So, this isn't about the Galaxy Nexus per-se, but I know many of you are scared of the change to MTP and the interaction with the computer, especially those of you coming from Gingerbread directly through to the Galaxy Nexus.
I've had a Motorola Xoom (which doesn't support USB mass storage mode) for a while. Simply put, there is _no_ native support for MTP in OS X (10.7 or lower). If you plug your Galaxy Nexus into your Mac, nothing will happen at all. OS X won't see it, DoubleTwist doesn't see it, Songbird won't and iTunes (obviously) won't see it. As far as I know, there's no way of enabling your Mac to see the device natively, and all of the software designed for other MTP devices that I've tried doesn't work.
In fact, the only way your Mac will ever see it is if you download Google's Android File Helper software. This program, once installed, runs in the background, and whenever you plug in your Honeycomb (or ICS) device, it pops up a window showing the contents of the phone's memory. From here (and only from that window), you can pull files from the phone/tablet or put them onto it.
This works acceptably, but with a few hangups. First, unlike a normal finder window, only one transfer can occur at once, and there's no queueing. So, if you drop one folder on to copy, you're not able to move anything else onto or off of the card until it's finished. Also, large transfers (~10 GB) don't work particularly reliably, and may fail partway through, so you may consider dragging files in in groups. Finally, and most frustratingly, it will often not be up to date with what files are on the device, especially if you've recently deleted them. So, folders or files may still show up that you've recently deleted. Maybe this has been changed in ICS (I hope so!), but that's my experience.
That's your primary way on or off the device. I've had limited success using DDMS for transferring files on and off of the device, and although it's clunky and requires USB debugging mode, it's the most reliable way I've found for transfers that fail in the Transfer client. In practice, I'd recommend using something like SwiFTP to copy (smaller) files to and from your device, and avoiding the hassle when you can.
In short, you definitely CAN use OS X to transfer files onto and off of your Galaxy Nexus, but it's not as easy as it was for Gingerbread Devices, and tools like DoubleTwist and Songbird can no longer access your device at all (in their current versions). You can get around this using AirSync for DoubleTwist to load music, or doing so manually, but it's kludgey. It's unlikely that Apple will choose to support MTP in future versions of OS X (it's a Microsoft protocol now used mostly by Android), but hopefully Google will improve the tool as time goes on.
Sorry if this is all well known and obvious, but if you were on the fence about the GNex because of this, don't be. The MTP switch is annoying, but nothing showstopping, even for OS X. Just FYI.
wanderfowl said:
I've had a Motorola Xoom (which doesn't support USB host mode) for a while.
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Which doesn't have USB Mass Storage mode (not USB Host - this is USB OTG where you can plug in other USB peripherals into the Xoom). Sorry just a pet peeve watching people confuse the two.
Thanks for an informative post. MTP looks like it is going to cause headaches to every non-Windows device by the looks of it. Ironic for a Linux based device ; ).
Jebus99 said:
Which doesn't have USB Mass Storage mode (not USB Host - this is USB OTG where you can plug in other USB peripherals into the Xoom). Sorry just a pet peeve watching people confuse the two.
Thanks for an informative post. MTP looks like it is going to cause headaches to every non-Windows device by the looks of it. Ironic for a Linux based device ; ).
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Whoops! Edited
So WiFi File Explorer outta work though if your other ftp type app did?
Thanks for the info. I remember using the app on my MacBook when I had the Xoom. I didn't mind it too much, but it was a tad annoying having to open the app rather than just pop open 'finder' and go. FWIW it DID work just fine for my couple months with the Xoom.
So WiFi File Explorer outta work though if your other ftp type app did?
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Yeah, FTP apps of all sorts work fine. I use Transmit on the Mac to access the phone via FTP, and that works like a charm.
martonikaj said:
Thanks for the info. I remember using the app on my MacBook when I had the Xoom. I didn't mind it too much, but it was a tad annoying having to open the app rather than just pop open 'finder' and go. FWIW it DID work just fine for my couple months with the Xoom.
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It works fine to the internal storage. Maybe I should've said explicitly that I had more issues using the Android File Transfer app with the SD Card in the Xoom.
I'm glad Google gave this a thought, now they should make one for linux too, but they probably won't.
wanderfowl said:
iTunes (obviously) won't see it.
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My post is pointless, but hell will freeze over before iTunes recognizes a Samsung device, lol. If it wasn't for laws and standard, they wouldn't allow their PC to recognize Samsung devices either.
eksasol said:
I'm glad Google gave this a thought, now they should make one for linux too, but they probably won't.
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That's the nice part about Linux. The people working on Linux have an active incentive to add this functionality, as it improves the experience. With OS X, they have an active (marketing) reason to not add it, anti-competitive behavior. Don't give up hope
wanderfowl said:
It's unlikely that Apple will choose to support MTP in future versions of OS X (it's a Microsoft protocol now used mostly by Android), but hopefully Google will improve the tool as time goes on.
