Hi.
As you can see from my profile, I've been a forum member since the days of O2 XDA devices (2007) and I used to flash other folk's home-baked ROMs often to improve the handsets and remove bloatware. As Android improved I found less need to muck about with what the manufacturers provided and my skills, no longer being used, became rusty.
Enough backstory though, I'm here today because I have a need to find a solution that is affecting the handsets we use in my company, and I suspect that flashing a custom ROM may be the solution.
I work for a small company who operate care homes. We use an app to record our notes, actions, medication administration etc. The app is on a 'ruggedised' android smartphone, with a remote management platform looking after our interests by locking down most of the phone's functions. I adminster this platform and manage the handsets and the software we use.
The problem we're experiencing, is that the handsets keep getting 'factory reset'. We're not sure if this is happening maliciously, or is the result of some kind of software incompatability. Disabling the factory reset option in the Android settings doesn't provide enough protection as the handsets can still be 'hard-reset' using the power+vol key combo.
The two handsets we use are:-
Wheatek BV6300
Oukitel WP5
Neither manufacturer is listed on the forum, so I'm hoping they are other devices that have been rebranded.
Questions.
How do I find out if any of the ROMs on the foum are compatible?
If they aren't compatible, how do I go about sourcing a custom ROM?
Any other suggestions/advice greatly appreciated.
TIA
Maybe limit devices to only vetted employees.
and/or
Pen/paper records then transcribed.
Related
Hi,
I upgraded from the “Tilt” to the “Fuze” a couple of months ago. The changes are significant and I’m still learning the new device. I rely heavily on third-party software applications. Getting all of these to operate on the Fuze was a big job but persistence has paid-off. I’m enjoying the new device and I’ve learned a great deal.
One of the issues I battled for a significant amount of time was the incompatibility of several of my third-party applications with the Opera Browser. I have been successful in selecting the IE browser as the default browser on the Fuze. This solved the compatibility issues with third-party programs and I can now utilize all of them………….except one.
I have been using the eSkyguide timetable program for a number of years on two different WM devices (WM2003, and WM6.0 “Tilt”). I travel constantly. This program has been a huge benefit to me over the years and I have grown to rely on it.
I have not been able to get the eSkyguide operational on the Fuze. My specific symptoms with the program are: I am able to open the program. I can see that it was updated 28 February 2009. When I attempt to pull up a schedule, I enter the desired info and click on the red “Search” button. When I do, a thin line is drawn around the bottom of the page which includes the four options buttons. Nothing else happens, and none of the other functions work.
Q: Have any WM6.1 users been able to use eSkyguide? I would appreciate hearing from any WM6.1 users (especially “Fuze” users) who could share any information on this issue. I am wondering if perhaps there is a compatibility issue between eSkyguide and WM6.1. Any information at all would be appreciated. I have been attempting to get help from the developer for over a month. To date they have not provided any real help.
Q: Is there any way to get the “Internet” function on the TouchFLO 3D system to open IE instead of Opera?
Q: Do any of the cooked ROM’s use the IE browser as opposed to Opera? Because of my dependence (well, OK – addiction) to certain third-party software applications, the Opera Browser is not working for me. It wouldn’t bother me to lose it completely, but I would like to be able to access the internet from the TouchFLO 3D system.
Q: I became dependent on the “Task” functionality in previous WM devices. I have made peace with TouchFLO 3D and now very much like the system – it’s a benefit to be able to select all of the different functions so quickly. I miss having the “Tasks” function on the today screen. Are there any custom today screens available that might include this function that are compatible with TouchFLO 3D? This appears to be a simple “real estate” issue. I would gladly give up the huge clock on the present today screen for items more useful. I’ve got a watch.
In closing, I’d like to say thank you to the many people on this forum that have been so helpful. This is a great source of information. To those who make it possible and those who share such useful information – I sincerely thank you.
