Posts by Tech Hippy

Re: Not if you registered to upgrade...

Reach out to support (yeh I know, but it turned out to be pretty painless).

I upgraded to the paid account also, however I reached out to Google support via chat session yesterday.

After explaining the situation hey put me through to their Billing department who've moved me back across to this option once I'd confirmed it was for personal use only.

The whole process took about 25 minutes and was surprisingly easy (unlike every other interaction I've had with Google support).

Re: It will be their podcasts next...

They did lock Google Podcasts out some time ago, and then reverted: https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/04/05/bbc-blocks-its-content-from-google-podcasts/

However they are now blocking again - which is why none of them play anymore as of last week.

Re: Apparently my CafePress account is gone

Similar situation for me: Account included in breach notifications, but my last interaction with them was in August 2010. I have no account according to their "forgot password" page.

I raised a ticket, and CafePress helpdesk tell me my account was 'archived due to inactivity' in Jan 2019, although their 2017 user agreement says accounts will be suspended for inactivity more than 12 months (rather than over 8 years). Of course once your account is archived there is no self-service way to delete it..

Unfortunately failed to address my questions on why they were still holding my data, or what GDPR compliance is in place.

I've just got back to them to exercise my 'right to be forgotten' - a bit late but better to clean up my old data with them whilst they are under focus.

Re: Spot on review!

Before a factory reset, try clearing the cache from recovery mode (via Fastboot)

Fastboot Mode:

- Power down

- Press Power and Volume buttons at the same time

- Continue holding until you see the fastboot mode screen

Recovery Mode:

- From Fastboot Mode

- Press Volume down twice to 'Recovery'

- Press power button to select

- From exclamation mark screen:

- Press & hold power button then press Volume Up.

Then (carefully) select "Wipe Cache" using volume buttons to highlight and power button to select.

Once complete, select reboot now.

This won't remove data and may well resolve battery life issues.

Re: Insurance?

I'd imagine that many people using this stuff haven't considered advising their insurance company - I base this assumption on the surprise my insurance company greeted me with when I rang to advise them that we'd had all our door locks upgraded.

Re: Google Play Store is a malware wasteland

I'm curious as to what apps you are installing to find so much malware?

I've been using Android since it was first released and have never yet had a problem - I install apps only from the Google Play Store and pay attention to the publishers, the permissions and the reviews.

I realise that as a platform it has issues (some of which will probably never be addressed by manufacturer updates), but I've yet to encounter an issue.

Re: Microsoft taking a swipe at another company

"This isn't purely Google's fault, but it is their ecosystem and they don't seem to be doing anything about keeping their customers patched."

Moving core functionality to Play Services and apps to the Play Store (Gmail, Maps, Calendar, etc), early release of Lollipop previews to OEMs - i.e. everything they can in the face of OEM and carrier reluctance to provide timely updates.

Refunds can be obtained outside 15 minute window

In many cases (and certainly in this one) it is possible to obtain a refund for an app from Google Play outside the 15 minute window:

http://www.androidcentral.com/how-get-refund-app-google-play-beyond-15-minute-time-window

Re: Post Install Permission Denial

They do.

App Ops permission screen is included (but hidden) in 4.3 and above.

http://www.zdnet.com/hidden-android-feature-allows-users-to-fine-tune-app-permissions-7000018944/

Use at your own risk.

Personally I read the permissions on install, and if the app is unreasonable I cancel the install.

Re: What hasn't been mentioned....

That would be an absolute nightmare for app developers.

How do you deal with an angry user who's blocked a fundamentally required permission for your app and then starts reviewing it poorly because "it doesn't work"?

Other app markets?

I can't recall seeing any of those reports specifying that Google Play is the source of those malware variants.

Android has a wide range of third party app stores which are much less regulated than the Play store (eg routinely carry obvious rip offs of other developers' work, etc). I would expect them to be the primary sources of Android malware.

Android safety advice remains the same as it always has been:

- Understand permission requests

- Don't install apps that make unexplained requests for permissions they should not need (more and more app publishers have a section in the app details on Play explaining why they need the permissions they request)

- Read reviews

- Check the publisher (do they have a website, is this their only app, etc)

Google are taking steps to up the protection available for the "normal user":

http://blogs.computerworld.com/android/21259/android-42-security

Re: Low-end Androids

Don't be fooled - it will still be a Motorola. Updates will be horrifically, and I mean HORRIFICALLY, delayed with the user forced to rely on forum speculation because of a complete lack of update information from Motorola themselves.

Bitter ex Atrix owner here...

Because I've yet to find a way of remote wiping my wallet?

Yes they did

I still have the email on record of the changes, with instructions on how to login. The notification was sent to all 4 of the ntlworld email accounts I had at the time of the switch, giving 2 weeks notice.

And spam for me has dropped to none, with no false positives across 4 separate ntlworld addresses.

Quite frankly, as a customer back from the CableTel days, having email moved over to Google's back end was a massive, massive improvement.

No more outages, no reports of lack of space on the mail server.

Interface wasn't the USP..

I'm using a Popcorn Hour A110, which I've had for a couple of years.

The interface wasn't the USP for me - it was the ISO support.

I use a set of scripts published on one of the many forums that links with some movie database software to generate an index for my 400+ DVD rips that are housed on a WHS (and yes I do own the original disks).

They are somewhat fiddly to setup but *touch wood* my setup has been pretty robust for the past year at least..

Rather disappointed to see that Syabas seem to be dropping ISO support.

Went from linux to WHS

Actually I went from a headless debian server (bubba One from excito.com) to a MediaSmart EX490 3 months ago which I picked up on a cashback offer, making it quite good value.

I originally used the debian server as a backup for the two laptops in the house (Macbook, Windows 7) and a media server for music and photos. It all worked find until EDF fried it by blipping the neighbourhood's power supply one afternoon, but was very low on free space.

The new server (with 3 2TB drives installed) acts as the backup server (including TimeMachine and Windows 7 backups as well as data only backups), music server, photo server, and DVD store (we use a Popcorn Hour A110 as a movie jukebox for 300+ ripped DVDs).

This is all backed up to a 4.5 TB NAS (belt and braces approach), with the laptop image backups protected using WHS replication).

Essentially I am using the WHS as a NAS on steroids, but at the price point I purchased it at it worked out better value than a dedicated NAS with the feature set (and room for expansion) that we required.

Re: Android battery life - tips, and tips wanted

"A control that lets me automatically manage the radios" - Setting Profiles, Locale, Tasker, Timerrific - pick an app...

"A real task manager, integrated" - you really, really, really don't need a task manager on Android. There are some very good articles, & engineer blogs about this.

"Give us screen brightness/timeout options that are a) user-selectable and b) sensitive to charge status" - see the apps above for b, and check your settings for A..

Hooray!

Considering how ropey the old NTL mail servers have been in the 11 years I've been their customer, I'm extremely grateful that they've moved my accounts to the Google backend.

HTC Desire is not the same...

They saved on hardware costs by dropping the second microphone used for noise cancellation from the Desire, added the SenseUI layer which means Android updates will take longer to trickle through.

Oh and the Nexus One is quad band too.

As compared to..

As compared to Windows Mobile? - no free updates..

Or Apple? - post a complaint on their forum and watch it disappear..

Or Nokia? - firmware updates may / may not be provided..

Or LG?

Or?...