Getting your android app to communicate with a pc app.

Getting your android app to communicate with a pc app. - Java for Android App Development

Hi guys,
So recently I've come up with what I guess is an idea that may or may not have been achieved done before. The app I'd like to create is fairly simple right now and literally consists of a tally counter. Actually, very simple.
I'd like to also make an adjacent PC app that's also a tally counter... Very simple.
However, I'd like them to communicate with each other. Why and how you may ask?
First, the why. I knit as a form of relaxation as it's quite therapeutic for me and if you don't know how knitting works, let's just say there's a lot of counting rows. A few rows is easy to remember, but when you start getting closer to 128 rows and take a break for a couple days, you forget.
Anyway, I digress. I currently have a tally counter on my phone but... That's just it, it's on my phone and I constantly have to unlock it as I don't want to leave the screen on so it can drain my battery quickly. So I thought that it might be a good idea to have an app on my phone which I can use when I'm not near my PC, but when I am, I can plug in my phone launch the app on both devices and they communicate with each other.
So if I have say 18 on my PC because that's where I left it the other day, and 48 on my phone, when I launch both apps, the PC receives that the value has changed to 48 and updates to that number. Ditto for the other way around.
Is this possible? If so, how can I get both apps to communicate with each other?
Thanks.
Jamie.

10 Apps To Connect Your Computer To Android Devices -
1. AirDroid
2. Airstream
3. Polkast
4. Desktop Notifications
5. Pushbullet
6. Message Beam
7. MightyText
8. TeamViewer QuickSupport
9. Mobizen
10. Splashtop 2 Remote Desktop.

Just had a look for any form of source code I could have a look through and there's nothing...
All I know is it can be done but not how it could be done.

Bump...
Anyone got an idea of how I could do this?

Hello Jamie,
I am with Zco Corporation, we would be happy to help with your idea. Please give me a call 603.718.3616 or email [email protected]
George Markwell
603.718.3616
Zco Corporation
zco.com

Jamie_Edwards said:
Just had a look for any form of source code I could have a look through and there's nothing...
All I know is it can be done but not how it could be done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The most used method is using one socket connection between your phone and pc.

Related

What do you want? (Developing Silverlight App)

It looks like the future of applications for Windows Mobile is leaning towards silverlight 2. So My goal for this summer is to create a good, fun or useful application using silver light. I just need some ideas. What do you guys want?

One app I've been looking for for years. Some apps have some functionality but nothing puts it together in a simple package.
Location Aware Reminders
set up points on a map where a reminder of user defined text would pop up when the device is within a specified distance from that point.
Case #1:
I get off of my freeway exit going home, pass the stoplight before the store, my device plays a recording "DUDE! PICK UP SOME MILK!".
Case #2:
I drive away from my house on a vacation, my device plays a recording "Did you remember to pack your underwear?"
User should be able to:
1. View a map with current location based on gps.
2. Move map to different locations.
3. Define and save a point on the map.
4. Define a distance from that point where reminder would fire.
5. Define the text of a reminder.
6. Define an audio file as a reminder.
7. Define a title for reminder
8. View list of reminders
9. When reminder fires there should be a Snooze and Delete Option.
10. Reminders should have a date/time window of when to fire.
10 ex. All Days, only between 4pm and 7pm.
10 ex. On May 25th. any time.
Yes, there are apps that "sort of" do this. But they are unuseable for this use.
Keeping the functionality simple and specific will ensure EASE OF USE and actual functionality.
I will GLADLY pay you $10 for this app.

sudermatt said:
One app I've been looking for for years. Some apps have some functionality but nothing puts it together in a simple package.
Location Aware Reminders
set up points on a map where a reminder of user defined text would pop up when the device is within a specified distance from that point.
Case #1:
I get off of my freeway exit going home, pass the stoplight before the store, my device plays a recording "DUDE! PICK UP SOME MILK!".
Case #2:
I drive away from my house on a vacation, my device plays a recording "Did you remember to pack your underwear?"
User should be able to:
1. View a map with current location based on gps.
2. Move map to different locations.
3. Define and save a point on the map.
4. Define a distance from that point where reminder would fire.
5. Define the text of a reminder.
6. Define an audio file as a reminder.
7. Define a title for reminder
8. View list of reminders
9. When reminder fires there should be a Snooze and Delete Option.
10. Reminders should have a date/time window of when to fire.
10 ex. All Days, only between 4pm and 7pm.
10 ex. On May 25th. any time.
Yes, there are apps that "sort of" do this. But they are unuseable for this use.
Keeping the functionality simple and specific will ensure EASE OF USE and actual functionality.
I will GLADLY pay you $10 for this app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would it use GPS or the GSM/3G Network to determine location? Also what navigation software would this use for the maps? This is a good idea however this seems very intermediate. More ideas people.

I'd like this...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=426089

I would hope it would use the internal GPS.

I like the voice mail thing Like the iPhones right?

