Develop Bugs

App availability question

I would like to know if there are phone tracking apps for TP2

Google Maps (Latitude) can be used, but it isn't very covert, or real-time like second by second.

quiquerc said:
I would like to know if there are phone tracking apps for TP2
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Click to collapse
Yeah, there's some available. THIS is one of the several I've seen in the microsoft marketplace...I haven't tried it yet, but it looks like it might get the job done for you. HERE'S another one, looks a little more robust, available at handango.com.
Microsoft's MyPhone service also has a phone tracking ("recovery") option, but I think that's a pay add-on, not part of the free core service.

Overall experiences of desire users

Just wanted to start this thread, for users to share there overall experiences of the desire. The good the bad and the ugly etc...
Enjoy

Well so far so good.
I've had it since Friday (Tuesday now) and tbh it makes the HD2 looks pathetic. Don't get me wrong the HD2 is agood phone, but compared to the competition its looking long in the tooth.
Battery lie seems poor but i can't put it down lol, so probably fine.
My only gripe is the lack of SD support (I know 2.2)
I hope Froyo arrives on the 23rd, if not i'll be kicking myself not getting a Nexus One.
I feel the touchpad could be used to great effect, but not utilised. Mouse cursor in browser?
More access to the internal memory would be good too.

agreed about apps2sd, it's the only niggle i have with the phone. there's more apps that i want and can use than the phone can handle.
here's hoping 2.2 is sooner rather than later

diablous said:
Mouse cursor in browser?
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Why would you need an actual mouse cursor? You can already use the trackpad to select links.
Regards,
Dave

foxmeister said:
Why would you need an actual mouse cursor? You can already use the trackpad to select links.
Regards,
Dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
saves you scrolling through hundreds in a page. you could just move the cursor over the link and click in.
sometimes i can read a page, but my finger is too thick to select the link, however if i had a cursor i could.
Also would mean strategy games like starcraft could be played with ease.

diablous said:
saves you scrolling through hundreds in a page. you could just move the cursor over the link and click in.
sometimes i can read a page, but my finger is too thick to select the link, however if i had a cursor i could.
Also would mean strategy games like starcraft could be played with ease.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just buy a capacitive stylus.

For me the main disadvantage of the Phone (and actually Android in general) in comparison with Winmo is that it does not want to sync with the corporate callendar and contacts via bluetooth natively.
I know I can install htc sync and sync via usb, but it requires me to carry on the usb cable everywhere I go...
I know I can install "Missing Sync" for windows but it cost ~40$ and it's a bit too expensive for an application.
Second - APP2SD of course
Third - battery life (I know - screen)
best regards
r

My initial impressions were positive, to the point of canceling my Iphone purchase and going for the Desire instead.
However, that swiflty changed. After much time spend arguing with my network provider, the independent seller and finally HTC support I am left dumbfounded by their logic and inane software restrictions.
To explain, all the phones in the UK, or at least the majority of them are region locked for some reason. The phones provided by the networks themselves are region-locked to the UK only, meaning not being able to type in any other language and if one goes abroad runs the risk of not having correct time, date, weather, radio and so on as the phone's 'locale' settings do not adjust. What is more frustrating, the demo phones available in the same networks' stores or independent dealers work normaly (having locale and languages for all european languages and some asian) but even when buying an unbranded one it is still region locked (although with a couple more choices...).
To promote such a phone as a flagship product and not being able to type in another language, a function my 6-year old backup phone handles with ease, is beyond words.

Generally speaking, a great phone, however, having said that let me say this: I find that I lose coverage very easily whereas I didn't with other phones I have had e.g. Blackberry Bold. I can find that if I leave my phone on the bedside table overnight, it loses coverage for some unknown reason. This is a real downer for me as I rely on having coverage very much.

