Hi,
After some research I decided to buy gtablet. It will be my first android so I don't know much about it. (I'm aware that I need to learn about rooting etc after purchasing)
In about an hour, I will be buying one and I'm several thousands away from home so I have to check it well before buying.
What should I check other than the obvious tests ?
Is there any software that checks internal components ?
Or any program suggestions to run ? (For example if skype is installed I can test wi-fi, speakers and microphone at the same time).
thanks alot.
best.
honestly...i was about to buy a used one too last week...and then the price of a new one just keeps dropping and making it not worth it to buy it used...unless you are getting some kind of amazing deal. (like less than 200 dollars)
woot just had it for 255.. tigerdirect had them for 260 recently... i think the peace of mind is worth it for the extra 50 bucks...but i dont know your income ..
I second that. If its under 200 or comes with sweet accessories buy used. If not, save and buy new.
Make sure it has had a screen protector on the the whole time and that the power plug and audio plug work. Biggest issues so far have been broken power ports and headphone jacks.
As far as rooting goes, you don't really need to. All the roms here are stock rooted and if you follow the update.zip method of installing a rom or clockwork mod from stock you will be fine. Oh, and make sure you check what bootloader you are on before flashing a rom. Just read and read some more, tons of us are here to help when you got questions
Thanks for the replies, I agree your comments.
In my case the machine was not used and with a warranty so I purchased it.
Got my hands on a verizon 32 gig blue SGSIII. Just got it activated, had to have one shipped in since it wasn't in stock.
Goodness, it's light. I've already forgotten it was in my hands a few times.
I do miss my physical keyboard - a lot. I won't ever get over this, but in the short time I've had it that's all I don't like...and knew that going in.
It'll take me a while to get situated and oriented, and a few days to clear out my 64 sdcard for it.
Can't wait to get to a hotel tomorrow so I can get some power for my laptop and back the device up and start exploring it.
Tempting as it is to install apps (can't wait to re-play my games on this lovely and large display) I can wait until I can pull the device structure onto my computer.
Just wanted to give a shout out and say hi, looking forward to fun stuff with you all in the future!
Sent from a digital distance.
Blue6IX said:
Got my hands on a verizon 32 gig blue SGSIII. Just got it activated, had to have one shipped in since it wasn't in stock.
Goodness, it's light. I've already forgotten it was in my hands a few times.
I do miss my physical keyboard - a lot. I won't ever get over this, but in the short time I've had it that's all I don't like...and knew that going in.
It'll take me a while to get situated and oriented, and a few days to clear out my 64 sdcard for it.
Can't wait to get to a hotel tomorrow so I can get some power for my laptop and back the device up and start exploring it.
Tempting as it is to install apps (can't wait to re-play my games on this lovely and large display) I can wait until I can pull the device structure onto my computer.
Just wanted to give a shout out and say hi, looking forward to fun stuff with you all in the future!
Sent from a digital distance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Congrats! You may have missed the bootloader drama but you are just in time for the good stuff. Enjoy.
Thanks!
I was gonna try to play with it unrooted stock for a while, but found something that's a dealbreaker.
Can't turn off "presidential alerts" under emergency alerts. So, looks like i'll have to make time to go through the process now.
Any spyware I should axe while i'm at it? New to both verizon and samsung, but not to bending Android to my will. If anyone feels like posting here obnoxious intrusive crap to remove, i'm open to suggestions fom those more familiar with my new purchase then I am yet.
Thanks!
Blue6IX said:
I was gonna try to play with it unrooted stock for a while, but found something that's a dealbreaker.
