Hello. I'm working on a custom device that is not on the market yet, and I am having issues getting it to work with Google Play. I have root access, so I was able to sideload GooglePlay.apk and GoogleServicesFramework.apk. However, I am forced to use Market Helper in order to download apps. I would like to bake in compatibility to the ROM itself, but am having issues.
I've tried modifying the build.prop to have dummy values for ro.product.{model,device,manufacturer}, as well as ro.hardware and ro.com.google.clientidbase. I feel like I'm close, but the device still fails to be accepted by Play without marker helper.
Any hints or advice are tremendously appreciated!
Sorry, can't help you with the problem.
But I am really interested in your custom device. Could you please tell us more about it?
Cool.
For those who encounter a similar problem, I will post the answer. Credit to (xkcd: Wisdom of the Ancients) for the idea.
edit: the policy of not posting outside links is really annoying. All links have the base: http: slash slash developer dot android dotcom , just add the relevant url and glue it together.
Anyway, here goes. Turns out the build.prop was not the limiting factor.
Explanation of the overall process:
- Developers create an app, and list certain features it depends on in the manifest.xml file located in the root of the apk. ( /guide/topics/manifest/uses-feature-element.html)
- When the Play Store is opened, a call is made to getSystemAvailableFeatures()
- This call is handled by an internal app called PackageManager - (/reference/android/content/pm/PackageManager.html)
-This app looks in /system/etc/permissions and parses the xml files to determine what hardware and software features the phone has. it then sends this list back to the play store. - see( /guide/practices/compatibility.html) and ( /google/play/filters.html )
- The play store then filters the apps, as per the links above.
How to modify this:
- What I’ve done is taken the files from /system/etc/permissions on a galaxy S2 Skyrocket (my personal device), and copied in all of them, without overwriting the already existing files. Now, google play works and allows the download of the same subset of apps as on the Skyrocket.
For those wondering how to include these files at compile time, here is the answer:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2356046
Hi Guys,
I managed to root my FireTV a few days back, and yesterday decided to look at the voice search to see if I could use it for other things.
After reversing some code, I found the actual voice search is handled by com.amazon.vizzini.apk
The SearchOverlay.class has this piece of code, which calls back to the amazon fireTV UI SearchResultsActivity upon completion with the search result returned as a string.
I replaced the fire TV UI with my own code, which receives the search text, and then sends a JSON rpc to KODI's web interface, and brings KODI to the front after the search is completed.
Here is a video of it in action.
http://youtu.be/hpgKci_gJYY
android studio project
http://uptobox.com/ccykod7zua1l
mirror
http://www107.zippyshare.com/v/mAhl3UuM/file.html
***** I have a FireTV v1 updated to fire os 5 ******
I have no idea if this will work on older versions of software.
To make it work you will require ROOT, and you will have to uninstall or move the existing fireTV amazon UI.
Reason for this is that the vizinni.apk calls back to
localIntent.setComponent(new ComponentName("com.amazon.tv.launcher", "com.amazon.tv.launcher.ui.SearchResultsActivity"));
So your activity has to be in that package, and called SearchResultsActivity.
The only other way to possibly get round this would be to modify the vizinni.apk to call a different package instead, but then voice search wouldn't work on the amazon UI anyway. I wasn't really bothered about the amazon UI working myself which is why I did it the way I did.
I just moved the original system/priv-app/com.amazon.tv.launcher/com.amazon.tv.launcher.apk to /system then installed my code via android studio.
mount -o rw,remount /system
mv /system/priv-app/com.amazon.tv.launcher/com.amazon.tv.launcher.apk /system/
You will also need to change KODI's settings to enable web interface control on port 8080.
On my setup it was .. system.. services.. webserver.. and tick the box that says "Allow control of kodi via http" and make sure the port is set to 8080.
edit: 07/07/2016
I did start work a few months back on an Xposed module (works but not 100%), I was going to add a settings page but I think there was issues with xposed on android version that the fire tv runs on, due to permissions etc.
You can set a prefix in the code (currently hard coded to KODI) so if you say " kodi star wars" it would pass the param of "star wars" to kodi.
