The DnD Sanctuary

General => Browsers & Technology => Topic started by: Frenzie on 2014-09-07, 20:43:31

Title: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2014-09-07, 20:43:31
The other day I was musing about proper portable keyboards.
On a separate note, I came across this interesting portable keyboard (http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/pc-peripheral/3435643/cherry-g84-4100-review/). It'd work with my Android phone's USB OTG functionality, making it potentially useful in certain use cases. It'd be more pleasant to use than my netbook's keyboard, but on the other hand the netbook is definitely a lot more capable than my phone…


In my eyes the obvious answer is not a regular Android editing app, but rather something console-based. I decided to investigate just what exactly my phone does and does not support.

The good, my terminal emulator comes with:


That's all you need for writing and syncing basic notes. But the dream, of course, is git. It seems the simple (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spartacusrex.spartacuside) solution evades me because even though I have 120MB free on my phone's memory (and more on SD), it runs out of space while installing. So much for that plan. If I wanted to go in this direction, I guess I'd need a less elegant GUI option (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=me.sheimi.sgit). Or perhaps a Debian chroot (https://wiki.debian.org/ChrootOnAndroid)…

Do you have any ideas or dreams about unintended ways to use your phone?
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2014-09-08, 08:18:46
I figured I'd give it another try with fresh eyes and I quickly found a Terminal IDE apk download on Google Code (http://code.google.com/p/terminal-ide/downloads/list). Downloading it to my SD card instead of wherever Google Play puts it resulted in a problem-free install. Still, I don't like what it said about its custom Vim keyboard bindings…
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2014-09-09, 14:56:11
Well, I don't like Terminal IDE. It's really Android focused and makes some concessions in order to be able to run on devices that aren't rooted. But as luck would have it, the whole Debian chroot process seems to be already automated by software like Debian Kit (https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdid=org.dyndns.sven_ola.debian_kit) and Lil' Debi (https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/?fdfilter=debian&fdid=info.guardianproject.lildebi). I decided to try Lil' Debi.

At first I kind of failed, perhaps because I went with the default mirror which was rather slow. Apparently if it times out it doesn't try again but just skips the package in question, and I ended up without apt — which was pretty much the point of trying in the first place. I tried to grab it through wget for installation with dpkg, but wget didn't work. I then tried to download the apt package through an Android browser followed by running dpkg -i, but it came up with incomprehensible errors. I ended up deleting the whole attempt.

I then tried again and made sure to select the armhf architecture along the way, which is supposed to be better and faster if your processor supports it. I'd imagine that pretty much any phone or tablet made after 2010 does. The mirror list is somewhat hard to use because it isn't sorted by region or country like in actual Debian, but I found a .nl mirror which turned out to be really fast and dependable. Unfortunately Wheezy came up with some odd error, but yet another retry with Jessie was the magic bullet. I now have a properly functioning little Debian installation on my phone.

A bad surprise is just how slow it can be. Stuff like Vim goes back to the '90s and it's as fast as can be, but apt-get takes forever to read the package lists, calculate dependencies and such. Although I didn't bother checking with top, I'm quite sure it's the CPU rather than an I/O bottleneck because of my phone becoming noticeably warmer to touch in the process. I imagine commenting out some stuff in /etc/apt/sources.list might be able to speed things up in that regard.

The only remaining problem is that although the few minutes I spent on this were successful, I haven't been able to find any nice portable keyboards. Basically I'd want something like the Cherry G84-4100LCMEU-2 that was a little more like a normal keyboard. The G84-5200 is unfortunately more or less the same thing with a numpad added. The Matias Mini Quiet Pro looks a little more interesting in some ways, but damn is it heavy. :P
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2014-09-09, 16:36:15

...to be able to run on devices that aren't rooted.

You mean you have not rooted the phone? For me it's pretty obvious that before trying anything far-out with an Android phone you should be able to become root.

In my phone the space is just 200 MB, so in order to make any systemic rebuilding there, I have to be able to wipe it out completely. I am not thinking about it much yet, as the phone is quite functional and I need it as phone. For occasional fun I have installed a terminal emulator and played around with it. I even found a few commands that work in the terminal, for example exit.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2014-09-09, 17:57:30
You mean you have not rooted the phone? For me it's pretty obvious that before trying anything far-out with an Android phone you should be able to become root.

None of the stuff I mentioned (except Terminal IDE) will work without root. :P I meant exactly what I said: Terminal IDE feels slightly handicapped because it'll work without root. But on a non-rooted device I'd probably love it.

In my phone the space is just 200 MB, so in order to make any systemic rebuilding there, I have to be able to wipe it out completely. I am not thinking about it much yet, as the phone is quite functional and I need it as phone. For occasional fun I have installed a terminal emulator and played around with it. I even found a few commands that work in the terminal, for example exit.

Without an SD or microSD card you're out of luck, but really I'm only looking into it because sometimes (but only sometimes) I could suffice with less weight than the netbook.

Something like an Onyx Boox i86 might well theoretically (but probably not in practice, at least not by me) be turned into a full-on Debian tablet like this (http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=222123). Imagine using LibreOffice on the i86' 1600x1200 8" eInk Pearl (no Carta :() screen instead of on a pesky LCD screen. Unfortunately it'd probably be horribly slow given apt-get's performance with a comparable ARM CPU on my phone, even though LO has become snappier and snappier on my netbook.

What I actually want is probably way too niche. Something comparable to a CX-919 (or any other thumbdrive-sized Android stick with decent performance) with a battery pack which'd drive an eInk panel over Mini DisplayPort and a keyboard over USB. With some clever cover-making it might even fit in my netbook cover. The only problem is storage. Maybe a more phone-sized computer could find a clever way to allow for M2 storage plus an integrated battery. (Yes, I'm effectively describing a screenless phone with a few more ports.) Given the modest power requirements for ARM and eInk, 3000 mAh or so might suffice.

