How to stop ALL Play Store Purchases? - Sprint Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Questions & Answers

I got my girlfriend an S7 Edge on my Sprint account recently. A few days later, I noticed my Sprint bill was inflating due to in-app purchases ("gold bars" for $1.07 each on some stupid game, dozens of them). So of course I used the Sprint website to disable charges to the acct.
Now I've just become aware that a Netflix charge put her account negative. I looked at her account and sure enough, she's been charging the same in-app purchases to her own debit card. It's frustrating because money is tight.
Anyway, counseling aside... She has her own Gmail/Google account, so short of changing her Gmail password & using the Google Play password requirement for all purchases (nothing to stop her from resetting her Gmail password) or putting her phone on my Google account, how can I use some Sprint or 3rd party app to prevent an *adult* from making any Google-related purchases, even with her own debit card & Google account? Is this possible?
Thanks.
Sent from my SM-G935P using XDA-Developers mobile app

I can't think of anything to suggest besides a solution that would be significantly more drastic than the ones you've already mentioned & ruled out...

caffeiNater said:
I can't think of anything to suggest besides a solution that would be significantly more drastic than the ones you've already mentioned & ruled out...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Such as? Drastic is not beyond my willingness. I was hoping Sprint or some 3rd party had an app designed for this purpose. Hard to stop an "adult" with her own debit card from entering CC info into her phone, ya know?
Sent from my SM-G935P using XDA-Developers mobile app

There is no way, otherwise I could stop you from buying things. Talk to her, tell her it's real money and that it adds up.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Solution
Hahaha. Get her a rooted phone and a cracked game and the stuff is free.

Dennis, the talk has been had, thrice, but she has an addictive personality, & not just for in-app purchases unfortunately. There is a much larger over-arching issue at play obviously, but I need to focus on just this one facet of it, for now. There has GOT to be a way to pull this off.
Come on guys... CaffeiNater: what was the drastic measure you alluded to?
Believe me Darth... I wish. Our S7's are the 1st phones I haven't rooted right out of the box, & we all know why. Careful with that kinda comment for the mod's sake though (he was clearly kidding mods).
Please brothers & sisters. I am officially desperate. Letting her bank account stay in the red has provided a temporary respit for now, but she gets paid Wednesday, & I have to go out of town to Houston on Monday for work all week.... Anyone? ANYTHING? AT ALL?
Sent from my SM-G935P using XDA-Developers mobile app

There is no way, short of taking away her phone. Anything you do can be undone (cancel her debit card, she gets a new one; delete her google account and make her use yours, she can get a new account; change her password, same thing new account) sorry mate but either she learns or she doesn't.
The drastic measures I'd take are a fourth talk along the lines of "I'm not supporting you buying useless crap on the Internet. You get $X to spend on luxury items a month (same as me) so use it as you want, the rest of OUR money is used for bills and food. If you don't like it, pack your stuff." That kind of talk is hard, and it sucks, but either you won't have to worry about her spending all the money, or she will be a better person learning not to buy random crap in apps.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

You should be able to go into your sprint account and block 3rd party charges, that would keep her from charging to the account. As far as her isn't her debit card, I can't think of a way other than maybe creating a "game" account and put so much per month, once it's gone is gone till next month
Sent from my SM-G935P using XDA-Developers mobile app

Here's what I ended up doing:
I took her phone (not covertly, I bought her the phone and I pay for the service) and I changed the password on her gmail account. I also changed the backup email account and backup text phone reset number to my own. Then I went into every single app on the phone that is linked to her Gmail account (OTHER THAN THE GOOGLE PLAY STORE) and entered the new PW, so that she will never be prompted for it, and have legit reason to ask me what it is.
The reset was psychological. Luckily she is extremely tech-naive. I told her what I had done, but then I also told her the *IF* she ever tried to reset the PW on her gmail account, OR link her phone to a new gmail account, that I would receive a text notification, and that all call/text/data service on her phone would immediately be disabled, other than emergency calls, and calls/texts to me. So far, this seems to have worked.
Am I a jerk?

