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[Android] Thread v. 2018: Pixel 6 is out. Google might be bad at phones.

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Posts

  • jungleroomxjungleroomx It's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovels Registered User regular
    wunderbar wrote: »
    Delduwath wrote: »
    I think I still don't entirely follow, probably because I don't know enough about the technical workings of paying via magnetic swipe. Why does encoding the vendor's identity in the transaction matter? And how is that different from what happens when paying via swipe?

    Maybe I'm not thinking of the right kinds of fraud. I guess I'm imagining someone duplicating my card and then going on a shopping spree somewhere, which is probably very simplistic and naive and not how actual fraud happens.

    replicating a chip is hard, as can cloning NFC data, but can be done. chips and NFC have way more protections than a magnetic stripe does.

    This is not exactly how it works, but for simplicity sake think of it this way. A magnetic stripe is like a plain text password. your account information is readable by anyone who can read the stripe. a chip or NFC module are encrypted, and have a unique identifier in them, and then when a transaction is completed the vendors unique identifier is also added into the data. Magnetic stripes do not do any of that, so that the transaction is way more secure when the data is sent into the system.

    Again, that's not exactly how it works, but it makes it a bit easier to understand it at a high level.

    EDIT: added a line of clarification

    The good thing about MST pay is they encrypt the data sent to the POS pad.

  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    Mugsley wrote: »
    I think the Target data breach was one of the catalysts to deploying chips in the US. At least from what I remember, it's partially what spurred enacting the law to make it mandatory.

    The US can really be a backwater for stupid shit sometimes.

    Related: I have yet to see a gas pump with a working chip reader here. Which is one of the reasons we still have people putting in swipe readers at pumps to steal numbers.

    I know the Target breach scared the shit out of best buy. Once that happened the company started really locking things down. We used to be able to take payments on our laptops, now it's all pinpad based.

    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    wunderbar wrote: »
    Delduwath wrote: »
    I think I still don't entirely follow, probably because I don't know enough about the technical workings of paying via magnetic swipe. Why does encoding the vendor's identity in the transaction matter? And how is that different from what happens when paying via swipe?

    Maybe I'm not thinking of the right kinds of fraud. I guess I'm imagining someone duplicating my card and then going on a shopping spree somewhere, which is probably very simplistic and naive and not how actual fraud happens.

    replicating a chip is hard, as can cloning NFC data, but can be done. chips and NFC have way more protections than a magnetic stripe does.

    This is not exactly how it works, but for simplicity sake think of it this way. A magnetic stripe is like a plain text password. your account information is readable by anyone who can read the stripe. a chip or NFC module are encrypted, and have a unique identifier in them, and then when a transaction is completed the vendors unique identifier is also added into the data. Magnetic stripes do not do any of that, so that the transaction is way more secure when the data is sent into the system.

    Again, that's not exactly how it works, but it makes it a bit easier to understand it at a high level.

    EDIT: added a line of clarification

    The good thing about MST pay is they encrypt the data sent to the POS pad.

    and then the data is still sent in the clear to the bank because that's how swipe works.

    XBL: thewunderbar PSN: thewunderbar NNID: thewunderbar Steam: wunderbar87 Twitter: wunderbar
  • jungleroomxjungleroomx It's never too many graves, it's always not enough shovels Registered User regular
    wunderbar wrote: »
    wunderbar wrote: »
    Delduwath wrote: »
    I think I still don't entirely follow, probably because I don't know enough about the technical workings of paying via magnetic swipe. Why does encoding the vendor's identity in the transaction matter? And how is that different from what happens when paying via swipe?

    Maybe I'm not thinking of the right kinds of fraud. I guess I'm imagining someone duplicating my card and then going on a shopping spree somewhere, which is probably very simplistic and naive and not how actual fraud happens.

    replicating a chip is hard, as can cloning NFC data, but can be done. chips and NFC have way more protections than a magnetic stripe does.

    This is not exactly how it works, but for simplicity sake think of it this way. A magnetic stripe is like a plain text password. your account information is readable by anyone who can read the stripe. a chip or NFC module are encrypted, and have a unique identifier in them, and then when a transaction is completed the vendors unique identifier is also added into the data. Magnetic stripes do not do any of that, so that the transaction is way more secure when the data is sent into the system.

    Again, that's not exactly how it works, but it makes it a bit easier to understand it at a high level.

    EDIT: added a line of clarification

    The good thing about MST pay is they encrypt the data sent to the POS pad.

    and then the data is still sent in the clear to the bank because that's how swipe works.

    Yes, with a dummy account number

  • DhalphirDhalphir don't you open that trapdoor you're a fool if you dareRegistered User regular
    OnePlus 7 rumours starting; https://ausdroid.net/2019/01/13/oneplus-7-no-notch-no-cutout/

    Looks like if these are accurate, they're going mass market with the motorised camera from the Oppo Find X.

