I'm a recent convert that left the iOS world and went with Android (Pixel 2 XL). Amazing phone & loving it.
But my question, which has probably been asked 100's of times: just how safe is Android? I ask because shortly after I went with Android the whole thing came out about Chrome automatically signing me into their browser when I use my laptop and Chrome didn;t bother to tell anyone or has addressed the issue, as far as I know.
So in 2018, exactly how safe is this device and the Android platform?
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We got some FireFox OS phones in and I was wondering if there is anyway to get Android loaded onto the phone instead of the FireFox OS. It seems like an OK phone, I'm just curious how it might run Android if it can.
I did some searches on the forum if anyone has done it yet, but I came up empty. If someone can point me in the right direction that would be great!
They are the Geeksphone Peak (I would like to post an image reference, but I'm a newer user, sorry!).
Thanks!
We got some FireFox OS phones in recently and I was wondering if there is anyway to get Android loaded onto the phone instead of the FireFox OS. It seems like an OK phone, I'm just curious how it might run Android if it can.
I did some searches on the forum if anyone has done it yet, but I came up empty. If someone can point me in the right direction that would be great! If there is other information you might need, let me know.
They are the Geeksphone Peak (I would like to post an image reference, but I'm a newer user, sorry!).
Thanks!
Hey guys!
First, my apologies if I am in the wrong section posting. I was not sure where to post. Please move my thread if needed. Thanks!
Second, would someone recommend and/or suggest Android 9 over Android 10 or Android 10 over Android 9? For myself, I really do not like Android 10. When I am referring to Android 10 and I am referring to the original in September and the two updates in September where that last update has a C3 in part of the name, as well as the October Android 10 update. I just do not like any of the updates. Would I be better off going back to Android 9? It is not an issue because I can flash the factory images via ADB when the phone is powered on than Fastboot once the phone is in the flashing mode
Can you explain why you do not like the update?
I personally don't find that there is a lot of difference between 9 and 10, but offcourse 10 has the latest security updates, which might be a reason for you to stay with 10.
Personally I think the biggest noticeable difference between 9 and 10 is the gesture based navigation. However you can turn the Android 9 style navigation back on if you so desire (Settings/System/Gestures/2-button navigation) or even the older 3 button navigation.
Other changes - like dark mode - are also optional. I see little reason to stay on Android 9. Especially since it is not being updated with security updates.
It would be nice if we could continue to use a preferred version but that comes with considerable security risks. If your dislike is purely asthetics, you can try other launchers.
For the sake of security I'll stick with Q10 for now. I have yet to succeed with a direct OTA update even under full stock. If the pending November OTA updates without needing to sideload, I might then install Magisk.
Cool I w up - Micr
alliance1975 said:
For the sake of security I'll stick with Q10 for now. I have yet to succeed with a direct OTA update even under full stock. If the pending November OTA updates without needing to sideload, I might then install Magisk.
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Click to collapse
The majority of pushback comes from people USED to Android 9/Pie. I get it; I really do - when folks get comfortable, change scares the bejeebers outta them. Because I never ran Pie before the Pixel 3a came along (and Android 10 was halfway through its beta when the 3a arrived) I was able to go from 8/Oreo to 10 pretty much directly with only one migration issue; the gesture support. Simply not using them (even with Gboard) was an option, however - and one I adopted.
Launchers - Pixel Launcher was one I was already familiar with (from my Android 6 and 7 days); returning to it was therefore rather a relief.
The even bigger surprise is that I'm not rooted - or using a non-stock recovery; the first time I've done that on a smartphone (or any Android device since Android 5). TWRP was a certain install on a smartphone (as certain as doing tax returns every year); now - I could, in fact, care less. I follow TWRP development (and Magisk development as well); however, it's more a case of looking for a reason to install either - so far, nothing in Android 10 has given me a reason to move away from dead-stock. (Basically, it's a NEW sort of comfort - dead stock - for the first time in my Android phone history - IS actually good enough to run un-stepped-on.)
Dark mode requires neither; it's an option in Settings. Same with VoLTE/VoWiFi. Basically, so much for Magisk.
