[Q] xda policy on Theme Quality Control - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi ALL
Could some one guide me if there is any policy concerning Theme developing?
Note: I state this question using the "development" word as, from my view at S3 forum, both Apps and Themes are under the same subforum.
I'm sure that NO apps could be developed using the below described approach because they will be considered bugged but unfortunately themes are.
Why this questioning:
As trying to do my own theme, I've collect some information by looking how others do and, as the analyses go, I've found some odd things:
a) Some Windows themers, unaware of how their OS characteristics, leave lots of "Thumbs.db" spread all over their work. They, in average, are huge and useless for our android devices.
I try to point the right direction with:
Further info about Windows thumbnail cache.
To quickly disable the automatic creation of these files in Windows, open Explorer and under Tools menu select "Folder Options", select "Do not cache thumbnails", "Apply" and then click "Apply to All Folders"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But it's replied with "no harm made" ... That's it ? Junk useless garbage thrown all over the apk's should be considered "no harm made" ?
b) "PNG Throwers".
They see a work that they like, even regardless the base they are in, and simple copy/paste the png's from ones work to theirs. They keep this vicious loop until they obtain the results desired. Now he gets the looks he was looking for but do not remove those junk PNG's that have no relation or effect to their work and are useless too.
So ... what should be the policy regarding this lack of quality control? This garbage should be swallow as is? I'm even more sorry about the unaware users that flash these themes.
Best regards and thanks all for your time and replies.

Related

[Q] is there an app that checks all installed or purchased apps for ICS compatibilty?

maybe either through API level, or by querying market info
Reason: i want to check on GB before I upgrade to ICS, which apps will not work.
don't know if relevant but it is for SGS II
Thx in advance
repost from here as nobody could really answer my question
can't believe I'm the only one with that issue
maybe an idea for a dev? would be willing to pay for that ;-)
I don't see why this can't be done:
-http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2695746/how-to-get-a-list-of-installed-android-applications-and-pick-one-to-run
-http://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/pm/PackageManager.html
-http://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/Context.html#getApplicationInfo()
I haven't thought through the problem just yet, but its seems to be doable. If you don't find an app soon, I will start working on a script that does it and, if successful, a proper, free software app. I am hoping the available methods won't require something as stupid as launching each app fully. But again, I haven't thought it through. Thanks for the idea btw.
EDIT:
Made a little more effort
https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#!topic/android-developers/dXLACRIizKc
I will work on something this weekend and get back with y'all.
EDIT 2:
So it looks like I would need maxSdkVersion which I don't find in the API. Furthermore, it is strongly suggested that one not use maxSdkVersion when building an app so that doesn't sound all that useful. I have received another, much more complicated suggestion that may do what I want, but I will have to look hard at it. Looks like I'm going nowhere in my effort. Always open to suggestions. More to come later this weekend.
I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I thought this was mostly a straightforward task using the API's exposure to AndroidManifest.xml. As per my previously posted link to an Android Developers discussion on the topic, my approach is dead in the water as far as I can see. I did try to find an answer though to the best of my limited ability. If anyone has or ever solves this problem (I consider it a problem) I would hope they find the this thread.
Thanks for the learning experience. I give up.
Most older apps will work fine on ICS, its pretty backwards compatible. If the app uses legacy menus the button will appear in the old lower left hand corner location instead of the upper right hand corner like apps written for ICS.
i'm no dev so bear with me if i write stupid stuff
one likely but not very promising sounding way might be to use android:targetSdkVersion as "As Android evolves with each new version, some behaviors and even appearances might change. However, if the API level of the platform is higher than the version declared by your app's targetSdkVersion, the system may enable compatibility behaviors to ensure that your app continues to work the way you expect. You can disable such compatibility behaviors by specifying targetSdkVersion to match the API level of the platform on which it's running. For example, setting this value to "11" or higher allows the system to apply a new default theme (Holo) to your app when running on Android 3.0 or higher and also disables screen compatibility mode when running on larger screens (because support for API level 11 implicitly supports larger screens)."
question though is how many apps actually use this?
However after having read this re android:maxSdkVersion "Warning: Declaring this attribute is not recommended. First, there is no need to set the attribute as means of blocking deployment of your application onto new versions of the Android platform as they are released. By design, new versions of the platform are fully backward-compatible. Your application should work properly on new versions, provided it uses only standard APIs and follows development best practices. Second, note that in some cases, declaring the attribute can result in your application being removed from users' devices after a system update to a higher API Level. Most devices on which your application is likely to be installed will receive periodic system updates over the air, so you should consider their effect on your application before setting this attribute." (taking from here) i now don't know how important my op is, but then why do all app devs release new versions "fixing things" for ICS?
One pretty significant example which actually currently will prevent my phone from getting ICS for now is that the subsonic app in the current version produces stuttering when playing audio while downloading (problem description here).
Isn't there any way to instead of searching the phone searching google play/android market instead?
Randi said:
maybe either through API level, or by querying market info
Reason: i want to check on GB before I upgrade to ICS, which apps will not work.
don't know if relevant but it is for SGS II
Thx in advance
repost from here as nobody could really answer my question
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's a list of some working games/apps for ICS
Theoretically an Android app (or a combo of say App Engine and Android) could find your installed apps, seacrh Play for said apps and then scrape the page for relevant information. Doesn't sound to hard, but I didn't think about too hard either. Perhaps I will check out what useful info is on Play and how feasible scraping its markup will be. I will get back at y'all if I do.

Getting Started With Android

Hello, I'm new to this forum, but, I have been in other forums relating to hacking 'mobile' devices. Previously, I was part of a number of different iOS forums, so, I know about jailbreaking, and troubleshooting problems on the iOS platform. I'll also share my few thoughts on Android, and my experience on Jelly Bean so far within this, embarrassingly long, post.
However, with Google's announcement of the Nexus 7, I was impressed by Android, and I was thoroughly impressed that it had finally sorted out the lagging problems. (I had used Android tablets, but they never appealed to me due to the lag which each one experienced. Jelly Bean, and, in particular, 'Project Butter', has remedied this issue - I have experienced no lag on my Nexus 7 since I received it a week ago.) And so, I pre-ordered the Nexus 7 - deciding against purchasing, a much more expensive, but, I believed, an excellent tablet, the iPad.
iOS, also, was beginning to become less interesting to use - sure, the iPad may have a larger scale of the iOS mobile operating system, but it remained largely the same. Same interface (although on a, admittedly, much better screen) same apps, same freedom - without the jailbreak. The new iPad (as advertised and sold by Apple), I thought, also did not do an excellent job on improving it's predecessor. Sure, an improved screen, and processor to power the screen - but is that worth it? (Considering another one will, inevitably, be released within a year.)
Tegra 3 was making strides. Although, one thing that saddens me about Android, and is something which definitely hinders it's ability to overthrow iOS - is the fragmentation present on the operating system. I'm not sure which apps are compatible with my Nexus 7, and which ones are not. (On a side not, piracy is also another factor which slows the progress of Android, and is perhaps a reason why some apps are exclusive to iOS in the first place - I'm looking at you Epic Games! Android certainly has the power and graphical capabilities to run the game, but Epic, like all companies must, are interested primarily on their profits. Again, fragmentation plays its part!)