It would be nice if my wife could easily make entries via a website or a client on her desktop. (maybe not).
Actually, it would be kinda interesting. Driving down the street and having the app pop up something my friend put in there.
So you could have a group, and allow people to post GPS Pop Ups to your app.
"This is where I proposed to my wife".
"Don't even bother coming to the game tonight sucka cuz you're goin' down".
That would be kinda fun.
Just thinking out loud.

sudermatt said:
It would be nice if my wife could easily make entries via a website or a client on her desktop. (maybe not).
Actually, it would be kinda interesting. Driving down the street and having the app pop up something my friend put in there.
So you could have a group, and allow people to post GPS Pop Ups to your app.
"This is where I proposed to my wife".
"Don't even bother coming to the game tonight sucka cuz you're goin' down".
That would be kinda fun.
Just thinking out loud.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a great Idea. Only problem it is not even close to easy and I have no gps experience. But i might assemble a team to create this.

An XDA-Developers forum program that tracks your threads and alerts you when there's a new post, etc. Something that would be cooler than the actual site, and if you could, make it for our phones too.

This is very easy to answer:
1) To the date there isn't a SINGLE mobile e-mail client on the market, which is SIMPLE and FINGER FRIENDLY. In fact, there isn't any finger friendly e-mail clients at all. I think hords of users would welcome this kind of app.
2) Also there still isn't an on-demand connection chooser - look here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=408243
Thank You.

sudermatt said:
One app I've been looking for for years. Some apps have some functionality but nothing puts it together in a simple package.
Location Aware Reminders
set up points on a map where a reminder of user defined text would pop up when the device is within a specified distance from that point.
Case #1:
I get off of my freeway exit going home, pass the stoplight before the store, my device plays a recording "DUDE! PICK UP SOME MILK!".
Case #2:
I drive away from my house on a vacation, my device plays a recording "Did you remember to pack your underwear?"
User should be able to:
1. View a map with current location based on gps.
2. Move map to different locations.
3. Define and save a point on the map.
4. Define a distance from that point where reminder would fire.
5. Define the text of a reminder.
6. Define an audio file as a reminder.
7. Define a title for reminder
8. View list of reminders
9. When reminder fires there should be a Snooze and Delete Option.
10. Reminders should have a date/time window of when to fire.
10 ex. All Days, only between 4pm and 7pm.
10 ex. On May 25th. any time.
Yes, there are apps that "sort of" do this. But they are unuseable for this use.
Keeping the functionality simple and specific will ensure EASE OF USE and actual functionality.
I will GLADLY pay you $10 for this app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow. I had the exact same idea. I'll be making this in silverlight/xaml since I know it's the future of WinMo.
Me and a couple of friends are trying to do this on 3 different platforms - and will be using WPF/Silverlight for WinMo

Don't we kinda need the WM Silverlight runtime first? Last time I checked, it's not out yet.

G-Profile??
aiiro said:
This is very easy to answer:
1) To the date there isn't a SINGLE mobile e-mail client on the market, which is SIMPLE and FINGER FRIENDLY. In fact, there isn't any finger friendly e-mail clients at all. I think hords of users would welcome this kind of app.
2) Also there still isn't an on-demand connection chooser - look here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=408243
Thank You.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For #2, I might be completely misunderstanding you, but have you looked into G-Profile for this?

TheParadox said:
I like the voice mail thing Like the iPhones right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep. Pretty much

@ Sean D:
About #2. You remember back in the dial-up days when You started Internet Explorer it had an option whether to ask the connection to use or not? Well, I think for PPC and the apps that need internet connection this would be the ideal solution - if You start PIE for example, the system will ask You whether You'd like to use WiFi or GPRS or whatever else connections You have and You'd just check the option that suites You the most at the given location. If You're in a cafe with free WiFi You'd choose to use WiFi, if You're in the woods You'd choose GPRS (or 3G or whatever similar). Instead of manually connecting to desired network before launching browser. I hope You get the idea...
G-profile is not asking You how to connect, it just manages Your connections with profiles for different occasions. You'd still have to manually choose a profile with the desired connections before launching a browser.

Ha!
aiiro said:
@ Sean D:
About #2. You remember back in the dial-up days when You started Internet Explorer it had an option whether to ask the connection to use or not? Well, I think for PPC and the apps that need internet connection this would be the ideal solution - if You start PIE for example, the system will ask You whether You'd like to use WiFi or GPRS or whatever else connections You have and You'd just check the option that suites You the most at the given location. If You're in a cafe with free WiFi You'd choose to use WiFi, if You're in the woods You'd choose GPRS (or 3G or whatever similar). Instead of manually connecting to desired network before launching browser. I hope You get the idea...
G-profile is not asking You how to connect, it just manages Your connections with profiles for different occasions. You'd still have to manually choose a profile with the desired connections before launching a browser.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, I misunderstood you. But the funny thing is, i was just thinking that WM needs this function the other day.
So yeah, this gets my vote too.