Aenaon said:
My initial impressions were positive, to the point of canceling my Iphone purchase and going for the Desire instead.
However, that swiflty changed. After much time spend arguing with my network provider, the independent seller and finally HTC support I am left dumbfounded by their logic and inane software restrictions.
To explain, all the phones in the UK, or at least the majority of them are region locked for some reason. The phones provided by the networks themselves are region-locked to the UK only, meaning not being able to type in any other language and if one goes abroad runs the risk of not having correct time, date, weather, radio and so on as the phone's 'locale' settings do not adjust. What is more frustrating, the demo phones available in the same networks' stores or independent dealers work normaly (having locale and languages for all european languages and some asian) but even when buying an unbranded one it is still region locked (although with a couple more choices...).
To promote such a phone as a flagship product and not being able to type in another language, a function my 6-year old backup phone handles with ease, is beyond words.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi! I really think thats odd! I've bought mine unlocked in Portugal and it didn't have the Portuguese language but had English and French. When i first put my Portuguese sim card, i didn't select any of the languages (there wasn't Portuguese) but the phone is on Portuguese since i'm using a Portuguese sim card.
Nevertheless, in such powerfull phone and OS, there is (almost) a way to bend such limitations.
For instance, using morelocale app (on market) and i just love the HTC_IME_MOD (you can find it here).
Try these and then post your review

waynefield said:
Generally speaking, a great phone, however, having said that let me say this: I find that I lose coverage very easily whereas I didn't with other phones I have had e.g. Blackberry Bold. I can find that if I leave my phone on the bedside table overnight, it loses coverage for some unknown reason. This is a real downer for me as I rely on having coverage very much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have such problem. Maybe it means a faulty device?

Thank you Necroman_AI for your tips. The morelocale application I hope that it will make the phone at least work fully when I am in a country outside the 3 it seems to natively recognise.
I am a new user of android devices so I am not yet familiar with the mods but I will try them. However, this is stlll very unprofessional from a company that aspires to compete in the high-end area of smartphones.

Aenaon said:
Thank you Necroman_AI for your tips. The morelocale application I hope that it will make the phone at least work fully when I am in a country outside the 3 it seems to natively recognise.
I am a new user of android devices so I am not yet familiar with the mods but I will try them. However, this is stlll very unprofessional from a company that aspires to compete in the high-end area of smartphones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi again! I don't really know is this is HTC fault, you haven't said if you bought it unlocked or in a network. Networks sometimes limits certain abilities of the phones. But morelocale will solve your problem and search for HTC_ime_mod here on xda and you will get what is the best Android keyboard for me! It's just an app and you can install it like any other app. It's really good and so much better than the regular HTC_ime that canes with the phone...

Kindle

Does anyone know when the Kindle app for WP7 is going to be released? I know it is on its way "soon" but It is the only thing I really miss from my HTC Desire and I am becoming impatient! So, anyone with inside information, please tip us the wink here!!

The press release says "later this year" and there is only what, 5-6 weeks left for it to be this year? I'm willing to bet we may see something announced this week by before black Friday as part of their eBook push or something within the 12 days of Christmas deals amazon usually does.

Thanks, that may make sense - here's hoping!

From Amazon's press release on October 28, they said it will come out "in the coming months". Makes me wonder if the Kindle app won't hit the marketplace until the first (or second) WP7 updates come out.

amazon is blowing it, Missing both the kindle and audible software for wp7. i am really starting to get annoyed with them. you can't make customers wait without something to go on. they could atleast do what blizzard does and say it is coming an exact date and push it back if they arent happy. I wonder if they are waiting for the update from microsoft

What's even more unfortunate is that Amazon has an ongoing TV ad campaign showcasing the Kindle mobile apps touting their buy-once-read-everywhere advantage. They even have two versions of the ad---one for switching from iPhone to Android, and one for the other way around. And WP7 is conspicuously absent.
Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express

OK, does anyone on here work for Amazon? They did say that the Kindle App would be coming this year, they now have precisely 2 weeks left to keep that promise. I wish they would either release it or 'fess up to a delay!! I need my ebooks on my HD7!!!!

They just announced a new android version and some of the blogs reported some "coming soon" announcement yesertday but didn't link to anything official from Amazon.
trying to see if i can guess some urls from their other apps to see if i find anything

FYI, the Kindle app is now in the marketplace.