    Mugsley
  • tsmvengytsmvengy Registered User regular
    Need to get a new phone, currently we have the Nexus 5X which has served us well. Any thoughts on phones in the $200-250 range?

    Nokia 6.1 and Moto G6 seem like contenders, anything else I should look at? We have AT&T.

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  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    edited January 2019
    OG Pixel and Pixel XL should be in that price range, and very solid options. Also maybe the LG V20(?)

    Mugsley on
  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    I've wanted to buy my mother a Nokia 6.1 to replace her Lumia 635, but they haven't been $180 since the end of the holiday sale. Opportunity missed. Now I have to play the waiting game.

  • MegaMan001MegaMan001 CRNA Rochester, MNRegistered User regular
    All right if I buy a Google Pixel 3 directly from Google, how do I get it activated on Verizon?

    I'm looking forward to getting rid of all those Verizon apps.

    I am in the business of saving lives.
  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    In could be wrong, but you should just have to plug your Verizon SIM in and everything will be aces.

  • tsmvengytsmvengy Registered User regular
    Mugsley wrote: »
    OG Pixel and Pixel XL should be in that price range, and very solid options. Also maybe the LG V20(?)

    You can still buy an OG pixel somewhere?

    steam_sig.png
  • JazzJazz Registered User regular
    tsmvengy wrote: »
    Mugsley wrote: »
    OG Pixel and Pixel XL should be in that price range, and very solid options. Also maybe the LG V20(?)

    You can still buy an OG pixel somewhere?

    Same for the V20?

    Both solid choices if you can, though.

  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    edited January 2019
    I've had very good experience with the secondary market. I know some of you are a bit leery about it, and that is totally understandable.

    My Pixel XL I got in June was via an Ebay seller and did not ship with a box.

    And as evidence from earlier in the thread, I was able to find a really great deal on a Pixel 3 by poking through Ebay (from someone who bought one for their son and the son went back to iPhone; this phone I received in the box with all its retail additions).

    Swappa and Gazelle have pretty good reputation as reselling sites as well.

    I'm just giving other options besides brand new in that price range; because otherwise you end up with a phone that lacks or has a lower tier of major features (i.e. less RAM, lower tier CPU, etc.).

    Related, I guess, I believe Samsung sells the J9 which is a "value" version of the S9.

    Mugsley on
  • MegaMan001MegaMan001 CRNA Rochester, MNRegistered User regular
    Mugsley wrote: »
    In could be wrong, but you should just have to plug your Verizon SIM in and everything will be aces.

    That's what I thought but can anyone confirm this?

    I am in the business of saving lives.
  • m!ttensm!ttens he/himRegistered User regular
    MegaMan001 wrote: »
    Mugsley wrote: »
    In could be wrong, but you should just have to plug your Verizon SIM in and everything will be aces.

    That's what I thought but can anyone confirm this?

    That's how it worked for my phone, though it was an AT&T sim card instead.

    Krieghund
  • tsmvengytsmvengy Registered User regular
    Mugsley wrote: »
    I've had very good experience with the secondary market. I know some of you are a bit leery about it, and that is totally understandable.

    My Pixel XL I got in June was via an Ebay seller and did not ship with a box.

    And as evidence from earlier in the thread, I was able to find a really great deal on a Pixel 3 by poking through Ebay (from someone who bought one for their son and the son went back to iPhone; this phone I received in the box with all its retail additions).

    Swappa and Gazelle have pretty good reputation as reselling sites as well.

    I'm just giving other options besides brand new in that price range; because otherwise you end up with a phone that lacks or has a lower tier of major features (i.e. less RAM, lower tier CPU, etc.).

    Related, I guess, I believe Samsung sells the J9 which is a "value" version of the S9.

    Looks like Amazon has refurbs of them which may be the way to go.

    steam_sig.png
  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    Yes but Verizon were complete assholes about SIM cards until very recently because CDMA and because retention and because 'fuck you.'

    There are 2 easy checks:

    1) get an old phone from a friend or family member and see if you can swap SIMs and not have an issue

    2) call VZW and tell them your aunt got your grandpa a phone for his bday ("yeah I know, but he's really taken to it and he likes seeing the grandkids via Duo/Skype/FaceTime") and you are calling to check whether any additional steps need to be taken. And remember, if the ruse gets out of hand, just hang up

  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    I got a Pixel 3 XL and didn't have to do anything to unlock it. I stuck my SIM in and it worked like a charm. The VZW stuff was only around launch and they backed off hard after people bitched. I bought mine outright and they told me I'd have to activate it first on VZW and then 24 hours later the phone would unlock, but I didn't even have to do that.

    For reference, I have Simple Mobile which is just a pay as you go service with prices like Virgin but without Virgin's dumb SIM-less crap.

