Sony and disappointments - Xperia Z5 Compact General

UPDATE: Sorry, I decided to remove the text of this post, since I realized I wanted to share some frustrations with my phone, but I cannot seems to find a proper way to deliver the message.
I hope admin can remove the post, since I cannot.

Related

FixMessageCount, Works but.. (and appunlock Qs)

Hey guys!! let me start off with I've read here for a good while and enjoy this forums like very few others online.
So I, too, had the crazy message bubble bug on my Tilt2. It started with one, working its way up to 4. After some time trying to fix it I found a couple days back a thread on FixMessageCount. It worked beautifully! but now I have a sort of ironic problem: I don't have any bubble to let me know how many new messages i DO have. It works with email but doesn't w/ texts (which were presenting the original problem) All i wanted was to "clean" up whatever messages I may have had, not to disable it completely.
Is there a way to enable this?
-----
Also, I stumbled across an AppUnlock earlier and was sort of intrigued but admittedly confused by what was presented. What is the actual use of this CAB? I downloaded and installed on my Tilt since I had a slight understanding of what it did. Allowing non-signed applications work, I guess. Among other things, I read the crazy phrase "ROM Dumping". Now with that I am reminded of custom roms. BUT I understand that to get custom ROMs one would have to Hard SPL, Flash, the whole process. Something that I haven't done since I've had my phone since November, and while i know the process, i have doubts, seeing the eternal misfortune that haunts me daily.
I get the signature bypass aspect of it, but could someone actually clarify the ROM part. I have searched both in xda and the internet as a whole for a thorough explanation. Any help is appreciated.
Have a great Day/Night, keep up the downright amazing work you do daily!

[Q] Customize personal message in lock screen widget

Is there a way to add more characters or change font SIZE for the personal message? I want mine to say more letters than they currently allow. I couldnt find any way to do it. Thanks in advance!
No, not going to happen, at least stock. maybe a dev can figure that out, I looked everywhere also.
Good luck.
I know there's no setting to change. This is a dev community, I was kimd of asking them. Thanks though.
Sorry to bump an old thread, But I was wondering if you found an answer to this? I am also looking to increase the character count. Seems very limited. I want a message that will inform potential thieves that may find my phone that their fingerprint has been captured and so has their face from front facing camera and has been uploaded to a server already and provide them with a contact number for return with a reward.
I mean if I picked up a phone and that was the first thing I read on a locked screen boy would I return it quick smart. I would return it anyway, as I know how valuable someones phone data can be to people.
I just want some of the less "legit" people around to follow the same protocol :angel: as I would...and what better way to do this than with a subtle message that is "more encouraging"

For Those That Have Not Unlocked Their Bootloaders (XT926)...