Although, shifting to different mobile operating systems is rather difficult - especially since I am intrigued by modifications, and altering devices to make them fulfil my needs. On iOS, it was quite simple: There was only one thing to do - jailbreak. A process, which in itself, was extremely simple (for the most part.) It appears there are also much more iOS specialists on YouTube, who post easy to follow tutorials. Also, since iOS is a 'closed' platform, I was not concerned by viruses, and I knew what I could, and could not do.
Android, however, is open - and this, paradoxically, limits myself. There are so many modifications, I do not know which ones are good, which ones are bad, and which ones could result in bricking my, now beloved, Nexus 7. I don't want to completely mess up my device, or install random rubbish which only makes it slower. I have, almost literally, no clue on where to start. Sure, I've downloaded a few basic apps from Google Play - TegraZone - but who cannot do that without assistance?
I want to install more widgets, that amaze me, and also applications which will prove useful. (For example, a file managing app, a torrent app (no piracy! ), and other cool things.) I also, though, require a reliable anti-virus. Having previously used iOS for a number of years, I was not subject to any viruses, and, indeed, I did not have to worry about viruses - there are very few, if any, viruses on iOS. Android, though, is much more open to viruses. I need to ensure that I do not succumb to one.
However, what I am most interested in is the 'rooting' process, and the benefits which can derive from it. What extra things can I achieve by rooting my Nexus 7? What applications should I install to supplement the rooted device? (I have read of ClockWork(?)Mod, but I have not really ventured that far into applications which take advantage of rooting, since a lot of the information mentioned appears to me as gibberish, due to my noobishness .) And, perhaps most importantly, if something were to go tragically wrong - how would I recover the device. (Again, I'll make a reference to iOS, since, it is an operating system I am familiar with - you could simply restore the device through iTunes - what is Android's alternative?)
So, can you assist me in getting accustomed to the Android operating system by providing your recommended apps, and also useful tutorials which I can use to develop my understanding? I literally have no clue what half of the things in the Android section of this forum talk about - they included an abundance of vocabulary which, evidently, you need relative experience to understand. I also need require some Android experts - involved in perhaps development - to follow on Twitter!
Thanks for reading through my essay! Please, help a noob get started! I would appreciate all forms of feedback!
Note: I have downloaded the Android SDK (Although, not installed it, as of the time of writing.), and I have also got the factory image for the Nexus 7. I achieved this by briefly viewing a YouTube video. There do not appear to be that many, though. The XDA YouTube channel generally covers the news aspect of all things related to Android.
The greatest bit of advice I can give is to start here - Nexus 7 - and read read read!
There's no backup and restoring the entire system without root. When you do you can install a custom recovery. Note there is always a stock recovery that is far limited compared to recoveries such as CWM.
Android really doesn't have problems with viruses. Seriously. The only reason why it appears so is because idiots sideload apps from shady sites that contain viruses, but on iOS there is no sideloading without jailbreak.
For a file managing app, you can use Explorer (my preferance), ES File Explorer, or Astro.
Widgets are really personal preferance, I keep a music widget to quickly play music, a calendar widget, weather widget. You might want a news widget like Flipboard.
Rooting gives you full access to your device. It allows performance gains like overclocking, battery saving with underclocking. Like I said before, it opens to ability to backup/restore entire systems and individual apps with Titanium Backup. You can install customs ROMs, delete system apps (usually bloatware), remap the physical keys, use Tasker for automated tasking (pretty awesome btw). You can also edit system files, such as notification tones, ringtones, bootanimation, etc.
Sent from my MB508 using xda premium
Konflict1471 said:
Hello, I'm new to this forum, but, I have been in other forums relating to hacking 'mobile' devices. Previously, I was part of a number of different iOS forums, so, I know about jailbreaking, and troubleshooting problems on the iOS platform. I'll also share my few thoughts on Android, and my experience on Jelly Bean so far within this, embarrassingly long, post.
However, with Google's announcement of the Nexus 7, I was impressed by Android, and I was thoroughly impressed that it had finally sorted out the lagging problems. (I had used Android tablets, but they never appealed to me due to the lag which each one experienced. Jelly Bean, and, in particular, 'Project Butter', has remedied this issue - I have experienced no lag on my Nexus 7 since I received it a week ago.) And so, I pre-ordered the Nexus 7 - deciding against purchasing, a much more expensive, but, I believed, an excellent tablet, the iPad.
iOS, also, was beginning to become less interesting to use - sure, the iPad may have a larger scale of the iOS mobile operating system, but it remained largely the same. Same interface (although on a, admittedly, much better screen) same apps, same freedom - without the jailbreak. The new iPad (as advertised and sold by Apple), I thought, also did not do an excellent job on improving it's predecessor. Sure, an improved screen, and processor to power the screen - but is that worth it? (Considering another one will, inevitably, be released within a year.)
Tegra 3 was making strides. Although, one thing that saddens me about Android, and is something which definitely hinders it's ability to overthrow iOS - is the fragmentation present on the operating system. I'm not sure which apps are compatible with my Nexus 7, and which ones are not. (On a side not, piracy is also another factor which slows the progress of Android, and is perhaps a reason why some apps are exclusive to iOS in the first place - I'm looking at you Epic Games! Android certainly has the power and graphical capabilities to run the game, but Epic, like all companies must, are interested primarily on their profits. Again, fragmentation plays its part!)
Although, shifting to different mobile operating systems is rather difficult - especially since I am intrigued by modifications, and altering devices to make them fulfil my needs. On iOS, it was quite simple: There was only one thing to do - jailbreak. A process, which in itself, was extremely simple (for the most part.) It appears there are also much more iOS specialists on YouTube, who post easy to follow tutorials. Also, since iOS is a 'closed' platform, I was not concerned by viruses, and I knew what I could, and could not do.
Android, however, is open - and this, paradoxically, limits myself. There are so many modifications, I do not know which ones are good, which ones are bad, and which ones could result in bricking my, now beloved, Nexus 7. I don't want to completely mess up my device, or install random rubbish which only makes it slower. I have, almost literally, no clue on where to start. Sure, I've downloaded a few basic apps from Google Play - TegraZone - but who cannot do that without assistance?
I want to install more widgets, that amaze me, and also applications which will prove useful. (For example, a file managing app, a torrent app (no piracy! ), and other cool things.) I also, though, require a reliable anti-virus. Having previously used iOS for a number of years, I was not subject to any viruses, and, indeed, I did not have to worry about viruses - there are very few, if any, viruses on iOS. Android, though, is much more open to viruses. I need to ensure that I do not succumb to one.
However, what I am most interested in is the 'rooting' process, and the benefits which can derive from it. What extra things can I achieve by rooting my Nexus 7? What applications should I install to supplement the rooted device? (I have read of ClockWork(?)Mod, but I have not really ventured that far into applications which take advantage of rooting, since a lot of the information mentioned appears to me as gibberish, due to my noobishness .) And, perhaps most importantly, if something were to go tragically wrong - how would I recover the device. (Again, I'll make a reference to iOS, since, it is an operating system I am familiar with - you could simply restore the device through iTunes - what is Android's alternative?)
So, can you assist me in getting accustomed to the Android operating system by providing your recommended apps, and also useful tutorials which I can use to develop my understanding? I literally have no clue what half of the things in the Android section of this forum talk about - they included an abundance of vocabulary which, evidently, you need relative experience to understand. I also need require some Android experts - involved in perhaps development - to follow on Twitter!
