Over the years I've tested out pretty much all the Android keyboards, but swipe typing always kept me on GBoard, even though GBoard did not support voice typing for anything except Google, so I had to switch keyboards for that. Recently I learned that HeliBoard has support for gesture typing with the Google library. But I couldn't find any instructions on where to get the necessary files or how to do it. Well, someone posted a link to the file elsewhere so I'll [share it here](https://github.com/erkserkserks/openboard/blob/46fdf2b550035ca69299ce312fa158e7ade36967/app/src/main/jniLibs/arm64-v8a/libjni_latinimegoogle.so). And it works! Extremely well. I can also pin a button for voice typing and then select Transcribro for that (which uses OpenAI Whisper locally and works super well. Another gripe I had with GBoard was the cursor moves way too fast when swiping on the space bar. Not so with Heliboard. You can also swipe backwards from the backspace key and it will highlight text and then delete it when you let go.

Trust me, I push Signal _hard_ and even donate to it monthly. As I'm sure many of you know, there are always a few contacts who unfortunately refuse to use it. In this case: do you prefer to use insecure SMS in something like QUIK SMS or Fossify Messages, or do you prefer to bite the Google bullet to get end-to-end encrypted messages (even if the metadata isn't encrypted)? I can see good arguments for both sides, so I am curious what Lemmy's take is.

If you haven't seen this yet, Google is planning to require mandatory developer identity verification for all Android apps, including apps distributed outside the Play Store, taking effect September 2026. This affects every independent and open source Android developer directly. This is not just about the Play Store. After September 2026, on any certified Android device, applications from unverified developers will be blocked by default. The only proposed bypass, the "advanced flow", exists only as a blog post and has not appeared in any beta, dev preview, or canary release. No one outside Google has seen it. The community has been fighting back at keepandroidopen.org: - Read the full breakdown of what this means - Sign the open letter (organisations only) - Contact your national regulators — contacts listed by country on the site - Add the countdown banner to your project September 2026 is closer than it looks. The time to push back is now.

I'm using e/os and I want to be sure that, when connected to my local network, my local dns server is used, however, no matter what I do, my phone always use google's one. Is there any way to fix this?

Quote from Proton VPN: > Google has known about a bug that breaks VPN apps for 7 months, leaving users exposed with no warning or error, just a VPN app that stopped working in the background. > > If you're using ANY VPN on Android, you can help us by getting Google's attention to fix it. > > We first reported this bug to Google in September 2025. > > Others like Mullvad and Wireguard reported it even earlier, in August. > > Google's response? "I don't see anything unusual." > > The bug corrupts Android's network stack at the system level after a VPN update, causing users to blame their VPN provider. > > Restarting the app doesn't help, with the only fix being a full device reboot or VPN app reinstall, something which most users never figure out. > > This affects several VPN providers on Android 16, and only Google has the access to diagnose it properly. > > After 7 months of waiting, we're now asking publicly: Google, when are you fixing this? > > Issue Tracker Links: > > https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/441315112 > > https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/4474331

Screenshots:  and Gesture navigation is now enabled by default

Trying to remove the FRP on my phone, but so far just able to get it to load google.com cannot sign in, or install any apps. https://i.imgur.com/Pa1pRkR.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/AHXKLAy.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/U9vnMII.jpeg Any tips

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

Hi everyone, ::: spoiler Genesis I have an unused [Xiaomi redmi note 6 pro](https://www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/bdca4cb9) that was standing in a drawer and I wanted to re-use it. This phone was already running with a custom ROM lineageOS but they do not support it any longer and they've also deleted all the ROM files relative to it 🤯 so no way to download again those ROM ! So I tried few other stuff and I landed in bricking my phone. Too bad as it was still in a great shape and condition. What a waste/pollution !! I'am myself an IT guy, but the unnecessary complexity of the Android phone and what the brands does.. etc. make too many steps and I cannot spend ~two weeks to unbrick it. And additionally to that, when I see what Google planned for us https://keepandroidopen.org/ oh my God. 🤮 ::: So I am looking for a phone[^Floss]: - around 100-150€/$ - screen ~6.50' - a mini jack 🎧 - Easy to install/Flash another ROM ! ( let's dream, maybe the vendor itself guide/help in order to do so ) - Bootloader not locked !? - Easy to be the root [^root] - Not need to be the newer model [^Floss]: Floss \ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_open-source_software [^root]: And by the way, why we should struggle and trick so much just to gain **root** access? Do are we not the owner of our phones? Why not a simple option that asks to be root? And the user will take its own responsibility for it !?