Can't turn off "presidential alerts" under emergency alerts. So, looks like i'll have to make time to go through the process now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"dealbreaker"? Gosh.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Alert_System#What_the_national_level_EAS_would_not_do
In a The New York Times article (correction printed January 3, 2002)[1] "No president has ever used the current [EAS] system or its technical predecessors in the last 50 years, despite the Soviet missile crisis, a presidential assassination, the Oklahoma City bombing, major earthquakes and three recent high-alert terrorist warnings... Michael K. Powell, the then chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, which oversees the Emergency Alert System, pointed to 'the ubiquitous media environment,' arguing that the system was, in effect, scooped by CNN, MSNBC, Fox News Channel and other channels... [FEMA] activates the alert system nationally at the behest of the White House on 34 50,000-watt stations that reach 98 percent of Americans... Beyond that, the current EAS signal is an audio message only—which pre-empts all programming—so that viewers who were watching color images of the trade center on Sept. 11 would have been able to see only a screen with a generic text message along with a presidential voice-over, if an emergency message had been activated."[1]
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Click to collapse
There has only been a test in 2011 of the system, with mixed results. The likelihood of such a notification in the future is incredibly low, but it's only for major emergencies of national implication.
Still, if you really, really need to uncheck that box . . .
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1829681
Blue6IX said:
Thanks!
I was gonna try to play with it unrooted stock for a while, but found something that's a dealbreaker.
Can't turn off "presidential alerts" under emergency alerts. So, looks like i'll have to make time to go through the process now.
Any spyware I should axe while i'm at it? New to both verizon and samsung, but not to bending Android to my will. If anyone feels like posting here obnoxious intrusive crap to remove, i'm open to suggestions fom those more familiar with my new purchase then I am yet.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like the post above says thats kind of a stupid dealbreaker. Its not like youre going to get text messages like its the presidents twitter page. If you are that paranoid about it turn the phone back in because 'they' might be tracking you with it.
Sccrluk9 said:
Like the post above says thats kind of a stupid dealbreaker. Its not like youre going to get text messages like its the presidents twitter page. If you are that paranoid about it turn the phone back in because 'they' might be tracking you with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Appreciate if you'd take your hate and assumptions elsewhere, it is counter to the culture of XDA.
My issue is I hit a box I can't uncheck, an option that isn't optional. What it is, is irrelevant to the fact that it's something I couldn't change.
The dealbreaker reference is towards keeping the device unrooted stock.
Sent from a digital distance.
No hate, just assumptions which is my bad. Didn't mean to come off like that and for that I'm sorry. Just been looking at dev topics too long where some people are oblivious to everything.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app
No worries, appreciate the reply back!
So, rather then litter the forums with duplicate threads or encouraging duplicates, i'll just toss random questions and happenings in this one regarding my experiences with the device.
At least until i've had time to go through this sub-forum for the device more.
Feel free to answer any questions or not seen here, or comment on anything in this thread.
I just got home and my otterbox defender was here. Never had an otterbox before, so - wow.
Insane level of protection. Before it was so light and fragile feeling. Now, I like it so much better. A little bit of weight, a little bit of bulk, in just the right amount.
I feel like this device was made with the intention of sticking it in this case.
...And putting it in the holster, makes like the completion of armor for the device, what with the hard plastic shell shielding the screen from harm.
Seriously thinking about cutting the belt clip off and just leaving the smooth armor shell piece to pop on and slide the device into my pocket with. Seems like the perfect tweak to make it just right.
I feel likw even after only having it for a few hours that my future devices will take into account whether or not I can get one of these for it.
Okay - the drawback to having a screen big enough to actually use a soft keyboard on is the denial of one handed use.
No matter how I hold it, I just can't manage the device with one hand.
Now that I have the otterbox on it, i've been willing to try shifting my grip one handed during use, but really doesn't help much.
My other device is much smaller and I can use the whole screen comfortably with one thumb.
This one, not so much. If I have to reach across the screen, my palm will hit something before my thumb can get there.
I do think the benefits of the larger screen on my eyes and the actual enjoyment of the device far outweighs this inconvenience - but it does bug me.
Blue6IX said:
Okay - the drawback to having a screen big enough to actually use a soft keyboard on is the denial of one handed use.
No matter how I hold it, I just can't manage the device with one hand.
Now that I have the otterbox on it, i've been willing to try shifting my grip one handed during use, but really doesn't help much.
My other device is much smaller and I can use the whole screen comfortably with one thumb.
This one, not so much. If I have to reach across the screen, my palm will hit something before my thumb can get there.