Thanks,
Dave
(long post warning...I'm placing the summary first for those who don't care to read the whole thing)
***
In summary, I want a mobile platform that I can tweak until I get it exactly as I like it; that will sync with Windows desktop and server platforms (this is a strong preference, not a "must"; upon which I own things and don't have to worry about them being stolen or broken; that doesn't tell everyone and their mother where I go and what I'm doing; and on which I can listen to Sirius radio; and to which I can transfer data back and forth via USB without any permission based cloud interface. It must also be compatible with Slingplayer software and I have a strong, strong, preference for a slideout QWERTY keyboard, but I'd sacrifice that if I have to for the above functionalities. I'm currently on ATT, but it doesn't have to be that way
***
I am thinking about purchasing a new phone. But the market is a bit more complicated than when I purchased my current phone (HTC Diamond), so I hope that you guys can give me some advice.
I have been a Windows Mobile user since 5.0. What I loved about WM is that I could come here and read about the various hacks, mods, and custom roms and generally find something to address any problems I had, or find a way to modify the phone to meet my preferences.
I love the mobile version of Office and I use it constantly for work purposes. I especially like being able to sync outlook contacts on both phone and device, and that I can make presentations from the phone, and can open and manipulate Word and Excel.
I was also using SiriusXM 6 by tcbush over on Geekstoolbox to listen to satellite radio. Unfortunately, Sirius has taken down their legacy servers that streamed content to third party providers. So it does not appear that I can listen to satellite radio any longer via my mobile device.
It is this turn of events (Sirius radio) that is my main motivator for seeking a new phone. I could listen to Sirius via the web, but that requires a Flash player and I can't find a version of flash for WM 6.1. I have both Opera Mini and IE. So, if any of you know a way for a WM 6.1 device to listen to Sirius, you will have solved my immediate problem and saved me some money. I would really appreciate that.
But on the larger scale, I know that one day I will have to replace my beloved Diamond. Her slideout QWERTY is starting to jiggle, there are a few scratches on her beautiful face even though she hasn't gone a moment without a case and screen protector. Every now and again her D-Pad loses its way, and I have to reboot. Alas, I fear the end is near. *sigh*
So, in looking over the current landscape, I see three options: iphone, Android, and WM7.
Apple products to me are out for personal preference reasons.
That leaves Android and WM7.
Problem 1:
I enjoyed my prior experience of owning a WM phone supported by a network of generous, friendly developers who found ways that we could modify our phones to our hearts' content. I also like the fact that I own my phone and all its content. Once I install or tweak something, then that's it unless I decide to change it.
But the current market seems to be based on a top-down control model. From what I've read, owning a phone with the current tech is like owning a home on leasehold property or in a HOA: You pay full price for ownership but you do not enjoy the rights of control normally associated with that ownership. It seems that the devices are locked, difficult to unlock, find ways to re-lock, and that a Nanny-server may at times uninstall or disable software that it doesn't like.
I just don't get it. Has the culture embraced a model where a user pays a provider only to be told by that provider what he can and cannot do with the property he has purchased?
Of course, my perception of these issues could be incorrect. I recently went back to school and have unplugged from most external things. I haven't been following the "insider info" on xda for nearly two years. If I'm wrong, please tell me.
Problem 2:
User tracking. Sounds Orwellian.
I get it that the cell provider can locate you. I understand the technology reasonably well for regular Joe, and I understand that the network needs to know where you are. But until recently, the cell provider could not release those records without a warrant or some emergency confirmed by law enforcement like a lost person, etc. I actually worked with Sprint in conjunction with the police to attempt to track a stolen phone. However, it now appears that the manufacturers themselves and many app developers are bypassing the law by tracking users without their consent. Am I right on this?
I've read a number of articles on the Apple and Android tracking problems - generic apps tracking you and reporting your movements to Apple, Google, etc. Apps turning on the mic or camera at intervals and tracking your surroundings or conversations. Route these concerns through the awfulness of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, the Patriot Act, and the fact that both the post-digital presidential administrations (Bush II and Obama) seem intent on eroding what remains of our privacy, and it makes me uncomfortable. To make it worse, Google and Zuckerburg are both in bed with the Obama administration, and stories of their privacy infractions are epidemic.
