[aklug] Re: OFFTOPIC (sort of) android and ATT samsung S4 Active. And a question.

From: Jim Gribbin <jimgribbin@gmail.com>
Date: Thu Aug 01 2013 - 09:37:04 AKDT

I am happy with my Nexus 4. It's on AT&T, but I didn't buy it from AT&T, so
no AT&T bloatware.

Wasn't all that impressed with the S3 or 4 vs this phone anyway.

No contract either.

Jim Gribbin

On Jul 30, 2013 3:29 PM, "techno curmudgeon" <technocurmudgeon@gmail.com>
wrote:
>
> Just a quick note to anyone that doesn't already know...
>
> The Samsung S4 Active is -not- the same innards as the Samsung S4.
Drivers are different (which implies differing hardware) and the bootloader
is not the same. Phone can be rooted. Unfortunately, the bootloader
hasn't been unlocked yet.
>
> More succintly: The Galaxy S4 can be unlocked. The Galaxy S4 Active has
-not- been unlocked yet. So will be stuck with Samsung and ATT's bloat-
and spy- and crap-ware. And apparently ATT has actually gone into the
android kernel to diddle with the networking (tethering, for example).
>
> Longer version:
>
> Old cellphone gave out, finally, and tracphone has really become useless,
as has ACS coverage. So about the 1023rd time the GFU laughed at me and
waved her ATT phone under my nose, I gritted my teeth and decided to do
business with ATT. One. More. Time.
>
> In for a penny, in for a pound. I went ahead and got the ATT Samsung S4
active (water-resistant) model I-537. I was going to let it go a while
before attempting to put a neutral firmware (e.g. cyanogenmod).
But....when attempting to use the built in tether (either one) a message
comes up that says "attempting to verify..." My question is 'attempting to
verify what?' (Actually my first question was WTF????)
>
> so that's my question: Attempting to verify what?
>
> <paranoid rant>
> Being basically paranoid, especially when ATT is involved in anything, is
this yet more ATT spyware attempting to phone home?
> </paranoid rant>
>
> And then I immediately moved up my plans to root and re-flash. Which is
when I discovered the above.
>
> I could kick myself, a little, anyway...thought I did my homework. The
S4 has been unlocked, and that's what I was expecting. Did not dawn on me
that the 'Active' would be different. And I know better. Oh well.
>
>
>
> Apologies rambling, and thanks for listening.

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Received on Thu Aug 1 09:37:27 2013

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