First off, I have never purchased any music, books or movies from the Google Play Store. Nor have I used the store to search for any of these media types. All the media I have on my phone has been taken from "back ups" I have on my computer and placed on phone through USB or Skydrive. I have some very obscure and varied musical, reading and movie tastes. I also don't use Google+ or any Google affiliated messaging, chat or blog services. So I found it very disturbing on my last visit to the Google Play Store, when I decided to check öut the "recommended for you section" and found quite a bit of recommendations that matched the content of my phone. It was uncany. I did some research and found that Google says it's recommendations were based on searches, geographic location and what my"friends" listened to. I am on vacation outside of my geographic location and I purchased my phone while on vacation. My previous phone was a Windows phone so they can't have gotten data from that source, could they? Is my private content being scanned or accessed? Google is hitting too close too the mark on this one. I go out of my way to keep my privacy. Something seems fishy. Anyone else notice this or am I being paranoid?
You're being paranoid.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
App packages
When you enter the Google Play Store on your device, the application packages that exist in your phone (regardless where you got them from) are being used for search results.
Thus by matching the app packages that exist in your device against those that also have the same package name installed in their devices, Google can tell what kind of apps these generalized group of people will download, and make suggestions from there.
But yes, you are being paranoid
The play store takes stock of what's on your phone so it knows what updates you need and to recommend things to you. It does collect other info, all of which you will find in the TOS you obviously didn't read before you created your Google account. I didn't read it either, but I also understand some info is collected for these reasons and to be able to target ads to your usage habits. It's the nature of the beast - connecting to the Internet in any way means you have given up some measure of privacy, whether you like it or not.
You're being paranoid.
My advice: If you want to live off the grid, owning a smartphone is not the best approach....
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
---------- Post added at 08:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:05 PM ----------
divinituss said:
When you enter the Google Play Store on your device, the application packages that exist in your phone (regardless where you got them from) are being used for search results.
Thus by matching the app packages that exist in your device against those that also have the same package name installed in their devices, Google can tell what kind of apps these generalized group of people will download, and make suggestions from there.
But yes, you are being paranoid
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Beat me to it! Hehe
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
tbvnz said:
First off, I have never purchased any music, books or movies from the Google Play Store. Nor have I used the store to search for any of these media types. All the media I have on my phone has been taken from "back ups" I have on my computer and placed on phone through USB or Skydrive. I have some very obscure and varied musical, reading and movie tastes. I also don't use Google+ or any Google affiliated messaging, chat or blog services. So I found it very disturbing on my last visit to the Google Play Store, when I decided to check öut the "recommended for you section" and found quite a bit of recommendations that matched the content of my phone. It was uncany. I did some research and found that Google says it's recommendations were based on searches, geographic location and what my"friends" listened to. I am on vacation outside of my geographic location and I purchased my phone while on vacation. My previous phone was a Windows phone so they can't have gotten data from that source, could they? Is my private content being scanned or accessed? Google is hitting too close too the mark on this one. I go out of my way to keep my privacy. Something seems fishy. Anyone else notice this or am I being paranoid?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have an android smartphone and you are using Google Play, you need a gmail account for this, so, Google already has your "identity" and knows who is the owner of that smartphone. When you use google chrome and start a session on it, you are telling Google everything you do on the web, and even if you are not logged in on chrome, or use a different browser, but log into gmail account and use youtube or google for searching on internet Google knows what you look for on internet and what you like to watch. And if you use your phone during vacation outside of your geographic location, Google already knows where you like to go on vacations and you like to on free time, that probably is very related with all the targeted adds that you see on the internet while browsing.
In other words, no one is scanning your private content or accessing on it, YOU are giving all this kind of info to Google and they just use it, maybe for suggest Hotels on vacations or for anything they want because they own it.
My recommendation is take care of your privacy and don't be paranoid if they know what you tell them... :cyclops:
---------- Post added at 10:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:56 PM ----------
jsneider23 said:
... connecting to the Internet in any way means you have given up some measure of privacy, whether you like it or not. ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't have to be like this... there are ways for protecting your privacy on the web and everyone should use them instead of just get used to be snooped
jsneider23 said:
My advice: If you want to live off the grid, owning a smartphone is not the best approach....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right
Any way to revert to the google talk app from google hangout in 4.4?
there are some methods works in android 4.3, but it can't work in 4.4..