Thanks for reading through my essay! Please, help a noob get started! I would appreciate all forms of feedback!
Note: I have downloaded the Android SDK (Although, not installed it, as of the time of writing.), and I have also got the factory image for the Nexus 7. I achieved this by briefly viewing a YouTube video. There do not appear to be that many, though. The XDA YouTube channel generally covers the news aspect of all things related to Android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome to Android!
I think you'll enjoy it
Ok on to your questions:
These are gonna be out of order
Reliable anti-virus: Trend Micro Mobile Security (worth the $10 )
Benefits of CWM: Backups, restores, custom ROM flashing
Benefits of rooting: custom ROMs, access to system files
Some apps to get started: Angry birds , Rom Manager, BatteryCalibration, ES File Manager, imo
Android's alternative to iTunes' restore is CWM. It's not official but its tons better then iTunes. You do it from the device and its a full, complete restore.
Ask again if I didn't answer something
Very long post BUT a few things to think about.
I have never used a antivirus software and really they are pointless just look at the apps before you download them read the comments and look at the permissions the app uses and think "does that fart noise app need to be able to send texts" of cause the answer is no so don't install it.
Other fractures can be useful like phone tracking but there are better apps that are free for this like prey.
If you root you will have full control of your filesystem much like su on Linux if you have ever used this. You could for example with root use my project to run Linux distros like Ubuntu. The nexus 7 due to being under googles power is very easy to unlock and root and if you mess something up easy to restore a backup. There are other great apps to like being able to back up apps and there data.
Just a few points and if you have more questions feel free to pm me
Sent from my GT-N7000 using xda premium
AVG or Avast antivirus are the best.
Solid Explorer is the best file explorer.
UCCW is the most customizable widget.
Taptu or Pulse are the best news readers.
Pocket.
Tapatalk forum.
MX player is the best video player.
Dropbox is by far the best cloud storage.
Photoshop.
PowerAMP is the best Music Player.
I would say that you don't need to root a Nexus Device. You got the latest OS and will always have.
The only reason you would wanna root is for some root apps.
Like Titanium Backup, AdBlocker and ROM Toolbox.
CWM is only necessary if you want to flash a custom ROM and you don't need to because you already have AOSP Jelly BEAN.
Thanks for all of the responses! And apologies for the long post! xD
I'll look through the Nexus 7 forums as XperienceD mentioned.
And by ClockWordMod - is that actually ROM Manager? I'm confused, and this is probably the most noobish question you'll get. xD
Since I don't really want to root my Nexus 7 (currently, that is) - then I would not really need to back up the data, since, there will be no risk. I'm not really concerned about overclocking my device - it's quite fast as it is. However, battery saving is quite tempting. Although, I don't see it as a reason alone to root my Nexus. And, as it is stock Google - there is no unnecessary bloat ware attached to the device.
And I can't get viruses while browsing through the internet?
I always thought that was the case, which is why I was looking for an anti-virus application.
Also, for UCCW - do I need to install a custom launcher of some sort? Is it really possible to add a widget, that appears complicated, simply through the Google Play market?
And finally, while installing ES File Explorer - I noticed that it had permission to remove shortcuts without user intervention. Is this the sort of permission I should be checking for on other applications? Since people on this forum recommended the app, I didn't really have any doubts of whether it was legit.3.
Also, how you I get toggles back on the notification bar? On iOS (sorry for the repeated mentioning of the scum ) - I had SBSettings, which was similar to the notifications available on Android. How would I add the toggles back?
Konflict1471 said:
Thanks for all of the responses! And apologies for the long post! xD
I'll look through the Nexus 7 forums as XperienceD mentioned.
And by ClockWordMod - is that actually ROM Manager? I'm confused, and this is probably the most noobish question you'll get. xD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is a custom recovery which lets you backup your ROM, flash new ROMs and make other changes to your device (so in a way use it is a ROM manager)
Konflict1471 said:
Since I don't really want to root my Nexus 7 (currently, that is) - then I would not really need to back up the data, since, there will be no risk. I'm not really concerned about overclocking my device - it's quite fast as it is. However, battery saving is quite tempting. Although, I don't see it as a reason alone to root my Nexus. And, as it is stock Google - there is no unnecessary bloat ware attached to the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is true if you have a nexus device the need for root is far less, and the fact that alot of apps that used to need root have become features in new versions of android, back in the days of 1.5/6 you needed root to pretty much do anything good
Konflict1471 said:
And I can't get viruses while browsing through the internet?
I always thought that was the case, which is why I was looking for an anti-virus application.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure you might get windows viruses but in no way will they beable to run on your device let aloan harm it. The only way anything evil can be done is if you install the app (and in alot of cases give it root) so check those permissions!
anti-virus apps are the biggest scam (well paid one anyway) all they can really do is check a database of known bad apps and check it its there, other than that they do nothing. They are a trick from all the Windows users coming to android after having it hammered into them that you need anti-virus
Konflict1471 said:
Also, for UCCW - do I need to install a custom launcher of some sort? Is it really possible to add a widget, that appears complicated, simply through the Google Play market?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope just add the widget to your home creen, in the app launcher press the widget button and then long press on the widget you want and drag it to the home screen you want, many apps include widgets so will be installed with the app as part of it (e.g twitter) while other 'apps' are just widgets
Konflict1471 said:
And finally, while installing ES File Explorer - I noticed that it had permission to remove shortcuts without user intervention. Is this the sort of permission I should be checking for on other applications? Since people on this forum recommended the app, I didn't really have any doubts of whether it was legit.3.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is likely a good reason for this (And with alot of apps if there is a odd permissions it will say in the apps description why its needed) but yes its the kind of thing you have to stop and think about
Konflict1471 said:
Also, how you I get toggles back on the notification bar? On iOS (sorry for the repeated mentioning of the scum ) - I had SBSettings, which was similar to the notifications available on Android. How would I add the toggles back?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
to add toggles you would either need to use a custom ROM, or download a app that will do it like this one https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.j4velin.notificationToggle&hl=en
Thanks very much for your detailed and extremely helpful reply!
I'll just do what you recommended! The Notification Toggle is an extremely impressive app, I must admit.
Since there is no point downloading a paid antivirus, should I download Avast Anti-virus (since it's free), just for precautionary measures?
Konflict1471 said:
Thanks very much for your detailed and extremely helpful reply!
I'll just do what you recommended! The Notification Toggle is an extremely impressive app, I must admit.
Since there is no point downloading a paid antivirus, should I download Avast Anti-virus (since it's free), just for precautionary measures?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well its not going to hurt and would at least prevent an app thats bad be installed if you missed it. And like I said some do have some nice other features just the "anit-virus" side of it is rather pointless
There is a huge thread with skins for UCCW.
And Power Widgets or Notification Toggles are the best Notification Drawer toggle apps.
NT has customizable icons.
If you want weather too there's some new app called Deluxe Notification Bar which shows weather and toggles.
Look in the Nexus 7 forums for no-root battery saving advice.
And if you do not want battery drain don't use Anti-virus.
I've never had any virus problems.
If you're unrooted they can't really mess with your phone.
Just stay away from creepy apps, Chinese apps (no racist), piracied apps and apps from other than Play Store and XDA.
