Message-ID:

It would be illogical to kill without reason. -- Spock, "Journey to Babel", stardate 3842.4

Jeff Liebermann wrote:

>>To add more to that suggestion, personally I install only apps that are GSF
>>free and that don't contain ads and which have high'ish ratings & installs.
>
> What's a GSF? All I could find was Golden State Foods.

It's worse than that, but just as prevalent in apps you don't want it in.
Can you handle detail, perhaps with a bit of confusion involved on my part?

It's actually difficult to find a _good_ explanation of GSF for you.
<https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+android+%22google+services+framework>

But I just made these two graphics for you to illustrate the general idea:
<https://i.postimg.cc/0Q4xmPPR/gsfid01.jpg> How to change GSF ID
<https://i.postimg.cc/HkTxTWLB/gsfid02.jpg> Filter out GSF apps

I'd welcome a better description from someone here than I can find for you.

For example, this sounds innocuous, right?
<https://m.apkpure.com/google-services-framework/com.google.android.gsf>
Google Play services framework is used to update Google apps
and apps from Google Play. This component provides core functionality
like authentication to your Google services, synchronized contacts,
access to all the latest user privacy settings, and higher quality,
lower-powered location based services. Google Play services framework
also enhances your app experience. It speeds up offline searches,
provides more immersive maps, and improves gaming experiences.
Apps may not work if you uninstall Google Play services framework."

This is a completely _different_ description, isn't it, of what GSF is?
<https://www.technologitouch.com/tech-tips/what-is-google-services-framework/>
"The Google Services Framework For Android is the foundational program
for Android smartphones. This application is in charge of all of the
operating system's services. By utilizing the application's features,
you will be able to execute any application loaded on your devices
without difficulty. You may experience issues with your device's
operation while using it."

Here's a stackexchange question on it, but even there, they gloss over what
GSF is and concentrate only on what Google Play Services is instead.
*What is Google Play Services & Google Services Framework (gapps)?*
<https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/216176/what-is-the-exact-functionality-of-google-play-services-google-services-framew>

If you can find a good description of GSF, I'll be all ears, trust me,
where the _simplest_ way I can explain what I think it is - is that it's a
set of APIs from our good old trustworthy friends at Google that many apps
can link to so that they don't have to write calls for stuff that Google
provides for them.

That should make you feel real confident in using apps that use it!
Luckily, the FOSS google play store clients clearly list those apps
as you can see in this snapshot I made moments ago of my Android phone.
<https://i.postimg.cc/HkTxTWLB/gsfid02.jpg> Filter out GSF apps

The problem is that GSF is sneaky too, since it comes from you know who.
<https://i.postimg.cc/X7ZspnsG/gsfid01.jpg> I just changed my GSF ID

Personally I prefer to stay away from "SDKs" that other apps link to that
our good old friend Google provides to them, presumably for a reason.

> My criteria for apps is no adds and the ability to do at least the one
> thing that I need very well. I don't care about the rest.

I have so many APKs that I install on so many phones that I keep an archive
<https://i.postimg.cc/bN875p8b/apk01.jpg> 1600 APKs extracted onto Windows

All the FOSS google play store clients have filters for GSF as shown here.
<https://i.postimg.cc/W1BwgSpm/aurora14.jpg> Filter out GSF apps

You'd be hard pressed to find better apps than the ones I use, e.g.,
say you wanted to know whether your phone was connecting to your unique
femtocell tower ID or you needed to know what your neighbor's Wi-Fi signal
strength is, nicely graphed along with yours with the typical channel
graph, then I'd _start_ with finding a free, ad free, google free, gsf
free, app with usually a 4+ rating and, oh, over a million installations,
and then, if none show up, you slowly open your search criteria...