I tried to manually install the gtalk apk, but it won't install.
I have installed google talk into android 4.4, but it can't login
I have installed google talk into android 4.4, but it can't login. it seems that the google talk can't access to the network.
Anyone else have any success with this? I don't have the patience to downgrade to hangouts...
kobetete said:
I have installed google talk into android 4.4, but it can't login. it seems that the google talk can't access to the network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
probably cant connect to the network because its old and not supported anymore. I would say install on 4.3 rom, but thats not possible for the n5. so unfortunately, your stuck with hangouts
Anyway to install the original mms.apk?
---------- Post added at 12:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 PM ----------
I really hate the hangouts integration with SMS is so annoying, and hangouts is really dull anyway, the BBM app seems far better for chatting on, anyone agree?
willgare said:
Anyway to install the original mms.apk?
---------- Post added at 12:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 PM ----------
I really hate the hangouts integration with SMS is so annoying, and hangouts is really dull anyway, the BBM app seems far better for chatting on, anyone agree?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get the mms.apk from the N4 (4.3). On the N5 (rooted), rename mms.apk to mms.apk.bak (Root Explorer recommended), copy mms.apk from N4 over, set permissions and reboot.
kobetete said:
I have installed google talk into android 4.4, but it can't login. it seems that the google talk can't access to the network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello,
Same issue for me with Nexus 4 on 4.4 and 4.3 after a factory flash.
But it's work with android 4.3 after an OTA from 4.2.2 strange ...
we need someone to modd the good old GTalk app to work again in android 4.4 and if it could be installed in data it will be greath... because there ar some unrooted users who want to get back GTalk
dose sombody knows how can we ask a dev on this site to help us with this problem?
MFaust said:
we need someone to modd the good old GTalk app to work again in android 4.4 and if it could be installed in data it will be greath... because there ar some unrooted users who want to get back GTalk
dose sombody knows how can we ask a dev on this site to help us with this problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google has moved on. It's time to accept the inevitable. You're stuck with Hangouts.
kobetete said:
I have installed google talk into android 4.4, but it can't login. it seems that the google talk can't access to the network.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
same problem here
any solution pllz
i think the problem it is with the Google Play Service and Google Play because i downgraded from 4.4 to 4.3 install the gapps, Talk worked... but after a while after thos two has updatedand after that i cant login... went to Settings--> Apps and uninstal the update of this two and... let the factory ones.. and it worked!
but after some hours.. they update themelf and Talk stop loging again
I think i have a solution.. but i cant test it because i am not on 4.4 anymore... so here ar the steps:
1. copy the Google Play Service and Google Play from 4.2 ( or 4.3 ...anyway a older version) gapps and use a your favorite root Explorer to put them into System-->App and set the Permision..
2 go to Data-->app and delete the update from this two...
3 Restart.. and see what happen.. GTalk its working?
Important... make sure that in Settings --> Apps you dont see any Google Service or Google play so that the one who ar actives ar the older version!
can someone test this?
Aerowinder said:
Google has moved on. It's time to accept the inevitable. You're stuck with Hangouts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, so I don't think this is quite the right attitude here. Android is (was?) all about customizability, right? That's really it's big selling point over iOS, as far as I'm concerned. The Hangouts application removes several distinct functions that were available in gTalk:
1)From the main screen, where ongoing conversations are listed, you cannot tell if a contact is online
2)if you swipe into the screen to start a new conversation, you can see if a user is online, but not if they are away/idle
3)I cannot set my status to away, to be viewed as red by someone using talk on a desktop within gmail (or someone still able to use the original android Talk app), which the majority of my contacts are.
4)I cannot set my status to invisible, so that I am able to chat with one or two contacts without being interrupted by others
The fact that google has actually _removed_ this functionality makes it appear that they have no intention of adding it back in. Why have they removed these functions? What is the motivation? I have no idea. Talk was probably my most used app, so this is all incredibly frustrating.
