su like permissions to control intents launching apps? - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

im curious about opinions and ideas on something i thought of and dont know of its entierly possable.
i know cyanogen has permission restrictions(idk if other roms have this) and an idea i had was to create a su like interface asking what intents can start which applocations and which applications are allowed to start other apps.
the idea behind this is to have a tighter control and potentially save more battery power while not having to freeze or uninstall applications.
for a simple example, android market starts up on boot. im not entrily sure why but in my case, i dont need it. occasionally i find it running on its own. now i dont want to uninstall it, so maybe when it starts itself, the system will ask if its allowed to start when it tries to. now i can say no, and remember this, then it wont by itself.
cool but for apps that share to other apps or launch them like homescreens, they would be on the list of applications allowed to start others. this could help prevent apps from sharing data you dont want to to the other apps as well as keeping some apps from starting others when you dont want them to.

Related

Disable Start-up Apps

Does anyone know how to stop apps and services from starting up automatically when you boot the phone?
I like to install lots of Apps to try them out, but a lot of these apps start processes with the phone and run in the background. I don't know if they're necessarily using many resources but I don't see why puzzles, games and other apps need to be starting with the phone and running all the time.
I know there's a paid app in the market, but I don't have a credit card and anyway there MUST be an easy way to stop these things from starting with boot, either a file to edit or some commands.
A task-killer isn't what I'm looking for here as I don't think that's a good idea with android, I think it slows the OS and causes instability, and anyway they just come back on next boot. I've searched for this but can't find an answer.
Anyone have any ideas?
I wonder the same.
Nobody is able to give an answer ?
+1 on that. It is quite annoying.
spamianspoon said:
I know there's a paid app in the market, but I don't have a credit card and anyway there MUST be an easy way to stop these things from starting with boot, either a file to edit or some commands.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, there is no "easy" way of doing it because of the way that Android handles these things. Essentially, the applications register a receiver which acts on the android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED broadcast action, rather than being explicitly called by the OS.
The app in the Market, autostarts (see http://elsdoerfer.name/=android-autostarts) presumably either amends the apps permission so that it no longer has the rights to receive this message (no idea if this is actually possible), or it is autokilling the task as it starts.
Of course, without a credit card, you are SOL as there do not appear to be any free alternatives.
Regards,
Dave
Nice
The android next step is to start all app found in the market and after boot to shut down manually witch is not installed.

