Database Users

[No Root] Useful Apps (Stock Messaging, Lightbulb, Facebook Messenger)

Decided to make a post of useful Apps (with Nexus 5 in mind) that don't require root. I personally use these on a daily basis and haven't ran into any issues. Please report back if you do encounter any problems. Also please keep in mind, these are intended for those running stock 4.4.4 and are not rooted. As always, use at your own risk.
Messaging com.android.mms.apk
Android Stock Text Messaging (The "Attachment" menu has Sound Recorder "com.android.soundrecorder.apk" actions, highly recommend to install this as well)
Lightbulb com.paranoid.lightbulb.apk
Standard Torch
Facebook Messenger com.facebook.orca.apk
Installing this dummy apk tricks Facebook into letting you use Facebook's internal messenger without the need of the separate Messenger app. Please uninstall Messenger before installing.
CyanogenMod File Manager com.cyanogenmod.filemanager.apk
Basic File Manager

Just FYI, the stock messaging app is nice but try this one out. It's based of the stock messaging app but has a lot of additional features. It's really the best SMS app I have used.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/app-stock-messaging-sliding-ui-extra-t2825144

I don't understand what the Facebook apk does. How is it different to the normal one?

pepdavies said:
I don't understand what the Facebook apk does. How is it different to the normal one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Facebook is disabling the chat in it's main app and asks you to download it's separate Messaging app. This lets you restore the messaging functionally inside the main app. You can Google "facebook forcing users to download messenger" if you need to know more.

jsgraphicart said:
Just FYI, the stock messaging app is nice but try this one out. It's based of the stock messaging app but has a lot of additional features. It's really the best SMS app I have used.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/app-stock-messaging-sliding-ui-extra-t2825144
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hahaha, Yeah that one is nice, but I'm just a stock kind of boy!

BinaryW01f said:
Facebook is disabling the chat in it's main app and asks you to download it's separate Messaging app. This lets you restore the messaging functionally inside the main app. You can Google "facebook forcing users to download messenger" if you need to know more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, that is pretty useful

BinaryW01f said:
Facebook is disabling the chat in it's main app and asks you to download it's separate Messaging app. This lets you restore the messaging functionally inside the main app. You can Google "facebook forcing users to download messenger" if you need to know more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is secure?
Where do you get this?

zpower said:
This is secure?
Where do you get this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is anything truly secure? This simply is a dummy apk that I compiled. It requires no permissions and you should never see it running. Facebook does a check to see if you have the Messenger package "com.facebook.orca" installed. This dummy apk contains the same package name and tricks Facebook. That is all!

That facebook apk is a godsend, THANK YOU!!

Thanks! I was looking for the Lightbulb and the Cyanogenmod file manager

Facebook messenger don't work anymore.
Can you fix it? Thanks

Hello? Anybody?

zpower said:
Hello? Anybody?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try this : http://forum.xda-developers.com/android/apps-games/app-facebook-chat-enabler-t2934179

[Patch] All-in-one Patch for Missing Sense Apps, Widgets, and Plugins

All-in-one Patch for Missing Sense Apps, Widgets, and Plugins​
Hello everyone
The new HTC 10 is marvelous, and Sense 8 is really good and smooth.
As you all should know, Sense 8 is much cleaner and more close to stock Android, HTC removed tons of goodies from the old Sense.
Some of them are available on the Play Store, so it should be no problems..... but.....
How about those which cannot be downloaded
To be honest, I miss them a lot, and I believe many of you do to.
There are installable apks available, but most of them are outdated/modified, also downloading them one-by-one is a pain.
I collected all old Sense parts from our Sense 8 M8 port and packed all of them into an Aroma Installer flashable zip.
Here are the list of apps included in the package, all of them are selectable within the Aroma menu:
Code:
--Apps--
HMS_Gallery_GP2
HMS_Music_GP
HTC_IME
*IMEHWRPenPower
*IMEMurasuIndic
*IMEMurasuViet
*IME_TP_Basic
*IME_TP_ValueAdd
HTC Car
*HtcCarGps
*Automotive_Home
*Automotive_Traffic
--Widgets--
CalculatorWidget
HtcAutoRotateWidget
HtcBackgroundDataWidget
HtcProfilesWidget
HtcRingtoneWidget
HtcScreenBrightnessWidget
HtcScreenTimeoutWidget
HtcSyncWidget
HtcBtWidget
HtcCalendarWidgets
HtcContactWidgets
HtcDataRoamingWidget
HtcDataStripWidget
HtcHotspotWidget
HtcMobileNetworkWidget
HtcMusicWidget
HtcWiFiWidget
--Plugins--
Facebook_Plugin
Instagram_SN_Plugin
Tencent_Wechat_FSPlugin
And the following is the list that is downloadable from Play Store and not pre-loaded:
Code:
HTC Internet (Browser)
HTC Calendar
HTC File Manager
HTC Tasks
HTC Scribble
HTC Power to Give
HTC Backup (Discontinued in Marshmallow)
Changelog
v1.1:
Add HTC Car
Update HTC Gallery
Add a note for Calendar Widget​v1.0:
Initial release​
Downloads
v1.1 AFH Link​
Enjoy

