Hi,
I am currently developing an app for a customer. It is only intended for his staff. The specification says, the app should be updated automatically. The devices may not be rooted and are running Froyo and Gingerbread.
Is it possible to update the app without the user being able to stop the update and giving a feedback to the user on how long the update is going to take and its progress?
How can I get access to the program files without having root permission?
Or, if I can not, how can I install an APK while the user cannot interact with the installation. And can the installation automatically start the program when done?
Always bearing in mind, that I can not root the phones.
Thank you very much,
Chris
Related
Forgive my ignorance, but ive never used android before and expecting my phone delivered tomorrow (htc hero! )
As i understand it, the android app store signs the apps similar to iphones itunes store to prevent piracy and malware.
Is this correct?
Ive read about how one can "root" the device by loading a image file thru the bootloader over usb, but i wonder, is there a sudo command or similar to temporarily enable root access and later return to default state?
I suppose i could flash it with the root image, install the app and then flash back the default os image, but that feels pretty awkward procedure and would probably raise a bunch of new problems as how the default os would launch the app installed under another os.
I was hoping to start tinkering with programming, but im unsure if i can "throw in the app" and expect it to work..?
After using mac´s for over 20 years ive become too used to stuff just working right out of the box, so i dont feel like experimenting on my own...
There is an option in the settings that lets you install unsigned apps, so no rooting required.
xarvox said:
As i understand it, the android app store signs the apps similar to iphones itunes store to prevent piracy and malware.
Is this correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not exactly! Many paid apps are copy protected, but most of the free ones are not. Unlike the iPhone, where you can only install "unauthorized" apps if you jail break the device, Android allows you to install and run applications from a variety of sources on a stock device.
In essence, you do not need to root the device to develop for it, but there are certain things that applications can only be done on a rooted device (for example, receiving a file via Bluetooth, WiFi tethering etc).
I was hoping to start tinkering with programming, but im unsure if i can "throw in the app" and expect it to work..?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, programming errors aside ( ), and as long as you don't need to do anything that requires root privileges, yes you can. You should bear in mind that the *vast* majority of Android devices will not have been rooted, and therefore the vast majority of available applications do not require rooted phones.
Personally, I expect that later Android builds will remove many of the restrictions that require applications to have root access, so that they can function without requiring a device to be rooted.
Regards,
Dave
Ive found a app that would tether my laptop (mac) over wifi, but requires me to root the device.
Is there a way to temporarily do this, install the app and make the neccisary changes and then switch back to default state?
I don't believe so.
As far as I'm aware, the application requires the elevated privileges when it runs as opposed to just configuration changes. I don't think that even a setuid would help, since I believe the app expects to find and use su/sudo.
Regards,
Dave
Hi,
I am new to the Atrix, but have a background in software development and was a sys admin on unix for a number of years.
I would like to know if, after a phone is rooted, do all apps run as root? or does routing simple install a setuid "su", and root apps call that when they need root access?
The webtop2sd post looks very complete and also something I will try soon. Do I need to unlock the bootloader to run a modified webtop from my sd card?
I would like to keep my phone as stock as possible, but enable a hacked webtop on the sd card.
Also there are 1000's of root threads, what is the safest canonical method (that can easily be undone)?
Many thanks and sorry for asking for your time. I have not found these answers around, but then again, there is a great amount of mis-information out there.
thx,
Scott.
Hi Scott.
I can only partially help you out; someone with more experience will answer at some point I'm sure. I'm running stock Gingerbread & rooted.
Regarding rooting: I followed the instructions on this site (which are duplicated across multiple sites, I'm sure). It worked just fine with no errors or other reasons to cause concern. That said, I'm not sure how to undo the rooting process other than by accepting an over-the-air update to ICS. Which is totally going to happen. ... <crickets>
I might be able to answer your root-app question: whenever an app requests root access, a dialog box pops up prompting me to allow or deny it. While I'm sure it's possible for a rogue rootkit to get in there if installing shady programs is your thing, I haven't yet had a problem. (A sidenote: there's an app on the market called LBE Privacy that gives you full control over app permissions: access to phone state, contacts, SMS, etc.)
Can't really help you on the webtop2sd thing, though I did install this modification to run the webtop over my HDMI cable, no lapdock required.
