Idol 4 6055u hidden update last week and File Manager is now like a 'Clean Master' clone with all the clean-your-phone and boost-your-phone notifications spam. And since there's no way to root it the app is not removable.
Anyone had any luck stabbing this one to death?
Sucks right? Mentioned it in a thread I made a few weeks back:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/idol-4s/help/alcatel-phone-t3634870
If possible, uninstalling updates or disabling the app should revert the app to its pre-spam state. If not, disabling the apps and using a less invasive file manager app is an option.
Alternatively a factory reset will return all system apps to their pre-spammy state if I recall correctly. From there, you can just avoid updating that individual app.
macallik said:
Sucks right? Mentioned it in a thread I made a few weeks back:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/idol-4s/help/alcatel-phone-t3634870
If possible, uninstalling updates or disabling the app should revert the app to its pre-spam state. If not, disabling the apps and using a less invasive file manager app is an option.
Alternatively a factory reset will return all system apps to their pre-spammy state if I recall correctly. From there, you can just avoid updating that individual app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately you can't disable the app, even though it appears you can under dev options (tried that, it just updates itself in the background again). Have tried uninstalling (updates) but it updates itself again and the spam reappears. It also places a perma-notification (can't slide off) at the top of the notifications.
BUT: The latest update to File Manager allows you to turn off notifications. Problem solved.
NOTE: You do have to give permissions for storage before you can get into the settings that allow turning off notifications/shortcuts.
This is well-known problem, ads presents in all latest preinstalled Acatel's apps updates: File Manager, Sound Recorder, Weather, Launcher and others. All of them puts notifications with spam-news and in some cases tries to change default homepage of Google Chrome browser. To prevent this need to do the following things:
1. Uninstall all updates of these apps to revert it to stock-state.
2. Deny auto update of these apps in Google Play.
3. Deny auto update of system apps in standart Update application.
DeckerSU said:
This is well-known problem, ads presents in all latest preinstalled Acatel's apps updates: File Manager, Sound Recorder, Weather, Launcher and others. All of them puts notifications with spam-news and in some cases tries to change default homepage of Google Chrome browser. To prevent this need to do the following things:
1. Uninstall all updates of these apps to revert it to stock-state.
2. Deny auto update of these apps in Google Play.
3. Deny auto update of system apps in standart Update application.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, following these steps I think I got them tamed. Not all the apps show up in Google Play but disabling auto-update in 'Updates' (Alcatel's version) should take care of those...
yosemite610 said:
Thanks, following these steps I think I got them tamed. Not all the apps show up in Google Play but disabling auto-update in 'Updates' (Alcatel's version) should take care of those...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Several of Alcatel's Apps updates throught Google Play and other via Updates app. For example, sound recorder updates via Google Play. If it's already updated - just remove updates and Google Play app for Sound Recorder and forbid / deny future updates. In 'Updates' need to forbid updates of system apps too. I already done all of this steps for each preinstalled app which tries to update - all fine. There is no any unwanted push notifications.
Rip ._. I hate this phone so much.
They are pathetic. Updating all apps and adding ads to them.
DeckerSU said:
Several of Alcatel's Apps updates throught Google Play and other via Updates app. For example, sound recorder updates via Google Play. If it's already updated - just remove updates and Google Play app for Sound Recorder and forbid / deny future updates. In 'Updates' need to forbid updates of system apps too. I already done all of this steps for each preinstalled app which tries to update - all fine. There is no any unwanted push notifications.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the tips and detailed info @DeckerSU. I had begun to prepare to unlock, root, and flash a custom ROM due to this adware and push notification nonsense. Up until the recent app updates, I had truly enjoyed the clean, stock android UI experience on my idol3 ... now I can relax again, the aggravation of those push notifications is gone!
DeckerSU said:
This is well-known problem, ads presents in all latest preinstalled Acatel's apps updates: File Manager, Sound Recorder, Weather, Launcher and others. All of them puts notifications with spam-news and in some cases tries to change default homepage of Google Chrome browser. To prevent this need to do the following things:
1. Uninstall all updates of these apps to revert it to stock-state.
2. Deny auto update of these apps in Google Play.
3. Deny auto update of system apps in standart Update application.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you, I hadn't thought of step 3
I signed in just to thank you
edit: just realized this thread is for idol 4s, but it applied to my idol 3..