Yet none of the progs I use on my WM 6.1 device use tracking (that I know of). So, in a very short time, it appears that the culture of mobile communications has gone from an ownership model with Constitutional protections to a free-for-all where you essentially pay big brother to track you.
I have heard many of my younger friends who have grown up in the big-government era use the default: "If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to worry about." But that's exactly backward. The law presumes your privacy and allows infractions only after due process. The current culture seems to presume lack of privacy, and treat privacy-seekers as an anomaly. And the tech seems to reflect the culture rather than the law.
Am I crazy? Even if I am crazy, is there a way to block this tracking? And, if so, does Android or WM7 better lend itself to blocking this tracking?
Problem 3:
USB data transfer.
WM7 doesn't support smart cards. But, the devices seem to have adequate on-board storage for my needs. However, from what I've read, I'll need to use Zune (on WM7, don't know about Android) to move data back and forth. Is that correct?
I currently use Windows Mobile Device Center to transfer files back and forth via USB or Bluetooth, and I really want to keep that functionality.
Thank you if you have read this far. And, given those criteria, what are my best options?
Droid X2. Get it.
Droid X2
Droid X2. Get it.
+1
Thanks for the responses. I've done a bit of research on the phone you recommended, and some research in general. I really need to spool back up
It looks like there are apps out there like WhisperMonitor that will help with my privacy concerns. Actually, it looks like there are Android Apps to address most of my concerns.
I'll keep researching that to determine how much functionality I'll have to sacrifice. And I appreciate the responses. Love the dual core structure of this phone. From what I've read, the benchmarks don't differ too much from single core phones, but it looks like the dual core really helps with load distribution and multi-tasking.
It will be hard to leave Windows...been with it since it was Pocket PC 2000. But atm, it appears that Android may work best for me.
I agree Droid X2, although VZW is expensive, its the best network
Off the basis of wanting a slide out QWERTY and Windows Phone 7, I would go with the HTC Arrive for Sprint. You still have Windows Phone, you can get Sling Player from the Marketplace, and it has a slide out QWERTY that when it slides out, angles the screen for better typing the way I look at it.
samsung galaxy s2
or atrix
If you QWERTY I'd wait till my4g slide if it launches with s-off. I don't imagine you'd be keeping the os in tact.
The g2 is also a beautiful phone. Amazing specs for the good hardware.
T-Mobile is also cheapest, I find, of the four carriers.
The epic 4g seemed nice. Hummingbird (Samsung 1ghz processor) is very nice and has a great gpu.
If you're looking to use google talk video chat, avoid nvidia tegra 2 chips.
Google's suite of software is pretty sweet. Google docs works nice, and there's an app for that.
As long as you download from android market you're good from malware. (If you do get it from market, google does pull the app from the store AND your phone, that's the only time I heard them doing this, and that was once instance.)
Besides... Supporting your developers is a great thing.
Did I miss anything?
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
IMO almost any of the android phones would work for what you have in mind. As you pointed out in your follow up post there are apps out there for your privacy concerns. I've had a Moto Droid and now the HTC Thunderbolt. Both have been synced with my works exchange servers with no issues, google apps work great with Office docs, and the available roms and other customizations are almost endless.
Also, don't get hung up on a QWERTY keyboard. I swore I would never have a phone without one, but now that I do I actually don't really miss it.
Edit:
USB data transfer - very simple to do with android. Install a driver for the phone and then connect to your pc with a USB cable. Your pc will recognize the sdcard as removeable storage. Just select it in My Computer and drag and drop anything you want to move like you would for moving any file around in Windows.
I purchased a Samsung GTi9505 S4 running Android 4.2.2 from Euope recently and can anyone explain to me on how to install this APP?
I have these on my phone (pls see attached pics).
http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/samsung-safe-with-knox/
There are NO instructions on installing it. I looked all over on the web and nothing.
Only downloaded the KNOX Whitepaper.
I presume, this only works for North American based phones. But can someone shed some light on this please?