trmitche2 said:
Here's what I ended up doing:
I took her phone (not covertly, I bought her the phone and I pay for the service) and I changed the password on her gmail account. I also changed the backup email account and backup text phone reset number to my own. Then I went into every single app on the phone that is linked to her Gmail account (OTHER THAN THE GOOGLE PLAY STORE) and entered the new PW, so that she will never be prompted for it, and have legit reason to ask me what it is.
The reset was psychological. Luckily she is extremely tech-naive. I told her what I had done, but then I also told her the *IF* she ever tried to reset the PW on her gmail account, OR link her phone to a new gmail account, that I would receive a text notification, and that all call/text/data service on her phone would immediately be disabled, other than emergency calls, and calls/texts to me. So far, this seems to have worked.
Am I a jerk?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That seems like the best possible technological solution. You're not a jerk imo. The jerk move would be to enable her out of control behavior to continue.
(And sorry for the slow reply, but the drastic move I mentioned would be to end the relationship. Money issues such as this one are the reason many, many relationships end. Most problems tend not to go away on their own. Knowing that, think about whether it's better that things end when you're dating vs when there would be kids, divorce lawyers, etc involved. Sorry to get all negative. But the counseling that you mentioned initially would be a really good idea if you're envisioning a future together.)

Old fashion azz kicking would work
Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

Related

Gmail wont sync after root?

So I successfully rooted my phone, removed abunch of bloatware, like verizonbackup, friendstream, tweeter, flickr, and a few others. but now my gmail wont sync automatically, i have to manually refresh my inbox, it doesnt seem to be "pushing" new messages to me and its getting very annoying. Is anyone else having this problem?
I think we will start seeing more and more of these issues as people root the phone and/or remove apps that they think are "bloatware".
Did you try removing and re-adding your gmail account?
I just completed rooting my phone this morning, but only removed City ID. My gmail is working normally, including giving me new mail notifications as soon as emails come in. Maybe you deleted something you shouldn't have deleted.
As an aside, why did people hate City ID so much? I deleted it because everyone else was, and because I wasn't using it, but not really sure what it does.
areghas said:
So I successfully rooted my phone, removed abunch of bloatware, like verizonbackup, friendstream, tweeter, flickr, and a few others. but now my gmail wont sync automatically, i have to manually refresh my inbox, it doesnt seem to be "pushing" new messages to me and its getting very annoying. Is anyone else having this problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you removed the verizon backup assistant you have to do a factory reset, meaning wipe all your data, this could be your issue. I seen somewhere else saying you have to do a factory reset once you remove that.
sdorn77 said:
As an aside, why did people hate City ID so much? I deleted it because everyone else was, and because I wasn't using it, but not really sure what it does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It nags every 15 days and wants $2.99 a month fee. It is useless since all it does it tell you what the city and state is associated with the caller's area code and exchange. Most everyone knows the local area code and exchanges. if it was a one time $2.99 maybe, but $2.99 a month they are crazy.
wpbear said:
It nags every 15 days and wants $2.99 a month fee. It is useless since all it does it tell you what the city and state is associated with the caller's area code and exchange. Most everyone knows the local area code and exchanges. if it was a one time $2.99 maybe, but $2.99 a month they are crazy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. That would be irritating as hell. I have only had my phone for 3 or 4 days, so I hadn't seen any nag screens yet. Now hopefully I won't!
sdorn77 said:
I agree. That would be irritating as hell. I have only had my phone for 3 or 4 days, so I hadn't seen any nag screens yet. Now hopefully I won't!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, you will I think the cost is outrageous too, especially since all the program is doing is checking the XXX-YYY-0000 against a data base, where X is state and Y is town.
As for the OP, just go into Applications menu and clear your Gmail and Gmail Storage cache. We used to have a similar problem way back in the dark ages of 2008 G1, when rooted owners would immediately uninstall the Fave 5 application Tmo so kindly put on there, which would immediately erase all Cloud contacts AND break sync
I performed a factory reset after removing everything I didnt want, but I think I read in another post that it might have something to do with friendstream.apk, does anyone happen to have this and can host it somewhere? I'll try removing and readding the email account.
areghas said:
I performed a factory reset after removing everything I didnt want, but I think I read in another post that it might have something to do with friendstream.apk, does anyone happen to have this and can host it somewhere? I'll try removing and readding the email account.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here.....looking for the friendstream.apk. On a side note, don't install the friendstream.apk for the evo, as it put me in a nasty reboot loop.
I too am having this issue, but it is only happening to one of my two gmail accounts, one pushes fine but the secondary account I have to manually refresh to get my email. I haven't removed any bloatware from my phone.
Count me in... Neither HTC Mail nor gmail are auto syncing on their own. If I turn OFF then back ON the auto sync (via the power widget) they sync, but any futher emails are not working.
This is on the leaked 2.2 for me

