yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[General Questions and Answers] Janzomaster:
For controlling which app gets to see what parts of your data, I recommend this app: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1422479

As for contact and calendar sync, I use owncloud on my own server (there are free hosting alternatives available, check www.owncloud.org) to host the stuff and CalDAV sync and CardDAV sync to sync with my phone.

K9 (kaiten on tablets) is a great mail app, Business Calendar the best calendar alternative.

I still use the Market and Maps, I don't think I cloud do without the market. Without Maps, maybe.
[General Questions and Answers] papagoejoe:
Spoof the data :)

I posted a reply in this thread, that answers your question. I have quoted it below for your convenience.

Hmm, this should be on page 5, not the beginning of page 4.. Strange..
[General Questions and Answers] Sam Sung:
Thanks for the info. I'd be interested in knowing more about what you mention above (blue). Maybe you could expand on this with an additional post in this thread or the other with links and more info regarding methods and apps. I already aggressively use LBE and try to limit the data exodus inherent in these phones, but the spoofing (and whatever else) sounds usefully interesting. Also, if any caveats/trade-offs exist in employing these methods. (Thanks!)
[General Questions and Answers] papagoejoe:
Sure :)

Generally I don't allow network access to any app, that does not absolutely need it.. Lots of apps doesn't really don't need network for anything besides fetching new adds to display. So you save up on your data and battery consumption. I use DroidWall to white list apps, I want to grant access. And I just leave data off, which is of course the most efficient way to keep an app from phoning home.. This way my phone lasts for two days without charging...

And I rarely use my data connection. I can't encrypt it, so I definitely don't use it to perform any task I don't want entered into my "journal". It's not really a problem, cause lots of places like buses and trains have free wifi where I live, so I just use that. And I spend 8+ hours on the PC every day, so I rarely need network access when I'm on the go anyway.

You can follow this guide to make sure, you are always using an encrypted connection. This keeps the ISP and everyone else on the networks noses out of you business.

An app I just recently started to use is PrivacyBlocker, which seems really promising. It scans you apps and shows you the ones that require permission to collect data, that can be used to identify you. You can then "fix" these apps by spoffing the information the app is shown. Like you can use it display a fake sn, phone number or carrier.

You can read more here. I haven't used it long enough to experience other caveats/trade-offs yet, other than fixing an apps disables the ability to update, so you have to revert, update and then fix the app again to do that.

I can't live without google. The search tool is just far to superior to avoid. But I use DuckDuckGo if I need to search from my phone and I use the TrackMeNot extension for Firefox on my PC, which repetitively sends search queries to the major search engines. The queries are picked out from rss feeds, use the default or add your own.

I use a separate google account for the play store and nothing else, that I created on a public network. Don't use the calendar, don't use the email. Just get any calendar and email app and you can use your own server if you need sync.

Personally I don't sync, cause I don't need it. I don't sync contacts or anything, because I like having my personal life and work relations separate anyway, so I just use apps like Titanium Backup to make local backups of my data.

I know it is by no means perfect. I'm still being tracked, and Google will probably be able log some of my activity anyway. But I've tried to do a little bit of damage control, and that is fine by me. Hope you can use it :)

EDIT: Of course I disabled geolocation, geotagging of images, send back statistics and anything like that everywhere required.

EDIT2: This post about call encryption is quite interesting.
[General Questions and Answers] wildstang83:
I can see how some people would like Android at its purest level without any Google services at all. After all, Android did start as its own entity as an independant OS. Since Google bought Android, it has become more about Google's services.

Personally, I like most of Google's services, and security is not a major concern of mine, so I keep getting Android powered phones when its time for upgrade. For those with Google accounts, you may or may not know that Google does allow you to edit what data you want to allow them to track for you. You can also delete your entire history if you wish. Contacts, messages, web searches, websites visited, calendar data, etc... You can access that info and edit it yourself!

On another note, Mozilla is working on a new mobile platform that is looking promising. Should be coming to a mobile phone near you soon for those that don't want any Google services. Firefox OS: http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefoxos
[General Questions and Answers] dirric:
if this what you want, i suggest you quit from using android devices.
[General Questions and Answers] Sam Sung:
First, thank you for your thorough and informative response.

