Smartphones

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Re: Smartphones
« Reply #450 on: February 22, 2015, 01:59:13 AM »
Android 5, you guys.

I'm running 5.0.1 on my Nexus 5, natch, but also I have 5.0.2 on my ye olde Samsung Galaxy S3 (i9300)and it makes that old dinner plate be like a new phone. There're a lot of UI changes and stuff like notifications work differently. Supposedly more like iOS, but I wouldn't know by how much. (The i9300, btw, is not officially a "Lollipop" phone - the 5.0.2 Android I have on there is an unofficial cyanogenmod work-in-progress.)
when ur a roamin', do as the settled do o_0

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old34

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Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad. - B. O'Driscoll.
TIC is knowing that, in China, your fruit salad WILL come with cherry tomatoes AND all slathered in mayo. - old34.

Re: Smartphones
« Reply #452 on: February 23, 2015, 04:02:10 PM »
the other side of Chinese Android:

http://ausdroid.net/2015/02/23/oppo-become-latest-company-violate-gplv2/

"Open" source comes with a legal requirement that source code be released.
when ur a roamin', do as the settled do o_0

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El Macho

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Re: Smartphones
« Reply #453 on: February 23, 2015, 07:55:53 PM »
I went with cyanogenmod and really like it. It's more complicated/time consuming to get android rooted etc, but now that it's set, I'm pretty happy with it.

Apps are improving, there are quite a few original ones that are as good as iOS-exclusive apps.

Re: Smartphones
« Reply #454 on: February 24, 2015, 11:35:26 PM »
Double-Tap to Sleep

This is my favourite trick on an Android phone with root access. Cyanogenmod has Double-Tap the Status Bar To Sleep, but , frankly, it sucks balls. Because please, the status bar? If you're reaching that high, you might as well use the power button anyway. Also, it doesn't work. Or, for me, with cm11, it didn't work. It does in cm12. But still, it's the status bar. So, without further ado, how to set up your Android phone to go to sleep when you double tap the screen.

You'll need root access, of course, but you'll also need a launcher that monitors gestures. Apex, Nova, more or less any of the others, but not the Google Now Launcher, and not Trebuchet. I used to use HD Launcher. These days I prefer Nova. Basically, you want to get into the settings for Behaviour and/or Gestures and have the launcher perform a "go to sleep" instruction of some kind when the screen is double-tapped (or swiped, or single tapped, or whichever gesture floats your boat and the launcher supports). Thing is, of course, there is no native "go to sleep" instruction. You have to find a way for the launcher to access one. Thus...

Method Number One: Xposed Framework + Gravity Box.

The Xposed Framework does nothing obvious by itself. It's only the framework after all. What it is is a powerful access tool for customization modules. The modules introduce changes in the way your Android presents itself to you and what tools you have available. One of the more popular modules is Gravity Box, which comes in Gravity Box [JB] and Gravity Box [kk] flavours. (It's also available for Lollipop, but Xposed for Lollipop is only Alpha release so far - see Xposed development forum for discussions various.) Gravity Box is basically a big ole collection of popular customization modules that do all sorts of pretty and useful things. If you already have cyanogenmod, many of those things are on your phone already. But one of the things Gravity Box does that Cyanogenmod doesn't, is make Sleep an accessible command. So basically...

(1) Install and activate Xposed Framework.
(2) Install Gravity Box module
(3) Activate Gravity Box within the Xposed Framework
(4) In your launcher gesture/behaviour settings, find and assign to double tap the Gravity Box sleep command.

(I forget how to do step 4 exactly - you're assigning either an "App" setting to double tap or a "Shortcut" setting - whichever lets you find Gravity Box actions.)

Method Number Two: Tasker

Where Xposed is a powerful tool for customization, Tasker is a powerful tool for automation. It's bizarrely difficult to understand, not at all intuitive, but once the process of creating "tasks" is realized, you can assign pretty much any bunch of Android processes to pretty much any trigger. Or so they say. I personally have never worked out how to do this except insofar as I worked out how to create a task I like to call Go To Sleep.

(1) Install Tasker
(2) Open Tasker
(3) Swipe to Tasks.
(4) Find and press at the bottom of the screen, "+".
(5) You'll be prompted to enter a task name. Enter whatever you like, but some variation on "Go to sleep" is to the point.
(6) On the new screen you're presented with, find and press again at the bottom of the screen, "+".
(7) Select Action category: Display
(8) Select Display Action: System Lock
(9) There is probably some other damn thing to do here but I just hit the "Back" button until Tasker exits.
(10) In your launcher gesture/behaviour settings, find and assign to double tap the Task you just created.

(For step 10 in Nova for instance, you're assigning a shortcut to the double tap, specifically "Task Shortcut" > "[Whatever you named the Task you just created]".)


Now obviously this is all a bit complex and the instructions are vague and a bit dubious, but the rewards are mighty and the double tap is fun. Whichever method you choose, you get powerful new access to your phone in terms either of customization or automation, and trust me, you'll be wondering how you ever lived without the double tap.