If you just say "star wars" without the prefix it would pass this to the normal amazon UI.
If anyone wants to take it further, it's attached on the link below.
http://uptobox.com/ensqll4a7r65
Mick
Thats actually pretty great.
Conventional wisdom was that both voice recognition and response "results packaging" was done server side - and the only return query you could get were preexisting amazon database references - not the result of the initial voice recognition.
I've actually read that multiple places - but as it turns out, no one had bothered reversing the process I guess.
Major props and thank god for overlays containing strings... Finally - that microphone might not be so useless after all..
Next step - implement it to interface with google search. (Weather in ...)
edit: Actually - there are three interesting usecases I can think of on top of my head...
1. Launch other Apps (maybe even with "fixed Keywords (App 1 f.e. would work edit: "Number 1" delivers better results. )" if App names arent known to Amazon) - so thats text>launcher app - see if sphinx02 has any interest in coding that as part of Firestarter..
2. google search (Whats the weather in.. ) text>google search app (if possible)
3. direct text input as seen in the POC video
edit 4. forward to Amazon - not to "break" their implementation
This could be realized by a quick 4 way select screen (just confirm with the direction button) after you select the string in the overlay.
great find and implementation. would love see more expansion as above post mentions. Are you planning to share fire tv UI code?
I was playing with voice search strings and found that Amazon tends to strip out "Google" in front of search queries -so instead of "Google how is the Weather tomorrow" only "How is the weather tomorrow" will get returned.
But - Alexa as a trigger word will be returned fine, so - I vote for using "Alexa" as a trigger word to forward all search queries to the google search app.
Ok - maybe not - but conceptually, this would be a great "work of art".
An even better idea than Harklekinrains' would be to check the foreground app and do different things based on that. For example, if Kodi is open it could send the intent to Kodi. If the Fire TV launcher is open it could fall back to default functionality, etc. Simulating keystrokes could also cover 99% of the other applications. I'm excited for this. It really makes the Fire TV so much less of a novelty.
I've just updated the original post with a copy of the android studio project, and a few more details.
Mick
Great mate,thanks! gonna check it out soon!
One question (as im not firm with intents and stuff): aint there a possibility to listen for intents sent to the amazon ui and catch them? Personally, i dont care too much about it right now as im using nothing but kodi, but maybe some day when wanting to use prime or similar stuff?
dafunkydan said:
Great mate,thanks! gonna check it out soon!
One question (as im not firm with intents and stuff): aint there a possibility to listen for intents sent to the amazon ui and catch them? Personally, i dont care too much about it right now as im using nothing but kodi, but maybe some day when wanting to use prime or similar stuff?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think so as the actual code in the vinizzi apk is as follows:
Intent localIntent = new Intent();
localIntent.setComponent(new ComponentName("com.amazon.tv.launcher", "com.amazon.tv.launcher.ui.SearchResultsActivity"));
localIntent.putExtra("identifier", null);
localIntent.addFlags(402653184);
localIntent.putExtra("term", str);
localIntent.putExtra("text", str);
localIntent.putExtra("source", "VOICE");
localContext.startActivity(localIntent);
So basically when it receives the voice search response from amazon's server, it's starting the activity com.amazon.tv.launcher.ui.SearchResultsActivity from package com.amazon.tv.launcher
Mick
Integrating the search attempt based on the previous foreground app would mean that "voice search" could never "initate a new attempt". This would prevent the "lets just ask google, or lets launch an app - impulse use" of the feature. Still - in the long term it might turn out to be the right approach - f.e. if
"People tend to use the the google search only lets say "half a dozen times", and in the majority of cases just want text input in Kodi" Also - without having a select screen with "four (dont make it too many) predefined "use options"" discoverability is pretty non existent. People would have to read readmes to find out which interactions are supported.
Also Amazon wants you to "be able to always reach the Amazon content search from anywhere" - so, political implications.
Also - each time a new app would want to integrate the voice to text feature - they would have to contact the devs of this project - if you dont use "just text input" as a default in the "use the previously open app as an indicator of intent" approach. So make sure you default to "just text input" in that case. (Amazon launcher > forward query to Amazon (do not break functionality), ....)
