Database Info

ANY way to use Google Maps offline?

I've searched a LOT and couldn't find any method. There's terracrosser, but I find it's interface unusable. MGMaps in wonderful, but sadly doesn't support Google Maps. In my area, Yahoo/WLive maps suck. No comparision with google maps.
Is there ANY software available, free or paid, which can help me browse Google maps offile, and supports GPS?
Or, is there a hack/method to use Google Maps in MGmaps?
Thanks.

what a search would have given you
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=563296&highlight=maps+offline
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=542142&highlight=maps+offline
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=537546&highlight=maps+offline
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=530898&highlight=maps+offline
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=530117&highlight=maps+offline
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=360075&highlight=maps+offline
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=513094&highlight=maps+offline
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=509561&highlight=maps+offline
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=351128&highlight=maps+offline
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=481803&highlight=maps+offline
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=469033&highlight=maps+offline
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=425720&highlight=maps+offline
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=420418&highlight=maps+offline

Of course I've done that! But if you yourself go over the links, there's *no* solution. Either Terracrosser is being recommended (which I honestly hate), or the post is older, before the time when Google disallowed MGMaps to use GMaps.

cyanide911 said:
Of course I've done that! But if you yourself go over the links, there's *no* solution. Either Terracrosser is being recommended (which I honestly hate), or the post is older, before the time when Google disallowed MGMaps to use GMaps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd double the request. I also searched LOT and tried the solutions - even downloading the maps from google using different apps... still there comes a dead end with everything (getting banned, getting just one colossal map image etc)... a WORKING solution is missing

just to make sure then you do know what I posted was 13 links to 13
threads about your question not
just 13 links to the same thread
right ?
would be surprised if non of them had any type of helpful info
of cause if it don't HAVE to be google maps then there are many standalone
gps programs with offline maps out there from tomtom, garmin,......

Of course there is a way. Here is how to do it in three easy steps:
1 - Buy 49% of Google's shares and become a partner.
2 - Copy all your maps and software to a mobile server and put that into the trunk of your car (with the appropriate power supply of course).
3 - Attach a Router to the Server. You are done! Now you have a mobile wi-fi google maps setup that you can take anywhere with you! No need of annoying offline modes and such.
I hope this helps.

Really all of the posted topics were not helpful enough. My point is to have SATELLITE imagery of entire country (Estonia) @ the maximum zoom layer only (which vary according to area sometimes). I do not even care which program runs it. Just gps spot and OFFLINE data. I would be even happy with simple thing like terracrosser. The main problem is that the PC side downloaders get banned by ip (rarely), download one BIG useless image file or just unreadable data. And the handheld device apps use just a caching approach what makes it hard to understand what you have and haven't. Even Google/Global Navigator at its high price is not able to select the entire area. I'd be happy even with TRIAL Google/Global NAvigator!

I got it guys!
Use this guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=351001.
Works PERFECTLY!

cyanide911 said:
I got it guys!
Use this guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=351001.
Works PERFECTLY!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried this solution but the map data were not downloaded completely. The data was incomplete. BTW... java. I know I know - it is usable but it still feels like running a virtual machine. Which actually is also happening.

Terracrosser does the thing actually but the user interface controls are catastrophically bad

Buy a map

search doesnt always find the answer, fyi

Taintdroid...android's duff security model

Worrying article on how apps are using personal information.
www.theregister.co.uk/2010/09/30/suspicious_android_apps/
I'm sick that they had to go too such lengths to find out. We need a better net architecture to enable a proper firewall to work.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

Also, app naming FAIL!

Well, since they only tested 30 apps and won't release the names of the ones they tested, only saying that they are "the most popular", personally I don't buy it.
And the information these apps are sending out is primarily geolocation. Well, no ****. If an app wants your location and you don't think it should have it, it's either using it for ads or you should decline to install the app and just send an email to the dev asking him why he needs that information.

tjhart85 said:
Well, since they only tested 30 apps and won't release the names of the ones they tested, only saying that they are "the most popular", personally I don't buy it.
And the information these apps are sending out is primarily geolocation. Well, no ****. If an app wants your location and you don't think it should have it, it's either using it for ads or you should decline to install the app and just send an email to the dev asking him why he needs that information.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed... geolocation is pretty obviously straight forward. I don't know about the 'transmissing every 30 seconds' thing though.
Any thoughts ont he transmitting sim card and IMEI info?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnLujX1Dw4Y
Also discussed here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=795702
With explanation where to get it from http://www.appanalysis.org/