There are third party apps (Jabber clients) that can enable functions 1-4 (such as Beejive, or Xabber) but as far as I can tell none of these apps have the capability of syncing conversations between multiple devices. For example, if I was typing to someone on talk from within gmail, and then I had to leave, but wanted to continue the conversation from my android device, talk (and Hangouts) show the entire conversation, including those messages sent from the desktop. I have not been able to find a Jabber client that has this ability.
It seems like the best bet here is modding GTalk so that we can continue to use it with android 4.4. Hopefully some kind Dev will come through and offer to help? I would love to buy that person a beer -- I know I'm not alone on this. I would be happy to pay for any app that could replace the functionality of Talk.
DC
diamondcanopy said:
Ok, so I don't think this is quite the right attitude here. Android is (was?) all about customizability, right? That's really it's big selling point over iOS, as far as I'm concerned. The Hangouts application removes several distinct functions that were available in gTalk:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you're right, except when it's Google's own apps. since they control it (the app and servers), they can dictate what you can and can't do.
embrace change and figure out a way to make the current app work for you. or, continue beating your head against the wall, because nothing says sanity like trying to do the same thing over and over again with the same results.
Ok so I got GTalk to sign in on my Android 4.3.
Here are all the steps I did, and I have no idea which ones are really necessary:
1) Removed Hangouts.apk from system/app and data/app, and removed gms core from system/app
2) Flashed gapps-jb-20130301-signed.zip entirely (without removing anything)
3) Uninstalled all updates of Google Play Store and Google Play Services, and disabled auto update on Google Play Store
4) Tried to sign in -> no success
5) Updated gtalks to hangouts using play store
6) Signed into Hangouts, then signed out
7) Uninstalled updates to hangouts, so it reverted back to GTalk
8) Tried to sign in on GTalk and it worked!
Hope it helps someone else!
guaycuru said:
Ok so I got GTalk to sign in on my Android 4.3.
Here are all the steps I did, and I have no idea which ones are really necessary:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried it. Sign in not successful. Shall update if it works for me.
thankyouxda said:
Tried it. Sign in not successful. Shall update if it works for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So when I flashed Infamous ROM on my S4 did not choose "Hangouts" as part of the flashing. Once flashed stopped auto update in the play store. Still no hangouts installed. Then mounted sytems as rw with ADB and pushed Talk.apk to sytem.
Successfully logged in to Talk. Testing sending message to another Gtalk IID
Google is breaking my heart with terrible gapp updates... First maps, now talk...
I can't stand how ugly, buggy and unusable Hangouts is. It's 5 steps back 0 steps forward. What on earth are they thinking?!?
It's disappointing that Google is shoving this update down our throats and are taking measures to prevent the older, superior versions from working altogether. I would glady donate to someone if they found a way to mod Talk to a working state. I'm glad a side-load mod was found for Maps, but I fear Talk won't be as lucky.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
Weird my google talk was working before after i deleted hangouts with titanium backup and installing the gtalk apk. however for some reason it just recently stopped working and i can no longer sign on to gtalk. anyone know what happened?
diamondcanopy said:
Ok, so I don't think this is quite the right attitude here. Android is (was?) all about customizability, right? That's really it's big selling point over iOS, as far as I'm concerned. The Hangouts application removes several distinct functions that were available in gTalk:
1)From the main screen, where ongoing conversations are listed, you cannot tell if a contact is online
2)if you swipe into the screen to start a new conversation, you can see if a user is online, but not if they are away/idle
3)I cannot set my status to away, to be viewed as red by someone using talk on a desktop within gmail (or someone still able to use the original android Talk app), which the majority of my contacts are.
4)I cannot set my status to invisible, so that I am able to chat with one or two contacts without being interrupted by others
The fact that google has actually _removed_ this functionality makes it appear that they have no intention of adding it back in. Why have they removed these functions? What is the motivation? I have no idea. Talk was probably my most used app, so this is all incredibly frustrating.
There are third party apps (Jabber clients) that can enable functions 1-4 (such as Beejive, or Xabber) but as far as I can tell none of these apps have the capability of syncing conversations between multiple devices. For example, if I was typing to someone on talk from within gmail, and then I had to leave, but wanted to continue the conversation from my android device, talk (and Hangouts) show the entire conversation, including those messages sent from the desktop. I have not been able to find a Jabber client that has this ability.