I assume the radio app from M8 doesn't work?

alexp999 said:
I assume the radio app from M8 doesn't work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's unclear yet.
SD820 has the capability in the SoC but the 10 firmware and kernel may not support FM radio as well as the appropriate missing libs for it to function.
Once there are more devices in hands there will be more information.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

Since you mention Facebook and Instagram, combined with seeing mention of them elsewhere in the forums...
Am I to understand that Blinkfeed, out of the box on the 10, won't support Facebook and Instagram without your file? If I'm off-base, please tell me.

OGhoul said:
Since you mention Facebook and Instagram, combined with seeing mention of them elsewhere in the forums...
Am I to understand that Blinkfeed, out of the box on the 10, won't support Facebook and Instagram without your file? If I'm off-base, please tell me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it is not included by default. You have to manually install it.

Appreciate that nice work,
suggestion here:
if you want to put the Calendar-widget in, then you might want to grab the Calendar in.
so when ppl hit the date on the widget, that 'd just call the main Calendar app

Update to v1.1
Also added more information to the OP

topjohnwu said:
Yes, it is not included by default. You have to manually install it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So just installing Facebook and Instagram (or even Twitter) off of the Play store isn't enough?
For us to have full functionality of Blinkfeed, we have to choose between getting updates and having to flash TWRP + your mod?

@topjohnwu
Thank you for this and also for the stock collection thread. That will prove very useful. Really appreciated ?
Was gonna buy you a beer but PayPal says I cannot send the donation to your country

exocetdj said:
@topjohnwu
Thank you for this and also for the stock collection thread. That will prove very useful. Really appreciated ��
Was gonna buy you a beer but PayPal says I cannot send the donation to your country
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks man, I'll fix it

OGhoul said:
So just installing Facebook and Instagram (or even Twitter) off of the Play store isn't enough?
For us to have full functionality of Blinkfeed, we have to choose between getting updates and having to flash TWRP + your mod?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nope...installing facebook & instagram only installs the actual app, not the blinkfeed plugins...twitter works out of the box for blinkfeed
u don't have to be modded/rooted to install these plugins, just enable unknown sources, copy the apks to the phone & install...I posted the facebook & instagram plugins here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=66377247&postcount=41801

Once you install let's say HTC Music, will it give you updates from the playstore? Because I did the same on A9 but never got updates

vegetaleb said:
Once you install let's say HTC Music, will it give you updates from the playstore? Because I did the same on A9 but never got updates
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it won't. What you can see on Play Store is controlled by files in /system/etc/permissions.
BTW, the music app is never available on the Play Store at any time.

topjohnwu said:
No it won't. What you can see on Play Store is controlled by files in /system/etc/permissions.
BTW, the music app is never available on the Play Store at any time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!
So when Leedroid or other dev will do a rom for 10 he can mod something in the /system/etc/permissions so we get updates :good:

Can you Upload Gallery and Music App separately ?I don't want to root my device.
Thanks in advance

ing005 said:
Can you Upload Gallery and Music App separately ?I don't want to root my device.
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please keep in mind that it's just a zip file, you can unpack what you need by yourself.

tal_sarid said:
Please keep in mind that it's just a zip file, you can unpack what you need by yourself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you're right. But now the problem is Gallery App keep force closing and Music App showed "App is not installed" message.

ing005 said:
Yes, you're right. But now the problem is Gallery App keep force closing and Music App showed "App is not installed" message.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably they are priv-apps and I don't know a way to install such apps without root..
Do you have the HTC 10? Can you please confirm that all HTC Calendar's widgets are getting installed from the Play Store?

