Android newbie

[Bm4n]

In Android you have several parts:

• Boot or startup that comes locked by default to start or update.
• Bootloader, which we install by replacing the one that comes with the device that doesn't give options and is like a bios and what gives the system startup, it's also where root access is given (sometimes it can be written in the bootloader that comes with the device).
• Radio, the basic system that manages networks.
• Kernel, the base of the OS.
• OS, the version of Android that is what you will see on the screen.
• Data, or the space where applications go.
  And there are other parts like the sd, the Dalvik cache, etc. not so relevant.

It's important to know this, because you don't always need to delete everything. First, a general backup and then before changing a part you make another small backup of what you're going to change from the bootloader. And almost always you start by plugging into the pc to load the bootloader, then you load a zip via usb to the sd and install it via the bootloader. You can also do everything via usb on the PC but you run the risk that the connection will be interrupted for any reason.

You'll get used to it, it's not like a pc, it's also logical. You're not supposed to have to worry about whether it's running or not right now, if you want lower consumption disable automatic synchronizations and push services of the apps you have and for battery consumption just look in the battery management to see if there's something unwanted spending.

Root is just as safe as not having it, it's more right now for me it's completely unnecessary, I only do it when unlocking the bootloader (something that some brands use to not process the warranty...). I say unnecessary because the latest versions of android give controlled permissions for almost everything, the problem with a cheap phone is that you'll need to "boost" a lot of things for it to work well fluidly, don't think that with a terminal of 60€ you'll be able to see how one of 600€ goes; what you will be able to do is tinker to your liking and realize how flexible android is and the amount of uses and options it gives compared to iOS for example.

Some tricks that you might want to try is to increase the internal ROM memory with a fast microsd, give a faster format to the system partition, increase the swap, and of course switching to 4.4 if possible will help you gain speed. And then tricks of the OS like removing animations, using a faster launcher or eliminating system processes from memory.

Sent from my iPad with Tapatalk HD

[Nemo]

Oops, I didn't want to overwhelm you at first with all the technical jargon :ugly:, but the fellow Bm4n has been very clear in his instructions. I agree with Bm4n that with that tablet you won't be able to get the same fluidity, nor comfort as with one of a higher range. But I can assure you that by trying to get it, you will learn a lot and very quickly to handle Android. The pity is that with that model you may not find much technical support from the developer community, as far as ROMs, modified kernels, etc., are concerned. As for the root, I also agree with the fellow. I don't have my Android rooted at the moment because I don't need it, and I assure you that I tinker a lot with the mobile's configurations. Best regards Tapatalk for ZX Spectrum

[victorpexacos]

@cobito:

… The first question is how can I make certain applications not run in the background when I close them?...

In Settings -> Phone information
you press 10 times or something like that on Android version and developer mode will appear in the settings.

Inside this, at the end there are a couple of options about applications in the background, apart from all the other options.

If it's not in Android version, press the build number,

I hope it helps you.

Regards

Edit: I use root mainly to remove advertising from applications (AdAway)

[cobito]

@Bm4n:

You'll get used to it, it's not like a PC, it's also logical. You're not supposed to worry about it running or not right now, if you want less consumption, disable automatic synchronizations and push services of the apps you have and for battery consumption, just look in battery management to see if there's something spending undesired.

Root is just as safe as not having it, it's more that right now for me it's completely unnecessary, I only do it when unlocking the bootloader (something that some brands use to not process the warranty...). I say unnecessary because the latest versions of Android give controlled permissions for almost everything, the problem with a cheap phone is that you'll need to "boost" a lot of things for it to work well fluidly, don't think that with a 60€ terminal you'll be able to see how one of 600€ goes; what you can do is tinker to your liking and realize how flexible Android is and the amount of uses and options it gives compared to iOS for example.

In no case do I expect the tablet to replace my PC. It may replace many of the functions of a netbook. With the 60€ tablet, I get a pretty good idea of what I can do with any tablet: software limitations, manageability, ergonomics, multitasking (which leaves much to be desired because many apps stop when left in the background...), etc.

The big differences between a 60€ tablet and one of 600€ are performance and screen. The rest: battery life, camera quality, sound quality, sensors, etc. are irrelevant to me as long as some minimums are reached. And the 60€ one reaches those minimums.

It will take a long time until I spend 600€ on a tablet (I have other priorities like changing my PC).

With the 60€ one, you can do many things and quite fluidly. You just have to find the right software (for example, I've realized that the integrated web browser is quite fast and manageable) and be aware that I can't have many applications open.

When I get the hang of it, it may become a pretty comfortable device for doing basic tasks and considering that on the PC I spend most of the time on this type of tasks, I think it can be squeezed for a season.

@victorpexacos:

In Settings -> Phone Information
press 10 times or something like that in Android Version and developer mode will appear in the settings.

Inside this, at the end there are a couple of options about background applications, apart from all the other options.

