Google backdoor into all android phones.

[Hugh Jass]

Unless you use your android device to conduct black ops conspiracy missions for enemies of the United States via a application in the market that breaks the T&C agreement, I'd say don't lose any sleep over Google's remote abilities. Really.

 

[tearlach2]

Unless you use your android device to conduct black ops conspiracy missions for enemies of the United States via a application in the market that breaks the T&C agreement, I'd say don't lose any sleep over Google's remote abilities. Really.

And with that im outed. But really I kidof thought this was a modding and hacking site not a google shrine. It feels pretty fanboy in here. And no offence im kindof a google fanboy too but it can put on blunders to reason.

 

[Explosivpotato]

There's nothing fanboy about this... Apple, WP7, Android, Symbian... This is the truth no matter what your mobile operating system of choice.

 

[WallyIAm]

I'm going to stir the pot on this one just for fun; what if it wasn't Google that had this ability, but rather, VZW? :icon_eek:

 

[doomer4life]

Its one of those things, your lack of privacy, you have to accept if you want a smartphone

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums App

 

[Explosivpotato]

I'm going to stir the pot on this one just for fun; what if it wasn't Google that had this ability, but rather, VZW? :icon_eek:

:icon_eek::icon_eek::icon_eek: I for one choose death! alm:

 

[Hugh Jass]

It has nothing to do with Google, it's logic. It doesn't matter if it's Oscar Meyer Weiner... they are going to protect their investment and it's absolutely foolish to expect anything else. But by your logic, Oscar Meyer shouldn't recall tainted meat because hey, that meat is on the market and if you buy it it's your fault you attain the illness, right?

Google makes software that they have to protect or their software would be making devices useless and therefor wouldn't be useful at all. You're failing to see the lesser of two evils entirely.

 

[doomer4life]

If vzw had the ability first every phone would have a task killer and second root would probably be close to nonexistant

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums App

 

[Explosivpotato]

If vzw had the ability first every phone would have a task killer and second root would probably be close to nonexistant

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums App

OT - yes if I didn't know any better I'd say VZW made a buck every time someone installed one of those. I called because my phone was randomly rebooting waaaay back when I first got my droid and their advice was "OK go to the market and search 'advanced task killer...'"

Back on topic- The oscar meyer analogy is a very good one.

 

[Skull One]

I'm going to stir the pot on this one just for fun; what if it wasn't Google that had this ability, but rather, VZW? :icon_eek:

I believe we have anecdotal evidence of that condition already existing.

Currently EA games on the Google Market that are looked at from the VZW network have a different price than other networks. Which means VZW has asked Google to do vendor specific modifications that they control.

 

[czerdrill]

Unless you use your android device to conduct black ops conspiracy missions for enemies of the United States via a application in the market that breaks the T&C agreement, I'd say don't lose any sleep over Google's remote abilities. Really.

And with that im outed. But really I kidof thought this was a modding and hacking site not a google shrine. It feels pretty fanboy in here. And no offence im kindof a google fanboy too but it can put on blunders to reason.

Yeah it gets pretty fanboy in here often. You get used to it after the initial fits of laughter and scratching your head wondering why people are so passionate about a company they have no stake in haha. To your OP, yeah it's not a biggie. They are just protecting their software and their end users. It sucks that they have that much power, but as mentioned it's something that you agree to when you sign your contract. Your bound by Google's terms and Verizon's terms. Privacy is nonexistent on the internet.

 

[NattyBee]

To correct your ignorance, please read all of the licenses, terms of of service and terms of agreements that came with your phone. This will help you understand your rights and as well as the rights of the companies that created the software you are using for free.

As you stated, you only bought the physical phone and as such you may do with the physical device as you see fit, but the software isn't owned by you. Which means at best you can only recompile the AOSP source code and that does not contain the feature you want disabled. That feature is buried in the Google proprietary apps.

BTW you should be grateful that Google thought ahead and was ready for these types of trojans. Otherwise the market place would become useless in less than six months.