Dont implement it as a mixed approach though as "Kodi is open most of the time" probably for most people - and the intent (message) gets "confusing".
--
What you probably shouldnt do - regardless, is to use "trigger words" as an "indicator of intent" - because Amazon can start blocking them. "Number 1" is probably generic enough so they wont try to block that - but in principal, they can. Also Amazons "voice to text" engine is optimized for "short phrases" - the longer your input query gets the more prone to errors their results become. Leave the actual "voice input" as "natural" as possible (dont embed logic there). Imho.
I'm in the USA and uptobox.com is not available in our country.
I want to give the source a look and see what I can do to contribute.
Can you put it on github or somewhere else?
Much appreciated.
kratosjohn said:
I'm in the USA and uptobox.com is not available in our country.
I want to give the source a look and see what I can do to contribute.
Can you put it on github or somewhere else?
Much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've just uploaded it to zippyshare too. Link added to original post.
Mick
It would be nice if this could be generic way of entering text in any app, similar to the FTV Remote App that has keyboard support. I am surprised Amazon has not done this already. If you are in a text field voice search would fill in the text, else it can continue with normal Alexa functionality letting you " always reach the Amazon content search from anywhere". Should be an easy solution for Amazon to implement, not sure if it could be added with the progress here, and it would really make the voice control so much more useful.
Hey Mick, as im still very exited about that (so frustating to enter searchphrases with a dpad...), i thought about what your great find could develop to. I hope u dont get me wrong, as i unfortunatly cant contribute any programming (if u need something made with tasker let me know ), its not that i want to demand anything - rather share my thoughts or ideas...
- I think its a good thought not to 'blow it up' by adding many keywords, make it more complicated, and avoid amzn to lock features down. even if it may be an abstract fear. I think with a well-structured menu in kodi, all apps one will need to start are just 2-3 clicks away.
- if i got it right, xposed could hook into every module and alter it, right? so basically it should be possible to avoid to exchange the amazon ui and/or alter the vizinni.apk,but just modify the SearchOverlay.class? wouldnt it be (on top) the most convenient way to decide wether one is on e.g. Amazon Prime, or on kodi, and either hand over the result to the original module, or hand it over to kodi?
So, please understand my post as a mixture between sugestions and questions, not as a demanding 'please make it how i want it asap'. Im really excited about your finding, appreciate your sharing, and want to contribute what i can do - unfortunatly its rather thoughts and suggestions. Cheers mate!
Great Work !!! I totally understand this is for amazon Fire products only. My question is would we be able to port for generic Android TV box like nVidia Shield which also has mic capability and comes with root support.
Good job @is0-mick it's great to see you accomplish something that Netflix doesn't even want to be bother with on their app.
harlekinrains said:
No you dont understand. You havent even read or understood the first posting - but you have bought another device and now want others to move in your direction on your behalf.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seriously mate if XDA bothers you so much, you need to take a break from it for your own sanity!
fach1708 said:
Seriously mate if XDA bothers you so much, you need to take a break from it for your own sanity!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I really don't think he needs to take break, his argument is completely understandable. This is not a Shield forum (btw before we make judgements, I own both devices). We need to get this fixed for one device, before even mentioning whether other devices are an option.
is0-mick said:
To make it work you will require ROOT, and you will have to uninstall or move the existing fireTV amazon UI.
Reason for this is that the vizinni.apk calls back to
localIntent.setComponent(new ComponentName("com.amazon.tv.launcher", "com.amazon.tv.launcher.ui.SearchResultsActivity"));
So your activity has to be in that package, and called SearchResultsActivity.
The only other way to possibly get round this would be to modify the vizinni.apk to call a different package instead, but then voice search wouldn't work on the amazon UI anyway. I wasn't really bothered about the amazon UI working myself which is why I did it the way I did.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it not usefull for this to create a xposed mod? I thought xposed was made for this...