I use (as mentioned previously) LBE Privacy Guard. If you haven't tried it, I recommend it. It not only gives individual access to internet and access for apps, but also allows you to control permissions for each app (including system apps and LBE itself). Each time you install an app, it gives you the opportunity to secure it. Some of the permissions you can control (Allow, Deny, Prompt) are SMS, contacts, call logs, positioning, phone ID and others. It also lists the permissions each app has. Oh, and I've been using it without a hiccup for almost a year now. Just does what it does.

Also, thanks for the additional information (not quoted). I believe I'm more secure than most, but some issues you mentioned have my interest. Life is busy at the moment, but I'll be bookmarking the articles you link to. A quick perusal seems promising, especially being able to securely use public networks, which I avoid altogether.

I also perused recent reviews for PB. I particularly like the spoofing idea. It certainly bears watching, but I think I'll wait a bit for some of the issues to be worked out.

As you mention, I also value Google services, but not all and not the invasiveness (ICS seems to auto-sign you into all of their sites!). However, I think there's a balance between security and reaping the benefits of such devices. My goal is to find the well reasoned and reasonable balance, with perhaps the scales tipped a bit toward the security end. Thanks for your contribution (and for the interesting links!).
[General Questions and Answers] Brute.Force:
I dont think its inpossoble. Just flash a new custom rom and dont flash gapps.
[General Questions and Answers] papagoejoe:
I'll check out LBE, thank you and you are welcome..
[General Questions and Answers] sufian88:
I am using XPrivacy for over a week now and I'm really impressed with it. Check it out, it's better than LBE and easier to install than pDroid family.
[General Questions and Answers] aejazhaq:
heres my 2 cents on this :

I absolutly agree with you that althought google doesnt individually look at your information, it would still be nice to opt out of these things...i mean android shoul charge a fee and give the peope the option to opt out of the privacy stuff...

anyway i am very cautious about all this....hence i use a blackberry for 'business' and a android as a 'party' phone...imagine my surprise when i saw my contact list loaded to my gmail account....even though i VERY THOROUGHLY went over every setting to avoid that before i put my SIM in...hence the reaosn for my blackberry....

my best advice for the way things are right now is:

1) forget that you are or cannot be tracked or you arnt being hunted for info....hence the next best thing: SPOFF the info and spoof it good! i have installed xprivacy, looks very promisiing and the best thing is that its FREE and OPEN SOURCE so its bound to be honest if not good. i havnt tested it to see if anything leaks but one thing im sad about is it cant spoof info to system/android apps, so ur stock sms and phone apps, they still got ur 'jugular'

2) use alternatives for apps like K-9 or kaiten for gmail etc.

3) i doubt using a seperate account for play store matters at all....so my solution whichi think is preety neat: i have a wifi tablet, rooted and play store installed with a seperate, for that purpose and tablet only gmail account. i download the app i want (after checking permissions and all) and just COPY it from the tablet and SIDELOAD it to my android phone. NOW THATS GENIUS, i think. (FYI i let my baby sister go nuts on the tablet and no one can spoff like her :p...she searches for makeup, lipsticks, biology, chemistry and she does a great job at being random! :p)

4)despite all that and having contacted God knows how many devs (all stubborns who dont reply) i still and left with one unfixible problem (im sur e it will be fixed prob in the future) is that despite all that 'ANDROID OS" still does something in the back ground and so you are helpless as you were before cause you odnt know what it uploads: logcats, imei, imsi etc location data...and might i say it does so relentlessly and unforgivenly...

EDIT: guyd FIREFOX OS is out! yayyyy!
[General Questions and Answers] Cream$ickleHJ:
Its like saying can I get a Mac computer without Unix/apple
[General Questions and Answers] sufian88:
I heard that Blackberry is not allowed in some business meetings due to evasdopping thingy.

You can enable system apps to be shown in the list. No disrespect, but you don't seem to be a power user.