The more I read through this thread- the more respect I have for Skull One...you have made very wise, valkd comments here.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[Skull One]

And with that im outed. But really I kidof thought this was a modding and hacking site not a google shrine. It feels pretty fanboy in here. And no offence im kindof a google fanboy too but it can put on blunders to reason.

Actually this site caters to all types of Android users. From high level programming and hacking down to daily use of a standard unmodified phone. That is the beauty of this site in fact.

My first goal when I chimed in was to get you to educate yourself. I could have clipped all the relevant data from the agreements and said "Here you go". Instead I tried to engage your mind to go further than just having an opinion. There is a ton of information in the agreements that you have signed off on. This one subject is practically just scratching the surface.

Because you haven't read them, you don't even know that VZW can turn your phone off RIGHT NOW and there isn't a damn legal thing you can do about it. Because they have a clause in their agreement, beyond the ones used by Google, that allows them to terminate service if you modify your phone beyond their intended operational configuration. I.E. custom ROMs can get you turned off.

About now you are going to say "But you said the DMCA was amended to allow jail-breaking your phone". And that is very correct. But that only keeps Google and VZW from prosecuting you for doing it. It doesn't mean they can't turn your service off with no warning.

There is more we could discuss but the reality is once you go to a custom ROM you are on borrowed time with VZW. And one day, they might just exercise their legal rights.

So if you really want to have an opinion, maybe you should look at that situation first. Because even if you find a way to circumvent the Google issue you are worried about, you just made it possible for VZW to black list your phone and account. I am willing to bet you have a few dollars invested in your phone.

 

[WallyIAm]

I'm going to stir the pot on this one just for fun; what if it wasn't Google that had this ability, but rather, VZW? :icon_eek:

I believe we have anecdotal evidence of that condition already existing.

Currently EA games on the Google Market that are looked at from the VZW network have a different price than other networks. Which means VZW has asked Google to do vendor specific modifications that they control.

I...did not know that. Their capabilities must be limited at this point, otherwise, they would know who has apps such as wireless tether, root explorer, etc. If they knew this you would think they would crack down on illegitimate tethering and retain greater control over warranty issues. Maybe they do have this ability but figure the pool of rooted users is still relatively small and not worth the hassle.

 

[Explosivpotato]

And with that im outed. But really I kidof thought this was a modding and hacking site not a google shrine. It feels pretty fanboy in here. And no offence im kindof a google fanboy too but it can put on blunders to reason.

Actually this site caters to all types of Android users. From high level programming and hacking down to daily use of a standard unmodified phone. That is the beauty of this site in fact.

My first goal when I chimed in was to get you to educate yourself. I could have clipped all the relevant data from the agreements and said "Here you go". Instead I tried to engage your mind to go further than just having an opinion. There is a ton of information in the agreements that you have signed off on. This one subject is practically just scratching the surface.

Because you haven't read them, you don't even know that VZW can turn your phone off RIGHT NOW and there isn't a damn legal thing you can do about it. Because they have a clause in their agreement, beyond the ones used by Google, that allows them to terminate service if you modify your phone beyond their intended operational configuration. I.E. custom ROMs can get you turned off.

About now you are going to say "But you said the DMCA was amended to allow jail-breaking your phone". And that is very correct. But that only keeps Google and VZW from prosecuting you for doing it. It doesn't mean they can't turn your service off with no warning.

There is more we could discuss but the reality is once you go to a custom ROM you are on borrowed time with VZW. And one day, they might just exercise their legal rights.

So if you really want to have an opinion, maybe you should look at that situation first. Because even if you find a way to circumvent the Google issue you are worried about, you just made it possible for VZW to black list your phone and account. I am willing to bet you have a few dollars invested in your phone.

You are right, of course, but if Verizon started shutting off modded phones they would get an AWFUL lot of bad press.. Just the same as if Google started monkeying around in people's data. I believe it's come to a mutual trust thing.. Verizon trusts us not to break the geneva convention with our modded phones, and we trust them not to nuke us for it. Same goes for Google. Once they give us cause to question that trust, then we'll have to reconsider the arrangement - but for now it would seem that both sides are (more or less) content with the arrangement.