yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[G2 and Desire Z Themes and Apps] Proxin:
I do not use antivirus on my computer (Windows, by the way) nor on my phone. Why? I don't go around installing random third-party Chinese apps/programs that I have no idea about.

Being paranoid about viruses is similar in my mind to being paranoid of eating poisoned foods.

If you worry all your life about eating poisoned foods, you'll probably be constantly watching what you're eating and thus will probably not ingest anything poisonous. No need for a doctor (akin to a virus scanner) to advise you on every single thing you eat.

Now, if you go around picking and eating random mushrooms and are surprised when one poisons you, then you need to learn from your mistake by simply watching what you put into your body (akin to your phone or computer).

These are obviously two different things and it's not a perfect example, but I hope that served as a relatable explanation.

Read the ratings of apps, people like to question why apps require certain permissions. That's a good thing. Read yourself what permissions the apps require, they show that screen for a reason on the Market. You won't have any need for a virus scanner slowing down your phone. And if you don't care about it slowing down your phone or haven't seen signs of slowness, good for you. Stick with it if you feel like it will help.

PS: I'm going to throw in a plug of what I believe is a truly great app that does a Dangerous job: storing passwords. OI Safe can securely lock down the usernames and passwords you put in it, so if you ever forget a password for a site, you can just open it and put in the Master password to find your site's password.

The reason I'm pointing this app out is that I looked at its permissions... the only permission it required was the ability to read/write SD card contents. It uses this for backing up and restoring password databases that it encrypts. So you can back up your passwords, move the file to a new Android device, open up OI Safe in that, put in the Master password for the encrypted file & you have your secure passwords back.

A thing to look out for is apps that back up your passwords, but have the ability to connect to the Internet. I would not install an app like that personally, and as you can tell from my post, I'm not paranoid of what apps I install on my phone. Even if the description said it requires Internet access to back up your passwords to the cloud, I would not trust it.
[G2 and Desire Z Themes and Apps] flinkisme:
I recall a article that Dvorak wrote just as MS was adding VBA to all of it's apps. He warned that MS was making more trouble for users than they would be able to handle. He was right.

I agree with you. Android will soon begin invading the desktop as Windows continues to slog around trying to survive the battle against Linux.
[G2 and Desire Z Themes and Apps] flinkisme:
You seem to think the apps all requested permissions to make themselves root and to make phone calls without your knowledge.

They didn't. And they weren't just apps from any random website. They were all on Android Market. I suppose you might be too young to remember the wave of sleeper virus/malware that came up in the early 90s. The packages did nothing untoward for months. When the calendar turned over to the right date, then people started losing data and drives. That's plenty long enough to get plenty of rave reviews.

It isn't cut and dried, you know. An app could have 9 months of good, solid performance and reviews any developer would love. Then you're hold a brick in your hand, or your presented with a $2000 phone bill.
[G2 and Desire Z Themes and Apps] Nospin:
Wow, no av on windows? No offense to you but I think that's a little nuts. You don't have to be downloading chinese files, just visiting one of your favorite sites after a hacker attack.
[G2 and Desire Z Themes and Apps] elracing21:
I agree. Have you all read about the recen virus attack dubbed "droiddream" that's been planted in over 20apps on the android market? They have been removed so far but they had over 50,000 downloads. The virus was able to grab information from your phone including your imei number and other type of data... serious stuff. Altho the security breach was patched on android 2.3 so I'm good I guess.

As per windows and no anti virus... listen pal, you either don't use your pc much or its already full of trojans and such. You can get a trojan from visiting any site. Its not about downloading 3rd party software. I major in computer information systems and if your telling me I don't need an antivirus it makes me think you don't know what your talking about. So I agree with Nospin.

Also I don't use an antivirus on my phone. They are resource hungry. When I am installing apps or apk's from my pc I do install lookout and scan them before anything tho just to be safe.

