All posts tagged: android

Locked Out of Your Android 16 Device? Fix FRP Issues with WondershareDr.Fone

Locked Out of Your Android 16 Device? Fix FRP Issues with WondershareDr.Fone

Published by skeptic

Upgrading to Android 16 brings a new layer of security enhancements, but it also introduces one of the strictest implementations of Factory Reset Protection (FRP) to date. While these protections are designed to safeguard user data, they can also create unexpected friction—especially when legitimate users are locked out of their own devices after a reset. Whether it’s a forgotten Google account, a second-hand purchase, or an improperly reset device, FRP lockouts are becoming increasingly common. Fortunately, as Android security evolves, so do the tools designed to work within these constraints. Solutions like WondershareDr.Fone aims to provide a more structured and reliable way to regain access when traditional methods fall short. Part 1. Android 16 Raises the Bar for Device Security With Android 16, Google has significantly tightened system-level protections. Many previously known workarounds—such as installing third-party APKs during setup or exploiting system UI gaps—have been patched. In addition, USB-based installation paths are now more restricted prior to verification, identity checks are enforced more frequently, and system partitions are better protected against modification. Together, these changes …

Stop swiping away Android notifications — there’s a smarter way to deal with them

Stop swiping away Android notifications — there’s a smarter way to deal with them

Published by skeptic

I used to default to swiping away all of my notifications on Android, almost as if there was some virtue in achieving “notification zero” much like inbox zero. But Android has several tools to handle notifications (including new Enhanced Notifications on the Pixel) so that you don’t have to always swipe them away: you can have important ones go away for now, but come back later with notification snoozing, which is off by default. Not only that, but if you swipe away an important notification you want to go back to, you can turn on notification history, which lets you easily revisit notifications you swiped away. Again, this is off by default, but I’ll show you how to enable both of these features. This idea of better managing notifications also has to do with maintaining your peace of mind by having a pull relationship with your notifications so that you only allow a limited number of notifications to bother you (those are “push”) versus situations where you want to deal with apps only when you’re …

This free, offline-first Android keyboard gives you privacy Gboard will never offer

This free, offline-first Android keyboard gives you privacy Gboard will never offer

Published by skeptic

Gboard, Google’s official keyboard, doesn’t really need an introduction for most Android users! Most Android smartphones use Gboard as the default keyboard. I have relied on Gboard most of the time I’ve driven a daily Android smartphone, and the experience has been decent. I also love that it offers well-integrated features, including a built-in clipboard, multi-language support, in-line translation, and more. However, the lack of customization and control has been a bottleneck from the get-go. While some customization options, such as themes and colors, are available, you can’t really customize the typing experience beyond a certain limit. There is also the problem with privacy, given that you don’t really control what happens to your data. The moment you part with a Google account, all those fancy features cease to be useful. Given these circumstances, an open-source, offline-first Gboard alternative must sound like an amazing idea. This is what LeanType offered, and I decided to try it. Related I tried an open-source keyboard to stop Google from learning my typing habits I gave up Gboard after …

I replaced my smart speaker with an old Android phone and it does so much more

I replaced my smart speaker with an old Android phone and it does so much more

Published by skeptic

I received a Google Nest Hub as part of a promotion with a Google One subscription, and for years, it was the organizational center of my smart home setup. It handled timers and alarms, answered quick questions, streamed news, music, and podcasts, and reminded me of calendar appointments and events when I woke. What it lacked, however, was flexibility — it did what it was designed to do, but that was about it. This limitation became more obvious as my requirements evolved. As I started to travel more for work and leisure, I needed better customization, more app support, and, perhaps most importantly, better portability. This is when my thoughts turned to the old Pixel 5, sitting unused in my drawer. It struck me that my “outdated” phone could be far more useful than a dedicated smart speaker in almost every way, so I set about configuring the old device to suit a new purpose. Related I turned my old tablet into a smart home dashboard, and it’s perfect I use my 1st-gen iPad Pro …

Another spyware maker caught distributing fake Android snooping apps

Another spyware maker caught distributing fake Android snooping apps

Published by skeptic

Yet another government spyware maker has been caught after its customers used fake Android apps to install its surveillance software on targets, according to a new report. On Thursday, Osservatorio Nessuno, an Italian digital rights organization that researches spyware, published a report on a new malware it calls Morpheus. The spyware, which masquerades as a phone updating app, is capable of stealing a broad range of data from an intended target’s device.  The researchers’ findings show that the demand for spyware by law enforcement and intelligence agencies is so high that there are a large number of companies providing this technology, some of whom operate outside of the public spotlight. In this case, Osservatorio Nessuno concluded that the spyware is made by IPS, an Italian company that has been operating for more than 30 years providing traditional so-called lawful interception technology, meaning tools used by governments to capture a person’s real-time communications that flow through the networks of phone and internet providers.  According to IPS’ website, the company operates in more than 20 countries, though …