I don't worry because I allow internet access to only a selected group of apps.

Replying after only reading the thread's title is never really a good idea.
[General Questions and Answers] SuperSmashedBro:
Couldn't have said it better
[General Questions and Answers] aejazhaq:
1)Blackberrys do spy but thats with carrierIQ only and i havent noticed any data 'leaking' from my device even thoughti monitor it regularly

2) You can enable system apps but not all/the one thats causing the problem is listed...as i pointed out it goes by the name of 'Android OS' and it perpetually homes to its mother service...

3) I read something about a project called Replicant...its basically a full (vc partial) open source android OS project where they try to open source some propiatary softwares by the android developers. google it for more information. maybe that will tell us more?

4) and for all those who think this is a 'mac without iOS' your not getting the point...no one is trying to avoid google or want to be done with it...heck is thats what we wanted we would have flashed ubuntu or firefox long ago....
[General Questions and Answers] sufian88:
CarrierIQ must be for smartphones of course. And it's same with Android (smartphones).

Android OS is listed as "Android System, Key Chain, Settings, Storage, Settings,". If you have checked the 'filter sysem applications", then you will never see the system apps and that's not a limitation of Xprivacy.
[General Questions and Answers] aejazhaq:
I see the settings but peculiar as it may seem, the Android System has a globe next to it (indicating that it has conncected to the internet and used that permission) but when you open it, It does NOT have any internet permission...Ive tried limiting the intent services and intent activity as i think these are the core permissions required for the internet connection as well as the broadcast recievers. that didnt stop it. when i removed permissions by filter you get the internet permission and upon checking that whenever you browse the android os climbs...as to it doing so when idle ill give it a day or two before i say something
[General Questions and Answers] Lim Wee Huat:
I've froze Google services framework, Google Play services and Google Play altogether using TB. Replaced Google Play with SlideMe market app as I can update my apps from there. My devices are so much snappier now.:)
[General Questions and Answers] sofort99:
Once google gets it's tentacles into your phone, it's almost impossible to get them out.

If you want a minimum level of security on your phone...

Install CM and then don't install a Gapps package.

Install XPrivacy and deny most apps access to your accounts, contacts, the Internet, and your memory card except those you explicitly want to have access.

Install AFWall+ and deny everything access to wifi and the Internet except those you explicitly want to have access.

Contact your carrier and opt out of advertising tracking.

Use a non tracking search engine like DuckDuckGo.

Use a market alternative. Instead of that, I kept my old phone after upgrading and just keep it off and in a drawer. Then when I want something from the store I get it out, get my app, and side load it into my phone. You could also just get an old phone for $20 off Craigslist.

If you want to step it up a notch, use a VPN service.
[General Questions and Answers] sufian88:
The dev applied the 'filter by permission' because a lot of people (who don't search before they post) were nagging him for not filtering the list according to the permissions. The dev explained that permissions only gave an idea of what the app could use but not what it was bound to, but it didn't stop people to post it again without searching the thread.
[General Questions and Answers] Fostel:
Rid of google

Hello,

I am successfully started to use CyanogenMod 10.1 (currently Beta1 - very stable btw.) with no Gaaps installed and I am satisfied but I have got a lack of apps so I wish to get help from you guys.

Would anyone let me know where to find an .apk versions of:

Jorte Callendar

Firefox (Happily I am using Dolphin Beta but I red in this thread there are some privacy issues as well)

Droid Firewall (or other, if better choice)

Getjar

LBE Privacy Guard (or other similar, when you have a better suggestions)

I wish to mention I am not to lazy to find it myself, I have tried but I cannot see the .apk versions downloadable from projects home sites.

Appreciating help,

Fostel
[General Questions and Answers] sufian88:
You may like to check out this thread.

As for LBE, XPrivacy is a far superior solution.
[General Questions and Answers] thetuber:
If you really want to browse the web without being tracked, use Orbot and Orweb (basically Tor for Android). Using a VPN service requires trusting the VPN operator. Using a non-tracking search engine requires trusting the search engine operator, and assumes that no one (your carrier in particular) is sniffing your traffic. Be warned though, using Orbot and Orweb is painful and nowhere near as convenient as the Tor Browser Bundle for your computer.
[Galaxy S II Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] s_m_a_s_h:
When I got my SGS2 in June '11, I ported my old 3 UK number to this phone+sim card.