Sent from my gSpot2
[G2 and Desire Z Themes and Apps] Proxin:
If you're on a few rooted ROMs (CyanogenMod included), there's an app built-in that requests your permission before it allows Any app to have superuser access. I forgot to mention that in my original post - one of the reasons I feel safe on CyanogenMod :)

I know they're on the Market, there's a ton of crappy malware apps out on the Market and the number will only grow. In the case of DroidDream, an app was re-programmed with malware inside it and uploaded bearing the same name as the original app. People should check the number of downloads if there are two versions of the same app, to make sure they download the correct one.

And if you're referring to Michelangelo and a few others, I was actually just talking to my girlfriend's father about that recently. I didn't experience it but he did.

As for the phone bill- If you have Nandroid or a custom recovery like Clockworkmod, you shouldn't have any worry about a brick. In my case, I have installed the engineering bootloader, so even if everything is lost (including recovery) I can still get into fastboot and revive my phone.

No offense taken, I don't use antivirus but that doesn't mean I'm unprotected. I use Firefox and NoScript, which blocks all Javascript unless I allow it. Also it's good to use something like Mcafee Siteadvisor to read reviews on sites or make sure they're not some horrid virus-trap.

Also, there is a hosts file that I have which blocks a great list of malware and virus-related IP addresses. This isn't a form of antivirus either, but it works great and doesn't slow down your computer. Found it here:

http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/

If you're extra paranoid and want to block government, educational, and of course malware and virus-related IPs from contacting your IP, I suggest looking into PeerBlock. It's like a super-firewall which blocks specific daily-updated lists of IPs that are associated with whatever type of IP you want to block (like anti-p2p IPs, educational and government as I mentioned, and it has a large list of malware and virus IPs)
[G2 and Desire Z Themes and Apps] Proxin:
I major in computer sciences, and use my computer all the time. I went "antivirus free" about three years ago, and the last time I had a virus was about five years ago (read: WHILE I had an antivirus installed, mind you!).

I'm not telling you you don't need antivirus, I'm telling you I don't need it ;)
[G2 and Desire Z Themes and Apps] elracing21:
I guess your right. We all use our systems a different way.

Sent from my gSpot2
[G2 and Desire Z Themes and Apps] blackknightavalon:
This link explains why it's VERY hard to get a virus on Linux. It has nothing to do with the amount of people using it.

Do you know how easy it is to rewrite an app thanks to JesusFreke's programs (which he still updates)? He took one look at the news about Google making it possible for app developers to "fingerprint" their apps and thought "that would be easy to bypass with Smali." Any potential virus coder would possibly think the same thing.
[G2 and Desire Z Themes and Apps] dkmurphys:
My antivirus scans my applications once upon installation. Doesn't generally hog battery life or system, so I don't see the harm.

If nothing else, it's worth the peace of mind.

Also I use antivirus on my Windows, because I don't have time to do all the protection myself.
[G2 and Desire Z Themes and Apps] blackknightavalon:
Here's how to remove a possible malicious app:

1) Root.

2) Install ADB on your computer.

3) Input the following in the Terminal:

Android needs antivirus like a fish needs a job.
[Venue Pro General] senior800:
This is my first phone in America so don't really understand the system but:

I just received my DVP (on pre paid.) I put the sim card it came with in, phoned up t-mobile to try and activate it and they asked for the activation code on my welcome pack (which I didn't receive? should I of done?) and they were saying that I would need to buy a new sim card (which she quoted $30) to get it to work as my current sim is useless.

So I try dell and they won't respond to me so I'm a bit lost now.

How do I activate this thing?

Do I just need to push dell to send me a new welcome pack or do I not need it and can I activate through another way.

Thanks
[Venue Pro General] benjaminries:
I took mine into a physical T-mobile store, and they activated the SIM for $10.
[Venue Pro General] senior800:
O ok thanks, will try that then.

