The other day I was relaxing in my bedroom reading a news article on my RAZR Maxx HD when all of a sudden I got an email notification about a Play Store purchase. Hmm I didn’t purchase anything recently. Asked the wife and she denied it as well. Kinda strange…oh yeah, check with the kids!

So after politely removing the tablet from her little active hands and replacing it with a book lol, I began to search for a solution. FYI the Play Store is not authorized to refund these types of transactions so you must contact the game developer, in this case Gameloft. They refused to refund due to policy blah blah blah. Whatever. Chalk one up for experience.

Prevent Unintended Play Store Charges

If you have a tablet or smartphone you share with family and/or friends it’s essential to protect your funds by assigning a PIN code to Play Store purchases. This will request you to enter the correct PIN before a $99 (or any other amount) purchase leaves you short on funds. Follow the steps below to set a PIN:

 
That’s it, profit! Er, save! Hope this helps you guys save some funds when little fingers get to tapping. Thanks for reading and Contact Us if we can assist you!

Does it bother any of you that Verizon has chosen to block Google Wallet from functioning on its NFC-enabled devices like the Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone? There’s an underlying reason to their madness and we’ll talk about that plus how to enable Google Wallet.

Customer DisService

Remember the name ISIS and avoid it. This is piece of vaporware comissioned by Verizon, AT&T, and T-mobile that will attempt to rival Google Wallet. One of the problems is that ISIS has been delayed multiple times (we aren’t surprised of delays from carriers are we?) and we still don’t have an official release date. Even worse it’s being pimped by the above mentioned carriers who are attempting to remove Google Wallet as a competitor. What happened to free market enterprise? Don’t us customers have a right to choose which wallet app to use? Why are so many of us, device manufacturers included, at the mercy of these dictator-like mobile carriers? It’s quite obvious carriers are worthless without hardware, so why don’t hardware manufacturers like HTC and Motorola have more say so when it comes to software implementation? Arrrgh I digress on this sore, open wound of a topic.

It’s no secret Google’s Wallet app has had its share of security concerns and problems reactivating cards, but overall in my experience it’s a solid and very useful app. Recently Google allowed adding your own debit and credit cards thus retiring the Google Prepaid Card. If you had funds remaining on your Prepaid Card check Here for new information on October 17th. This seems to be a move in the right direction because now you can truly forget your REAL wallet at home and use your phone to pay for most anything where PayPass is supported. Now we just need an “ID and Certification Cards” app for licenses, permits, and other paper cards.

The Solution

Thanks to a brilliant hacker and developer we have a workaround for this problem. Paul Obrien at Modaco provides a patched Google Wallet apk that works on Rooted NFC-enabled devices. The patched file does three things:

I know what you’re thinking “I’m not going to enter banking information into a patched application!” and I completely understand. Like almost every hack, tweak, and workaround we promote here at TweakMyDevice this one is secure enough to use on my own personal device, a Galaxy Nexus. Paul O’Brien is a recognized developer and supporter of us mobile device end-users. I have used his patched apps and hacks many times before on personal and client devices with no ill effects.

Installation

You cannot install this like a regular apk. This patched Google Wallet apk must be pushed to the /system/app and /data/app folders using a Root Browser. Set permissions to rw-r-r, reboot, and you’re all set!

A detailed YouTube video below will help beginners complete this hack. Ensure your device is already Rooted. Contact us if you need help, and sound off below as to which device you got this working on. Good luck and Tweak On!

Open Wifi networks are often conveniently abundant allowing you quick free internet access when you’re out in public. But what happens when there are too many people clogging up the bandwidth and you NEED to get access ASAP?

Welcome to WifiKill, the Android app that allows YOU to control who uses an open Wifi network. This app will not hack into a password-protected network. So far the only known device to be able to run AirCrack for that purpose is the T-mobile G1. WifiKill works on Rooted devices so perform that task first.

WifiKill allows you to find devices using the same subnet and selectively block the internet connection for one (or all) devices. Basically, you go into somewhere like Starbucks and get on their free Wifi Hotspot. Then YOU control who else can get on that network. Sounds great, right? It is! Now you have the entire bandwidth of that network all to yourself. Why would you need to do this?

Denied or Limited Access

Tell me if you’ve ever experienced this. Connect to an open network and you get a “limited access” message on your PC. Wait a while for the Home, Private, or Public selector (Windows 7) to pop up and it never does. Try to browse to a website and get the “no internet connection” message. You should have a connection but you just don’t…use WifiKill.