Perhaps you should talk with rbox in his thread about a integration into version 1.5 of his mods, look here.
is0-mick said:
I just moved the original system/priv-app/com.amazon.tv.launcher/com.amazon.tv.launcher.apk to /system then installed my code via android studio.
mount -o rw,remount /system
mv /system/priv-app/com.amazon.tv.launcher/com.amazon.tv.launcher.apk /system/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So does that mean, while you are using your proof-of-concept you can not use the normal Launcher-UI?
Really great your work! I hope we got more
Sadly I am with my FireTV-Stick (hardware-Rooted-superSU) and my FireTV box gen1 (hardware-Rooted-superSU+custom-recovery+unlocked-bl)on the old FW. I wait for custom roms.
Greetings by Idijt
EDIT:
I forgot to ask you something. Did you got the kind of search-request back?
Can you see if amazon-voice-rgn knows if it is a app or a video or a moviestar?
This looks pretty cool since I don't like typing the name of the movie in the search box... now I can just speak it.
As a novice I have one question, You wrote:
is0-mick said:
I just moved the original system/priv-app/com.amazon.tv.launcher/com.amazon.tv.launcher.apk to /system
Mick
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The code I downloaded was in .RAR format not .apk. Do I need to covert it to .apk or rename it to .apk before replacing the original?
I've not rooted my device yet so I haven't looked at the file structure, but I'd be willing to root to get this feature. OR is the adding of this code better done by someone other than a novice?
Thanks
carpenter940 said:
The code I downloaded was in .RAR format not .apk. Do I need to covert it to .apk or rename it to .apk before replacing the original?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's the source code. You have to compile it and create the apk with AndroidStudio.
Amazon has released yesterday a New software update 5.2.1.0, for all the FireTV units:
http://www.aftvnews.com/fire-tv-software-update-5-2-1-0-is-now-rolling-out/
Some FireTV users, are already complaining that some APPs like "HBO GO/HBO NOW" (if you have Kodi/SPMC installed), "Mouse-Toggle 1.04", "Wukong Remote 1.9.0EN" and "Firestopper" now do not work at all...
Fo Realz, has mentioned on www.aftvnews.com, that after the update he can’t use "HBO NOW", unless he uninstall Kodi... Because he always get the following message:
“For security reasons the following apps must be uninstalled to use this app: Kodi”
Luckily, KODI and SPMC are still working flawlessly!!
Others users, have noticed that it looks like Amazon has changed the FireOS Font, that now it looks a bit like “Trebuchet”... And that the Remote-Control, the Wifi-Direct version, got a new update too…
It is not known yet whether this 5.2.1.0 update is Rootable or not!
Someone who has received this 5.2.1.0 update, has noticed something new or any improvements?
I just got the update yesterday as well. Netflix doesn't load properly anymore, gets stuck at 99%. Amazon videos don't play they load the video and I just see like a screenshot of the video and it doesn't play. I've lost all audio. Tried resetting, clearing cache, data, reinstalling Netflix etc.
ulises.rodriguez said:
Amazon has released yesterday a New software update 5.2.1.0, for all the FireTV units:
http://www.aftvnews.com/fire-tv-software-update-5-2-1-0-is-now-rolling-out/
Some FireTV users, are already complaining that some APPs like "HBO GO/HBO NOW" (if you have Kodi/SPMC installed), "Mouse-Toggle 1.04", "Wukong Remote 1.9.0EN" and "Firestopper" now do not work at all...
Fo Realz, has mentioned on www.aftvnews.com, that after the update he can’t use "HBO NOW", unless he uninstall Kodi... Because he always get the following message:
“For security reasons the following apps must be uninstalled to use this app: Kodi”
Luckily, KODI and SPMC are still working flawlessly!!
Others users, have noticed that it looks like Amazon has changed the FireOS Font, that now it looks a bit like “Trebuchet”... And that the Remote-Control, the Wifi-Direct version, got a new update too…
It is not known yet whether this 5.2.1.0 update is Rootable or not!
Someone who has received this 5.2.1.0 update, has noticed something new or any improvements?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you get a chance to grab the URL for this? I can start tearing apart the update to see what changed.
