Database Develop

Backgrounder-like multitasking?

Hi, guys. I've noticed that with Android, all apps that are opened keep running even when you hit the home button. On my iPhone 4, I used an app called 'Backgrounder' where I could long press the home button to decide which apps would be 'backgrounded' like Android apps are. Is there a way to disable multitasking for all apps except the ones I choose? This would really save me some battery life.
Thanks.

try using the back button I think it works better than just hitting home, at least it does for me

^+1 use back button to close out apps you want closed and home for apps you want open. This is not 100%, but it will close out most of your apps
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HTC ONE task manager

Not sure if I am missing something but on my one s I had a task manager to see my running apps. Is there a task manager in this phone?
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double tap on Home button, there you go buddy
Sent from my HTC One

I have seen that and used that but even after removing them from there they seem to be still active for example I was on XDA app and double tapped home then removed it but it was still open. Tried it with Pandora and Google play music and neither stopped playing music after being removed.
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andyt315 said:
double tap on Home button, there you go buddy
Sent from my HTC One
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's not task manager dude, that's recently used apps.
You need to go into Settings -> Apps -> Running apps to see your running programs. however, it's quite generic. RomToolBox has a better task manager. I'm pretty sure any task manager is better than the stock.

Actually swiping away apps like that is a task manager of sorts. Back when Google first introduced the swipe away feature in android, they stated this action kills the apps activity but not it's service (if it has one), hence why the music app didn't stop playing music, because that's a service not an activity.

Customizing Gear - Null Rom, Notifications, Basic Questions

Hello
I recently acquired a Gear and have been reading, learning and working on it. I have a Verizon Note 2 running Alliance Rom (@beanstown). I've rooted the gear, installed TWRP and installed the latest Null (build 23). I was on V700XXUAMK7, although this morning it updated to V700XXUBNA3 via Gear.
So, first, just same basic questions:
1. Installing apps - once connected via BT DUN, I can install apps from playstore - so, I'm not clear what all the discussion is about pushing apks to the device and then installing them (?). The only thing that came up this morning was google voice app said it wasn't compatible with device, so obviously sideloading this would make sense.
2. Notifications - in almulder's tutorial, there are different tutorials/recommendations regarding notifications. I assume the stock gear notifications still work, plus using Nova's unread count shows gmail messages anyway. I just want to be notified when I receive a text, gmail or google voice message (see below).
3. Re installing stock ROM - is this done by just flashing a zip via TWRP or is this via Odin
4. Google now / voice search - doesn't seem to be working. It listens and translates the text but then nothing happens. I was testing it wanting to send a text. I guess S-Voice is what has to be used (?)
Customizing (why I really created this post):
Although Null ROM is obviously very cool - and the idea of having basically a full phone interface is cool, I just don't really need or want that on the watch. So, I'm trying to figure out the best way to customize the Null ROM to my desires. All I really want to do is to receive notifications of messages (gmail, sms, google voice) - AND reply to them, preferably via voice to text with minimal taps. I'd also like to be able to take photos and share them straight from watch. That's really it! I actually like the large icons of the original stock launcher, it's just missing the functionality.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts / experience.

I like what you are looking for, but I haven't seen a way to do most of what you are requesting. I'm really looking forward to the google wearables SDK that is supposed to come out in the next week or so. I'm hoping that will provide an answer for people looking for more functionality.

1. The play store is a memory hog so I removed it and just Bluetooth apks to the gear then install. Also found this to be quicker then trying to play around on the small screen.
2. From the gear manager app on your phone go to notifications then down the bottom you can select choose to receive notifications from more apps. This is how I got gmail to work.
3. Sorry can't help as I haven't looked back since installing null rom.
4. Once again can't help as I use s-voice
Customizing:
When flashing null rom you can choose not to install nova or Alex launcher. I would think you would lose some functionality though. I installed nova but mainly use the stock user interface and only go to nova to access things I can't access from stock ui.
I only use the gear for notifications and calls also. You can reply to msgs via text to speech from the options when you receive a notification on the gear.
I know the watch shares photos to the phone automatically but I'm not sure on how to share to say Facebook for example. You can share via Bluetooth to another device direct from the gear via the gallery.
Hope I have assisted with some of your queries and welcome to the world of the gear.
Sent from my GT-N7105T using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
---------- Post added at 08:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:36 PM ----------
I will add though if you plan on using your watch for anything that requires a keyboard, downloading Fleksy keyboard is a must. Makes life so much easier.
Sent from my GT-N7105T using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

