Develop Bugs

Google Sky

Off on holiday next week with both my Desires (wife and phone!!!). As I am outside the UK I don't want to incur any roaming charges so will turn off all mobile networks/automatic updates/roaming. (if I need to turn off anything else PLEASE let me know).
However if I use Google Sky outside a wi-fi reception area am I going to incur charges for using say GPS satellites (in location services)?
Thanks.

hwvlover said:
As I am outside the UK I don't want to incur any roaming charges so will turn off all mobile networks/automatic updates/roaming. (if I need to turn off anything else PLEASE let me know).
However if I use Google Sky outside a wi-fi reception area am I going to incur charges for using say GPS satellites (in location services)?
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Click to collapse
If you have actively disabled cell-radio (3G, GSM, etc) then I don't see how there should be any way to incur charges. Note however that mobile phones use A-GPS which connects over the data connection to get satellite information. Without this service it might take a while (read: a couple of minutes) to get a fix.
Normal GPS is strictly a downlink service, the phone never talks to the satellites.
I am not sure just how long into the future the A-GPS gets info though, so you might not notice any changes.

Google sky maps needs no data or GPS to work. The "map" of the sky is allready on your phone and the location you can alter yourself in the settings. (when entering a cityname, it does need a data connection, but when you enter it before you travel, or use coordinates, no data is needed to enjoy this extremely nice app)

[Q] WiFi networking - advice needed

I am completely ignorant of the WiFi configuration and purpose on this phone. Can anyone help?
1) I have an unlimited data plan. Should I care about using WiFi at all?
2) If I have a 4G/3G signal loss, will WiFi automatically kick in to sustain a signal?
3) I currently have no WiFi networks attached, and a scan returns nothing.
Should I be attaching WiFi networks manually. If so, how?
4) Should I just allow my battery optimizer app to disable WiFi?

mds54 said:
I am completely ignorant of the WiFi configuration and purpose on this phone. Can anyone help?
1) I have an unlimited data plan. Should I care about using WiFi at all?
2) If I have a 4G/3G signal loss, will WiFi automatically kick in to sustain a signal?
3) I currently have no WiFi networks attached, and a scan returns nothing.
Should I be attaching WiFi networks manually. If so, how?
4) Should I just allow my battery optimizer app to disable WiFi?
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Click to collapse
1) That's upto you. If your speeds suck, or are in a terrible reception area (switching between 4G and 3G a lot, or stuck in 3G), then Wifi can be faster.
2) If you lose 3G/4G data, it may not connect to wifi unless your configured network is nearby. Normally, wifi will be always connected unless you're out of range of that particular signal.
3) Make sure Wifi is switched on. (switch will be blue in the on position). If you don't see any networks, then there are none. You may have to add networks manually, but thats because its not broadcasting its SSID (ie making itself visible), but thats usually in like a corporate environment.
4) I have noticed that being on Wifi saves me some battery than being on 4G, but your results may vary.

I can only offer advice on the first one. I also have unlimited data but I use wifi whenever possible. Wifi doubles my battery life. Using 4g all the time kills it way too quickly.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA

mds54 said:
I am completely ignorant of the WiFi configuration and purpose on this phone. Can anyone help?
1) I have an unlimited data plan. Should I care about using WiFi at all?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you're happy with your speeds then no. WiFi does save battery though.
2) If I have a 4G/3G signal loss, will WiFi automatically kick in to sustain a signal?
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Click to collapse
No, because WiFi isn't always on (or shouldn't be), and won't automatically turn on. You'll have to turn it on manually if 3G/4G isn't available.
3) I currently have no WiFi networks attached, and a scan returns nothing. Should I be attaching WiFi networks manually. If so, how?
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Click to collapse
If there's no WiFi around you, then there's no WiFi around you... The only reason you'd have to manually enter a network is if you're at home and aren't broadcasting your SSID, so you won't pick it up on a scan. You should elaborate more on this.
These comments make me think you don't understand how WiFi works....
4) Should I just allow my battery optimizer app to disable WiFi?
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Click to collapse
Battery optimizer apps don't always know what's best. Usually how they work is they'll turn off WiFi when you get out of range of your house or other specific location (via GPS). Then enable when they "know" you're at home (again, by GPS). Usually its easier to just have a toggle widget for WiFi and turn it on when you're at home if you want it.

