I'm pretty bad with self control, and I've noticed that I'm spending too much time on Lemmy/Reddit, so I grabbed BlockApp to moderate my usage. So far, it works really well. I appreciate that I can limit usage to x minutes an hour, as well as y minutes daily. It has a block screen, rather than killing the app like Digital Wellbeing. It isn't perfect, but it's a good bandaid for poor impulse control.

Hello everyone, I’ve been working on a simple 3D maze game for Android. The main idea is a daily maze: everyone plays the same maze each day and competes on a global leaderboard. It’s designed to be quick and casual. Wordle-style sessions you can finish in a few minutes. Features: - Daily Maze: same maze for everyone, resets daily, global leaderboard - Random Mode: no competition, solution button available - Duels: real-time 1v1 races on a randomly generated maze I’d really appreciate feedback, especially on what features or modes would be interesting to add. The app isn’t public yet because Google requires a testing phase, but testing is open. You just need to join a Google Group and then use the Play Store link below. Google group: (It may show "you don't have access to this content" but if you login you can request access. It's unfortunately a necessary step for the App links below to work.) https://groups.google.com/g/maze-trials-3d-closed-testing App links: Web: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.mazegame3d.app Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mazegame3d.app (The App links above will only be available after joining the group. I'm very sorry, those are google requirements.) Thanks!

Title basically. My phone has been getting frequent stalls despite my connection being excellent and fast when it works. Looking for an app to help me figure out what's happening.

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)

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

So I got a notification that Google is going to retire the reminders feature from Calendar and make it a Tasks feature instead. The only reason I was using Google:s Calendar app was for their reminders (and because they've made it impossible for third party apps to use reminders). The most important part of reminders for me was the way they worked, by putting up a notification that didn't go away until manually dismissed. Very useful for important stuff like taking a medicine. Any suggestions for other apps that have similar notifications? It would be great if they were a calendar app, and even greater if they are synced to a calendar over a standard (like CalDAV etc.) so I can self-host it.

Here's to you, AnandTech - thank you for the detailed smartphone reviews all these years.

A little rant about the Android operating system [@android](https://lemmy.world/c/android) Everyone felt weird when I said I was using custom ROMs. Most of them haven't heard about anything beyond stock android. I wrote a blog trying to normalise it. [https://text.tchncs.de/czars-blogs/custom-roms-and-my-phone](https://text.tchncs.de/czars-blogs/custom-roms-and-my-phone) [\#Android](https://mstdn.social/tags/Android) [#OpenSource](https://mstdn.social/tags/OpenSource) [#Privacy](https://mstdn.social/tags/Privacy) [#Linux](https://mstdn.social/tags/Linux)

Hey c/Android, We always keep hearing about Nova Launcher, Smart Launcher, Niagara etc, and I wondered how many of us here are using unpopular or underrated launchers. In my case, I've been using [AIO Launcher](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ru.execbit.aiolauncher) ever since I got my Fold 4, as it's one of the few launchers that have proper foldable support. AIO bucks the minimalist trend and instead focuses on an all-in-one approach. It's USP is it's plethora of built-in widgets, including music controls, integrated notifications, emails, RSS feeds, timers, dialer, and more. For advanced users, it allows you to control the launcher via Tasker, and you even create your own widgets using LUA scripts!  So, do you use a non-standard/unpopular launcher, if so, which one and what's your setup like?