Good, then it's settled
Well, OK, just one minor issue left - kinda have to wait for the approval from the thread starter too

FloatingFatMan said:
Don't we kinda need the WM Silverlight runtime first? Last time I checked, it's not out yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The whole point of this thread is that since it's pretty much confirmed there will be a silverlight or some type of WPF subset for WinMo, applications can be designed so that when devices do release, some changes can be made (e.g. support for accelerometer) so that the program can be released from the get-go.
It's also to provide devs with some practice with WPF/Silverlight

ND4SPD said:
Wow. I had the exact same idea. I'll be making this in silverlight/xaml since I know it's the future of WinMo.
Me and a couple of friends are trying to do this on 3 different platforms - and will be using WPF/Silverlight for WinMo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I could care less about how it's written....I got $10 burnin a whole in my pocket for this app...
BTW...did you read my post about the community part of the app?

OK, seems it's again just one of those countless threads that get started with a big hooray and then is forgotten forever. I mean I still do post in these in hope that someone will some day build the connection manager I keep asking for, but having posted it already to couple of threads and seeing that after couple of days the thread just dies and the original author of thread mysteriously disappears, I think there are some dark forces behind it. OK, just kidding, but seriously, just from top of my head You can check this thread - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=413600 - or this thread - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=506672. They have all died as far as I know. Or if You just wanna have a laugh (completely off-topic) check this thread - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=425424

Request: Tcping

I'm a network admin and I use the free utility Tcping to ping my access points remotely. I'd like to be able to use it on my phone as well, but there isn't an app that does anything like it as far as I can tell. I tried compiling it from source on my phone, but I wasn't able to get it to work.
Does anyone know if it is possible to port the linux version of tcping to android (without installing debian/ubuntu)?
Link: http://www.linuxco.de/tcping/tcping.html

cheezbergher said:
I'm a network admin and I use the free utility Tcping to ping my access points remotely. I'd like to be able to use it on my phone as well, but there isn't an app that does anything like it as far as I can tell. I tried compiling it from source on my phone, but I wasn't able to get it to work.
Does anyone know if it is possible to port the linux version of tcping to android (without installing debian/ubuntu)?
Link: http://www.linuxco.de/tcping/tcping.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have a look at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.ping.android.hostmonitor
It's not tcping, but it's an app capable of tcp ping. A really good app, if I may say so myself.

kuisma said:
Have a look at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.ping.android.hostmonitor
It's not tcping, but it's an app capable of tcp ping. A really good app, if I may say so myself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the suggestion! That app is capable of pinging a specific port, but it lacks certain features that I would need as well. I couldn't find a way to do a manual refresh (necessary for troubleshooting) and the way that this app manages port numbers is just not what I'm looking for. I need to be able to just type in a port and hit go, I don't want to be creating a gigantic list of ports in the app's settings.
However, I did find this app, which is a lot closer to what I want: http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.odinnet.servermonitor&hl=en

cheezbergher said:
I couldn't find a way to do a manual refresh (necessary for troubleshooting)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ping HostMonitor refreshes each time the main activity (host list) opens/reopens.

Sorry, I just realized that was your app. Allow me to explain what I need so you can see what I'm looking to do.
I'm a wifi network technician. The company I work for manages the guest networks for hundreds of hotels all over the southeastern US. On each site, we have dozens of access points (theres actually one resort where we have over 500 aps). All of the access points are accessible through our firewall via specified ports that vary from site to site.
We have a webpage that displays all of the APs at each site with their port# and uptime display that is only accurate to within 15 minutes. So if I'm troubleshooting remotely I use tcping to see when an AP comes up in real time after a remote reboot.
Your app seems to be geared more towards what ipsentry does, where it pings in 15 minute intervals. I'm looking to run pings in 3 second intervals or less.
Also, I would like to be able to just type the hostname and port then hit go. Your app is made more for a network admin who manages a single or couple of networks, and it just takes too many steps to enter in a port to be pinged. However, there are some features of your app that I really really like including only pinging a specific host when conected to a certain ssid.
I really like your app, but I need to run pings in 3 second intervals and it's just too difficult on Ping HostMonitor. If you wouod consider adding this feature, I will be eternally grateful.

cheezbergher said:
Sorry, I just realized that was your app. Allow me to explain what I need so you can see what I'm looking to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Something like this?

Hey thanks man! I tried it though and I can't get it to run. I've attached a screenshot, am I doing it wrong?

cheezbergher said:
Hey thanks man! I tried it though and I can't get it to run. I've attached a screenshot, am I doing it wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The sdcard isn't mounted allowing execute access. Put it someplace else, e.g. /data/local/tcping

holy moly it works perfectly! thanks a million man!
now if you had the time, you could make an app version with a gui. i'd definitely pay for an app that could do this.
thanks again for all your help!

Terminal access via ssh

I am thinking of getting a Nexus 4 (or a Nexus 5 if such a thing appears in the not too distant future) as my first smartphone, with the eventual possibility of running Ubuntu for Android if and when it becomes available. However, for now the only capability I need the phone for is to be able to open up a Linux style command line terminal on the phone where I can ssh into a couple of other Linux based devices I have, via wifi, so I can run some "C" executables that I have written on these other devices. These other devices are running SSH servers. Is this doable? Do I need a special app or a special ROM, etc.