Marketplace
I just downloaded the free app from the Marketplace, installed it and love it. It is great!

how come?
I couldnt find it anywhere on the Marketplace
OK found it under Books & references
the search in Marketplace sucks

hassler said:
how come?
I couldnt find it anywhere on the Marketplace
OK found it under Books & references
the search in Marketplace sucks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not available for me either. I'm in Australia. Hopefully it just takes a few hours to spread to the non-US marketplaces.
I have a Kindle and the Kindle app for Android, so I'd be very annoyed if I had to wait for the Windows Phone version.

found it by typing kindle into marketplace search.
Nice looking app.
Needs settings for font color, size, type and the ability to have black paper with white text.

nrfitchett4 said:
found it by typing kindle into marketplace search.
Nice looking app.
Needs settings for font color, size, type and the ability to have black paper with white text.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You get three options of page colour (white, sepia and black), 5 font sizes but only one font.

Hey I got it.
The question - can I buy books there on my Polish credit card or I will encounter the same "not supported country" problem?

doministry said:
Hey I got it.
The question - can I buy books there on my Polish credit card or I will encounter the same "not supported country" problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It just depends on whether Kindle books are available in Poland or not. You will be able to buy books available in your country, but not books that are only available in other countries.
You should be able to go to Amazon.com and get a sample of any book that is available to your country (assuming your Amazon account is set to your country). If you can successfully get a sample for a book it means that book is available in your country.

Not in UK marketplace yet....at least I cannot see it amongst all those f'n artists and songs. grrrrr....

jhughesy said:
Not in UK marketplace yet....at least I cannot see it amongst all those f'n artists and songs. grrrrr....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correction: I didn't click on the link from Amazon, I clicked this one from some other website:
follow this link: http://redirect.zune.net/External/LaunchZuneProtocol.aspx?pathuri=navigate?phoneAppID=48195fb4-ee0e-e011-9264-00237de2db9e&source=1800PocketPC
. This worked for me in Australia even though I still can't see the app in the marketplace on the phone or in the Zune software.
If it works it will open the Zune software and go to the app.

That link works for UK market. Thanks!

djgreedo said:
If it works it will open the Zune software and go to the app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, that worked for me in the UK. Cheers

[Q] not available in teh region

Hee guys.
I have a huge problem, because i'm not able to log in the market place. I'm in the netherlands, I changed my region here https://account.live.com/summarypage.aspx
but my phone and zune software stills ays, not available, can anyone help em, please
very kind regards
victor

Computer region needs to change to US as well for zune software

lip said:
Computer region needs to change to US as well for zune software
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Click to collapse
If they do not change this option soon WP7 will fail. There is a massive market outside the USA.
I still cant believe we have to do this when the phone is sold world wide.

agp64 said:
If they do not change this option soon WP7 will fail. There is a massive market outside the USA.
I still cant believe we have to do this when the phone is sold world wide.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
definitely true. the reason why the iPhone succeeds is because it's app store is available around the world with over 70 countries, mine included.
Getting a Windows phone was the best decision i made, until found out i can't buy paid apps off the marketplace, you need a US credit card or something.
This marketing strategy is a potential WP7 killer.

I think the app marketplace is available in most places...at least in their initial target areas. The guy is from the netherlands so I assume he's after a zune pass and for that MS is beholden to the recording industry but I believe they'll have a solution for all their target markets, perhaps not all having the zune pass, but they will all be able to buy the music.

lip said:
I think the app marketplace is available in most places...at least in their initial target areas. The guy is from the netherlands so I assume he's after a zune pass and for that MS is beholden to the recording industry but I believe they'll have a solution for all their target markets, perhaps not all having the zune pass, but they will all be able to buy the music.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that makes me curious. Iphone has music streaming now, right? Does that work everywhere?
I think some of the problem that microsoft is having is that some countries want more money for the streaming rights than in the USA.

Apple doesn't have streaming like zune pass natively....you can get third party software in the app store I think.
The problem for sure is what the content owners want financially...I was old by an MS rep that in Canada for insance, SOCAN (content industry reps) are wanting a ridiculous amount of money...from what I gather they are not really interested in the rental idea to the point where it would make sense for a consumer to purchase it...
As much as I'd like to blame MS for incompetent negotiating, the music industry is notoriously stupid and short term in their thinking...

lip said:
The guy is from the netherlands so I assume he's after a zune pass and for that MS is beholden to the recording industry but I believe they'll have a solution for all their target markets, perhaps not all having the zune pass, but they will all be able to buy the music.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually no, Zune doesn't work for apps either unless you change the region.