I'm very sceptical about the comment on my site claiming that HBO Now won't work with Kodi installed. I have not received the update myself yet, but a reader I trust has received the 5.2.1.0 update on his Fire TV 1 and says he can launch HBO Now with Kodi installed and with Kodi running in the background. He does not have an HBO Now subscription, so it's possible the message only appears when you try to play content, but he said he does not receive a message when launching the app and going to the login screen.
Wukong Mouse mode is dead on Firestick after latest OS update
Xfinity TV does not allow clicking after the update. Mouse mode is DOA. Maybe something to do with the prompt that comes up stating . "You don't have a controller" when you bring up the TVGo app. BTW I have not 'rooted' my FireStick.
Surprised you took it seriously in the first place. Obvious troll is obvious.
There's also a comment that ADBFire doesn't work. Not believing that either.
AFTVnews.com said:
I'm very sceptical about the comment on my site claiming that HBO Now won't work with Kodi installed. I have not received the update myself yet, but a reader I trust has received the 5.2.1.0 update on his Fire TV 1 and says he can launch HBO Now with Kodi installed and with Kodi running in the background. He does not have an HBO Now subscription, so it's possible the message only appears when you try to play content, but he said he does not receive a message when launching the app and going to the login screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Claude Koch said:
Surprised you took it seriously in the first place. Obvious troll is obvious.
There's also a comment that ADBFire doesn't work. Not believing that either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you never know. When the first couple comments started rolling in that 5.0.5.1 was removing FireStarter, my initial reaction was to assume it was a troll. I'm not going to go posting about something based on a comment or two, but I've learned my lesson to not dismiss anything entirely.
I'm curious... In theory, if I were to repack/recompile the Kodi APK into a different name and then installed on my Fire TV, would I survive an Amazon Kodi block if it were to happen? Is it really that simple to avoid a software block?
AFTVnews.com said:
Well you never know. When the first couple comments started rolling in that 5.0.5.1 was removing FireStarter, my initial reaction was to assume it was a troll. I'm not going to go posting about something based on a comment or two, but I've learned my lesson to not dismiss anything entirely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Elias, I understand your point of view and that is precipitated taken as certain some news only based on one or two comments... But, there are many users complaining about Adb-Fire problems (that not allows applications sideloading anymore) and also problems with the Mouse-Toggle1.04 and Wukong-Remote1.9.0EN APPs, that Amazon might have changed something in this new 5.2.1.0 update.
Maybe as you already said in aftvnews.com, the issues trying to run HBO-GO or HBO-Now, with Kodi installed or running, could be "a troll comment meant to stir up concern with a false statement", however I am very worried because I'm starting to see more complaints about Netflix and Amazon Video, that are not working well after installing this update:
1 - When I watch a movie with Netflix, it don't load completely and gets stuck on 99%.
With Amazon-Videos, movie loads, but the video does not play, and does not have audio"
2 - "I am having amazon issues, and Netflix Issues stuck 99% and no audio"
3 - “Netflix doesn’t load properly anymore, gets stuck at 99%.
Amazon videos don’t play they load the video and I just see like a screenshot of the video and it doesn’t play.
I’ve lost all audio”
Since I still have not received this new 5.2.1.0 update, I would appreciate if you could contact some users who have received it, to ask if they have experienced these strange behaviors with Netflix/Amazon-Videos, and to also confirm issues with adbfire and the sideload of apps.
Thank you Elias, for your Excellent comments, your Great AFTVnews site and always help with all our requests!!
ulises.rodriguez said:
... But, there are many users complaining about Adb-Fire problems
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
adbFire worked for me on 5.2.1.0
trek70000 said:
I'm curious... In theory, if I were to repack/recompile the Kodi APK into a different name and then installed on my Fire TV, would I survive an Amazon Kodi block if it were to happen? Is it really that simple to avoid a software block?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, currently Amazon is only blacklisting apps by package name. FireStarter and FiredTV are the only two apps on the list as of the 5.0.5.1 updated. I haven't received the 5.2.1.0 update yet, so I don't know if the list has changed, but several people have said Kodi installs/runs fine on 5.2.1.0
---------- Post added at 11:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 AM ----------
ulises.rodriguez said:
Elias, I understand your point of view and that is precipitated taken as certain some news only based on one or two comments... But, there are many users complaining about Adb-Fire problems (that not allows applications sideloading anymore) and also problems with the Mouse-Toggle1.04 and Wukong-Remote1.9.0EN APPs, that Amazon might have changed something in this new 5.2.1.0 update.