I assume you mean to run the C executable on the remote machine... not the phone itself?
If yes, then: YES, you can do that. And there are many ways to do it.
At the most basic, the only app that you would need is a Terminal Emulator app (several terminal apps are available for free... some are better than others). From that, you can do what you want. Any of the good ones will work just like any other Terminal on a PC.
But there are other apps that will make it easier because typing out commands, on a phone, isn't the funnest thing ever. Copy-pasting commands is an obvious way to make it easier...
But there are even easier ways than that...
ConnectBot (ssh-agent-patch) app would allow you to ssh into a remote host with a single tap (even using public-private key authentication if you want). Then you can run your ./command (or copy-paste it).
You can even VNC into a remote host and control it graphically (assuming a VNC server is running on the host machine).
You can even go the other way too... you can run an ssh server on the phone and access it from your PC.
Like all ssh capabilities, all of this can be done over the internet too, you aren't limited to WiFi LAN.
Also, on all of my file explorers (on all of my computers AND my Phones) I've made shortcuts for easy file sharing too (all using pub/private key authentication for security). Not only does that make file transfers super easy no matter what machine I have my hands on at the moment, but it also makes my desktop PC at home my own personal cloud server to my phone. Who needs dropbox?
Basically anything you can do with ssh on a computer, it can be done on an Android phone.
ps... if you re-compiled your C executables for the Android system... you could even run them natively on the phone.

iowabeakster said:
I assume you mean to run the C executable on the remote machine... not the phone itself?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.
Fantastic, thanks for the detailed answer. I wanted to know right away before I wasted my time, but now am googling around for all the details. I have a raspberry pi running Debian that I need to communicate with and it is headless (No monitor, keyboard, etc., just a wifi dongle) so this would be perfect. I also have desktop computers that run a bunch of OS's (Centos, Scientific Linux, Fedora, Ubuntu, etc) that I might want to connect to.
From what I understand, all of that can be done without modifying the phone (rooting, etc.), correct?
However, down the road I may want to try and root it anyway, because the bigger set of Linux commands offered by Busybox would nice. I have been putting off getting a smartphone because of the cost, but the Nexus 4 with something like straight talk is the same monthly price as my 400 minutes of just talk with Verizon, so it is time. The coverage and uptime with Verizon is really good, but the costs are just not keeping up with the times.

From what I understand, all of that can be done without modifying the phone (rooting, etc.), correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
good question.
I don't know with absolute certainty what functions would require root (I always root right away... so I don't ever think about it... like you said... additional functions... and I forget about it).
Basic, ssh-client functions should not require root. Running the ssh-server on the phone, that I mentioned, certainly does require root though. I know that my Terminal Emulator and File explorer apps have root access, but root is not needed just for the ssh-client functions (I am pretty sure).
Rooting on the nexus 4 is pretty easy. Rooting does require the installation of a custom recovery (at least temporarily). That is something that sounds like it would take someone like a you only a few minutes to do (not counting the time you would likely spend reading about it before hand... and installing the android sdk on a PC). Certainly, no other mods other than rooting would be needed.

iowabeakster said:
good question.
I don't know with absolute certainty what functions would require root (I always root right away... so I don't ever think about it... like you said... additional functions... and I forget about it).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great, I will probably just root the phone after using the phone for a while; I have zero experience with smartphones, plus I want to make sure that the phone works properly. The important thing is that it will do exactly what I need it for.
Last question. I see there are several guides for rooting and unlocking the bootloader.....Any recommendation of which one to use? I see that the one written by Jubakuba "Ultimate Nexus Root Guide" has pointers to urls that are broken (Therefore many critical steps are missing), and apparently it has been that way for quite a while.

I started looking for what I thought the best guide... but I gotta do some stuff... I will be back in a couple hours (hopefully with a good suggestion).
I will piece together a guide tomorrow morning from all the various "how-to" guides out there for you. So many of them are geared towards Windows users, and they start babbling about installing and removing drivers and stuff that you won't bother with in Linux. But I need sleep, right now. It'll just be some copying and pasting from a few of them out there. It shouldn't take long.

iowabeakster said:
I started looking for what I thought the best guide... but I gotta do some stuff... I will be back in a couple hours (hopefully with a good suggestion).
I will piece together a guide tomorrow morning from all the various "how-to" guides out there for you. So many of them are geared towards Windows users, and they start babbling about installing and removing drivers and stuff that you won't bother with in Linux. But I need sleep, right now. It'll just be some copying and pasting from a few of them out there. It shouldn't take long.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not necessary to go through all of that; I thought there was maybe one document that a lot of people were using. It is really up to me to start reading up on the subject.

Just bit the bullet and placed an order for the Nexus 4 before it is out of stock again.
Found some simple instructions for unlocking and rooting the Nexus 4:
http://forums.androidcentral.com/nexus-4-rooting-roms-hacks/224861-guide-nexus-4-unlock-root.html
Also found better descriptions of what the various terms floating around mean and what each piece of software does, however it is on the Galaxy S III section of this forum, so obviously I am not going to follow any of the procedures listed:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1927113

Here's my favorite instructional...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=37823933#post37823933

iowabeakster said:
Since googling around to find a good "How to" for Android noobs, I kind of felt like I could maybe help a few other folks out there too So, I went ahead and made my own "How to".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice.

