First off, I loathe at&t. Never use them. Verizon was far superior. Anyway, I'm now having an issue where if I send any web links they get blocked over SMS, especially to iPhone users. Very very annoying. Not to mention group SMS/MMS being garbage now. I am not sure if it has to do with me using an esim for at&t or what. They wanted to force me into a new phone and I said no because I'll be going with a pixel and graphene after this contract is up. Anyone else have these issues? Also their WiFi calling is garbage, not that I need it anyway.

cross-posted from: https://programming.dev/post/48972893 > Please share any knowledge or experience that you have on packet inspection using smartphones. I would like to sniff at my switch, which is switching between my (two LANs)^[I put "two LANs" within parentheses to denote that the two LANs are *not* being switched between.] and my ISP. For this, I have mirrored all ports that are in use to a port that is currently not in use. Can I simply buy one of those USB-C to Ethernet dongles and use `tcpdump` in Termux? Will Android recognize the dongle as a sniffable network interface? The phone is rooted.

I had a time-related work issue tonight and am seeking a way to guarantee it never recurs. Thanks in advance for any ideas! I have MacroDroid but I'm not sure of how to go about setting this up (namely the DND-overriding)...

If this can happen, is it possible that once mandatory developer verification comes into effect, all 3rd party apps will be uninstalled at first and require a re-install? Concerning this specific case, [NFCGate](https://github.com/nfcgate/nfcgate) is a tool on which [malware (family) titled NGate by ESET is based](https://www.eset.com/us/about/newsroom/research/eset-research-discovers-ngate-android-malware-which-relays-nfc-traffic-to-steal-victims-cash-from-atms-1/), thus likely causing a false positive. Oh, and no bypass is available anymore (aside from disabling play protect): 

I'm using GrapheneOS, the default Vanadium browser works great but it doesnt block ads. I want to install a 2nd browser just for youtube and my specific Google account for youtube. I also tried Newpipe and similar apps, but they cant use my Google's playlist and comments. I need them, that is why I think to use a 2nd browser. Is there a way to set Youtube links (youtube.com, m.youtube.com...etc) to be opened in a non default browser, say Brave or Firefox?

I'm looking for an Android app that strips EXIF from photos before I upload them somewhere. I really care mostly about removing geolocation. I searched on F-Droid, I didn't find much. Has anybody used [Scrambled Exif](https://f-droid.org/pl/packages/com.jarsilio.android.scrambledeggsif/) ?

Is there an explanation as to why exatcly update downloads are so slow from the game client in pretty much every game on Android i ever played that had such a thing. Screenshot is from magic arena but i also had this happen in fantasy war tactics and some other games ( cant really remember the games as they were more try and forget they ever existed type of thing ) By comparison the downloads from play store ale blazingly fast . Is that some Android limitation or was i just unlucky and those particular games had shitty servers. Also why are they not keeping the whole game in play store and doing this weird in game updates ( Probably it costs more but i would love confirmation ). 

The alternative app store Aptoide filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google in the USA over alleged monopolization. Aptoide, provider of an alternative Android app store, accuses Google of excluding competing app stores from the market by monopolizing app distribution and billing, thus violating US antitrust law.