In 'settings-about phone-status' the new simcard number appears (the number b4 porting took place) and not my ported number (the one I use).. is there a fix to edit this?? 1 app I'm using won't work without the correct number..

I've read many posts on the same issue without resolve; except using a Blackberry to edit it.. (i don't have access to a BB though).. any advice as 3 UK customer service SUCK!! If there was a way to get out of the contract with 3 UK I would.. sorry for the ramble

--------

smash

SGS2 GT-I9100 using xda prem
[Desire HD General] haerigrek:
I want to make my own animation from a movie I saw. It's 18 seconds long and I really love it. How hard would it be to make an animation from the movie if, say, I had it in HD?
[Desire HD General] Andy:
Not that hard to be honest. The bootanimation.zip might be large with 18 seconds of video.

You will need to extract each frame from the movie, convert to png & resize to fit the screen. Once they are ready you need to rename the files in increasing numbers with the first frame being the lowest. Put them in a folder called "part0". Now create a txt file called "desc.txt".

In there you need to add a few simple rules.

480 800 30
p 1 0 part0

The 480 & 800 is the size of your screen so make sure the png's are this size, and the 30 is the framerate. Change that to the source of your png's.

The next specifies how your animation is played. The "p" is standard and must be included the "1" is the amount of times your animation is looped. A value of 0 means looped until you've booted. The "0" is the delay between loops, that is in frames not seconds. So if you set the frame rate at 30, a value of 30 will mean a second delay between the loop.

There is more you can do with boot animations, but that will save for another day.

Here is a bootanimation & matching boot audio I made a while back. Unzip it and take a look.

http://goo.gl/Zx3bx
[Desire HD General] evronetwork:
I'd like too, to have a custom animation but I'm to lazy to do it, maybe when I have lot of time and I'm too bored
[Desire HD General] djolebih:
If I am not mistaken the process is the same as making a live wallpaper. There is a tool here that automatically creates live wallpapers from png's. Rest is pretty much ad andyharney said.
[Desire HD General] Pop Tarantula:
Guessing you mean 1 of these., djolebih

Live Wallpaper Creator - http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=748566

Wallpaper Custom Creator - http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=739512

I made 2 CBA the hard way, using photoshop 5 and saving each frame.

I guess you could import the video & convert to from timeline to frames, crop to size then do the same.

Bit of a ball ache if its a long clip at a high FPS though :(

I think Adobe ImageReady is the thing for exporting all animation frames at one click... sounds like a time saver :D
[Desire HD General] KillerbeeNL:
nice one, great tutorial !!
[HTC EVO 3D] FrakMe:
Does anyone know of a mod to have the dialer rotate to landscape with the phone's orientation? The car mode dialer works but when in the desk dock I have to run the car mode manually. Lots of steps for something that should be simple, imo.

Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

FrakMe
[HTC EVO 3D] louforgiveno:
Dock mode and the locations app are the only way I know of other than running the express rom. It has full sense rotation and landscape lockscreen
[HTC EVO 3D] FrakMe:
Thanks. I'll take a look. At least it gives me a place to start.
[HTC Rezound] rickbubello:
When I try to install a kernal or some roms, It works fine in amon recovery, but then hboot is says "Main Version is older" and then UPDATE FAIL. Any advice? thanks
[HTC Rezound] sandman_nyc_316:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1459347
[HTC Rezound] AtLemacks:
My advice is READ: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1427942

and then SEARCH!: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1459347&highlight=mainver

Thread reported for moving.
[HTC Rezound] rickbubello:
Appreciate the thread, didnt know what the hell it was called- sorry I am not lord of the virginity ring
[HTC Rezound] AtLemacks:
Aww, someone can't be smart AND have sex. Sorry for ya man!
[HTC Rezound] mrbracht:
Like the title says. I don't know if anyone has mentioned this or not but I thought I'd spread the word anyways. :D