The reason for this is simple. My 2004 laptop had a great screen and a decent keyboard. All I really wanted to upgrade was the motherboard, CPU, and memory like I would on a desktop, but instead I was forced to replace it with inferior components. Thankfully this downward trend finally seems to be reversing with "Hi"DPI. I submit it should be called semi-reasonable DPI instead.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2014-09-09, 19:11:05
Oh look, apparently you can already get fluid black and white video playback on Eink Pearl.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24srQXX81Oc[/video]

Why isn't this available in a tablet or netbook already?   :mad:
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2014-09-10, 08:07:58
And Intel is teasing with eInk (http://nl.hardware.info/nieuws/41258/idf2014-intel-experimenteert-met-eink-voor-tweede-scherm-op-laptops) (albeit on the wrong side).
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2014-09-23, 19:40:55
I figured I'd post from Android. :)
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-04-25, 16:38:32
Pretty obvious Android use these days: Connect your smartphone/tablet to an external monitor via HDMI. You will need this thing.

(https://dndsanctuary.eu/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.misco.eu%2FResources%2Fimages%2FModules%2FInformationBlocks%2F1210%2FSRH%2FSRH-1%2F192442-STARTECH-MHL-Adapter-Converter-Micro-USB-to-HDMI-01.jpg&hash=916a38c51f94794f29df701a9fdc1a9e" rel="cached" data-hash="916a38c51f94794f29df701a9fdc1a9e" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://img.misco.eu/Resources/images/Modules/InformationBlocks/1210/SRH/SRH-1/192442-STARTECH-MHL-Adapter-Converter-Micro-USB-to-HDMI-01.jpg)

For this to work, the smartphone/tablet must have MHL function among its USB OTG capabilities. According to my quick googling, it's specifically disabled in (newer) Samsung Galaxies, but Xperia Z series has it. M5 and Asus Zenfone 2 don't have it. Somebody somewhere said there's a hack to enable it in Asus Zenfone 2, but I didn't hunt the hack down.

Other than this, it's possible to use some apps to connect your (smart-)TV to your Android over wifi. Which is worse.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2016-04-26, 10:00:05
That definitely wasn't part of my requirements when I picked the Zenfone 2. What's the use case, precisely?
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-04-26, 10:26:23
The use case to connect your smartphone to a bigger monitor? The same reasons as when you connect your laptop/netbook to a bigger monitor.

Say, you photograph a trip with your smartphone. Then you meet up with the extended family. And there's that TV with HDMI connector just standing there. Why not make it useful?

To be honest, this function did not occur to me either, at least not distinctly or urgently, when I was choosing a new phone, other than the vague sense that it would be cool if the smartphone would be able to replace my aging and apparently unupgradeable netbook as much as possible.

For example, I am typing this message on my travel keyboard connected to the smartphone and it works pretty darn smooth. To connect the smartphone to TV or some other big monitor via HDMI would also be awesome. Not too urgent though, as I can copy the photos to laptop and then display the slideshow on TV/monitor that way. Or perhaps the TV/monitor takes in a regular USB stick these days? Or it has a card slot that I have overlooked? I'll see about it some day when close enough to all those things again...
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Barulheira on 2016-04-26, 11:01:50
What about connecting the smartphone to a datashow, replacing the need for a computer?
It could/should be done by HDMI, USB - or Bluetooth.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-04-26, 11:17:38
What's a datashow?

If it's an app that would connect several devices over wifi, then I consider such connection inferior to a wired connection.

If it's another gadget in addition to TV, monitor, laptop, and smartphone, then sorry, we are already flooded with gadgets.

For example, this is yet another gadget, my travel keyboard that I use to type notes into my smartphone when on the train.
(https://dndsanctuary.eu/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vuugo.com%2Fimage%2Fcache%2Fdata%2Fproducts%2Fvuugo-lenovo-0B47190-2-600x600.jpg&hash=bf7d2e40916e53d2b49b33aac1383938" rel="cached" data-hash="bf7d2e40916e53d2b49b33aac1383938" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://www.vuugo.com/image/cache/data/products/vuugo-lenovo-0B47190-2-600x600.jpg)
Too many gadgets not good.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2016-04-26, 14:27:27
Say, you photograph a trip with your smartphone. Then you meet up with the extended family. And there's that TV with HDMI connector just standing there. Why not make it useful?
True, most (all?) cameras tend to come with such functionality. However, I've seen it in actual use only once. I suspect the amount of times one might want to use it, however small, is several orders of magnitude higher than the amount of times that one happens to have the right connector with them as well.

For example, I am typing this message on my travel keyboard connected to the smartphone and it works pretty darn smooth. To connect the smartphone to TV or some other big monitor via HDMI would also be awesome.
Sure, I think that's a fantastic concept. But afaik only Ubuntu and Windows phones can really use that potential.

What's a datashow?
I suspect @Barulheira meant slideshow. I have used my previous smartphone to go over my slides, so using it to do the showing isn't a big leap.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-04-26, 15:41:10
Sure, I think that's a fantastic concept. But afaik only Ubuntu and Windows phones can really use that potential.
Really? What potential is missing in this Android usage?

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aPRU4SjMcQ[/video]

I suspect @Barulheira (https://dndsanctuary.eu/index.php?action=profile;u=5) meant slideshow. I have used my previous smartphone to go over my slides, so using it to do the showing isn't a big leap.
Even my older smartphone has a slideshow function in the photos folder. I've used it, but it's limited to the phone's screen size. When the plan is to make a presentation for everybody in the room, it would be nice to be able to use the biggest screen in the room.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2016-04-26, 16:22:32
Really? What potential is missing in this Android usage?
The potential that's missing is that it's not a "real" computer. Pretty cool if you want to show some Android stuff to other people, but barely harvesting the potential.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3PUYoa1c9M

Case in point, my phone is faster than my 2010 netbook, has more memory and a better GPU. It's only storage space in which it's inferior.

Anyway, on a phone Android's blah-ness isn't so bad (yet), I suppose, but on tablets it's positively cringeworthy. And let's face it, tablets are the new netbooks. I wouldn't mind owning something like the Cube i7.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EG_qTg64IQ
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-04-26, 19:00:43
Really? What potential is missing in this Android usage?
The potential that's missing is that it's not a "real" computer. Pretty cool if you want to show some Android stuff to other people, but barely harvesting the potential.
There's just one important thing in that video that (current) Android cannot do - window mode. Everything else is doable. Try Alt+Tab on a keyboard attached via USB OTG some day. It's fabulous. And mouse works too. That's why I have a trackpoint on my travel keyboard.