Thanks
It'll probably require some form of MAM (Mobile Application Management) product to be able to manage the applications within this 'sandboxed' environment. Applications will probably need to be specifically written to utilise it so its probably early days yet mate.
Unless I've got it completely wrong of course!
Working for a large organisation that requires this level of security - I requested further information from samsungs website but havn't had a single response yet. I'm assuming its still in development.
zoomee said:
It'll probably require some form of MAM (Mobile Application Management) product to be able to manage the applications within this 'sandboxed' environment. Applications will probably need to be specifically written to utilise it so its probably early days yet mate.
Unless I've got it completely wrong of course!
Working for a large organisation that requires this level of security - I requested further information from samsungs website but havn't had a single response yet. I'm assuming its still in development.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know that the DoD got it approved from DISA.
http://gcn.com/articles/2013/05/29/disa--ios-android-stig.aspx
But Im not working in that environment. Its more like I want to keep my personal data apart from the enterprise environment.So, I want to have my business data under KNOX and personal data on the normal Interface like shown on this video.
Thats all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_jTit_RCdI
And on the box itself, it DOES have the "SAFE" on it. (Samsung For Enterprise)
That vid is a very brief overview mate. Looking at the feature list for knoxx it seems to me to be an enterprise level function. Integration with Active Directory, single sign-on and other MDM products sort of implies that, thats what it will work with and not just for normal end users.
For normal end users - it would just be 'another profile' feature which I don't see much benefit for, as android phones/devices tend to be personal devices. However for the enterprise where we regularly deploy BYOD solutions and corporate devices it seems much more fitting
Sorry bud - probably not what you wanted to hear but until we get further information from them theres not much we can do to utilise it (i'm sure i've seen a knoxx.apk on our devices already)......
If anyone else knows anything else it would be great to hear from them.....
PS - You might want to recommend either Excitors DME product or Good's BYOD one to your IT department
I also work at a large enterprise shop and we are looking at deploying Samsung devices with the Knox functionality. However, I read somewhere that the Knox software was not ready for the worldwide release of the Galaxy S4. It will be available later in the summer on the Galaxy S4 (later for other Samsung devices) on what I assume will be a firmware update. So there is no way to get it on your device right now. Hope this helps.
itsonlyme999 said:
I purchased a Samsung GTi9505 S4 running Android 4.2.2 from Euope recently and can anyone explain to me on how to install this APP?
I have these on my phone (pls see attached pics).
http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/25/samsung-safe-with-knox/
There are NO instructions on installing it. I looked all over on the web and nothing.
Only downloaded the KNOX Whitepaper.
I presume, this only works for North American based phones. But can someone shed some light on this please?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
zoomee said:
It'll probably require some form of MAM (Mobile Application Management) product to be able to manage the applications within this 'sandboxed' environment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^^^^^
This.
And it offers no value to an individual user even if they managed to get it set up. For basic remote device management Find my Mobile (ex-Samsung Dive) offers what most users are looking for without all the complexity.
Ok, well thats that...
Anyway, even if I did have it installed and working on my phone, then I would be concerned of more memory use and more battery drainage with this KNOX feature enabled.
Think about it, its like running two versions of Android on ONE phone. So this might be draining even more battery.
Thanks guys.
They are all about Android 4.3 and upper.
A pair of questions about unrooting/locking/unlocking/booting.
1) What are the benefits of rooting other than being able to a) set custom cpufrequency policies, b) being able to update your phone (to custom new ROMs like cyanogenmod) when your OEM has decided to stop supporting it, c) full filesystem access, d) tuning sysctl parameters?
I don't like the fact the rooting totally breaks Android's security model.
2) Do I understand correctly that a locked phone is the phone in which you cannot overwrite/replace/customize vmlinuz? or there are even stricter limitations?
3) Do I understand correctly that in order to change e.g. /etc files you don't really need a custom ROM, you can boot into TWRP and replace/edit/remove the needed files?
4) Why does unlock wipe all your data?
5) If the phone is locked, how bootloader/firmware understands that our bootloader is untempered? Does the bootloader have a digital signature? I have this question because let's imagine that I 1) unlock 2) change vmlinuz (allow superuser) 3) lock?
