Develop Bugs

Newbie question

Hi. I am really interested in getting the TP2 and I've been using the search function to try to find out whether the TP2 can work with third party applications through wifi only, but I can't find an answer. This is important because I can't afford a data plan and want to be able to reference things on my phone while at work. The programs are epocrates, qxmd, and the like. I've read that 3rd party apps only work through data on blackberries (even though they have wifi antennas) and was wondering if the same applies to any of the HTC phones (mainly the touch pro2)? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Welcome. Please try to use more descriptive thread titles in posts.
Whether an app can support Wifi is not really a function of the phone. I have yet to find one that didn't on either my Tilt 2 or the Incite it replaced. The app itself doesn't usually care which connection it uses so long as one is present. The real trick is to not use ANY data at all. Almost any WinMo phone will access the network for something, usually for something like aGPS or to download weather info. These will be relatively small amounts of data, but it takes some effort to set your phone up to not use ANY data. I use a couple of tracking and GPS programs that would not be possible without a data plan. Having one of these smartphones and not letting it use data seems a waste to me. Wifi is only so accessible.

Miami_Son said:
Welcome. Please try to use more descriptive thread titles in posts.
Whether an app can support Wifi is not really a function of the phone. I have yet to find one that didn't on either my Tilt 2 or the Incite it replaced. The app itself doesn't usually care which connection it uses so long as one is present. The real trick is to not use ANY data at all. Almost any WinMo phone will access the network for something, usually for something like aGPS or to download weather info. These will be relatively small amounts of data, but it takes some effort to set your phone up to not use ANY data. I use a couple of tracking and GPS programs that would not be possible without a data plan. Having one of these smartphones and not letting it use data seems a waste to me. Wifi is only so accessible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your answer. I really don't want a smartphone, but it might be required and I just want a way to access it without paying extra money.

[Q] newbie looking for advide

Hi folks,
I am going to buy my very first smart phone. I am currently debating between iPhone 4 and Samsung Vibrant Galaxy S (in Canada) Without going into the question og whether I need to get a data plan or not, I have some very specific questions that I would appreciate your words of wisdome on:
1: Is there a free third party GPS app that does not consume data while on the road (i.e. direct satellite connection). Would a paid app such as CoPilot Live 8 still be not good enough because Samsung GPS has reliability issues?
2: Does Google Maps continuously consume data while showing you your route on the road or does it just downlaod the map once and then simply use the gps-satellite channel? I need a good gps system on the phone so that I can have the phone in my backpack and follow the directions via my motorcycle's blue tooth enabled helmet.
3: Does Samsung Galaxy S have capability of turning speech into a text SMS?
4: Is there an alternative to the dreaded Kies for Samsung?
5: From being a complete noob up until a week ago to words like jailbreak, rooting, froyo, etc, I have come a long way and have explored several options. So wondering rooting is even necessary and it it is, is there a Cydia like application for Android. iPhone users use Cydia primarily for installing pirated software such as TomTom.
6: Can I turn off data consumption and use wifi and still receive calls?
Thanks in advance