my hotmail account has been spamming people

Long story short i have my hotmail, along with other accounts setup in my evos email client, awhile back I noticed I sent myself an email about diet crap that I personaly did not send and so I dismissed it.
Well tonight I had over a hundred mailer daemon unable to reach address blah blah in my email inbox I check my sent box and sure enough my account has been mailing random people crap about diet stuff.
Anyways i heard Android has some exploits that could be leading to our phones being related in a exploit.
I changed my email password and it stopped doing this temporarily but it started right back up again after a while.
Can this be Related to my phone at all?
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
It's probably not your phone.
It's far more likely that you (or someone else in your household) clicked something you shouldn't have on a website, and have a keylogger on your computer now.
Or if you're... Uneducated enough to be running an open WiFi network (or, even more facepalm-worthy, connected to one that doesn't belong to you, and mooching off it), then someone could be picking up your plaintext passwords.
But really, biggest chance is you've got some malware on your computer. Congrats!
Your biggest issue is that you are still using hotmail...
- Changed your hotmail password from a virus-free computer or your EVO's browser.
- Run AntiMalware and an antivirus on your computer.
- Switch to Gmail
Problem solved.
well, i know about wlan encryption and i use wpa2 personal, i also know how to crack wep
i also know about keystroke loggers, i do use them and know how to detect software versions of them
somehow my girlfriend somehow gets a copy forwarded to her of email i reply to, even though there is no trace of a setting for this anywhere that i can find, which i always found suspicious and it doesn't happen all the time. she could be spying or maybe its from when we tried to link our outlook calendars and something broke
i use hot-mail because until recently i have had zero problems and i created this hotmail account back in 2001 on my dream cast before i even knew how to turn on a pc, and now i run a computer repair shop, so it kinda has sentimental value, so i want to fix this, not throw it away. also i have many other email address for work and school purposes so email isn't nothing new to me.
last night i had my gf change my password on my hotmail account because i was on my evo and hotmail.com kept sending me to their mobile site and i couldn't see any settings for change password and she had her laptop in her lap. maybe her laptop is the culpti but i doubt it, i will check into it though.
today i changed my password to my hotmail on my work computer. i will allow my evo access to the new password for the sake of tying to figure out where the culprit is and only changing one thing at a time.
thanks for the replies i really was hoping to hear that someone has less then public information about hotmail email servers them selves being hacked. because i have friends with hotmail accounts that started spamming me not too long before my account starting spamming others.
i guess i'll use this thread to keep notes on this situation, but thanks for the replies
zeuzinn said:
- Changed your hotmail password from a virus-free computer or your EVO's browser.
- Run AntiMalware and an antivirus on your computer.
- Switch to Gmail
Problem solved.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep all I had to do was change my email on another SAFE PC and then I was good to go. But dont discount adware programes and all.
DL and run/update
Malware bytes, Super antispyware and update and load spyware blaster. You'll be good to go.
spybot/teatimer ftw
drmacinyasha said:
It's probably not your phone.
It's far more likely that you (or someone else in your household) clicked something you shouldn't have on a website, and have a keylogger on your computer now.
Or if you're... Uneducated enough to be running an open WiFi network (or, even more facepalm-worthy, connected to one that doesn't belong to you, and mooching off it), then someone could be picking up your plaintext passwords.
But really, biggest chance is you've got some malware on your computer. Congrats!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please don't be politically correct. :|
Stupid not uneducated. He says he knows all this, so uneducated wouldn't apply.
...
Sorry, I'm very blunt. :|
Well my hotmail accounts were still spamming people, also my yahoo account started to join in on the fun.
I changed passwords on both accounts to something very lone Qiu no dictionary words and used numbers and symbols. And about a day later low and behold I am spamming people again.
Focusing in on my hotmail account, I can see the sent folder, in my web based GUI, I can see all these emails that my account has been sending.
I have probably have questionable apps on my phone so I thought I'd wipe my phone. Well, its been 4 days since I have had any problems.
While I can't confirm my suspecion, I can suggest as a possibility that my phone had something that was pulling my passwords and sending them out to someone or something that would inturn log into my accounts and spam away.
I don't have time to really look into this any more thoroughly but I thought I'd document my observations.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
potna said:
well my hotmail accounts were still spamming people, also my yahoo account started to join in on the fun.