6) How does "oem lock" verifies that system data is genuine? Or it simply wipes everything clean? Does Android has some (RO) partition which always contains a genuine virgin ROM you cannot meddle with?
7) If I do "unlock" on my Nexus device, without changing anything or installing any 3d party bootloader (like TWRP), will I be able to update to new official ROMs via OTA updates?
8) Why every "lock" manual says that I need to upload a genuine official ROM - what if I've changed it and made it "rooted"?
Storage.
Why does Android has so many partitions?
What method is used to break the internal storage into partitions? Is it some kind of partition table (MS-DOS, GPT) or it's hardware based?
1. The purpose of rooting is to give you an access level equal to the product's development team. Rooting is basically an unofficial way of doing exactly what the developers are doing on a daily basis. You can either consider that people are going to root and that the community adds value and bug fixes to your product by independent development (Android); or you can actively take measures to lock down root access and maintain a a gateway to development in the belief that this doctrine maintains a unified experience, protects security of intellectual material, and provides better overall security (Apple).
There's pros and cons to each side. With the Android thought, you are offloading a lot of your development burden onto the community and getting R&D, patches, and extending product life in return - for free. You take the risk of lowered security, but usually make it back because the community is a larger workforce with greater man hours and a vested interest in the product. They provide you with answers to problems you don't even know about as long as you listen.
With the Apple thought, you maintain a strong control on making the product do exactly what you want. This makes the product work exactly as expected, which can be easier for the user. However, your design has to be VERY good for the community to accept it. You also suffer in that you lock the community out from enhancing your product, so you HAVE to be the one coming up with all the ideas. Also, if the community finds a breach in your security, it can be devastating. Look at how much energy and money Apple pours into preventing jailbreaks.
I wouldn't be too worried about the 'break in security model' as you say, unless the Android platform becomes fraught with virii. After all, consider that unix on your PC is essentially the same thing, and you request root access on it to install certain things.
2. I'll let someone else chime in with a better answer
3. with root access you don't need a custom ROM, you just need the ability to access root permission and a file browser that will get you to protected areas.
4. I'm not sure I'm thinking about the same stuff as you here. Rooting doesn't wipe anything from what I remember. Replacing the ROM does, but that's because the ROM 'installer' doesn't have anything to preserve user settings. I don't consider this weird since Windows didn't have a really decent migration package built into the installer until windows 8.
5. There's a counter that iterates. Research trianglemod for an example of this topic.
6. It's hard to say what the OEM has for tools without them releasing the tools to the public. They, of course, are going to have better tools than us. No, there is no read only partition that I'm aware of that contains a full ROM that you can dump back in place. I've gone so far as to fully wipe my Galaxy S3 to the point where it only had clockworkmod and a boot screen that never went away. If I went much further, I could probably brick the phone, requiring an external programming program. A full brick would remove interface to your PC, which I believe is a possibility.
7. A new OEM ROM update will do one of three things:
a. update the phone to the new ROM and most likely break all the apps
b. update the phone and wipe everything
c. partially update the phone to a state where it won't boot due to a corruption (I've been here, lol)
8. not sure what we are talking about here
9. Android is based on linux. Linux is designed with specific partitions to handle different tasks for storage, memory access, stuff like that. If you aren't happy with the design, you are free to do something else - you don't have to use Android on an Android phone, you can probably put FreeBSD or Slackware or something, or write your own kernel.
Hello Everyone on XDA,
I have a new tablet from the Senter manufacturer with Android 9 installed.
The device has a problem with the correct use of the Zero Touch function.
I’m looking for a person (preferably from Poland) who has explored the Zero Touch functionality and able to prepare a custom image for such a device.
If someone are interested in cooperation, please contact me on priv.
Thank you and regards,
May be this article helps.
What Is Zero Touch Configuration?
Zero-touch configuration is the process of configuring IoT devices and pushing updates out to the network from a central location. Zero-touch configuration enables IT teams to configure, or modify, hundreds or even thousands of devices remotely.
www.digi.com