Just when you thought you'd seen the dumbest thing

**berryweather** · 08-09-2011, 01:08 AM

So, I picked up my Infuse just a few days ago. I was in a hurry to make it mine, so immediately started adding widgets to my screens. One screen had a large blank window on it with a thin frame around it. I'd say maybe about 4x4. I don't know what it was, but I thought it might be a window to receive updates from my social network. I wasn't ready to go there yet, so I just hard pressed and deleted it, thinking I could just install it again later if I decided I needed it. Well, that would be fine except for one minor problem, and I'm quite embarrassed to admit this but, I don't know what it was! I've tried adding widgets, shortcuts and apps and nothing looks like this window.

Does anyone know what this was? I have deleted a few things from my phone that I knew I wouldn't use (the ones that aren't double bolted to the phone anyway), so I'm thinking I deleted it. Then again, since it was a fairly large screen, it must have been a widget, but which one?!

I've felt acutely intellectually challenged in here amongst all you gurus but, even for me, this one is hard to spit out.

**SkySoldier** · 08-09-2011, 11:24 AM

The one similar experience I've had was when I was using a social app widget (plume); and deleted said app, when I went back, the page was blank as you've described. I also deleted it and moved on. For me, it was simple as that. No problems whatsoever. Maybe you deleted something along those lines?

**dykestra** · 08-09-2011, 09:29 PM

I think you are referring to the Social Updates widget? I just recently purchased an Infuse and this was the only stock widget that came already added to one of the home screens that sound similar to what you are talking about.

**berryweather** · 08-09-2011, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by SkySoldier

The one similar experience I've had was when I was using a social app widget (plume); and deleted said app, when I went back, the page was blank as you've described. I also deleted it and moved on. For me, it was simple as that. No problems whatsoever. Maybe you deleted something along those lines?

Did it come with the phone out of the box because I hadn't installed any apps or widgets yet, when I deleted it.

**berryweather** · 08-09-2011, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by dykestra

I think you are referring to the Social Updates widget? I just recently purchased an Infuse and this was the only stock widget that came already added to one of the home screens that sound similar to what you are talking about.

Yes yes! I think that was it!!! I briefly glanced at it and thought oh,it's a social networking update thing so I'll worry about it later. I'll go look for it in the market and see if that's it, but I bet it is! <edit> What I don't understand is, why isn't it still listed as a widget on my phone? It completely disappeared. Also, I just looked in the market and there are 1197 hits on a search for "social widget". Do you think it's in there somewhere? I'm so angry with myself that I deleted something without exploring it first. I was overcome with excitement over my new phone and completely lost my mind :-)

Thank you so much <---bowing to your greatness> I love this forum!:-)

**dykestra** · 08-09-2011, 09:51 PM

Yeah, that was one of the loaded by default widgets. I know that for sure as I just deleted it the other day. I think possibly the Buddies Now widget was loaded as well, but I'm not 100% on that one.

**dykestra** · 08-09-2011, 09:53 PM

No problem! I did the same thing, just getting used to the phone I either ignored or deleted a bunch of those widgets until I had everything else figured out

**berryweather** · 08-09-2011, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by dykestra

Yeah, that was one of the loaded by default widgets. I know that for sure as I just deleted it the other day. I think possibly the Buddies Now widget was loaded as well, but I'm not 100% on that one.

I looked for Buddies Now in the market but couldn't find it. Do you think this was a proprietary widget that isn't available anywhere? Now I'm -really- irritated with myself. How will I ever get this back? I mean I don't know if I even need it, but I'd at least like the chance to investigate it.

**dykestra** · 08-09-2011, 10:10 PM

I may be mistaken, but I believe Social Updates and Buddies Now are stock on the phone, sort of like the Calendar widget. If you go to add a widget they should both be there. Deleting them from your home screen doesn't uninstall them and they cannot be uninstalled normally anyways.

**berryweather** · 08-09-2011, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by dykestra

Yeah, that was one of the loaded by default widgets. I know that for sure as I just deleted it the other day. I think possibly the Buddies Now widget was loaded as well, but I'm not 100% on that one.

