[android-developers] Re: Can you trust the Android OS that comes from a Chinese Manufactures?
Your microwave oven and fridge already spy on you. Why do you think chinese government needs more? I'm pretty sure they all have microphone and camera embedded. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: Can you trust the Android OS that comes from a Chinese Manufactures?
On Dec 8, 10:30 am, William Estrada wrote: > Can you trust the Android OS that comes from a Chinese Manufactures? > > Strange question you ask? No not at all. In fact, earlier this year, I tested an LBS app that I developed for a client, on a Motorola Milestone that was sourced by the client from a no name Internet retailer. Apparently the device was lifted of off a China-bound lot of Milestones. It included Chinese language leaflets (as far as I could tell), a foreign format charger, and the package also included a power plug adapter so the device could be charged in North America. That piece must have been tossed in by the retailer, as it was also off color. There was no intent by the client to get a device that was intended for China, it just happened so. So I went ahead testing stuffs, not suspecting anything, until at one point, over a period of time, one of the location providers started firing off a location in Bejing. It wasn't GPS, but one of the network providers. wohooo, good morning! I got pretty spooked. Having tested LBS apps intensively before, on the G1, Ion, Nexus One and the Motorola Droid, I had never seen this effect before. This, combined with the location being in China, led me to believe the device must have had a custom build. Who knows what else was part of the customization? (Indirect answer to your question: if this goes out to China like this, what do you think do you get in return) So I did the following: 1. I sent a note to the client recommending to stop sourcing devices through Internet outlets 2. I sent back the Milestone 3. That also put the nail in the coffin of me using Android as a personal device. At long last, I went back to Symbian (I continue to develop on Android, of course). Don't get me wrong, I like Android, and Gingerbread looks really good, but I just can't seem to be able to get over certain things related to Android and Google, in particular the eagerness to wanting to "share my location"... Call me paranoid, but I just like things certain ways. JP -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: Can you trust the Android OS that comes from a Chinese Manufactures?
Actually, thats a good point. ALthough I have no idea if the Chines government even cares, it would not be hard to slip a little code in there that could even turn on the camera! I think it would be in everyone best interest if there were some way to verify the OS build you are installing. It also means that the concept of locking phones so that you can't do anything to them may be obsolete. But will average joe care? likely not... - Brill On Dec 8, 1:30 pm, William Estrada wrote: > Can you trust the Android OS that comes from a Chinese Manufactures? > > Strange question you ask? It is based on reports on the Internet about > how the > Chinese government restricted Google's operations in China. > > Is it possible that the Android OS installed in China has some sort of > malware > installed?? Can you verify that it does not?? Can the complete system image > be re-flashed with one that I can build myself?? > > Just a simple question from an open mind. > > -- > William Estrada > Mt Umunhum, CA, USA > HTTP://64.124.13.3 ( Mt-Umunhum-Wireless.net ) > Skype: MrUmunhum -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: Can you trust the Android OS that comes from a Chinese Manufactures?
As much a you can trust Best Buy perhaps ? http://www.my3cents.com/productReview.cgi?compid=1&product=CUSTOMER+SERVICE http://www.ripoffreport.com/Search/Body/BestBuy.aspx On Dec 8, 1:30 pm, William Estrada wrote: > Can you trust the Android OS that comes from a Chinese Manufactures? > > Strange question you ask? It is based on reports on the Internet about > how the > Chinese government restricted Google's operations in China. > > Is it possible that the Android OS installed in China has some sort of > malware > installed?? Can you verify that it does not?? Can the complete system image > be re-flashed with one that I can build myself?? > > Just a simple question from an open mind. > > -- > William Estrada > Mt Umunhum, CA, USA > HTTP://64.124.13.3 ( Mt-Umunhum-Wireless.net ) > Skype: MrUmunhum -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: Can you trust the Android OS that comes from a Chinese Manufactures?
That's Google's policy, find and good. But what does Google do to enforce it on other apps running on the phone? Is it really enough to set permissions in the manifest? On Dec 9, 3:29 pm, Dianne Hackborn wrote: > On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 11:51 AM, JP wrote: > > 3. That also put the nail in the coffin of me using Android as a > > personal device. At long last, I went back to Symbian (I continue to > > develop on Android, of course). Don't get me wrong, I like Android, > > and Gingerbread looks really good, but I just can't seem to be able to > > get over certain things related to Android and Google, in particular > > the eagerness to wanting to "share my location"... Call me paranoid, > > but I just like things certain ways. > > If you are that paranoid, you can make your own build of Android with > whatever restrictions you want (for example not allow certain apps to ever > get location information) and run that. > > Google's privacy policy is to never share your location with them unless you > explicitly approve. If you find a place where this isn't the case, you > should report it, and I am sure this will get fixed quickly. > > -- > Dianne Hackborn > Android framework engineer > hack...@android.com > > Note: please don't send private questions to me, as I don't have time to > provide private support, and so won't reply to such e-mails. All such > questions should be posted on public forums, where I and others can see and > answer them. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: Can you trust the Android OS that comes from a Chinese Manufactures?