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It's a protocol native to the USB standard since 2008 so if Apple want to be standards compliant they should implement it. There are lots of other devices that use it as well.
wanderfowl said:
As far as I know, there's no way of enabling your Mac to see the device natively, and all of the software designed for other MTP devices that I've tried doesn't work.
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Those apps probably just need an update to libmtp.. for some reason that library has the device ID of every device it supports hardcoded in, rather than working out whether a device supports mtp in other ways as things like windows do.
If anyone has ported mtpfs to OSX you should be able to get that going (will probably do that myself when I get time.. Android File Transfer is OK but a bit quirky).
blunden said:
It's a protocol native to the USB standard since 2008 so if Apple want to be standards compliant they should implement it. There are lots of other devices that use it as well.
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Trust me, I'm not defending it, but I can't imagine Apple in its current state implementing a change which would help in supporting a competitor's product (especially Android) just to be open and compliant. Given how willing Apple as a company is to cut off its nose to spite its face, I doubt that they'll rush to help their users here. Prove me wrong, Apple.
TonyHoyle said:
Those apps probably just need an update to libmtp.. for some reason that library has the device ID of every device it supports hardcoded in, rather than working out whether a device supports mtp in other ways as things like windows do.
If anyone has ported mtpfs to OSX you should be able to get that going (will probably do that myself when I get time.. Android File Transfer is OK but a bit quirky).
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I've tried working with the existing mtpfs ports, but wasn't able to get very far at all. I'm hoping that ICS will spur people to develop further on that, maybe pulling it into MacFUSE.
wanderfowl said:
Trust me, I'm not defending it, but I can't imagine Apple in its current state implementing a change which would help in supporting a competitor's product (especially Android) just to be open and compliant. Given how willing Apple as a company is to cut off its nose to spite its face, I doubt that they'll rush to help their users here. Prove me wrong, Apple.
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You certainly have a point and is the primary reason I dispise Apple as a company.
My main point was that it's not to be considered a "Microsoft protocol" as it's been part of the USB standard for years now. Nothing is stopping any OS from implementing it and as a standard they really should as it brings some nice improvements like not requiring the OS on the PC to have support for the filesystem used on the device. Considering FAT32 and exFAT are basically the only filesystems that work in all major OSes, the former being old and having severe limitations and the latter requiring a license it's nice to be able to use something like ext2/3/4 or any other filesystem of choice and still maintain compability.
Apple hasn't typically been particularly resistant to implementing standards and protocols used to communicate with 3rd party devices. Also, the major force behind Apple's resistance to just about everything is gone now... We'll see if they continue the trend without him.
Just bumping this again for the new crop of ICS users
So I've just gotten my VZW Gnex, and unfortunately, Android file transfer seems to have the same problems with not refreshing the files in the folder as it did on the Xoom.
That said, if you're trying to get into a given folder and your Android File Transfer can't see the contents (or the folder itself), just reboot the phone and when it comes back up, the new folder should be there and right as rain.
wanderfowl said:
OS X won't see it, DoubleTwist doesn't see it, Songbird won't and iTunes (obviously) won't see it.
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If syncing with iTunes is your goal, you left out iSyncr. Our app can sync Android 3.0 and 4.0 devices with iTunes on a Mac over USB (and WiFi). If your Android device is supported by Android File Transfer, it is supported by iSyncr.
As always, you can shoot me an email if you are having an issue with this.
-Justin
I seem to be having a new issue. All of a sudden, I can't sync anything to my XOOM. I had to unlock, and re-unroot it to install ICS on it. I don't know why, but everytime I begin a transfer to my XOOM Android File Transfer instantly says that my my device is locked and I need unlock the screen and/or it can't access the media storage device. It's really frustrating. I can't push the SU.zip bc it gets lost in between the "Ext SD Card" and the "Internal SD Card." Long story short... my Xoom boots into ICS and runs perfectly fine, but I can't finish the root process. Any help?!
Android File Transfer supports files up to 4gb in size. This may be why you are having trouble transferring files that are 10 gb. At least this is the case in OS X Lion
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
I have searched a bit and havent found anything that seems like a fix.
I generally plug my phone in in my vehicle via a USB cable to my headunit. My old HTC Evo LTE would allow the SD card(external I guess is the correct term) to be accessed and I could then use my phone like a hard drive and play my music off of the SD card.
I cant seem to get this going on the G3. I have tried every option on the menu that comes up, but nothing works.
Anybody got any idea's or an app that would force this functionality?
Does your car support BT access? That is what I use on mine.
