What are my Android apps doing behind the scenes?

[AngryHatter]

I notice that when my phone is getting charged, at 90% charge, the following is logged, a couple of times:

02-22 21:19:04.180 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=1300
02-22 21:19:06.132 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=800
02-22 21:19:11.992 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=1300
02-22 21:19:25.672 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=800
02-22 21:19:29.579 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=1300
02-22 21:19:31.531 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=800
02-22 21:19:33.484 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=1300
02-22 21:19:35.437 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=800
02-22 21:19:37.390 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=1300
02-22 21:19:47.156 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=800
02-22 21:19:51.070 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=1300

It looks like it is alternating between a 1300mA charge and a 800mA charge. Is this some kind of trickle-charge algorithm to prevent overcharging the battery?

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums App

Yes. If your phone is fully charged but still plugged in it will switch to battery power and set the charge input to a low state so the battery does not stay at or above '100%' at all times, which is unhealthy.

You need to stop worrying so much.

Why is it unhealthy?
These are not NiCads.

[Natey2]

Dude - obsessing much?
Out of 20 replies - 15 are you?

Enjoy a book, go see a show.

Good software engineers are meticulous to the point of obsession.

If you are a software engineer, maybe you can tell us how much memory is leaked by the unclosed cursors?

I see over 1K reads/views on this topic.

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums App

No, I am an EE.
(Among other things)
And I'll obsess about it in private until I have something to share.


600 of the views are yours.

How did you arrive at that?
Or is that (600) your EE estimate?

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[Natey2]

I notice that when my phone is getting charged, at 90% charge, the following is logged, a couple of times:

02-22 21:19:04.180 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=1300
02-22 21:19:06.132 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=800
02-22 21:19:11.992 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=1300
02-22 21:19:25.672 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=800
02-22 21:19:29.579 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=1300
02-22 21:19:31.531 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=800
02-22 21:19:33.484 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=1300
02-22 21:19:35.437 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=800
02-22 21:19:37.390 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=1300
02-22 21:19:47.156 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=800
02-22 21:19:51.070 I/BATTD ( 1157): set_charge_current=1300

It looks like it is alternating between a 1300mA charge and a 800mA charge. Is this some kind of trickle-charge algorithm to prevent overcharging the battery?

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums App

Yes. If your phone is fully charged but still plugged in it will switch to battery power and set the charge input to a low state so the battery does not stay at or above '100%' at all times, which is unhealthy.

You need to stop worrying so much.

Why is it unhealthy?
These are not NiCads.

Depends on charging circuitry.
Poorly designed chargers can damage Li-ion batteries.

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums App

[Natey2]

I guess the more important question here is, if I was rooted, would that dubious app have been able to access my Settings Preferences without any indication / my knowledge?

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums App

Only if you gave said application superuser permissions

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

Unless someone/something deleted /system/app/SuperUser.apk (which manages su permission checking?).

I don't see that apk on my unrooted phone.
Does one install it manually during the rooting process?

Are there rooted users here without a SuperUser.apk?

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[Natey2]

Another security alert:
There is a blur app that is dumping all my contacts to the logs when it does its sync.
Any app that has access to the logs can extract the email addresses (and spam them?).

03-05 09:14:32.102 D/BlurAASPA( 2982): got the accountsUpdated signal
03-05 09:14:32.102 D/BlurAASPA( 2982): Got the reference for Account {name=Phone, type=com.motorola.android.buacontactadapter}
03-05 09:14:32.117 D/BlurAASPA( 2982): Got the reference for Account {name=... , type=...}
[... and many other contacts...]

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[Natey2]

I see messages like:

04-23 07:48:58.963 I/LittleSister( 4599): onCellLocationChanged(): got cell location that isn't gsm, ignoring...

I have a Verizon CDMA phone, not GSM.
Why is it ignoring? Only GSM (AT&T Android phones) can make use of this?

Sent from my unrooted DroidX using DroidForums app

[JstJoe]

Is there more people out here like this guy? I would like to follow the posts of people investigating the apps we're downloading and advising of potential security risks. The post about apps posting contact info in open areas other apps could get at is scary .

SOAP Box Warning:

The droid marketplace right now is like the wild frigg'n west. Yea apple closes their apps down and thats wrong, but they do it partially for just these reasons.

If it's going to be a free for all, as it should, there should be moderators finding stuff like this and warning us as well as the developers. Rebooting is a bad thing, we should demand and expect more out these apps, not memory leaks and bad references to missing files.

This has been the dream of Linux, BSD and true Unix pioneers for decades and I'm glad to see it hitting mainstream in this fashion, but it's up to all of us to contribute to it to make it work, like questioning what's really going on...

[markml0528]

A few people seem to be implying that natey2 is some ocd software engineer, simply wasting his time. I don't think he is. He has a point saying that apps are placing sensitive data in unsecure areas of the phone. I've also witnessed my phone slowing down after being on for a really long time.

Natey2, you should see if other phones like ones from HTC or samsung do the same thing. I'm not sure if you've found motoblur or the android os itself to be the cause for the slow down.

Sent from my DROID2 using DroidForums

[Hateslinger]

Is there more people out here like this guy? I would like to follow the posts of people investigating the apps we're downloading and advising of potential security risks. The post about apps posting contact info in open areas other apps could get at is scary .

SOAP Box Warning:

The droid marketplace right now is like the wild frigg'n west. Yea apple closes their apps down and thats wrong, but they do it partially for just these reasons.

If it's going to be a free for all, as it should, there should be moderators finding stuff like this and warning us as well as the developers. Rebooting is a bad thing, we should demand and expect more out these apps, not memory leaks and bad references to missing files.

This has been the dream of Linux, BSD and true Unix pioneers for decades and I'm glad to see it hitting mainstream in this fashion, but it's up to all of us to contribute to it to make it work, like questioning what's really going on...

Lol. I'm with you.

Sent from my rooted Thunderbolt running VirusRom AirborneTB...It's Snappy.

[nathan56989]

I just found out about this app. Does anyone know what this means because its consistently on the log.

D/ dalvikvm (2390): GC_EXTERNAL_ALLOC freed 20k 52% free 3151k/6535k

seems wierd that this is always a page full of the text im seeing.

Should I even worry?