I recently found out that a locked device (aka a carrier lock) is actually locked in two very different ways. 1) the sim lock, which prevents you from using a sim card from a different carrier. This usually has some sort of policy regarding how and when to unlock the device (for Verizon it is if the device goes for 60 days without connecting to the Verizon network, might also need to be fully paid off as well) 2) Bootloader lock, this locks the bootloader and therefore disables any way of flashing anything (rom, root, etc) This is not something that will automatically be unlocked as far as I can tell and only the carrier can modify it. Most carriers seem to have the basic decency to unlock the device if you request it from their support, but be warned that there is no guarantee. What is guaranteed, is that Verizon will tell you to fuck right off and will never unlock your device. The point of this post is to bring awareness to this issue, it is on me that I didn't properly research this and just assumed that carrier lock means just a sim lock, but this sucked. I bought a pixel 8 which was sim-unlocked but sadly, as I discovered, its bootloader was locked and the "oem unlock" option was grayed-out. This is because it was a Verizon model that was out of the network but still, a Verizon model... As of right now there are no known exploits against this device / Android version, and so, there is no known way to bypass this. I literally argued, begged, and threatened Verizon. And their official stand is that they don't allow bootloader unlocks, they don't have the ability to do them (A lie) and that it will degrade my experience (Idiots) So I started doing anything I could think of. I tried old exploits that were patched (unsurprisingly they failed), I tried sideloading other versions of stock android (worked but didn't affect the bootloader), I even setup mitm wifi hotspot that has a transparent tls inspection (see PolarProxy) but it seems that the OS does not trust any "user" CAs and so it tries to connect to android.googleapis.com, sees that the CA is not a system CA and aborts the bootloader check, which keeps it grayed-out. My idea was to spoof a valid response but apparently Android has good security practices (who knew) Short of reversing the OS/Bootloader, it seems there is nothing to do. So this is my warning to you, don't buy carrier models, but if you do, make sure the oem unlock option works, but if you don't, absolutely never buy a Verizon model. ETA: I bought second-hand under the impression that it was an unlocked device, I thought that by checking sim compatibility I verified that it was, I was wrong.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/19650358 > Through an updated Google API, Android app developers can now effectively block sideloading and force downloads from the Play Store.

Hello! I recently just released a Lemmy reader app for open beta. I've been working on the app since the black out about a week ago. The app is will very much a work in progress however the core reader functionality should be working. I will continue to work on the app and estimate it will likely like a month before all core features will be implemented. That being said, I've been having a lot of trouble browsing Lemmy on web and I still think the app is an upgrade over the raw web experience. If anyone is interested please give the app a try and let me know what you think! Here's a quick demo as well: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MMpMHwzTuII **Update** I started a community at https://lemmy.world/c/summit. I will try to post frequent updates there.

Hi, I've been looking info on how work (features available etc..) Dual sim on android . But all the websites talking about it trow back   https://stallman.org/cloudflare.html Does someone have an URL that is not ~~censored~~ "protected" by cloudflare ? Thanks. ::: spoiler This question might have been already asked ? Sorry if this question might have been asked.. But it seem Lemmy of search option, like search within a community and by title only.... :::

Running Android 13. For whatever reason whenever I set my phone to automatically connect to a WiFi network when in range, it never does. If I pull down the notification panel it'll say I'm connected to WiFi, but the LTE of my mobile connection is showing. If I go to network settings, hit disconnect and then reconnect directly from there, it'll show that I'm actually connected to the WiFi. But then after awhile it'll disconnect and I have to repeat the process to stay connected. The disconnect on my home WiFi network is normal because I have to use another laptop as a mobile hotspot because the location I'm at only allows 2 simultaneous connections to the WiFi under my credentials and so the laptop acts as a bridge to connect all my other devices at once and since said WiFi has to support several thousand people at once disconnections are frequent and expected. But despite that, my phone does it to every single WiFi network I've tried to connect it to. It will frequently have the exclamation point ! Next to the WiFi indicator saying that the network is unavailable (even though it works smoothly) until I turn on my VPN (Astrill). I've ticked the box that says "connect anyway" because it was annoying me to have to select that Everytime I connected to a WiFi network. So I'm at a loss as to what's the issue. It might just be that I have a shit moto stylus because my rear camera takes potato quality pictures if try to shoot anything beyond the reach of my arms despite it having "better" cameras than my previous phones. It's also not a VPN problem because on my previous phone (LGV60) as soon as I'm in range of my ad hoc network it'll connect automatically and the only issue I have is when the network refreshes itself and I have to go reconnect my mobile hotspot on my laptop. So something on my Moto Stylus 5G (2022) is refusing to connect to WiFi networks and stay connected once in range. I hope someone here can offer me solutions. Thanks!