If it's not in Android Version, press the build number,

I hope it helps you.

Regards

Edit: I use root mainly to remove advertising from applications (AdAway)

Those options are quite interesting but playing with them I realized that there's no point in obsessing over memory. If a program is very large, it will definitely be slow (for example, I can forget about using Firefox or Openoffice on this tablet). If I use the appropriate programs, the system does a good job managing memory. If the program is demanding, maybe the first few seconds of use are a bit slow, but immediately it starts to go well.

[Bm4n]

Logically, a tablet serves you as a netbook or better (except that the keyboard is not built-in), and to start any one will do; the only thing is don't settle for the experience of what you comment that apps close in the background or that there are websites that don't run smoothly, because spending a little more (in case you get hooked) you will notice that this doesn't happen.

Browsers are essential, chrome on my mobile works great for me but it's a bit heavy, the lightest would be something like opera mini. You will see that the loading times change from one browser to another. And forget about memory, with yours be careful not to leave things unsaved in the background but the idea is that you let the system kill unused processes automatically.

I'm eager to try an android tablet last model, it's been a while since I changed because you depend a lot on the soft of the brands which constantly change forgetting the old models. And now with the iPad I wouldn't change it :rolleyes:

[cobito]

Actually, background tasks have quite a few drawbacks on Android. On the one hand, there are apps that stop processing what they are doing: for example, when I start listening to music via streaming and move it to the background, the music stops and continues when the browser returns to the foreground. This does not happen with the app corresponding to the streaming service.

And the fact that the program closes when there is not enough memory is a pretty big problem even on good tablets. The only difference is that with tablets with little memory it happens more often, but I don't think it's normal to be scared that the app might close and lose what's in it just for leaving it in the background. On a good tablet, it will be rarer for this to happen, but when it comes time to free up memory, it will happen.

[Bm4n]

@cobito:

Actually, background tasks have quite a few drawbacks on Android. On the one hand, there are apps that stop processing what they are doing: for example, when I start listening to streaming music and move it to the background, the music stops and continues when the browser returns to the foreground. This does not happen with the app corresponding to the streaming service.

And the program closing when memory is low is a pretty big problem even on good tablets. The only difference is that with tablets with low memory it happens more often, but I don't think it's normal to be scared that the app might close and lose what's in it just for leaving it in the background. On a good tablet, it will be rarer to happen, but when it comes time to free up memory, it will happen.

It depends, I for example listen to streaming music while doing other things and it stays in the background without closing, all apps that are with notification have priority over those that are not. The lack of memory is a problem depending on what you do, and although everything has a limit, it's different to fill 512mb than 1gb than 2gb; and the task killer closes things depending on the remaining free space, logically...

I for example on the tablet (and it has 1GB of RAM) I usually have many processes open and it's not the first time I lose some text in an application because the system understands that it is inactive and should close it, don't expect the system to understand that I have half a comment written in tapatalk and while I've been watching an HD video, for it another app is more important that has no priority over the app on the screen.

Even with the word processor if you have saved, you stick to the automatic save and recovery and if not you can lose it, just like it can happen on a PC... it's nothing new, but with these devices the system can close an app without you wanting or realizing because it needs memory or because it stops working. I warn you, if you get scared it's not my fault :ugly:

[tambe]

Hello, I use LBE for JB, which is called MIUI, to grant or remove permissions. For those with Android 2.xx, LBE works great. Then, to put apps to sleep in the background when I don't use them, I have Greenify, and it saves a lot of RAM.

[deeiivid]

You don't need to spend 600 to have a good tablet, now with the Nexus 7 (229 euros) you can do everything and have a wonderful time. With those, you have really good support and you can even put Ubuntu on them.

Now, with the 60 one, you'll have enough for something more than the basic functions, but if you see that you're not enjoying it because it's slow or things keep closing, you already know why it is, don't get discouraged.

Nowadays, I think tablets are much better for some things than the old netbooks (there are cases with keyboards). Except that they have less physical connectivity.
I'm a big fan of Android, to be honest, I have a Nexus 4 and I'm delighted. If you like tinkering and do things that go beyond the normal use of a modern mobile, there's nothing better than Linux.

[cobito]

After a month with the tablet, I can draw some conclusions.

At first I installed applications to make up for all the possible functions of my netbook: browser, email client, remote transmission client, ssh, video player and office suite basically.

Over time I have stopped using some applications like the ssh client because it is very uncomfortable. I use the browser exclusively to look up information but it is not at all comfortable to participate. On the other hand, there is tapatalk, which is not bad for making quick queries or leaving short comments.

I don't like the keyboard case because I usually hold the tablet like an ebook, vertically and with the flap of the case folded back. With a keyboard, I would press keys involuntarily and the feel of a keyboard is not pleasant to hold.

As for office suites, I have not found anything competent, at least nothing that can read docx and odf documents correctly. I was able to install openoffice, but its performance is terrible and the interface is not the most suitable for a tablet. So for that I would say that a tablet is not suitable.

