From a5f4453b7eb053c4a01470ed3c137d430e9131bc Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Neale Pickett Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2024 11:32:20 -0600 Subject: [PATCH] Rename jelly star post, provide intro --- content/blog/2024/09-24-jelly-star/index.md | 227 ++++++++++++++ content/blog/2024/09-24-jelly-star/js2.xml | 325 ++++++++++++++++++++ 2 files changed, 552 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/blog/2024/09-24-jelly-star/index.md create mode 100644 content/blog/2024/09-24-jelly-star/js2.xml diff --git a/content/blog/2024/09-24-jelly-star/index.md b/content/blog/2024/09-24-jelly-star/index.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2f3dad2 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/blog/2024/09-24-jelly-star/index.md @@ -0,0 +1,227 @@ +--- +title: Jelly Star +date: 2024-09-24T10:00:00 +tags: + - dumbphone + - featurephone +--- + +I've been using a "Jelly Star" Android phone for the last week. +It's about the size of 16 credit cards bundled together. + +It provides something like a featurephone, +with a 2-day battery life, +small size, +and never getting a security patch. +Because it's Android, I can install any Android app. +But because it's a security nightmare, I don't. + +I've spent quite a while configuring it: +around 10 hours so far. +This is mostly a note to myself, +in case I ever have to factory reset this phone. +Maybe it will help other people, too. + + +Remove/Disable Apps +=================== + +This phone will never get a security patch, +so I have to be very careful about what information is stored on it. +"Information" here includes data, +but also authentication tokens. + +This means no banking apps, car apps, browsers, podcast apps (except YouTube Music, +which I verified re-encodes podcast icons), or cloud storage clients. + +My first step was to remove or disable as many apps as I could tolerate. +This included: + +* Google Drive +* Google Photos +* Google TV +* Google Assistant +* Chrome +* Gmail +* Keep Notes +* YouTube + + +Install No-Icons Launcher +========================= + +I like OLauncher. + +My two home screen apps are a calculator (I use RealCalc, +because I like Reverse Polish Notation), and +YouTube Music (for podcasts, mostly). + +I have the launcher configured to swipe right for the phone app, +swipe left for the messages app. +I had to reassign the phone app to the swipe right action +to prevent it from bringing up the dialer each time. + +I also had to briefly switch back to the factory launcher +to get the right bottom face button (recent apps) to work. +I don't understand why this worked to fix it, but it did. + +Setting the font to the largest size was also helpful. + + +Install Better Camera +===================== + +The built-in camera is actually pretty good: +better than OpenCamera and a few others I tried. +But GCam is still the best. + +I used [MGC 8.9.097 A11 V25](https://www.celsoazevedo.com/files/android/google-camera/dev-bsg/f/dl227/) +and loaded the [Jelly Star config](https://www.celsoazevedo.com/files/android/google-camera/f/configs-bsg-05/). +I've mirrored these in `media/software/GCam` on my NAS, +if those links ever break. + +I made a few changes to the config: +[my config](js2.xml) might be a better starting point +if I have to reinstall the phone. + +I installed the "Gallery" app (by Google) +to view photos. +Google Photos doesn't appear to provide anything I want. + +I can't get "top shot" to work: +it's the feature that records a little video when you take a photo. + + +RCS with Messages +================= + +RCS wouldn't enable until I had updated the Messages app to the latest version, +and then cleared data for the app. + + +Weird System Things +=================== + +The OS has some strange additions in the settings. + +Apply Advanced Settings +----------------------- + +There are three things under here: + +Network Manager +: A handly little thing to disable Internet access to certain apps. +I disabled it for GCam + +App Blocker +: This is a power saving feature that works alongside (or maybe against) +the power saving already in the OS. I turned it off. + +Freezer +: I think this is a way to hide apps from yourself. +Olauncher has it built in, so I haven't used it. + + +LED lights +---------- + +You can make the lights on the back of the phone flash. +I'm probably going to turn it off, +it's starting to annoy me. + +Intelligent Assistance +---------------------- + +Some of these are well-explained on screen. +Some aren't: + +Physical key switch +: "Lefty" mode, switches the function of the left and right face buttons +below the LCD, by making them "recent apps", "home", and "back". + +Memory Extension +: I think this just creates a swap file. I wouldn't do it, +once you wear out the flash memory, you have to buy a new phone. + +Call recorder +: I guess this is nice? I turned it off. + +LED notification +: This is the LED on the face of the phone. +Super useful! I have mine blink on missed notifications. +I wish more phones did this, but I guess it would mean +people aren't turning their phones on all the time, +which manufacturers probably don't want to happen. + + +Shortcut Settings +---------------- + +PTT key +: I guess there are some apps that work like a walkie-talkie. +You can turn this on to have the red side button be "push to talk" +for these apps. + +Programmable key +: I left it at "None". I don't know what the other options do, +other than disable the shortcuts. + +Shortcut settings +: You can have the red button do certain things. +Right now I only have it turning the flashlight on and off. + + +Other System Settings +--------------------- + +I disabled gesture navigation. +The screen is so small, +the gestures were conflicting with other stuff like swipe text entry. +Since the phone has the three face buttons anyhow, +this works out fine. + + +Install Some Other Apps +====================== + +Like it or not, +I need a few other apps: + +* Car charging networks (PlugShare, EVGo, ChargePoint, and so on) +* PhotoSync, to back up photos. It *only* has access to photos on our NAS. +* PlayBook will play audiobooks. I like it. +* Plexamp for music. +* Travel apps: TripIt, Uber, Amtrak, Catima (stores barcodes) + + +Accelerometer +======= + +The "Toolbox" app that comes built in is actually pretty nice. +It has a Pedometer that you can't seem to disable but are free to ignore. +It also has a "bubble level" that lets you see if the accelerometer is calibrated. +Mine wasn't. + +To calibrate the accelerometer, +dial `*#*#3377#*#*` on the phone, +then select "GRAVITY CALIBRATIO N". +Set the phone on a flat surface and press "calibrate". +There's also a GPS test in here which shows speed, +and a "DISTANCE CALIBRATIO N" that exercises the proximity sensor. +Stay away from "MTKLOG", it must be force stopped to make it go away. +I don't know what "SMARTPA CALIB" does: +the Internet makes it sound like possibly something to do with the loudspeaker? +"SINGLE TEST" lets you exercise all the sensors and output devices, +including turning on both colors of flashlight LED (the amber one doesn't appear to be used by anything else) +I haven't played with "AGING TEST". + +It might be worth calibrating the gyroscope in "SINGLE TEST". +Place the phone on a flat surface to do so. + + +Browser +======= + +Two apps (TripIt and Amtrak) need a browser installed in order to log in. +I enabled Chrome temporarily to set these up, +then disabled it again. diff --git a/content/blog/2024/09-24-jelly-star/js2.xml b/content/blog/2024/09-24-jelly-star/js2.xml new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ae07b02 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/blog/2024/09-24-jelly-star/js2.xml @@ -0,0 +1,325 @@ + + + + 1.0 + 1 + 0.686416 + 0.686416 + zoom + 0 + 66480026 + 0 + 1 + 1 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 0.556984 + 0.556984 + 0 + + 0 + + 0.340845 + 0.340845 + 71 + + + 0 + 1 + + 0 + + + 0.478985 + + 1 + ns + 0 + 0 + 0.478985 + 0.645941 + 0.645941 + 0 + 1 + 1 + 0 + 0 + 0.269751 + 0.0 + + 0.0 + 0 + 0.269751 + 0.833 + 0.833 + 0.645941 + 0.645941 + 0.442842 + + 0.442842 + 2 + 3 + 0 + + + flame + 0 + full + 0 + + 0 + + com.google.android.apps.photosgo + 0 + + 0 + 0.538163 + 0.538163 + 0 + 0 + 0.686416 + 0.686416 + 0.887744 + 0.887744 + 0 + 1.00293 + 0 + 1.00293 + 0.250332 + 0.250332 + + + + + + 1 + 1 + + 24 + + + + 1 + 0 + 1 + 0 + 0.558293 + 0.558293 + + 0.645941 + 0.645941 + 0 + FPS_30 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0.0 + 0.0 + 0 + 1 + 0 + 0 + 0 + + 0.446765 + 15 + 0.446765 + 0 + 0 + + + 1 + 0.584017 + 0.584017 + 20 + 0.0 + 0.0 + 3 + 0 + 0.59211 + 0.59211 + 0 + 0 + + 1 + 1727144016179 + 0.686416 + 0 + 0 + 0.686416 + 1 + 1.11318 + 1 + 1.0 + 3 + 1.11318 + 0 + 0 + 0 + + 19 + 0 + 0 + 0 + + + 0 + 0.446765 + 0 + 0.446765 + 0 + 0 + 0.3 + 0.3 + 0.446765 + 0.446765 + 0 + 0 + 1 + + blueline + flame + 100 + 1 + 100 + 30 + 1 + 1 + 0 + + 0.967126 + 0 + 0 + + 0.967126 + 6 + 0 + 6 + 1 + 0 + + + shutter + 2 + + 0 + 0 + + 0 + + 37 + + 0 + + 0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + auto + 0 + 0 + + 1 + + + 0 + 0.645941 + 0 + 0.645941 + + + 0.478985 + + 0.478985 + 0 + + 0 + 0.686416 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0.0 + 0.0 + 0 + + + 1 + + 1 + 0 + + 0 + 0 + + + FPS_30 + 0.397625 + + 0.397625 + 0 + + + 0 + 47 + 0.686416 + 1 + 10 + 1 + 72 + + 0.478985 + 0.478985 + FPS_30 + 14 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + + 0 + + 0 + 0.769319 + + 1 + 1 + 0.769319 + 0.867481 + 0.867481 + 0 + 0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 300.0 + + + + + 0 + + 0 + 1727576608591 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 0.340845 + 0.478985 + -1.3143257|-5.2562513|-2.7665257|-5.877205|-3.1138203|-2.912221|-2.2110193|-3.6040943|-1.6273756|-1.6243087|-4.4979973|-5.2233405|-1.9010562|-7.762249|-1.5987327|-1.7654476|-2.4679313|-3.2108252|-1.0079644|-4.5459213|-1.2718241|-3.3199084|-3.2101526|-6.47334|-2.3148952|-2.4767318|-7.443662|-6.6002727|-4.5507092|-8.01519|-2.9757972|-2.103111| + 0.340845 + 0.478985 + + + 66 + RES_1080P + 0.446765 + 1 + 0.0 + 0.446765 + + 0.0 + 0 + 1 + 1 + 0 + 0 +