I'm saying this because now i see a lot Google related posts. My(this one) account is new . but I'm here for a some time now.

Hi all, Okay so my Galaxy Tab A7 Lite has arrived. I did some searching and it seems like there are a million options as far as replacing / hacking the rom. So, all I want to do is have root access, and be rid of any bloat that’s built in. I prefer whatever is most tried and true, and whatever does not have any iffy components still. Like, I want everything to function without glitches, I want to get the most out of my hardware, and other than that, I really don’t want a 100-step process. So, recommends? What’s available that’s very reliable and what does it offer me? (Eg: GSI+Root, Lineage, Havoc, et al) I appreciate any advice. Thank you.

You can sideload the xbox fire tv app on a android/google tv. However you are unable to sign in as it boots you to the wrong page. On a fire tv its supposed to have you do some steps. On a side note you can sideload the new xbox app to an unsupported fire stick and sign in like normal.

LibreWolf is a great privacy oriented Browser for desktop. But there is no version for android or IOS . There are some like mull but they have their own problems. Mobile phones stay with us most of the day. So we need extra privacy for it.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/18661137 > Learn about the updated interface and the new features on the way as part of this summer's Google Meet refresh.

> It’s no secret that Gemini is coming to Android Auto soon, but it’s not here just yet. Ahead of the...

I remember a while back Google unveiled a better photo picker that won't make us go through the file structure to pick images. Is that something developers need to implement because so far not a single app I use has implemented it. Just wondering if there's any apps that do?

Hi, I'm looking for an app in which I could set just a simple notification reminder but I need it to be reminded every day every hour since 6am to 9pm. It can have check as done function but it's not compulsory. All planners and reminders I tried so far were unable to set it up so often and repeatedly. And if yes, I'd have to set it up every day again and again.. Thx for any tips. PS: I don't want alarm. It's to annoying.

Does anyone know any call recorder that works well on Android 12? I have tried several but the one that seems to work the most is Cube ACR, which because Google changed the Android policies is no longer possible to work as it used to, and in my case I can hear my own voice in calls and not the other person's, which in my use case makes it useless.

> Besides the confirmation that camera and screen sharing in Gemini Live is still rolling out, Google has confirmed that “any Android device...

This crap is completely unacceptable. The app has 10M+ downloads, and is already filled with ads as it is. I DO NOT want and WILL NEVER want ads as push notifications. I'm quite sure this isn't allowed on the playstore according to the [Play Console Help](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9857753?hl=en#zippy=%2Cexamples-of-common-violations) page. Which states: > Ads must not simulate or impersonate the user interface of any app feature, such as notifications or warning elements of an operating system. It must be clear to the user which app is serving each ad. And shows this picture:  I now consider [GPS Speedometer](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=gps.speedometer.digihud.odometer) malware, immediate uninstall.

Google is planning a significant UI overhaul, and it could start materializing with a future Android 16 quarterly release

Good news for folks looking to degoogle their phones, this should help open-source Google Maps alternatives. Straight from their FAQ on the relationship with OSM: >What is the relationship between Overture and OpenStreetMap? > >Overture is a data-centric map project, not a community of individual map editors. Therefore, Overture is intended to be complementary to OSM. We combine OSM with other sources to produce new open map data sets. Overture data will be available for use by the OpenStreetMap community under compatible open data licenses. Overture members are encouraged to contribute to OSM directly.

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!

> In addition to announcing sound search and AI-generated conversation radio today, YouTube Music is rolling out "Mark as played" for podcasts.

My partner plays a game and listens to a podcast for relaxing. In-game she turned off any sound but the constant ads every few minutes still start with sound. Is it possible to mute the game app in the Android settings?

I've recently decided to try and degoogle my life, or at least lessgoogle it. One app I use regularly is GoogleVoice. It works really well to keep my work and personal numbers separated. Also works reasonably well to keep my personal number clean from spam. What is out there that provides similar functionality?