I think this additional info may be useful:
Wifi is not a feature of your phone service through your provider. It is a completely different technology that replaces, not amplifies, your 3g/4g connection when it is on and connected. When you are using your phone's data connection, you are connected to the internet through your phone provider, which is also functioning as your Internet Service Provider (in your case, Verizon).
A wifi signal only exists when a wireless device is broadcasting it locally. Most often this is a wireless router in someone's home, office, or a store that offers wifi for its customers. In this case, your internet connection goes through the router, then to a hard-wired internet connection off to whatever ISP the service is paid for through.
It is a much shorter-range technology than your cell service. As such, while your phone will eat through your battery boosting its signal if it can't connect to a cell tower, your phone will use much less energy looking for wifi signals.
If you are absolutely sure that you will not be connecting to wifi networks in your daily travels, you should turn wifi off and not worry about it. If you have an existing wifi connection at home/work, then leaving wifi on and letting it connect will save you battery when you are within range. The idle drain of wifi when it is looking for networks is fairly low, so if you are going to be spending large amounts of time in wifi zones, you might as well just always leave it on.
If your phone shows no wifi available by a scan, chances are very slim that there is a non-broadcast network that you would be able to connect to manually; someone is keeping it hidden and it is most likely password-protected as well. Most private networks will be visible to a scan, but are probably password protected. You will need to connect to these manually; your phone will not alert you to their presence. Your phone will automatically let you know if there is an unprotected network in range. By default, if wifi is enabled, it will automatically connect to any network that comes into range that you have already connected to.

Wow, you guys are good! Thanks!

[Q] Possible to use GPS with no network service?

So I'll be in Japan until mid April, and I temporarily discontinued my cell plan. I'm just curious if anyone knows of a way to use the GPS without having any network support what so ever? I mainly use it for an application that tracks the distance and pace that I run, but turn by turn would be nice to have as well. Any help would be wonderful!!

Depends on if the app you have uses a local or network map.. i know with google maps (and maybe google navigation) you can dl map data for use while off network. GPS data is separate afaik (meaning pulling the times from the gps sats to get your location) so that should still work.
Assimilated using the interface that interacts with the advanced internet.

benmatlock said:
Depends on if the app you have uses a local or network map.. i know with google maps (and maybe google navigation) you can dl map data for use while off network. GPS data is separate afaik (meaning pulling the times from the gps sats to get your location) so that should still work.
Assimilated using the interface that interacts with the advanced internet.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. i'm pretty sure i'm out of luck here, Google maps thinks i'm in Hawaii and the wifi I connect to has a mean firewall and I can't get on half the websites I can back home (stupid government). I suppose I can live without GPS. .

simpkill said:
Thanks for the reply. i'm pretty sure i'm out of luck here, Google maps thinks i'm in Hawaii and the wifi I connect to has a mean firewall and I can't get on half the websites I can back home (stupid government). I suppose I can live without GPS. .
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With the Optimus S i had no data connection whatsoever but still manage to get GPS. I used maps to pre-cache the place i wanted to go. It worked well. Just have GPS satellites on under settings.

Try navfee

Does the connection optimizer suck?? Is there one that's actually intelligent?

