarios.
As far as I have seen, the account used during 1st setup (which is usually used for Backup and Restore) is given priority or used as a Default account. And Google doesn't offer a way to simply change the account when a particular scenario demands it.
Is there a solution to this problem.
Thanks.
If your phone's Android supports multi-user-accounts then create per each user a related account
xXx yYy said:
If your phone's Android supports multi-user-accounts then create per each user a related account
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's far from a solution. And my phone doesn't have the multi user feature either.
Does it mean one can't use multiple Google accounts on a device and get things to work as desired?