datawiz2012 said:
1: Is there a free third party GPS app that does not consume data while on the road (i.e. direct satellite connection). Would a paid app such as CoPilot Live 8 still be not good enough because Samsung GPS has reliability issues?
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Click to collapse
Copilot is available for Android too, but in my opinion, Travroute suck. There are plenty of alternatives, but depends on your country. We aren't really too sure how good navigation is on the final froyo either, but car navigation should be fine. Worst comes to worst, you can get a bluetooth GPS.
datawiz2012 said:
2: Does Google Maps continuously consume data while showing you your route on the road or does it just downlaod the map once and then simply use the gps-satellite channel? I need a good gps system on the phone so that I can have the phone in my backpack and follow the directions via my motorcycle's blue tooth enabled helmet.
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Click to collapse
There are some that read off the directions.. Depends on the app.
datawiz2012 said:
3: Does Samsung Galaxy S have capability of turning speech into a text SMS?
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Click to collapse
There are apparently a few, but maybe best to give it a try yourself at a store, to see what results are like. Speech recognition has a habit of being slightly "meh". With VOIP though, in some countries, short phone calls cost cheaper on VOIP/skype than an SMS though.
datawiz2012 said:
4: Is there an alternative to the dreaded Kies for Samsung?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For flashing, there is heimdell and odin. Contacts sync with google contacts anyway. You can set the phone too mass transfer mode to expose it as files in normal file browsing tools to copy data/music.
datawiz2012 said:
5: From being a complete noob up until a week ago to words like jailbreak, rooting, froyo, etc, I have come a long way and have explored several options. So wondering rooting is even necessary and it it is, is there a Cydia like application for Android. iPhone users use Cydia primarily for installing pirated software such as TomTom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We don't need jailbreaking really because Android is open, whereas Apple screws developers around with restructions. And you can root if you want to, but you only need to do so if you are messing with low level OS stuff.
And unlike iOS, anyone can open an app store for Android, because Apple restricts apps which can be install.
datawiz2012 said:
6: Can I turn off data consumption and use wifi and still receive calls?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use Wifi to receive calls? For voice calls, you simply hold the power button, and there is an option to turn off 3G data/HSDPA. Haven't tested it properly, but pretty sure it works the way you want (maybe check the manual). VOIP apps exists too, like Skype and Sipdroid (and in late firmware's, they actually work properly).
Other considerations are:
1) The iPhones are MUCH more restrictive for developers. Apple will tell you they are the most consumer friendly company on the planet, but the harsh reality is, they REALLY aren't.
2) Android is far more customisable than iOS.
3)If you own an iPhone, you should assume you need to use iTunes (say goodbye to flac support, and many other things).
4) You buy from the Android store, I think the purchased apps should also work on any other future compatible android phone. If you buy on the iPhone store, they will only work on future Apple devices.
5) Some people will tell you the iPhone doesn't lag, etc. I tested an iPhone 4G the other day, and this is DEFINITELY untrue.
6) Steve jobs is no better than most politicians. He does consistently deceive people and blatantly lie during announcements. For iinstance, at first he tried to claim there was no antenna issue (and it was simply shonky software), despite antenna experts PROVING there was. The iPhone succeeded solely because people were sucked in by Steve Job's exageration of multi-touch. The first iPhone couldn't even run third party apps.
7) Android is growing quickly. The app store now has over 100,000 apps. Whilst there are less apps than Apple's platform, you'll find that all the good ones seems to be there.
Anyway, my opinion is that consumers should avoid the iPhones.. Another phone you may wish to consider though is the new HTC desire HD.

thanks for your very very detailed reply. Much appreciated. I am still confused about the GPS stuff. Hopefully other people will pitch in as well. I should have phrased my question about turning off data better than I did.
What I'd meant was whether I can turn off 3G so that I don't use internet data while using a GPS app such as CoPilot but would doing so prevent me from receiving/making calls?
Thanks,

[NEWS] Errant Data usage [Link]

Reading stories like this makes me glad mine is off.
Errant Data Usage

glad i have a 1.5GB plan. though i never see it chew up much. but aye, it's a good course to make MS do another update if they don't fix it with the feb patch.

I have a suspicion that this is just another thing the press have jumped on to attack Microsoft. I don't think it is a large scale issue or we would have heard about it before now in these forums.

well to be honest it has been noted around here in a few threads before, and most of us believe it comes from the feedback system in the phone. i think just having it so that it only sends data when connected to wifi will automatically resolve it.
but aye, wait for MS to do their investigations. i'm sure if they just "bing" it, they'll find our posts and say that is their solution as well

randude said:
I have a suspicion that this is just another thing the press have jumped on to attack Microsoft. I don't think it is a large scale issue or we would have heard about it before now in these forums.
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A lot of people report high battery consumption with WP7 devices. This could be the reason.

randude said:
I have a suspicion that this is just another thing the press have jumped on to attack Microsoft. I don't think it is a large scale issue or we would have heard about it before now in these forums.
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Click to collapse
MS has acknowledged the fact and looking into the resolution, so I don't think it is some mumbo-jumbo.