  For those out of the loop: GameNative is an open source app to play PC games on Android, it supports Steam, Epic, GOG and Amazon. https://gamenative.app/ Get 0.9.0 here: https://downloads.gamenative.app/releases/0.9.0/gamenative-v0.9.0.apk Or on Github here: https://github.com/utkarshdalal/GameNative/releases/download/v0.9.0/gamenative-v0.9.0.apk Includes exciting changes like initial Pixel 10 support, Steam Workshop support, Steam branch support. Full changelog in thread 🧵 Changelog: # What's Changed # Fixes since prerelease: Fix touchpad right-click by @Nightwalker743 in #1071 fix: remove 30s brightness blackout from ambient download overlay by @xXJSONDeruloXx in #1086 add OpenAL Soft Audio support, added presets for WINEDLLOVERRIDES for Quick Audio fixing by @Catpotatos in #1102 BCN emulation was hidden from Proton x86_x64 by @Catpotatos in #1109 Fix old installs for storage mgr by @xXJSONDeruloXx in #1111 Handle store-specific best configs by @utkarshdalal in #1115 Reduce GC pressure in CaseInsensitiveFileSystem by @jeremybernstein in #1120 Fix crash on game start on Meta Quest by @lvonasek in #1105 Don't show logged out steam splash when offline by @utkarshdalal in #1138 Hide local saves only setting by @utkarshdalal in #1139 # Fixes from 0.9.0-prerelease: Updated Wrapper - initial PowerVR (Pixel 10) GPU support - thanks to @sharpy66 and @Pipetto-crypto Added "use known config" and automatic best configs for Epic, GOG and Amazon by @unbelievableflavour in #892 Added Steam workshop implementation by @Nightwalker743 in #977 Added support for Steam game versions/branches by @morganwalkup in #870 Added "compatibility" filter by @unbelievableflavour in #813 Added downloads & storage manager by @xXJSONDeruloXx and @eredisg in #878 Added carousel layout by @xXJSONDeruloXx in #797 Fixes for launching from frontends by @jeremybernstein Fix Steam cloud saves for games like Cult of the Lamb and Blue Revolver - apply UFS rootoverrides for Windows save paths by @kiequoo in #839 Screensaver for download screen OLED protection by @ObfuscatedVoid in #1017 fix for games with Steam Input by @kiequoo in #1026 Samsung DeX support by @AndreVto in #793 Upload achievements in real-time & custom achievement pop-up placements by @phobos665 in #975 Fix display of game playtime by @kiequoo in #957 Preserve settings on Steam logout by @xXJSONDeruloXx in #903 Winlator ludashi effects by @xXJSONDeruloXx in #803 Improve boot splash tip readability on dark displays by @nacl-dev in #823 Launch games in the correct workingDir, fix some cloud saves and no launches by @kiequoo in #775 Reduces boot time on external storage by @giovannygb in #747 Fix CursorWindow crash on large Steam libraries by @jeremybernstein in #961 add battery temperature metric to performance HUD by @xXJSONDeruloXx in #991 Nicer amazon images by @unbelievableflavour in #1021 Nicer images for in GOG detail screens by @unbelievableflavour in #998 Reduce buggy game calculation size (eg in RE4) by @jeremybernstein in #929 Adjust color scheme of the External Display Input (on Thor-type devices) by @MayRedBeWithYou in #838

If anyone could point me to some information or guide about this I'd really appreciate that. I think the official com.android.gsm and friends need to be uninstalled first. I've tried that with adb, console reports "success", Google Play Services is no longer listed in Settings > Apps. But... if I try to install MicroG via Fdroid or Droid-ify it goes through the install process, there's no error, but MicroG Core is not shown as "installed". If I try to install the apk with adb it says the currently installed version is newer than the one I'm trying to install? microg.org seems to just assume you know how to install. I read something about signature spoofing but I thought that was only for older devices. Any insights / suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Edit: I think this is the answer: https://xdaforums.com/t/guide-degoogle-any-device-and-install-microg.4058743/

I've been looking for something like the old app making 3D wallpapers from GCam lens blur photos, but found nothing. This is not the same, but it is quite good nonetheless.

I've posted on here a long time ago about [RTranslator](https://github.com/niedev/RTranslator), which is a phenomenal, real-time translation app for conversations. It's a beautifully designed app that allows for on-device transcription and translation. RTranslator has a few different modes that make it great for bilingual conversations. It can do simple text translations very well, like a handful of other apps. I actually use [this one](https://github.com/DavidVentura/offline-translator) for that purpose because it has system context menus and OCR for image translation. Where RTranslator really shines is in translating live conversations. When it first came out a couple years ago, it felt like sci-fi. You can set it up to walkie-talkie mode, and the phone will automatically detect multiple speakers, identify the language they're speaking, and translate to the other language. If you have TTS enabled on your phone, you can even hear the other half of the conversation (more on that in a moment). The really amazing feature is if you have translator installed on two separate devices, then you can communicate with each other over Bluetooth. Even with your phone in your pocket, you can easily have a complete conversation with another person. Did I mention that it does all of this without *any* internet? When you first set up the app, you'll have to access the internet to download language models, but after that, it never goes online. The file size and processing power might be heavy on older or cheaper phones, but runs smoothly and easily on modern phones (I have a Pixel 7, which is hardly bleeding edge). I like things that happen on-device for privacy purposes, but it's also immediately practical for something like this. If you need on the spot translation, there's a good chance you're traveling and may not have access to reliable (or free) internet. Most Android devices have built-in text-to-speech (TTS). So after you've installed RTranslator and selected your languages to download, then you're good to go. If you're using an alternative OS (like graphene, which I use), then you'll have to select one yourself. Note: I think that Google's TTS also works on device without an internet connection, but I'm not 100% sure. That's where [SherpaTTS](https://github.com/woheller69/ttsEngine) comes in. Like the translator, Sherpa will need some space on your device and uses some processing power (although, the footprint is much smaller). It takes a little bit of time to set up, but most of that time is choosing your selected voice. There are literally hundreds of models to choose from.  You can set it up as your system default TTS, and then select it through the menu or during setup in RTranslator. Now you have modern, offline, live translation almost instantaneously. Both apps are easy to set up and walk you through the process pretty quickly. *All software here mentioned is open source. Some of the models used by this software might be derived from proprietary sources, but the models themselves are considered open source. Nobody asked me to do this, but I like sharing great open source software. Projects like these don't have an advertising budget, and rely on word of mouth.* [RTranslator On GitHub](https://github.com/niedev/RTranslator) [SherpaTTS on F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/de/packages/org.woheller69.ttsengine/) [SherpaTTS on OpenApk](https://www.openapk.net/ttsengine/org.woheller69.ttsengine/) [SherpaTTS on GitHub](https://github.com/woheller69/ttsEngine)