So my phone's data connection does stuff which I can only describe as retarded.
There are comcast wifi hotspots all over the place here. They can come in handy when the LTE signal is weak or nonexistent. But my phone, through the connection optimizer i assume, will connect to any comcast wifi hotspot no matter how weak the signal is even when there's a full strength LTE signal.
So very often I have a great data connection of LTE and my phone suddenly switches to a hotspot with barely one bar of signal. It even does this when i at home with my own wifi. There's a comcast hotspot near my house, but far enough away that the signal is pretty poor. If my phone happens to see the comcast hotspot as I'm driving home and it connects to that, it'll stay connected to that even though my own home wifi signal is at full strength.
Basically, this 'optimizer' is nothing of the sort. It's a pretty dumb application since all it seems to do is connect to any available wifi regardless of the signal strength of the hotspot or over the cell network - and it never bothers to check if there's a better connection once it's connected to something.
Is there any way to make this app even half way intelligent? Or an app i can replace it with?

merkk said:
So my phone's data connection does stuff which I can only describe as retarded.
There are comcast wifi hotspots all over the place here. They can come in handy when the LTE signal is weak or nonexistent. But my phone, through the connection optimizer i assume, will connect to any comcast wifi hotspot no matter how weak the signal is even when there's a full strength LTE signal.
So very often I have a great data connection of LTE and my phone suddenly switches to a hotspot with barely one bar of signal. It even does this when i at home with my own wifi. There's a comcast hotspot near my house, but far enough away that the signal is pretty poor. If my phone happens to see the comcast hotspot as I'm driving home and it connects to that, it'll stay connected to that even though my own home wifi signal is at full strength.
Basically, this 'optimizer' is nothing of the sort. It's a pretty dumb application since all it seems to do is connect to any available wifi regardless of the signal strength of the hotspot or over the cell network - and it never bothers to check if there's a better connection once it's connected to something.
Is there any way to make this app even half way intelligent? Or an app i can replace it with?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right; it's retarded. Hint: only use it enabled when you want to connect to that Wi-Fi or the type of Wi-Fi that requires the agreement to terms each time you connect. The Optimizer has shown some convenience where a user may roam between that type of Wi-Fi hotspot and data connection.
Android seems smart enough to remember Wi-Fi with typical login. I was on a tire shop today and auto connected to Wi-Fi without looking into remembered Wi-Fi connections (I left Wi-Fi enabled when I left home; often enough, doesn't interfere with cell data when I need it). I freeze the Connections Optimizer and only thaw it when it seems logical.
Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

merkk said:
So my phone's data connection does stuff which I can only describe as retarded.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol ?

You may want to disable Smart Network Switch in advanced wi-fi settings also.

catseyenu said:
You may want to disable Smart Network Switch in advanced wi-fi settings also.
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Click to collapse
what does that feature do?
And does anyone know of an connection optimizer that is actually half way intelligent?
thanks

merkk said:
what does that feature do?
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Click to collapse
What it's supposed to do and the user experience seem to be 2 different stories.
Every discussion I've read on it recommends killing it.
http://www.conanhughes.com/2014/01/how-to-disable-auto-network-switch-on.html

catseyenu said:
What it's supposed to do and the user experience seem to be 2 different stories.
Every discussion I've read on it recommends killing it.
http://www.conanhughes.com/2014/01/how-to-disable-auto-network-switch-on.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
from the article there, it sounds like i am having the opposite problem - my phone isn't jumping from wifi to lte, it's jumping from lte to wifi even if the wifi signal is crap.

Problems with GPS signal loss

Good afternoon.
Guys, I've been very angry with Google Maps.
When using turn-by-turn navigation, inside the urban perimeter works fine, but when I move to the rural area I have constant problems of "GPS signal loss".
I noticed that by losing the data signal (4G / 3G), Maps stops navigating. Do you have any way around it? Having a GPS dependent data signal is very infeasible.
Thank you.

Have you tried putting the location mode to "High Precision" or "Device only" in the location settings pane? Sounds like you're not using GPS, but cellular location....

I have already tried both modes and in both the problem is the same.
This problem comes from the time I had a Nexus 5, at the time thought was problem in his hardware, but start to be a bug of the Android itself.

Did you install the app GPS status? If not, please do. It will show an overview of your GPS receiving, and download the latest A-GPS library's.
However put the setting of location on Device only. That's important, it will use the internal receiver instead of network masts.