The Gate Keeper said:
well to be honest it has been noted around here in a few threads before, and most of us believe it comes from the feedback system in the phone. i think just having it so that it only sends data when connected to wifi will automatically resolve it.
but aye, wait for MS to do their investigations. i'm sure if they just "bing" it, they'll find our posts and say that is their solution as well
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Click to collapse
This is a workaround and not a solution, I am pretty sure they want to solve it rather than telling the users to disable the feature.

lqaddict said:
This is a workaround and not a solution, I am pretty sure they want to solve it rather than telling the users to disable the feature.
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Click to collapse
yea i agree. but i'm just saying that MS could propose it as a temporary work around if it is indeed the cause of the issue, until they fix it in an update.

I have a suspicion this is a 3rd party app issue, as it's not everyone who's having this problem... Could still be the OS, of course.

CreepinJesus said:
I have a suspicion this is a 3rd party app issue, as it's not everyone who's having this problem... Could still be the OS, of course.
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Uncertain about everyone having the issue. In all likelihood it could well be a majority. How would anyone know how much data they were using unless they studied the statement or had a monitor installed? Most people might not be aware of it at all and unconcerned.

MartyLK said:
Uncertain about everyone having the issue. In all likelihood it could well be a majority. How would anyone know how much data they were using unless they studied the statement or had a monitor installed? Most people might not be aware of it at all and unconcerned.
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Click to collapse
Most people have limited cap on 3G data, so it's not that difficult to realize whether your phone is abusing your monthly plan or not.
Actually, from the comments at engadget and other blogs, it does seem that the vast majority of users are not affected by the issue. And I've never heard a single one in Italy affected as well. So it maybe a carrier-specific problem, or a 3rd party app available on certain markets/networks.
Or there might not be an issue at all, the high data consumption being just caused by applications running under the lockscreen in standby (so that wifi goes off and 3g kicks in).

MartyLK said:
Uncertain about everyone having the issue. In all likelihood it could well be a majority. How would anyone know how much data they were using unless they studied the statement or had a monitor installed? Most people might not be aware of it at all and unconcerned.
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Click to collapse
True... I know I'm ok because I have checked my online statement thing and I've only used a couple of MB so far this month.

Feedback Function? i dont think so.......
One thing that has NEVER been talked about is another new function.......
Location!
You all know that via windowslive we can locate our phones, erase them, block them ect.
Well this function is on by default.
I guess to find out where it is, (its regularly saving its current location on windows live) It has to send some kind of info to Microsoft.
Now i dont think to save location info would need Mbs of data, but who knows?
Since the feedback option is (proven? because deactivated by some? anybody?) not the problem, and the find my phone service is not mentioned, i would look into that........

SPVlover said:
...
I guess to find out where it is, (its regularly saving its current location on windows live) It has to send some kind of info to Microsoft.
Now i dont think to save location info would need Mbs of data, but who knows?
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That depends how often it's sending location info, and whether it's using AGPS. I don't know the details... Mine is turned off anyway.

SPVlover said:
One thing that has NEVER been talked about is another new function.......
Location!
You all know that via windowslive we can locate our phones, erase them, block them ect.
Well this function is on by default.
I guess to find out where it is, (its regularly saving its current location on windows live) It has to send some kind of info to Microsoft.
Now i dont think to save location info would need Mbs of data, but who knows?
Since the feedback option is (proven? because deactivated by some? anybody?) not the problem, and the find my phone service is not mentioned, i would look into that........
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Location is switched on on my phone and I haven't noticed any large data usage.

