Hey guys,
For me the Google Assistant is deteriorating in experience. In the early days of the phone it worked awesome, so well that I could actually use it with screen turned off with all of its functionality. But later more on MiUi 10 and pie updates it has gone to gutters.
1. Forget screen turned off or lock screen, now it doesn't even respond to 'ok Google' from home screen.
2. It doesn't respond even on the Google feed page.
3. I need to use GA from headphone as I ride bike sometimes. Everything used to work. Now when I tell it 'navigate to XYZ', it says I don't know how to help with that.
4. When I say 'send WhatsApp message to XYZ', it says I don't know how to help with that.
5. I ask 'play music' it says 'you need to unlock your device in order to do that.' but if I say 'play coldplay', it'll actually start playing songs on Google music
6. When I say 'what's this song' which is the feature we use to identify the song playing in the background, it says 'it's not capable of doing so yet.
7. Sometimes while saving reminders, it still keeps asking me what to save or when to remind even though I mentioned everything already.
Everything above used to work absolutely fine. It seems to me either Xiaomi or Google is restricting GA. And no I don't have any weird stereotypical accent. Have you guys observing what I'm observing?
Related
The SG4 is my second smartphone - first was the Droid Charge, which nearly drove me crazy but I learned a lot.
I am aware of the possibility of rooting my phone, but having never done it.....I'm hoping to fine ways to make it work for me unless and until I find someone to root it with me - and teach me.
So, my biggest irritant is the app that says Play Music, and has an icon of a pair of yellow headphones, is playing music most of the time. I don't hear it unless I turn the media volume up pretty high - but ??? When I open it, it is called "Listen Now" and has images of the music that I had on my external SD card from the Droid Charge. The options seem to be to play my own music or all music. This is a Google app called Google Play Music. It is running all the time and when I force turn it off, it turns back on.
Story Album is also running along with an Amazon process (not the shopping cart - I think more apps)
Samsung Watch and Samsung Link are also running all the time.
I know about task killers but unless there are new and better ones (recommendations please), they turn most things back on pretty quickly and don't really accomplish very much.
BTW, Verizon, without my knowledge, switched my SD card from my Droid to the SG4. Is that ok? It seems to be working.
So I guess I'm asking for suggestions as to how to turn at least some of these apps off and avoid having to root, if possible.
Thanks for reading this and for any suggestions/recommendations.
Louise
You cant help yourself until u root.
To stop stock apps or google service, you have to either freez them or can also grinify them.but you hav to root. For now disabled the internet when u don't need it,it helps some apps stop working in background.Auto sync off also can help you a bit.but root must.
Sent from xda -
Some very weird things started happening on my phone earlier today. It's a Nexus 5X, running 8.0 Oreo, with the October security patch. I'm not rooted and I'm careful about what I install. The phone is fairly new, from this summer.
I will begin with describing what I did in the hours before this started. I can think of two things that possibly could have started it:
1) Two of my Facebook contacts sent malicious links to me an hour before. It looked like Youtube videos but was not. I did NOT open any of these links, knowing directly they were harmful (not sure if you can be affected by just receiving them, not clicking on them?). I received them in the Messenger Lite application (an official app from Facebook with scaled-down functionality).
2) A few hours before the Facebook links, I sideloaded an APK containing the new Pixel Launcher. I got the APK from Android Police/APK Mirror.
Can't attach links, but Google for: Hands-on with the updated Pixel Launcher, including the new Pixel 2 features [APK Download]
The APK was working fine and nothing seemed odd with it (I used the launcher for a few hours). As long as Android Police know what they uploaded, this shouldn't be the cause for my problems. I bet on Facebook Messenger instead. (People that click such malware links typically get their Facebook accounts hacked, however my account seems fine and my account didn't spam others with the same link. I did not change password or did anything else to "recover" my account yet).
So what happened after this on my phone?
Here is the first thing I noticed. I open Play Store to install updates. It turns out I have one update pending, it's called BankID. This is a major Swedish app used by nearly every smartphone user in the country, and it's for signing into government websites, bank websites, insurance company websites, and much more. When I click update in Play Store two things happen almost instantly:
1) Six pictures are downloaded from Messenger Lite to my phone. That makes no sense, how could clicking a button in Google Play trigger something to happen in Messenger Lite? In fact I tried it three times, with the same behavior every time. (Well, actually opening the Messenger Lite photo album, there are only photos there I already downloaded, so nothing new seems to be added there - but the photos were probably re-downloaded I believe).
2) The BankID update downloads to 100 % (the downloading takes a little longer than expected), then it halts and does nothing, i.e. it's not installing. No error message, it just stops there. I can choose to abort and try again, which I do three times or more, with exactly the same behavior.
