Messages

1

Gemini PDA - Android / GPS not working

« on: August 11, 2018, 03:55:25 am »

AIUI There are essentially three methods of getting location

1 - GPS (does Gemini also support GLONAS - my Samsung Phone does??)
2 - Network Location from GSM network it you have 4G Gemini obviously
3 - Network location from Wifi

GPS ONLY
If you just use GPS it needs to see the sky - GPS data comes from the satellite at approximately 45 baud - so from a cold start (no history) it can take a minute to locate you - longer if not a full view of the sky.  Once it locates you it continues to download the info on satellite orbits for the area you are in, thus if you turn on again within ~100 miles  it will get a quick fix.  Downloading at 45 baud can take 45 mins to get a full dataset for the next month or so.  - this is how traditional "stand alone" GPS work.   If you move hundreds of miles or don't use for a few months it's like a cold start again.  

The cheat to this is to use AGPS - the orbital data is downloaded via the internet - much faster!  

Put on a decent GPS app like GPSstatus if you want to see more - it will let you load/reset the AGPS
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?...psim.gpsstatus2


NETWORK-GSM
Triangulation from the 4G cell towers - can range in accuracy from a few km to 50m needs 4G signal but no internat

NETWORK-WIFI.   Google has a database of WiFi mac address and location - it uses this and some cloud based algorithms to work out location.  The database come form the billions of android phones out there with a GPS and WiFi which are constantly sniffing for WiFi and location.    This is the "collect anonymous location data" warning you get when turning it on.

Google Location services combines all the above - e.g. using the WiFi to kick start the GPS with an approximate location,  I think it also uses the accelerometer and/or compass to dead recon small changes in location avoiding using GPS to save power.  


Corrections and clarifications welcome!

2

Gemini PDA - Android / How likely is Android 8 really?

« on: August 11, 2018, 03:22:33 am »

To be fair to the OP, you have the issue of security with outdated Android installs. That's the main reason why I'd want to see Android 8 on Gemini. It's not about the features, it's about the security.

I am no expert on this but in my experience there is a difference between "new release" and "security" - My Samsung phone  was originally Android 5.  After a few months It got Android 6 over the air (with a constant nagging to upgrade to A6).   - I continue to get updates to A6,  these have no new functionality so  I assume bug fixes and  security patches,  few months even though there is no push to Android 7 - presumably because the phone hardware can not support it?    My husband has same phone purchased about 6 months after mine - it came with A6 when new and gets updates.

I am not really bothered about Android 8 - to me the real question is how long there will be security updates to A7 (if at all!)  - There are perhaps two factors influincing it

1 - How long Google provide them
2 - How long Planet are prepared to "implement" and "push" them?

Other views particularly from Planet welcome

3

Gemini PDA - Android / [GUIDE] How to remove ALL spyware from Gemini! (Google, MTK)

« on: August 09, 2018, 04:53:04 pm »

I don't do porn, I'm faithful to my wife,

Me and the husband watched it together, under the covers - but I am I'm sure someone somewhere knows.  perhaps because he refused to wear a tin foil hat?

But seriously why do these threads relating to Google apps seem to morph into the rights and wrongs of Google?

4

Gemini PDA - Android / Wifi calling

« on: August 09, 2018, 04:47:55 pm »

Hi guys, first post. I have a nasty feeling that this has been done a hundred times already, but I couldn't find it on the forum. Here goes...

I'm in an area with no cellular signal, but I have a nice new Planet Computers Gemini and a BT wifi router. According to BT, I can use 'wifi callling' to enable incoming calls to my cellphone number to be routed to wifi and thus to my Gemini.

But, in order to do that, I have to enable wifi calling, and I can't find how to do that on the Gemini's Android implementation. Can anyone help?

Best, NP.

Can't answer directly but perhaps a with a bit more info others can...

It's an international forum,  "BT" = British Telecom? (although you say "cellphone" rather than "mobile" so perhaps not  ) or Bluetooth or ....

In the UK this was possible on EE (network operator) but only on phones with their firmware   You might need an app from BT?  sounds like more of a question for google...
http://home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/phones-tab...-11364261945076

5

Gemini PDA - Android / Cell Standby? (and other glitches)

« on: July 23, 2018, 04:18:20 pm »

Looking at my battery usage, I see "Cell Standby" as the second-highest usage after the screen.  From a web search, this seems to be a utility looking for a strong cell signal.  Strange... because my unit is WiFi only!