A very well-written reply by "Steven Knox" on The Register, demonstrating how this 'research' is simply a pile of intentionally-misleading statistical rubbish:
By selecting only from applications that access both personal data and the internet, they're overstating the significance of their study by about 3x. Furthermore, their summaries blur this distinction unnecessarily.
Specifically, their FAQ says "We studied just over 8% of the top 50 popular free applications in each category that had access to privacy sensitive information in order to get a sense of the behaviors of these applications." Since there were 22 categories at the time they did the study, that would imply (22*50=1,100 * 8% =) 88 applications. However, they actually only tested 30, because of the 1,100 top 50 applications only (from the PDF) "roughly a third of the applications (358 of the 1,100 applications) require Internet permissions along with permissions to access
either location, camera, or audio data." -- meaning that the other 742 apps don't have the necessary permissions to play badly. The clause "..that had access to privacy sensitive information in order to get a sense of the behaviors of these applications." from the FAQ is grammatically ambiguous in this case (it may refer to "applications" or "category"), and not specific enough to indicate that over 2/3 of the applications are (relatively) safe by dint of not having the necessary permissions.
They also didn't include in their study apps from 10 of the 22 categories, but they don't explain whether that was due to a) there not being any or enough applications in those categories that required internet and personal data permissions, b) a conscious choice to focus on the other 12 categories, or c) the results of random selection (with an explanation of why they did not use a stratified sample).
Once you factor back in the applications they ignored, the numbers don't look quite so bad. Assuming their sample was representative, 2/3 of the 358, or about 239 applications of the top 1,100 of the time use personal data suspiciously. That's about 21.7% or just over 1 in 5 -- still significant, but a far cry from 2 out of 3. In fact, the worst case maximum is actually 358 of 1,100 or just under 1 in 3 (32.45%) because they are as mentioned above the only ones that actually acquire the permissions necessary to do anything "suspicious".
I understand why both the researchers and the reporter used the 2/3 figure -- you all believe you have to sell the point as hard as possible*. But the real story is that it's likely that at least 1 in 5 Android Apps use private data "suspiciously" -- and that number is still high enough to cause concern and to justify the further use of tools like TaintDroid. It's a pity you didn't trust the facts enough to avoid the unnecessary sensationalism.
*I am assuming, here, that Mr. Goodin did actually read and digest the paper as I did, rather than simply picking out the figures from the study, the FAQ, or a press release.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

good spot. But one in ten woolf be too many. The point is we should have more fine grained control and transparency off what apps do over the net, and we can't, by design.
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

We need to develop a shim that reports modified IMEI/SIM data for different apps. IMO, very few apps need that information. We may not be able to keep all those apps from sending our private information, but we can make that information useless if it appears that we all are using the same IMEI/SIM...

patp said:
...The point is we should have more fine grained control and transparency off what apps do over the net...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agreed....

if you are rooted. With Root Explorer go to /data/system/ and open accounts.db you might be surprised what you find in it... Some people it will be fine for but mine it shows my exchange email and password in plain text and a few others show up as plain text has well...Its not geo they are worried about (for the most part) and...this file has been known about for awhile
Don't worry though unless your downloaded android specific virus holding apps you wont have any problem. And if your getting all your apps legally through the market then its no big deal =) and if your pirating them...well I don't feel bad for you...

echoside said:
if you are rooted. With Root Explorer go to /data/system/ and open accounts.db you might be surprised what you find in it... Some people it will be fine for but mine it shows my exchange email and password in plain text and a few others show up as plain text has well...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Opened it, my accounts are there, but no passwords....

rori~ said:
Opened it, my accounts are there, but no passwords....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my gmail is somesort of encrypted but doesnt look that great.
Exchange shows up
facebook doesnt show anything at all aha
Thats why I said some might not have anything. Awhile back when I first heard about it one of my friends had two or three right there in plain English I didn't have a phone at the time to check...
Its been reported before but kind of just brushed over no biggy. To go real conspiracy theorist....I think apple is submitting all these articles...

ButtonBoy said:
We need to develop a shim that reports modified IMEI/SIM data for different apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great idea

The source code/instructions for TaintDroid are now out:
http://appanalysis.org/download.html

Anybody found a (recent) kernel with built-in TaintDroid-support?