Hi all, so as per title, when I use browser app to make a pwa or 'add to homescreen' it works, but then opens the home page not the actual link I had created. From memory there was a hack where you would put your phone offline, airplane mode I think' and then it would save the link. But doesn't work anymore. Any1 have any solutions? Tx Here is the link https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nwXAECO43ND2zjX9jzu5s3QiapGKlHKzs Solved: see u/DerisionConsulting comments with steps. No need for tinyurl. Ty u all who helped. ❤️

I've been having an issue with my ringtone volume randomly lowering itself. It doesn't matter if my master volume is at 100%; most calls will come in silent or extremely low volume. The only way I know how to lower the ringtone volume specifically is through the settings menu, and every time I go into those settings, it is set to low or 0%. Does anyone know of any fix for this issue? I found a few forum posts on this topic on Samsung's website, but I didn't see anyone reply with a fix. Thank you in advance!

Interesting comparison of the AI eraser functions on the Pixel versus the Galaxy.

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/58870060 > I've been using Samsung Internet for a very long time, knowing it isn't the best one for privacy. However, the user experience with it is, for me, unmatched by any other browser, including Vivaldi, Brave, and any Firefox forks. > > So here's what I'm looking for in a browser: > > - preferably FOSS > > - some control on privacy setting, less trackers/fingerprinting, etc. Doesn't have to be the most hardened. > > - decent dark mode for web pages (Dark Reader is OK) > > - bottom search bar > > - bottom tabs bar rather than tab switcher > > - a quit button I don't have to tap and scroll 2 times to find. Ideally it'd be placed on the main bottom bar > > - the quit button must clear cache and close all tabs, so I think it should be native and not an extension, but maybe I'm wrong? > > Is there any browser that can give me that? > > I'd love using Fennec as my main - and God knows I've tried multiple times to - but missing some of those feature made it hard for me to leave Samsung Internet behind. ATM I'm using both browsers BTW. > > Any suggestion is appreciated!

> Google has pulled the plug on security updates for Android 12 and Android 12L after roughly four years, but it won't matter to most.

Criteria and absurd wishlist Affordable, might find it used in a shop in the u.s. or from a reputable source online Full Root "Secure" Quality build Removable battery/sim/storage Headphone jack Tablet or phone Runs something better than Android 7

Apparently this is to hassle Epic Games. HN discussion has more info: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46333734

In November I'm visiting Dominican Republic for the first time. I want to take underwater photos & video. TIA.

upcoming OnePlus device, rumored to have a massive 7800mAh battery (per Wccftech). and it would absolutely smoke the 5,000 and 4,685mAH batteries in the Galaxy S25 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Instead, Apple and Samsung seem to be prioritizing thinness at all costs, **for reasons that aren't entirely clear beyond aesthetics and bragging rights**. It's been years since I've heard anyone complain about how thick a phone is, if not a decade or more. Complaints have trended in the opposite direction, I'd say -- without a case, some phones can be so thin and slippery that they're hard to grip securely. Even my wife's OnePlus 9 5G has that issue. A few foldables, like Google's Pixel 9 Pro Fold , are so thin when open that they feel like they might bend or snap.

Hopefully this becomes the app that ends this nonsensical "blue bubble" supremacy by iSheep.

I have a Razr flip phone that I often use folded halfway (laptop style) and watch videos on the top half while I do other things. Certain video apps center the content across both halves of the screen and I have to activate split screen and put a random app on the bottom half of the screen. Long story short, is there a way to split screen only 1 app to only the top half of the screen? I've tried to search for something but I'm coming up empty.