I don't have a smartphone and in the end, the use I give it is basically for communications: checking email and the damn wassap (which, by the way, I find quite practical).

Occasionally I listen to music, other times I watch some video, but ultimately, I don't give it much use.

If I had a tablet with greater performance, my habits would not change much: perhaps I would use the web browser more and so on.

In any case, it does not replace all the functions of a netbook, because on this one I have other applications like Matlab, IDEs, cad programs… And that in no way can a tablet Android/iOS have. Also a netbook is infinitely more comfortable to use for editing and consulting text files or spreadsheets. Also the precision of the mouse increases the comfort of navigating any interface.

In summary for me, 60€ is fine for a tablet mainly because now I have wassap. Perhaps I could spend 100 or 120 on something better, but for what I can do with one, I wouldn't spend more than that: I prefer to spend triple on an x86 tablet like an Asus Transformer with which I can do absolutely everything.

When Linux is polished for ARM I will change my way of seeing the matter, but Android is a toy operating system and the software available is also a toy, no matter how much it seems to replace all the needs of most people.

[Bm4n]

You will find the right apps, for Office try kingsoft, it's free and the most competent. If you type a lot BT keyboard.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Edusoner]

Hello! The truth is that I am also a bit new to Android, I have bought a tablet and the same, trying out Android to see how it is!

[Elfo]

Welcome to the world of Android, little one. Since you mention that this may be a preliminary experience to get something better in the future, I'll share my point of view...

In August it will be 3 years since I have my Samsung Galaxy S 1 (they are on the 4th already). Despite the fact that it lacks a flash on the camera, I have never been "outdated" thanks to the community behind it, especially the Cyanogenmod team, who make an "distribution" of Android for a multitude of free mobile phones and tablets (or more free than Android "by default" and definitely more free than what manufacturers usually package) that, in addition to letting you tinker with everything you want and more (governors, memory management, overclocking, development functions...), provides a great "base" experience for you to then personalize to your liking.

What do I mean by this? That for my next mobile, that is, when my SGS blows up or I lose it (because I've grown fond of it xD), the first thing I'll look for is that it's supported by the Cyanogenmod team. In fact, one day I would like to get a decent tablet. And yes, the first thing I'll do is see if the Cyanogenmod team supports it.

Having said that, you will see that there are many other similar projects, forks, individual communities regarding a single device, a bit of everything, the fauna in Android is rich and varied. Enjoy the journey!

[cobito]

@Elfo:

Welcome to the world of Android, little one. Since you mention that this may be a preliminary experience to get something better in the future, I'll share my point of view…

In August it will be 3 years since I have my Samsung Galaxy S 1 (they are on the 4th already). Although it lacks a flash on the camera, I have never been "outdated" thanks to the community behind it, especially the Cyanogenmod team, who make an "distribution" of Android for many phones and tablets that is free (or freer than Android "by default" and definitely freer than what manufacturers usually package) that, in addition to letting you tinker with everything you want and more (governors, memory management, overclocking, developer features,...), provides a great "base" experience for you to then customize to your liking.

What do I mean by this? That for my next phone, that is, when my SGS blows up or I lose it (because I've grown fond of it xD), the first thing I'll look for is that it is supported by the Cyanogenmod team. In fact, one day I would like to get a decent tablet. And yes, the first thing I'll do is see if the Cyanogenmod team supports it.

Having said that, you will see that there are many other similar projects, forks, individual communities regarding a single device, a bit of everything, the fauna in Android is rich and varied. Enjoy the journey!

Well Elfo, I'm glad to read from you again. Thanks for sharing your experience, I'm going to take a walk through that developer community you mentioned to see what they say.

[Elfo]

@cobito:

Elf Man, I'm glad to read you again. Thanks for sharing your experience, I'll take a walk through that developer community you mentioned to see what they say.

Let's see if I can afford to stop by here more often, because since the last time I said I'd be back, a few months have passed :facepalm: Nothing that a subscription by mail to remind me weekly can't fix ;D

Getting back to the Android topic... One good thing that came out of the Android licensing controversy and the "Google pack" apps (which includes everything basic to use the phone) was that communities like Cyanogenmod or AOKP (AOKP.co: About) were created, which is a "remaster" of the original AOSP (Android Open Source Project, Android Developers).

Just look at how things are that in January Cyanogenmod hired the founder of AOKP: Cyanogen hires AOKP founder Roman Birg - Android Community

I've been a bit disconnected from the Android world for a couple of months, thanks in part to the fact that the last stable Cyanogenmod update for my phone (the 10.2, based on Android 4.3.1; the 11 is already available) is working so well that I've forgotten about tinkering with it for months xD But I'm planning to try a Cyanogenmod "clean" of official Google apps, including replacing the Play Store with F-Droid (F-Droid · ).

Cheers!