They Built a Legendary Privacy Tool. Now They’re Sworn Enemies

They Built a Legendary Privacy Tool. Now They’re Sworn Enemies

Published by skeptic

It’s difficult to find much information about Daniel Micay online. Google him and you’ll turn up an impersonal X account and a barren LinkedIn page, plus some YouTube “exposés” and flame wars on Reddit and HackerNews that characterize him as everything from a privacy advocate to a cybersecurity visionary to a despot. Meanwhile, Claude refers to him as a “formidable independent mobile security researcher” who is “widely described as socially abrasive” (for whatever that’s worth). “All I can tell you about Daniel is that he lives in Canada,” says Dave Wilson, the community manager of GrapheneOS, a world-famous privacy tool and Micay’s current project. Within the cybersecurity community, the mythology surrounding Micay goes beyond celebrity. He could be a ghost or a kind of egregore, like Satoshi Nakamoto or Ned Ludd. Fans pick apart scraps of biographical information; enemies take swipes at his technical achievements. Who is Daniel Micay? What does he really want? When I wrote to the email listed on the GrapheneOS website, I heard back the same day: “The team as a …

How to easily encrypt files on an Android phone – and the free app I use to do it

How to easily encrypt files on an Android phone – and the free app I use to do it

Published by skeptic

Jack Wallen/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Encrypting files on Android is easy. You can encrypt and decrypt files with this simple app. OpenKeyChain is free to use and open-source. If you take mobile security seriously (and you should), then you might want to consider file encryption. I’m not talking about saving a file in an encrypted folder to tuck it away from prying eyes.  No. This is all about encrypting files that you can either leave on your device and view when needed or share with others, knowing they can be viewed only by the recipient. Also: The Thunderbird email client finally landed on Android, and it was worth the wait This is made possible by the OpenKeyChain app. This app is all about encryption, and although it makes the process easy, there are some things you’ll need to know before diving in. Let’s do just that. It’s all about keys If you’ve ever used public key encryption on your desktop to securely send a file to someone, you …

This Android app brought me more peace of mind than I expected

This $4 Android app brought me more peace of mind than I expected

Published by skeptic

I’ve had enough of the constant stream of notifications lighting up my phone. When I’m deep into work, the last thing I need is my phone buzzing every few minutes. And if I’m being honest, I don’t entirely trust myself to ignore it either. There have been times when my notifications were so flooded that I couldn’t find an important work email buried under a barrage of social media alerts. Thankfully, Buzzkill fixes exactly that. This is probably the best $4 I’ve spent in a while, and for that amount, it lets me set granular rules for which notifications get through, when, and how — so I can focus by cutting out distractions. Related I made my phone dumb and finally broke my screen-time habit Switching to a dumb phone wasn’t practical, so I did the next best thing. Silence the noise and keep the important bits The rest can wait their turn Getting through a productive workday takes a bit of discipline and a little help. I’ve set up a few notification rules that …

How I share audio from my Android phone to multiple earbuds (and why it’s a big deal)

How I share audio from my Android phone to multiple earbuds (and why it’s a big deal)

Published by skeptic

Kerry Wan/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET key takeaways Android can share audio with multiple earbuds and headphones. Your devices must support LE Audio and Auracast. The feature is simple to use and available on Pixel and Samsung devices. How many times have you wanted to let a friend hear a song you were listening to and had to pop out an earbud and let them dance it out with you? Of course, for those who tend not to want their earbuds inserted into someone else’s ears, that’s a deal breaker. What if there was another option? What if you could allow that person to connect their earbuds to your Android phone so you can both enjoy what’s playing with your own earbuds and in stereo? Now we’re talking. Also: How to use Google Messages’ new Trash feature to recover texts you accidentally deleted Well, Android can do that with a feature called “Audio sharing.” Before you get excited, there are some caveats to this.  First off, it only works …

Your old iPad or Android tablet can be your new smart home panel – here’s how

Your old iPad or Android tablet can be your new smart home panel – here’s how

Published by skeptic

Maria Diaz/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. There are many ways to make the most of old devices we no longer use. For example, I have a couple of old Fire tablets that I turned into Echo Shows for my home use. However, one of the best uses for an old tablet is to become a smart home control panel. In fact, it’s one of the easiest and cheapest upgrades you can make in your home. Also: I tested every ‘allergy-friendly’ smart home gadget – these 6 actually keep the pollen out If you have a lot of smart lights, plugs, switches, and other devices, you’ll likely benefit from adding a control panel to manage them all from one spot. Setting up an old tablet as a central control center not only breathes new life into the device but also gives you a hub that anyone at home can access. How to use an old tablet as a smart home display Maria Diaz/ZDNET What you need: an old tablet, a charging cord, a wall …