Can I downgrade my Optimus S to 2.2?

[sfhub]

Thing that puzzled me is when did the 2.2.2 release come out? My phone was (until a few days ago) on 2.2.1 and on VD...

stock VD *was* 2.2.2. You probably installed VD but then flashed a 2.2.1 ROM.

 

[tirith]

Never flashed any roms or anything to my phone UNTIL 2/3 days ago... (well, on an optimus) VD came OTA but still said FIRMWARE VERSION: 2.2.1 - i even tried to do firmware update using phone tools...

 

[drewwalton19216801]

Never flashed any roms or anything to my phone UNTIL 2/3 days ago... (well, on an optimus) VD came OTA but still said FIRMWARE VERSION: 2.2.1 - i even tried to do firmware update using phone tools...

Screenshot please? V9 and VC were 2.2.1 and I know for a fact that VD is 2.2.2 unless you flash a VC-based ROM.

 

[tirith]

i'm currently running CM7, cant get a shot. But i know for a fact it said 2.2.1 because thats what it said when i checked to see if it was VD build. I was confused by it as well.

 

[sfhub]

Keep in mind most of the version information in the status screen is not dynamically read from your install, but actually is (essentially) a hard-coded string, so what you see may not match what you had installed.

 

[scoty024]

I hadn't realized my profile still showed my X, I'll have to fix that. I do have a Optimus S, but my query is regarding my children's Optimus S phones. I would very much like to get Mobile Nanny on them, however they only support the 2.2.0 variety of 2.2, much like they support 2.1.0, but no further 2.1 variety. It's the oddest thing I've ever heard of but figured it was worth investigating, then when I found nothing I thought I'd ask on here. Thanks to everyone who provided productive feedback.

 

[picasticks]

I hadn't realized my profile still showed my X, I'll have to fix that. I do have a Optimus S, but my query is regarding my children's Optimus S phones. I would very much like to get Mobile Nanny on them, however they only support the 2.2.0 variety of 2.2, much like they support 2.1.0, but no further 2.1 variety. It's the oddest thing I've ever heard of but figured it was worth investigating, then when I found nothing I thought I'd ask on here. Thanks to everyone who provided productive feedback.

Well, that's very wacky of them, but you probably don't need to go to the lengths I described earlier, but just fake a version number somewhere. Unfortunately my Android-hacking machine with the SDK etc. on it is AWOL, so I can't do even the tiniest bit of looking for you, but you might only need to edit build.prop or something like that to change the version number.

Or complain to Mobile Nanny if it won't install or run ... it would be perverse to not support minor updates of the same major OS version, so it could just be a bug on their end. Good luck!

 

[drewwalton19216801]

I hadn't realized my profile still showed my X, I'll have to fix that. I do have a Optimus S, but my query is regarding my children's Optimus S phones. I would very much like to get Mobile Nanny on them, however they only support the 2.2.0 variety of 2.2, much like they support 2.1.0, but no further 2.1 variety. It's the oddest thing I've ever heard of but figured it was worth investigating, then when I found nothing I thought I'd ask on here. Thanks to everyone who provided productive feedback.

Yeah I agree with picasticks on this one. Is it the company that doesn't support 2.2.2 or is it the app itself?

 

[tirith]

I checked the market for it, saw two versions. one for 1.5, one for 2.1 Lot of comments saying it didnt work. There are other apps on the market that may work though.

 

[sfhub]

The app needs to do some serious spyware-level hooks like Carrier IQ. I can believe minor changes (especially to plug security holes or undocumented interfaces) could affect it.

They say outright in the product page they aren't compatible with 2.2.2 and 2.2.1.

Mobile Nanny - Compatibility List for Android, iPhone, BlackBerry and more.

They also say they are working on testing and completing versions that will work on those releases. Perhaps OP could be a beta tester.

 

[picasticks]

The app needs to do some serious spyware-level hooks like Carrier IQ. I can believe minor changes (especially to plug security holes or undocumented interfaces) could affect it.

Yes, you're right. Android has no "enterprise" features that would enable feature lockdown or spyware-type features like this, so they aren't using documented APIs, they're doing unholy things to the OS to hook in.

So ... incompatible except with 2.2.0 means wait for them to update their software. OP *could* in theory build a full 2.2.0 OS for the phone like I described earlier, but that would be closer to the "days of work" end of the spectrum so probably not worth it.

Unless a 3-way diff "just works" or requires minimal manual merging. But I have no idea how much LG modifies the OS.

 

[CarrieK]

What an intetesting discussion this turned out to be. I lesrned a lot.

As for that app it sounds pretty scary to me. I'm not so sure I'd want something with that much spying power on my phone or anyone in my family. May be perfectly legit and have its purpose but I can see how it could be misused by both the purchaser or someone else. A lot to think about when considering what apps to download and what permissions to allow on your phone. Maybe I'm just being over cautious...