And never play ad-supported games.
Buy ad-free versions or play offline if you don't want battery drain.
Also SwiftKey is a MUST, if you're not happy with Jelly Bean keyboard.

Making "Stock" Custom ROMs Defunct (XposedFramework) - Tweaks for any ROM Version

Making "Stock" Custom ROMs Defunct (XposedFramework) - Tweaks for any ROM Version
Introduction
Recently it has dismayed me how, across the Android Community, people seem to feel that it's necessary to run a "Custom ROM" in order to get improvements and changes to your ROM. Of course, some of you know it's possible to modify the APK files directly to change things, but these changes need to be done every time your base ROM is updated. Once Samsung starts leaking out updates to 4.2 like a sieve, you guys will be all over them, needing to update your patches and tweaks every time.
Anyway, seeing this displeases me, as it encourages people to see "Custom ROMs" as a commodity, and something you consume. In essence, users were getting their "fix" of tweaks from their "chef", but not learning how to do it themselves, nor realising their beloved chef isn't doing anything magical. In fact, their chef is likely decompiling the applications, and using baksmali/apktool to take apart the app, hard-code in their changes, then rebuild it. This method has worked well for 3 years, but it's been in need of an update for some time.
The Enlightenment
Then I saw this thread by rovo89. That man deserves a beer for every Android user there is, for his work on the Xposed Framework! His and Tungstwenty's work on this has made it possible to modify the core Android system, without doing any actual modifying of applications.
OK... Why are you telling me this?
This invention seems to have pretty much gone unnoticed by the world. The reasons this is vastly superior to any other way of making modifications to apps and the system are:
Your modifications are not tied into a single version of the APK or app or framework. If the ROM is updated, the patch should still work perfectly on the new version of the app (this doesn't necessarily apply across major updates like 4.1 to 4.2, but should be fine across 4.1.0 to 4.1.2 style changes).
You are not actually modifying any files on the phone! If something goes wrong, you can just disable the support for the framework, and the tweaks will do nothing. As such, it's easier to get a working phone if something dies - in fact there is a ZIP placed on your SD for this very purpose. Just flash it in CWM and it will disable the framework.
As no actual files are being modified, it doesn't matter if your ROM is odexed, deodexed, or a bit of both (ie. certain apps deodexed, but frameworks odexed). With this, there is no reason to run a deodexed ROM, since you can change pretty much everything you want to without touching the raw files. So leave them as odex files and you'll not have any problems. Bear in mind we deodex to allow easier customisation, odexed is actually slightly faster, and removes the majority of the dexopt process on first boot.
No application signatures are modified, as the apps are not touched, so if you were to use this to modify an app like Maps or Gmail, you won't get issues when trying to update to a new version of the app via the market.
The only way this can succeed is for you to try it. I usually run a "custom ROM" on my phone. For the first time ever, I've been using a stock ROM for a significant period of time. On the Note2 in particular, Samsung is really getting good at this. But they're not perfect. And as such, I started to look at using this to perfect their work.
When you run a custom ROM, look at what you're getting, and ask yourself why it doesn't use this method. I've only made one little modification so far, but it's one that annoys me hugely! The blooming SMS -> MMS conversion when you try to write any form of prose in a text message. I cannot stand the limitation of SMS to 160 characters, so the ability to chain together messages is a godsend to me. Unfortunately though, Google and Samsung seem to like to restrict you to 3 SMS messages worth of text before converting to an MMS message. Which is wonderful, except when you have totally unlimited SMS, but pay for MMS. As such, I was finding my ability to communicate in my usual verbose way somewhat hindered by the messaging app.
Alas that is no longer an issue. If you want to get started, here's how.
OK... How do I use this?
Download and install the APK file from this post - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1574401. I have tested it on the N7100, it works fine. Run it, install the framework, grant it root (yes, this requires root!), and reboot. I have mirrored the APK below just in case of issues.
Download and install the APK modification you want from http://www.villainrom.co.uk/forum/microdownloads/
When you get a notification about enabling the modification (after the APK is installed), tap that notification, and enable the plugin by ticking the box.
Reboot your phone
Go test your modification
If you have any issues with this, please paste the contents of /data/xposed/debug.log on a pastebin site or in
Code:
tags.
[SIZE="5"][B]How can I make my own modifications like this?[/B][/SIZE]
Will post this a bit later, along with the source of this plugin.
[SIZE="5"][B]References[/B][/SIZE]
[url]http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1574401[/url]
[url=http://forum.xda-developers.com/member.php?u=4322181]Tungstwenty[/url]
[url=http://forum.xda-developers.com/member.php?u=4419114]Robo89[/url]
[SIZE="5"][B]Sources[/B][/SIZE]
You can find the sources for Xposed Framework at [url]https://github.com/rovo89[/url]
You can find the sources for all Xposed modifications I have made so far on Github:
[url=https://github.com/pulser/xposedSMStoMMS]Disable SMS -> MMS Conversion[/url]
[url=https://github.com/pulser/xposedDisableBatteryFullAlert]Disable 100% Battery Notification[/url]
[url=https://github.com/pulser/xposedEnableCallRecording]Enable Call Recording[/url]
[url=https://github.com/pulser/xposedScrollingLauncherWallpaper]Enable scrolling wallpaper in stock launcher[/url]
[url=https://github.com/pulser/xposedEmailTextColour]Make text in email app message list clearer to read (lighter) on the black background[/url]
Install the Xposed Framework from this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1574401
Modifications
OK so a few people suggested an addon repository... I have got one sorted
Downloads
http://www.villainrom.co.uk/forum/microdownloads/
I've added some of mine so far, but I won't add other people's - they can add them themselves, and maintain them
This system is vastly superior to a stickied forum thread, as you can update your own modification (as a developer), and as a user, receive notifications if a modification is updated.
Developers
Register for an account (Free, easy, no spam etc)
Go to http://www.villainrom.co.uk/forum/account/join-user-groups
Tick the option for Xposed Uploader, and hit Save. A request will be sent to me for your application. I'll approve it when I see it (should be quite fast, it gives me a popup)
Head back to http://www.villainrom.co.uk/forum/microdownloads/ and click the Upload button at the top right.
Use a general title that describes what your modification does. Put in a version string too. I tend to use the format 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 etc, but this is up to you. You can add Alpha or Beta or other designations if you wish.
For author, pop in your name or username. And enter a brief description of what the modification does (which will appear in the index)
Click Categories/Agreements, and select which category the modification falls under. If you think there's a category which should be added, let me know.
Under Full Description, you can enter a detailed description of your modification. Finally, under File Options, use File to Upload to select your APK file. You can optionally add an Image to Upload. The Use File URL should be set to no, and the File URL box left blank.
Users
There is no need to register an account to download files from the repository. If you wish to receive notifications of updates, you can register an account - just hit the red "Log in or Sign up" button - you can use a Twitter or Google account if you want, or just make a plain account. It makes no difference.
Head across to http://www.villainrom.co.uk/forum/microdownloads/ and have a look at the modifications you want.
Click watch file (at the bottom right) if you want notifications about updates to a modification
Click Report to report a modification for being malicious or problematic.
Click "add comment" to discuss or comment on the modification, or leave a "review" or feedback
Click on the stars under (0 votes) to leave a star rating on the modification, which will help generate most popular lists on the main page.