I didn't realize this is a problem on later phones.. so messed up
Very bad, all those spamming programs on a phone we paid for. They beter come out with a recent
Android update. Its a Shame for the alcatel brand.
DeckerSU said:
This is well-known problem, ads presents in all latest preinstalled Acatel's apps updates: File Manager, Sound Recorder, Weather, Launcher and others. All of them puts notifications with spam-news and in some cases tries to change default homepage of Google Chrome browser. To prevent this need to do the following things:
1. Uninstall all updates of these apps to revert it to stock-state.
2. Deny auto update of these apps in Google Play.
3. Deny auto update of system apps in standart Update application.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the tips! I was starting to think I would have to root the device... Very dissapointing to see this kind of behaviour from Alcatel
Cheers
It may be worse than you think!
It's bad enough for a SYSTEM app to be serving up potentially malicious advertising that could Pwn your device, but it ventures deep into dark waters if that SYSTEM app has the Facebook "Graph" API inside of it that could allow a developer (or in this case your Chinese phone manufacturer) to use your Facebook access token to pillage through your Facebook account and look through your photos, tags, pages visited, URL's, or even create Facebook posts or messages on your behalf!
Sound crazy?
Take a look at the Facebook "Graph" developer site for yourself:
https://developers.facebook.com/docs/graph-api/using-graph-api/
And if someone was familiar with some open source tools that could allow them to look inside an Android app:
https://github.com/iBotPeaches/Apktool
https://github.com/pxb1988/dex2jar
https://github.com/sreenivasmula/JDGUI
http://www.7-zip.org/download.html
That person might look to see if the app has the Facebook Graph API inside of it:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jrdcom.filemanager&hl=en
Any one have a custom rom? Like Lineage or CM or AOSP any other one except the crapy stock rom?
Not good enough!
I no longer trust ANYTHING that is installed on my Alcatel device after the recent adware/spyware "upgrades"!
I installed TWRP and the (unofficial) Lineage ROM until I get a different phone all together.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/id...ficial-lineageos-14-1-idol36045x-5-5-t3615700
I will NEVER purchase another Alcatel device as long as I live and I will advise all my friends and family and anyone else that will listen to avoid Alcatel as well.
I also suggest that anyone with a stock Alcatel device not to use any "widgets" that create shortcuts that may use your access tokens for Facebook and/or Twitter until we know what is going on.
The Facebook Graph API on a native app has a greater access level than a web application and the token(s) don't expire for 60 days and can be extended.
I advise people to avoid logging in to apps or websites with their social media and/or Google credentials and to change your passwords and set up 2 factor authentication and remove any apps associated with your social media accounts.
Wtf
yosemite610 said:
Idol 4 6055u hidden update last week and File Manager is now like a 'Clean Master' clone with all the clean-your-phone and boost-your-phone notifications spam. And since there's no way to root it the app is not removable.
Anyone had any luck stabbing this one to death?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That update is from google play store! Not from alcatel.... Uninstall updates and don't let google play do whatever it wants in your phone!
That update is from google play store! Not from alcatel....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The update may have come the Google Play Store but is every bit Alcatel!
The "boost" function comes from TCL (Alcatel) owned Hawk app's "Super Cleaner" and the antivirus function comes from Hawk's Hi Security app that uses McAfee technology.
http://www.ehawk.com/en/
Can you help me to unlock a sharp phone?
DeckerSU said:
This is well-known problem, ads presents in all latest preinstalled Acatel's apps updates: File Manager, Sound Recorder, Weather, Launcher and others. All of them puts notifications with spam-news and in some cases tries to change default homepage of Google Chrome browser. To prevent this need to do the following things:
1. Uninstall all updates of these apps to revert it to stock-state.
2. Deny auto update of these apps in Google Play.
3. Deny auto update of system apps in standart Update application.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you help me to unlock a sharp phone?
I have the modem.elf file.
Following the advice on this thread, I was able to revert to the old versions of these apps back in October, and my phone stayed usable from then until about 2 weeks ago. Suddenly, the "updates" installed themselves (as part of a "critical system update" that I was notified my phone needed, and now, I don't have the option to uninstall the updates (or rather, it uninstalls to another spammy, bloatware version, not to the factory original).