 

[picasticks]

As for that app it sounds pretty scary to me. I'm not so sure I'd want something with that much spying power on my phone or anyone in my family. May be perfectly legit and have its purpose but I can see how it could be misused by both the purchaser or someone else. A lot to think about when considering what apps to download and what permissions to allow on your phone. Maybe I'm just being over cautious...

Yeah, with an app like this you can see it as either very positive or very negative depending on how it's used or misused. If you use it to lock down features to keep your kids out of trouble, it's good. If you use it to spy on your kids, it's less good. If you use it to spy on a spouse, an ex-SO or a business competitor, it's a felony.

And it becomes extra important to do due diligence like reading reviews from trusted 3rd party sites (Cnet or wherever you get your tech reviews) before installing stuff like this, because just by what permissions you assign you can't tell what it's going to do (without disassembling the APK).

What's more, since Android Market has imperfect app review, and there are services like Tapjoy that allow a rogue app developer to essentially buy positive reviews and handset installs, just because something "looks good" in Android Market is not even any guarantee that it's not outright malware.

 

[og_president]

So thats why you were being so cryptic.

To each his own though.

regarding my children's Optimus S phones. I would very much like to get Mobile Nanny on them.

Sent from my LS670 using Tapatalk

 

[CarrieK]

Yeah, with an app like this you can see it as either very positive or very negative depending on how it's used or misused. If you use it to lock down features to keep your kids out of trouble, it's good. If you use it to spy on your kids, it's less good. If you use it to spy on a spouse, an ex-SO or a business competitor, it's a felony.

And it becomes extra important to do due diligence like reading reviews from trusted 3rd party sites (Cnet or wherever you get your tech reviews) before installing stuff like this, because just by what permissions you assign you can't tell what it's going to do (without disassembling the APK).

What's more, since Android Market has imperfect app review, and there are services like Tapjoy that allow a rogue app developer to essentially buy positive reviews and handset installs, just because something "looks good" in Android Market is not even any guarantee that it's not outright malware.

I didn't know about Tapjoy...wow. Thank you for posting this.

I did read a review of an app that I saw that is similar to the one OP wanted to install and a woman said her husband used it to spy on her.

 

[tirith]

Thats when you tell the police, not the app developer...

 

[CarrieK]

Thats when you tell the police, not the app developer...

True. I think the woman mostly posted that as a warning about how the app could be used in case someone found it on their phone and not necessarily to complain to the dev. At least that's how I interpreted it. Of course, I guess it is possible you could have it on your phone and not even know it. I admit I'm fairly ignorant about that sort of thing but you can bet I'm going to learn more.

 

[picasticks]

True. I think the woman mostly posted that as a warning about how the app could be used in case someone found it on their phone and not necessarily to complain to the dev. At least that's how I interpreted it. Of course, I guess it is possible you could have it on your phone and not even know it. I admit I'm fairly ignorant about that sort of thing but you can bet I'm going to learn more.

This is also why I use the Android screen lock ... I mean I trust my friends and family not to spy on me, but it only takes 30 seconds of you leaving your phone unattended for somebody to make a few taps and install something like this on your phone (or something to log or forward all network traffic, steal CC #s etc. ... it's only 5 seconds in settings to enable installation of any random program from the net, aka side-loading).

I'm not paranoid and haven't done this with previous phones (I did with a work BB however, and in that case it was well justified as we had hackers specifically target us). But, with all the personal info I store in my phone, I go with the pattern-swipe screen lock, which isn't too much of a pain in the ass to have to use 20 times a day. For now it's good enough for me, even if it's been broken by the smudge attack.

 

[CarrieK]

This is also why I use the Android screen lock ... I mean I trust my friends and family not to spy on me, but it only takes 30 seconds of you leaving your phone unattended for somebody to make a few taps and install something like this on your phone (or something to log or forward all network traffic, steal CC #s etc. ... it's only 5 seconds in settings to enable installation of any random program from the net, aka side-loading).

I'm not paranoid and haven't done this with previous phones (I did with a work BB however, and in that case it was well justified as we had hackers specifically target us). But, with all the personal info I store in my phone, I go with the pattern-swipe screen lock, which isn't too much of a pain in the ass to have to use 20 times a day. For now it's good enough for me, even if it's been broken by the smudge attack.

I think you are being smart, not paranoid. So much of our lives are on our phones now. I use mine more than my laptop. I already use Lookout and have a password so I can lock my phones. I have only recently begun to get really involved in Android and thanks to these forums I am learning more and more every day.

 

[sfhub]

I think you are being smart, not paranoid. So much of our lives are on our phones now. I use mine more than my laptop. I already use Lookout and have a password so I can lock my phones. I have only recently begun to get really involved in Android and thanks to these forums I am learning more and more every day.

Speaking of Lookout...

Peoria police use cellphone app to find suspected carjackers