Click to see licence details of mine:
Feel free to use these as you wish, for non-commercial purposes. You may share these for personal use. Note that distribution in any kind of "package" or "custom ROM" is not personal use. Sending a friend a copy is personal use, feel free to do that and share the love.
Feel free to make changes to the source code of the modifications if you think you can improve them, provided you make your changes available in a similar manner. If you fix a bug or error, please send a pull request.
If you wish to use these commercially, please contact me. This includes in any "distribution package", be it a ROM, app, store, marketplace or other package. That's not in the spirit of this project, so get in touch with me and we'll discuss it.
Tl;dr:
End users, have fun, use these, enjoy them, share them, tweak them, just be sure to share your source changes and/or send a pull request if you improve something!
"Custom ROM" Developers, and anyone wanting to try to use these for commercial purposes: Don't. These are to encourage people to learn about these changes, so contact me if you want to do something else with them. Commercial use, including distribution in "Custom ROMs" is not permitted.
How to make your own such modification
This information is NOT complete. This example only uses 1 of about 10 different types of modification. I have spoken to rovo89 and he has said it would probably be possible to document this further. This example covers ONE usage case - I am going to override an entire method.
1. Create a new empty Android project in Eclipse.
2. Within the "application" section of your AndroidManifest.xml, add the following metadata:
Code:
<meta-data android:name="xposedmodule" android:value="true"/>
<meta-data android:name="xposedminversion" android:value="2.0rc1.*" />
3. Within the assets folder of the project, add a plain text file, "xposed_init". Within this, I have put
Code:
uk.co.villainrom.pulser.allowlongsms.AllowLongSMS
uk.co.villainrom.pulser.allowlongsms is the PACKAGE name of my Java package. AllowLongSMS is my class name. The purpose of this is to tell the Xposed Framework what to run.
4. Within AllowLongSMS.java (ie. the class name, with .java on the end), I put the following code:
PHP:
package uk.co.villainrom.pulser.allowlongsms; //this sets the package for our project, this is the first part of the value in xposed_init file in assets.
import de.robv.android.xposed.IXposedHookLoadPackage;
import de.robv.android.xposed.XC_MethodHook;
import de.robv.android.xposed.XC_MethodReplacement;
import de.robv.android.xposed.XposedBridge;
import de.robv.android.xposed.XposedHelpers;
import de.robv.android.xposed.callbacks.XC_LoadPackage.LoadPackageParam;
//above includes all the required parts of the xposed framework that we need here
public class AllowLongSMS implements IXposedHookLoadPackage { //here we declare the class AllowLongSMS. We say it implements IXposedHookLoadPackage, as we want to make use of the hook-in on package load. Other options are available here for working with native libs etc, and resources, but I'm not using these right now.
public static final String MY_PACKAGE_NAME = AllowLongSMS.class.getPackage()
.getName(); //this doesn't do anything, I just left it here for if I needed to write logs and wanted to have the package name easily accessible.
public static final String TAG = "PulserMmsTweak"; //same here, this doesn't do anything.
@Override //we are going to override the method handleLoadPackage, if it exists further up the hierarchy
public void handleLoadPackage(LoadPackageParam lpparam) throws Throwable {
//this method is called every time a package is loaded. We have a parameter that we're going to call lpparam, that is passed in, that relates to what package was loaded
if (lpparam.packageName.equals("com.android.mms")) { //if the package that has just been loaded is called "com.android.mms" then
ClassLoader classLoader = lpparam.classLoader; //create a classloader object that we can now use
XC_MethodReplacement methodreplacer = new XC_MethodReplacement() { //create a method replacer object, as we are going to REPLACE an entire method within the mms app.
protected Object replaceHookedMethod( //we make an object here, that passes in the parameters of what to actually change
XC_MethodHook.MethodHookParam paramAnonymousMethodHookParam)
throws Throwable {
return Integer.valueOf(255);
/* THIS IS THE IMPORTANT LINE
* This line returns the value 255. Why this happens won't make sense yet, but THIS is where you put your "new method" code.
*
*/
}
};
XposedHelpers.findAndHookMethod("com.android.mms.MmsConfig", //here we say that we want to find and hook into the method "getSMSToMmsTextThreshold" which is part of the class com.android.mms.MmsConfig. We then say that we're passing this to methodreplacer, which we defined earlier
classLoader, "getSmsToMmsTextThreshold", methodreplacer);
}
//if the package wasn't com.android.mms, do nothing.
}
}
Awesome work mate. Wish I had a Note 2 to check this on.
EDIT: Wait.. I can use this on any device! Rock on. Thanks!
Wow this is great post. While reading this it makes me learn something like what is going on in background.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2
Thanks for continuing that amazing project pulser!!
I think i'm going to create some small apks for some stuff very soon (and release them of course).
Cool stuff as always pulser, keep it up
simone201 said:
Thanks for continuing that amazing project pulser!!
I think i'm going to create some small apks for some stuff very soon (and release them of course).
Cool stuff as always pulser, keep it up
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The original guys are not gone, was talking to them recently
There's scarce documentation so far on this, but I will see what else I can do with it... I might make post 2 a repository of these APKs for now...
chaitanya87 said:
Wow this is great post. While reading this it makes me learn something like what is going on in background.
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the intention Glad it worked! This is about learning, and not just "using".
Sure, you can download the APK and use it, but that's no better than just downloading some zipkang ROM that claims it does everything including making your morning coffee... This is about taking a look at HOW it works too That way people can make their own tweaks and share them!
pulser_g2 said:
The original guys are not gone, was talking to them recently
There's scarce documentation so far on this, but I will see what else I can do with it... I might make post 2 a repository of these APKs for now...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A small repo for APKs would be really cool and useful for users....
tell me if i can contribute in some ways (i'm an app dev mainly also)
simone201 said:
A small repo for APKs would be really cool and useful for users....
tell me if i can contribute in some ways (i'm an app dev mainly also)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will work something out (I can easily make a repository if this kicks off, so people can upload them and they appear).
TBH right now it's more a case of thinking up some ideas. For now, I can add anything people send into the second post (though I think it would be reasonable that we request source for all such modifications, just given the sheer ability to modify anything that this has...)
I can't think of enough things to tweak, we just need to work out WHAT people will like to modify, and implement it
I'll be a good example and put mine onto git shortly
My own notepad of things I need...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1965801
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1924905
call record:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1938808
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1871525
Hey folks,
I'm happy to see some new interest on Xposed.
I've been using it since rovo89 came up with this brilliant idea, and have to admit I was kind of sad to see not many saw its great potential.
Personally, I'm using a couple of hacks for my individual use, but if the community starts to be interested in the HOWs rather than merely nagging about the apks I guess I can try to make an effort to clean and share the code.
Please do ask away stuff, I'm eager to seeing this being used to its full potential
For now, please check the Tweakbox sources. While the code itself might no longer 100% apply to the most recent S2 stock roms, it's still a nice example of how the hacks can be done.
this sounds great! like an universal (almost!) patching system. I hope more chef will write mods for this. man...wish i had taken some lessons in coding.
for a start, how about some of the often repeated annoyance in stock samsung that drives many to use custom roms just to get these functions:-
1) disable the scrolling quick setting panel when you open notification
2) 15 toggles as implement by guys like Wanam.
