Android phones, apps and tablets

All done and chose TWRP as recovery... My OCD has made me to do everything twice (teh instruction from the toolkit is simple, but doesn't tell you if you have successfully done something or not and I don't know how to test if what I have done is successful or not...

If I am honest, I still don't entirely understand what and why I have done, but I guess now I have a device that can allow me to do more as I learn more about Android... hummmm...

Thanks again, Mate!!

Well done! :) I'm sure there are much better qualified people on this thread to explain what rooting is. My understanding is that it basically gives you 'admin rights' on your phone. You can install more things and mess about with more stuff, but there's also the potential to break more stuff. Here sort of explains it, quite old but still seems relevant.

There are a few handy apps from the play store that require root, such as wakelock detector (lets you know if any app is stopping your phone from sleeping and wasting your battery).

One app I'd suggest you get hold of is AdAway, bit of a convoluted process though - download F-Droid and go to Settings>Security>Unknown Sources - tick it and it'll allow you to install apps from sources other than the play store.

Install the F-Droid apk you've downloaded, then open F-Droid and search for 'AdAway'. Install it and allow it to edit your hosts file, this'll block ads in apps and in browser.

You can now untick the 'Unknown Sources' box in security so you don't allow something else dodgy to be installed by accident or something.

Anyone sync their Exchange and Google calendars? If so, how?

Calendar>Settings>Add Account>Corporate?

Not got one so not tried it...

So far as I understand they don't sync if you have them both on your phone, they're two separate calendars.

I just use Exchange calendar for everything.

There are various programs that you can install on the machine with Outlook which can sync it (e.g. gsyncit) but I found they either needed admin rights or didn't like proxies so gave up on that.

My Mum needs a new phone. I'm thinking a Moto E.

For any other suggestions it needs to be a Android, cheap and not a geek phone.

Moto G

There are various programs that you can install on the machine with Outlook which can sync it (e.g. gsyncit) but I found they either needed admin rights or didn't like proxies so gave up on that.

Cheers, I'll look into computer-side solutions. But admin rights could be an issue.

http://pixavi.com/product/mobile-devices/intrinsically-safe-smartphone/

will explore. Thanks.

Is it normal for the Oneplus One to be so hot? It gets really hot just after some light gaming for a short while... Should I be concerned??

Cheers, for the slight extra dorrah it's better than the E.

I noticed mine got hot whilst charging it in the car and using it for navigation. That was a tad worrying. Not really done any gaming on it...

Any ideas when the next Android update (L I guess) is out?

My Nexus 5 is playing silly buggers and keeps giving errors re: Google Services. It's rooted and unlocked so 4.4.3 won't install automatically. I need to decide whether to restore it and install 4.4.3, install Cyanogenmod or wait and install L. The last would probably be my preference if it's coming pretty soon.

4.4.4 is the last KitKat release until L right?

My Nexus 5 continually drops wifi connections - any idea what might be causing this?

Have you noticed someone nearby holding up a very large sheet of cooking foil?

Yes, I can't install 4.4.4 until I get 4.4.3 which I can't install.

Any suggestions for the best way to backup settings, apps, SMS, Whatsapp, etc so I can install a clean ROM and not spend hours upon hours reinstalling everything.

Not unless they are following me around... Happens at home and at work.

You should check what's being logged.

I've used the app aLogCat for this in the past, but reading the logs using a proper computer and ADB is apparently less painful.

You can ask WhatsApp to do its own backup. It'll store it in the WhatsApp folder which shouldn't disappear. Will expire after a week though.

SMS backup is a good app with which to backup texts, contacts etc. Google will/should restore your contacts and apps anyway, if you've got contacts synced. Not sure about settings, I usually end up setting those again. Maybe take screenshots of your home screens so you can remember how they look?

Cheers, it's all a bit of a faff.
I used to have an app installed that listed all the apps installed on a device with links to the play store. Sod's law, I can't remember the name

I have noticed the same in the last couple of days... It gets hot very quickly and easily with doing judst about everything. I am beginning. To wonde if it's normal...??

I don't notice mine getting overly warm in general use, but definitely during more cpu intensive stuff. You may find it'll get warm in an area of no/low signal, my old S3 used to do that as it'd be trying its best to find a signal.

Sony Z3 looks like a great phone. Any reason why not to go for it?

@jaw
No reason at all, might be a slightly less sharp screen than other top end phones but it's meant to produce excellent images. Mayb a bit chunkier too, but with all the inbuilt dust and waterproofness. Good phone, z3 compact will be my next phone. Just gotta figure out what a HTC one m7 is worth.