I just ran across this, and thought about you... looks like a nice new SSH client. I've never used it. But Jerry at Android Central is a pretty serious Linux nerd, so I do put some stock in his recommendations. Just thought I'd throw it out there for you to see.
http://www.androidcentral.com/apps-week-juicessh-7x7-audible-android-and-more

iowabeakster said:
I just ran across this, and thought about you... looks like a nice new SSH client. I've never used it. But Jerry at Android Central is a pretty serious Linux nerd, so I do put some stock in his recommendations. Just thought I'd throw it out there for you to see.
http://www.androidcentral.com/apps-week-juicessh-7x7-audible-android-and-more
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I had the phone for a couple of weeks and I think I turned it on twice. I really didn't get addicted and start to install apps until I used the GPS feature for a long trip I took yesterday. First time using a GPS....Yeah, just a little behind the times.
So, without rooting, today I installed the following apps which gives me everything I need:
ConnectBot. Works great and allows me to ssh to my Linux boxes.
Terminal Emulator. For basic command access.
FreebVNC. Has a secure tunnel feature built in, so you don't have to go through the whole two step process of setting up a tunnel and then running VNC through the tunnel. Also, it has a zoom feature, access to special keys and mouse emulation.
Wifi Analyzer. Gives you access points, signal strength, etc. There was another app that I added to that app to easily connect to the access points.
Fing. Network Info like mac addresses, etc.
Still will root eventually and install Busybox. However, now that I can access my raspberry pi remotely, my priority is to finish writing my software programs and building electronics for a project that uses that little ARM computer.

pjc123 said:
I am thinking of getting a Nexus 4 (or a Nexus 5 if such a thing appears in the not too distant future) as my first smartphone, with the eventual possibility of running Ubuntu for Android if and when it becomes available. However, for now the only capability I need the phone for is to be able to open up a Linux style command line terminal on the phone where I can ssh into a couple of other Linux based devices I have, via wifi, so I can run some "C" executables that I have written on these other devices. These other devices are running SSH servers. Is this doable? Do I need a special app or a special ROM, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For a ssh client, try ConnectBot. I have been using this since the G1 came out for work (Sys Admin) and home.
For a better keyboard, check out Hacker's Keyboard.

SpookyTunes said:
For a ssh client, try ConnectBot. I have been using this since the G1 came out for work (Sys Admin) and home.
For a better keyboard, check out Hacker's Keyboard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As mentioned above, I already installed ConnectBot and it has nice features. However, I am interested in the keyboard (keys in the right place, Crtrl/Tab/Esc keys, etc.), so I will be installing that next.

Yep, ConnectBot is the old standard (if there is such a thing in Android world). I use it.
I've pretty much always used Jack Palevich's Terminal Emulator app. Very small and lightweight. It's always done everything I've ever needed to do. But there are many Terminal apps to choose from. I usually stop trying apps, when I find one that meets my needs, and stick with it until it doesn't... I started using that Terminal my first week with my first Android, after trying a couple of others. I've never used anything since.
Hacker's keyboard is an awesome suggestion! Thanks man! How have I survived without this!
For VNC purposes (which I rarely use) I use androidVNC. I've never tried anything else since I use it so rarely. It seems to do everything I can imagine it should. Mostly I use it to mess with my wife's head with some "ghost in the shell" pranks when she is using her laptop. She will scream from the living room, "WTF!!!! My computer just told me it's going to eat my brains tonight!"
And I'm just innocently sitting there reading emails on my phone "That is strange, honey."

iowabeakster said:
For VNC purposes I use androidVNC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually looked at androidVNC first due to the amount of reviews and positive ones, but I liked the extra features of FreebVNC even though it violates my following policy. I have found, just like shopping at Amazon, that in general the quantity and quality of reviews quickly narrows the search dramatically from the huge database of products/apps. The only side effect of this is to weed out excellent apps that are new and could be excellent, but just like major operating system updates, with anything new I let them weed out the bugs first.
iowabeakster said:
I've never tried anything else since I use it so rarely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I totally agree with you that I don't ever see myself using the VNC client on the smartphone again other than just as a novelty. What does intrigue me is putting a VNC server on the smartphone. I wonder if there would be a way to use an external computer's mouse and keyboard to control the gui portion of the smartphone while displaying it on the computer's large screen, the problem being that the smartphone is touch based; that is something that I could see using.
iowabeakster said:
I use it to mess with my wife's head with some "ghost in the shell" pranks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me and a friend used to do similar pranks at work, messing each others displays, keyboards, etc. I think the best non-computer prank that someone did to me while I was on vacation was to line one of my desk drawers with plastic and fill it full of goldfish. The best prank that some colleagues did, was to inflate a weather balloon in our departmental director's office and turn the nozzle away from the door so he couldn't get in.