I changed passwords on both accounts to something very lone qiu no dictionary words and used numbers and symbols. And about a day later low and behold i am spamming people again.
Focusing in on my hotmail account, i can see the sent folder, in my web based gui, i can see all these emails that my account has been sending.
I have probably have questionable apps on my phone so i thought i'd wipe my phone. Well, its been 4 days since i have had any problems.
While i can't confirm my suspecion, i can suggest as a possibility that my phone had something that was pulling my passwords and sending them out to someone or something that would inturn log into my accounts and spam away.
I don't have time to really look into this any more thoroughly but i thought i'd document my observations.
Sent from my pc36100 using xda app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
STOP using pirated apps. That's my guess.
It was most likely an app that requests permissions to your contacts and email. There are a lot of shady apps out there and google needs to step up with this crap.
I always avoid them but it's ridiculous how many apps (themes and stupid stuff) request information.
Well surprise surprise, it was most likely an app I got from the market that was stealing my info. Not that I can confirm it, but most of the replies implied I was an idiot and that it couldn't possible be my phone. I eventualy got an email from Google saying I had installed something from the mArket that was infected.
So it was not that I'm stoopid ignorant, it wasnt that i was using hotmail, it wasnt that my pc was infected.
It was my phone all along.
Maybe there is a thread about this already, but I bet my topic.was created first and I thought I'd bring this thread to a conclusion.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
I hate to say it but if you downloaded an app that infected your device with malware you still are pretty stupid. Not trying to be an a**hole here but if you actually researched the app before downloading it you could have advoided it altogether. Common sense is still the best antivirus.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
This isn't malware on your phone. It's been a huge issue with hotmail for the past couple of weeks. People who use the same pass across multiple sites usually are the most vuln. Also happens when you get phished.
I have a friend thats has the same thing going on with his hotmail...hasn't been using it at all and all of a sudden I'm getting emails from him sending me links to increase my penis length...and god knows I don't need that..
I wouldnt dismiss it being non-phone related. I recently have been having it happen on my hotmail account as well and I have not logged into my hotmail account on a computer in years only have it on my phone to setup craigslist ads, Redbox rentals and small stuff like that and use gmail for important stuff. I dont have any Pirated apps or anything just normal stuff 12 or so games and 15 or so other market apps.
Same thing happened to my hotmail a while back. I changed my password and it solved the problem.
Sent from my rooted HTC EVO using the xda app!
alright guys stop calling the op stupid and learn ya something yourselves. Even legitimate apps were affected read the news every once in awhile and you would know. This is just one of the many articles on the topic.
http://m.cnet.com/Article.rbml;jses...fVH2Mtw**?nid=20039881&cid=null&bcid=&bid=-83
Sent from my Supersonic Evo using Xda-app.
Last-Chance said:
This isn't malware on your phone. It's been a huge issue with hotmail for the past couple of weeks. People who use the same pass across multiple sites usually are the most vuln. Also happens when you get phished.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly, it happened with my hotmail account a few months ago, and I havent used my hotmail in months.
alright guys stop calling the op stupid and learn ya something yourselves. Even legitimate apps were affected read the news every once in awhile and you would know. This is just one of the many articles on the topic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless you login to hotmail from your phone's browser, there is no way one of these apps could get your hotmail info.
i swear, i dont know why i take peoples opinions so damn seriously around here...but for the sake of my sanity and the general level of competence of reading and having accurate postings with good conclusions here i go again.
there were a handful or legitimate applications on the market than were infected.
i already changed my email passwords and it ddint help
when i formatted/re flashed rom...it stopped
i later received some notification of some market tool that Google automatically installed and ran and "fixed the issue"
i received an email from Google telling me about a phone tied to my gmail account may have been infected, but i already solved my issue my self, so their fix didn't apply.
how the hell can you people some how twist this into "op is dumb, or stupid"?
now for a bit of my SPECULATION, and its only that, its not my opinion thrown at you as fact, as so many here love to do.
what are the odds that all of us android users just happen to have our email accounts hacked? whats the one thing all of us email user have in common on these boards....android. just saying
btw, more than just my hotmail account was hacked.
here are some urls that the idiots wont read, talking about what i have been trying to say
http://www.google.com/search?q=Droi...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