Any ideas on what I can do now? Or is it time to throw this phone in the trash, and get one from a company that doesn't do this?
critical system update
Following the advice on this thread, I was able to revert to the old versions of these apps back in October, and my phone stayed usable from then until about 2 weeks ago. Suddenly, the "updates" installed themselves (as part of a "critical system update" that I was notified my phone needed, and now, I don't have the option to uninstall the updates (or rather, it uninstalls to another spammy, bloatware version, not to the factory original).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have got to be kidding me!
Now Alcatel and McAfee are tricking users into installing their adware/spyware through the use of fake "critical update" patches?
I think it is high time to do a complete breakdown/inspection of the app and do a full public disclosure.
It isn't surprising that Alcatel would infect a users phone with adware/spyware but for a so-called "security" company like McAfee to be involved is both frightening and disturbing.
I like to run stock Google apps, like Google Messages, and Google Calendar, etc.... Can those be dark themed when applying a full system theme ?
Like here are some Substratum themes, that are supposed to work on the N8, like this one;
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...bstratum&hl=en
Since this Theme is made for Nexus / Pixel phones running stock Android, as well as now made to work for the Galaxy S8 / Note 8 line. Can this theme darken everything installed on the phone ? The Samsung apps, as well as any stock Google apps installed on the N8 ?
I don't own a Note 8 yet, but thinking of getting one, and this Swift Dark theme is my fav theme. Just want to make sure it themes both the Samsung apps as well the Google apps.
Did some YouTube searching last night, and it seems Substratum does allow theming of Google apps you install, like Google Calendar, but will also theme the phones stock Samsung Calendar as well.
Is that true ?
They can, with substratum you can theme just about anything. Just beware they will fc after they receive updates via the play store, most developers are on top of it though so you should be fine
I'm trying to get GMail dark theme working on my rooted XZ1C. I'm currently on Android 8, but it sounds like official Google support for dark GMail is only for Android 10:
https://twitter.com/gmail/status/1181600018316320773
So I figure since I'm rooted, there must be a workaround. Well, there is, but it requires Xposed:
https://repo.xposed.info/module/com.alex193a.gmdtenabler
I do not currently have Xposed installed and I remember back when I was rooting (with J4nn's tools), there were issues with Xposed and this phone that resulted in bootloops. I didn't find anything that indicates this was ever resolved.
Anyone have any ideas on how to either get GMail dark theme or Xposed? Apparently, all that is required to force GMail into enabling the dark theme menu item is modifying an XML file FlagPrefs.xml (which I've already done) and tricking the OS to report API >= 29 (that's what the Xposed module does).
If you are rooted, then just use substratum theme engine. Personally I used swift dark. You can get swiftdark as a standalone app too.
Personally i did not enjoy having to update all the overlays for each update of an app, which is the case with custom overlays.. The Outlook app has dark theme, and supports Gmail, so I'm using this now.
@Dean F - Thanks for the reply. I've been avoiding substratum/swift because I read some people were unhappy with it's level of bugginess, but it may be my best option now that Google has decided to give everyone <10 the middle finger. Is there a quick tutorial somewhere that you recommend to get me going with that? Does Swift standalone app run standalone, or does it require the substratum framework?
I had previously tried Outlook as well, but their Wear OS integration is REALLY bad - they block standard Outlook notifications from going to the watch, and they force you to load a standalone Wear OS Outlook app that has weird, non-standard behavior that I really dislike. But maybe it's time for me to try that again as well.
I was just hoping to get Gmail working since it has a good email experience in my opinion and having a native dark theme is always preferable to me over a 3rd party implementation. I'm so close to getting it working, yet so far away. I was really hoping someone could come up with another way to do what that Xposed module does...
camaro322hp said:
@Dean F - Thanks for the reply. I've been avoiding substratum/swift because I read some people were unhappy with it's level of bugginess, but it may be my best option now that Google has decided to give everyone <10 the middle finger. Is there a quick tutorial somewhere that you recommend to get me going with that? Does Swift standalone app run standalone, or does it require the substratum framework?