If you take a bluetooth keyboard for Android, then you can attach some other things via USB OTG at the same time, such as a USB stick. Or a charger. (That's right - when I'm charging the phone, I cannot attach my keyboard to it, because my keyboard is wired and the single microUSB hole on the phone is already taken by the charger.)

Case in point, my phone is faster than my 2010 netbook, has more memory and a better GPU. It's only storage space in which it's inferior.
The same applies to my phone. And it can carry a 128 GB microSD card. I will give the netbook away some day.

And let's face it, tablets are the new netbooks.
And smartphones with a screen above 4" are really tablets. With a big enough screen and a strong enough processor they are as good as netbooks, except that netbooks have a bigger number of useful sockets.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2016-04-26, 19:56:54
And smartphones with a screen above 4" are really tablets. With a big enough screen and a strong enough processor they are as good as netbooks, except that netbooks have a bigger number of useful sockets.
In spite of its clearly visible pixels, the simple fact that its screen is twice the size makes my netbook significantly more suited for actual computing. I hold my smartphone in front of my face, but I can't edit that way. If I put it down, it's too small and/or the position is awkward. That being said, in principle I don't need to see what I'm typing as long as I'm just jotting down thoughts and I could just as well use vim or something. The biggest problem is that there's no such thing as easy file sync like I'm used to across my devices, and of course the lack of a network port and USB ports.

Also I could hardly do things like SVG editing on my phone right now, mouse or not. Admittedly that's more for fun than anything else, but still.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-04-26, 21:02:05
In spite of its clearly visible pixels, the simple fact that its screen is twice the size makes my netbook significantly more suited for actual computing. I hold my smartphone in front of my face, but I can't edit that way. If I put it down, it's too small and/or the position is awkward.
(https://dndsanctuary.eu/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.fonearena.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F09%2FSony-Xperia-Z3-charging-cover.jpg&hash=e0a098f50b2f7dc7214de38ddacc3477" rel="cached" data-hash="e0a098f50b2f7dc7214de38ddacc3477" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://images.fonearena.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Sony-Xperia-Z3-charging-cover.jpg)

I have one of these and I don't complain about awkward positions or too little visibility. Comfy covers not available for your phone? Get one of these:

(https://dndsanctuary.eu/imagecache.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fgdetail.image-gmkt.com%2F163%2F603636161%2F2015%2F5%2F7bf8dea2-5e63-438a-a216-c5ee562d5ba1.jpg&hash=de52cc487e76c0d14d5b217cb01fb319" rel="cached" data-hash="de52cc487e76c0d14d5b217cb01fb319" data-warn="External image, click here to view original" data-url="http://gdetail.image-gmkt.com/163/603636161/2015/5/7bf8dea2-5e63-438a-a216-c5ee562d5ba1.jpg)

This will make your phone a decent photographing and filming device, in addition to being able to position it whichever way you want in front of you.

That being said, in principle I don't need to see what I'm typing as long as I'm just jotting down thoughts and I could just as well use vim or something.
Using a real editor and saving the text fairly often goes without saying. Even on actual computers.

The biggest problem is that there's no such thing as easy file sync like I'm used to across my devices,...
What devices? Syncing between a phone and a computer is as easy as taking the microSD card out of the phone and putting it into the computer. Or even easier - connecting the phone itself to the computer.

Also I could hardly do things like SVG editing on my phone right now, mouse or not. Admittedly that's more for fun than anything else, but still.
If MHL worked, this would be no problem. And even without MHL, there are ways to attach a bigger screen to your phone. I bought an extra monitor because I could not read scanned old books properly on the notebook screen https://dndsanctuary.eu/index.php?topic=474.msg48082#msg48082 but now I have a smartphone that opens and browses these books much faster than the netbook ever will.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2016-04-27, 07:24:42
I have one of these and I don't complain about awkward positions or too little visibility. Comfy covers not available for your phone?
I don't consider those comfy. :)

Also, :lol: at the camera stand.

What devices? Syncing between a phone and a computer is as easy as taking the microSD card out of the phone and putting it into the computer. Or even easier - connecting the phone itself to the computer.
I use Dropbox and Unison (and Git) over the network. Of course Unison works perfectly fine with physical disks as well, but that's a giant early 2000s-style pain. :P

If MHL worked, this would be no problem. And even without MHL, there are ways to attach a bigger screen to your phone. I bought an extra monitor because I could not read scanned old books properly on the notebook screen
But why would I want to do that right now? That being said, every tablet should be a portable monitor.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-04-27, 07:59:23
I don't consider those comfy. :)

Also, :lol: at the camera stand.
What do you consider comfy then? And those with any interest in photography don't laugh at camera stands.

I use Dropbox and Unison (and Git) ov:er the network. Of course Unison works perfectly fine with physical disks as well, but that's a giant early 2000s-style pain. :P
There's a Dropbox app where "select all" to download is missing. There's also Agit app to do Git. Give it a try.

Some people make creative use of ssh over their smartphones. I don't know how because I never got ssh to work. All tutorials seem to be missing tons of steps.

But why would I want to do that right now?
Not right now, but as soon as the need arises.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2016-04-27, 10:32:35
What do you consider comfy then? And those with any interest in photography don't laugh at camera stands.
Something that doesn't add bulk in my pocket. Like my phone sock.

Regarding interest in photography, my cameras still don't seem to be able to bring up the decency to stop laughing at the idea of a smartphone camera stand. :)

(https://polymathicmonkey.smugmug.com/Frans/Teh-boy/n-G8dNz/i-ThdCDfB/0/L/i-ThdCDfB-L.jpg) (https://polymathicmonkey.smugmug.com/Frans/Teh-boy/n-G8dNz/i-ThdCDfB/0/O/i-ThdCDfB.jpg)

I should've stuck the lens covers for more lenses in there than only the one I just so happened to be using, nicely in a row like Minolta, Konica Minolta, Sony. :P (PS There's no daylight on account of a hail/thunderstorm. Try that on a phone with no stand and no flash.)

But I admit that my phone has replaced my '06 P&S, as opposed to a newer P&S.