I do think the benefits of the larger screen on my eyes and the actual enjoyment of the device far outweighs this inconvenience - but it does bug me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You may like this then Again you may not. But hope it helps. http://flygrip.com/
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
bgolden84 said:
You may like this then Again you may not. But hope it helps. http://flygrip.com/
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know, I had seen that before but it wasn't something I could really use with my other devices.
I may have to give it another look, given that this SGSIII is about what that thing was designed for.
Thanks for reminding me of something I had written off long ago.
bgolden84 said:
You may like this then Again you may not. But hope it helps. http://flygrip.com/
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is actually pretty damn cool.I just wonder if it would annoy me for my phone to not sit flat on its back.
Edit: Oh wow. $30 for a little piece of plastic. Eek. I don't think i could live with myself if I spent that much on this.
I wonder how much that flygrip thing hinders getting it in/out of a pocket??
When you do get around to trying ROMs let me suggest the Synergy ROM. It is actively developed, offers all the good of Samsung's skin along with most of the great tweaks that make rooting so worth while. Moving from the DX to this phone has been great largely in part to this ROM.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1792499
Sent on the fly.
azumandias said:
When you do get around to trying ROMs let me suggest the Synergy ROM. It is actively developed, offers all the good of Samsung's skin along with most of the great tweaks that make rooting so worth while. Moving from the DX to this phone has been great largely in part to this ROM.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1792499
Sent on the fly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Appreciate the heads up. Today is the last day of return without penalty, think i'm gonna keep it.
Right now It's just rooted, awesome quick guide here somewhere and I was able to bang it out in a few minutes while I was packing my truck to hit the road again for work.
When I get the chance, i'll pop a custom recovery in to block ota's - but right now exploring touchwiz and deciding what I do and don't like.
One thing bugging me is the device never seeming to be able to resume playing music after a call without having to mess with it... no matter what player I use.
No slight against the devs who put so much of themselves into the great works they've made for this device, but most likely I won't sample the roms available and just craft my own. I'll never get what I want unless I build it myself.
Thinking this time i'll just build from source instead of hacking apart a manufacturers version of Android.
Most likely i'll wait until i've got what I want or very near to before playing with other devs works. In large part to keep myself from being influenced by the directions they've taken.
I still haven't recovered all the files I hosted before goo went down, so getting all my works back up and available from my other device is taking up the time I can allocate to dev at the moment.
My laptop is on it's last legs, so until I can replace it ( not long now! ) can't get any real dev done anyway. Just small stuff. Can't keep it cool enough to compile a kernel even sitting on a hotel A/C vent to make it through the whole compile process of a gingerbread kernel without overheating and crashing...ICS is beyond the capabilities of my available hardware at the moment unfortunately.
Work is keeping me mad busy travelling the country ( USA) but i'm starting to have little bits of free time here and there around the constant exhaustion.
Pretty soon I should not only have the physical ability to stay awake long enough to learn something, but also the necessary hardware to do the learning on.
Meantime, it's ten or fifteen minutes of research here and there trying to familiarize myself with the device and the ICS source on my laptop for as long as I can keep it from overheating and shutting off.
It's okay, though, there's a lot to catch up on without needing to dive in and do for me at this point anyway, so the lack of acceptable hardware is more of an annoyance then a hindrance.
I figure i'll just keep adding random notes and observations to this thread to look back on later.
Comments, criticisms and suggestions most welcome from all of you out there!
How did you "thank" your own posts?
Sent from a strange blue box hurtling through time and space.
Haro912 said:
How did you "thank" your own posts?
Sent from a strange blue box hurtling through time and space.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have no clue, it's showing I thanked both mine and yours, but I hadn't even seen yours yet and it already showed thanks for it?
Okay - palm swipe for screenshot is virtually impossible with the raised edges of the otterbox defender around the screen.
Might also be my not having cut out the otterbox screen protector yet, so has two on it and touches suck sometimes.
Well, just threw cwm on it, to block the ota.
...and found picture in picture video vieqing - so cool. I'm watching a movie right now while typing his on he S3. That's foward pogress and leveraging multi-tasking capabilities.
Hello,
I might have the possibility to start working in a smartphones repair shop.