I have a Verizon Samsung Galaxy S4 and I'm trying to decide whether I want to root or not. I've never rooted a phone before but I have found detailed instructions on how to do it which seem pretty simple. Really, the only reason I want to root is to A)take off the ridiculous stock apps I never use, and B)so I can download the app gameCIH for a game I play all the time. Is it worth doing just for those reasons? I've heard that once you root you can't get the automatic updates from your provider any more when they update to a new operating system. How would I upgrade if that's the case? Can I still download apps from the Google Play store if I'm rooted? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just really new to this. Thank you for your help!
weepingphoenix said:
I have a Verizon Samsung Galaxy S4 and I'm trying to decide whether I want to root or not. I've never rooted a phone before but I have found detailed instructions on how to do it which seem pretty simple. Really, the only reason I want to root is to A)take off the ridiculous stock apps I never use, and B)so I can download the app gameCIH for a game I play all the time. Is it worth doing just for those reasons? I've heard that once you root you can't get the automatic updates from your provider any more when they update to a new operating system. How would I upgrade if that's the case? Can I still download apps from the Google Play store if I'm rooted? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just really new to this. Thank you for your help!
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Click to collapse
Good question, I rooted mine to enjoy the Titanum backup adblocker for all those free apps and others like you mentioned, however, you're right, the OTA would failed!! I always disabled the OTA update using root, make a full back up of my all my download apps, export my contacts or backup to cloud. Once a new firmware released, I just Odin the new firmware, re-root then do a batch restore of all my download apps with data. Another thing to consider is that the new firmware may block the root patch so you may have to wait until a root method is available for the new firmware before you take action.
Another option is uninstall root (there is an option in SuperSu to do this), then take the OTA update. If some how it failed you can alway revert back to the Odin method. I found that your phone probably will run better when you Odin the full firmware than to take the OTA upgrade.
Hi,
So I was always under the impression that rooting is more dangerous because it lets applications more access to the system and let it perform more actions. However, now that I think about it can't this be handeled by a program that limits permissions?
Or do apps in a rooted phone behave differently than in an unrooted one (ie.can do actions not included in the permission system)?
What about an unrooted phone?
If I install a spyware what information can't it gather that it can on a rooted?
Thank you very much!
oy-ster said:
Hi,
So I was always under the impression that rooting is more dangerous because it lets applications more access to the system and let it perform more actions. However, now that I think about it can't this be handeled by a program that limits permissions?
Or do apps in a rooted phone behave differently than in an unrooted one (ie.can do actions not included in the permission system)?
What about an unrooted phone?
If I install a spyware what information can't it gather that it can on a rooted?
Thank you very much!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.lockergnome.com/android/2013/01/25/how-safe-is-rooting-android-devices/
http://google.about.com/od/socialtoolsfromgoogle/a/root-android-decision.htm
http://www.bullguard.com/bullguard-...ity/mobile-threats/android-rooting-risks.aspx
Thank you for the links, I have alredy enconutered some of them previously (I usually Google before posting ) and they are part of my confusion.
On one hand: http://www.bullguard.com/bullguard-...ity/mobile-threats/android-rooting-risks.aspx says about apps with root access circumvent the security system, on the other: http://google.about.com/od/socialtoolsfromgoogle/a/root-android-decision.htm notes that you can control this access, so why does first warning exists?
Also, do superuser apps can detect every element and limit it accessability? For example, what about malicious code that I recieve from clicking on some pernicious link?
PS. When one of the pages said: "A common practice that people do with "rooted" phones is to flash their ROM's with custom programs." - it meant custom OS/ROM or did it mean the program you are using in order to perform flashing?
Thank you.
upity up.
Hello All,
I want to add my OTA server URL into AOSP for my released device and I know I can use some applications to do it but I want to modify the default URL of Google's AOSP. I had been grabed OTA URL of Nexus 5 (android.clients.google.com....) as well as got some logs (from adb logcat) then I used grep command with some keywords as "android.clients.google.com/", "SystemUpdateService", "DownloadAttemp",... to find where the URL in. But I found nothing.
Anyone can tell me where I can change default OTA server URL.
Thanks,
Can anyone help me?
You most probably receive push notifications, so the URL is not available. I know though that the app you have to freeze if you want to disable OTAsin rooted devices is "Software update MUC", so you may start searching for that app in the sources.
A side note: although it would be way better to use the official OTA application rather than using 3rd party software as ROMs use to, there must be a reason. I once thought about modding that app, but never had the time nor the real intereset in doing so, as I'm out of custom ROMs development ATM.
I don't know if recent custom recoveries are able to detect the official OTA signals to automatically flash the update, nor if, for instance, the log is encrypted or not.
elegos said:
You most probably receive push notifications, so the URL is not available. I know though that the app you have to freeze if you want to disable OTAsin rooted devices is "Software update MUC", so you may start searching for that app in the sources.
A side note: although it would be way better to use the official OTA application rather than using 3rd party software as ROMs use to, there must be a reason. I once thought about modding that app, but never had the time nor the real intereset in doing so, as I'm out of custom ROMs development ATM.
I don't know if recent custom recoveries are able to detect the official OTA signals to automatically flash the update, nor if, for instance, the log is encrypted or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you so much,