Maybe as you already said in aftvnews.com, the issues trying to run HBO-GO or HBO-Now, with Kodi installed or running, could be "a troll comment meant to stir up concern with a false statement", however I am very worried because I'm starting to see more complaints about Netflix and Amazon Video, that are not working well after installing this update:
1 - When I watch a movie with Netflix, it don't load completely and gets stuck on 99%.
With Amazon-Videos, movie loads, but the video does not play, and does not have audio"
2 - "I am having amazon issues, and Netflix Issues stuck 99% and no audio"
3 - “Netflix doesn’t load properly anymore, gets stuck at 99%.
Amazon videos don’t play they load the video and I just see like a screenshot of the video and it doesn’t play.
I’ve lost all audio”
Since I still have not received this new 5.2.1.0 update, I would appreciate if you could contact some users who have received it, to ask if they have experienced these strange behaviors with Netflix/Amazon-Videos, and to also confirm issues with adbfire and the sideload of apps.
Thank you Elias, for your Excellent comments, your Great AFTVnews site and always help with all our requests!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's very tedious and slow to check/verify update changes by contacting people who have already received the update. I just keep a list of all the issues I've heard about and check them myself once I receive the update. I'd rather be a few days late with postings than be inaccurate because information is being relayed to me.
AFTVnews.com said:
Yes, currently Amazon is only blacklisting apps by package name. FireStarter and FiredTV are the only two apps on the list as of the 5.0.5.1 updated. I haven't received the 5.2.1.0 update yet, so I don't know if the list has changed, but several people have said Kodi installs/runs fine on 5.2.1.0
---------- Post added at 11:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 AM ----------
It's very tedious and slow to check/verify update changes by contacting people who have already received the update. I just keep a list of all the issues I've heard about and check them myself once I receive the update. I'd rather be a few days late with postings than be inaccurate because information is being relayed to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I totally agree, it is very tedious and time consuming too, trying to contact users who already have received this 5.2.1.0.update.
I meant to get in contact with only known and trusted users, that have received the new update, as you already did with the user who confirmed that he had not received any safety message launching HBO-NOW, with Kodi installed or running.
However, maybe you're right, it is better to keep a list of all problems reported and once you receive the update, check to see if they are true or not...
I really hope that in a couple of days after receiving this update, you will have the time to write a full review in AFTVnews.com, about the negative things and also the new features of this 5.2.1.0 update.
Deleted post
I'm from Germany and I received the 5.2.1.0 update on my Fire TV Generation 1. After this Update the aftvnews.com Update blocking methode 2 isn't working anymore. No Feedback from adb when I send the command. My 2nd device, a Fire Stick hasn't got the update to 5.2.1.0, and there the blocking Methode works I think, because adb shows a Feedback after sending the command.
Gesendet von meinem E6653 mit Tapatalk
harlekinade said:
@aftvnews: Just as a small critique (well - thats how it started out, anyways... ) - when people looked at you in the past to provide context, this is what they got as first responses in return.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First off, thank you for posting this long and detailed criticism. Feedback, even negative feedback, is always welcome. I'll respond inline.
- When Firestarter first stopped working - it was pronounced by you "probably just an incompatibility issue".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did not say "probably." I said "one theory is." There's a distinct difference. At that point nobody knew why FireStarter wasn't working yet. I hadn't even received the software update yet (which I pointed out), but thought people would like to know sooner rather than later that the update was causing some unknown issue with FireStarter. I'd love to have weeks with an update to fully dissect it before posting anything about it, but by then it would be too late for many people to avoid the update if they suddenly want to.