I expect to fix a lot (mostly) broken screens and digitizers. Also water damage and charging ports for sure.
I'm writing this thread so perhaps people who already have experience with hardware can provides extra tips, so I could be more ready. I'm quite skilled with software repair, while I'm not a developper, I've unbricked, rooted, flashed a lot of phones. Software is generally easy and I'm not worried.
But since I expect mostly to do hardware repairs, mostly screens/digitizers, my concern is that I've never actually opened up a phone to try. All my phones are working, no experience with hardware repair, and thus not much budget to buy a new phone. I own a Galaxy S4 and LG P500. Considered opening up my LG P500 to give it a try (Device fully working).
I did watched a bunch of YouTube videos already, with several devices, mostly flagship phones, from different manufacturers. I also took quick notes on the dissasembly process, which could maybe help me remember the process faster.
Obviously every phone is a bit different, so the process has to be figured out on my own. Some tasks are also obviously harder than others. Was it the iPhone 6 (For instance) that has the glass glued really tight, and is really difficult to change just the glass?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9d...O-bGY_1dM&annotation_id=annotation_2906560193
Once again, not sure, maybe people usually don't bother with the glass replacement for this one, maybe some would change the screen and digitizer at the same time? Not sure.
If you have any tips to share, please let me know. I keep reading to use a lot of patience opening the device with a guitar pick/playing card, and don't apply excessive force, keep using a heat gun if needed - don't apply too much heat and stuff.
Obviously, training is offered, but I still don't know what kind of training it will be. Might know really soon.
Thanks for the advices, working with hardware. Trying to learn more and more at the moment.
Hi pretty new here still, and already getting a new phone lol.
Quick Version
-Medium or + Cpu/Gfx performance
- affordable/cost effective (prefer $400 or -)
- Highly compatible with many ROMs, Recoveries, Easily unlocked either OEM allowed or well documented solid exploit, any other custom firmware capable etc.
- Prefer slots for SD card and/or Sim card work well, aren't jenky, if known. Decent Space if possible ~32GB+,
- True Airplane mode / Built in firewall? minimal concern but still nice
- Screen size, not a huge requirement, actually don't want something too large
- USB-C preference, very low on priority though
- "Tough firmware"? hard to perma-brick or has a good last resort that usually works, i.e. EDL cable or something
Original Post /Brainstorm below with more details
Little background, for the longest time I survived on an iphone 4s for various anti-social reasons
recently thats changed and been getting into phones more
Unfortunately I got suckered into a V500KL ZenFone 5 Live, a feature starved, bland, boot-loader locked, boring pos
well while trying to spruce it up i hard bricked it, and well, I brought it back
but in my frustration I destroyed something in the sim port while doing desperate last attempts before figuring out the correct UN-brick method.
(which Ive documented in my first post, its over in the zenfone 5 forum , check it out
oh and i promise the un-brick method didn't do it, shoving tweezers in a dead phone to see what i could reach, because phones been dead for days and YOLO was the cause of sim death lol.
so now i have a phone that can't be a phone... time for a new phone ya?
I wanna do it right and get opinions from pros and community opinions, so that would be here right?
So what am i looking for? decent performance, the V500KL was 2nd from the bottom pretty much for the ZenFone line i think.
I don't required the best for CPU/GFX performance, but definitely not bottom group tier.
With that said, affordable, no $1k phones please lol, maybe in the ballpark of.... $400 tops? the bigger bang but for less buck the better
I also want it to be a very compatible phone, i made the switch from my iPhone brand to android because they had a reputation, or used to, of being super customizable, rooting/jailbreaking was a non-issue etc.
Well i was shocked to find out that my V500KL had a locked bootloader with no OEM permission to unlock for that specific model.... i blame Verizon.
SO I want a phone that's unlock-able out of the box without having to do my own R&D on it, whether its OEM or a known solid exploit that's not going away either way works.
Also compatible with as many custom ROMs as possible, was very sad that CWM and TWRP were not compatible with my last phone and could never get magisk due to the boot loader.