Wanted: * large screen * good battery life * great camera * long device lifetime, i.e. repairability, software and security updates, swappable battery, ... * enough RAM (8GB) and built-in storage (256GB) * SD card slot and 3.5mm won't hurt (but we use wireless headphones all the time) The competition are (from my POV): * Samsung S23+ (or similar) * Motorola Edge 40 Pro (or similar) * Google Pixel 8 Pro I ruled out all other vendors due to disappointing update promises. Motorola with 4 years security updates promised (out of which the first year has already passed if the model is not brand new) is the minimum. All phones are stretching the budget; must be really good to justify the expense. Benchmark for "great" is better than the previous generation (S10).

Hi, I would like to forward automatically [Text messages](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sms). A couples of years before, I was doing it easily with some [FLOSS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free/libre_and_open-source_software) apps But none of those apps (I keep the apk ;) ) works anymore on "recent" AOSP[^1] phone 🤨 ( Thanks to g**gle, to not take care of retro-compatibility ).. So, I lost time to dig for new apps (FLOSS and not) - https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.pierreduchemin.smsforward/ The GUI is launching, but nothing happen.... not even an error message. - https://apkpure.com/sms-forwarder/com.frzinapps.smsforward in addition do not be FLOSS it weight 70MB XD !!! , no thank you. I'm willing to write a "Shell" script to run under Android, to just do that (I've never developed for Android, so if you have any advice I'm all ears ) or any other solution like - Linux phone ROM ( without systemd ) - or maybe a simcard dongle, to allow my Linux computer to receive/send text ? [^1]: a ROM that use [AOSP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_Open_Source_Project) is generally [gapps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Workspace) free 😍

Like many others, I find ADB to be an excellent utility when I intend to get rid of bloatwares / system-apps-that-I-don't need from my Android phone. The only caveat being that ADB is to be run only on a separate device (Windows, macOS or Linux), and my Android phone has to be connected to it in USB-debugging mode. Not sure if this is a dumb question or not - but Is there any ADB equivalent that I can run straight in my Android phone to remove bloatware from the same Android phone ? Thanks in advance !

It frequently marks the text as red in my native language but never in English (unless there is a real error in the text). Anybody know why? See image below... 

I remeber **Moto E 1st Gen** with Snapdragon 200, 1GB RAM ,4 GB (2.1 GB usable) Storage. I have played games on it in 2017 it was some COD AW clone. I could install alot of Apps on just 2.1GB storage. No hang and good multi tasking on 1GB RAM. Again I got a SD 625 + 4GB RAM and it is awesome. I remeber thinking 4GB in phone will be max forever as 8GB in PC/Laptop was good enough for gaming and 16GB in PC for browsing ain't enough. Now in 2026 6GB in Android is considered low-end and Apps crash. Again I got a Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 + 8GB RAM. Devs please stop making apps big, CPU/RAM heavy. Apps like Facebook/Instagram should be shamed they are 1GB each. Android OS has no limit on cache. Android OS has no native user-frienly option to control which apps can run in background. Phone/SoC reviews are a scam, they say SD 363 is 50% better than SD 625. I don't think it is a very big leak from SD625 to 7s Gen 2. Reviewers are stuck in 2013, "casual games run OK and COD runs at 60 FPS", it always did for every phone! I think I am going to boycott high tier phones.

Link to the app: <https://f-droid.org/packages/com.jksalcedo.librefind/>

I've been wanting to Curb my Doom Scrolling Habits as of Recent as I've been wasting waaaay to much time opening the Same Apps 5 Times in 10 Minutes. One Method thats been Said to Work wonders in that Regard is to have Apps only be accessible after typing in a Password. After doing a bit of Light research it seems I'll need an App for this as I don't wanna deal with Samsungs "Safe Folder" needing a Samsung Account stuff. Do any of you have Suggestions for Trust Worthy Apps for this?

Minor gripe: I had find it better if the article elaborated if phones had a SD card slot or not. This phone ships with 128 GB base storage which is a problem if there is no SD card slot but not a big thingy if expandable options are present. As for 3.5mm Jack, Samsung only has them in their cheapest lineup now I think.

>The cyber defender, which specializes in disrupting bot attacks, digital fraud and abuse, said it impeded a “key monitization mechanism” of a number of criminal operations involving **“backdoored” off-brand mobile and CTV Android devices sold to end users through retailers in China**. Guess you have to think twice before buying a no-name Android device from Aliexpress from now on 👀