Zune pass does also not work in Germany but that problem is not related to MS or to Zune but to the GEMA. -> http://www.gema.de/en/
Thanks to them wanting astronomical amounts of money, most streaming services etc are not possible in Germany. REALLY annoying

pencilcase said:
Zune pass does also not work in Germany but that problem is not related to MS or to Zune but to the GEMA. -> http://www.gema.de/en/
Thanks to them wanting astronomical amounts of money, most streaming services etc are not possible in Germany. REALLY annoying
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same issue in Canada...it's called SOCAN here...it gets even crazier here as the artist association who already get a tax on all media want to further charge...just getting out of hand. I can't really complain about the kids these days who will just bypass it all and get it illegally or the many new artists who just bypass these corrupt associations and sell directly to their audience...
Regarding the app marketplace...that is a big FAIL if it's not available in all of Europe...I know Android marketplace only became available in Canada about a year ago but you'd think MS would have that sorted out of the gate...music I understand but the app marketplace seems silly not to have it working...it works in Canada

Well if this is not sorted out by then end of January I for one will not be upgrading to a WP7 phone.
Having no access to the app market is not going to cut it for me.
One easy solution that would solve this problem instantly would be to allow us to pay using Microsoft points, These are available to most I think.

yep MS Points would work a whole lot more. i sent the MS guys some tweets again regarding this

New FireTV/Stick OS Versions - Pre-Initial Setup - root possibility?

This could benefit many who buy a new fireTV/stick and want to root it. It's a bit long but read on---
First, a little background; I bought my first fireTVstick a few months ago - 5.2.1.1 was on it before I even saw the home screen. I looked into rooting, but found that the hardware soldering method was the only way.
As you know, the fireTV asks for wifi password prior to initial setup & updates itself before you can intervene. But after initial setup, Amazon home can launch without a wifi connection..like on someone else's network..
A friend gave me a stick that hadn't been used since mid2016.. I plugged it in at my house, and before connecting to my network, discovered it was running 5.1.5.0 - so immediately i hid updates and then tried to root with kingo, unsuccessfully. I tried and tried to think of a way to go up one version, to 5.2.1.0, without going all the way to 5.2.1.1--nothing..
Until I stumbled onto a post by sconnyuk about his discovery: by plugging into a laptop USB port for power and performing a factory reset.. the device reboots with low power "complaints" and allows you in without updating - Then, when you go to manually update - POOF: 5.2.1.0 is what you get, and you can root and downgrade etc. Brilliant.
From then until a week and a half ago, I assumed a device with old software was very hard to come by. The only way you would have a chance to root is IF a stick was purchased pre 5.2.1.1, IF it was then setup pre-5.2.1.1, and IF it had not been connected since 5.2.1.1 was pushed out to devices. That's a lot of IF's.
And naturally you would assume that new device = new software....If 5.2.1.1 has been out for months, all new devices should ship with that version by now...right?
But the devices all auto-update prior to initial setup, as soon as they are connected....so who knows what version was there, on the device, in the box, sitting on the store shelf?
The day the voice remote fire TV stick 2 shipped in the US (oct 21) I purchased a standard fire tv stick from a major US electronics store.
Out of pure curiosity, I plugged it into my laptop's USB port, just to see what would be there if the stick was unable to update.
5.0.5.1....from a firetvstick1 purchased NEW at the END of OCTOBER 2016.
I figured it was a fluke- checked someone else's, purchased in a different city, days later.
Also 5.0.5.1.
So I updated to 5.2.1.0, rooted, blocked updates, downgraded etc and have two brand new sticks running 5.0.5 with FireStarter instead of Amazon home.
My question is, has anybody else looked into this?
Is this a coincidence..is it something localized to my area? or is Amazon relying solely on auto updates and leaving old software on ALL fireTVsticks?
One step further -
- Can this same process be done on the fireTV?
-- If so, what version comes loaded on new fireTVs at this point in time?
---Can new ones potentially be rooted/downgraded as was done with these sticks?
And for that matter..
-What about the fireTVstick 2?
--New updates were pushed the day of release...but what version is on the device when it comes out of the box?
To anybody who buys a new stick/tv/stick2:
plug it in to laptop power and go check the version, pre-update. Then post your findings.
I am very curious how common/widespread of an occurrence this is, what versions are being found and when/where, and whether it also includes other fireTV models.