Keeping WP8 Samsung Ativ

after 3 months with the Ativ WP8 I start thinking to change to android (eventually Galaxy4) for good reasons
1. Incomplete BT stack - no keyboard to connect or certain consoles
2. Miserable sync with Outlook and One-Notes
3. Limited camera functions - e.g. where to save and to transfer to a PC)
4. Cannot use DropBox
5. Useless letters in apps
6. Want not and cannot allow certain info an the cloud (SkyDrive)
7. Calendar - no weekly, daily and to-do app
8. No basic info like battery status, signal strength, Wi-Fi visible as a top bar
9. Better organization for apps, e.g. based on importance and not just one long list to scroll, why not at least two
I am aware that WP8 is a great improvement and with good tools, but I have to decide what serves my daily needs the best. Is there any major update in the next few months to expect. Any suggestions

Not sure if trolling or just ...

Sell it to me.
Sent from rehab using XDA Windows Phone 8 App

mcosmin222 said:
Not sure if trolling or just ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not trolling mate, this isn't windowsphonecentral. You're not going to get an army of windows phone enthusiasts trying to go against this guy.

Lol trolls.
Sent from Lumia 810 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App

theguitarman94 said:
Not trolling mate, this isn't windowsphonecentral. You're not going to get an army of windows phone enthusiasts trying to go against this guy.[/QUOT]
Given his reasons, I am 100% convinced he is either a troll or too stupid to use a smartphone, in which case, Android/WP/IOS won't make much of a difference.
So I think he is a troll.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I mean it is very difficult to find the signal strength

If you're not happy with how the phone handles things and if it can't do certain things you need it to do the best way to go is to sell the phone and get one that does. Given that you already tried to find solutions for some of those things and found out that they could not be done differently on WP you are left with only two options:
- live with how things are done/can be done (e.g. Jump Lists in the App List, pinning important Apps to the Start Screen)
- get rid of the phone and use something else in the hopes of it doing things the way you want them done

You can be sure not a troll nor stupid. I use mobile phones from the beginning and can very well distinguish pros and cons. We can and do build out own servers and use the phone as a business tool. Just see what MS did with the BT stack, incomplete, you cannot connect a simple keyboard which is needed when taking notes in conferences, Using the cloud for confidential information is a nono, DropBox does not work with WP8.... Me or someone else calling stupid shows where your standard is.

When I make a final decision to sell the phone you will be the first for an offer. It will come with a nice black leather case open front and 32 GB SD card. I need some additional research to find the right solution.

[email protected] said:
after 3 months with the Ativ WP8 I start thinking to change to android (eventually Galaxy4) for good reasons
1. Incomplete BT stack - no keyboard to connect or certain consoles
2. Miserable sync with Outlook and One-Notes
3. Limited camera functions - e.g. where to save and to transfer to a PC)
4. Cannot use DropBox
5. Useless letters in apps
6. Want not and cannot allow certain info an the cloud (SkyDrive)
7. Calendar - no weekly, daily and to-do app
8. No basic info like battery status, signal strength, Wi-Fi visible as a top bar
9. Better organization for apps, e.g. based on importance and not just one long list to scroll, why not at least two
I am aware that WP8 is a great improvement and with good tools, but I have to decide what serves my daily needs the best. Is there any major update in the next few months to expect. Any suggestions
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So to avoid wasting more thread space criticizing OP:
1. Yes, the BT stack is limited, but what's there works well (other phones have all sorts of issues with BT freezing on connect, etc.)
2. If by "Outlook," you mean Outlook.com or an Exchange server, nothing syncs better with those than WP; same with OneNote; the only thing that would make sense is if you mean data stored in a local PST on the desktop Outlook app, which WP doesn't directly sync to-- valid point, but other platforms don't do native sync at all (or very well) either, so the only real comparison point is Windows Mobile 6.x lol; if you do want to do local Outlook syncing, try Akruto Sync
3. What's limited? Plug in a USB cable, or open your SkyDrive folder, and it's all there
4. Actually you can-- see the "Boxfiles" app
5. Don't know what you mean
6. Don't know what you mean
7. The Calendar app has daily, agenda, and month views, along with to-dos- what more are you looking for?
8. All of that is in the top bar- just tap it
9. That's what start screen pinning is for; the list itself has alphabetical and search functions

Good answer, but please see that DropBox (will try Boxfiles App)or Team Viewer or Dragon and other do not work, As an attorney- (working with very sensitive data) I cannot have data from clients in a cloud, I could loose my shirt. I need a weekly calendar which also shows to do and notes like in Outlook.. OneNote on the PC is not fully compatible with OneNote in WP8. I made it work, but it is a work around. In the list of Apps I have at least 10 single letters and when you click on it, it opens the full alphabet, nothing else. SkyDrive is for me only of limit use, A BT Keyboard is a deal breaker, I use the phone in meetings to take notes which later will be part of a client electronic file. Samsung Ativ is a nice phone, basically I like it, but it has to assist and function in my daily work. I do not care to store a lot of music or videos. Miss a good file manager. You mention the top bar, not on the Samsung above the tiles. It shows only the time. Imagine you have a fight with the IRS for hundred of thousand of $$ and I would as your attorney leave documents in your case on SkyDrive.
Thanks and have a great day with your coffee.
By the way, I am for over 10 years a MS Partner.