3) call recording (ok we got this already)
4) 4 way reboot menu
5) some kind of user definable custom battery graphics.
sunwee said:
this sounds great! like an universal (almost!) patching system. I hope more chef will write mods for this. man...wish i had taken some lessons in coding.
for a start, how about some of the often repeated annoyance in stock samsung that drives many to use custom roms just to get these functions:-
1) disable the scrolling quick setting panel when you open notification
2) 15 toggles as implement by guys like Wanam.
3) call recording (ok we got this already)
4) 4 way reboot menu
5) some kind of user definable custom battery graphics.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah this is pretty universal. I'd even remove the word "almost" tbh...
For 1, do you mean to disable the scroll animation so that it shows the leftmost icon (wifi) first?
2 is possible, I know samsung has done it on 4.2, is the custom implementation better?
3 is done like you said.
4 should be more than possible.
5 is definitely possible, at least via flashing the modification for the battery style you want...
Thank for the ideas
i flash custom rom just because i need below few things
1.Call-Record. (done)
2.15 toggle, or maybe add NFC, S Beam, Multiwindow, Smart Stay as well
3.Louder Volume Speaker.
4.CRT Lock and Unlock Screen.
5.4 Way Reboot.
6.Unlimited Multi-Window
thanks for the good work and sharing.
Hi. So glad to see that this amazing framework didn't "die"
I would have one question about the mods...
Ok its likely that for the same device they work on different bases of the rom like DLJ5, ELK4 am I right?
But does a mod that was made for lets say the Note 2 work on a SGS3 or must it be adapted?
Thanks !
DirkStorck said:
Hi. So glad to see that this amazing framework didn't "die"
I would have one question about the mods...
Ok its likely that for the same device they work on different bases of the rom like DLJ5, ELK4 am I right?
But does a mod that was made for lets say the Note 2 work on a SGS3 or must it be adapted?
Thanks !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it's touchwiz then it should work - samsung seems to have unified a lot of it.
Jerdog used the SMS to mms patch fine on his s3.
It really just depends on the modification itself tbh...
If I would like to start writing my own mods is there somewhere a guide how to debugg the mod I write?
Thanks!
one more
can you add:
*:laugh:skip music track with volume button

[Q] How can I tell which things are running?/How to know if an app is trustworthy?

Hey,
When I turned on my phone the RAM it was taking was 300 MB, after a days use it is now 500MB (even after pressing 'clear RAM' button).
I've entered Settings->apps->running and it shows only two small things (the keyboard and some weather widget) which combined take only 20 MB.
So what is the rest of the memory is beign allocated for?
Thank you.
Does your rom have Usage Manager in the app drawer?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
Here is the path to all your applications.
Settings -> Apps --> Swipe left until the menu Running --> On top you see the description "Show cached processes", klick on it --> now you see the rest of the running applications
pc103 said:
Does your rom have Usage Manager in the app drawer?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, the closest I have is "Task Manager".
lenovoOwner said:
Here is the path to all your applications.
Settings -> Apps --> Swipe left until the menu Running --> On top you see the description "Show cached processes", klick on it --> now you see the rest of the running applications
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, indeed I see some more RAM guzzlers, but It seems like they make up most of the addition but not all of it ... plus funny thing, when I try to close everything (in 'running' and 'cache) and I reenter- here it is there again...
1) Can I see all of the elements that take up my ram (the system as well)?
2) Can I close them properly?
Thank you very much.
PS. Is there some comfortable way to jump between apps? Like in the Iphone where by pressing the 'Home' button will show you a bar with a row of icons of the currently active processes....
For your PS question, it's a long press on the Home button (below the GS3 screen).
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
---------- Post added at 10:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:45 PM ----------
The closest app I'm running to that option is Android Tuner Free. I got it for its storage optimization functions.
The busy interface has a learning curve, but it is a comprehensive & poweful app. I recommend Advanced mode & the One Click home screen.
For what you want, see both the Tasks & Kill All tiles. The first is a Task Mgr., the second is a quick 1 click. The app can teach a lot about what runs & why. It also offers a lot of fine control.
I also use the root app Startup Manager which is self explanatory & efficient.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
pc103 said:
For your PS question, it's a long press on the Home button (below the GS3 screen).
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL {hit myself on the head}, didn't occur me to try...
pc103 said:
---------- Post added at 10:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:45 PM ----------
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
pc103 said:
The closest app I'm running to that option is Android Tuner Free. I got it for its storage optimization functions.
The busy interface has a learning curve, but it is a comprehensive & poweful app. I recommend Advanced mode & the One Click home screen.
For what you want, see both the Tasks & Kill All tiles. The first is a Task Mgr., the second is a quick 1 click. The app can teach a lot about what runs & why. It also offers a lot of fine control.
I also use the root app Startup Manager which is self explanatory & efficient.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was hoping there is a way to avoid using apps...
Ok, I suppose it opens another question which I thought about creating a new thread for, but if the opportunity already arose...
How do you actually know if you can trust an app?
I'm kinda new to android and I'm much more used to the opennes of windows, also I'm pretty paranoid (a cellphone contains information 100 times more sensitive than a PC (At least my PC is like that)). I look at the permissions every app want to have and I'm simply aghast, I know of the logic behind those requests (at least for most of those I've seen) but I have zero transparency over what actions the app takes.
That really stress me a great deal...
oy-ster said:
How do you actually know if you can trust an app?. . . (a cellphone contains information 100 times more sensitive than a PC (At least my PC is like that)). I look at the permissions every app want to have and I'm simply aghast, I know of the logic behind those requests (at least for most of those I've seen) but I have zero transparency over what actions the app takes.
That really stress me a great deal...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Digital Privacy
Well it certainly stresses the last remaining fiber of your privacy. I just watched the latest "60 Minutes Overtime" piece on data brokers framing this as a lifestyle issue. Step back from the small screen & consider that your actions on board the PC have a ripple effect on your smartphone. "NAI Opt out" & "Disconnect software" are useful PC search words.
Where it Went
I rarely hear from a tech guru or even a lawyer who can decipher a EULA, TOS or Privacy agreement they didn't author themselves; yet online, we are steeped in the cumulative concessions we have accepted from them and the affiliates and partners they enable for.
The Biggest Brother?
Google is a data harvester, not a broker. They are the custodians of much of our imprint online across all platforms. check your settings accordingly; within each Google service / app/ platform you use and adjust them to taste. Know, for example, that persistent login to Gmail will append any collocated G-Search activity to your G profile if Web Data | Web History remains on. I read recently that simply joining Plus has a similar but more comprehensive effect by default, by unifying the G tracking across your entire electronic imprint.
Android Permissions
Yes. The most invasive part of Android is its permissions free for all. They are demands, not requests that each app poses. The logic is sometimes one sided and self serving to the developers at our disadvantage. What can we do?
1. Know something about your developer. XDA membership in an app developer helps define their role in a community. Check their website, reviews, accessibility, postings etc.
2. Consider lower permission alternative apps listed in the play store.
3. For each app you review in the Play Store, (have you checked play store settings yet?) assess its longevity in the marketplace to decide if you are willing to be an early adopter.