There's a Dropbox app where "select all" to download is missing. There's also Agit app to do Git. Give it a try.
Oh, I've tried. For my purposes Android is woefully inadequate as a netbook replacement, even if we ignore for a second that if I used my phone as a netbook, I'd be at a potential risk of running out of phone.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-04-27, 13:07:01
Something that doesn't add bulk in my pocket. Like my phone sock.
Phone sock? :lol: To answer the phone, you have to take your phone out of the sock completely. The sock does not make your phone more comfortable to hold. It doesn't serve as a stand. It doesn't protect the phone's screen. All it does is amplify the dust around the phone, which is what a pocket would do too without any extra hassle.

Seriously, a cover/wallet as depicted is indispensable for a big Xperia. Current big Xperias are made entirely of glass. They absolutely need those covers.

I have held Zenfone 2 in hand. It stays in hand with surprising comfort, something that Xperias don't do without a leather-ish cover. Most of Zenfone's casing is metal, so it doesn't feel urgent to put covers around it. I definitely wouldn't put it into a sock either. But the cost of not having those covers is that you can never position the phone securely enough to type a note on external keyboard or watch some YT while sipping coffee.

For my purposes Android is woefully inadequate as a netbook replacement, even if we ignore for a second that if I used my phone as a netbook, I'd be at a potential risk of running out of phone.
For my purposes, having a decently portable laptop and a fairly powerful smartphone,[1] a netbook feels superfluous. I got it for free as someone's leftover anyway and never managed to find proper use for it, other than the pleasure of trying out a dozen Linuxes on it. I perfected my Openbox settings on it and discovered i3wm. I will find a way to make it useful to someone who doesn't yet have a computer.
Correction: The phone's processor is even more powerful than the laptop. Hardware-wise it surpasses the netbook by far. The only thing missing on the smartphone is an OS/window manager of my choice.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2016-04-27, 16:00:46
It doesn't protect the phone's screen.
Umm… yes, it does. It enables my phone to live next to my keys without any side effects. Actually the screen could probably do that regardless, but you should've seen my feature phones. *grins* But my previous socked smartphone looks just like the day it was new.

Anyway, to protect from accidental drops or some such I've got the bumper case.

(https://www.asus.com/media/global/products/Q4GarPuxapqpbkaD/P_setting_fff_1_90_end_500.png)

The only thing missing on the smartphone is an OS/window manager of my choice.
That's been my point all along. It's not the smartphone itself that is inadequate per se, although to pretend that its size is comfortable is silly, but the real issue is Android and iOS vs Ubuntu and Windows. If you plug it into a big monitor and you've got a mouse and keyboard, do you want Android? Of course not! Although ideally you could choose your OS at will, like on a real computer.

For my purposes, having a decently portable laptop and a fairly powerful smartphone,[1] (https://dndsanctuary.eu/index.php?topic=491.msg61109;boardseen#fn1_0) a netbook feels superfluous
Well, of course it is. A netbook is a portable laptop from a bygone era when more powerful laptops were neither very portable nor very good at battery life. But nowadays a laptop is called heavy when it weighs the same as my netbook and its battery life is called barely adequate when it is also roughly equal to my netbook at 4-6 hours. What the netbook has going for it is that it was cheaper. I suppose an unlocked and well-supported Chromebook could be of interest with regular Linux software.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-04-27, 17:19:42
Anyway, to protect from accidental drops or some such I've got the bumper case.
I knew it's impossible to survive with just a sock.

The only thing missing on the smartphone is an OS/window manager of my choice.
That's been my point all along.
Good we finally got to the point.

...to pretend that its size is comfortable is silly,...
I never said that the size was comfortable. It's comfortable or usable for certain purposes and in certain ways. The touchscreen and processing power are great for viewing videos and clicking around the web (better than netbook), but atrocious for text input (this is where netbook is better). But being portable is a sort of comfort, and the phone is more portable than the netbook.

Things get weird at the point when the netbook which cannot run 1080p videos properly can be attached to an external FHD screen, but the smartphone cannot. The phone has the better potential. Once I can attach it to external screens, it's possible that I will want more than just present a plain slideshow, but first even a slideshow on the external screen would be nice. Particularly since digital cameras can do it.

Now, there is an inbuilt menu item "Throw" which is supposed to cast stuff wirelessly to external screens such as TV's, but this requires some app in the TV, probably newer Sony Android smart-TV, nothing else. Which is stoopid. Wrong solution to a problem that should not be there in the first place.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Barulheira on 2016-04-27, 17:27:54
I meant projectors (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2368481,00.asp).
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2016-04-27, 19:26:32
I knew it's impossible to survive with just a sock.
It would be if screens were still in a slight incline like they used to be. In any case, it's a better safe than sorry in the unlikely event that I drop it while it's not in the sock. I somehow managed not to break it in the first month or two before I acquired the case. :P

The touchscreen and processing power are great for viewing videos and clicking around the web (better than netbook), but atrocious for text input (this is where netbook is better).
That's exactly what I said, so I really haven't got a clue what you've been disagreeing with.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-04-28, 04:09:27
The touchscreen and processing power are great for viewing videos and clicking around the web (better than netbook), but atrocious for text input (this is where netbook is better).
That's exactly what I said, so I really haven't got a clue what you've been disagreeing with.
The point of our disagreement was elsewhere, in a little nuance of something I said at first. I say MHL is awesome, just like an external screen via HDMI for netbooks/laptops. You say not so, because smartphones don't have an opsys with windowing. This is not even a disagreement really...

I meant projectors (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2368481,00.asp).
Good idea, but those are not lying around in homes just so too often.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Barulheira on 2016-04-28, 17:40:38
homes
I meant at work.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-04-29, 04:39:52
homes
I meant at work.
Yes, I sometimes do presentations at work with one of those things. No photo slideshows though, I'm not so friendly with colleagues. And not from a smartphone. My use case, the reason why I brought up the topic was related to equipment that people have at hand in their homes.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-04-30, 05:43:20
As to multitasking on Android, things get close to it when you use Tinyapps or Smallapps (I had Smallapps preinstalled). Or, things would get close to it if the functionality of Tinyapps were properly expanded this way:

- Instead of a separate set of apps in Tinyapps (apps specifically designed to work inside the Tinyapps frame). design the Tinyapps frame so that it can include anything and everything from the apps installed in the system
- Designed as described, make Tinyapps an additional optional home screen
- Android interface specs should already be providing an API (if I am using the right word) that would permit any app have a floating mode that can continue working when the user switches to the next app. For example, in Android Youtube and Xperia Video apps you can float the video and browse the rest of the app interface while the video is floating like a tiny button. Unfortunately, as soon as you switch away from the app, the floating video vanishes. It should be possible to browse everything in the device while the floating video stays on. It works this way in tiling window managers such as i3wm and I'd say that Android interface as a tiling window manager would make a whole lot of sense.