Just seems strange you're given a simcard which you can't use without paying more. You would of though the companies would want as many people on thei network as they can get.
[Venue Pro General] TechMan-2012:
The best thing for you to do is stop by a Tmo store. But if you are using pay as you go, you might need to buy a sim. FYI, my DVP worked fine with my old sim.
[Venue Pro General] benjaminries:
I was able to get them to activate the SIM that came in the box, on a pay-as-you-go plan. The in-store rep just has to call into headquarters, charge you $10 for activation, and ask you what plan you want.
[Venue Pro General] alodar1:
all I did was put in the new SIM and make a call. I was immediately redirected to tmo. I was asked new or existing number. I said existing...gave them the number off of the sim. We disconnected, and in 5 minutes everything was running.
[Venue Pro General] senior800:
Thanks guys.

In the end I just bought an activation kit off ebay for like $3 and it worked a treat.

I had assumed the simcard would come with everything required to activate it and mine was missing.
[Android Apps and Games] TobiasV:
Hi everyone,

I was wondering if a live wallpaper existed like the one that was presented for a concept phone.

Window Phone Concept

Really love this, the transparency is obviously not possible, but a animated weather layer like that over a simple wallpaper would be awesome!

Kind regards,

Tobias
[Android Apps and Games] gmmorrell:
Beautiful widgets has one in the market. Works great in my evo.

If you have beautiful widgets base package, the wallpaper reflects current conditions.
[Android Apps and Games] TobiasV:
Not really the same realistic effect as the Window Phone Concept, it's a start but not as pretty.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] csticky:
Looking for some guidance here, my wifes Captivate is running Launcher Pro (free version), and about a week ago, she received this message as one of those little popup messages, saying "This version of launcher pro is about to expire, please go to launcherpro.com to update"....

I checked the Market for an update, and according to it, there was no update. We saw this message about every other day, until this morning, she goes to use her phone, and basically launcher pro has completely crashed out, and keeps taking her to the web browser trying to open to the launcher pro website.

She has no way to get to her home screen, or any other part of the phone. All the physical buttons on the bottom redirect her to the browser trying to load launcherpro.com, I assume to get this "Update".

I've never heard of this, I run launcher pro too, which no problems. Any thoughts? How can I back her out of using launcher pro as her home app, with out being able to access the main android setting panel?

Can this be done from recovery mode?
[Captivate Themes and Apps] jcabibi:
Is her phone rooted?

Edit: And is USB debugging enabled?
[Captivate Themes and Apps] csticky:
Yes, it is rooted. I think her most recent launcher pro update (from market) failed to download, or install correctly, and now it's corrupt.

She only has access to the web browser. She can access other websites, but launcherpro.com will not load.

I had her remove battery, sim card, and then reboot phone, no dice.

Edit: I think USB debugging is enabled, but I'm not sure.... I'm at work, she's at home....I'm basically trying to get my plan together, so when I get home tonight, I can tackle this.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] csticky:
I also had her type in the direct URL for the most recent launcherpro update (apk file) which she was able to download, but of course she can't install it....
[Captivate Themes and Apps] existz:
If she can sideload apps, You might be able to use the browser to download a different launcher (touchwiz, adw ..etc) then uninstall launcherpro and reinstall if you wanted... just use the browser to sign in to xda and download whichever u wanted....if browser wont let you download an apk then you could use adb, download your launcher then adb push it to /system/app/ and reboot (you might have to adb shell to mount /system RW) once it boots u might have to hit the home key for it to pop up and ask what launcher to use..
[Captivate Themes and Apps] diablo009:
I got the same message like 2 days back. I went to market and updated my version. It didn't give that message again.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] csticky:
ya, that was the first thing I did, but according to the market, her version was up to date, or at least there were no updates for her to install....

I figured there would be a way for me to sideload something, but I've never done anything like that....rooting via an update.zip file, was easy....

Edit: the other thought I had was, if she gets a market app update notification in the notifications bar, we would probably be able to get to the market that way, and uninstall launcher pro, or install another home app (adw). So I'm hoping an update gets pushed today.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] diablo009:
Try ADW. This is one home replacement simple and more or less on lines of launcher pro, well, atleast personally by me.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] uhmump95:
She needs to get home launcher or something so that she can switch her launcher.