[Q] password ulock

i bought a phone off the internet and it says enter password to unlock is there a master code so that i can get into it?
Is it MT4G? Also how do I know that you didn't steal the phone? There are ways to bypass logon password, sim password, pattern sig. Send me the proof that you bought it and ill tell you howto bypass. I don't really wanna help thief's or folks who found other peoples phone and don't want to return it.
I'd say not to help, because they would have contacted the seller for the password and also nobody would sell their phone without doing a complete wipe, which would have also removed their password. My bet is that it's stolen or that they bought a stolen phone, either way it was still someone's phone being stolen.
Ya man I had dev-hd2(leo1024) stolen last year on Dec2010. I even left the kid message and voicemail saying I would pay him 600 cash if he returned it. I have massive amount of data on it and it was fully customized by me. Most damage was business phone numbers which I lost and till today I don't have those contacts.
TmpUsr said:
Ya man I had dev-hd2(leo1024) stolen last year on Dec2010. I even left the kid message and voicemail saying I would pay him 600 cash if he returned it. I have massive amount of data on it and it was fully customized by me. Most damage was business phone numbers which I lost and till today I don't have those contacts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have a google account? Your contacts should have synced to your google account, so you should still have them, just log in to Gmail on your computer.
jdkoren said:
Do you have a google account? Your contacts should have synced to your google account, so you should still have them, just log in to Gmail on your computer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was on Win6.5.X 29XXX base and no google/tmob sync enabled. Other than Android none use it nor rely on it as it was my pure dev phone. Was at the bar with gf and lost it didn't even have gps or remote wipe installed as I left in hurry right after I flashed new COM build.
TmpUsr, T-Mobile even has a contact backup app. I rememebr my Shadow running 6.1 had that app. Either way, Backing up should be followed religiously
TmpUsr...did you check your tmobile my-account contact manager?
My contacts were backup up there without me even knowing!
I keep an app called Seek Droid for this occasion. If it gets lost or stolen I can enable GPS from my phone and track it down or even wipe the phone or SD card. Can also get recent call lists. Of course its pointless if they happen to find the program installed but its not listed in the menu so they would have to look for it to find it, which the average thief would not do.

[Q] Nexus for my daughter (almost 7) separate Google acct?