Edit: Miniapps, not Smallapps. For some purposes in some places they identify as Smallapps. Fuzzy thing with app names on Android...
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2016-05-01, 09:04:40
I meant at work.
Is that something you'd really do except in emergencies? It'd really limit your ability to load links or videos from the Internet, for example, and a wired connection is much more dependable than wireless. On top of which, wireless is better on laptops too thanks to larger antennas. If anything the natural smartphone use would seem to be as a remote (https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Documentation/HowTo/Impress_Remote_%28Android%29).

I think ersi's use sounds more plausible. You're visiting some friends or family, or you're on vacation with them, and all you've got is your "smart"phone to show some photos or videos. Plus it's something I've seen in practice with a P&S camera back in '03.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Barulheira on 2016-05-02, 11:09:25
emergencies
It's quite trivial here. I could have in my smartphone[1] some stuff to present in a meeting at work, in a fairly large room, no big screens available, and a projector ready to use. No need to connect to another computer to present that stuff; no pendrives etc. A simple USB or HDMI cable should suffice, or better, a Bluetooth connection. But I haven't seen such uses actually, so far.
Actually, I don't own one.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-05-02, 13:47:46
emergencies
It's quite trivial here. [...] But I haven't seen such uses actually, so far.
If you haven't seen such uses, then it's not trivial. I just made an experiment and I can confirm that it's not trivial at all.

I have an advanced smartphone, Xperia M5 by Sony. It has top-notch cameras on board (hardware-wise), so it makes good sense to make use of those cameras.  I also have some cables to go along with the smartphone, to connect the thing to other things. It obviously has wifi and Bluetooth that should connect even more stuff. The problem with wireless connections is that the other stuff, such as TV or printer or projector, should have the same wireless capability and it should stay on the waiting. This is not a realistic scenario.

My experiment confirmed that, alas, even the wired connections do not work as easily as one would expect in 2016. I powered up my monitor which has a USB connector and I connected it to the phone via USB. Just connecting the things, nothing happens. Trying to make the phone re-recognise the USB device (there's a specific function like that on the phone, to re-wire the USB connection, which is nice), also nothing. Then there are functions like "Throw" and "Miracast" on the phone, which should somehow connect external screens, but pressing those functions makes it blatantly obvious that they only fire up wifi and Bluetooth. They do not consider the possibility that I could be connecting via USB.

Then I connected the smartphone to a TV by means of the charger cable. The same cable is used to connect the smartphone to PC and it automagically does stuff, such as browse the files on the phone or work as a modem. Alas, when connected to TV, nothing happens. The TV does not recognise the phone as anything, as a storage device or as an external source or whatever. Neither does the smartphone recognise the TV, except as a power source to charge the battery.

This is frustrating because PC's recognise TV's as external monitors and smartphones are really handheld PC's. Because this is 2016. Moreover, digital cameras recognise TV's as external screens since forever and smartphones are digital cameras, among other functions. Moreover, Sony makes digital cameras and their smartphones should not be stupider than their digital cameras are. All things considered, the situation is beyond stupid.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2016-05-02, 13:56:37
All things considered, the situation is beyond stupid.
Android and iOS in a nutshell. Fortunately I don't really care as long as they're no worse than the feature phone I had 10 years ago. As a matter of fact they're minutely better, or at least Android is. For iOS I'm not so sure. It can't even send or receive files over Bluetooth like basically every phone I've had in the past 10+ years.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Barulheira on 2016-05-02, 21:33:18
I mean: what's trivial is the need to connect a device to a projector.
But I give up. I'm not succeeding on making myself understood. I hoped it wouldn't be that complicated.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2016-05-04, 09:02:34
I think I'm saying the need is so trivial no one even sees it. :P

Btw, what about one of these? It comes with all the connectors missing from Android.

https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/pages/pyra/ (via (http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/The_Pyra___handheld_computer_with_Debian_preinstalled.html))
(https://pyra-handheld.com/boards/images/Pyra-Main.png)

Quote

You will not find as many ports on other mobile systems

These days, mobile devices only offer one, maybe two ports. The Pyra is different.
It features one USB 3.0 OTG port, two full-sized USB 2.0 ports (one has additional SATA output, available via an adapter), one Micro-USB Serial Output-Port (which can also be used to charge the system), a headset port (that supports ALL TRRS standards) and a MicroHDMI port.

You can easily connect a mouse, keyboard and monitor without any additional hardware and use it as a desktop PC!

[…]

For even more features, you can get the 4G version. Besides mobile internet (and turning the Pyra into some sort of telephone), it adds GPS, a 6-axis digital compass, a pressure, humidity and gas sensor.
 

I think it sounds really cool, but if I'm honest with myself I'd rather just buy a new laptop of some sort.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Sparta on 2016-05-10, 17:49:06
I have mouse + keyboard. 

It works well on my 8core android. 

The only thing cant works  is my wireless joystick.

Since it demanding drivers.

Perhaps if there is joystick drivers for android i guess the joystick will work.,

Or maybe connect it via Bluetooth. 

However,   i cant figure how to  make an android detect the joystick bluetooth.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-05-13, 14:35:28
The only thing cant works  is my wireless joystick.

Since it demanding drivers.
On Android, there's an app for everything. An app can totally re-design homescreens for you, it can upgrade your camera and connectors, it can provide drivers, etc.

Btw, what about one of these? It comes with all the connectors missing from Android.
Does it make phonecalls?
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Macallan on 2016-05-13, 15:46:17
Btw, what about one of these? It comes with all the connectors missing from Android.
This thing looks suspiciously like something called Pandora years ago, and which was intended as some sort of gaming device. Specs were something like OMAP 3530 SoC ( 700MHz Cortex-A8 + DSP ), 256MB or 512MB RAM etc. Interesting, but ( for me at least ) too expensive.