Select ALL at the top right or check individual devices to block them from accessing the network. Be careful not to block your own device! My Asus EeePC is listed as Azurewave in the screenshot above. Once all other devices are checked and blocked try to connect on your PC again. You should now have access, sound off in the comments below if this didn’t work for you.

Download Large Files

Need to download a 700mb ROM image for your Samsung Galaxy S3? Speed that download up a bit by booting everyone else off the network. Perform the same procedure described above to remove other users. Download your file. Finally be courteous and let others back on the network.

Download WifiKill

Now you know a few uses for WifiKill put it to the test and see if you can come up with more. Download using the button below and don’t forget to thank and donate to the Developer!

“What the heck is a Standoo?” “A Stand-what?” “What exactly do I do with this thing?” “I don’t even know what this is but I like it. What is it?” I’ve answered these questions quite a few times recently after posting teaser shots of it on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Foursquare. So now I’m officially announcing the TweakMyDevice Standoo, a universal mobile device stand made of bamboo!

Motivation

What is the motivation for this invention? Like many of you I enjoy using my Galaxy Nexus smartphone as an MP3 player. Unfortunately handset manufacturers place a mono speaker on the BACK of devices facing away from you. I have a dream that one day mobile devices will have stereo speakers on the front above and below the screen. Imagine in the future watching an intense action film on your HTC SuperX smartphone with front-facing stereo Dre. Beats speakers…awesome! Until the FCC clears that I created the Standoo to Reflect, Direct, and Naturally Amplify sound from your smartphone or tablet rear speaker.

I frequently watch an episode of Breaking Bad or Man vs. Wild on my mobile device while lying in bed at night. Some phones have low volume to begin with and when the sound is facing away from you the full effect isn’t appreciated. I found myself cupping the back of my Galaxy Nexus with my hand trying to find just the right position to get the best sound. Instantly the sound is louder, clearer, and has more depth. Watching a short YouTube video this way is fine, but longer shows and movies cause your hand to become tiresome holding the phone that way.

Bamboo?

Bamboo huh, why not plastic? Or carbon? Or fiberglass? Well those materials are more difficult to manufacture, are more costly, and do not enhance sound the way bamboo does. Being a very dense material, some strains are 3 times as dense as oak hardwood, it has an inherit ability to reflect and reverberate sound waves. Bamboo is a naturally renewable material that grows extremely fast, as much as 39″ in only 24 hours! HOW I actually decided to use bamboo is not related to its facts.

Earlier this year I built two new decks onto our house. The small deck is situated in between our house and matching storage building. We like our neighbors but I don’t want them staring at me while chilling back in my ENO. Time to build a privacy fence. I built the fence from bamboo and used some scraps to construct the first Standoo prototype. It worked great!!! Since then I’ve refined the design and manufacturing process to what it is today. No doubt there may be minor changes to it in the future, but as it sits Standoo is a functional work of art.

Protection

An idea like Standoo that fits virtually any device, in any orientation must be protected. We have obtained a provisional utility patent for Standoo that protects its design from theft. But that’s not the end of the road. Provisional patents last only 12 months and afford the title “patent pending”. Soon I will post the Kickstarter project page for Standoo that I’ve been working on. This project will raise the funds necessary for the permanent non-provisional patent after which time we will continue to manufacture and publicly sell Standoo worldwide.

Distribution

Standoo is protected, in production, and ready to sell. We’ve teamed up with several local retailers to sell our product and more will be added soon. These shops will benefit folks local to Asheville, and for the rest of you guys we will begin to sell them on eBay soon. The Standoo comes painted Black or White, or you can opt for a Natural finish. The Natural is treated with water sealant and will continue to age and gain character. We offer a lifetime warranty so if it ever break send it in for a full replacement.

For now a limited number of Standoos can be purchased by contacting us via the form below. We accept PayPal, Square (credit or debit cards), or Dwolla. Thanks for supporting our product and we guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

Purchase

What is Root and Why do it?

Mobile phone service providers like Verizon restrict users from accessing the entire file system of their mobile devices. Why? This is done to prevent users tampering with things they might not fully understand thus resulting in a bricked device and warranty claim. Carriers also restrict file access to be able to charge for services like wireless tether. Restricted access to the file system also helps with improving Android security.

We have quite a few video guides on our YouTube Channel that describe the rooting process in detail for specific devices. If you don’t see one for your device, or don’t feel comfortable attempting it then Contact Us. Check out a few popular examples below about why to Root.