Stick 1/2
Got a stick 2 on Saturday, purely out of curiosity..5.2.2.0, and it updated itself to a newer 5.2.2.0
Also grabbed a new stick 1, like the ones I stumbled onto a couple of weeks ago, it also had 5.1.5.0 - sweet!
But how long will they continue to ship in a possibly-software-rootable-condition?
Anybody have info on what software version the gaming edition, firetv1 or firetv2 ships with?
I'd like to pick one up for myself IF it is rootable; however I don't particularly want to spend 3-4x the cost of the stick for a box that ultimately has less functionality..

Anybody? What version does the FireTV 2 ship with? Gaming edition?

Firetv2
5.2.1.1 straight out of the box..not sure if this is everywhere or just the one I got...device says it was last updated in August 2016...even though I just got it today
This leaves the FireTV 1 --- I'm going to assume that "refurbished" devices from Amazon will already have been updated - but what are the chances of finding a new in box 2014 model ftv with 5.1.5.0 or older?
Somebody?? Anybody??!

Millenials Guide to Tech, Firmware edition.
1. WOW! Found out something crazy, you all should learn about!
2. So I bought this on saturday, and I thought, and then I went there,,,
3. And then a buddy told me...
5. But then I read on the internet...
6. So I'm wondering...
7. What do you guys think?
8. HELP ME!!1!!
Ok - how about we do this for real?
1. Fire TV (/Stick) has to be online to first register it (set it up with a username/pwd), or you would not have access to the main interface, which basically is something you cant work without.
2. Best way to do this is to be fast, and unplug your wireless router, as soon as the login goes through and you see the main home page.
3. Using an underpowered usb connection can delay it, but it wont delay downloading the next new firmware. I guess if you really knew what you were doing, and could root the Stick (because this is not, or less applicable to Fire TV boxes?) always staying on underpowered usb (edit: Or can you? Because su has to be written to the system partition, and actually I don't know how the "do not update check" works (does it prevent stuff like dalvik cache being reinitialized...) - but for now I am guessing, that staying on underpowered USB might be a valid solution...), you could then delete the already downloaded firmware, effectively withou ever updating the firmware once. (Having stayed online long enough for the next firmware to be downloaded... - throttling your routers DL speed is a real solution independent of all this, If you know how to do that.)
4. Fire TV (/Stick) updates are incremental. This information already is in the adventure report in the OP, but to summarize, what that means is, that the devices (as of now) will update to the next firmware update in row, and only then to the next one (downloads the next update, installs it on reboot or promt, ...), and so on and so forth...
5. Fire TV (/Sticks) that come directly from Amazon have a higher chance to be on a newer firmware, because Amazon has a process to preload your account information on there, if you don't buy the device as a gift. So they already power up the device, before shipping it out to you. Which means, that they also can lift it to a more recent firmware without much hazzle. We can't look into this process - or when it changes and how (which means, that at least I don't know if you have a better chance of receiving an older firmware version one, if you order it as a gift for example (username doesnt get set up by Amazon) - but I actually doubt it...).
6. Which means, that your best bet to get a device that actually can be rooted, is actually to go into a box store that doesn't sell through those devices quickly and grab a boxed unit that has been sitting on shelves for months.
7- Which of course means that you have to forego, those GREAT DEALS (wow, so GOODZ) on Amazons refurb path or discount windows.
Now you could crowdsource this out to get more information, if you actually had a community of buyers that was interested in this, and at least somewhat tech savvy, but as with any Fire device, you don't have that. (Generally speaking).
Also - as for the incremental updates - it isn't set in stone, that it will always be this way. Amazon could flip a switch and change that serverside. Its not especially likely that they do (because it requires having someone in charge of the firmware team, that actually knows what they are doing), but it is something that could change eventually, even over night.