- space, looking for 32GB give or take, with EASILY removable SD card expanded storage, not one that feels like its a d20 roll if its going to break every time
I suppose if i had to choose between the 2 it would be a smooth SD card slot though since I could always just get more SD lol, and this isn't something you can easily tell from a product sheet/page so input on this greatly appreciated .
- also extra plus if it has a easily removable sim card slot as well, or has a confirmed TRUE airplane mode.
(Verizon/Asus phones will still download FOTA/OTA updates even with wifi off and airplane mode on, mobile data off, etc.)
- Not really a screen size buff, so average size works i suppose, not against something a bit larger, but id rather it fit in something smaller than my cargo pockets
- Being USB-C would be nice, I've recently made a USB-C EDL cable so if it just so happens to be compatible or easily reconfigured for something/anything the phone may need one for could come in handy, fine with others though, more easy to get a charger from a friend, pros and cons i suppose.
- Tough to perma-brick, i abused the crap out of the software on my V500KL and never perma-bricked it, came close though, and its still not even bricked, i just fryed the sim card port... but its not bricked. Something hard to perma-brick would be nice, if it soft-bricks thats fine, and if hard-bricks are recoverable with an EDL cable thats a plus. Something thats just... perma-bricked prone somehow though, would make me nervous.
well that's all i can really think of....
if there's any key detail that needs to be added ill be happy to add, and if anyone else has a similar list feel free to thread hijack lol I'm just reaching for whats out there and really anything with some hands-on-experince information is appreciated. im in no rush and just wanna know whats good out there .
Phone: Samsung S20 5G FE
Just to set a tone, this phone 'disappeared' from a hotel room occupied by an organizer of the 2022 Ottawa Canada protests, after the room was combed over by Police/RCMP, as well as other devices and documents. The phone was later 'found' back in the room and started behaving strangely with other people's photos and messages appearing randomly.
The owner of the phone contacted me and asked if I could help, but I'm not knowledgeable enough about this stuff and simply told them it would be best to reset the device and stop using it. They did that, then bought a new phone and gave this one to me, telling me "you can have it, do what ever you want, sell it or try to fix it, its yours".
Obviously I haven't used it for anything.
I would like to at least know if it is compromised and if there is any way to 'fix' it. I don't want to waste money paying to have the bootloader unlocked on it if rom flashing won't clean it. Or if I wouldn't even be able to tell.
Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.
Reflash it to the original rom. Change Google and any other applicable account passwords.
Done.
Ok, I'll go through the unlocking process and flash a new rom to it.
Out of curiosity would this remove anything they could have used on it? Even if it was something like Pegasus? I would assume it would but I'm not sure if they have anything that works on a lower level.
Sorry if that might sound like I'm over thinking, but they spent a lot of time and money trying to track the people organizing the protests and anything is on the table. Some of the stuff I've heard about that wasn't public knowledge is pretty unbelievable.
MrCool00236 said:
Ok, I'll go through the unlocking process and flash a new rom to it.
Out of curiosity would this remove anything they could have used on it? Even if it was something like Pegasus? I would assume it would but I'm not sure if they have anything that works on a lower level.
Sorry if that might sound like I'm over thinking, but they spent a lot of time and money trying to track the people organizing the protests and anything is on the table. Some of the stuff I've heard about that wasn't public knowledge is pretty unbelievable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Toss the device if really concerned.
If the DOD, FBI, etc are surveilling you in earnest, you likely won't pick off all their tiers of surveillance.
They aren't watching me, honestly, I was never involved in, at, or around any of the events, just distant buddies with one of the guys. I just have this phone, it's practically brand new, and feel it would be such a waste to toss it, I mean I could sell it I suppose.
I just, as anyone even mildly concerned about privacy, would rather not have anyone much less government officials snooping on everything I do. It would make a great phone for those rare times I need to install some scummy app to set up a device from aliexpress or otherwise. Or other similar tasks. Just rather know I cleaned it up before I go ahead and connect it to the same network as every other device in my house.
As an aside, I do see this as a good leaning opportunity. No matter how small I never pass those up. Just hope I'm not coming off as someone who's completely tinfoil hat, or hell bent on saving a device.
Rule #1- physical security is the only real security!