And, yes, there is a double-tap to wake, but that requires a custom kernel and sucks battery like nobody's business. I don't use it.

You're welcome.
when ur a roamin', do as the settled do o_0

Re: Smartphones
« Reply #455 on: February 28, 2015, 12:53:39 AM »
My HTC M8 does double tap sleep/wake up without the need for rooting.

It's a great all-round phone actually.

Re: Smartphones
« Reply #456 on: February 28, 2015, 01:40:16 AM »
They all should, really. Aside from the creepy "I'm always listening to you" aspect, it's a natural way to use the phone. Pressing hardware buttons, one might as well be using tin cans and a string. And according to techradar, the HTC ONE M8 is le best phone in le world. So there you go.
when ur a roamin', do as the settled do o_0

Re: Smartphones
« Reply #457 on: March 02, 2015, 01:40:59 AM »
Until the M9 comes out I suppose!

Pretty happy I got 'the best phone in the world' for only 2500 Yuan now!

Re: Smartphones
« Reply #458 on: March 09, 2015, 09:16:36 PM »
Dropped my phone. The power button rattles now.  ananananan

The Nexus 5 has an officially non-removable back, but it's not glued or screwed - it snaps into place, and is really hard to remove unless you pry it off with a special tool or drop the phone. My back didn't actually come off, it just lifted in three places. It all snapped back properly, which is great, but I can hear the power button rattle now when I shake the phone. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT USED TO OR NOT!!! MAYBE I'M LISTENING TOO HARD!

The internet is bursting at the seams with fixed for this issue (the rattle, not the not knowing), but I don't know...
when ur a roamin', do as the settled do o_0

Re: Smartphones
« Reply #459 on: March 19, 2015, 02:13:34 AM »
Update: the Lollipop China Exclamations, what I was hoping to call Chinexclamations, seem no longer to be permanent. I'm not seeing them disappear under 5.0.1, but under Android 5.1, on my network, with my phone, sometimes they go away. Outside of China they're supposed to be a marker for "no internet connectivity," and it has been thought this was being measured by connection to Google servers, thus their permanence inside China. But now in 5.1 they go away sometimes so who knows what they're measuring. It's easy enough to make them come back: just toggle your wifi. Truth be told, I kind of miss them. The wifi fan and phone signal triangle seem bare now.
when ur a roamin', do as the settled do o_0

Re: Smartphones
« Reply #460 on: March 23, 2015, 05:12:43 PM »
I've yet to own a Windows phone. But I see the new Windows 8.1 phones have introduced voice operated Cortana with Mandarin. Seems like they call it XiaoNa.

Anyone know if the system language is changed to English, Cortana will then speak and understand English?

Re: Smartphones
« Reply #461 on: July 21, 2015, 06:19:16 PM »
China Mobile seems to be pushing 4G. I stopped off at one of their locations here in podunk to add money and the dude there started telling me I had to change my SIM card. Came back with a translator and I don't know if I actually had to change the card, but change it I did. So I have the same number and the same services as before, but I can access 4G data now. Or, that is, I could access 4G if China Mobile wasn't making up it's own friggen 3G and 4G standards. TD-someshitorother, and with my international model Nexus 5, which can do 3G and LTE, I can only access the local EDGE (aka 2G) network.

Thanks China.
when ur a roamin', do as the settled do o_0

Re: Smartphones
« Reply #462 on: July 21, 2015, 06:55:42 PM »
For those who are interested, if you have the NORTH AMERICAN Nexus 5 (that is, the D820 model), then there's screwing around you can do that will make your phone do LTE on China Mobile:

From: How to unlock LTE bands,so my Nexus 5 can be used in China Mobile's 4G TD-LTE

Due to
1. China Mobile have 3 bands (39/40/41, 41 is super set of 38) been allocated, and Nexus 5 supports only band 41, for LTE-TDD.
So, first of all, you MUST MAKE SURE China Mobile is USING band 41 to provide LTE-TDD where you have your tests.

2. Nexus 5 does not support TD-SCDMA, and it seems do not support FR-CSFB. (or China Mobile did not support it yet.)
So, N5 can not go to LTE automatically through the route: 2G (GSM) -> 3G (TDSCDMA) -> 4G(LTE-TDD).
You MUST using *#*#4636#*#*, select "LTE Only" to force it connect to LTE, and then using "LTE/GSM auto (PRL)" to enable it using CSFB for incoming/outgoing voice service.

Ensure you have 4G USIM card and enabled 4G service using SMS.



This will NOT work for the INTERNATIONAL Nexus 5 (that is, any D821 model). LTE on the international Nexus 5 works only on bands 1/3/5/7/8/20.
when ur a roamin', do as the settled do o_0

Re: Smartphones
« Reply #463 on: December 21, 2015, 02:50:37 AM »
If I buy a Samsung Galaxy Note 5 in Korea does anyone know whether it will work in China with a Chinese SIM card?

Also, same question about my Samsung Tab 8 S2 LTE which I bought in Laos.

when ur a roamin', do as the settled do o_0