- When Amazon started blacklisting apps and banning Firestarter you first repeated the same notion, then celebrated Amazon for providing "their own launcher" and therefore "making it easier for most people". And only afterwarts wrote about the issues it created, also for the company itself (reputation damage).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The first thing I wrote about the 5.0.5.1 update was that sideloaded apps were added to the home screen and there was a quicker way to get to apps. That's what Amazon told us about the update so that's what I reported. Nobody had any idea apps were blacklisted at that point. I didn't first write about app banning and "then celebrate Amazon" like you say.
- When people asked you why to root Fire TVs, you "couldnt tell them, because everyone is different" - nfts support (circumventing the 4GB filesize limit), running a smb server, using VPN services (currently also possible without - but generally speaking), blocking software updates, using open APIs or a web interface to control the device -- are all usecases I'd argue most people should know about that are possible by now - even though Amazon put in extra effort to specifically take them out of base Android one by one. So by glancing over those - you actually follow Amazons product politics once more -
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I assume you're referring to when people ask about why they should root in the Q&A portion of my podcast. That question comes up nearly every week and if I listed all the reasons why someone would root in every episode it would not be interesting to the listeners. Heck, if I listed and talked about just the things you mention above, which is still just a small portion of the reasons to root, it would take up the entire time I allocate to Q&A. If you want to compile a full list of all the reasons to root and keep it up to date with links to guides, I'd love to point people to it every single time this question comes up. But nobody, including myself, has created such a list because it would be very time consuming to create and maintain.
- to put it out in the open, I have a problem with you having become the gatekeeper of most information in the Fire TV ecosystem.
Is saw german mainstream technology outlets copying your first statements on issues verbetum - even if they turned out to be beside the point (as in the blacklist issue case)
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Other websites not covering the Fire TV more or not doing their own research is out of my control.
and I ultimately hold you personally responsible for Amazon being able to --
Put blacklist routines into Android, uninstalling apps from their users devices - which they dont like because of anti competitive reasons - and allowing them to spin this feat to be just something thats "easier for the user".
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Holding me personally responsible for that is just plain stupid.
You maybe single handedly prevented the "Amazon uninstalls its users Apps" headline and made it a "Great new feature" story.
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You over estimate how much influence I have over other tech blogs. Every time Amazon does something negative to Fire TV owners, I contact numerous tech blogs to let them know. They simply don't care. It's not newsworthy to them. The issue isn't that the headlines were "Great new feature," it's that there were no headlines at all outside of my site.
I also hold you responsible for maintaining an atmosphere where every slight new feature, change, or tidbit Amazon "creates" gets received with unfiltered optimism first ("cheerleading"). Even down to overly detailed changelog analyses that are made to be seen as newsworthy - just because they are something new to report on. Something of general interest to your audience.
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I'm sorry everything I write about isn't newsworthy to you. I write about what I find interesting. It's not that I think everything Amazon does is worth cheering about, it's that I don't write about things I don't think are interesting. It might be a shock to you, but a headline like "Amazon did a thing that you shouldn't care about" is not at the top of my list of articles to write.
When you made them care more about ES File explorer (by pronouncing it "the easiest way") than if adb (which was first limited, then got puposely rewritten (?)) actually remains usable for things not predetermined by Amazon - you did this entire community a disservice.
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I didn't "make" anyone do anything. My sideloading guide lists 7 methods. The ES File Explorer method is by the the preferred method by most for obvious reasons. The fact is ADB is confusing to many people. A GUI, even if limited, is usually preferred by most. Hence the popularity of utilities like adbFire before ES File Explorer was even an option.
When you let tutorials regularly get pushed off of the front page of your blog by 12 times the "Amazon echo appreciation messages" - something important changed - combining the "how to tinker with the device" angle with the actual product messaging of the manufacturer - created a hybrid that I'd argue actually resembles a frankensteins monster that produced more harm than good.
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If you're saying I deliberately push guides off the front page, that's just stupid. I cannot control when something newsworthy happens. If something happens that results in a bunch of posts right after I release a guide, that's out of my control. I'm not going to hold back news just because I wrote a guide.
You managed to commercialize most aspects of device hacking, for - and mostly in the name of the company that produced the device - while Amazon itself promoted a purely anti right to modifications message at the same time. You tried to moderate this conflict - and somehow it never quite worked.