In today’s post, we will dive deep into many of the issues with Apple’s iOS, what it takes to migrate from iOS to a little-known alternative called GrapheneOS, and why you might want to do so.

So I got an old HTV One (M8) and I wanted to try installing a different OS. The problem is: I cant unlock the bootloader without an account at htcdev but their e-mail service seems unavailable. If I register with an e-mail adress the e-mail never arrives. If I try to register again it says: email allready taken. Can anyone help me out who has allready a htcdev account?

> A new update to the Find My Device app has landed, bringing with it a new two-tab UI and support...

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

Specifially, I want to know if the Firefox app is different in any way.

phone loads the icons but even for popular apps like firefox, it shows nothing.

> Away from branding announcements, HMD had a couple of more product-focused initiatives to announce. The most interesting of these is HMD Fusion, a new smartphone-style device that HMD is pitching as a DIY platform for tinkerers. Like Moto Mods, but you have to make and program your own accessories. >Essentially, HMD’s aim with the Fusion is to offer the kinds of tinkering possibilities of a Raspberry Pi, but in the form factor of a smartphone complete with a built-in screen and battery. It achieves this with an array of six pogo pins on the back of the device, which are designed to allow the attachment of hardware accessories. For software it’s running Android with an unlocked bootloader, and HMD is calling the kinds of hardware you might build around the device “outfits.” Between them, HMD’s ambition is to provide a device that end users or even businesses can customize to suit their needs.

Has anybody else encountered this? I used to be able to broadcast to my son's bedroom speaker via the usual Assistant command of 'broadcast to...', but that was before he had his own google profile (which is managed by me through Google Family Link). Ever since then, when I try to broadcast, I now get this (with his full name instead of just the speaker name, which is only his first name). And googling by the exact wording of the message, and things like "add broadcast number to a Google account", has so far given me nothing.  Obviously I can just rename the speaker, but I'm keen to know what's causing this and whether this so-called broadcast number can be added to his account.

Previously on Lemmy: - [Google Pixel](https://lemmy.world/post/2826903) Past Discussions: - [Foldables](https://lemmy.world/post/2436246) - [Samsung](https://lemmy.world/post/2075289) - [Sony](https://lemmy.world/post/910303) - [OnePlus](https://lemmy.world/post/706987) - [Motorola](https://lemmy.world/post/214784) As promised, we are talking repairability this week. I thought it's not really possible to talk repairability without talking about it in relations to build quality. It seems to me that over the years, the general trend is that phones have become more and more difficult to repair in general. To me, I don't believe that this is some kind of nefarious plot designed to make people buy new phones every two years, here are some of the reasons why I think it is: The first is the perceived build quality. It used to be that plastic is the most common type of material for the back of phones, and I would say plastic is the ideal default material for the back of phones: cheap, and versatile in hardness, color, and texture. However, the use of plastic in cheaper phones has resulted in a negative perception. Metal backs are durable but doesn't allow for NFC signals through, and I can't believe they settled on glass as the ideal material for the back instead, since it is actually extremely impractical to use. The second is waterproofing. Waterproofing requirement means that glue is mandatory even with the presence of a gasket, which naturally discourages the The third would the improvement in actual build quality. Modularity is very much still a trade-off, as if we can assume the phone cannot be easily opened, then more fragile components can be used in the phone that doesn't have the requirement to be able to be repeatedly plugged and unplugged. One of the most important changes is the change from Micro-USB to USB-C, as the increased durability means that people won't consider it to be a part that requires replacement as much. I just think that what's broken can eventually be fixed, but it'll never feel the same afterwards. Sorry if this is a bit messier and late this week, very interested in everybody's thoughts on this topic. The Fairphones look interesting, but it's not easy to get in the States.