[email protected] said:
Good answer, but please see that DropBox (will try Boxfiles App)or Team Viewer or Dragon and other do not work, As an attorney- (working with very sensitive data) I cannot have data from clients in a cloud, I could loose my shirt. I need a weekly calendar which also shows to do and notes like in Outlook.. OneNote on the PC is not fully compatible with OneNote in WP8. I made it work, but it is a work around. In the list of Apps I have at least 10 single letters and when you click on it, it opens the full alphabet, nothing else. SkyDrive is for me only of limit use, A BT Keyboard is a deal breaker, I use the phone in meetings to take notes which later will be part of a client electronic file. Samsung Ativ is a nice phone, basically I like it, but it has to assist and function in my daily work. I do not care to store a lot of music or videos. Miss a good file manager. You mention the top bar, not on the Samsung above the tiles. It shows only the time. Imagine you have a fight with the IRS for hundred of thousand of $$ and I would as your attorney leave documents in your case on SkyDrive.
Thanks and have a great day with your coffee.
By the way, I am for over 10 years a MS Partner.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks
On the top bar, if you tap anywhere in the bar (on the time or anywhere to the left of it), the cell + Wifi + BT + battery status show up. They disappear after a few seconds in the interest of clean design (then show up only when there's a problem, like no signal or low battery). On the app list, in addition to the alphabetical jump-list, there's also a search button at the top-left.
The Calendar app has to-dos (see the "to-do" tab to the right of "agenda"). Week view is indeed missing-- MS should prob implement it in landscape view, as Apple did when it added week view in iOS 5. You can sort of approximate it by tapping month view -> day for each day of the week. Something weird about the month view is that if you look at it carefully on a 720p device in landscape, you'll notice the number of items matches how many you have scheduled for that day, but the actual text is gibberish (lorem ipsum) instead of your actual items, since it's not meant to be visible haha.
I've been a pretty heavy OneNote user- the WP8 app is not the full desktop app by any means, but it's better than what you get on Android or iOS. The local file manager issue is valid-- WP8 does not expose the file system in the interest of simplicity, which does make things less flexible than, say, Windows Mobile. I use SkyDrive as a sort of local drive, since everything in WP8 can save there-- but if you have concerns with consumer cloud services (SkyDrive, Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, etc.) being subpoenable, etc., that's a valid concern.
There is some motion in that space, though-- I know of many law firms that have switched to Office 365 for Exchange/Sharepoint/etc. (which is a lot more data than just files in SkyDrive), since the uptime and security is actually better than what they had in-house (http://www.microsoftbusinesshub.com/Industries/Legal). That includes "SkyDrive Pro," the Sharepoint file store.
If I can suggest something, take a look at the Surface RT, with the Type Cover. You'll get a full-blown Windows experience, with local files, full-blown Office 2013 (minus x86 macros) with desktop OneNote, etc., and a great keyboard, but 10-hour battery life, in a 1.5 lb form factor. There's a TeamViewer app for WinRT, and you can access almost anything a full PC can (here on XDA, people have even ported x86 desktop apps and an x86 emulator). I generally carry the Surface + WP8 everywhere now-- phone for quick stuff and Surface for longer content.

[email protected] said:
You can be sure not a troll nor stupid. I use mobile phones from the beginning and can very well distinguish pros and cons. We can and do build out own servers and use the phone as a business tool. Just see what MS did with the BT stack, incomplete, you cannot connect a simple keyboard which is needed when taking notes in conferences, Using the cloud for confidential information is a nono, DropBox does not work with WP8.... Me or someone else calling stupid shows where your standard is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Androids bt stack is also incomplete. Most of the other things you mention are there. If its trully business usage you want then buy a WM device, not even your beloved android comes close to wm. The only thing wm doesn't do better is games and video playback and most of that is down to crap drivers from the oems
Sent from my Arc using xda app-developers app

Thanks for your answer but you should not imply like "not even your beloved android comes close to wm" never used it. You asked "And what exactly isnt working with One Note on PC and ur Phone?" On the PC I have in One Note a personal and office section. The office section can only be seen with Sky Drive.Why not having both section direct in the Phones One Note without Sky Drive. Any suggestion? I guess it is possible but do not know to get it done. It seems Logitech will bring a compatible Keyboard for the Ativ,
Calendar, I use Week View 8 what does the most I need, but you cannot change there appointments or to dos, you have to go through agenda.. We have Office 365 and have until today nit made a final decision.A replacement for Team Viewer not found except you run it through Internet Explorer.I will always listen and learn and keep things in an appropriate way.