I had previously tried Outlook as well, but their Wear OS integration is REALLY bad - they block standard Outlook notifications from going to the watch, and they force you to load a standalone Wear OS Outlook app that has weird, non-standard behavior that I really dislike. But maybe it's time for me to try that again as well.
I was just hoping to get Gmail working since it has a good email experience in my opinion and having a native dark theme is always preferable to me over a 3rd party implementation. I'm so close to getting it working, yet so far away. I was really hoping someone could come up with another way to do what that Xposed module does...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
swift dark works well standalone (no substratum needed) on stock roms. just download from the play store
i haven't had any issues with it so far, except that there can be a 1-2 day delay before the themes react to third party app updates, and that when updating roms, you may need to uninstall and reinstall the themes to get them working. very happy with the black themes on swift dark though. they're amoled black (unlike google's dark mode) and much more consistent between apps than google's own themes are
wyt18 said:
swift dark works well standalone (no substratum needed) on stock roms. just download from the play store
i haven't had any issues with it so far, except that there can be a 1-2 day delay before the themes react to third party app updates, and that when updating roms, you may need to uninstall and reinstall the themes to get them working. very happy with the black themes on swift dark though. they're amoled black (unlike google's dark mode) and much more consistent between apps than google's own themes are
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there anything else required to get Swift to work standalone? I purchased the Swift Black (not dark - does that matter?) and when I start up the app, it wants me to install substratum theme engine. So I installed that, but that app won't run - when I start it, it crashes and Android tells me "subtratum keeps stopping." Is there something I'm missing or doing incorrectly?
EDIT: well, maybe I bought the wrong app - I bought Swift Black Substratum theme. Maybe I need to instead buy Swift Installer?
camaro322hp said:
Is there anything else required to get Swift to work standalone? I purchased the Swift Black (not dark - does that matter?) and when I start up the app, it wants me to install substratum theme engine. So I installed that, but that app won't run - when I start it, it crashes and Android tells me "subtratum keeps stopping." Is there something I'm missing or doing incorrectly?
EDIT: well, maybe I bought the wrong app - I bought Swift Black Substratum theme. Maybe I need to instead buy Swift Installer?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
my bad, i actually bought swift installer and that worked perfectly w/o the substratum theme engine installed. didn't try the swift black or dark substratum themes
wyt18 said:
my bad, i actually bought swift installer and that worked perfectly w/o the substratum theme engine installed. didn't try the swift black or dark substratum themes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No worries - I got a refund on the Swift Substratum theme, and I'll try the Swift Installer. Thanks.
Thanks @Dean F and @wyt18 - I've got the Swift Installer installed and set up. It looks promising. I don't auto update my apps and rarely update them anyway, so hopefully this will work out well for me.
Swift is pretty great - easy to use and seems to work well so far. Also gave me dark theme for pretty much all the apps I regularly use. The only thing missing, however, is changing the email body to be light text on a dark background - emails still show up with dark text on a white background. I'm assuming the only way to get that is via the official app dark theme, which I can't get. Is there any workaround for this?
EDIT: I'm giving Outlook another try. Aside from the weird WearOS notification issues, it seems to work OK. And it inverts the colors of the email body itself, making it light text on a dark background.
Well, my quest continues. Swift is cool, but it doesn't make the email message body dark, as the native GMail dark theme does, so it's not much use for GMail. I've used Outlook for a while, and it seems to be pretty solid for Outlook and Hotmail addresses. But the GMail implementation seems buggy - I completely stopped getting my GMail in Outlook yesterday, verified on 2 different phones. I haven't tried removing/re-adding the account in Outlook yet - but if that is a normal thing required to make it work, then it's not much use either. (EDIT: removed/added my GMail in Outlook, and still nothing, no GMails) (EDIT2: uninstalled Outlook from my phone, installed, added GMail account, and still no GMails - all my folders show up in the folder list, but it says my inbox is empty, which it is not. Not sure what is wrong or how this got screwed up. I don't see anything weird on my Google account security page)
So if anyone has any other suggestions, I'm all ears. I'd prefer to somehow force the GMail native dark theme, but I'm open to any other suggestions. I don't understand why Google limited this dark theme to 10 only. My solution today is using GMail via Chrome 78 which has a system wide flag to force all sites to dark. Not ideal, though.