> It turns out that Android phone users can rename group chats for all participating iPhone owners thanks to RCS.

As a reminder, the PlayStation Portal, or Project Q, is (according to [leaks](https://nitter.net/MishaalRahman/status/1694383209297903991)) based on Android. It doesn't run the games itself, it merely streams them from your PS5 and your handheld then serves as a controller with its own display. I'm wondering why anyone would prefer that over simply using a regular Android phone with a good controller and the PS Remote Play app?

I do not plan to purchase it from a carrier. Yes, I'm in the US. Is this even possible?

Local Desktop helps you run a desktop Linux environment on your Android device.

cross-posted from: https://lemdro.id/post/805817 > Project Mainline delivers key OS updates through Google Play — here's how it's changing

- [MagiskBoot] Support extracting boot image from payload.bin - [MagiskBoot] Support cpio files containing character files - [MagiskBoot] Support listing cpio content - [MagiskBoot] Directly handle AVB 1.0 signing and verification without going through Java implementation - [Daemon] Make daemon socket a fixed path in MAGISKTMP - [resetprop] Support printing property context - [resetprop] Support only printing persistent properties from storage - [resetprop] Properly support setting persistent properties bypassing property_service - [MagiskSU] Support -g and -G options - [MagiskSU] Support switching mount namespace to PID with -t - [MagiskPolicy] Fix patching extended permissions - [MagiskPolicy] Support more syntax for extended permissions - [MagiskPolicy] Support printing out the loaded sepolicy rules - [App] Support patching boot image from ROM zips - [App] Properly preserve boot.img when patching Samsung firmware with init_boot.img

Hello, am looking for a recommendation for a semi burner phone for travel. Features I would like to have are: decent vendor support (that is, software updates), relatively inexpensive (cheap enough so that if it gets stolen or confiscated by porcine law enforcement I won’t be too sad) but nice enough to keep as a daily driver, physical SIM card, ok camera for travel photos. I am currently leaning towards the Pixel 9a but at $499 USD that is pushing a bit against affordability. Any suggestions?

There's been games that I can no longer download. Apps that are as if they never existed with it not even showing up in purchase history if it weren't for old email receipts. It's pushed me more towards Foss when it is an option. I wish Android would do better in that department. How does iOS handle old apps it delists. Is it still downloadable for the user who bought it at least?

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/21377231 >Google Messages has been working on dual SIM RCS since the start of this year, and support is now more widely rolling out.

Anyone know of good FOSS and privacy friendly text to speech apps for Android? Want to listen to my notes

Hi All, I am not sure if this is post is ok here so please let me know if not. I did not see any other android community that was a decent size for development so figured there might be some devs in here. I recently forked an FOSS project that has an android auto component to it. I don't have a physical device to test with in my car so I need to set up an emulator. Challenge is, I am struggling to figure out how to do so, from what I can gather, it is either the same? or you can launch from a local device connected via usb and it launches to an emulator as if it was a head unit? I am clearly missing something and all the articles I've seen have not really gotten me over the finish line. Any links or tips appreciated!

I just got a notice from Samsung that they have new a new Privacey policy. When I get to the policy page it is blank except for a "Accept new policy" and text saying I must accept the policy to see it. I clicked the button - then that screen closed. What?? no policy? BTW - this was not sent as a normal text and does not show up in messages.

For a search company I can't believe how terrible the Android app search is. I can't even search "bank" for my banking apps, and there doesn't really seem to be any metadata except for the title that goes into the search. Which is absolutely ridiculous given how many companies name their apps something cReAtIvE like "home" or "Resideo" or "Smart Hq." I just want to search GE for the damn GE app. Or "thermostat" for Resideo. Surely there's something beyond surface level here because obviously this is an extensively solved problem. How is there not metadata or description searching at minimum? My only guess is fear of abuse but Google has definitely dealt with that for their entire existence and up until recently, managed to handle it fine.

Hi, I can't seem to find an answer to this. I have the navigation bar configured to recieve upward swipe gestures: switch app; home screen; and back. (I don't like accidental button presses when typing.) Unfortunately, swiping upward along the bottom right _also_ takes me to the home screen. I'm constantly doing by accident.. Is there a fix? Thanks~