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There's an app for that? (Read 219964 times)

Jim

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#75 Re: There's an app for that?
January 20, 2011, 08:55:27 am
It does amuse me that there are quite a few people hankering over tweaking what is essentially GNU/Linux on their phone and raving about how great it is, yet still using M$-Windoze on their desktops/laptops.
what? I tweak both the windows installation on my desktop/laptop/htpc and also the windows mobile on my phone. stop talking shit.
TBH I'm very suprised at you negativity towards this slack-line, you know very well that a phone tweaked by a comunity of phone tweakers is going to run better than shitty stock firmware. I didn't bother posting links yesterday cos I was at work and posting from my phone, now I really can't be bothered.
It interesting to see that android you can't install stuff to memory card without hacking it or the fact it doesn't come with a file manager.
Anyone worried about wiping their phone and losing all their contacts should ask themselves one question:
WHY THE FUCK HAVEN'T YOU BACKED THEM UP ANYWAY YOU IDIOTS!!!!!
Once again I can't recomend highly enough (If your confident enough) to put a custom rom on your phone, it will probably take a while to find the one that suits you best but when you do, its a much better experience than using the stock rom

Fatboy

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#76 Re: There's an app for that?
January 20, 2011, 09:05:57 am
@Fatboy : do you really use every single app regularly though?

I actually do, especially the ones taking up the most space so I will defo see a benefit from my point of view.
Am going to do it during work today so I will post up any issues/anomalies along the way!
Peach and love  :hug:

slackline

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#77 Re: There's an app for that?
January 20, 2011, 09:29:15 am
It does amuse me that there are quite a few people hankering over tweaking what is essentially GNU/Linux on their phone and raving about how great it is, yet still using M$-Windoze on their desktops/laptops.
what? I tweak both the windows installation on my desktop/laptop/htpc and also the windows mobile on my phone. stop talking shit.

Its not an issue of tweaking, what amuses me is that many people staunchly stick with Windows on their desktop/laptop, but are wooed by the fancy Android OS and its continual and regular updates (as opposed to several year gaps), when they could potentially be having a very similar experience on their desktops.


TBH I'm very suprised at you negativity towards this slack-line, you know very well that a phone tweaked by a comunity of phone tweakers is going to run better than shitty stock firmware. I didn't bother posting links yesterday cos I was at work and posting from my phone, now I really can't be bothered.

I'm not being negative (skeptical perhaps).  What I'm asking for is a quantification of what the improvements...

a) are (e.g. the ChangeLog linked by ChrisC, or details of kernel tweaks also suggested by ChrisC)
b) how this impacts battery life and so forth.

To date here on UKB (and other forums I've read, none of which includes XDA or Cyanogenmod forums) all I've heard people say is "Use a custom ROM, its great it improves your phone, battery life is improved", but this is all qualitative information (opinion) as opposed to quantitative (numbers to compare objectively).

If I can read an article that takes two phones, flashes one with a custom ROM and leaves the one of each with stock firmware from O2/T-mobile/Orange (who all tweak in different ways, personally I'd be interested in T-mobile), then have them run the same tasks (e.g. streaming video, or GPS roaming) and actually measure how long the battery lasts then that would be more substantial evidence that battery life is improved beyond the qualitative "its a much better experience" which as I say is all I've heard.

Beyond actually going out and trying it, was there any quantitative information that convinced yourself, Tris, ChrisC and others that using a custom ROM provided improvements?  (clearly a rhetorical question as you've already stated you can't be bothered to post any links).  I ask yourself, Tris and others because you're the ones posting your qualitative opinions here saying its so good.  If I'd read somewhere quantification of this then I'd be linking to it so that others can read and form their own opinion of whether its worth trying, but thats just me.

Yes this is my sad, statistician, geeky side showing through, but thats me.  I want numbers not opinions to inform my decision because I'm capable of forming my own opinion based on numbers.

ChrisC

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#78 Re: There's an app for that?
January 20, 2011, 12:27:56 pm
This is all a bit  :wall:  You seem to be doing a Sloper and cherry picking the bits to reply to and ignoring that don't fit the point your trying to make.