Anybody have an explanation?  And know how I might  get rid of it?  (I'm fairly sure it wasn't there the previous time I looked, though I suppose I could have missed it.)

The WiFi thinking it's a phone has been reported a few times for various reasons so I am not too surprised by this - have you read this thread
where renaming a binary does the trick (but you need to be Root). For me this resulted in a 10x reduction in battery use during standby - I did all the measuring using Better Battery Stats so can't remember if it showed "Cell Standby" or not -

I have just looked on my WiFi only Gemini now - been on for 1 day 9 hours, with Wifi off and  a bit of use watching iPlayer on a flight it averages as  0.7%/hour  - the only two things showing on the standard battery monitor are screen 24% and Google Play Services (1%)

6

Gemini PDA - Android / Android Rooted/Unrooted Partitioning

« on: July 20, 2018, 08:19:16 am »

As far as I know it's one android installation.  The boot.img differs so you can either boot in rooted or unrooted mode, everything else remains constant.

Thanks, however when I installed them neither were rooted, I ran Magisk and now both are rooted. Is there a way to unroot the one image?

This has also confused me for some time.  Firstly I think (correct me if wrong) there are TWO ways of getting a rooted system

OPTION1 - Install the dual/tri boot option using the Web partitioning tool.

OPTION2- use the normal stock Android and install Magisk manager and then somehow use this to root the device - I am not very clear on this, perhaps someone can explain step by step what they did

I went with option 1 - normal boot is rooted,  silver button and power is non rooted.  When I downloaded all the files from Gemini I did a diff on them - the difference in the scatter file was there was a different boot image listed for the root one.  Everything else is the same.  So I think I have the same files in both modes but can only change the protected part of them in root mode?

I installed Magist manager as this has has the SU manager on it- i.e. a box pops up when an app wants root access.  And also one of the rootchecker apps off the play store - this correctly shows root / non root depending on how I boot.

7

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Dual sim options

« on: July 20, 2018, 07:59:30 am »

I think the answer depends on why do you need 2 SIM's, some thoughts...

Assuming - at least in the UK - for none of the [consumer] carriers support eSIM...

2 Numbers - on at the same time - select a carrier that will let you have 2 numbers

2 Numbers - switchable,  you might be able to use an adaptor as isuethis says.  For travelling  have one in a old Nokia phone that takes 2 nano sims and fits in a normal SIM sized works great (one UK sim one French SIM ).  It's tight fit though and might not fit the Gemini   Quality varies a lot though the 1.99 ones on ebay are probably not that reliable.  Some use SIM toolkit menu other older ones have a tiny switch.  you could always metal bash the Gemini a bit - or perhaps not  

Low tec Solution for traveling - stick the second SIM inside the case and change when you get there...

Better network coverage - there are now a few MVNO's that roam networks within country e.g. Anywhere SIM https://anywheresim.com/ or Pebble https://pebblenetwork.ltd.uk/

8

Gemini PDA - Android / Battery Consumption in Standby

« on: July 20, 2018, 03:45:20 am »

What it's renamed to does not matter,  I added "00_RENAME_" prefix so I could find it again if I needed to change back...

With WiFi on and not connected I get 0.5%/hr so in summary with the lide closed and the Gemini sat idle on a table overnight (and no additional power management apps) I get

WiFi On and connected 1.4%/hr
WiFi On not connected 0.5%/hr
WiFi Off 0.4%/hr

So the workround by s1b1 seems to work but only for Rooted devices.  FWIW I will drop an email to Planet as I think it's a bug on the WiFi Only image.

Naptime builds on Google's Doze functionality in simple terms gives you more options to turn off features that use power faster but this means some things might not work.  If you have an automation  program like MacroDroid or Tasker you could do similar things like if screen off for 5 mins turn off WiFi.  On screen on turn on WiFi.

Of course then things like WatsApp and Telegram will not work, so it's a trade off between functionality and battery life.  I bought my Gemini more as a small PC than a phone so I can live with it in a deep sleep when in my  bag.  If you bought yours as a comms device your view may be different...

9

Gemini PDA - Android / Battery Consumption in Standby

« on: July 18, 2018, 01:03:42 pm »

THANKS!  I also tried renaming the file and consumption has indeed improved significantly.  Before  I was getting 4.5%/hour now with WiFi off I get 0.4% per hour on an overnight run.  With WiFi on and connected I get 1.4% /hour.  Will try with WiFi on and not connected overnight

WiFi OFF

WiFi ON Connected
 [ Invalid Attachment ]

What exactly does the offending file do?