...wouldn't this be an option (people more in the know, please correct me if I am wrong):
- Use one of the utilities to revert your system back down to ICS (4.0.4)
- Unlock the bootloader / root / do whatever you want to do that you can't when on the latest software...
- Re-take all of the updates to get you back up to 4.1.2 (or use the utility to get back to 4.1.2)
Easy-peasy, pending the updates that block the unlock exploit are reverted as well when the software is reverted.
I do understand that one would lose all their precious info (contacts, pics, vids, apps, etc.), but making a hard copy list of that stuff (or a backup of some sort - Backup Assistant Plus, DropBox, and Titanium Backup to Cloud storage come to mind) may be worth it to get the bootloader unlocked. To save pics, vids, etc. one could also just drop all of that stuff on to their computer before reverting as well.
Just thinking of a way to help those that cannot unlock but want to... maybe it'll help rid the forum of the "new unlock method needed please" threads as well
From what i've gathered, downgrading the phone from current firmware will not undo their patch that blocks unlocking/rooting.
LifeAsADroid said:
...wouldn't this be an option (people more in the know, please correct me if I am wrong):
- Use one of the utilities to revert your system back down to ICS (4.0.4)
- Unlock the bootloader / root / do whatever you want to do that you can't when on the latest software...
- Re-take all of the updates to get you back up to 4.1.2 (or use the utility to get back to 4.1.2)
Easy-peasy, pending the updates that block the unlock exploit are reverted as well when the software is reverted.
I do understand that one would lose all their precious info (contacts, pics, vids, apps, etc.), but making a hard copy list of that stuff (or a backup of some sort - Backup Assistant Plus, DropBox, and Titanium Backup to Cloud storage come to mind) may be worth it to get the bootloader unlocked. To save pics, vids, etc. one could also just drop all of that stuff on to their computer before reverting as well.
Just thinking of a way to help those that cannot unlock but want to... maybe it'll help rid the forum of the "new unlock method needed please" threads as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
along with the many "new unlock method needed please" post, there are many post just like yours, to which in every case we "in the know" state "cant be done/will not work"
as previously stated, the files that need to be modified to unlock can not be reverted.
Yeah, like Bwen said, it's not going to happen. The ability to downgrade was locked up on the update that also patched the unlock. Many have tried, many have failed, and a few have bricked.
1) I apologize if it came off as offensive about the stopping all the "new unlock method needed please" posts. It wasn't meant to be. Was simply thinking that new posts like that wouldn't develop, and the older ones would naturally die off, thus letting us all happily and jointly move on to newer topics or issues and solve them when they arrive. I have seen lotsa posts from people needing a new method to unlock, I haven't seen any along the thought process of trying the method I (apparently unoriginally) suggested.
2) Of course I did not expect this to be a new idea, but hadn't seen it posted so I thought I'd give it a whirl and perhaps help others out if it hadn't been thought of... A shot in the dark of an idea.
3) To receiving the knowledge that it cannot be done this way - ah nuts. Oh well, tried to help.
4) I'm glad I went and did the unlock when I did, prior to the corrective action taken by Motorola.
5) Anyone know what caused Motorola to make the fix? Since the XT925 is able to be unlocked, I'm thinking they don't personally care whether people unlock or not... I'm guessing that VeeZeeDub may have forced their hand to make the correction since VeeZeeDub doesn't want the phones unlocked? (disclaimer: I apologize up front if this is not a new topic)
I would blame it on VZW, more than anything else. Moto is somewhat trying to push towards being more dev friendly, but VZW is far from it.
I agree that it must be Verizon. Sorry for the duplicated thanks in the post above.
Sent from my RAZR Maxx HD
Jhall8 said:
I agree that it must be Verizon. Sorry for the duplicated thanks in the post above.
Sent from my RAZR Maxx HD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No worries man. I know I can be abrasive and it only gets amplified through the internet, and I apologize if my post came off that way.
LifeAsADroid said:
1) I apologize if it came off as offensive about the stopping all the "new unlock method needed please" posts. It wasn't meant to be. Was simply thinking that new posts like that wouldn't develop, and the older ones would naturally die off, thus letting us all happily and jointly move on to newer topics or issues and solve them when they arrive. I have seen lotsa posts from people needing a new method to unlock, I haven't seen any along the thought process of trying the method I (apparently unoriginally) suggested.
2) Of course I did not expect this to be a new idea, but hadn't seen it posted so I thought I'd give it a whirl and perhaps help others out if it hadn't been thought of... A shot in the dark of an idea.
3) To receiving the knowledge that it cannot be done this way - ah nuts. Oh well, tried to help.
4) I'm glad I went and did the unlock when I did, prior to the corrective action taken by Motorola.
5) Anyone know what caused Motorola to make the fix? Since the XT925 is able to be unlocked, I'm thinking they don't personally care whether people unlock or not... I'm guessing that VeeZeeDub may have forced their hand to make the correction since VeeZeeDub doesn't want the phones unlocked? (disclaimer: I apologize up front if this is not a new topic)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it really doesn't matter that this was posted again, you could post it 10 more times and i guarantee within a couple days someone will ask again.
the problem is, there is an ever increasing group of people who want answers spoon fed to them because they are too lazy to read for 5 minutes to find it them self. that may sound harsh, but if you have been around the forums for at least a few years helping people its easy to see it progressing.
i have provided help on various forums through the past few years and the majority of the time when i dont have an answer, i throw some key words into a search engine and come up with the answer within minutes.
its not that im much more knowledgeable than most, its that i would rather read a few minutes and learn how to do something rather than have someone feed it to me. thats why you very rarely see me ask any questions or ask for help. 99% of the answers are out there some where, all you have to do is look...
:semi rant concluded: just my opinion, take it as you will...
I know that we can't load prior software as it won't over write the exploit fix but, here's what I don't understand. When a phone gets sent back for repair, I would think there's a way that they wipe the phone out completely removing any trace of it's previous owner. Including the traces of a new update, boot loader...etc. Then install a completely fresh copy.
Why can't that technique been done to reinstall the previous software that allows boot loader unlocking? Wouldn't a cell phone repair shop have this capability? If you put a new board in the phone, can it be flashed with any software?
Or even in the refurbish process, not everything gets wiped?
bear263 said:
I know that we can't load prior software as it won't over write the exploit fix but, here's what I don't understand. When a phone gets sent back for repair, I would think there's a way that they wipe the phone out completely removing any trace of it's previous owner. Including the traces of a new update, boot loader...etc. Then install a completely fresh copy.
Why can't that technique been done to reinstall the previous software that allows boot loader unlocking? Wouldn't a cell phone repair shop have this capability? If you put a new board in the phone, can it be flashed with any software?
Or even in the refurbish process, not everything gets wiped?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sure moto or verizon can do it, but they have access to the software that contains the encrypted key that is necessary.
But, in any event, they probably would just update it to the latest software if that hasn't happened already.
I got lucky. When I had to replace my RAZR MAXX, they "upgraded" me (for free) to a RAZR MAXX HD. I was lucky enough to have it come in with the 9.16 version, which meant I was able to unlock it, which I did immediately.
The main thing to understand is, if you don't unlock at the 9.14/9.16 version BEFORE applying any other updates, there is NO way to unlock the bootloader. It was an exploit that wasn't meant to be there. Said exploit has now been patched, and if you didn't take advantage of it when it was there, then you have no one to blame, not even Verizon or Moto since it was a security issue that they didn't know existed.

Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3

Hello all, I am new and this is my first post. So to start off proper, let me say thanks to DCZ, famewolf, and unjustified dev for working so hard to getting this working root, and to anyone else whos had a hand in it or in improving its functionality. I sincerely and deeply appreciate it.
I own this phone (6045X) & has been rooted and is using twrp recovery 2.8.7.0. In any event, upon its being rooted it was discovered that the mms was not working. I notice that it had been brought up but had not noticed a fix for this posted.
Fear not, for I am here to help. (If possible) Or hopefully to get some of you pointed in the right direction. A friend who went and got the same phone as I, (hybrid) & I figured out that it was as simple as changing a few things in the APN. Not everything. In fact for those new to this please do research. That involves going to your carriers website, selecting support and somewhere in there you should find the apn settings. Another thing you should do is goto Android A-Z and search for apn.
They will explain to you what it is as well as tell you not everything need be changed & they will go so far as to tell you that everything has to be typed precise down to the spacing and all. They will also explain how to get to your apn.
I hope someone finds this helpful. Other than that all i can say is, Whew! I feel like I just wrote a thesus

Fire TV software update 5.2.1.0 is now rolling out!

Amazon has released yesterday a New software update 5.2.1.0, for all the FireTV units:
http://www.aftvnews.com/fire-tv-software-update-5-2-1-0-is-now-rolling-out/
Some FireTV users, are already complaining that some APPs like "HBO GO/HBO NOW" (if you have Kodi/SPMC installed), "Mouse-Toggle 1.04", "Wukong Remote 1.9.0EN" and "Firestopper" now do not work at all...
Fo Realz, has mentioned on www.aftvnews.com, that after the update he can’t use "HBO NOW", unless he uninstall Kodi... Because he always get the following message:
“For security reasons the following apps must be uninstalled to use this app: Kodi”
Luckily, KODI and SPMC are still working flawlessly!!
Others users, have noticed that it looks like Amazon has changed the FireOS Font, that now it looks a bit like “Trebuchet”... And that the Remote-Control, the Wifi-Direct version, got a new update too…
It is not known yet whether this 5.2.1.0 update is Rootable or not!
Someone who has received this 5.2.1.0 update, has noticed something new or any improvements?
I just got the update yesterday as well. Netflix doesn't load properly anymore, gets stuck at 99%. Amazon videos don't play they load the video and I just see like a screenshot of the video and it doesn't play. I've lost all audio. Tried resetting, clearing cache, data, reinstalling Netflix etc.
ulises.rodriguez said:
Amazon has released yesterday a New software update 5.2.1.0, for all the FireTV units:
http://www.aftvnews.com/fire-tv-software-update-5-2-1-0-is-now-rolling-out/
Some FireTV users, are already complaining that some APPs like "HBO GO/HBO NOW" (if you have Kodi/SPMC installed), "Mouse-Toggle 1.04", "Wukong Remote 1.9.0EN" and "Firestopper" now do not work at all...
Fo Realz, has mentioned on www.aftvnews.com, that after the update he can’t use "HBO NOW", unless he uninstall Kodi... Because he always get the following message:
“For security reasons the following apps must be uninstalled to use this app: Kodi”
Luckily, KODI and SPMC are still working flawlessly!!
Others users, have noticed that it looks like Amazon has changed the FireOS Font, that now it looks a bit like “Trebuchet”... And that the Remote-Control, the Wifi-Direct version, got a new update too…
It is not known yet whether this 5.2.1.0 update is Rootable or not!
Someone who has received this 5.2.1.0 update, has noticed something new or any improvements?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you get a chance to grab the URL for this? I can start tearing apart the update to see what changed.
I'm very sceptical about the comment on my site claiming that HBO Now won't work with Kodi installed. I have not received the update myself yet, but a reader I trust has received the 5.2.1.0 update on his Fire TV 1 and says he can launch HBO Now with Kodi installed and with Kodi running in the background. He does not have an HBO Now subscription, so it's possible the message only appears when you try to play content, but he said he does not receive a message when launching the app and going to the login screen.
Wukong Mouse mode is dead on Firestick after latest OS update
Xfinity TV does not allow clicking after the update. Mouse mode is DOA. Maybe something to do with the prompt that comes up stating . "You don't have a controller" when you bring up the TVGo app. BTW I have not 'rooted' my FireStick.
Surprised you took it seriously in the first place. Obvious troll is obvious.
There's also a comment that ADBFire doesn't work. Not believing that either.
AFTVnews.com said:
I'm very sceptical about the comment on my site claiming that HBO Now won't work with Kodi installed. I have not received the update myself yet, but a reader I trust has received the 5.2.1.0 update on his Fire TV 1 and says he can launch HBO Now with Kodi installed and with Kodi running in the background. He does not have an HBO Now subscription, so it's possible the message only appears when you try to play content, but he said he does not receive a message when launching the app and going to the login screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Claude Koch said:
Surprised you took it seriously in the first place. Obvious troll is obvious.
There's also a comment that ADBFire doesn't work. Not believing that either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you never know. When the first couple comments started rolling in that 5.0.5.1 was removing FireStarter, my initial reaction was to assume it was a troll. I'm not going to go posting about something based on a comment or two, but I've learned my lesson to not dismiss anything entirely.
I'm curious... In theory, if I were to repack/recompile the Kodi APK into a different name and then installed on my Fire TV, would I survive an Amazon Kodi block if it were to happen? Is it really that simple to avoid a software block?
AFTVnews.com said:
Well you never know. When the first couple comments started rolling in that 5.0.5.1 was removing FireStarter, my initial reaction was to assume it was a troll. I'm not going to go posting about something based on a comment or two, but I've learned my lesson to not dismiss anything entirely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Elias, I understand your point of view and that is precipitated taken as certain some news only based on one or two comments... But, there are many users complaining about Adb-Fire problems (that not allows applications sideloading anymore) and also problems with the Mouse-Toggle1.04 and Wukong-Remote1.9.0EN APPs, that Amazon might have changed something in this new 5.2.1.0 update.
Maybe as you already said in aftvnews.com, the issues trying to run HBO-GO or HBO-Now, with Kodi installed or running, could be "a troll comment meant to stir up concern with a false statement", however I am very worried because I'm starting to see more complaints about Netflix and Amazon Video, that are not working well after installing this update:
1 - When I watch a movie with Netflix, it don't load completely and gets stuck on 99%.
With Amazon-Videos, movie loads, but the video does not play, and does not have audio"
2 - "I am having amazon issues, and Netflix Issues stuck 99% and no audio"
3 - “Netflix doesn’t load properly anymore, gets stuck at 99%.
Amazon videos don’t play they load the video and I just see like a screenshot of the video and it doesn’t play.
I’ve lost all audio”
Since I still have not received this new 5.2.1.0 update, I would appreciate if you could contact some users who have received it, to ask if they have experienced these strange behaviors with Netflix/Amazon-Videos, and to also confirm issues with adbfire and the sideload of apps.
Thank you Elias, for your Excellent comments, your Great AFTVnews site and always help with all our requests!!
ulises.rodriguez said:
... But, there are many users complaining about Adb-Fire problems
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
adbFire worked for me on 5.2.1.0
trek70000 said:
I'm curious... In theory, if I were to repack/recompile the Kodi APK into a different name and then installed on my Fire TV, would I survive an Amazon Kodi block if it were to happen? Is it really that simple to avoid a software block?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, currently Amazon is only blacklisting apps by package name. FireStarter and FiredTV are the only two apps on the list as of the 5.0.5.1 updated. I haven't received the 5.2.1.0 update yet, so I don't know if the list has changed, but several people have said Kodi installs/runs fine on 5.2.1.0
---------- Post added at 11:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 AM ----------
ulises.rodriguez said:
Elias, I understand your point of view and that is precipitated taken as certain some news only based on one or two comments... But, there are many users complaining about Adb-Fire problems (that not allows applications sideloading anymore) and also problems with the Mouse-Toggle1.04 and Wukong-Remote1.9.0EN APPs, that Amazon might have changed something in this new 5.2.1.0 update.
Maybe as you already said in aftvnews.com, the issues trying to run HBO-GO or HBO-Now, with Kodi installed or running, could be "a troll comment meant to stir up concern with a false statement", however I am very worried because I'm starting to see more complaints about Netflix and Amazon Video, that are not working well after installing this update:
1 - When I watch a movie with Netflix, it don't load completely and gets stuck on 99%.
With Amazon-Videos, movie loads, but the video does not play, and does not have audio"
2 - "I am having amazon issues, and Netflix Issues stuck 99% and no audio"
3 - “Netflix doesn’t load properly anymore, gets stuck at 99%.
Amazon videos don’t play they load the video and I just see like a screenshot of the video and it doesn’t play.
I’ve lost all audio”
Since I still have not received this new 5.2.1.0 update, I would appreciate if you could contact some users who have received it, to ask if they have experienced these strange behaviors with Netflix/Amazon-Videos, and to also confirm issues with adbfire and the sideload of apps.
Thank you Elias, for your Excellent comments, your Great AFTVnews site and always help with all our requests!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's very tedious and slow to check/verify update changes by contacting people who have already received the update. I just keep a list of all the issues I've heard about and check them myself once I receive the update. I'd rather be a few days late with postings than be inaccurate because information is being relayed to me.
AFTVnews.com said:
Yes, currently Amazon is only blacklisting apps by package name. FireStarter and FiredTV are the only two apps on the list as of the 5.0.5.1 updated. I haven't received the 5.2.1.0 update yet, so I don't know if the list has changed, but several people have said Kodi installs/runs fine on 5.2.1.0
---------- Post added at 11:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 AM ----------
It's very tedious and slow to check/verify update changes by contacting people who have already received the update. I just keep a list of all the issues I've heard about and check them myself once I receive the update. I'd rather be a few days late with postings than be inaccurate because information is being relayed to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I totally agree, it is very tedious and time consuming too, trying to contact users who already have received this 5.2.1.0.update.
I meant to get in contact with only known and trusted users, that have received the new update, as you already did with the user who confirmed that he had not received any safety message launching HBO-NOW, with Kodi installed or running.
However, maybe you're right, it is better to keep a list of all problems reported and once you receive the update, check to see if they are true or not...
I really hope that in a couple of days after receiving this update, you will have the time to write a full review in AFTVnews.com, about the negative things and also the new features of this 5.2.1.0 update.
Deleted post
I'm from Germany and I received the 5.2.1.0 update on my Fire TV Generation 1. After this Update the aftvnews.com Update blocking methode 2 isn't working anymore. No Feedback from adb when I send the command. My 2nd device, a Fire Stick hasn't got the update to 5.2.1.0, and there the blocking Methode works I think, because adb shows a Feedback after sending the command.