The thing is, you have to be comfortable with dead-stock; being as this is, after all, a developer/tweaker-targeting community, how many folks are actually comfortable running dead-stock?
If you CAN get comfortable running dead-stock, Android 10 on your 3a or 3a XL (or any Pixel, for that matter) makes a ton of sense.
Follow up - Due to Microsoft Launcher changing it's code base, I installed the beta on my Pixel 3a, replacing Pixel Launched as default. Due to new features, Pixel Launcher is in trouble! It is not the support for Dark Mode, third party launchers either have or are adding it. It is being able to use apps as plug ins; two I use now are Word (expected) and Google Calendar (unexpected). How many third party launchers let you use a system app - even Calendar - as a plug in directly. While Outlook for Android does, it is still nice to have Launcher do so as well. This very post is another example - I have added the XDA app as a plug in. Depending on how often you use an app, using it as a plug in May be faster than as a shortcut.
Im a new pixel user, i come from Nokia 7 plus (Android 9 - android one program, almost the same as pixel) and simply cant go back to 9...
Im glad my nokia also updated to 10 today , i really like the gestures. And i have been on 9 for 1 1/2 year now...
Nova launcher, gestures work fine on android 10, dark mode is not everywhere but its coming....
PGHammer said:
The majority of pushback comes from people USED to Android 9/Pie. I get it; I really do - when folks get comfortable, change scares the bejeebers outta them. Because I never ran Pie before the Pixel 3a came along (and Android 10 was halfway through its beta when the 3a arrived) I was able to go from 8/Oreo to 10 pretty much directly with only one migration issue; the gesture support. Simply not using them (even with Gboard) was an option, however - and one I adopted.
Launchers - Pixel Launcher was one I was already familiar with (from my Android 6 and 7 days); returning to it was therefore rather a relief.
The even bigger surprise is that I'm not rooted - or using a non-stock recovery; the first time I've done that on a smartphone (or any Android device since Android 5). TWRP was a certain install on a smartphone (as certain as doing tax returns every year); now - I could, in fact, care less. I follow TWRP development (and Magisk development as well); however, it's more a case of looking for a reason to install either - so far, nothing in Android 10 has given me a reason to move away from dead-stock. (Basically, it's a NEW sort of comfort - dead stock - for the first time in my Android phone history - IS actually good enough to run un-stepped-on.)
Dark mode requires neither; it's an option in Settings. Same with VoLTE/VoWiFi. Basically, so much for Magisk.
The thing is, you have to be comfortable with dead-stock; being as this is, after all, a developer/tweaker-targeting community, how many folks are actually comfortable running dead-stock?
If you CAN get comfortable running dead-stock, Android 10 on your 3a or 3a XL (or any Pixel, for that matter) makes a ton of sense.
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Click to collapse
I don't know that I had to, but I sideloaded the December update. However, the January update downloaded and installed w/o problem. I have had time to get used to full Q10 stock and it does many nice things. I don't think I'll do root until major changes happen.
I tried doing a search and couldn't find a relevant thread, but I have a few questions...
OK first, the issue that brings me here is the only web browser that I like (Boat) has long been dead and out of development, it's long not been on the play store but I've had the APK for a long time and just transfered it to every new phone I got so I could keep using it. I have tried finding a different browser, but I hate them all, none of them have any of the features I want. My last phone was running Android 9.0 and Boat was still working on it. Well, I got a new phone now (Pixel 4a 5g) that has Android 11 and boat still mostly works... except it crashes if I click the bar at the top to type in a URL and a few other bugs... but otherwise still works flawlessly.
1. So, I'm wondering first is it even OK for someone to look to hire a developer to basically update a dead app? Any website and contact information for the original developer no longer exists, but I don't know if it's OK for someone to take over a dead app like that, if it would be considered stealing or something.