I'm actually using my cubietruck as kinda-sorta desktop. Serves me better than a Raspberry Pi 2 even though the latter has twice the number of CPUs. Problem with the Pi is:
- only 1GB of RAM. In order to compile anything C++-heavy you'll need about 1GB RAM per compiler instance, so for this use the Pi would either swap itself to death or effectively use only one core, while the cubie ( with 2GB of RAM ) can keep its two cores busy with useful stuff
- onboard ethernet is USB, as are all other storage options except that one SD slot. Cubie got real gigabit ethernet and SATA.
- no real time clock, although that can be fixed for $5

What I'd like to see is an affordable ARM or MIPS board with a bunch of 64bit cores, sufficient RAM ( as in, at least 1GB per core ), and real ethernet and SATA. PCIe would be nice too but that would probably make things too expensive. Unfortunately most SoCs are made for tablets, phones and TV boxes.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Macallan on 2016-05-13, 15:53:41
emergencies
It's quite trivial here. I could have in my smartphone[1] some stuff to present in a meeting at work, in a fairly large room, no big screens available, and a projector ready to use. No need to connect to another computer to present that stuff; no pendrives etc. A simple USB or HDMI cable should suffice, or better, a Bluetooth connection. But I haven't seen such uses actually, so far.
Bluetooth is too slow to transfer graphics.
Some phones do have something called MHL (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_High-Definition_Link) - basically a stealth HDMI output hidden in a micro-USB connector. Needs a dongle with its own power supply to provide a full-sized HDMI connector.
Also, there are USB graphics devices ( basically a graphics processor with its own memory which receives commands via USB ), but wether android would support any of those is an entirely different question.
Actually, I don't own one.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2016-05-13, 18:37:36
This thing looks suspiciously like something called Pandora years ago, and which was intended as some sort of gaming device. Specs were something like OMAP 3530 SoC ( 700MHz Cortex-A8 + DSP ), 256MB or 512MB RAM etc. Interesting, but ( for me at least ) too expensive.
Oh yeah, I remember seeing a review of it here (http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/pandora-part-1.html).
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-05-13, 18:48:29
Incidentally, your Pyra link also mentions Pandora. The producers of Pyra are also the producers of Pandora.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Sparta on 2016-05-14, 10:54:28
Rather than rasberry,  i would prefer to buy android box tv with mediatek octacore,  2 gb of ram.

Its arround $100. 

If it not comes with the  gyroscope airmouse.

You can buy it for $15-$25.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2016-05-22, 17:04:46
But my previous socked smartphone looks just like the day it was new.
You wouldn't trust your e-reader to just a sock, would you?

Today I fell from bicycle pretty harshly. Luckily, all fragile things survived. Sunglasses survived because I had left them home. The mobile phone was in a chest pocket, protected by a wallet from the outside. The e-reader was in backpack in a cover (plastic imitating a book's hardcover). My head didn't touch anything, as I landed in a clean karate fall (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8emcA8ml0ws) on asphalt. (Of course it was a matter of luck, a matter of how the bicycle fell, not me choosing how to land.) The bicycle appears basically unharmed too. But due to incidents like this, riding on a bicycle, lifting it and falling from it, there's no way I would put my mobile phone in just a sock.
Title: My current Android favourites
Post by: ersi on 2016-08-14, 08:07:39
DOCUMENT APPS

EBookDroid - This is the one I cannot praise enough. First, it's preferable over Adobe Reader because it can handle also djvu and epub files in addition to pdf. Adobe Reader does pdf only. EBookDroid provides many per-book settings in addition to book-display settings that should apply to every newly opened file. It can align two-column text as a single-column continuous scroll on the screen. It can set any of the hardware buttons to do any function. Touch screen zones are configurable finer than in Cool Reader. And it can annotate. And more. And no ads. This is the ultimate document viewer on Android.

Xodo - pdf annotation. Came preinstalled on Galaxy Note 4.

WPS Office - preinstalled on Galaxy Note 4. Shows ebooks and xls's, edits doc(x)s. I have not noticed it miss any normal office functions, so I haven't attempted installing other office software, but my needs are small currently, so I may seriously be overlooking things in this area.

QuickEdit - responds well to an attached hardware keyboard. It allows to hide the software keyboard when typing (Skype for example plays annoyingly dumb on this point). Bad: Displays ads upon saving the document.

ColorNote - upon creating a note it asks whether to start a list or a text, and then orders the items in various ways, including date of creation. Precisely what I need for shopping lists, to-do lists, and other note-taking. (I keep hearing much praise for Evernote which is preinstalled on Galaxy Note 4, but Evernote requires to create an account first, so I never used it.)


BROWSERS

Dolphin - Really dark night mode, gestures for individual bookmarks and scrolling with volume/zoom buttons.

Lightning Browser - optionally inverts colours and enforces grayscale. On the downside, the Reader function is unconfigurable crap and can suppress wrong elements, such as the main article text on Blogspot and on some newspaper sites. Also, I consider it a missing feature when it's impossible to set the volume/zoom button to scroll the webpages. 

Opera Mini - no volume/zoom button scrolling and no invert/grayscale, but still probably the best and fastest browser in the mobile world. Most intuitive interface out of the box, remarkable data traffic compression and (unconfigurable) ad-blocking.

Naked Browser - has progressed greatly between a few months ago and now, so that Text Browser has become superfluous. Naked Browser is interesting because it's different and independent. A good light configurable startup page (home screen), allows setting the volume/zoom button either to scroll or zoom the pages or flip the tabs. It would be perfect if it could configure/invert/suppress website colours too, but even as it is now, it's already the old (desktop) Opera equivalent for Android.

Convert to PDF - do I want to save as pdf in order to get additional font&colour settings available in pdf viewers and to transfer the text conveniently to the e-reader? Yes, I do.


SOFTWARE KEYBOARD

Hacker's Keyboard - no comment.


SYSTEM

X-plore - dual-pane file browser.

CPU X - many system stats (not just the CPU), but I mainly use it to have a temp indicator on the status bar.

CPU Stats - a multi-core CPU graph indicator on the status bar.


CAMERA

Open Camera - a better camera app than probably anything preinstalled on any Android device.