I am not getting extra data usage when I'm not using my phone it's only about 5k every now and then when it checks email but Saturday I was at the NEC and used IE a lot and wow it ate data!!! I used nearly 30mb just on general surfing, my old Blackberry Storm 2 on the same type of use would have been about 5mb!!!! so why is the phone using so much data when I was just surfing?

alan1467 said:
I am not getting extra data usage when I'm not using my phone it's only about 5k every now and then when it checks email but Saturday I was at the NEC and used IE a lot and wow it ate data!!! I used nearly 30mb just on general surfing, my old Blackberry Storm 2 on the same type of use would have been about 5mb!!!! so why is the phone using so much data when I was just surfing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have it on mobile viewing, or desktop viewing? Remember that other phones searched from Google used to limit the viewing for mobile devices. Google would reformat them. Bing doesn't do that, especially if you have it browse as if you're using a desktop.
I have location services on all the time, as well as 3G. The phone uses probably 5MB/day along with my emails, and some MSN. Location services is not the problem, and I lock and find my phone everyday to make sure it's working Yes, I'm over protective.
It's a 3rd party app or feedback.

I've had all location services and features turned on except Feedback since October and have barely been using 50MB a month, which includes downloading games and Apps from Marketplace.
Could be the feedback feature i suppose, i've recently turned mine on but disabled the option to send via GPRS so it won't make a difference i guess.

I've had all location services and features turned on except Feedback since October and have barely been using 50MB a month, which includes downloading a couple of games and Apps from Marketplace.
Could be the feedback feature i suppose, i've recently turned mine on but disabled the option to send via GPRS so it won't make a difference i guess.

bmazloum said:
Do you have it on mobile viewing, or desktop viewing? Remember that other phones searched from Google used to limit the viewing for mobile devices. Google would reformat them. Bing doesn't do that, especially if you have it browse as if you're using a desktop.
I have location services on all the time, as well as 3G. The phone uses probably 5MB/day along with my emails, and some MSN. Location services is not the problem, and I lock and find my phone everyday to make sure it's working Yes, I'm over protective.
It's a 3rd party app or feedback.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I have it in desktop view do you think that could be it?

[Q] Is our information really secure from theft?

If you are like me, you should have all your favorite apps, documents, pictures etc. stored right on your phone that basically gives a full picture of who you are as an individual. You also have been pretty satisfied with the pattern, pin number, password or face unlock or all of these together as a security you have in place to prevent unauthorized access. But here is something that happened by accident that led me down this thought process. While trying to yank out the phone from my pocket while driving (which when you are getting a phone call especially becomes the most impossible task), I noticed that the phone "Power Down", "Restart", "Airplane Mode" pop up was on. This is on top of my regular swipe to unlock with pin number lock screen. This made me curious and noticed that the back button will work to close this pop up and also the power button works to reactivate this pop up. I hope everyone is with me till here. What surprised me was that the phone will actually turn off or restart from this point without the need for an unlock code. This means anyone with rooting and backup knowledge can steal my phone, restart my phone into recovery and wipe it to make the phone their own or just create a backup (CWM) and through that access my personal information. I know that photos and documents stored on the external card is open unless encrypted. But I hoped the internal data would be secure.
What do you guys think about this? Is there any app that would prevent access to the phone while locked via hard keys? What do you do to keep your information safe?

TL;DR version
If phone is stolen and person has knowledge of android they can factory reset your phone, even if you have a password setup. If they enter recovery they can wipe data and factory reset your phone and now it is usable for them.
My theory if you have your phone rooted I wish there was a way to lock the recovery with a password. Unfortunately ODIN will always be available able to get back to stock. Cerberus is a great app to have full control of phone if stolen FYI

DesperateScorpion151 said:
What do you guys think about this? Is there any app that would prevent access to the phone while locked via hard keys? What do you do to keep your information safe?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As soon as I realize it is missing I would activate the wipe feature in this software.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lookout&hl=en
If I have your phone in my possession I guarantee I can hack it regardless of any security measure you make take, so the best solution is to be able to wipe it remotely.

technically even a remote wipe is not enough if the thief is knowledgeable. I accidentally wiped flashing in Odin with nand erase checkd and recovered everything that was on it using this
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1994705 so your never completely safe

Exactly my point like everyone else confirms it here. We have advanced so much to a point that even a 9 year old (not that 9 is too young to know computer basics) who is familiar with basics on rooting after reading through forums after forums can get away with stealing a smart phone now a days. At this point the only way I could think of protecting my data (first priority) and then track my phone is if the tracker is incorporated into the boot loader or recovery itself on top of what ever software you have installed in the OS. So if the thief tries to unlock my phone after a restart, the installed software should take care of the rest but If he/she is smart enough to go via boot loader or recovery then the incorporated tracker can do its thing. Anything of that sort exists?