I still use Touchwiz mainly, but I have Launcher Pro Plus, ADW, Live Home, and Netlife Home on my phone as well.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] csticky:
Thanks, the problem of course is that we cannot access any part of the phone except the browser...so once I can figure out how to get to the market, or into the android settings, I will be able to disable LauncherPro.

If anyone has a suggestion of how to accomplish that, it will be most appreciated.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] flashman2002:
She can't even access the market? If she can get an app called home switcher. That would let her choose which launcher to use. If not you would have to either email the creator or reset the phone if everything she touches makes the phone go to pp website. I don't know how anything she does makes it go to their website to upgrade.

This is my Captivate. There are many like it but this one is mine.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] beerbaronstatic:
If debugging is activated you could try to adb push a new launcher apk to /data/app/
[Captivate Themes and Apps] MikeyMike01:
Go to appbrain.com and you should be able to hook into the Market from there.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] tysj:
You can also use the Android Sideload Wonder Machine from Androidcentral to sideload another launcher or HomeSwitcher. Link

Just connect your phone with USB debugging on, but not connected as a usb mass storage device, select the apk, and click install.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] jcabibi:
If you are comfortable with ADB then follow the instructions in the link below.

http://www.careace.net/2010/05/12/how-to-remove-android-apps-through-adb/
[Captivate Themes and Apps] diablo009:
1. Download any launcher, say adw onto ur computer.

2. Use adb commands to push it to /system/app

3. Press the home button -- this will prompt u to pick one home app, pick the new one, and presto... u have full access to ur phone :)
[Captivate Themes and Apps] kangi26:
MikeyMike has the easiest solution. If on the phone, you can only access the browser. Go to www.appbrain.com, and download another launcher from there(Zeam, ADW,Launcher2) install it and reboot, you should be able to then select which browser to use.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] whitesox311:
download the .apk from your computer and install using droidexplorer...problem solved
[Captivate Themes and Apps] orangezero:
I had the same thing happen to me. The launcherpro website is also down. This seems well thought out. How do you make a program liked by almost everyone and turn it into something I'm swearing at for the last three hours because I need to use my phone as a #(*@^@% phone.

I don't have mine rooted. Stupid thing is I was planning to do it this weekend.

Any of the ideas above work for a non-rooted phone? Can I still sideload something else somehow?

Thanks.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] existz:
He is unable to access anything else besides browser, he has now way to get to a file manager

1+ for going to appbrain.com...forgot all about that, it will redirect u to the market to dload another launcher...
[Captivate Themes and Apps] tysj:
Well at least he's acknowledged the issue on the site:

LauncherPro expiration issues

JAN 7TH

Posted by Federico in Updates No comments

If you’re running an older version of LauncherPro and it has expired, your phone is not bricked. You need to update to the latest version to get LauncherPro working again. Please note that versions from 0.8.2 onward do not expire.

Please click here from your phone’s browser to open the Android Market and update LauncherPro.

My deepest apologies to those who have been affected by this issue. It will never happen again.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] orangezero:
Well that still sucks. From the searches I've done online the last hour or two this same scenario played itself out back in Oct.

I've got a better way to not have this happen again.

I can confirm that link above does take you to the android market to install the update (and then delete it forever...)

Thanks for the help.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] boborone:
Cyanogen's team had a field day laughing at lp's expiration. How adw is so much better blah blah. I had a bad experience buying the plus version. My unlock code didn't work. Contacted the dev and he said go to the forums on the site. I said no, this is not a tech support problem. Ended up with my bank contacting paypal and them contacting federico to get it handled.

Piece of crap dev, awesome app.

From a phone
[Captivate Themes and Apps] ed116:
bro restart your phone, and unlock it you should be at teh main page, press the menu button and go to settings, then go to applications and uninstall launcher pro :S
[Captivate Themes and Apps] VtHondaGuy08:
My phone had the same issue, all I did to fix it was hold the home button down and then when the multi-task menu popped up I selected task manager and then just uninstalled and then reinstalled it from the market. Hopefully this works for you as well! Good luck man!
[Captivate Themes and Apps] foofiebeast:
Yeah to fix my buddies, I just held the home button and the quick menu popped up, luckily "settings" was there so I just uninstalled launcher pro, then hit the home key again and it auto booted to touch wiz, then went to market and reinstalled launcher pro. easy peazy.