4. Resist resorting to apps to broker built-in functions your system already has. Learn your OS.
5. Weigh the logic of each permission demanded, based on risk / reward and your intended uses. Example: On my phone Google search leads the field with 59 permissions. App Permisssions by FSecure is in the low end group with zero. How do I know? App Permissions. What can I do? More on that later.
6. Debloat. I have frozen over 60 apps/services/processes using a combination of tools ranging from built in (no root) Application Management to Startup Manager and the App Quarantine app.
7. Don't be lazy about toggling settings as needed. One stock default has the GPS always enabled which may not be necessary for you.
8. Learn about the types of location services in your OS. Check location settings in affected apps and consider toggling location services as needed. Apps will prompt if the needed service is off when you use them.
9. Review your synch settings. Mine are off on the OS. I use a 3rd party mail app and manually back up contacts using Super Backup when needed.
10. Review background data settings. they are visible in Settings / Data usage, by selecting Mobile Data, and scrolling to the list of apps to tap through each and set Restrict background data if appropriate. It saves battery by reducing tower hunting and focuses you on which apps pose the highest demands.
I promised more. Learn about App Ops if you haven't. I have the luxury of running a 4.3 version that supports it so I can use a client app to filter and toggle various permissions on a per app basis. There are other, and perhaps more thorough approaches to this but I'm staying with this one for now.
pc103 said:
Digital Privacy
Well it certainly stresses the last remaining fiber of your privacy. I just watched the latest "60 Minutes Overtime" piece on data brokers framing this as a lifestyle issue. Step back from the small screen & consider that your actions on board the PC have a ripple effect on your smartphone. "NAI Opt out" & "Disconnect software" are useful PC search words.
Where it Went
I rarely hear from a tech guru or even a lawyer who can decipher a EULA, TOS or Privacy agreement they didn't author themselves; yet online, we are steeped in the cumulative concessions we have accepted from them and the affiliates and partners they enable for.
The Biggest Brother?
Google is a data harvester, not a broker. They are the custodians of much of our imprint online across all platforms. check your settings accordingly; within each Google service / app/ platform you use and adjust them to taste. Know, for example, that persistent login to Gmail will append any collocated G-Search activity to your G profile if Web Data | Web History remains on. I read recently that simply joining Plus has a similar but more comprehensive effect by default, by unifying the G tracking across your entire electronic imprint.
Android Permissions
Yes. The most invasive part of Android is its permissions free for all. They are demands, not requests that each app poses. The logic is sometimes one sided and self serving to the developers at our disadvantage. What can we do?
1. Know something about your developer. XDA membership in an app developer helps define their role in a community. Check their website, reviews, accessibility, postings etc.
2. Consider lower permission alternative apps listed in the play store.
3. For each app you review in the Play Store, (have you checked play store settings yet?) assess its longevity in the marketplace to decide if you are willing to be an early adopter.
4. Resist resorting to apps to broker built-in functions your system already has. Learn your OS.
5. Weigh the logic of each permission demanded, based on risk / reward and your intended uses. Example: On my phone Google search leads the field with 59 permissions. App Permisssions by FSecure is in the low end group with zero. How do I know? App Permissions. What can I do? More on that later.
6. Debloat. I have frozen over 60 apps/services/processes using a combination of tools ranging from built in (no root) Application Management to Startup Manager and the App Quarantine app.
7. Don't be lazy about toggling settings as needed. One stock default has the GPS always enabled which may not be necessary for you.
8. Learn about the types of location services in your OS. Check location settings in affected apps and consider toggling location services as needed. Apps will prompt if the needed service is off when you use them.
9. Review your synch settings. Mine are off on the OS. I use a 3rd party mail app and manually back up contacts using Super Backup when needed.
10. Review background data settings. they are visible in Settings / Data usage, by selecting Mobile Data, and scrolling to the list of apps to tap through each and set Restrict background data if appropriate. It saves battery by reducing tower hunting and focuses you on which apps pose the highest demands.
I promised more. Learn about App Ops if you haven't. I have the luxury of running a 4.3 version that supports it so I can use a client app to filter and toggle various permissions on a per app basis. There are other, and perhaps more thorough approaches to this but I'm staying with this one for now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for the comprehensive reply!
Indeed some of the things here are common sense but some were fairly new to me, like the close contact you are suggesting with the developer.
I have to ask though, what reviews are you reffering to? the ones in the app market or the ones on here? Also, from what I have seen in the play market, all of the reviews are about functionality but no one actualy checks the veracity of the code.
Like for instance some song recognition&download software that requires internet access permission (makes sense) and SD card access permission (also makes sense), but besides doing what it does (in a splendid manner, leaving tons of happy customers) it also steals your Whatsapp chat logs (just read an article about that breach 10 mins ago)...
How can people catch on that (otherwise the app will linger for 2 years, giving you the impression you're not an early adopter)?
Hrmph, you have given some very sound advice which I obviously intend to follow through and for that I thank you. However it seems to me like the underlying foundation is still trust in the publisher (not to abuse the permissions you had to enable for functionality sake), and the trust should stem from how well the author presents itself to the community. I suppose it is the nature of the beast, it is just that if I were to sneakily attack someone I would make sure to present myself in th best way possible .
thx.
PS. my version is 4.1 but I'll see what I can do about Appops.
P.P.S I just searched for "Tasks" on google market and all I see is an organizer. Did you mean "Task Killer"?
oy-ster said:
Thank you very much for the comprehensive reply!
Indeed some of the things here are common sense but some were fairly new to me, like the close contact you are suggesting with the developer.
I have to ask though, what reviews are you reffering to? the ones in the app market or the ones on here? Also, from what I have seen in the play market, all of the reviews are about functionality but no one actualy checks the veracity of the code.
Both sources really. There's no hard & fast divide as to what aspect reviewers might respond to at either venue. More often, Play Store reviews have alerted me when my device or my Android version gets poor results from an app. Granted code integrity issues are raised more frequently at XDA.
Like for instance some song recognition&download software that requires internet access permission (makes sense) and SD card access permission (also makes sense), but besides doing what it does (in a splendid manner, leaving tons of happy customers) it also steals your Whatsapp chat logs (just read an article about that breach 10 mins ago)...
How can people catch on that (otherwise the app will linger for 2 years, giving you the impression you're not an early adopter)?
Interesting example. I will look for the article. I wonder if the app declared that permission in their Play Store disclosure. If not, it challenged Google's policing system. I read somewhere that SELinux in newer ROMs, set to "Enforcing" brokers applicable policies from each host domain and also restricts apps from exceeding their declared permissions. (See also my note on 4.3+ below)
Hrmph, you have given some very sound advice which I obviously intend to follow through and for that I thank you. However it seems to me like the underlying foundation is still trust in the publisher (not to abuse the permissions you had to enable for functionality sake), and the trust should stem from how well the author presents itself to the community. I suppose it is the nature of the beast, it is just that if I were to sneakily attack someone I would make sure to present myself in th best way possible .
You're welcome! Placing that trust is ultimately a leap of faith, so we ask ourselves:
Does my configuration already offer this function at the OS or existing app level?
Can I justify each declared permission here?
Is there a less invasive equivalent to this app?
Have I gone over the settings thoroughly once installed?
What does my installed anti-virus say about this?
Do I need this to auto launch or only on demand?
Is it using excessive data or uptime as I monitor?
Am I getting all the Android security I could be with my current rom image?
You get the picture. Common sense, best practices & due diligence can go a long way toward closing the security gap.