Wow
There's no need to be condescending because you don't like my wording.
I'm well aware of incremental updates and the low likelihood of purchasing a NiB device from a major retailer with potentially rootable firmware on it.
The fact that Amazon cranks out "factory refurbished" devices at a lower rate would be a red flag in and of itself; even without considering the fact that the device would have already been updated if it had been used enough (once) to create the need to "refurbish".
I stumbled onto something which one would think would be a highly unlikely find - multiple times - from a MASSIVE electronics retailer with hundreds of locations across the USA.
I wasn't talking about finding a device that fell behind a shelf 6 months ago; this was from 4 different locations of a store which can't keep Amazon devices in stock no matter how many or how frequently they order..
My posts after the OP were primarily just to bump the thread in search of a response (which, what do you know? It worked) - not begging for somebody to help me figure out why I can't root the refurbished fire stick I got from Amazon for half price.
I guarantee I'm not the only person who would be excited to discover that a new device had rootable firmware on it -
A fire tv 2 with 5.2.1.1 pre-loaded is what you would expect to find; having bought it from the same place I found 5.0.5.1-loaded sticks +/-6 months after the version began getting phased out, I thought maybe it could also be the case with the box.
The purpose of my original post was to ascertain whether or not this is a common or localized find..to "crowdsource" .in the one place one would EXPECT to find FireTV enthusiasts..
Pardon my enthusiasm.

Have a stab at it. Crowdsource away.
You are only up against a userbase that doesnt know the least bit about the device, buys their Fire TVs in high percentages from resellers on Amazon, ebay and the local used good portal, because they saw a "free HBO" and SPORTZ label on it, that got told for the better part of two years that root is not necessary - by a freaking product blogger who maybe single handedly killed this scene - syphoning out all information from this community to sell it against ads on his portal (but he contributed pictures)...
And even now most people cant decide if they'd rather have "eazy Amazon Alexa fullservice", or be able to own their devices - but "has hacker found a way so I can use Alexa in *insert country here*".
People don't know how to interface with the device, or even how to copy files, people are told, that they don't need to know anything other than how to sideload using ES File Explorer. And as long as most people have their piracy options - they don't care about the rest.
Thats the deal. When Amazon started to force people that wanted to use alternative launchers away from their upgrade path - product bloggers celebrated it, because it would make stuff, so much more eazy.
Good luck getting the numbers. I have yet to get the impression that anyone (but me and a few others, but I can only buy so many Fire TV 2s in my lifetime...) actually care.
The broader lesson here is - that no one who cares about root rights, buys FIre TVs anymore. And rightfully so. There was so much wrong information circulating, structurally - because some people cared more about establishing their own dependencies, being on the hunt for "great dealz" and buying their way around having to learn basics - that there simply never was a culture of ownership (caring about root rights) around this product.
People updated root away, because product blogger told them, new firmware had great new feature.
Also - Amazon in the backend - now is set up very well to make the windows where devices are rootable very, very short. They don't even provide you with a prompt anymore - they just update away. They update before shipping, they force you having to be online to activate the device...
Those are structural issues. If you don't see them, having worked in the industy for several years, look again.
Back of the shelf boxed units still would be the best bet for people willing to take a chance - and word of mouth that "one guy got an older firmware on a refurbished stick, sold by Amazon" is just that. Word of mouth.
In the meantime you can wait for a new rooting method, and don't care, that amazon restricted apps from reading logs via adb and put in all kinds of non standard android features like "great blacklist, so eazy", and there is still no full conversion rom for this thing, because navigating via a remote is only slowly becoming part of android as an OS.
Its a pitty that it turned out this way - because for a short window - both the Fire TV Stick and the Fire TV2 where the best value for money in this sector you could buy (raspberry pie still has less "power" than a AFTV2) - but you had too many interests only "faking" that they would act in favor of a homebrew community - too many users that only cared about solving problems that came up as a result of them not understanding what they bought on shady channels - looking for service, to many people too willing to excuse Amazon of wrongdoing, before even all the facts came out...
The truth is, that this is a dead category.
Give the raspberry pie two more years, and understand that if you care about openness and doing stuff the manufacturer hasnt set up for you - open hardware will be more and more your only opportunity.
Not so much because devices become harder and harder to hack open (which is also an increasing issue) - but because you cant set up a community thats set on "demanding enduser service", paying resellers to cut corners as far as them learning to set up stuff, and listening to product bloggers that provide them with tutorials stolen from here ("But they have added pictures!!"), as long as it is convenient for them, but then help mask the fact, when and how amazon splits this community or moves against our interests, because they benefit more - when they can make their readers entirely dependent on Amazon - and look, its so easy....
Try to get your numbers in this environment. I watch.