Preventing apps from auto starting

hi all, im an owner of a sam.charge. I use the app called "System" and it lists about a dozen apps that are stored in my cache or that are using memory when I have not innitiaited the service or app...
I'm most familiar with computers so I'll relate it to that; is there some type of command line that I can use to stop some of these apps from auto start and being stored. For instance on windows you can 'msconfig' what programs are allowed to start on boot up.
Here is a list of apps that I want to stop: AccuWeather.com, Android Booster, Google Voice, HeyTell, Amazon's Appstore, Market, Music, etc.
Most are cached/ inactive but none the less in my task manager when freeing up memory when I notice things to be lagging I'd imagine these to be guilty. Android Booster always lists these as killed apps as well when optimizing...
Im familiar somewhat with how android works being that it often fills a large portion of your memory with what it wants to and frees space as it is needed but these apps for me are rarely used...
Im big on battery life being Im in and out of Sales accounts and rely on my phone heavily so I dont want these things running in the background sucking up resources. Not to mention I like a snappy phone...
If anyone could educate me on this topic Id really appreciate it... I may be mistaken on a few things so call me out on it, since im sure I am... Also, I know their are app freezers and applications you can program to kill apps at a set interval but again I would like the least amount of garbage running as I can
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk
Some of the basic services are must to be initiated/running all the time such as launcher, keyboard, google voice, market, etc.. so as to run your phone smoothly . This is the default setting of android os. And anyway why do you want to close/stop the services case restarting services uses more battery than kepping them running on the memory ....
mlm2588 said:
hi all, im an owner of a sam.charge. I use the app called "System" and it lists about a dozen apps that are stored in my cache or that are using memory when I have not innitiaited the service or app...
I'm most familiar with computers so I'll relate it to that; is there some type of command line that I can use to stop some of these apps from auto start and being stored. For instance on windows you can 'msconfig' what programs are allowed to start on boot up.
Here is a list of apps that I want to stop: AccuWeather.com, Android Booster, Google Voice, HeyTell, Amazon's Appstore, Market, Music, etc.
Most are cached/ inactive but none the less in my task manager when freeing up memory when I notice things to be lagging I'd imagine these to be guilty. Android Booster always lists these as killed apps as well when optimizing...
Im familiar somewhat with how android works being that it often fills a large portion of your memory with what it wants to and frees space as it is needed but these apps for me are rarely used...
Im big on battery life being Im in and out of Sales accounts and rely on my phone heavily so I dont want these things running in the background sucking up resources. Not to mention I like a snappy phone...
If anyone could educate me on this topic Id really appreciate it... I may be mistaken on a few things so call me out on it, since im sure I am... Also, I know their are app freezers and applications you can program to kill apps at a set interval but again I would like the least amount of garbage running as I can
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you find apps that you don't use, you can use a program to freeze them. Just search for freeze in the market. I personally use a free app called System Tuner. Freezing prevent them from starting up and therefore you cannot use them, but later on you can un-freeze them if you need to.
Optimize toolbox
I use this one, had a bunch of other features.https://market.android.com/details?id=cn.opda.a.phonoalbumshoushou&feature=search_result
Thanks all for the feedback...
To reply to the first response; I have read that about battery life. That, the more you kill apps and reopen them that it takes longer for the app to start up and thus sucking up battery life... I probably should not have mentioned battery life in my post being that I have a car charger and that it contradicts what im trying to accomplish (going over my post, it was stupid of me given what you just mentioned). Also, I'm not so much concerned with market apps or google voice as I am about the apps I installed myself. Those ones are the ones that bother me.
To the other posts thanks for the recommendations I will like into those options. I'm just trying to prevent extra apps from running in the background so freezing them is a last resort.
I'm looking for something that I can type in terminal possibly on program into the OS or app itself to keep it from auto starting... possibly a command line?!
Any developers input? Can this even be done. I'm still very much a beginner but its not beyond my comprehension to do something like this... I know its different but I play around with linux, web design, c++ stuff so if you post directions I can follow smoothly our atleast figure it out if you point me in the right direction
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk
It's not exactly what your asking for but have you tried Gemini App Manager:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.seasmind.android.gmappmgr
You can use it to disable/re-enable an app's autorun settings. When you first open it it will list all user apps currently in memory. Clicking menu then expert mode will give you a list of all apps. Long press an app then click configure autorun.
Just be careful with changing the autorun settings of system apps like market.
"preventing apps from autostarting"
I like this topic a lot!
I think the question(s) and "assumptions" the OP holds are all valid. So I'd really like to hear the answer to the actual question, not a spew of why the question isn't valid.
How do you stop apps from starting up on their own? (like microsofts msconfig)
Pretty simple question and I cannot find the answer! I've been in software for many year and I'm rather stunned by the responses people are giving - which basically say "who cares, android O/S handles it for you".
Well, lets face it:
*If* the user didn't call for the app, and had no desire to use it, then the "system" loading it even ONCE, is one too many.
*If* the app is a DESIRED app, (OR device required), *BUT* uses data - then if the user didn't want to use it; "yet" - then thats DATA & BATTERY life --> **WASTED**
If the user suspects the APP is misbehaving; one sure fire way would be to SEE it running, when they didn't ask it to!
If you are pure paranoid, or simply want extreme app control....
The kinds of answers people are giving is truly along the the lines of "we dont know, but you're silly for caring"
SOYLENT GREEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:cyclops:
jr67 said:
It's not exactly what your asking for but have you tried Gemini App Manager:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.seasmind.android.gmappmgr
You can use it to disable/re-enable an app's autorun settings. When you first open it it will list all user apps currently in memory. Clicking menu then expert mode will give you a list of all apps. Long press an app then click configure autorun.
Just be careful with changing the autorun settings of system apps like market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm going to test this out too! And I'll post success if it does well!!!

Dev Idea / Question

Hi Guys,
I have a question/idea. Maybe its already done and you give me a hint on how to install it.
There are a bunch of apps that I really like but I dont like their security requirements like accessing Contacts, System settings, account data.
I agree that some may need it for their functionality, but some apps abuse it or have unnecessary rights.
I wonder if someone could write an app that intercepts those requests and returns dummy or empty data. For example, the app wants access to my contacts, it gets a dummy contact or an empty list returned but not my real list etc. Making the app think its is getting live data. The new app should allow to choose which app will get real and which get blank data or dummy data for sensitive things like accounts, contacts, system stuff.
That way the app would still work but my data is safe.
I guess it would almost have to work like a Rootkit hooking into system functions and figuring out the calling app.
Does this exist? Would this be something for CM7?
I read a lot of ppls reviews out there saying I am not installing this app until you remove such and such security right. This should be the best solution.
Let me know.
spacev said:
Hi Guys,
I have a question/idea. Maybe its already done and you give me a hint on how to install it.
There are a bunch of apps that I really like but I dont like their security requirements like accessing Contacts, System settings, account data.
I agree that some may need it for their functionality but some apps abuse the it or have unnecessary rights.
I wonder if someone could write an app that intercepts those requests and returns dummy or empty data. For example the app wants access to my contacts, or it gets a dummy contact or am empty list etc. Making the app think its is getting live data. The app should allow to set which app will get real and which get blank data for sensitive thing like accounts, contacts, system stuff.
That way the app would still work but my data is safe.
I guess it would almost have to work like a Rootkit hooking into system functions and figuring out the calling app.
Does this exist? Would this be something for CM7?
I read a lot of ppls reviews out there saying I am not installing this app until you remove such and such security right. This should be the best solution.
Let me know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This should be in Q&A.. And there is an app for this.. LBE or LBE Lite.. Also, yes it is a function of CM7. While I'm answering though, I will say that I block almost all permissions that are unnecessary and I've never had a problem with any of the 125 apps I use.
LBE vs CM7
Well, as outlined above, CM7 and LBE are the two best options. I figured I might as well outline the pros and cons of each.
CM7 Application Permission Removal:
Pros - Built-in, no popups, technically faster.
Cons - Not all-in-one interface per say, more annoying to set a large number of apps permissions.
LBE:
Pros - Available on more phones, popups allow you to decide on a situation by situation basis whether to grant permissions, all in one interface, nice looking UI.
Cons - Not built in, popups CAN be annoying, different color scheme from stock android.
P.S. I'm not sure if this happens for everyone, but it probably does just because of security system conflicts in CM7 and LBE, but LBE doesn't seem to be able to start and run on CM7, so you can't have the best of both worlds
thanks guys for the quick responses!
I am trying LBE and so far like what I am seeing
THANKS!