Remove Bloatware

Bloatware is pre-installed software placed on a device by its manufacturer or carrier (Verizon, AT&T, etc.) and will sometimes even be impossible to remove unlike Play Store apps. For this reason you must Root in order to access the System/App directory where the offending app can be disabled. One example is Verizon’s version of Skype. This is pre-installed forcing users to Skype over the wireless data connection using their allotment of gigabytes. Once Rooted we can remove the Verizon Skype, install the generic Skype, and allow chatting over Wifi.

Free Wireless Tethering

Your mobile service provider requires you subscribe to a data plan for your smartphone to access the internet. You are free to browse the web on your device but must pay a separate $30 per month tethering fee. Tethering means sharing your smartphone’s connection to the internet with other Wifi devices. Many users feel that they should be allowed to use the data they pay for however they need it. Whether you are capped at 2gb of data or have an unlimited plan, we can remove the restrictions and allow you full access to your data plan for tethering to laptops and tablets.

Complete Device Backup

Your mobile device can store passwords, business documents, family photos, app settings, and much more. Why risk losing all of this when it’s on the go with you and susceptible to being damaged or lost? DON’T! Once Rooted we can install a custom recovery menu and make a complete backup of your entire device. Store this backup file on the cloud or on your home PC. With this backup even if your device is stolen or completely destroyed we can restore it back to the way it was so you don’t miss a beat.

Upgrade to Newer Android Version

Do you ever wonder why a new device is released every few months but carriers only give discounted upgrades every two years? Just doesn’t seem to add up in YOUR favor. Devices will often be all the rage for several months then fizzle out when the next latest and greatest is released. It’s not that your old device is that out of date and non-functional, but rather carriers and manufacturers want you to think so to spend more money on a new one. After Rooting and installing a custom recovery we can keep your older device alive by upgrading it to newer Android versions. This maintains optimal performance and security for your handheld.

Performance Enhancements

The Android ecosystem is highly-tunable. We can get inside the software and adjust things like CPU speed, data caching, network settings, storage card reading, and much more. Voltage settings can also be modified to lengthen your device’s battery life. These specialized tweaks are device-dependent and installed through a custom recovery menu, so Root must first be achieved. An older device can often be tweaked to run almost as fast as newer ones.

Applying a custom ROM to your Android is a wonderful option that tweaks MANY things at once. ROMs are entire firmware packages that have been modified by chefs, or software developers. ROM chefs take an original Android version (say Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.4) and “cook” in various performance and visual tweaks. Often quick shortcuts will be included throughout the ROM making navigation much more efficient. If your device is older, having out of memory errors, or has been phased out by your carrier this is a great option to revive it. In addition it’s fun flashing the newest ROM with cutting edge features like Google Now!

Secure Your Android

With the ever growing popularity of Android comes the increased threat of hacker attacks. Windows PCs have dealt with this for years, Macs have lately begun dealing with an increase in malicious attacks as their user base has expanded. Any time a very large number of people use device software hackers will attempt to steal information to use in a variety of ways.

The Android framework consists of all the libraries, APIs, and app codes that make the entire software experience function. Typically the Android system “sandboxes” apps and allows users to restrict or deny access to certain levels of the firmware. Unfortunately a Rootkit Trojan can ride into your system hidden within a malicious app, install itself, and function without you even knowing it. This opens up your Keyboard Interface (think password inputs), Contacts, Messaging, Email, Google Wallet data, and much more for hackers to attack.

Are You Infected

Normal malware can be detected and removed by apps like Lookout, Norton, and McAfee. However this Rootkit Trojan is completely hidden from these apps. How do you know if you’ve been infected? The signs might be subtle and can include the following:

Prevent Infection

The researchers at NC State are devising a way to block these attacks but until then you need to proactively protect your mobile device from a data attack.

LBE Privacy Guard is a great app you can install and use NOW to monitor which apps are accessing what functions on your device. You can restrict: Permissions (to contacts, email, location, etc), Data usage (control which apps can get an internet connection), and certain other malicious operations. This app requires your device be rooted, which as stated above is a security risk, however a viable risk considering all that this app can do.

Heal and Remove Infection

At the time of this writing the only solution to completely remove this type of infection from your Ice Cream Sandwich Android is to do a full factory data reset, format storage and system, and reinstall the factory firmware. This will completely wipe everything off your device ensuring nothing was left hidden somewhere. This process is device-dependent and there are many different methods to accomplish this. You can perform a factory data reset on your own, but you stand a chance of leaving something bad behind. Go to Settings, Backup and reset, Factory data reset.

To perform the complete device and storage wipe with full factory firmware re-install, you’ll need to check our Tutorials section to see if a video guide is available for doing such a long technical task. Otherwise Contact Us and we’ll set an appointment to get you back on Safe Street.