Gesendet von meinem E6653 mit Tapatalk
harlekinade said:
@aftvnews: Just as a small critique (well - thats how it started out, anyways... ) - when people looked at you in the past to provide context, this is what they got as first responses in return.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First off, thank you for posting this long and detailed criticism. Feedback, even negative feedback, is always welcome. I'll respond inline.
- When Firestarter first stopped working - it was pronounced by you "probably just an incompatibility issue".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did not say "probably." I said "one theory is." There's a distinct difference. At that point nobody knew why FireStarter wasn't working yet. I hadn't even received the software update yet (which I pointed out), but thought people would like to know sooner rather than later that the update was causing some unknown issue with FireStarter. I'd love to have weeks with an update to fully dissect it before posting anything about it, but by then it would be too late for many people to avoid the update if they suddenly want to.
- When Amazon started blacklisting apps and banning Firestarter you first repeated the same notion, then celebrated Amazon for providing "their own launcher" and therefore "making it easier for most people". And only afterwarts wrote about the issues it created, also for the company itself (reputation damage).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The first thing I wrote about the 5.0.5.1 update was that sideloaded apps were added to the home screen and there was a quicker way to get to apps. That's what Amazon told us about the update so that's what I reported. Nobody had any idea apps were blacklisted at that point. I didn't first write about app banning and "then celebrate Amazon" like you say.
- When people asked you why to root Fire TVs, you "couldnt tell them, because everyone is different" - nfts support (circumventing the 4GB filesize limit), running a smb server, using VPN services (currently also possible without - but generally speaking), blocking software updates, using open APIs or a web interface to control the device -- are all usecases I'd argue most people should know about that are possible by now - even though Amazon put in extra effort to specifically take them out of base Android one by one. So by glancing over those - you actually follow Amazons product politics once more -
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume you're referring to when people ask about why they should root in the Q&A portion of my podcast. That question comes up nearly every week and if I listed all the reasons why someone would root in every episode it would not be interesting to the listeners. Heck, if I listed and talked about just the things you mention above, which is still just a small portion of the reasons to root, it would take up the entire time I allocate to Q&A. If you want to compile a full list of all the reasons to root and keep it up to date with links to guides, I'd love to point people to it every single time this question comes up. But nobody, including myself, has created such a list because it would be very time consuming to create and maintain.
- to put it out in the open, I have a problem with you having become the gatekeeper of most information in the Fire TV ecosystem.
Is saw german mainstream technology outlets copying your first statements on issues verbetum - even if they turned out to be beside the point (as in the blacklist issue case)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Other websites not covering the Fire TV more or not doing their own research is out of my control.
and I ultimately hold you personally responsible for Amazon being able to --
Put blacklist routines into Android, uninstalling apps from their users devices - which they dont like because of anti competitive reasons - and allowing them to spin this feat to be just something thats "easier for the user".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Holding me personally responsible for that is just plain stupid.
You maybe single handedly prevented the "Amazon uninstalls its users Apps" headline and made it a "Great new feature" story.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You over estimate how much influence I have over other tech blogs. Every time Amazon does something negative to Fire TV owners, I contact numerous tech blogs to let them know. They simply don't care. It's not newsworthy to them. The issue isn't that the headlines were "Great new feature," it's that there were no headlines at all outside of my site.
I also hold you responsible for maintaining an atmosphere where every slight new feature, change, or tidbit Amazon "creates" gets received with unfiltered optimism first ("cheerleading"). Even down to overly detailed changelog analyses that are made to be seen as newsworthy - just because they are something new to report on. Something of general interest to your audience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry everything I write about isn't newsworthy to you. I write about what I find interesting. It's not that I think everything Amazon does is worth cheering about, it's that I don't write about things I don't think are interesting. It might be a shock to you, but a headline like "Amazon did a thing that you shouldn't care about" is not at the top of my list of articles to write.
When you made them care more about ES File explorer (by pronouncing it "the easiest way") than if adb (which was first limited, then got puposely rewritten (?)) actually remains usable for things not predetermined by Amazon - you did this entire community a disservice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't "make" anyone do anything. My sideloading guide lists 7 methods. The ES File Explorer method is by the the preferred method by most for obvious reasons. The fact is ADB is confusing to many people. A GUI, even if limited, is usually preferred by most. Hence the popularity of utilities like adbFire before ES File Explorer was even an option.