[Q] When apps can use their permissions?

I'm always very careful about what apps I install and their permissions, but I got this doubt for a long time. I already know what some Android permissions do and which of these are potentially dangerous.
Now let's assume an app asks for permissions to read my contacts, access the internet, read the identity of the phone, read the user position, etc.
When I use an app (mostly games) I always turn off wifi, bluetooth, gps and sometimes even the sim via airplane-mode. Now that app can easily collect all the data it wants but would never be able to send them. Am I correct?
My doubt is, when apps can send data? Is it only when the app is effectively running (also in background) or can do the same while, for example, updating the app via Google Play?
If it doesn't, I would probably download most of the apps I discarded because of their stupid permissions...
App permissions are always headache!
apps will always ask for various stupid permissions.even though they not require such permissions.
I think,,
how the apps collect and send data is upto the developer!!
Even though you put ur phone in AirPlane mode.the apps may or may not collect the contacts details frm your phone & may update to their server when data connection is detected..
Some applications will run in background as a seevice, even though they are not opened or running in foreground.
when u install an app you must be aware of the permissions granted.dont install apps that requires suspicious permissions.
if u are rooted there are some apps which can block permissions requisted by apps.
good luck....
motoshan said:
if u are rooted there are some apps which can block permissions requisted by apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I already heard of such apps but never found one. Could you please tell me some of them?
Thanks for the answer, anyway it really sounds like "I don't know and we'll never know"... it's sad
Is there anybody really sure about what the apps can do and give a nice rest to my neverending question?
Yes.. I already mentioned.
the permission requirements by the app can be explained only by the developer of that particular app.
I had developed an app myself 9 months before.which requires gps location along with hardware control permission etc...
as a developer of this app I can steadly says that my app will update ur device location soon after u switch on ur data conn.
you can find some apps and their reviews here... http://www.howtogeek.com/115888/
Oh, so my hopes are totally crushed.
Looks like they are more problematic than I imagined. I'll keep skipping 90% of the apps on the market.
Thanks a lot for that link!
Edit: I'd add, Jesus Christ, how funny to see that on Android spyware is legalised:
"Angry Birds Space – along with many other apps – has permission to view the device’s serial number and monitor the phone numbers you call."

One app launches several other apps (question)

Hello all.
If this is in the wrong category, please let me know or move it. I'm sorry in advance.
Since about a month i have a chinese android device in my car. Works well enough, but it has its annoyances. One of them is that the FM tuner app doesn't always start by itself and i would like to get other apps to start when it wakes up, such as Torque etc. In its custom build firmware there is a setting to set the default navigation app and that always launches any app i set in there, so that got me thinking find an app that would just start the apps i need it to start. Annoyingly this seems harder than it is. I've tried several auto starters from the Play Store, but none seem to be able to launch the apps i need it to launch when it wakes up (key in ignition/starting the car.)
I don't really want to root the device because i'm not really finding good info on this device and rooting it. I don't want to take risks. I've been looking into making my own app that would just launch a list of apps i want to to start and set that app in the device settings as the navigation app effectively tricking it into thinking that is the navigation app, but it actually would launch a bunch of apps i need it to launch, including a navigation app, obviously.
Having said all that, i'm about as useful as a trapdoor in a kanu when it comes to android programming, i am a complete noob and don't really find anything i can use.
So my question; would somebody be able to write something like that and maybe publish it? I am obviously willing to compensate you for your time.
Thanks in advance.
Try AutoStart what doesn't require Android is rooted.

Categories

Resources