Android KitKat released

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze

Backing up from stock, rooting and installing a ROM has never been an easier process. Anyone can use Helium from the Play Store to back up their files, then use the new Cyanogenmod installer to root and install a thoroughly vetted ROM.

It's definitely easier, but I have seen people posting the dumb things they do like flashing a rom meant for a different device.

I read that Google removed the Cyanogenmod installer from the Play store for violating TOS.

[Teknikal]

Originally Posted by Purple Lady

It's definitely easier, but I have seen people posting the dumb things they do like flashing a rom meant for a different device.

I read that Google removed the Cyanogenmod installer from the Play store for violating TOS.

Also read that they have marked the actual rom file as malware if you try to download it in Chrome, Pretty sure Google's in the process of trying to lock Android down at the minute.



Also I'm not joking about the warranty being instantly invalid if you do root, main reason I haven't although thing's like Google blocking battery stats is making it more attractive to me.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by Teknikal

thing's like Google blocking battery stats is making it more attractive to me.

I must admit to some confusion on this issue. I get that users of third party battery apps are upset, but reading through the issue comments linked above most seem to be wailing that this takes away the ability to see which apps are draining the battery.

Which it doesn't. Android's own battery stats page in Settings gives that information perfectly clearly.

Google aren't blocking battery stats; they've blocked the route third party apps were using to read the battery stats.

I used a third party battery monitor for quite some while, but it gave pretty much the same results as the inbuilt stats.

Graham

[Teknikal]

Originally Posted by Graham

I must admit to some confusion on this issue. I get that users of third party battery apps are upset, but reading through the issue comments linked above most seem to be wailing that this takes away the ability to see which apps are draining the battery.

Which it doesn't. Android's own battery stats page in Settings gives that information perfectly clearly.

Google aren't blocking battery stats; they've blocked the route third party apps were using to read the battery stats.

I used a third party battery monitor for quite some while, but it gave pretty much the same results as the inbuilt stats.

Graham

It doesn't show wakelock durations or what is making them and that is the biggest battery problem on Android. It's impossible to know what's keeping your device out of deep sleep without that information.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by Teknikal

It doesn't show wakelock durations or what is making them and that is the biggest battery problem on Android. It's impossible to know what's keeping your device out of deep sleep without that information.

It has a Keep Awake duration shown in the battery stats for each app where relevant. From what I can gather, this is showing how long each app has held an open wakelock state.

If it isn't showing that then I've no idea what it means.

On my phone, apps that just open and close mostly have no Keep Awake reading. The brilliant Cast to DNLA app from Bubble, which does run in the background, is showing a Keep Awake duration as expected. The Nook app looks to be a culprit, showing a Keep Awake of over a day, and that's also appearing as the app that's highest in the list for battery use. Given that I've not read anything in the Nook app for a week or so, that Keep Awake value looks like a useful pointer.

Graham

[EowynCarter]

Originally Posted by Graham

I must admit to some confusion on this issue. I get that users of third party battery apps are upset, but reading through the issue comments linked above most seem to be wailing that this takes away the ability to see which apps are draining the battery.

Which it doesn't. Android's own battery stats page in Settings gives that information perfectly clearly.

Well, no. It don't show wakelocks, helped me multiple time to figure out was was going on.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

Well, no. It don't show wakelocks, helped me multiple time to figure out was was going on.

If the Keep Awake stat isn't showing wakelock duration, what is it showing?

Graham

[citac]

Originally Posted by afv011

Google releases OTA updates for the Nexus family of devices. The source code for Android is public, so it is up to manufacturers to download the latest and generate new firmware versions for the devices already out there.

Most manufacturers have been rather slow at pushing updates, but Motorola seems to be doing it right and they've already released Kitkat for the Moto X, and the Moto G update should be coming soon.

For the other devices (Samsung, LG, Sony, ...) you'll probably have to wait a few months to get Kitkat - unless you have a Google Play edition phone.

Both my phone and tablet have Google Play, and they're from the same manufacturer, Prestigio. My phone is still on Ice Cream Sandwich, and my tablet is on Jelly Bean, so the company is not that great when it comes to pushing updates. I might have to see about getting it done myself, though it's been a while since I flashed an Android device so I'll have to re-learn some things.

[Blossom]

Can someone recommend a battery app that adds the percentage to the status and notification area? Right now I'm using HD Widgets but its a real battery hog. GSam no longer works at all.

[Dhevi]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Can someone recommend a battery app that adds the percentage to the status and notification area? Right now I'm using HD Widgets but its a real battery hog. GSam no longer works at all.

Have you looked at Batter Widget Reborn? There is currently a "Beta" version to assess it's functionality for your needs, and is currently on sale on Google Play if you decide to purchase.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Dhevi

Have you looked at Batter Widget Reborn? There is currently a "Beta" version to assess it's functionality for your needs, and is currently on sale on Google Play if you decide to purchase.

I bought it as it does exactly what Gsam did for me. Too bad I can't get my money back on that app. I had just bought it the night before KitKat showed up. He should at lest allow it to run some of the features instead it just force closes.

[Purple Lady]

I updated my 2012 Nexus 7 to 4.4 and found how to fix flash for Dolphin browser - see this thread on xda - http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2548001

I also do not have the italic problem with Moon+ and I think it's related to what font you use. I use Roboto regular and italic looks good. If you choose the default fonts it seems to work too - the generic sans, serif, and mono at the top of the list of fonts. When I tried any other font except Roboto regular it seems to use Roboto for italic. Roboto is the default system font so that makes sense - if it can't find the italic you want it defaults to the system font.

[Teknikal]

Originally Posted by Graham

If the Keep Awake stat isn't showing wakelock duration, what is it showing?

Graham

sleep doesn't matter it's the number of wakelocks that matter, every one of them is waking your entire phone and the internet maybe activating gps and reporting in etc.

sleep time really tells you very little and won't solve any battery drains.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by Teknikal

sleep doesn't matter it's the number of wakelocks that matter, every one of them is waking your entire phone and the internet maybe activating gps and reporting in etc.

sleep time really tells you very little and won't solve any battery drains.

In what way is the Keep Awake stat measuring sleep? It really does seem to me to be showing the wakelock duration for each app or service.

The stats for each app also show the time using GPS, the wifi data received, the wifi data sent and the CPU use.

That's a lot of useful information.

Graham

[Teknikal]

Originally Posted by Graham

In what way is the Keep Awake stat measuring sleep? It really does seem to me to be showing the wakelock duration for each app or service.

The stats for each app also show the time using GPS, the wifi data received, the wifi data sent and the CPU use.

That's a lot of useful information.

Graham

It's not the same as the number of wakelocks, each time something wakes your phone up it can take a long time to go back into deep sleep if ever, the frequency of wakelocks even if they are tiny amounts of time might be keeping your device permanently out of deep sleep.

As far as I'm concerned the inbuilt battery screen is basically useless.