While that is a scary situation, if they could load a custom rom, so could you, and you can compile that from source and inspect every line. It's the risk you take buying shady hardware. Once you have access to the hardware you have full control of the device. You could always buy a droidx with it's kill switch and then you know the firmware is solid. On Dec 8, 11:51 am, JP wrote: > On Dec 8, 10:30 am, William Estrada wrote: > > > Can you trust the Android OS that comes from a Chinese Manufactures? > > > Strange question you ask? > > No not at all. In fact, earlier this year, I tested an LBS app that I > developed for a client, on a Motorola Milestone that was sourced by > the client from a no name Internet retailer. Apparently the device was > lifted of off a China-bound lot of Milestones. It included Chinese > language leaflets (as far as I could tell), a foreign format charger, > and the package also included a power plug adapter so the device could > be charged in North America. That piece must have been tossed in by > the retailer, as it was also off color. There was no intent by the > client to get a device that was intended for China, it just happened > so. > So I went ahead testing stuffs, not suspecting anything, until at one > point, over a period of time, one of the location providers started > firing off a location in Bejing. It wasn't GPS, but one of the network > providers. wohooo, good morning! I got pretty spooked. Having tested > LBS apps intensively before, on the G1, Ion, Nexus One and the > Motorola Droid, I had never seen this effect before. This, combined > with the location being in China, led me to believe the device must > have had a custom build. Who knows what else was part of the > customization? (Indirect answer to your question: if this goes out to > China like this, what do you think do you get in return) > So I did the following: > 1. I sent a note to the client recommending to stop sourcing devices > through Internet outlets > 2. I sent back the Milestone > 3. That also put the nail in the coffin of me using Android as a > personal device. At long last, I went back to Symbian (I continue to > develop on Android, of course). Don't get me wrong, I like Android, > and Gingerbread looks really good, but I just can't seem to be able to > get over certain things related to Android and Google, in particular > the eagerness to wanting to "share my location"... Call me paranoid, > but I just like things certain ways. > JP -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
[android-developers] Re: Can you trust the Android OS that comes from a Chinese Manufactures?
On Dec 9, 3:29 pm, Dianne Hackborn wrote: > On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 11:51 AM, JP wrote: > > 3. That also put the nail in the coffin of me using Android as a > > personal device. At long last, I went back to Symbian (I continue to > > develop on Android, of course). Don't get me wrong, I like Android, > > and Gingerbread looks really good, but I just can't seem to be able to > > get over certain things related to Android and Google, in particular > > the eagerness to wanting to "share my location"... Call me paranoid, > > but I just like things certain ways. > > If you are that paranoid, you can make your own build of Android with > whatever restrictions you want (for example not allow certain apps to ever > get location information) and run that. Interesting project but no time for that right now > > Google's privacy policy is to never share your location with them unless you > explicitly approve. To me, Google is not nearly transparent enough to make this a compelling argument. You hit the problem right on the head: Why go down the policy bunny trail, when there's a solution that organically meets expectations? There's plenty of examples where the policy-and- processes approach just didn't pan out over the long run. Right off, PFC Manning and the near fiasco at Clear (the registered traveler program) come to mind. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
Re: [android-developers] Re: Can you trust the Android OS that comes from a Chinese Manufactures?
On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 11:51 AM, JP wrote: > 3. That also put the nail in the coffin of me using Android as a > personal device. At long last, I went back to Symbian (I continue to > develop on Android, of course). Don't get me wrong, I like Android, > and Gingerbread looks really good, but I just can't seem to be able to > get over certain things related to Android and Google, in particular > the eagerness to wanting to "share my location"... Call me paranoid, > but I just like things certain ways. > If you are that paranoid, you can make your own build of Android with whatever restrictions you want (for example not allow certain apps to ever get location information) and run that. Google's privacy policy is to never share your location with them unless you explicitly approve. If you find a place where this isn't the case, you should report it, and I am sure this will get fixed quickly. -- Dianne Hackborn Android framework engineer hack...@android.com Note: please don't send private questions to me, as I don't have time to provide private support, and so won't reply to such e-mails. All such questions should be posted on public forums, where I and others can see and answer them. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