To date here on UKB ... all I've heard people say is "Use a custom ROM, its great it improves your phone, battery life is improved", but this is all qualitative information (opinion) as opposed to quantitative (numbers to compare objectively).
Tris and myself have both stated, quantitatively using numbers of days, the improvements to battery life we've experienced but you seem to be ignoring them. 

You linked a page earlier that had performance numbers in it, small improvements to performance but still improvements, and used that to argue that it wasn't worth it.  You didn't however mention the improvements gained by then overclocking the device under test, they were quite significant (about 75% improvement).  Not a direct software improvement, but still an improvement only possible with a custom ROM.  You also didn't mention the conclusions of the same article:
Quote
So I think with all that, it’s pretty evident that rooting and using custom ROMs can be a huge benefit to your device. Not too mention, Google’s already condoned it and almost all rooting methods can be undone if you ever feel like going back to stock. So why not give it a try?

Beyond actually going out and trying it, was there any quantitative information that convinced yourself, Tris, ChrisC and others that using a custom ROM provided improvements?
Why be so hung up on quantitative information anyway?  As I said earlier performance improvements are only one small part of it.  Features that aren't quantitatively measurable are another, and there are loads of them that have been added.  The list is huge but includes FM Radio, Wireless-N capability, 720p Video recording, Extra bluetooth protocols, bug/crash fixes, optional UI improvements.  On stock android my phone failed to pair properly with my car stereo/hands free, now it works. 

Fatboy

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#79 Re: There's an app for that?
January 20, 2011, 12:37:07 pm
Rooted phone, installed customer ROM - total time approx 30 mins = almost infinite app space =  :thumbsup:
A couple of niggles I had to iron out but on took 2 mins and now I have to say loving CM 6.1.1!

Paul B

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#80 Re: There's an app for that?
January 20, 2011, 02:45:39 pm
its like a fight at a star wars convention in here  :shrug:

slackline

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#81 Re: There's an app for that?
January 20, 2011, 02:56:32 pm

Jaspersharpe

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#82 Re: There's an app for that?
January 20, 2011, 03:14:32 pm

slackline

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#83 Re: There's an app for that?
January 20, 2011, 03:28:36 pm
I'm saying no more on the ROM front (I've already responded to ChrisC's last message in a PM).  Let the thread get back to useful Apps and not the perceived pros/cons of custom ROMs.

slackline

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#84 Re: There's an app for that?
January 26, 2011, 01:26:54 pm
Google outline plans for Android App market

Expect more paid for apps/features.

Be wary of snooping on your social network usage (likely to result in more specific directed advertising).

Paul B

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#85 Re: There's an app for that?
January 26, 2011, 03:18:41 pm
Expect more paid for apps/features.

If they want to make more money they'd best make it a bit harder to install apps obtained elsewhere. Its not as if it requires patching or keys or anything which seems a little naive from Google.

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#86 Re: There's an app for that?
January 26, 2011, 03:43:10 pm
I seem to remember the fact that apps were unauthorised being somewhat of a selling factor at the time, a development platform and freedom as opposed to the tight reigns of Apple, doesn't look like that's going to last.

Grubes

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#87 Re: There's an app for that?
January 26, 2011, 04:01:31 pm
Not sure if it has been mentioned but I just started using myfitnesspal app to help with calorie counting and working out a weight loss plan.
Its a free app you just have to sign up. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/mobile
I got it from the app store. I am finding it quite useful so far.

Paul B

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#88 Re: There's an app for that?
January 26, 2011, 04:03:46 pm
I seem to remember the fact that apps were unauthorised being somewhat of a selling factor at the time, a development platform and freedom as opposed to the tight reigns of Apple, doesn't look like that's going to last.

the thing is with it being based on the Linux Kernel developers are required to release their source code so I'm not sure it'll ever be like that.

slackline

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#89 Re: There's an app for that?
January 26, 2011, 04:31:46 pm
Expect more paid for apps/features.

If they want to make more money they'd best make it a bit harder to install apps obtained elsewhere. Its not as if it requires patching or keys or anything which seems a little naive from Google.

Or people need to change their jaded attitudes to software (which were developed and engendered by their experiences with M$).