[email protected] said:
Thanks for your answer but you should not imply like "not even your beloved android comes close to wm" never used it. You asked "And what exactly isnt working with One Note on PC and ur Phone?" On the PC I have in One Note a personal and office section. The office section can only be seen with Sky Drive.Why not having both section direct in the Phones One Note without Sky Drive. Any suggestion? I guess it is possible but do not know to get it done. It seems Logitech will bring a compatible Keyboard for the Ativ,
Calendar, I use Week View 8 what does the most I need, but you cannot change there appointments or to dos, you have to go through agenda.. We have Office 365 and have until today nit made a final decision.A replacement for Team Viewer not found except you run it through Internet Explorer.I will always listen and learn and keep things in an appropriate way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like vnc better then teamviewer personally. Ive never had as problem with one note or outlook syncing. I also enjoy the android os on my tablet. Perhaps that might be a solution for you. I use my Aviv s to provide internet to my android tablet.
Sent from my A100 using xda app-developers app

mcosmin222 said:
If there is one thing that WP does infinitely better than Android, that is protecting your privacy.
Hell, on android you can even get spyware and trojan downloaded from the marketplace, and you will never even know it. If you want privacy, go for WP and stick with it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL.......it seems that 95% of WP apps require access to your location, and they send this also to Microsoft. Having access to my location is fine, as long as it makes sense.

Darkjamzi said:
LOL.......it seems that 95% of WP apps require access to your location, and they send this also to Microsoft. Having access to my location is fine, as long as it makes sense.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cause yeh LOL google maps location process doesn't run like 100% if time in the background on ANY android phone.

tween girl - what security and protection steps are recommended

Nexus 7 2012, 4.4.4
Bought it for my 10 year old girl. I am not paranoid, but want to keep her and the device safe. Looking for recommendations on app, settings, on how to find the device if lost, and how to keep her and the device safe.
1) losing the device
++ I installed the android stock app Device Manager (think that is the name) and also Lookout. They both provide a siren to help find the phone and a gps locator map. but obviously this must only work if the device is wi-fi connected and has battery?
++ lock the screen with password after 2 minutes.
++ owners contact infor (cell phone numbers) on lock screen
-- anything comments or advice?
2) virus protection
++ installed Lookout.
3) Safe surfing
++ nothing installed
4) parental controls
++ nothing installed

Maybe try this? Looks like it does more than one thing.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.avg.family

Thse are a bit too baby for a 10 year old. Maybe I need to reask my question. Looking mostly for common sense ways to find the tablet when it gets lost and how to help people get it back to you. I am not big on parental controls. But have an open mind.

thebrenda said:
Thse are a bit too baby for a 10 year old. Maybe I need to reask my question. Looking mostly for common sense ways to find the tablet when it gets lost and how to help people get it back to you. I am not big on parental controls. But have an open mind.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try AVG, if I'm not mistaken it can also locate a device, I am sure that it emails you immediately to notify you if the Sim has been changed.
EDIT: there are many apps that will email you a photo of whoever fails to unlock the device, I'm sorry I cannot provide links or names but I have tried a few, they work. You can google this one.
Sent from my GT-I8190 using Tapatalk

thebrenda said:
Nexus 7 2012, 4.4.4
Bought it for my 10 year old girl. I am not paranoid, but want to keep her and the device safe. Looking for recommendations on app, settings, on how to find the device if lost, and how to keep her and the device safe.
1) losing the device
++ I installed the android stock app Device Manager (think that is the name) and also Lookout. They both provide a siren to help find the phone and a gps locator map. but obviously this must only work if the device is wi-fi connected and has battery?
++ lock the screen with password after 2 minutes.
++ owners contact infor (cell phone numbers) on lock screen
-- anything comments or advice?
2) virus protection
++ installed Lookout.
3) Safe surfing
++ nothing installed
4) parental controls
++ nothing installed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2. If you d/l only fron google Play store, no virus protection needed
3/4. Open DNS is great for the home. You can restrict all types of websites..just log in to OPENDNS (web site) and go from there.
d

What about an app that tells you what happens have been used at what times? My girl is supposed to read for 30 minutes every day. Now she wants to read in her room on the tablet. I want to srr her app history.
Sent from my LG-P769 using XDA Free mobile app

Really if this is an issue, turn off Internet access and let her read ebooks already downloaded. 10yo if you can't trust, make her read where you can monitor. Still no trust, no Internet device, it its simple.

107
thebrenda said:
What about an app that tells you what happens have been used at what times? My girl is supposed to read for 30 minutes every day. Now she wants to read in her room on the tablet. I want to srr her app history.
Sent from my LG-P769 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your daughter goes to school, then there is a huge chance there is some kid at school that can flash her device. A few points to think about.
1) If your installing these apps with out her knowledge, you can't get mad at her if she has someone flash it.
2) If your installing these apps with out her knowledge and she finds out, you've now broken her trust of you. As a previous rebellious teen girl this is a big mistake, something she will not forget anytime soon.
3) My daughter has to read daily as well. What I do is read the same book as her. We make it fun. While I make dinner we discuss the book. If I find she hasn't read it yet today, I suggest she go do that while I make dinner.
We don't use technology as a punishment or reward in our house, it's just part of life. My daughter (an yours probably too) can just go to a friends house and surf/play/whatever with out my knowledge. It's more important that my daughter trust me and know that I trust her.

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