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If I didn't make money from the website through ads, it wouldn't exist. Not in the same capacity at least. The same way XDA wouldn't exists if it didn't have ads to make money off of device hacking. If you have an issue with me turning my hobby of tinkering into a means to support my family, then so be it.
When Amazon put the blacklist into the Fire TV firmwares - you werent the person that first discovered the database entries - they were reported (In here or on your comments section) and you picked it up - but now you are promoting yourself to be the person we should look at for a confirmation if Amazon has added new entries to their blacklist, or if they didn't.
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I never took credit for discovering the blacklist. I said "XDA forum member jkchr1s has discovered that FireStarter is being explicitly disabled by name" in my post and linked to his XDA post. jkchr1s and I were going back and forth via XDA private messages trying to locate the, at the time, theoretical blacklist. He explicitly asked me to not credit him with certain things, so I left some things vague.
I am not "promoting" myself to be "the person we should look at" for anything. It's simply a fact that I'm in a position to be the first one to know if the blacklist has been updated, since I know where to look and I have several Fire TVs and Fire TV Sticks dedicated for the sole purpose of capturing the update package to pass along to rbox.
Something about all of this just feels wrong. You were more a Steward of public opinion towards your cause (a world where a advertising message can stand eye to eye to a "how to intall Kodi" tutorial - ) and at least created an information silo - that kept out certain aspects of what is possible, or what happened in the past, and overemphasized others (I see ES File Explorer use as a real problem to people learning better ways of interacting with their devices, f.e.) at least I don't agree with.
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I agree that learning ADB is far superior to any GUI like ES File Explorer. The only guides where ES File Explorer comes up is when I write "no pc needed" guides for rooting and sideloading, since those two topics are the most popular types of guides. But for every "no pc needed" guide I have ever written, there was always first an equivalent guide posted that did everything with just ADB.
Now that the hype is mostly over, Firestarter is no more and we are gossiping whos next on Amazons in Android blacklist - where do we actually stand considering discoverability of methods or tutorials, do we understand the actions Amazon has taken, do we promote best practices - and do you - for example know - why not letting Amazon blacklist Kodi is actually important?
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Despite what you think, I don't control the future of FireStarter, the actions Amazon has or will take, or where the Fire TV community stands.
You take both sides on this issue as well - why? And when you, a few months from know - write your article about how it was actually necessary and beneficial to the average user - will you still be part of this community? Or do you just want to feature its work? And tell your readers to mostly use Alexa ("the service economy"), just because it is there by default.
Hey - and buy an "order from Amazon" WiFi button for 20USD while you are at it, because maybe one day you will be able to launch an App on the Fire TV with it. Great pitch.
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I don't "take both sides on an issue", but I do try to explain both sides of an issue. When Amazon does something the community thinks is negative, I don't blindly defend their actions. I do give my opinion on why I think they chose to do what they did, regardless of whether I agree or disagree with it. There is a distinct difference.
I've hid my reply to the comments that were deleted to help clean up this thread.
@harlekinade
So your old account was banned? And you decided to come right back in here with your obvious rants now directed at the main person who keeps this community going? Good job dude.
Biggest question (for us "pros") is actually: Is root (and downgrade) still possible on the fire tv 4ks that ship with that firmware?!
harlekinade said:
I'm glad to see that the posting got some kind of of recognition, I'll take some time reading through the responses and give another rebuttal in the following days.
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If you do reply, I encourage you to do it in a new thread and link to the posts in this thread as reference because discussions of your opinion of me and my site do not belong in a thread about a Fire TV software update. This is potentially an important thread (depending on what is discovered in the update), so it should not be cluttered with off-topic conversations. I absolutely will no longer reply to you in this thread regarding myself or my website.
zroice said:
Biggest question (for us "pros") is actually: Is root (and downgrade) still possible on the fire tv 4ks that ship with that firmware?!
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I don't know if anyone whos gotten it yet has confirmed if the preloader hack is still active.
harlekinade said:
@aftvnews:
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Dude, quit it. No one's reading your responses, you're acting like a sorry little git. If the mods bothered to read these, expect your second ban real soon. Quit starting fights and leave everyone alone.