Hi all. I'm looking for some advice. After 3 months with my C60 N7 16gb and constantly having to close notifications from my daughter's games, I decided to get her one of her own (she wanted a leap pad)... actually I am got 32gb C90K N7 and am giving her the 16gb.
Should I set up her own gmail/Google account or is it easier to just have another device on my account? Safer / more secure? What are the pros and con's?
I figure I will install SmartApp protector so she can't get to internet without asking, and Pin on the Play store for purchases (if she figures out how to clear cache and data to bypass/erase the Pon, she earned the game!).
She likes zoodles and has a handful of other games etc.
What else should I be looking into regarding management of content, etc? Are there any apps that I can monitor her activity from my N7? Other safety or utility things I should consider? In the event if loss, should I install some sort of remote wipe App?
From a case standpoint, I think I will get her one like mine (CrazyOnDigital rotating leatherr folio). She likes it, it is inexpensive and functional. I looked at the Naabi Bumper... Definitely more study but so bulky. I might try to find something like the portable DVD player case for it so she can Carey charger and stilts to between home and her mom's house.
Thoughts and advice are welcome.
Time to go root and unlock my N7 and play...
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
1.) you can always block notifications for specific apps in 'app info' (long click on notification, it'll take you there)
2.) I honestly don't see a reason why you wouldn't make her her own account. Your account probably has credit card stored it, which she could use accidentally (you know, to feed Talking Tom ).
In play store, you can set content filtering, if you're rooted, do go ahead and install adfree (if you haven't already), so it blocks annoying adds (most of them with adult content).
There's soooo many parental apps on play store, that you should just go trough them and see which does what.
http://www.wikihow.com/Block-Porn-on-Android
here's an useful link
I don't know much about users, but can you make the second user account have less privileges? Like on Windows (admin, user) or linux (root, user)
About pros/cons of using the same account:
- she can access your data (gmail, contacts, talk...) you'd need to disable or password protect all those apps, even if you disable notifications
+ you can access her data (but it will merge with yours)
using her own account:
+ she'll use gmail eventually, might as well have it already
+ you can easily follow her location with latitude (but I wouldn't let her take tablet to school anyway, so doesn't really make a difference)
+ you can send her pretty pictures by gmail and google talk to her, if you so choose (when you're away for few days on a trip for example) - I don't think you can google talk to yourself
+ no worries with using your credit card
+ if she google talks to someone, you won't get all the notifications on your tablet as well
I think there's enough monitoring apps on play store that you can easily let her use her own account, if you trust her of course.
And an honest conversation about responsibility isn't out of place. I'm sure she will understand and also appreciate you trusting her, and she'll have something completely hers.
Of course, you can always go on play.google.com to check what apps she's installing, log in into chrome with her account to see history and bookmarks, see her gmail... You know, to check that someones not harassing here, no other reason
I asked a similar question as both daughters getting them for Xmas ,don't mind them having there own account just want any downloads from play store to request a password first and with set age restricted content in play store.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