Otherwise, if your phone is rooted, perhaps after you connect your phone you need to tell the phone to change its USB connection type to MTP.
yea its got bluetooth but the implementation is crappy(2014 Jeep, but the radio is the same as the 07's so much older technology). Sometimes you can use the steering wheel controls and it will change the track, other times it wont it will just act like its doing something, but nothing happens. Being able to use the phone as a portable hard drive works flawlessly(as I used to do the with HTC).
rjacobs said:
I have searched a bit and havent found anything that seems like a fix.
I generally plug my phone in in my vehicle via a USB cable to my headunit. My old HTC Evo LTE would allow the SD card(external I guess is the correct term) to be accessed and I could then use my phone like a hard drive and play my music off of the SD card.
I cant seem to get this going on the G3. I have tried every option on the menu that comes up, but nothing works.
Anybody got any idea's or an app that would force this functionality?
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That's probably related to the lack of mass storage since ... I guess it's been ics, but mtp and ptp instead of it, if your stereo doesn't support it, there isn't much what can be done unfortunately (there was a mass storage app, for the galaxy s3 [i9300] with which you could reanable it, but I highly doubt it'll work at the g3).
Sent from my LG-D855
yea thats I guess what I am seeing now that I am searching using the proper terms.
Some people are having success using the various apps but they all require root, which i am no opposed to, but I have a mac, not a PC so root for me will be a bit until somebody develops an easier to use root method for the mac or a downloadable straight to the phone. Towelroot isnt working for the G3 yet either.
Oh well, guess ill just load up my 4gig usb stick and roll with that.
rjacobs said:
yea thats I guess what I am seeing now that I am searching using the proper terms.
Some people are having success using the various apps but they all require root, which i am no opposed to, but I have a mac, not a PC so root for me will be a bit until somebody develops an easier to use root method for the mac or a downloadable straight to the phone. Towelroot isnt working for the G3 yet either.
Oh well, guess ill just load up my 4gig usb stick and roll with that.
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PurpleDrake works on all platforms, look at the development section.
I have the same issue with my aftermarket Kenwood stereo. I just found out that the newer phones are no longer using the Mass Storage option as older models used to. They use a new one call MTP; it's kind of plug & play.
Hey guys, I have searched high and low for a solution to this problem but have come up empty so far. I just got a joying head unit and everything, including the easy connected app, seemed to work without issue. I decided well since I had the headunit running next to my pc that I would flash Malaysk's custom rom before installing it. After that, I reinstalled the app from various sources including the oem app but none of them seem to allow me to connect my same exact devices anymore.
Why is this important for me? I had planned on controlling a tablet in the back seat for my son who is still to young to put on show without trouble. Essentially, this would allow me to never have to reach back there to help him out.
I have read, from joying, that it would no longer work after flashing new firmware but that seemed to not be the case from some things I had read here (please correct me if I am wrong on that). Tried different cables and ports but no luck. I did read that a license might need to be carried over but not sure what that entails as I can find ZERO info on this easy connected app/problem. I hope that this is a very simple fix and that I did not jump the gun again for the chance to flash a new device (its addicting and I blame XDA for my problems...).
I did try and find some other apps that might allow me to do the same thing. RemoDroid seemed promising but didn't function. Most other ones are meant for controlling from a pc or browser and just weren't useful for the task at hand. I am open to solid suggestions. I use all Android devices and avoid the Apple juice. Any insight you guys can offer will help a tired Dad out. Thanks!
Edit: Solved-ish
The easy connect app seems to function now intermittently. Not sure there was a specific thing that I did to fix it. Seems to work when I launch easy connect app right after booting up and nothing else. Messing with other apps seems to cause a problem for my devices. Also, switching between my devices(phone and tablet) may also have been causing a problem, not sure yet. I suppose I'll just keep trying to make it work reliably until I break it again.
On the previous version of the easy connect app, you were able to disable Drive Mode from launching. Not so on the newer version with Android WiFi. If anyone has a solution to that I would appreciate it as the Drive Mode app is useless for my needs.
Note 4 - USB - works great. I have yet to try over wifi
Note 10.1 N8013(lollipop rom) - USB/Wifi - works great (disable smooth mode, remote device screen cannot be turned on with easy connect "Home" button)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/and...1024x600-rk3188-joying-try-uploading-t3262030
I tried several different apk's but they all have similar results and end with a connection failure.
I haven't yet tried going back to stock firmware so that might be worth trying. I installed the headunit in my car so I'm not as willing to keep flashin it as I have to park down the street from my house.
So not sure what magic I used but I was able to get it working for a moment and then it stopped again. USB and Wifi android mirroring were working so I know my current firmware/setup is functional!! Once I got it working I started configuring some other apps and when I went to run it again it wasn't connecting. I guess I'll just keep messing with it until I can figure out what got it working again.
With the newer version of the easy connected app, I can no longer disable launching of drive mode on connect. Is there a way to disable that option with the 1.4 version?
Hi.
Is it possible mirror in wifi with android?
Can you explain the way?
Inviato dal mio SM-G920F utilizzando Tapatalk