Did you forget you could just pull the battery to get into recovery?

Why do you need to pull the battery?

Aerowinder said:
Why do you need to pull the battery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't, but its easier than going through all of the steps OP posted.

I really doubt my data is worth anything. Pictures of my cats aren't exactly hot commodities and I don't store anything on my phone that I wouldn't publicly reveal, anyway.
I wouldn't be worried about my worthless information, just annoyed I was dumb enough to let it get stolen. Yeah, I know that basically anyone with half a brain can wipe a phone and re-sell it - it always amazes me when people think that thieves aren't smart enough to do that.
I'm cynical. Saves a lot of worry since I just expect the worst, I guess.

They get into your email where it may be more info to compromise.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

I would be less worried about the minute possibility of a phone thief targeting your personal information than I would be about your personal data being mined from your phone by numerous applications.
Bottom line is, if you use Google or Facebook, you personal information is already in the hands of giant corporations who will never be held accountable for the theft of your personal info.
Take Facebook for example - within the app, the only time it should ever ping your location is if you are using FB chat and have the location setting enabled. However, even when you disable location within FB chat, every single time you open Facebook it uses your GPS to get your location. Every time.
In addition, although you are unable to see it in action because there is no notification icon for it, I would bet a million bucks it's also pulling your network location if your GPS is off.
Facebook is constantly working in the background - even if you never opened it.
Google? I won't even begin to try and explain the amount of data they are collecting from you. As is T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, ATT, etc. every single second that your phone is on with data enabled.
Should we be concerned with some random thief who knows the ins and outs of Android pulling your data? Sure, we should think about it. But the reality is, if you own a smart phone your information is already out there in the hands of companies who will use it to any end they can in order to turn a profit. Period.

ButWhile I see the pros and cons of different parts involved in using social networks and so forth, one thing we can (at least for now) be certain of is that they won't use your credit card information etc. to make illegal purchases and so forth. I know of a person who routinely used the credit card app to check balance, pay bill etc. and next thing he was getting phone calls to see if the purchases made at a casino in Spain are OK?! This is without ever losing the phone!!. So, it could be worse in the case of phone loss. Sure, personal data, pictures and even email to some extent is not as bothersome to me as identity theft. Thank to some anti-fraud features of the banks etc. one can deny and simply not be associated with that activity (of course in legitamate cases). My friend ended up getting another card with different number and they closed the online banking account. He had to re-register all over with another id. So, it can be a big hassle. I heard of cases where people had to hire lawyers and run around courts to prove their innocence due to identity theft. Of course if you keep a picture of your driving licence on the phone, you are really asking for it so... (trust me, one girl was doing this because she didn't want to carry her purse/wallet on night outs)
Having said that, I am always worried if the roms we download here in XDA have trojans or backdoors built into kernels and system files... I know that it is like doubting even the good devs but how do we know for sure? Unless you are really an in-depth expert and figure out all the details such as processes and ports that are open and so forth, how do you really know? The phone's data icons keep pinging back and forth every now and then and at times I wonder what's being sent and what is it receiving... just sync'ing contacts...or...??
Call me paranoid but, after what happened to my friend, and similar stories, I am a bit skeptical about the security and integrity of the ROMs in the first place... Now, mostly I download and try different roms and settle on one that suits my preferences. I use the phone for calls as well as to make general tasks easier in many aspects except financial transactions. In short, I don't trust my smart phones.
For those of you wondering what Google is tracking, (not by any means the only place to look) login to your gmail account and look around different settings. You'll see web history, phone data to name a few..