Most of my apps are FOSS but there isn't a switch specifically for that.
For example this ia one of the best FOSS application managers for Android.
<https://github.com/MuntashirAkon/AppManager>

You can pages upon pages of information for any one given app with that.
<https://i.postimg.cc/mgFkM1bs/apk05.jpg> Sort by install or last update

Such as Activities, Services, installation date, updates, services,
receivers, providers, app ops, permissions, trackers, versions, features,
configuration, signatures, shared libs, etc.
<https://i.postimg.cc/Gt53TdVt/apk06.jpg> View every activity in each app

These app managers are useful when you search by installed or updated dates
<https://i.postimg.cc/MZPpFmHw/apk07.jpg> List by install or update date

And, of course, they give you an idea of the number of trackers in each app
<https://i.postimg.cc/L5gnX3GS/linktopc07.jpg> List the trackers

What you're looking for is the best app which is also the least intrusive,
which, let's be clear, probably takes time to get to know the app well.
<https://i.postimg.cc/Gmj8xDYc/intent05.jpg> Call apps by intent

But you have to start by finding the best starting point for any
functionality, so, for example, for Wi-Fi/Cellular debuggers, start with
free ad free google free gsf free highly rated often downloaded apps.

An example is this wi-fi debugger which I personally find rather useful.
*Cellular-Z*, by JerseyHo
Free, ad free, google free, gsf free, 4+ rating, 100K+ installs
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=make.more.r2d2.cellular_z>
<https://i.postimg.cc/CKFhMZtS/signal03.jpg> Cellular-Z output info

While that's not foolproof of course, it's far better than wading thru this
<https://play.google.com/store/search?q=graph%20wi-fi%20signal%20strength&c=apps>
<https://i.postimg.cc/fLC4zcm6/wifi04.jpg> Many signal strength apps

>>Although for some reason, moving from Android 11 to 12 removed hundreds!
>
> Ummm... How many apps do you have on your Android phone? See:
> Settings -> Apps and Notifications
> and look for something like "See all 202 apps". Mine has 202 apps,
> which I consider to be an overdose.

That doesn't really tell you the truth as you can install an app which
won't show up in that list, nor will it show up in the Google Play Update
list (and each of the specific update apps also gives different numbers).
<https://i.postimg.cc/j2g26zws/apk03.jpg> Google Play Store update apks

I have plenty of tools that can tell me how many "packages" are installed.
<https://i.postimg.cc/02jbkHFr/apk04.jpg> Sort & display apps how you like

You can sort and view your apps by many methods to keep track of them all.
<https://i.postimg.cc/Jhxs4VrD/apk08.jpg> Sort by all sorts of criteria

Usually around 700 "packages" but we covered this question in gory detail
in the past on the Android newsgroup where you'd actually be hard pressed
to get _two_ of the many application managers to give the same answer each.
<https://i.postimg.cc/02jbkHFr/apk04.jpg> Sort & display apps how you like

Since every app installed on Android up until recently was packaged as an
APK, it is easy to _not delete_ the APK after you install each & every app.
<https://i.postimg.cc/8zBjX5kJ/aurora09.jpg> Count your archived APKs

>> <https://i.postimg.cc/FHJ16nvF/update01.jpg> Android 11->12 screwed up!
>
> I'm still on Android 11 and am now at end of life with the last
> security update on Apr 22, 2022.
> <https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/software-security-page/g_id/6806#gs=eyJndWlkZUlEIjo2ODA2LCJxdWVzdGlvbklEIjo0LCJyZXNwb25zZUlEIjoyMSwiZ3VpZGVTZXNzaW9uIjoiSjFJZ2huRXAiLCJzZXNzaW9uSUQiOiJKMUlnaG5FcCJ9>
> That's a 2 year useful life from date of Apr 2020 release. Part of
> the problem is that Motorola has too many models to maintain:
> "Evolution of Motorola Moto G 2013 - 2021"
> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8d2tUYjn0U>