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  • MegaMan001MegaMan001 CRNA Rochester, MNRegistered User regular
    I got a Pixel 3 XL and didn't have to do anything to unlock it. I stuck my SIM in and it worked like a charm. The VZW stuff was only around launch and they backed off hard after people bitched. I bought mine outright and they told me I'd have to activate it first on VZW and then 24 hours later the phone would unlock, but I didn't even have to do that.

    For reference, I have Simple Mobile which is just a pay as you go service with prices like Virgin but without Virgin's dumb SIM-less crap.

    Thank you so much. I'll take the jump and order one from Google. Bold new day.

    I am in the business of saving lives.
  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    Pixel 3/3XL owners, what are your experiences with screen protectors? The one I have now has a pretty bad rainbow effect in the middle and I have occasional input issues (mostly on the edges but not exclusively; the 1 key is a particular bitch)

    I'll try to add a link later of what I have and what I'm considering as a replacement

  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    I'm just using the Zagg, I haven't noticed any issues other than that, when paired with the official cases from Google (the fabric-y ones) the edges of the screen protectors are massive dust magnets and it drives me crazy. Other than that it's working seemingly fine. I usually don't bother with cases or protectors but this is a more expensive phone than I normally use.

    It's a shame the glass back is so easily scratched, it feels super nice not in a case; but on the other hand, I've already dropped this phone from about 3 feet once in the month I've had it so it's worth it.

    I also picked up the Pixel Stand and I'm liking it a lot. It's nice for having next to the bed so I can toss it on there quickly without futzing for a wire and go to sleep. I already have a ton of Google Home stuff, I may have a problem.

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  • DhalphirDhalphir don't you open that trapdoor you're a fool if you dareRegistered User regular
    I'm thinking about going for a skin on my phone.

    The skin doesn't protect against drops, of course, but I've never dropped a phone so that's not a big concern. My cases do tend to get pretty scratched up, but that's from regular wear and abrasion in pockets/on surfaces, etc, which the skin will protect against.

  • LD50LD50 Registered User regular
    I'm just using the Zagg, I haven't noticed any issues other than that, when paired with the official cases from Google (the fabric-y ones) the edges of the screen protectors are massive dust magnets and it drives me crazy. Other than that it's working seemingly fine. I usually don't bother with cases or protectors but this is a more expensive phone than I normally use.

    It's a shame the glass back is so easily scratched, it feels super nice not in a case; but on the other hand, I've already dropped this phone from about 3 feet once in the month I've had it so it's worth it.

    I also picked up the Pixel Stand and I'm liking it a lot. It's nice for having next to the bed so I can toss it on there quickly without futzing for a wire and go to sleep. I already have a ton of Google Home stuff, I may have a problem.

    Nah. I bought a Home and some Hue bulbs in 2018 and that was the best purchase I made that year.

  • NEO|PhyteNEO|Phyte They follow the stars, bound together. Strands in a braid till the end.Registered User regular
    My phone has decided to start saving pictures in whatever format .webp is supposed to be. It was a .png on the page I snagged it from, not sure where or why the format change is happening. Browser is whichever version of chrome is on a pixel 2

    It was that somehow, from within the derelict-horror, they had learned a way to see inside an ugly, broken thing... And take away its pain.
    Warframe/Steam: NFyt
  • LD50LD50 Registered User regular
    NEO|Phyte wrote: »
    My phone has decided to start saving pictures in whatever format .webp is supposed to be. It was a .png on the page I snagged it from, not sure where or why the format change is happening. Browser is whichever version of chrome is on a pixel 2

    Is it actually a png or was it a webp image with the wrong extension?

  • NEO|PhyteNEO|Phyte They follow the stars, bound together. Strands in a braid till the end.Registered User regular
    https://us.v-cdn.net/5018289/uploads/editor/ma/36gcdiiingrg.png is the URL, I think that's something uploaded to Vanilla?

    It was that somehow, from within the derelict-horror, they had learned a way to see inside an ugly, broken thing... And take away its pain.
    Warframe/Steam: NFyt
  • LD50LD50 Registered User regular
    NEO|Phyte wrote: »
    https://us.v-cdn.net/5018289/uploads/editor/ma/36gcdiiingrg.png is the URL, I think that's something uploaded to Vanilla?

    It is most definitely actually a webp.

  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    I feel like I may be looking in the wrong place on my phone, but I want the Pulse app to save local copies of MMS images. However, I can't seem to find the option. Poking through the phone via ESFileExplorer hasn't yielded any help.

    I'm nearly certain this used to be an option for the app but it's not impossible I'm confusing Pulse with Textra in that regard.

  • furlionfurlion Riskbreaker Lea MondeRegistered User regular
    I know for the Google messenger app you have to click on each image and save to device.