Help loading Mvelopes APK

Hey guys,
I am trying to load mvelopes.apk and keep getting "Application not installed".
I have tried it from my "download" folder as well as "system/app" with no luck.
I took the apk from my phone, it was in a Titanium backup file (xxx.apk.gz) Could that be part of the problem?
Permissions are set to RW R R and root is the owner.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Without knowing what that app does, a possible reason for it not installing is that it has some dependency on other tools that either aren't enabled or are not available on the KF.
As an example, apps that use GeoLocation or the camera won't install because they are looking for hooks that just aren't there.

mvelopes is an app to manage personal budgets and money. It is associated with mvelopes.com and is a lot like mint.com.
Here is the Android Market Link
I would love it if somebody could see if they can load it on their device. Especially one that has market installed.

If you look at the Permissions tab it say's:
"FINE (GPS) LOCATION
Access fine location sources such as the Global Positioning System on the device, where available. Malicious applications can use this to determine where you are, and may consume additional battery power."
I think this is what is making it impossible to install right now, because it's looking for location services which aren't enabled on the KF. Perhaps with a custom ROM this might be possible in the future, but nobody knows for sure right now. Not all is lost, you just might have to wait a month or so to find out.

Thank you!
Thanks for looking into this and that would explain it.
I have also opened a ticket with Mvelopes requesting that they make it officially supported in the Amazon market.
I won't hold my breath as the ROM approach might be better once they get fully refined.
Thanks again!

bneilson said:
Thanks for looking into this and that would explain it.
I have also opened a ticket with Mvelopes requesting that they make it officially supported in the Amazon market.
I won't hold my breath as the ROM approach might be better once they get fully refined.
Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't hold out hope that CM7 or any other ROM will help us here - Maybe they can spoof the location somehow to fool the app but it seems like your first instinct might have been right -- the onus is on the companies who build the apps to get with it and embrace the "tablet revolution". Basically apps designed for phone screens look silly on tablets; the wide bits of useless screen real estate are dreadful. Case in point - the Gmail app on the KF.
Light at the end of the tunnel tho - it seems that companies are suddenly realizing that "Tablet App" doesn't necessarily mean "iPad App".
Banking from my KF would be pretty awesome.

hoss12300 said:
I don't hold out hope that CM7 or any other ROM will help us here - Maybe they can spoof the location somehow to fool the app but it seems like your first instinct might have been right -- the onus is on the companies who build the apps to get with it and embrace the "tablet revolution". Basically apps designed for phone screens look silly on tablets; the wide bits of useless screen real estate are dreadful. Case in point - the Gmail app on the KF.
Light at the end of the tunnel tho - it seems that companies are suddenly realizing that "Tablet App" doesn't necessarily mean "iPad App".
Banking from my KF would be pretty awesome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You may be right there, but I think Location Settings also include WiFi based geolocation as well as far as I'm aware? I'm not sure why such an app would require location settings anyway, it's a bloody budgeting app! Maybe the OP should approach the developer, and tell them they are missing out on the KF market here!
Someone should make a T-Shirt - Tablet App != iPad App

sl0ttedpig said:
You may be right there, but I think Location Settings also include WiFi based geolocation as well as far as I'm aware? I'm not sure why such an app would require location settings anyway, it's a bloody budgeting app! Maybe the OP should approach the developer, and tell them they are missing out on the KF market here!
Someone should make a T-Shirt - Tablet App != iPad App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, in this context (the Mvelopes requirements) Wifi geolocation can only provide you with the coarse location, not fine. As you point out tho, its a banking app - why on earth does it need to know where you are within 50m (I'm pretty sure that's the radius)? Quizzical indeed. Perhaps if a Dev sees this thread some light can be shed on why this is 'necessary'.
Some nerdy stuff on the subject from the Android Dev Guide: Location and Maps > Obtaining User Location

[Q] Privacy issues with Google Now

If you have recently tried to update your Google Now, you may have seen the new requested permissions. These include, but are not limited to, access to your phone's microphone at any time without your permission, and access to your phone's camera (assuming front-facing and rear) at any time without your permission.
Questions: Why is Google attempting to completely dissolve any sort of privacy in order to use Google Now? It is a handy tool, but is a slap in the face in the "all-or-nothing" permission request it puts forth. This is incendiary and needs to be stopped. Google does not need the ability to see and hear me in the privacy of my home.
Followup - Is this something that can be circumvented by an application, or baked into the ROM's our dev's make? Is there any way that the tech geniuses here at XDA can fight the good fight in this struggle for end-user privacy?
Is anyone else creeped out by this???

Pdroid?
Pffffffffffffffffffftt.

R3CKL355 said:
Pdroid?
Pffffffffffffffffffftt.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 - I won't run any ROM without pdroid - it requires a lot of effort up front, but is entirely worth it and it's an excellent way to learn how to secure your device. You'll be amazed at the unnecessary access some apps can get by default.