When you let tutorials regularly get pushed off of the front page of your blog by 12 times the "Amazon echo appreciation messages" - something important changed - combining the "how to tinker with the device" angle with the actual product messaging of the manufacturer - created a hybrid that I'd argue actually resembles a frankensteins monster that produced more harm than good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're saying I deliberately push guides off the front page, that's just stupid. I cannot control when something newsworthy happens. If something happens that results in a bunch of posts right after I release a guide, that's out of my control. I'm not going to hold back news just because I wrote a guide.
You managed to commercialize most aspects of device hacking, for - and mostly in the name of the company that produced the device - while Amazon itself promoted a purely anti right to modifications message at the same time. You tried to moderate this conflict - and somehow it never quite worked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I didn't make money from the website through ads, it wouldn't exist. Not in the same capacity at least. The same way XDA wouldn't exists if it didn't have ads to make money off of device hacking. If you have an issue with me turning my hobby of tinkering into a means to support my family, then so be it.
When Amazon put the blacklist into the Fire TV firmwares - you werent the person that first discovered the database entries - they were reported (In here or on your comments section) and you picked it up - but now you are promoting yourself to be the person we should look at for a confirmation if Amazon has added new entries to their blacklist, or if they didn't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never took credit for discovering the blacklist. I said "XDA forum member jkchr1s has discovered that FireStarter is being explicitly disabled by name" in my post and linked to his XDA post. jkchr1s and I were going back and forth via XDA private messages trying to locate the, at the time, theoretical blacklist. He explicitly asked me to not credit him with certain things, so I left some things vague.
I am not "promoting" myself to be "the person we should look at" for anything. It's simply a fact that I'm in a position to be the first one to know if the blacklist has been updated, since I know where to look and I have several Fire TVs and Fire TV Sticks dedicated for the sole purpose of capturing the update package to pass along to rbox.
Something about all of this just feels wrong. You were more a Steward of public opinion towards your cause (a world where a advertising message can stand eye to eye to a "how to intall Kodi" tutorial - ) and at least created an information silo - that kept out certain aspects of what is possible, or what happened in the past, and overemphasized others (I see ES File Explorer use as a real problem to people learning better ways of interacting with their devices, f.e.) at least I don't agree with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree that learning ADB is far superior to any GUI like ES File Explorer. The only guides where ES File Explorer comes up is when I write "no pc needed" guides for rooting and sideloading, since those two topics are the most popular types of guides. But for every "no pc needed" guide I have ever written, there was always first an equivalent guide posted that did everything with just ADB.
Now that the hype is mostly over, Firestarter is no more and we are gossiping whos next on Amazons in Android blacklist - where do we actually stand considering discoverability of methods or tutorials, do we understand the actions Amazon has taken, do we promote best practices - and do you - for example know - why not letting Amazon blacklist Kodi is actually important?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Despite what you think, I don't control the future of FireStarter, the actions Amazon has or will take, or where the Fire TV community stands.
You take both sides on this issue as well - why? And when you, a few months from know - write your article about how it was actually necessary and beneficial to the average user - will you still be part of this community? Or do you just want to feature its work? And tell your readers to mostly use Alexa ("the service economy"), just because it is there by default.
Hey - and buy an "order from Amazon" WiFi button for 20USD while you are at it, because maybe one day you will be able to launch an App on the Fire TV with it. Great pitch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't "take both sides on an issue", but I do try to explain both sides of an issue. When Amazon does something the community thinks is negative, I don't blindly defend their actions. I do give my opinion on why I think they chose to do what they did, regardless of whether I agree or disagree with it. There is a distinct difference.
I've hid my reply to the comments that were deleted to help clean up this thread.
@harlekinade
So your old account was banned? And you decided to come right back in here with your obvious rants now directed at the main person who keeps this community going? Good job dude.
Biggest question (for us "pros") is actually: Is root (and downgrade) still possible on the fire tv 4ks that ship with that firmware?!
harlekinade said:
I'm glad to see that the posting got some kind of of recognition, I'll take some time reading through the responses and give another rebuttal in the following days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you do reply, I encourage you to do it in a new thread and link to the posts in this thread as reference because discussions of your opinion of me and my site do not belong in a thread about a Fire TV software update. This is potentially an important thread (depending on what is discovered in the update), so it should not be cluttered with off-topic conversations. I absolutely will no longer reply to you in this thread regarding myself or my website.
zroice said:
Biggest question (for us "pros") is actually: Is root (and downgrade) still possible on the fire tv 4ks that ship with that firmware?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know if anyone whos gotten it yet has confirmed if the preloader hack is still active.
harlekinade said:
@aftvnews:
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude, quit it. No one's reading your responses, you're acting like a sorry little git. If the mods bothered to read these, expect your second ban real soon. Quit starting fights and leave everyone alone.

Categories

Resources