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  • BarrakkethBarrakketh Registered User regular
    Mugsley wrote: »
    I feel like I may be looking in the wrong place on my phone, but I want the Pulse app to save local copies of MMS images. However, I can't seem to find the option. Poking through the phone via ESFileExplorer hasn't yielded any help.

    I'm nearly certain this used to be an option for the app but it's not impossible I'm confusing Pulse with Textra in that regard.
    The MMS messages (and images) are, AFAIK, stored in a database (and unless your phone is rooted I don't think you can access it directly).

    Textra definitely has that as an option, you can long-press an image and pick "Save to Gallery" from the overflow menu or press the down arrow when you open a conversation and pick "Media" to see all images from that conversation and select the ones you want to save from there.

    Rollers are red, chargers are blue....omae wa mou shindeiru
  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    I can still save images individually; I was hoping I could have all images saved automatically. Then I can use Photos to curate and backup as needed.

  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    @Dhalphir my Pixel 3 is currently also an Ironman of battery usage. 35h of use on a full charge with 3-4h SOT

  • The_SpaniardThe_Spaniard It's never lupines Irvine, CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    edited January 2019
    I just had a spam caller bust through my silent mode to make my phone ring. Has anyone ever heard of this happening? I had it happen once a few years ago and thought it was a fluke until it just happened again right now in the office. I have a do not disturb app that sets all my notifications and calls to vibrate during work hours, but my phone just rang full blast with a scam call. I had a co-worker call me afterwards just to make sure that the do not disturb was functioning correctly and his call made my phone vibrate as it is supposed to.

    This is a new level of spam/scam call a-holery BS.

    The_Spaniard on
    Playstation/Origin/GoG: Span_Wolf Xbox/uPlay/Bnet: SpanWolf Nintendo: Span_Wolf SW-7097-4917-9392 Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/Span_Wolf/
  • NEO|PhyteNEO|Phyte They follow the stars, bound together. Strands in a braid till the end.Registered User regular
    That sounds like some BS, can't say as I've encountered any such thing, but if you've only had it twice over a period of years, may not be common. Do you have any numbers/contacts that are allowed through DnD mode? Main thing I can think of is there's some way to spoof however that is determined on the inbound side.

    It was that somehow, from within the derelict-horror, they had learned a way to see inside an ugly, broken thing... And take away its pain.
    Warframe/Steam: NFyt
  • The_SpaniardThe_Spaniard It's never lupines Irvine, CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    NEO|Phyte wrote: »
    That sounds like some BS, can't say as I've encountered any such thing, but if you've only had it twice over a period of years, may not be common. Do you have any numbers/contacts that are allowed through DnD mode? Main thing I can think of is there's some way to spoof however that is determined on the inbound side.

    I couldn't imagine what causes it or how it's done, but the only times that this has ever happened were both when I got calls from scammers/spammers and each time was with a different DnD app on at the time. Otherwise my phone has always sent calls and notifications to vibrate when people text/call.

    Playstation/Origin/GoG: Span_Wolf Xbox/uPlay/Bnet: SpanWolf Nintendo: Span_Wolf SW-7097-4917-9392 Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/Span_Wolf/
  • mtsmts Dr. Robot King Registered User regular
    I know my old phone it had a setting that allowed phone calls to bypass dnd mode if they called back repeatedly within a certain amount of time. Basically a this is an emergency trying to contact you. Wonder if that was exploited somehow

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    ShadowfireAyulin
  • Fartacus_the_MightyFartacus_the_Mighty Brought to you by the letter A.Registered User regular
    mts wrote: »
    I know my old phone it had a setting that allowed phone calls to bypass dnd mode if they called back repeatedly within a certain amount of time. Basically a this is an emergency trying to contact you. Wonder if that was exploited somehow

    I'd been wondering why so many spam calls I get would call once, hang up after half a ring, then immediately call again. Now I know!

    Spoit
  • LD50LD50 Registered User regular
    I am surprised you guys get so many spam calls. Android has been doing a really good job detecting spam calls for me, and my phone doesn't even ring for them anymore.

  • Local H JayLocal H Jay Registered User regular
    I love the call screening feature on Pixel 3, even if one gets by I don't even have to pickup. And then after a few robot on robot calls, they stop calling :D

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  • DouglasDangerDouglasDanger PennsylvaniaRegistered User regular
    Campy wrote: »
    Does anyone have any tips for making my phone's Bluetooth connections be more consistent? Not too long ago, it was very good, very reliable

    I could sync my Fitbit no problem, use the Bluetooth connection between phone and car to have conversations, that's about it I guess

    Lately, it won't sync my Fitbit and it continually drops the connection with my car to the point that it's not usable

    I have a Moto G5 Plus, Android 8.1.0

    I'm afraid I'm no help myself, but the Android thread over in Moe's Tech tavern might be more knowledgeable.

    Do any of y'all have any advice?

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