Worked perfectly for me on newts New rom

uot.dakra.lt/

Sent from a cellular telephone
[HTC Rezound] Marcismo55:
Awesome! Thanks for the heads up. Looks like only battery icons for now?
[HTC Rezound] mrbracht:
thats what it looks like, im sure more to come! :D
[HTC Rezound] username235:
Still can't upload com.htc.resources.apk to it. Damn these giant ICS Sense apk's
[HTC Rezound] mrbracht:
really? mine was like 64mb, even tho it said max 62, it still worked for me
[HTC Rezound] con247:
wouldn't let me upload either.. but I think battery is only in system ui
[HTC Rezound] mrbracht:
Hmm. I'm running the 4.0.3 Rom and as you can see it worked for me

Sent from a cellular telephone
[HTC Rezound] username235:
That's weird. I was using the same rom too, didn't work for me.
[HTC Rezound] mrbracht:
Well here is the zip if you wanna flash it. Maybe they changed some things around and they are still working on issues on the site? Anyways enjoy

http://db.tt/aKACTt1o

Sent from a cellular telephone
[HTC Rezound] username235:
Damnit, I ran out of thanks for today, lol. Thanks though
[HTC Rezound] icy1899:
Just need to upload framework-res.apk to mod the battery, thats how I got this icon

Here's the zip if anyone wants. Running CleanICS original post

http://db.tt/uOZQj3gl

Sent from my HTC Rezound
[HTC Rezound] username235:
Yeah, I tried doing that, but whenever it cooked my thing, it got that error thing, but I realized that's because the damn rom zip I got was corrupted. I'll try later sometime, too tired now.
[HTC Rezound] MrSmith317:
Battery is in Framework-res . If you grab my 1% in themes it should give you a workable framework. I recompiled that one myself. Thank you Fernando Sor
[Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini] stodgybread1504:
Here is the solution for a extreme battery duration for all android phones:

is a simple app called: Battery Calibration

PS: needs to be 100% charged to do the calibration

It works! try yourself and tell us..
[Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini] iddqd2:
Who cares? It`s well-known fact, that after flashing new ROM you need to recalibrate your battery.
[Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini] emmanuelcassar:
lol.. what a solution :D

even pre-historians knew that :P
[Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini] adoneill:
OK Gang, give the guy a break!!

He's found something that some people may find useful, i know that for must of us veteran flashers and testers, it's a no-brainer and we use the clear stats through recovery, but this app has an alarm etc I believe. It might save on more questions being posted on the threads so more important issues can be concentrated on!!

Stodgy, don;t stop posting interesting things you find, even if they are not of use to everybody, they might be to someone!!!
[Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini] yomiguy:
I agree with adoneil!! thankss stodgey!! I have flashed several roms, but I only did something with the battery once... afeter installing minicm 2.1.5 i wiped battery status... However I find this battery calibrator easier to use and a good tool to have near... No matter how long we visit this page, everyday we can learn something new!!
[Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini] Tommylee567:
The guy is a new comer, he has posted something useful. Then why the debate?

In my opinion, the calibration matter doesn't make that much improvement.
[Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini] emmanuelcassar:
it is useful but he doesn't need to post every app he finds :)

I use to use this method with that app.. but know I am making it manually by following this http://theultralinx.com/2011/07/calibrate-androids-battery.html
[Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini] hehe13:
adn this one? http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1443535
[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] edster00:
I just received my 64GB CG TP and I have a completely different s/n that any I have read about. My s/n on the box and front of the TP starts with C10KAS******. I tried to fire up the device to see what the serial number is internally but the battery is fully discharged and I am unable to turn it on.

I've read a bit about the s/n's and related wifi/gps issues but I have not seen any postings of a s/n beginning with C. Would this designate a new(er) batch from the B50 and B60 s/n's that have been discussed?

I'm anxious to fire this puppy up and see if it has ICS and how well the wifi and gps are working.

Any ideas on the s/n? Is this just from a later batch than the B****** s/n's?