ing005 said:
Yes, you're right. But now the problem is Gallery App keep force closing and Music App showed "App is not installed" message.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is why I packed it to install them in system. I've done no modifications to the apps, so they have to be installed into the system with proper libraries.
tal_sarid said:
Probably they are priv-apps and I don't know a way to install such apps without root..
Do you have the HTC 10? Can you please confirm that all HTC Calendar's widgets are getting installed from the Play Store?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The HTC Calendar is available on Play Store (I listed in OP), but not the widgets. That's why I also included them in my pack.

topjohnwu said:
The HTC Calendar is available on Play Store (I listed in OP), but not the widgets. That's why I also included them in my pack.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's sounds very odd. Usually an app installs its widgets build in. Why is it different in this case? There are no widgets with the Google play app at all?

Safe to Remove/Freeze?

Does anyone have a list or can we compile a list of apps and services we can uninstall or freeze with out negative consequences? I know people use different apps/methods to accomplish this, I.e. I use TiB, so any input would be fantastic!!!

I use TiBu as well....
Here's what I've froze with no issues:
ZTE SMS messenger
ZTE Email
ZTE Calendar
ZTE Music
I flashed the Pixel phone and froze the ZTE phone - not currently doing though, didn't really use the "Google" features of the Pixel dialer, plus I had issues with the contacts crashing when adding a name.
I read someone is freezing the ZTE Locker, which is the ZTE lockscreen, this gets replaced with the stock Androind lockscreen.

A2017 (chinese) 4GB/128 GB
Hi, I froze anything but the dialer without any issues. I installed Swipe Dialer Pro, which looks and feels like the Resurrection Remix Dialer, and works pretty well. But I had to keep the MiFavor dialer, because it manages the contacts.

Any of the google apps, toolkit, and all its apps, touchpal keyboard and all its supporting files. All frozen for week, then removed after no problems.

So far:
Android live wallpaper, Ant Hal,ZTE Calculator,cloud print,zte email, play movies,hangouts,keep,live wallpaper picker,zte sms,sheets,slides,toolkit,zte locker all frozen with no issues

I'm fighting to fully remove ZTE Locker. reV17 pointed me to something else that has to be removed called huahualock. I found one file that was named like that, but it seemed to be some type of backup file.

Is there any app I can use to freeze apps if I am not rooted? Sort of like package disabler for Samsung phones?

You can freeze apps from miassistant.
Go into apps manager and freeze apps
Sent from my ZTE A2017 using Tapatalk

alom5 said:
You can freeze apps from miassistant.
Go into apps manager and freeze apps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I know but not all apps can be freezed through miassistant.

Change dialer and contacts apps

I hate google contacts and phone (in call ui) apps but when i disable the 2 apps and try install different ones (like samsungs for example) I get an error message (app not installed), any way to get this sorted? Thanks
Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

Never tried, but maybe don't disable the default apps. Then set the new apps as default.

There's a conflict cos of the same app names (contacts and phone)
Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

Samsung dialer is not compatible with stock Android. You need to have Samsung framework installed to use the dialer because it is made specifically for Samsung phones. OnePlus Dialer, Sony Dialer and other phone brand specific dialers won't work either. You need to download a third party dialer from the Play Store that is generic Android compatible and then change the default dialer to your downloaded app. The Samsung dialer shouldn't even show up in the Play Store when you are using this phone because it's not compatible.

Which 3rd party contacts apps do you recommend?
jhs39 said:
Samsung dialer is not compatible with stock Android. You need to have Samsung framework installed to use the dialer because it is made specifically for Samsung phones. OnePlus Dialer, Sony Dialer and other phone brand specific dialers won't work either. You need to download a third party dialer from the Play Store that is generic Android compatible and then change the default dialer to your downloaded app. The Samsung dialer shouldn't even show up in the Play Store when you are using this phone because it's not compatible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It drives me nuts that Google Contacts app does not support storing to phone memory. Which 3rd party apps to you recommend?

Google phone and google Photos and Google messenger

Anyone not use the stock oneplus apps for the things listed in the title...silly question anyway to completely unistall the oneplus photos.and only use the Google photo app

hondasforlife said:
Anyone not use the stock oneplus apps for the things listed in the title...silly question anyway to completely unistall the oneplus photos.and only use the Google photo app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you rooted? System app uninstaller can do it if you are, if not, you can disable it only.
I am using the Google Dialer, Google contacts, and Google photos, and Google Messenger on my OPO 6T, I like the way they work together.