We have had _many_ discussions on the Android newsgroup about what the
update life is for an Android phone, and, well, you seem to be the type who
can handle detail, and detail is what you're going to need to handle if you
ever want to figure out what the various versions are for Android, and what
their actual EOL dates are for support, given there are _many_ levels!
*How long does GOOGLE say they'll update the two dozen core modules in project mainline?*
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/_ZUiLVtLbsg/>

Suffice to summarize there are at least the following main Android updates,
each with their own update schedule, some of which are completely unknown:
1. User apps (such as your personal APK archive) are often updated forever
2. Key apps (such as the default web browser) are often updated forever
4. Firmware (such as the Qualcomm modem firmware) are updated by Qualcomm
5. Security updates
6. Android version updates (a team effort of google, mfr & carrier)
7. Core modules (such as the two dozen core modules) are updated by Google
8. Those core modules are always donated to the AOSP to maintain forever

But even that only scratches the surface, given the complexity of
a. Google Play Store app updates
b. Google Play Services updates
c. Google Play System updates

Each updates a different way as you can see from this recent screenshot:
<https://i.postimg.cc/fy7P3bJR/update18.jpg> Updates in 3 locations

It's the same with just finding which version is which scattered about:
<https://i.postimg.cc/mkSVvfc0/update05.jpg> 22.12.15 (190400-439420056)

I don't think I've ever in my life found anyone who mentioned the actual
versions correctly (or fully) when they "think" they updated Android.
<https://i.postimg.cc/854Qkrbw/update19.jpg> Android System Updates
<https://i.postimg.cc/0NgqVvQG/update20.jpg> Android Core App Updates

>>So it's not hard to recover even with hundreds of apps gone AWOL.
>
> I would think that the Android 12 update did you a favor. Time for a
> spring cleaning. Wipe everything and start over from scratch.

It's no big deal as I can install hundreds of apps very quickly since I
maintain a well organized Android system as a Windows 10 drive letter.

Since I love learning how things work, the Android 11 to Android 12 update
gave me a perfect opportunity to figure out what "indexing" does when you
update Android, where I never had to look into what it does before.

I have a thread on this topic over here which I opened a day or two ago:
*Warning when updating Android 11 to Android 12*
<https://groups.google.com/g/comp.mobile.android/c/GngVnfddiT8>

>>But what you see here are the adfree hardware device info apps I suggest:
>> *DevCheck Hardware and System Info* by flar2
>> *Inware* by evowizz
>> *Device Info HW* by Andrey Efremov
>
> Ok, I'll give them a try but will probably add them to my "run once"
> app collection. Thanks for including the author's name. Apps with
> duplicated names are becoming all too common.

I'm well aware that there are many apps with the same name, and, some even
try to copy the icon of the best apps (try finding the best pedometer, for
example) where a lot of times what happens is the open source FOSS app is
shamelessly copied by other apps who try to muscle in on the success.

You'll find that all over the Internet, as with SatStat for example, where
the source code is often copied and then ads are added which is a shame
that people fall for that trick.
<http://mvglasow.github.io/satstat/index.html>
<https://www.f-droid.org/en/packages/com.vonglasow.michael.satstat/>

As proof of concept, I strongly suspect this is a shameless ad-added copy!
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.drunkdeveloper.location.sensor.radio.network.wifi.status>

Same with NewPipe, and a bunch of very kewl Open Source apps that are
shamelessly copied which detracts from the overall Android experience when
people fall for those bait-and-switch tricks by the shameless copiers.
<https://newpipe.net/> (seems to be down at the moment)
<https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.schabi.newpipe/>

People fall for that copy crap, which is why a good filter is de rigueur.
--

Subject	Replies	Author
Battery charge tests - running a battery to 0 frequently - checking re-charge ti By: Andy Burnelli on Thu, 5 May 2022	116	Andy Burnelli

It would be illogical to kill without reason. -- Spock, "Journey to Babel", stardate 3842.4

computers / comp.mobile.android / Re: Battery charge tests - running a battery to 0 frequently - checking re-charge times