[Q] Using a Nexus 4 without sending every private piece of info to Google

I got my N4 a couple of days ago. It's my first foray in the Android world.
The requirements that I am hoping to meet are pretty simple:
1) I want to be able to call contacts and send text messages
2) I don't want Google tracking my contact list
3) I don't want Google tracking my location
4) I don't want Google tracking my browsing history
5) I want to be able to use the Play store to download 3rd party apps. I didn't buy an N4 to use it it like a dumbphone. Logically, the Play store shouldn't require constant access to my contacts, location or browsing history.
I am making this post to get help meeting the above requirements. Despite seeming really basic, I'm running into trouble, and I think I will need frequent help. This thread can act as a journal that hopefully other people can follow.
What I did so far is immediately flashed the N4 to AOKP, and applied the OpenPDroid patches (though I've yet to use OPD). From a blank slate start, I declined to create an account, disabled location access, etc, during the startup wizard.
Adding a contact round 1
I was able to create a local, unsynced contact.
Using the Play store
I was forced to sign up for a gmail account, which is normal. I declined to "keep this phone backed up with my Google Account". I then went in Settings > Account and disabled sync for everything, including Contacts. I also disabled background sync in the power controls.
Adding a contact round 2
I am now unable to add a contact without being forced to sync it with my BS gmail account. When I click "Add Contact" in the phone app, a dialog says "Your contact will be synced with [email protected]" and my choices are either "OK", "Add other account", or to cancel out by clicking Back.
So I'm already stuck. Once a Play account is created, I am now unable to do something as basic as adding a contact without sending it to Google. Can someone tell me how to get past this obstacle?
That's how Google makes their money! Your only options are to either start using the amazon app store only or side loading apps if you don't want Google involvement. Good luck.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Why? Like they don't have all your information already? You freely give your information to everyone when you use the internet. Congratulations. You are not that special.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Eurotrash: always in this sort of discussions there's people like you who essentially advocate shutting up and taking it. "That's how things are" is not an acceptable solution to my problem, or I would not have made this post. There IS a way around the creeping, and someone knows it. My last resort is blocking every Google service from accessing the Internet except Play. I'm asking here because I'm hoping there's a less extreme solution that other people can use.
Gotzadroid: I will hold out for a better solution. Amazon appstore will likely be limited. Sideloading is not possible because many devs don't provide APKs
I know you can get an app to block individual permissions of other apps: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.stericson.permissions
It requires root. Not sure about the contacts and other stuff you wanted to block, im assuming you've disabled location services.
Why not try flashing like cm10 and not flashing gapps so no Google apps? Then just manually downloading the apps apks and sideload the ones you need?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Didn't think my post lacked clarity, so hopefully this will be clearer:
My ONLY problem right now (we'll leave the rest for later) is that the Phone app, an essential app if I want to use my phone for making calls, an app that isn't even part of Gapps, doesn't let me add a local contact without sharing it with Google. That's it. Forget everything else in my post.
So my simple question is, how do I add my friend Bob to my contact list, locally in phone memory or on the SIM card or whatever, without telling Google I'm friends with Bob and giving them his phone number?
MachinTrucChose said:
Didn't think my post lacked clarity, so hopefully this will be clearer:
My ONLY problem right now (we'll leave the rest for later) is that the Phone app, an essential app if I want to use my phone for making calls, an app that isn't even part of Gapps, doesn't let me add a local contact without sharing it with Google. That's it. Forget everything else in my post.
So my simple question is, how do I add my friend Bob to my contact list, locally in phone memory or on the SIM card or whatever, without telling Google I'm friends with Bob and giving them his phone number?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As previously mentioned, try flashing a rom without gapps
OK, try this. Make a dummy gmail account for the play store only. Get all the apps you want and then sign out of gmail. Only sign back in when you want another app. That should keep Google from syncing all your info.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Michealtbh said:
As previously mentioned, try flashing a rom without gapps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Phone app is not a part of gapps. It came on the stock ROM before I flashed gapps on it. I didn't try it before adding gapps, are you saying it will change behavior and no longer prompt me to sync when I try to add a contact?
I gotta go to sleep, I'll do more tests tomorrow evening to test this (and wait for your reply to the above question in case you misread my posts).
If the answer to the above question is yes, this would immediately beg another question: how do I install 3rd party apps from Play without flashing gapps?
gotzaDroid said:
OK, try this. Make a dummy gmail account for the play store only. Get all the apps you want and then sign out of gmail. Only sign back in when you want another app. That should keep Google from syncing all your info.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I did in the OP (2nd bolded step). I created a dummy account cause Play requires it. That became my main Google account on this phone (since I declined to set up an account prior to that). That's the account Google tries to sync my contacts to when I try to add a contact.
I looked in the Gmail app, there's no way for me to sign out. All I can do is add more accounts.
A similar thread from the galaxy nexus forums: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1589367
However, I'd also be interested in a deeper insight on why you're trying to do this. Fear of the big brother? Or just proving a point?