The Feds (Google counts as part since they operate under them) could always do that since the 90s even with the phone off. It was always denied but now it's just out in the open kinda how your blood was stored in data banks at birth since the 60s and it was denied by the government until Mr. George w. Bush said they can do it legally. Nothing to be creeped out by, just have a few weapons and lots of ammo ready.
Sent from the Matrix
---------- Post added at 06:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:43 PM ----------
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2006/12/can_you_hear_me/
http://www.childrenscolorado.org/wellness/info/parents/23018.aspx
Sent from the Matrix

I imagine the microphone at all times might be for a future release so you can say 'google' at any time and the search box will come up, which would be pretty sweet. Not sure about the camera though. I ended up disabling now because the maps process took too much battery for how little I used the service.

That's creepy, but I guess that's the price we pay for Google's "free" services because nothing is really free. The only way to stop is not using it.

I always get paranoid with these types of services. Havent even tried Google Now since getting it in the OTA JB update. The whole idea about it tracking you, learning your preferences to suggest you search results, etc. Just seems a little spooky.

Please read forum rules before posting
Questions go in Q&A
Thread moved
Thank you for your cooperation
Friendly Neighborhood Moderator
Best advice: Get a dumb phone, don't use Google or any search engine on your home computer...the list is endless....

So, I got a PDroid compatible ROM. The interface isn't that intuitive to me. Can someone tell me what the different icons mean?
Clearly the green check mark means that this particular permission has been granted, and the circle/slash means blocked. What about the "?" and "AB"?
When would one use "Notify on access" or "Log access"?
What's the difference between Save, X, and Trash?

Are we suppose to be suprised that an app that has the capability to run our entire phone by voice and predict our movement and actions has permission to access all our movements and actions?
If privacy is an issue, you either shouldn't use it or at the least use PDroid. But that's Google MO, they give you convenience at the price of your privacy.
I believe "?' means there are no settings for that app in place yet. I forget what AB is. There should be a legend somewhere in there? *currently on a ROM without PDroid so I cant look it up*

corbn89 said:
Are we suppose to be suprised that an app that has the capability to run our entire phone by voice and predict our movement and actions has permission to access all our movements and actions?
If privacy is an issue, you either shouldn't use it or at the least use PDroid. But that's Google MO, they give you convenience at the price of your privacy.
I believe "?' means there are no settings for that app in place yet. I forget what AB is. There should be a legend somewhere in there? *currently on a ROM without PDroid so I cant look it up*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol... Internet tough guy. Are we to assume Google Now needs video and or audio feed to tell me what time I leave for work? I'm no oracle, but that answer, corbn89, is a resounding NO. Thanks for your relevant post. Pfft...

Replying to my useless post (considering my info was wrong) with another useless post. Real classy.
Anyways, did you find out what AB was?
The options in PDroid 2.0 are allow, deny, prompt when asking for permission. Prompting would be used with an app where you wouldn't want to allow it all the time but spoofing your info may result unwanted results (e.g. locations)

AB appears to be a spoofing mechanism as it allows for a new value to be inputted by the user. For instance, when I go into the FB app and click on the AB next to Phone Number, it allows another string to enter (I entered a viable fake number). However, it appears that ANY change to permissions renders the application (FB in this case) unusable as it will FC before it even opens. Any change to permissions automatically defaults the app to be labeled as "Untrusted". I have not been able to get PDroid functional at all. Any ideas???

If you don't like it, don't use it. Obviously, they aren't going to "spy" on you with your camera and mic. What a joke.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using XDA Premium HD app

[APP][FREE][4.1] Hot Apps Nearby - Find Popular Apps in your Region

Play Store link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nearby.apps.hot.popular.com.hotappsnearby
Reddit r/androidapps link: https://www.reddit.com/r/androidapps/comments/79sdt3/dev_hot_apps_nearby_find_out_the_most_popular/
-
[PROMO CODES IN THE THREAD!]. Promo codes remove ads for 3 months. Please comment and I'll PM.
-
Find out the most popular apps in your nearby region!
* Completely anonymous - no authentication needed
* Complete privacy
* Discover new cool apps that are trending in your region
* Install new apps directly from Play Store
* 100% Free - no In App Purchases, except to remove ads.

Which region? How far? City, country? Would be nice we could change that (like tinder).
Only sums user apps. System apps (stock or integrated by ourselves) are not summarized. They - when available as an user app at least somewhere else - should also be considered.
Could have an option to automatically check if app is available on Play Store, F-DROID, IzzyOnDroid, Amazon, Apk mirror, Aptoid, other popular app stores,....and as a "G" to Google for packed name when nowhere....and show that with little icons on each app, so we just click to open it where we want.
When I search for "Hot Apps Nearby" on Play Store it is not listed, even after I have it installed. I have to open exactly app link to grab it.