But I just got lucky because "settings" happened to be in his quick menu.
[Captivate Themes and Apps] lexo1a:
also if the market or task manager are in that quick menu .............just hold home
[Captivate Themes and Apps] ozy944:
I got lucky and there was a notification option saying 'updates available' which I used to get into the market and download ADW.

Double press home and task manager didnt work for me as mine was a custom rom which had only launcher pro as the launcher (lol)
[Captivate Themes and Apps] whitesox311:
you dont need to access anything on the phone?
[Captivate Themes and Apps] joeshmoe08:
There is one option I can think of: If usb debugging is enabled and the device is rooted then download droid explorer (google it) and install it onto the computer. Then download any laucher onto your computer and copy that into system/app of your device using the droid explorer application on the computer. (you need to connect with usb cable). If you still need help post your problem.
[G Tablet General] stanglx:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/06/blackberry-playbook-preview/

So far this is the first tablet that has excited me...

No angry birds yet (But Quake 3!!!)
[G Tablet General] Prof-KOS:
yeah and no email or calendar or BBM unless tethered to a Blackberry. That is a massive fail for what looks like a great media machine.
[G Tablet General] stanglx:
What? That completely doesnt make sense! I cant believe that the final version, which will have WIFI and cell will not have email, calendar or BBM... I dont believe it.. Dont spread FUD...
[G Tablet General] Prof-KOS:
This is what was stated to Engadget by Mike Lazardias (Co-CEO of RIM) at CES. RIM is calling it a security feature for the Playbook. You'll probably get a Gmail app from Google and Google Calendar app maybe, but the Playbook has no PIN for BBM or BES support without a tethered Blackberry. I'm not sure about BIS.

They're still 3-4 months from launch, so I hope they fix it. I like to root for Canadian companies so I hope they figure this out, but if they go to market with tethering as the solution, it is a massive fail.

Here's a quote from the article you linked to.

"We weren't able to see any of the BlackBerry applications (like BBM, Calendar, and Messages), since they require you to be tethered over Bluetooth to your BlackBerry phone, and RIM wasn't ready for that. Maybe Mike L. didn't want us to see his personal email for some reason."
[G Tablet General] sixvoltsystem:
I think they bought out TatHome didn't they, and that is who is making this new OS/UI, originally I thought it was going to come out for Android. Meh I can play Quake 3 on my G-tab ;) Just have to find a keyboard and mouse for it.
[G Tablet General] firewater2003:
No Go...

I wish it has 10" screen...sorry
[G Tablet General] Lnin0:
BlackBerry's downfall is a complete lack of dev/app support. Phones are far emough behind cuve let alone a device from RIM with a new form factor and operating system. Hardware alone isn't enough to win.
[G Tablet General] stanglx:
I agree... Unfortunately they partnered with Adobe for its framework.. Not that its a bad framework - its actually very very good BUT you need to purchase Adobe's development tools and its relatively expensive when you compare it to Microsoft (Free for VS Express) or Android...

We will see though.. If they can release an express version of the IDE I believe it could catch on fairly quickly...

That demos was just awesome for something that is still months away.... I would love to get my hands on the development environment and see how different it is over Java and C#.. They are claiming its far more rapid development than either of the two...
[Android Apps and Games] zzelinka:
http://www.androidcentral.com/netflix-android-shows-lg-reolution

-Z
[Android Apps and Games] jlusco:
Here is the apk

http://www.mediafire.com/?wjbay6rogm651hj

as it is now it seems to be setup for streaming but it gives the error that it can not connect to the netflix server

so any devs wanna look at it and see what they can do

this could be due to me being at work ill try from hame and post results work blocks streaming on its network but not sure about the guest network