Why can't I have it all?

Today is one of the days per year that I have a full Saturday without my family around to bug me. As I sit here wasting my day trying to figure out how to "have it all", I have to "vent". I don't understand why this is so difficult. It's not about the money, I would write a check with several zeros if someone could find a solution for me. All I want, is a phone that Google and Apple can't track, but is still functional for my needs.
LineageOS with Micro is ALMOST that solution. But, every day something doesn't work like it should. I need to be able to schedule texts and send MMS messages that don't sacrafice quality. What do you user for that? Google Messages. Well, I don't want to sign into Google so none of those features work. In fact, even if I do sign in, none of those features work. Ok, I'll try Textra. Nope. Won't work with MicroG because it "needs google service". I have tried around a dozen messaging apps, but either they don't schedule texts or they don't send MMS.
I drive 1,000s of miles for work in different vehicles in unfamiliar areas. I listen to many podcasts and take lots of phone calls on the road. So, given the amount of travel and variation of vehicles I drive, having a physcial GPS or using a phone mount isn't practical. Using my phone as a handheld GPS isn't smart. What's left? Android Auto. Ok, I've tried using a separate phone for Android Auto, but then phone calls don't come through. I've almost crashed trying to juggle those.
What am I working on today? I've been using Brave Browser, but I also use 1password. 1password functionality is broken on 90% of the sites I visit on Brave, so I downloaded Firefox. 1password works great, but my corporate security app routes everything from Firefox through itself, and breaks everything. It doesn't happen with Brave and I can't delete my work app. So Brave wins that battle.
So I thought -- why don't I just install LinesageOS with gapps, create a brand new google account to login with, and never use that google ID anywhere else. But after some research and asking on different message boards, THAT doesn't work either.
At this point, how does someone in my shoes not just say f#*k it, you win Google/Apple, and go back to a stock OS?

faknit said:
have to "vent"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kinda know this feeling.
faknit said:
want, is a phone that Google and Apple can't track
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about Librem? Or at least iodeOS?
faknit said:
Google Messages
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Click to collapse
Why in the 1st place?
faknit said:
What's left? Android Auto
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Click to collapse
Well, other than that, perhaps Osmand?
faknit said:
you win Google/Apple, and go back to a stock OS?
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Click to collapse
NO WAY, over my dad's cat!
I do understand and share your frustration but giving up is not a good choice here.
Sometimes less is more, I don't use MicroG at all and people keep pestering me since years to get Whatsapp, Signal, Threema, Telegram, Slack, Discord and all that ****. Nah, stop being stupid and just keep using email, SMS or jabber.
Unless another Noah posts free tickets for Ark 2 on whatsapp, I am perfectly fine, I guess

A little late on my reply! Figured I'd still throw this out there.
I can't use Librem & iodeOS because of work requirements. I have to use their applications for email/messaging etc. Unfortunately the apps also detect/block Custom ROMs so I have no choice but to root so I can use magisk.
Literally the only reason I want Google Messages (which, for what I want requires chat features enabled) is to schedule messages without losing other functionality. QKSMS works great, but you can't share videos. Several others that are recommended won't work without Google services. There was one that worked really well but crashed every couple hours and would only work after uninstalling.
Android Auto, I could care less which application I use TBH, but nothing else will do what I need. I need the map to display on the cars screen so I'm not staring at my phone. A second phone isn't an option because 1. I'd lose it 2. Work won't pay for a phone because they suck and I can't afford 2 plans. Same excuses for a dedicated GPS. A phone mount is difficult because of the sheer variety of vehicles I drive, and I usually don't know what I'll be driving. So I'd have to take several styles of mount on every trip.
All that said --- I vented and I feel better. I'm just dealing with the problems.

faknit said:
Work won't pay for a phone because they suck and I can't afford 2 plans
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sounds familiar. A previous company insisted on iphone which I despised but I tried anyway for a month, ever since I hate everything crapple even more
But wait, can't solve issue 1... issue 2: Hotspot on company phone? Muahahahaaa