@steiger I tried the new version, with distance adjustment.
Bugs:
1. settings is not saved. Every time you open app distance goes to default 100Km
2. You do not check if GPS is on or not. If off, the app list does not load and seems your app is malfunctioning.
Feature request:
3. The 200Km limit is probably ok for small countries, states. But not for huge ones (Id like to have an idea of popular apps not only in my city). Please add a 500Km and 1000Km steps afterwards. Or a whole 5000Km limit.
4. System apps, like I wrote on previous comment.
5. app stores check and links when available, like I wrote on previous comment.
Thanks! Your app has a nice potential! (To user and devs)

Thank you @wilsonhlacerda, your review was superb. I agreed with every single one of your suggestions - some, I must admit, I naturally already had in mind like radius adjusting.
Will roll out a new version today with a lot of your suggestions:
1. GPS Check
2. Increased search range (I'm being conservative in the first months, though, because of infrastructure prices. Will see how it goes.)
3. Nice splash screen so the app doesn't seem "stuck" when sometimes opening with a slow phone or slow network connection.
Maybe 4. System apps
I also loved the suggestion to check for other play stores availability but that's slightly more complicated to implement and will take more time.
Thanks again for your input.
P.S. you are absolutely right about the cause of not loading lists is GPS unavailable. Nice catch!
wilsonhlacerda said:
@steiger I tried the new version, with distance adjustment.
Bugs:
1. settings is not saved. Every time you open app distance goes to default 100Km
2. You do not check if GPS is on or not. If off, the app list does not load and seems your app is malfunctioning.
Feature request:
3. The 200Km limit is probably ok for small countries, states. But not for huge ones (Id like to have an idea of popular apps not only in my city). Please add a 500Km and 1000Km steps afterwards. Or a whole 5000Km limit.
4. System apps, like I wrote on previous comment.
5. app stores check and links when available, like I wrote on previous comment.
Thanks! Your app has a nice potential! (To user and devs)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

steiger said:
Thank you Wilson Lacerda, your review was superb.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks.
By the way, are you sure the distance measures among users you do are correct? I'm really in doubt.... If I choose 1 or 2Km I can see only 1 user (me, that's ok). If I choose 6km I get 5 users! Same of 200Km! Well, seems something is wrong or I'm "lucky" to have this quantity of users very close to me.
(Sou brasileiro também, estou em São Paulo capital, zona oeste)
---------- Post added at 10:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:12 PM ----------
I almost forgot:
I had posted your app on AppHunt. It got some attention there.
If US market (and some Europe and Asia) is relevant to you, I do suggest you to post about it on Reddit, specially on subreddits android and androidapps. Maybe doing a giveaway of some promotion codes (check what other devs did there with their apps if you are not familiar).

wilsonhlacerda said:
By the way, are you sure the distance measures among users you do are correct? I'm really in doubt.... If I choose 1 or 2Km I can see only 1 user (me, that's ok). If I choose 6km I get 5 users! Same of 200Km! Well, seems something is wrong or I'm "lucky" to have this quantity of users very close to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm fairly sure. I use Geofire in other apps and never noticed a problem. Maybe
1. You were lucky
2. If you cleaned your data / uninstalled and reinstalled the app, you will count as a new user.
Nevertheless, I will investigate the possible issue, thanks.
wilsonhlacerda said:
(Sou brasileiro também, estou em São Paulo capital, zona oeste)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Salvador/BA aqui!
wilsonhlacerda said:
I almost forgot:
I had posted your app on AppHunt. It got some attention there.
If US market (and some Europe and Asia) is relevant to you, I do suggest you to post about it on Reddit, specially on subreddits android and androidapps. Maybe doing a giveaway of some promotion codes (check what other devs did there with their apps if you are not familiar).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, thank you very much!
I'm more or less familiar with promotion codes but In App Purchase API is still kind of messy in my opinion. Hard to implement right.

wilsonhlacerda said:
When I search for "Hot Apps Nearby" on Play Store it is not listed, even after I have it installed. I have to open exactly app link to grab it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's because it's rankings are still low (and ASO is not so well optimized yet).
When I search on the desktop I can already find it in the fifth or something row.

See, now it is quite reachable via numerous keywords (such as hot apps, popular apps...). Hot apps nearby gives a #1