GAMES

Shashki - Russian checkers with puzzles and openings.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2017-03-11, 17:12:33
Termux instantly puts Linux on your Android https://termux.com/

There was a former terminal emulator on Android that I was using, I found only one command that worked on it: exit. Whereas Termux has all the potential. Open it, type

Code: [Select]
packages install coreutils

and it will feel like home.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2017-10-28, 18:10:50
This is a much more obvious Android use: speaking to it.

Anyway, so I was reading this article and got rather peeved by these sentences.
Quote from: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/10/you-will-lose-your-job-to-a-robot-and-sooner-than-you-think/
Google has to be smart enough to figure out in context that I said pink and that I’m asking about the historical reason for the color of erasers, not their health or the way they’re shaped. And it did. In less than a second. With nothing more than a cheap little microprocessor and a slow link to the internet.

[…]

Still not impressed? When Watson famously won a round of Jeopardy! against the two best human players of all time, it needed a computer the size of a bedroom to answer questions like this. That was only seven years ago.

Just a few sentences prior you indicated that the little microprocessor isn't doing much of anything at all. The "slow link to the internet" connects to a computer the size of a warehouse… :P
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2018-01-29, 22:11:23
This is a lie https://safeandsavvy.f-secure.com/2016/09/23/how-to-create-a-portable-hotspot-on-android-with-vpn-on/

Or perhaps it's true with Android 4.4 only. Doesn't work for me neither through hotspot or USB cable. Perhaps it's time to root my phone.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2018-01-30, 10:22:03
What version of Android do you use? I suppose I could give it a quick try on my Android 6, although for all I know the tethering feature doesn't even work. (I've never used it.) :P
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2018-01-30, 10:47:17
Tethering from the mobile phone (via USB cable) was the main way I got internet to my computers for many years. But right now the idea is to tether it so that the computer's connection passes through the phone's VPN. There are tons of instructions how to do it

- with some VPN provider I don't want (I need the IP to be in Finland)
- and/or by rooting

Freedome provides Finland and seems to promise the VPN to the tethered computer too.

My phone is Galaxy Note 4. It went up to Android 6.0.1 and apparently this is the end of life.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2018-08-13, 18:21:38
The Galaxy Note 9 is one step closer to the smartphone-computer dream (https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/13/17675072/galaxy-note-smartphone-software-feature-history-computer)

(https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PF6ekNuvMVgeR7HBfWSD-CKRbDI=/0x0:1317x699/920x613/filters:focal%28554x245:764x455%29:format%28webp%29/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60818519/Capture.0.png)

Having visited Samsung shop and taken a look, I am authorised to say: Not really. The idea of designing something like a desktop is nice, but the resolution is preset at FHD and cannot be changed. Probably can with rooting or other deeper tinkering, I guess, but this is equally true of the earlier phones.

Desktop Experience on Note 8 and 9 is only incrementally better compared to what Galaxy Note II provides since 2012. Here's an example what Note II can do.

[video]https://youtu.be/Nq9dH1_M4zw?t=200[/video]

Honestly, the so-called Desktop Experience of Galaxy Note 8 (with an expensive dock) and of Note 9 (without the dock, if I am reading right) provides no improvement, if they are stuck at FHD. Note II with MHL-to-HDMI (and my Note 4) is as good, when you let it go landscape. Videos always play fullscreen on the external monitor and the phone's screen will be available for all other apps. On Note 4, there is the split view and an indefinite number of floating windows. Pretty close to a complete desktop. When the MHL-HDMI adapter is connected, a keyboard cannot be connected with wire, but there's also BT, if a keyboard is badly needed.

There are no real innovations on Note 8 and 9 that I can see. Oh, a dual main camera, and Note 9 has a yellow pen. Okay, that's cool.

(https://cdn57.androidauthority.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Samsung-Galaxy-Note-9-Hands-On-17-840x560.jpg)
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2018-08-14, 16:35:56
This is where both Windows Phone and Ubuntu Phone were easily superior. Alas, for some reason Android won.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2018-08-14, 17:13:41
This is where both Windows Phone and Ubuntu Phone were easily superior. Alas, for some reason Android won.
Wouldn't it be nice if Android were just a graphical wrapper for Linux, a little desktop manager among others? And when you go into something like Developer options, you could unleash the full Linux in it...

Instead it's crippled and limited, with many options not just hidden, but broken or removed. And it has been evidently a conscious choice. The same strategy brought about the Chrome browser that conquered the world. Android is winning the same way.

Anyway, it's even more lamentable how tech journalists do not know their own field. They think that some half-baked solution that provides no improvement is innovation, when it's just the marketing of the moment. They'd have to look years back to compare the features to realise that the development has stopped.

The last development that developed anything was when tablets became a thing. The innovation in it was the physical form factor, nothing else. Less ports, less features than on a laptop, but big enough to make some people feel it can replace their laptop, while all it is is actually a bigger smartphone, sometimes with the phone feature removed. That was the development. Smartwatches are also a development only in the physical form factor, nothing added in features or functions.

Yay, innovation.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2018-08-15, 09:06:22
I don't know how it is now, but didn't many phones back in 2010/2011 already come with mini-HDMI that allowed for exactly the same kind of use? I'm fairly ignorant about phones, so you'd think an actual phone reviewer should certainly know so. I think the only difference is that now it can all go over one USB3 connection. I find it rather questionable whether that's an improvement, because it likely means you'll have to carry some kind of USB3 hub around. Maybe if they put two USB3 ports on instead… :)

Recently I inquired about replaceable batteries with a phone reviewer. He said he'd barely come across any in years.

Oddly enough, this prompted a response by someone saying that just like the lack of replaceable batteries is no longer listed as a negative, they're looking forward to the day the same happens to the 3.5 mm jack. I refrained from commenting, but my eyes practically rolled out of their sockets. I find the mere suggestion of having even more stuff to charge offensive, let alone the fact that my over a decade old €20 earbuds are more or less equivalent in sound quality to the €80-100 range of wireless ones and aren't annoyingly heavy.

It's more or less my own fault for buying a phone without a replaceable battery back in 2015, but back then I hadn't quite anticipated that unlike my 2012 smartphone it wouldn't be practically useless today.[1] My phone is still fast with plenty of memory, no complaints there, but the battery is slightly worse than it used to be. I expect it to become useless within about two years. Four to five years out of a phone isn't horrible I suppose; my '07 s500i unfortunately had a similar lifespan, from '07 to '12.