2. Second, well if it's OK... I have the last APKs of the browser and I had used a guide to deconstruct the APK into a project thinking maybe I can figure it out and how to update it so that it still works but... yeah that's not happening. So I have the APK files and the already deconstructed into a project and was wondering where I can ask about hiring a developer just to basically update the app so that it still works (bug fixes only, not really making any changes to the look/feel/etc, just fix any bugs or code that's old and deprecated and doesn't work anymore)? And when I say hire, I mean like actually hire, with real money.
sardonicus87 said:
I tried doing a search and couldn't find a relevant thread, but I have a few questions...
OK first, the issue that brings me here is the only web browser that I like (Boat) has long been dead and out of development, it's long not been on the play store but I've had the APK for a long time and just transfered it to every new phone I got so I could keep using it. I have tried finding a different browser, but I hate them all, none of them have any of the features I want. My last phone was running Android 9.0 and Boat was still working on it. Well, I got a new phone now (Pixel 4a 5g) that has Android 11 and boat still mostly works... except it crashes if I click the bar at the top to type in a URL and a few other bugs... but otherwise still works flawlessly.
1. So, I'm wondering first is it even OK for someone to look to hire a developer to basically update a dead app? Any website and contact information for the original developer no longer exists, but I don't know if it's OK for someone to take over a dead app like that, if it would be considered stealing or something.
2. Second, well if it's OK... I have the last APKs of the browser and I had used a guide to deconstruct the APK into a project thinking maybe I can figure it out and how to update it so that it still works but... yeah that's not happening. So I have the APK files and the already deconstructed into a project and was wondering where I can ask about hiring a developer just to basically update the app so that it still works (bug fixes only, not really making any changes to the look/feel/etc, just fix any bugs or code that's old and deprecated and doesn't work anymore)? And when I say hire, I mean like actually hire, with real money.
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Click to collapse
First topic is about licence agreement and legal stuff. It is owned by "Boatmob, Inc." / "Digital Life International Limited" / "Crunchbase Inc.". Although the app was for free, it does not seem to be a free licences. But I am not an expert in this area.
About the browser app itself, I have seen that you were already active here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/boat-browser.3821682/
You either need a permission of the owning company and then maintain the app yourself (or via a hired dev), or you have to switch to another and still actively supported browser app.
Hi everybody.
Here is the story of the pointless week I just had. Some of the information might be needed to help me, but if you want you can skip to the end for the actual question.
I got hold of an old surface rt at my girlfriend's place and, since I left my laptop in my own house, I thought I might try to set it up and use it for a few things I needed to do (not much more than checking emails, watching youtube and stuff like that). I quickly realised the device was a bit useless (microsoft store and windows update were not working properly, internet explorer being internet explorer and so on).
I then found a guide from alexenferman, and a few threads in this forum, on how to install windows 10. I am neither developer nor a true geek, but I can follow instructions and I messed about with this type of things in the past, so I thought I'd give it a try.
The first half of the process went quite smoothly and I was able to install windows 10 with SecureBooth disabled. The only issues I had were that I could not update windows 10 either, and I could not sign in with a microsoft account, which prevented me to use the store again and I had no way of installing apps from the appstore put together by alexenferman.
Quite frankly, I just got tired of wasting my time, so I decided to revert back to 8.1. For that, I first clean installed windows 8. Then, since I could not update to 8.1, I used a usb recovery image and reset my surface rt with windows 8.1.
At the moment I am on windows 8.1, the store works, but windows update doesn't. I keep checking for updates and get different errors. After troubleshooting a couple of times I now just get error 8024A000. I looked it up and tried the methods found online, sfc scannow cannot find anything, other fixes do not really work. Basically I feel in a loop and a bit lost (Speaking of loops, contacting microsoft support has been an infinite loop between the windows and surface division).
tldr: is there anybody here that can help me with updating Windows 8.1 RT (My goal would be to get to update 3 and possibly jailbreaking after that)? Did I mess things up irreversibly by installing windows 10? Should I just buy a new tablet and chuck away this useless piece of junk that is causing me a nervous breakdown? Thank you very much for your attention, and sorry for the lengthy message but I need someone to talk to, somebody that doesn't simply repeat a script.
Updates ( read: patches ) automatically get rolled out by OEM if they deem it necessary.