Also, I now notice Play Protect hasn't run for two days, but when I try to run it, it seems to be down. After ~30 seconds of scanning it says "App verification temporarily down". "App verification temporarily down" could very well be connected with the halted update I just described? It still says it hasn't run for two days after this.
When I experiment, I notice other things that are very weird indeed.
1) Notifications in Gmail, Snapchat and possibly other apps aren't coming through. By opening the apps, I can sync manually.
2) When I move a file to a new folder using the Downloads app (Files app, stock one) I get a error message saying the move operation failed. This also triggered the photo notifications from Messenger Lite (same behavior as described above, with six photos). However, after a while the moved pictures are indeed in the right folder, even though the error message saying otherwise.
3) After some time I remove "app data" for the Google Play app. When I open it after that, there are now three app updates pending (e.g. Google Wifi also). But the same behavior occurs, when I try to download one or all of them, I get the Messenger photo notifications and the updates halt at 100 % without installing. So the BankID app - which could be targeted by attackers for obvious reasons - could just be a coincidence. It could have happened with any app I suppose, this was the only one pending right then. But still, why couldn't Play Store detect other pending app updates until I refreshed it the way I did? Was Play Store blocked from connecting to Google (or forced to connect to some other server, perhaps?).
What did I do after all of this?
I uninstalled three apps:
-Facebook Lite
-Facebook Messenger Lite
-Pixel Launcher APK
However the uninstall process was very odd. A process called "Package Installer" had a notification saying "Uninstalling Lite" and "Uninstalling Messenger Lite". It didn't seem to be working, it was stuck after some time. I restarted my phone and the apps seem to be gone now, at least they aren't listed in Settings --> Apps. So the uninstall process was successful I suppose, even though it didn't seem to work.
After I restarted my phone I also noticed:
-When I install Messenger Lite from Play Store now, it's easy to uninstall it the way it should be - in mere seconds.
-When I open Play Store, updates are now installing fine. Play Protect is also scanning fine now.
Everything looks back to normal now. But I'm not trusting my device. I'm gonna factory reset it. Before I do, I wonder:
-Can I feel safe the wipe would erase whatever malware I might have had on the phone?
-Is there something I could do to let us know what caused this? Upload a log here somehow?
The only piece of advice I have received as of now is: "Try restarting in safe mode, installing some AV software, and generally looking for suspicious processes." I haven't done that yet, would it still be a good thing to do? Must I install AV software before rebooting into safe mode, or could I install it directly from safe mode? (App suggestions, AV software?).
Usually I'm very careful and security-minded. I haven't had something like this happen before. So I'm very intrigued and mad about this. I'm gonna change my Google account and Facebook account passwords later on I think (I already have 2-factor authentication enabled).
One last thing: When I install Pixel Launcher on my non-rooted phone, it's not running as a system app if my understanding is correct. (At least it shouldn't be). But none the less, when I wanted to uninstall it I had to go into Settings --> Apps and tap "Show system apps" to find it in the list. Is that normal? Perhaps it doesn't mean anything, I just want to know.
Thanks for your advice in advance. Anything else to add? What should I do know? All you might have to say is appreciated.
Come on now guys, someone must be able to help?
If I factory reset the device, will it be clean? I didn't mess with custom ROMs, root, the bootloader or something else. (I suppose the bootloader is locked).
Issues:
1: Every 24-48 hours google activation, (activating the phone using "hey google", or "ok Google") simply STOPS. Until I restart the phone. No matter what wifi I use or where I am.
2: Google keyboard voice to text, (I use it when texting people, since it acts like dictation) just stops randomly, after a few sentences, especially when I use Textra message app.
Ay ideas on how to solve this?
(I already have an inquiry in to the textra team)
Thanks.
PM
My US998 (plural) work fine with Google Assistant and my Google Voice number works fine. How are the two related?
Or do you mean voice dictation? Yeah, sometimes that stops while speaking and I have to restart.
Oh. maybe I didn;t make it clear enough.
two separate problems.
1: The phone won't wake up or respond to the "OK google" command unless I restart the phone
2: Like you said, I can only dictate a few words before it stops taking dictation.
Thanks.
papamalo said:
Oh. maybe I didn;t make it clear enough.
two separate problems.
1: The phone won't wake up or respond to the "OK google" command unless I restart the phone
2: Like you said, I can only dictate a few words before it stops taking dictation.
Thanks.
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What confused me when you said Google Voice doesn't work. Google Voice is a Google phone number and an app. It does work. My wife and I use Google Voice daily since 2012. I keep Google Voice app on my main screen.
At first I read, looking for the alleged Google Voice problem, then I realized you really meant dictation, voice-to-text.