I had to replace that one because it stopped reconnecting to the wireless network after leaving the metro. Annoying, but at least such proper mechanical failure doesn't feel quite as stupid as planned obsolescence in batteries. Even though it's probably just another form of it.
Although it might become obsolete due to being stuck on Android 6 unless I install a custom ROM. Phones really should be more like computers.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2018-08-16, 06:29:24
Recently I inquired about replaceable batteries with a phone reviewer. He said he'd barely come across any in years.
I was able to find and buy another battery for my own phone (Galaxy Note 4 has a replaceable battery) when I began feeling like I had to charge a bit too often . The result: With the new battery, I have to keep it on the charger almost non-stop. My old battery is way stronger and has aged better than the brand new one (about two days versus half a day). I keep the weaker new one around to prolong the life of my older one a bit more.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2018-08-16, 18:50:21
Even if it's some cheap Chinese replacement battery or something that's pretty weird. O-o
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2018-08-17, 07:51:28
It's not a cheap Chinese replacement. It's just market reality saying, "Your phone is hopelessly old along with all its parts."
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2018-08-17, 15:57:52
hopelessly old

Quote from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_Note_4
The Galaxy Note 4 was unveiled […] on 3 September 2014
Well, that's pretty sad.

I'm glad that my 2014/2015 motherboard/CPU/RAM is still extremely capable, and that the keyboard/trackball/monitor are completely decoupled from that stuff. My keyboard is already over 8 years old and still almost as good as new.[1]

Only my R9 270X GPU is outdated, but in a sense it already kind of was when I acquired it used in late 2014. (There are people who buy a new one every year.)
The USB hub on the keyboard has some traces of use, my fault. Also it's a USB 2 hub, which some might find outdated.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2018-08-17, 16:39:50
Well, that's pretty sad.
Yes, it is. But in case of my phone, it's the *brand new* battery I bought that is in the sorriest state. Otherwise the phone, including my original battery, is running smooth and looks fine. I don't want ultra-thin bezels for example, because I actually need some bezel occasionally to hold the phone without making the touchscreen react. I think the phone is still good for at least as many years as I have had it. I will maybe get a new phone when Samsung phases out Bixby, like they phased out those nonsensical edge touchscreens.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2018-08-17, 16:58:56
Here's a preview of the Note 9 btw. It might be a bit Dutch. :P

https://tweakers.net/video/16925/samsung-galaxy-note-9-verbeteringen-speciaal-voor-de-liefhebber.html
Quote
De trend van verlengde schermen, zoals die op Samsung-telefoons hun intrede deden op de Galaxy S8(+), heeft wat vraagtekens opgeroepen over de noodzaak van een Note-serie. Het scherm van de S8+ en S9+ zijn bijvoorbeeld maar 0,1" kleiner dan die van de Note 8 en tegenwoordig kun je bijna alle high-end telefoons phablets noemen.
Question marks about the Note series… only 0.2" (not 0.1" 'cause the Note grew .1") smaller…

I don't know, does the Galaxy S support the pen? Because if not, the Note's usefulness is rather obvious, if probably somewhat artificial.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2018-08-17, 17:28:22
I don't know, does the Galaxy S support the pen?
I don't know either. Good question :) My take: If not, Samsung is totally not nice.

Itsy bitsy google moogle
Quote from: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2027231
The GN2 [Galaxy Note II] S Pen will work on Galaxy Tab devices with S Pen, but you couldn't for example, use it with a HTC or iPhone.

The S Pen is a Wacom device, so needs the handset to have a Wacom screen & drivers to work.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2018-08-18, 06:15:44
My take: If not, Samsung is totally not nice.
I don't think of Samsung as nice. :D

Sony is surprisingly nice though, at least its smartphone division. (Not in games.)
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2018-08-18, 14:14:18
Sony is surprisingly nice though, at least its smartphone division. (Not in games.)
And not in movies.

But what good is there in Xperia? My experience with Xperia M5 and Galaxy Note 4 back to back resulted in impressions decisively in favour of Galaxy.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2018-08-18, 16:41:13
I mean they have decent hardware, nice design, and they're pretty open. The XA2 is a good phone and it'll get Sailfish soon.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2018-08-29, 10:36:04
Bliss OS is an Android version for desktop. Most importantly, the app store seems to work :) https://youtu.be/v2QSgY5vva4?t=480
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2018-08-29, 16:18:16
Potentially useful for testing, I suppose.
Title: More obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2019-03-30, 20:01:54
With the newest Youtube app update we finally get back the dark theme that used to be the default once upon a time, but we are forced to stay logged in now. Now way to log out after this update. The best we can do is to use the new incognito mode. May depend on the version or platform (modifier) of the Android; I don't care to investigate the details.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2020-07-12, 17:57:40
Audials (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.audials) gives you pretty much all you may want from a radio and podcast-streaming Android app. Such as:
 - No ads
 - No in-app purchases
 - Tons of pre-selections ready for sorting in many ways (language, country, genre, author, etc. - not entirely intuitive though)
 - Possibility to add your own streams and podcasts!

I found a Russian app too with almost all the same features, but I will not mention it.

Edit: I need to correct that I actually did not find a way to input links to your own podcasts. But an additional feature is that you can record what you are listening and you can set a specific channel or station to wake you up.

Well, input of your own podcasts would have been a killer feature. That's why it's not there, I guess.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: ersi on 2020-09-20, 11:06:04
Markor adds ability to open .org files https://github.com/gsantner/markor

Markor has two main modes
 - Edit
 - View

The View mode renders Markdown nicely, which is the main focus of Markor. After a recent update, there's also an ability to open .org files, even though the View mode doesn't render it appropriately. Good enough that .org files on Android can be opened at least.
Title: GNU Emacs goes F-Droid
Post by: ersi on 2023-02-28, 16:38:19
https://f-droid.org/packages/org.gnu.emacs/

According to commentators, it conflicts with Android's permissions, allegedly wants all of them or you cannot use it. But good that it exists for those who cannot live without it.

I use Emacs in Termux. Termux provides a fair Linux experience on Android without having to root the device.
Title: Re: Less obvious Android uses
Post by: Frenzie on 2023-02-28, 20:45:47
Emacs needs permission to record audio? Huh.