We know before buying an android phone that everything is tied to that Gmail address; now you want to cut that tie but maintain full functionality. Well, that probably doesn't work. And if it at the end does, why going through all that trouble? If a different platform offers all that then..
Why you bought an android phone in the first place? Just curious
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
You can try downloading or side loading the app "contacts+" then sign out of your dummy gmail account. You can get a sim to USB hub online and plug your sim into the hub and into PC to add contacts directly to sim. I don't know if there's a way to export contacts to sim anymore unless I'm guessing developers somehow add that feature. So look into CM or another well built ROM and ask some questions.
Good luck
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda premium
MachinTrucChose said:
The Phone app is not a part of gapps. It came on the stock ROM before I flashed gapps on it. I didn't try it before adding gapps, are you saying it will change behavior and no longer prompt me to sync when I try to add a contact?
I gotta go to sleep, I'll do more tests tomorrow evening to test this (and wait for your reply to the above question in case you misread my posts).
If the answer to the above question is yes, this would immediately beg another question: how do I install 3rd party apps from Play without flashing gapps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stock rom comes with gapps already loaded.
Most custom roms come without them and they must be flashed separately. If you choose not to flash them you aren't even given an option to sign into your Google account at first boot, so there will obviously be no option to sync your contacts.
Your phone will be crippled and you'll have to find workarounds for many things. I don't think you'll be able to use Maps for example. To install apps you'll have to download and install the apks or use an alternative app market like SlideMe or Amazon
What's there to hide? They're just contacts
Sent from my Nexus 4
Google doesn't care what your Aunt Bertie's phone number is. All they use the data for is to customize ads for you, and if you're going to be seeing ads anyways they might as well be relevant to you.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
It's disappointing that the thread is taking the direction of Google advocacy rather than finding a technical solution to my problem, hopefully this post answers your questions and we can stop arguing about this.
Drakkula4 said:
You can try downloading or side loading the app "contacts+" then sign out of your dummy gmail account.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do I sign out of my dummy gmail account?
Vangelis13 said:
A similar thread from the galaxy nexus forums: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1589367
However, I'd also be interested in a deeper insight on why you're trying to do this. Fear of the big brother? Or just proving a point?
We know before buying an android phone that everything is tied to that Gmail address; now you want to cut that tie but maintain full functionality. Well, that probably doesn't work. And if it at the end does, why going through all that trouble? If a different platform offers all that then..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, not full functionality. I can avoid using all gapps. The only required Google service is the Play store, which is the primary gateway to non-Google apps. I would use Email over Gmail, Navfree over Maps, etc.
The next paragraph is meant as a reply to the 5 posts essentially saying "tinfoil hat, trust Google!".
This is supposed to be an open phone, allowing the user to do what they want, compared to the big bad iOS. That's why I bought it. Now I find out Google is insisting on taking something extremely private (my social graph) even when I don't want to give it to them. I respect my friends' privacy, and I don't want an intersection of my online and offline lives being made by some 3rd party with intentions I don't trust. The insistence is starting to creep me out. You can provide convenience and still respect basic privacy, look at Mozilla with Firefox Sync: even they don't see the data you sync. I'm not even asking for that much, just respect my wish to draw the line at real-life stuff. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, this is the company banning people using pseudonyms on Google+.
The most disappointing thing in all this, is that you have 5000 custom ROMs being developed, which mainly differ in pointless GUI BS like scroll animation speed. Not a single one of those projects thought to provide a way to make the phone usable without giving up extremely private data. AFAIK only 3 guys are working on privacy stuff, and even those guys' patches and apps don't protect you from the Eye of Google.
chrisrozon said:
Google doesn't care what your Aunt Bertie's phone number is. All they use the data for is to customize ads for you, and if you're going to be seeing ads anyways they might as well be relevant to you.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What if I don't want tailored ads? Or what if I only want tailored ads by tracking the online activity I'm willing to submit to them, and I feel it should be my my right to draw a line? Many people are not comfortable seeing an intersection of online and real life activity. I am one of those people.
MachinTrucChose said:
Didn't think my post lacked clarity, so hopefully this will be clearer:
My ONLY problem right now (we'll leave the rest for later) is that the Phone app, an essential app if I want to use my phone for making calls, an app that isn't even part of Gapps, doesn't let me add a local contact without sharing it with Google. That's it. Forget everything else in my post.
So my simple question is, how do I add my friend Bob to my contact list, locally in phone memory or on the SIM card or whatever, without telling Google I'm friends with Bob and giving them his phone number?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Simple question deserves simple answer, only thing I can think of, go to settings > accounts > google > tap your account email address > and uncheck the things you don't want synced with google.
Hopefully it works and you will just have a local copy of everything then.
Again just flash like cyanogen mod since you have to flash gapps separate. Then don't flash gapps and your phone will have nothing to do with google.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

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