I think its a good thing that you can install anything you want, if I were to sit down and write a program it would be a fucking ball-ache to have to go through vetting by Google (who would/are invariably inundated with apps) just to then install it on my phone.  Thus it promotes development by having an open platform.  This would however be independent of the kernel which is the Linux part of it and what gets the hardware talking to each other, its the operating system on top of it (essentially the "Android" part*) where this control would come in. unless of course an application was doing something like CPU frequency scaling in which case it would have to be enabled in the kernel and the app would have to communicate with it.

Anyway, I've polluted this thread enough with  :off: posts.

* Its also worth remembering that the same is true of any GNU/Linux distribution, the "Linux" part only refers to the kernel, the "GNU" part is what actually gives you something that works (essentially a terminal and all the tools, the Xorg server and desktop environments are another level of software on top of that).  See Linux and GNU for a more detailed explanation of this common misuse of nomenclature.

Tris

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slackline

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#91 Re: There's an app for that?
February 14, 2011, 07:49:11 am
I mentioned the brilliant Tasker in my first contribution to the thread, but yesterday with some idle time I decided to see what else I can do with it and discovered an absolute treasure trove of funky stuff.

Enabling WiFi when you get near home (based on cell signals) is very clever (and it appears to work so far!), which lead me to this monster of a thread where there are tons of things to go at, on the first page set the phone up to turn on gps (& wifi) when booted up, get location and send that along with battery left in an SMS/email to you (handy should you ever have your phone stolen).  There are tons of tasks/profiles detailed in that thread.  :thumbsup:

Can't recommend this app enough, one of the few I've purchased (but at the cost of roughly a pint its pretty much fuck all and great value).

Fultonius

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#92 Re: There's an app for that?
February 14, 2011, 08:06:15 am
Sounds good  :thumbsup:

Tell me, where can you still find a pint for fuck-all? Most places I go to these days charge a fair bit more, not quite 2-fuck-alls yet...

That email on booting up idea is a winner! Does it automatically turn gps back off again afterwards?

slackline

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#93 Re: There's an app for that?
February 14, 2011, 08:16:07 am
Sounds good  :thumbsup:

Tell me, where can you still find a pint for fuck-all? Most places I go to these days charge a fair bit more, not quite 2-fuck-alls yet...

Think I paid abut £3.80 through marketplace.


That email on booting up idea is a winner! Does it automatically turn gps back off again afterwards?

As described, no it does't, but its a piece of piss to add an exit task and turn GPS off after the message has been sent.

Paul B

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#94 Re: There's an app for that?
February 14, 2011, 12:47:24 pm
There is a wiki that takes you through it step by step. I searched GPS tasker locate to find it. It turns GPS off.

slackline

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#95 Re: There's an app for that?
February 14, 2011, 01:14:32 pm
There is a wiki that takes you through it step by step. I searched GPS tasker locate to find it. It turns GPS off.

Have you taken the tasker plunge yet or giving it a trial first?

Paul B

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#96 Re: There's an app for that?
February 14, 2011, 01:18:21 pm
neither as of yet. If it works for "Where's my droid" (which now can't turn GPS on itself!) then I'll definately have it.

A freind was jumped on Monday night leaving the works and had his phone stolen. I think it'd be rather pleasing to be able to track it in a situation such as this.

slackline

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#97 Re: There's an app for that?
February 14, 2011, 01:31:41 pm
A freind was jumped on Monday night leaving the works and had his phone stolen. I think it'd be rather pleasing to be able to track it in a situation such as this.

Yes, that would be absolutely brilliant.

Definitely turns GPS on, I have a profile setup so that when I start Google Maps Tasker starts GPS (despite this being an option within GoogleMaps itself, it was part of the "getting to learn how to use this application" I went through).

Nice thing is that profiles can be exported/imported by users as XML (although for the above WiFi one I mention there's little point since it requires you to work out your location based on telephone cells for your home as well as your home network which you'd probably know and could edit anyway, but the former certainly can't be got easily).

Paul B

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#98 Re: There's an app for that?
February 14, 2011, 01:34:47 pm
I can't see that functionality in 'Maps'?

slackline

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#99 Re: There's an app for that?
February 14, 2011, 01:54:50 pm
I can't see that functionality in 'Maps'?

My mistake its under "Settings -> Location -> Use GPS Satellites" that enables GPS positioning when required (so if you enable this then when you start up Google Maps it should turn GPS on and use that for positioning, should then disable GPS when you exit Google Maps).

 

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