When activated Google assistant interrupts constantly, as often as every couple of seconds sometimes. I have tried the advice from every thread that I can find on the subject, but nothing works.
When disabled I then get constant pop ups of the notification prompting me to turn it back on!
I have a Xiaomi MI9 running android 10, but it doesn't have the normal menu that is present on the phones used in all the articles or videos showing how to be rid of google assistant. So for example on my phone the google app does not appear in the app manager list, and nowhere can I find the 'default apps' option.
I even tried - as suggested by some - installing Amazon Alexa as the assistant app, but there's no way to toggle between them and I still get pestered all the time but the google app, disabled or otherwise.
I am ready to consider any option, getting of the MIUI, rooting the phone, setting it on fire, whatever I need to do to be rid of this issue, It's making my phone unusable.
Please help!
It's been like 5 days since I was able to say ok Google with screen off, call ( name here) and the phone would unlock and dial the number, regardless if it was a contact or not.
Now I say ok Google call ( name here) and either the assistant will not respond after opening to make the call, or it goes open and it shows example,
Call circles pizzeria
But it never makes the call.
Now if I using my fingerprint to unlock the device, say ok Google call circles pizzeria, it will make the call.
Want to note, this is not a contact. Also don't matter if it's a contact or not. I've showed 2 examples of ok Google getting "stuck" on the commands.
I've factory reset the device. I'm thinking this has to be on Google's end. Just want to know if anyone else is affected.
So 19 views, and no one quick tested their own device? Gee thanks....
Sent from my LG-H932 using XDA Labs
I don't use Assistant at all (in fact I struggle to keep it disabled on my phone, and Google tries to enable it all the time). So I am one those views, but unfortunately have no experience.
Which OS version are you on? That might affect the results of others who try it.
Does it matter if you're in a Smart Lock situation (Trusted location, Trusted BT device etc)?
Just tested mine. My Google Home took the initiative of making the call, and gave me some tips on my first call that way. This was while my phone was in my hand, too, so I'm not sure why the GH took over, but whatever. In the end, it did dial out... or try to, before I told it to hang up.
Not exactly your situation, so I didn't respond. Mine has nothing to do with unlocking the screen, as I keep my screen unlocked and on Navigation app while driving.
But here's my story...
_________
A few months ago, new Google app update stopped Google Assistant from making the daily phone calls to my wife when I'm coming home from work. (I never know what time I can leave.)
"OK, Google, call (my wife's name)"
Normally automatically dials via Bluetooth through Google Voice.
This time nada, repeatedly -- from trying to show me search results, to not responding at all.
Even tried "OK, Google, call my wife" (instead of her name). Google Assistant: "Who is your wife?" (She's listed in Contacts as my wife, besides her full name.)
Suddenly Google Assistant wasn't performing as previously and also had amnesia.
This happened two days in a row. I had to manually hit a pinned dialer screen shortcut to call my wife while driving home. (Which is technically against the law now in Georgia, touching your phone while driving.)
So, I reverted back to the previous Google app version (downloaded through APK Mirror) -- which does exactly what I need -- and refuse to let it auto update in Google Play Store. I also have Titanium Backup of that specific version on hold, in case Google accidentally updates somehow.
I know I'm now a few months behind in app versions, but I don't have time to mess with trouble shooting. If the version I have works, I'm keeping it.
_______
I have half a dozen apps I also keep from auto updating for similar reasons.
For instance, because of newly imposed Google rules about a year ago, an long time app called My Data Manager has to put an icon on the left side status bar to show it's technically running in the background. On previous versions you could disable that stupid icon or "badge" in the app settings. It's a neat app, because I can merely swipe down and at the bottom of my notifications, there's a pinned box that shows my current data usage. And it's quite accurate. Every time I compare it to my carrier's report of my data usage it's within a few MB.
But I do NOT want to see a CONSTANT icon on my left side status bar for that app. So, I reverted to older version before the Google rules change and it works EXACTLY the way I wish. I unticked "auto update". I've done that for my phone, my wife's and my mom's.
________
I just finished working one month straight, with no days off. Feb 15 - March 13, often 12-14 hour days. In one two week stretch, I worked over 160 hours (4 weeks of work, crammed into 2 weeks.)
So, I'm not putting up with any crap from my phone.
If new app version breaks something, I'm reverting to previous app version and preventing it from updating. At some unknown point in time, if I want to test they've finally fixed what they broke, I will do that when I have free time. Other than that, I need my daily phone to work, period.
ChazzMatt said:
snip.
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What version of the G app are you on?
Also on EdXposed, or regular Xposed grab sudohide.
You can hide any app from play store.
Sent from my LG-H932 using XDA Labs
BROKEN1981 said:
What version of the G app are you on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See screenshot.