It seems like the best bet here is modding GTalk so that we can continue to use it with android 4.4. Hopefully some kind Dev will come through and offer to help? I would love to buy that person a beer -- I know I'm not alone on this. I would be happy to pay for any app that could replace the functionality of Talk.
DC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you would be right if googles apps were open source, but they arent. Google can do whatever they want with the apps. But this is android, and you do have the option of using other apps. Its time to let go people.
Reeebo said:
Weird my google talk was working before after i deleted hangouts with titanium backup and installing the gtalk apk. however for some reason it just recently stopped working and i can no longer sign on to gtalk. anyone know what happened?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same issue probably Google service update
---------- Post added at 03:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:34 PM ----------
guifort said:
Same issue probably Google service update
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After clear data and reset google service it's work.
What's the best and more popular assistant for S7?
In my device I find S-Voice but it seems an old assistant.. Google Now maybe the most integrated with other apps and features... but what the new ones like Bixby and Google Assistant?
Does anyone use Google Now?
I don't use any assistant, in fact I've disabled all the info collecting settings for Google to the point the assistant won't work unless I turn them all back on again
Cortana from Microsoft is available on the play store too / apk install but as with Android, I kill that thing on Windows too, assistants are dumb and it's generally faster and more accurate to do everything manually anyway, and doesn't collect your data in the process
It's your choice, while I *need* an assistant driving my car to call, create reminders, send WhatsApp messages, SMS, etc
I'd like to perform only a few simple (hands-free) actions, you can easily do with Siri (iOS).
Google Now seems so poor.. so many times it doesn't understand what I say and put my request to google (web)... so frustating.. You too?
Yea, I've never found any voice recognition / assistant that can understand what I'm saying well enough for it to be any use, spend more time correcting and typing in the correct words than I would if I just did it myself in the first place
Siri is what you're looking for
Anyway Google Assistant (born inside Google Allo) should become the new modern virtual assistant improving the current Google Now. Unfortunately it's not available in Italian... have you tried it in English? (at first look it seems faster and more clever than Now)
Hey guys,
I have a question about google assistant. My LG Zero meets all the requirements for google assistant and it is up to date. I've tried everything, signing up for google beta and google services beta, and then cleaning all the google and google services data, restarting my phone, setting language to english US and UK ( neither worked ), I even went deeper with the apps that allow you to open extra google processes, but i was never able to get it, it still shows that stupid help menu when i hold down the home button. I have android 6.0 and google version higher than 6.13, google and google services are both up to date. Could someone help me please? I really want to get that google assistant because i want to connect it to my Jbl charge 3 speaker for some awesome features.
Thank you for your time,
Best regards, Maks
Does anyone know how to disable breeno voice and enable google assistant in CN versions?
Byronjvh said:
Does anyone know how to disable breeno voice and enable google assistant in CN versions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only method I've found is to uninstall Breeno via ADB (i.e. as per method outlined here https://forum.xda-developers.com/realme-x2-pro/how-to/eu-rom-realme-ui-debloat-list-t4084795, some packages are different so I used an app called 'Package Names' from the Play Store to help identify which ones I wanted to remove).
Google assistant now working. Also google feed now comes up instead of the breeno feed thing.
Nearly feels like a european ROM, my only remaining niggle is how to get location tracking turned back on for google maps timeline.
htcherouk said:
Only method I've found is to uninstall Breeno via ADB (i.e. as per method outlined here https://forum.xda-developers.com/realme-x2-pro/how-to/eu-rom-realme-ui-debloat-list-t4084795, some packages are different so I used an app called 'Package Names' from the Play Store to help identify which ones I wanted to remove).
Google assistant now working. Also google feed now comes up instead of the breeno feed thing.
Nearly feels like a european ROM, my only remaining niggle is how to get location tracking turned back on for google maps timeline.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you make Google Feed to work?
AldRezaine said:
How did you make Google Feed to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just installed Google app and it took place of breeno when tapping the search bar.