I found it in the system as an apk and another as an odex file, but the apk won't launch citing "Activity Not Found" com.sec.android.widgetapp.buddiesnow The file explorer also offers me the option of uninstalling the app. If the apk is there, why can't I launch it? IIt doesn't show in the applications list, but it is in the system. It's like I deleted the front end so the backend doesn't know what to do with itself.

The two files are /system/app/BuddiesNow.apk and /system/app/BuddiesNow.odex

**dykestra** · 08-09-2011, 10:21 PM

That's beyond my limited knowledge of Android at this point. Maybe someone else here will be able to help. Sorry.

**berryweather** · 08-09-2011, 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by dykestra

No problem! I did the same thing, just getting used to the phone I either ignored or deleted a bunch of those widgets until I had everything else figured out

I just can't believe I did it without checking it out first! I thought all widgets were in the system and that's what made it possible to add and delete them from the home screen without completely uninstalling them. All I did was delete a widget and voila! It's gone forever, from everywhere! sheesh

**berryweather** · 08-09-2011, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by dykestra

That's beyond my limited knowledge of Android at this point. Maybe someone else here will be able to help. Sorry.

Well, if it's beyond you, I have no hope at all :-) It won't kill me if it's gone forever, but it would be nice to at least have a good look at it and what it does.

**dykestra** · 08-10-2011, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by tunie

I just can't believe I did it without checking it out first! I thought all widgets were in the system and that's what made it possible to add and delete them from the home screen without completely uninstalling them. All I did was delete a widget and voila! It's gone forever, from everywhere! sheesh

Removing a widget from one of the home screens won't uninstall it. Not really sure what happened there if those stock ones are missing, in theory they should be in the Widgets menu when you do a hard press on the home screen.

**2guests** · 08-10-2011, 10:22 PM

It is called Social Updates and it still should be listed in the Widgets when you long touch a main screen. I deleted it also but it stayed on the widget list.

**berryweather** · 08-11-2011, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by dykestra

Removing a widget from one of the home screens won't uninstall it. Not really sure what happened there if those stock ones are missing, in theory they should be in the Widgets menu when you do a hard press on the home screen.

I know. That's why I can't understand what happened to it. I can see the BuddiesNow.apk in the system, along with another file, but that's it. When I click on the apk, it says it can't run the unknown app. grrr

**berryweather** · 08-11-2011, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by 2guests

It is called Social Updates and it still should be listed in the Widgets when you long touch a main screen. I deleted it also but it stayed on the widget list.

Don't I wish. It's gone from the widget list. Maybe I uninstalled it by mistake? I don't know. Is there any way for me to get it back. I've done backups, but hadn't done one when I deleted this widget because I'd just picked up the phone.

**berryweather** · 08-12-2011, 12:54 AM

Originally Posted by 2guests

It is called Social Updates and it still should be listed in the Widgets when you long touch a main screen. I deleted it also but it stayed on the widget list.

It's not there. It's absolutely gone. Any idea how I can get it back?

**berryweather** · 08-12-2011, 01:51 AM

I spoke to Samsung. They told me to download it from the market. Well, it's not in the market. They told me to factory reset my phone. I wish they provided an easier way to recover factory loaded apps. Oh well, it was my own fault...

**631735** · 08-25-2011, 09:04 PM

Hey Tunie, first time poster although I've been an Infuse user/AC lurker for over 2 months. That Social Network widget is nice. You do have a way better alternative called Android Pro Widgets.

As you will later notice, once you install a new launcher (Launcher Pro, ADW). Those stock Samsung widgets (Buddies Now & Social Updates) won't be usable for some reason. With Android Pro Widgets, you have better calender, social, sms, bookmarks, etc. May I add, they are transparent so you can still see your background. You can also use the widgets with any launcher app you choose. You'll see the market description.

I'll be roaming around the forums now, responding to people with various questions that I feel need more help. Reply back if you need more info.

~Genes