harlekinwashere said:
Have a stab at it. Crowdsource away.
You are only up against a userbase that doesnt know the least bit about the device, buys their Fire TVs in high percentages from resellers on Amazon, ebay and the local used good portal, because they saw a "free HBO" and SPORTZ label on it, that got told for the better part of two years that root is not necessary - by a freaking product blogger who maybe single handedly killed this scene - syphoning out all information from this community to sell it against ads on his portal (but he contributed pictures)...
And even now most people cant decide if they'd rather have "eazy Amazon Alexa fullservice", or be able to own their devices - but "has hacker found a way so I can use Alexa in *insert country here*".
People don't know how to interface with the device, or even how to copy files, people are told, that they don't need to know anything other than how to sideload using ES File Explorer. And as long as most people have their piracy options - they don't care about the rest.
Thats the deal. When Amazon started to force people that wanted to use alternative launchers away from their upgrade path - product bloggers celebrated it, because it would make stuff, so much more eazy.
Good luck getting the numbers. I have yet to get the impression that anyone (but me and a few others, but I can only buy so many Fire TV 2s in my lifetime...) actually care.
The broader lesson here is - that no one who cares about root rights, buys FIre TVs anymore. And rightfully so. There was so much wrong information circulating, structurally - because some people cared more about establishing their own dependencies, being on the hunt for "great dealz" and buying their way around having to learn basics - that there simply never was a culture of ownership (caring about root rights) around this product.
People updated root away, because product blogger told them, new firmware had great new feature.
Also - Amazon in the backend - now is set up very well to make the windows where devices are rootable very, very short. They don't even provide you with a prompt anymore - they just update away. They update before shipping, they force you having to be online to activate the device...
Those are structural issues. If you don't see them, having worked in the industy for several years, look again.
Back of the shelf boxed units still would be the best bet for people willing to take a chance - and word of mouth that "one guy got an older firmware on a refurbished stick, sold by Amazon" is just that. Word of mouth.
In the meantime you can wait for a new rooting method, and don't care, that amazon restricted apps from reading logs via adb and put in all kinds of non standard android features like "great blacklist, so eazy", and there is still no full conversion rom for this thing, because navigating via a remote is only slowly becoming part of android as an OS.
Its a pitty that it turned out this way - because for a short window - both the Fire TV Stick and the Fire TV2 where the best value for money in this sector you could buy (raspberry pie still has less "power" than a AFTV2) - but you had too many interests only "faking" that they would act in favor of a homebrew community - too many users that only cared about solving problems that came up as a result of them not understanding what they bought on shady channels - looking for service, to many people too willing to excuse Amazon of wrongdoing, before even all the facts came out...
The truth is, that this is a dead category.
Give the raspberry pie two more years, and understand that if you care about openness and doing stuff the manufacturer hasnt set up for you - open hardware will be more and more your only opportunity.
Not so much because devices become harder and harder to hack open (which is also an increasing issue) - but because you cant set up a community thats set on "demanding enduser service", paying resellers to cut corners as far as them learning to set up stuff, and listening to product bloggers that provide them with tutorials stolen from here ("But they have added pictures!!"), as long as it is convenient for them, but then help mask the fact, when and how amazon splits this community or moves against our interests, because they benefit more - when they can make their readers entirely dependent on Amazon - and look, its so easy....
Try to get your numbers in this environment. I watch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fair enough... I don't have the funds to test the waters on the spread of still-rootable FTVs either. Matter of fact, I returned the one I bought, the day after I posted the bit about it being unrootable.
Dead category or not, I still enjoy screwing around with them and I know others out there (in here, in this forum) do too..
The problem is, as you said, it's a device that sells out not because of the people who populate these threads, who have both (hopefully) the interest and ability to investigate, understand, and modify, the ins-and-outs of the things they buy...but because of the people who buy the devices up 10 at a time and run an automated process to sideload kodi with outdated wizards, so they can make $15 a pop..
I think the back of the shelf copy is a thing of the past, at least in my area..the number of retailers is a small one, only a few places carry them - they get a whole bunch in, then sell out in a day or two..and nobody has any for weeks..
I don't know if anybody still stocks ftv1's but I am still curious what remains floating around in circulation...
The search continues...