PS. my version is 4.1 but I'll see what I can do about Appops.
Google only exposed it (to client apps like App Ops Starter) in 4.3 & 4.4.0, before & after that I believe an Xposed Framework module is the main alternative.
P.P.S I just searched for "Tasks" on google market and all I see is an organizer. Did you mean "Task Killer"?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The "Tasks & Kill All tiles" I referred to appear on Android Tuner Free's One Click advanced mode home screen. BTW certain apps on my phone are "frozen" when not in use.
I forgot to mention. 4.3 I'm running is on the 4.1.2 bootloader, completely avoiding lopsided knox security. I hope I didn't appear to recommend the OTA update. That's a personal choice.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda app-developers app
pc103 said:
Quote:
Both sources really. There's no hard & fast divide as to what aspect reviewers might respond to at either venue. More often, Play Store reviews have alerted me when my device or my Android version gets poor results from an app. Granted code integrity issues are raised more frequently at XDA.
Interesting example. I will look for the article. I wonder if the app declared that permission in their Play Store disclosure. If not, it challenged Google's policing system. I read somewhere that SELinux in newer ROMs, set to "Enforcing" brokers applicable policies from each host domain and also restricts apps from exceeding their declared permissions. (See also my note on 4.3+ below)
You're welcome! Placing that trust is ultimately a leap of faith, so we ask ourselves:
Does my configuration already offer this function at the OS or existing app level?
Can I justify each declared permission here?
Is there a less invasive equivalent to this app?
Have I gone over the settings thoroughly once installed?
What does my installed anti-virus say about this?
Do I need this to auto launch or only on demand?
Is it using excessive data or uptime as I monitor?
Am I getting all the Android security I could be with my current rom image?
You get the picture. Common sense, best practices & due diligence can go a long way toward closing the security gap.
Google only exposed it (to client apps like App Ops Starter) in 4.3 & 4.4.0, before & after that I believe an Xposed Framework module is the main alternative.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks again!
I just wanted to note that after spending some time here in the forum( http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/ ) looking for some intresting picks, I haven't actually encountered much comments from people that actually went over the code... so I'm a bit bummed out. :silly: :laugh:
pc103 said:
The "Tasks & Kill All tiles" I referred to appear on Android Tuner Free's One Click advanced mode home screen. BTW certain apps on my phone are "frozen" when not in use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh. Got it.
Anyway, Thank you!!!
oy-ster said:
Thanks again!
I just wanted to note that after spending some time here in the forum( http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/ ) looking for some intresting picks, I haven't actually encountered much comments from people that actually went over the code... so I'm a bit bummed out. :silly: :laugh:
...Anyway, Thank you!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're welcome. To be fair, most times I've seen postings by people who background checked code it was in rom threads, or over root exploits or security apps. In most other cases due diligence is our best defense.

[N900V] [KitKat] [4.4.2] [NC4] Comprehensive Default Applications Information

This is a piece of very new work that is in progress, but the framework is coming into place and I wanted to share this with the community for feedback and insights.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gdVCIbstn3G-GJV1qPaBjlnD7h4bBcERUpgUSm-AI1Y/edit?usp=sharing
My goal is to both catalog and research the default applications that are installed. With this information I plan to better reduce the installed applications while maintaining functionality. This work is inspired by my own tooling around that I have done on the Galaxy Tab 2 as well as others from this sub-forum that have done similar such as dkido and airmaxx23 (links below). I initially tried their suggestions, however after I found them to be both too aggressive and not aggressive enough in different regards.
With this in mind, I just restored my phone via Odin and then Kies and I am currently working on documenting the apps that exist in /data/app, /system/app, system/priv-app. From there I will be using SD Maid to associate the generic "name" with the the package/process name and .apk. Afterwards I am not sure exactly how I will proceed but I will essentially collect as much data as possible about each individual application so that myself (and anyone else) can decide on what to keep and what to remove.
I plan to test each app by freezing it before ultimately deciding on removing or keeping it for my own install. I will document this process as best as I am able for my own reference if nothing else.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2767457
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2794481
Edit: And just for clarification. This is my current goal, hopefully I will not give up but we shall see.
I'll Look forward to your findings just curious how you plan to test functionality after each app removal. There is so many things that could break that you might not realize it's broken until it's too late and you have multiple apps removed.
AdamT6 said:
This is a piece of very new work that is in progress, but the framework is coming into place and I wanted to share this with the community for feedback and insights.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gdVCIbstn3G-GJV1qPaBjlnD7h4bBcERUpgUSm-AI1Y/edit?usp=sharing
My goal is to both catalog and research the default applications that are installed. With this information I plan to better reduce the installed applications while maintaining functionality. This work is inspired by my own tooling around that I have done on the Galaxy Tab 2 as well as others from this sub-forum that have done similar such as dkido and airmaxx23 (links below). I initially tried their suggestions, however after I found them to be both too aggressive and not aggressive enough in different regards.
With this in mind, I just restored my phone via Odin and then Kies and I am currently working on documenting the apps that exist in /data/app, /system/app, system/priv-app. From there I will be using SD Maid to associate the generic "name" with the the package/process name and .apk. Afterwards I am not sure exactly how I will proceed but I will essentially collect as much data as possible about each individual application so that myself (and anyone else) can decide on what to keep and what to remove.
I plan to test each app by freezing it before ultimately deciding on removing or keeping it for my own install. I will document this process as best as I am able for my own reference if nothing else.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2767457
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2794481
Edit: And just for clarification. This is my current goal, hopefully I will not give up but we shall see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is a link to my post with all of the apps that I have removed from 4.4.2 (NC4), it may be helpful for you. Keep in mind that some apps still run even when frozen, your best bet would be to just move them to an external sdcard or rename them.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2794481
airmaxx23 said:
Here is a link to my post with all of the apps that I have removed from 4.4.2 (NC4), it may be helpful for you. Keep in mind that some apps still run even when frozen, your best bet would be to just move them to an external sdcard or rename them.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2794481
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks airmaxx23, I referenced you and that link above.
Grompy said:
I'll Look forward to your findings just curious how you plan to test functionality after each app removal. There is so many things that could break that you might not realize it's broken until it's too late and you have multiple apps removed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah Grompy, it will no doubt come down to what I find necessary and that which I do not use may well get missed (or straight up eradicated ). With that said I plan to reference other sources and hopefully that will help.
Here is the document containing my aims and goals for my own install which should help clarify what might get missed and what should not: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12BAY77gMZC752JEzA43q1Lml2jEZVTn5fvIswoOdtYg/edit?usp=sharing
Moving forward and for the time being, here are some links that I have pulled from the generic Note 3 forums that should be of added help. The Google docs link provides much of what I am aiming for here but is a bit messy.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2642101&page=2
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2642101&page=3
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2464694
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2624696
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2759839
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2687484
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=51304796&postcount=22
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=51422639&postcount=29
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2687484&page=5
https://docs.google.com/a/anihil.or...ZzBfWlR4MC03aDMyZ1BDUFNqU0E&usp=sharing#gid=0
Just another helpful link I found courtesy of the Jasmine Rom thread.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53263649&postcount=1103
For the time being I am exploring NC4 compatible ROMs and I may not make much if any progress on this. Some handy links above though if nothing else.

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