AndiF85 said:
1. The play store is a memory hog so I removed it and just Bluetooth apks to the gear then install. Also found this to be quicker then trying to play around on the small screen.
2. From the gear manager app on your phone go to notifications then down the bottom you can select choose to receive notifications from more apps. This is how I got gmail to work.
3. Sorry can't help as I haven't looked back since installing null rom.
4. Once again can't help as I use s-voice
Customizing:
When flashing null rom you can choose not to install nova or Alex launcher. I would think you would lose some functionality though. I installed nova but mainly use the stock user interface and only go to nova to access things I can't access from stock ui.
I only use the gear for notifications and calls also. You can reply to msgs via text to speech from the options when you receive a notification on the gear.
I know the watch shares photos to the phone automatically but I'm not sure on how to share to say Facebook for example. You can share via Bluetooth to another device direct from the gear via the gallery.
Hope I have assisted with some of your queries and welcome to the world of the gear.
Sent from my GT-N7105T using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
---------- Post added at 08:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:36 PM ----------
I will add though if you plan on using your watch for anything that requires a keyboard, downloading Fleksy keyboard is a must. Makes life so much easier.
Sent from my GT-N7105T using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE!
I'm getting the hang of things. Now that I realize the "stock" rom is essentially the touchwiz home launcher with some apps things make more sense and I'm able to kind of have a hybrid between the stock and the null rom with nova. For the life of me I can't find any setting that allows me to reply from the touchwiz launcher when there are notifications. Using S-voice I can easily send a message and I even see the "quick" replies set up on the galaxy gear app on my phone, but, can't figure it out.
Anyway, thanks again - getting closer to good functionality.

Just having a look I think you can only use text to speech replies for text msgs. Should be in the options menu when viewing the msg on your gear.
Sent from my GT-N7105T using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

weather clock and null 23
My 3d weather clock suddenly stopped working. It's not the ram I was on null 19 and 15. I tried both several times and just left it with null23. Something is eating away at my ram. It's gotta be that. Any suggestions. If it means anything and probably not a coincidence that after I upgraded to 4.2.2 my battery is draining very very quickly. I saw on a thread the play store eats away at the battery so I'm going to take that out. Any suggestions?

[Q] New Gear User: Can't find installed apps

Hi XDA, I'm new to the gear and new to the forum. I just followed a guide on how to sideload apps using ADB. I am able to successfully install these apps, but am not able to see them on the list of apps on my phone or on my Gear when they are paired. If I disconnect the gear from my phone and reset the gear, I'm able to see these apps. Does anybody have any idea?
I also installed NOVA and then changed the default of the home button to always be touchwiz (since I want my Gear to be more like a watch and not a mini tablet), but have no way to go to Nova unless I disconnect and reset my Gear. Any ideas or help? Thanks.

I've noticed this too. My gut feeling is that its going into gear manager on my phone that does it as that only lists the conventionally installed apps rather than the side loaded ones.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app

I'm having the exact same issue.
If I reboot my watch with bluetooth off, my sideloaded apps show up with no issues. The second I enable bluetooth and my watch and phone connect, the apps get hidden. Are there any solutions to this problem?

[Q] looking for a way to add scrolling ability to side loaded APK's

..the reason is simple. For some apps, 320 x 320 resolution just doesn't cut it. For instance, an app that has a button to go to the next screen at the bottom of the screen, but since it's coded for a different resolution aspect, when side loaded on the Gear, the button is missing with no way to scroll down hence the app is useless.
Anyone know a good workaround / tweak ??

ukgearguy said:
..the reason is simple. For some apps, 320 x 320 resolution just doesn't cut it. For instance, an app that has a button to go to the next screen at the bottom of the screen, but since it's coded for a different resolution aspect, when side loaded on the Gear, the button is missing with no way to scroll down hence the app is useless.
Anyone know a good workaround / tweak ??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you running null Rom on your gear? If so use app settings in null settings. You can tweak dpi there. I believe it's an xposed mod

Thanks Santaclauswitz !
I will try that out! Thanks again.
(I am trying to make the android smartphone version of the BMW i Remote App usable on the Gear, as Samsung removed the app from the Gear App Store for the UK but I'm not sure about other regions. Can you see the BMW app in your Gear Apps store??)

ukgearguy said:
Thanks Santaclauswitz !
I will try that out! Thanks again.
(I am trying to make the android smartphone version of the BMW i Remote App usable on the Gear, as Samsung removed the app from the Gear App Store for the UK but I'm not sure about other regions. Can you see the BMW app in your Gear Apps store??)
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Click to collapse
Nah, I didn't see a gear specific bmw app. However..... Lol. Why not sideload the full app to the watch. If you've null you can just Bluetooth it across from your phone to the watch via a file manager on the phone. Null does have play store but some apps aren't available via play store or say incompatible. A lot of the time the work fine side loaded. Alternatively you could go for the gear to remote your phone. Use something like tasgear or autoremote to send messages through tasker. Phone side you'll probably be using autoinput through tasker. Press something on your watch and your phone switches on and does it all by magic lol.