10

Gemini PDA - Android / Planet's Agenda app released

« on: July 17, 2018, 03:01:27 pm »

I installed the app, but when I run it, it insists that I sign in to my Google account. I don't use Google Calendar or Contacts, and the apps I currently use - Business Calendar and the stock Calendar app - don't need access to my Google account. I don't understand why Agenda does need it.

As I'm currently using the Gemini without using my Google account, it looks like I'll have to give Agenda a miss until / unless Planet change this feature / bug  Which is a shame, because from the reviews I have seen it looks good.

Pete

It needs an account to sync with it does not need to be a google account.  I  use DavDroid on the gemini to sync contacts and calander with fastmail.uk via CalDAV once installed DAVDroid just appears as a account.  There are quite a few providers using CalDAV or you can always set up your own OwnCloud server if you really want to.

See below Google a/c is for playstore Davdroid for calander and contacts on Fastmail.
 [ Invalid Attachment ]

11

Gemini PDA - Android / Contacts App on WiFi Only?

« on: July 14, 2018, 02:53:16 pm »

I have WiFi only Gemini and can't find the contacts app.  I apprecaite it's not a phone but previously I have owned WiFi  Tablets  by Samsung and Google Nexus and there was always a contacts app.  e.g. for WatsApp and Telegram access to contacts would be good.  Or to simply look up a address to send a postcard...

Am I missing something obvious? What are others doing?

12

Gemini PDA - Android / Disable the eSIM status icon

« on: July 14, 2018, 02:30:03 pm »

I have wifi only and it shows eSIM!  see here
https://www.oesf.org/forum/index.php?showto...&hl=watsapp
for how to remove - don't know how this will work on a 4G model but might be worth a try?

13

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Electronic tickets, bording passes

« on: July 10, 2018, 03:23:18 pm »

As i'll be travelling soon i'm interested to know more, has anyone passed through Manchester to see how theirs work (been a long time since I flew from there..) ?

I was last in MAN-T3 Back in April, I assume the others terminals are the same, both the security gates to the search area and the boarding gates were of the "lay it flat on the glass type"   I will actually be passing through T2 on Sunday, will have paper copy of boarding pass as not taking gemini/laptop or smart phone where I am going.  Can experiment holding it some distance form the scanner and see what happens and report back here

UPDATE Manchester T1 is indeed same at T3 I held the Easyjet boardng pass about 5 cm above the glass in the gate for the security areas (as if it were Gemini) it was not read by scanner.  had to lie face down on the glass.  Realise this is not defiitive proof but be careful and take paper copy if trying gemini.

BTW at 5:30 on Sunday morning  it took about an hour from bag drop through security to airsides. too  many people who only travel 1/year.  Allow plenty of time

14

Gemini PDA - Android / Why would I install Rooted Android

« on: July 05, 2018, 05:15:54 pm »

The name comes from "root" the all powerful super user account in Unix/Linux systems

In my case...

1 - It lets me use Proxydroid - I can used with a SSH tunnel sett up with connectbot to my own server to securely surf the web, essential in places I go.
2 - It lets automation apps like MacroDroid chnge certain system systems that are not otherwise available e.g. location settings.
3 -You can use your own firewall setitngs AFW+ for example
4 - If you can master the command line you can do many more things like disable some of the more intrusive Google stuff

Downside is you are taking on more of the management/risk of the device yourself.  Some things like banking apps or compliance apps you employer makes you install to access work email will no longer work (although there are ways of  hiding root from them).  You can mitigate some of the risks  by installoing a root manager like Magisk that allows you go grant root on a case by case basis

Note there is a half way house of using the ADB bridge software on the PC to change some settings with the device plugged into a cable rather than full root - try a search on your favorite search engine for "Android ADB Hacks"

15

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Electronic tickets, bording passes

« on: July 05, 2018, 06:49:17 am »

As i'll be travelling soon i'm interested to know more, has anyone passed through Manchester to see how theirs work (been a long time since I flew from there..) ?

I was last in MAN-T3 Back in April, I assume the others terminals are the same, both the security gates to the search area and the boarding gates were of the "lay it flat on the glass type"   I will actually be passing through T2 on Sunday, will have paper copy of boarding pass as not taking gemini/laptop or smart phone where I am going.  Can experiment holding it some distance form the scanner and see what happens and report back here