Prakash Advani's Blog

I had an old Poco F1 lying around, still functional but running an outdated Android 10 with plenty of bloatware. The Poco F1 was a flagship device at an affordable price when it launched, but over time, its performance was bogged down by the pre-installed software.

Initially, I tried debloating tools (refer to my previous article), but they led to strange errors. A factory reset didn’t help either, as the bloatware remained and continued causing issues. Frustrated, I decided to flash Lineage OS (Android 15), which is actively supported and widely regarded as the best custom ROM.

Note: Flashing a custom ROM can brick your phone if not done correctly. It also erases all data. Proceed only as a last resort and follow instructions carefully.

Unlocking the Bootloader

To begin, you need to unlock the bootloader. The process is well-documented on the official Lineage OS site:
Lineage OS Poco F1 Installation Guide

Downloading the Mi Unlock tool

You can download from the Mi official website. However, the Mi Unlock Tool on the official site was outdated. I recommend downloading the latest version from:
Xiaomi Unlock Tool

This tool also includes the necessary USB drivers for the installation process. Make sure you install them.

Important: Unlocking the bootloader will erase all data on your phone. Ensure you back up important files beforehand.

Troubleshooting Fastboot USB Bug

When I connected the Poco F1 in Fastboot mode, the screen went blank with a tiny message at the top: “Press any key to shutdown.”

This issue is caused by a USB compatibility bug with AMD processors. Here’s how to resolve it:

1. Use a USB 2.0 Hub (a USB 3.0 Hub also worked for me).
2. Alternatively, run a batch file on Windows (explained in this video). Ensure to download files only from trusted sources.

Once your phone is unlocked, you’re ready for the next step.

Installing Lineage OS

I came across a great utility called XiaoMiTool V2 that simplifies the flashing process:
XiaoMiTool V2

This GUI tool works on both Windows and Ubuntu. However, if you prefer manual commands, here’s how to proceed:

1. Install ADB and Fastboot Tools:
   • On Ubuntu: sudo apt install adb fastboot
   • On Windows: Download from Android Platform Tools. Follow the instructions to add it to your system PATH.
2. Flashing Recovery:
   • Boot the phone into Fastboot mode:
   • adb -d reboot bootloader fastboot devices fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
   • Ensure the recovery.img file is placed in the same directory as the commands or provide the full path to the file.
   • Download the recovery image from the Lineage OS website. Use the latest .zip file.
3. Reboot into Recovery Mode:
   After flashing, hold the Power and Volume Up buttons. When the phone vibrates and the Poco logo appears, release the Power button but keep holding Volume Up to boot into recovery. If the phone boots into MIUI instead, it means MIUI overwrote the custom recovery. Repeat the step 2 of flashing recovery.
4. Installing Lineage OS from Recovery:
   • Download the Lineage OS .zip file for the Poco F1 from the official builds page.
   • Now tap Factory Reset, then Format data / factory reset 
   • On the device, select “Apply Update”, then “Apply from ADB” to begin sideload.
   • Transfer the .zip file to your phone via ADB from your PC
   • adb -d sideload filename.zip
   • Once the installation completes, wipe the cache/dalvik if prompted, then reboot the phone.

Installing Google Apps

Lineage OS doesn’t include Google apps (GApps) by default. To install the Play Store:

1. Download a minimal GApps package, like MindTheGapps. Ensure you select the ARM64 build matching your Lineage OS version.
2. Transfer the .zip file to your phone and install it using:
3. adb -d sideload filename.zip
4. Replace filename.zip with the actual file name.
5. When presented with a screen that says Signature verification failed, click Yes.

Final Steps

Once rebooted, your Poco F1 will be running Lineage OS. Open the Play Store to install essential apps.

Now, I have a bloat-free, super-fast phone running the latest Android version. Lineage OS has given my Poco F1 a new lease on life!

Tired of apps that don’t show up in your app store but clutter your phone? These pre-installed apps—added by OEMs (phone brands)—can range from useful tools to spyware or even ad-supported partner apps that brands don’t want you to remove.

I personally prefer stock Android devices that come with minimal bloatware. However, if your phone is packed with unwanted apps, try Universal Android Debloater GUI:
GitHub Repository

This cross-platform app works seamlessly—I used it on Ubuntu 24.04.1. If you’re using Linux, I recommend the following build as it works well with Wayland:
uad_gui-linux-opengl.tar.gz

Steps to Get Started:

1. Enable Developer Mode on your phone.

You can read the steps here.

1. Turn on USB Debugging from Settings.
2. Launch the Universal Android Debloater app, which will detect your device and show a list of removable packages.

Key Features:

• Click on a package name to see what it does before deciding to remove it.

• If you encounter issues, you can re-enable any app using the same tool.

?? Disclaimer: Removing essential packages might render your phone unusable. Proceed with caution!

After making changes, verify your phone works fine and disable USB debugging to minimize security risks.

My Experience:

I was planning to use Universal Android Debloater to remove Glance, a lock screen app packed with ads and games that my daughter could access without my consent. Family Link couldn’t monitor or disable it, and searching for terms like “Glance” or “lockscreen” didn’t help.

I am still looking for the name of the package.

#Samsung #Glance #Disable

When the JioPhone first launched, it was a game changer, bringing smartphone-like features to a feature phone. They even called it a “smart feature phone.”

The main benefit then was the bundling: for ?2000, you could get a handset plus 2 years of recharge. This offer is now discontinued. So, let’s examine if the JioPhone/Jio Bharat still makes sense today.

Pros:

• Affordability: It’s a cheaper solution for people who primarily need to make calls and send SMS.
• Basic Connectivity: Ideal for those who need to stay reachable without the complexities of a smartphone. There’s a growing trend of people wanting to simplify their lives by giving up smartphones, and this fits right in.
• Suitability for Kids and Seniors: It may work well for children and older parents. However, it lacks features like GPS tracking, which smartphones easily provide for family location tracking.

Cons:

• Locked to Jio: The handset is locked to Jio, limiting your network options.
• Unmet Expectations: Initially, it seemed promising, as people expected smartphone-like features at a much lower cost.
• Limited App Support: The current generation of Jio Bharat Phones runs on ThreadX RTOS and doesn’t support popular third-party apps like WhatsApp and YouTube, only Jio’s own apps. In contrast, the original JioPhone and Jio Prima do support these apps.
• Difficulty in Transferring Contacts: Transferring contacts to another handset is cumbersome. While I managed to extract contacts from the original JioPhone using Bluetooth to a laptop, I couldn’t sync them with the Jio Bharat phone.

Here is a comparison of different JioPhone/Jio Bharat Phone options:

I tested this laptop with Ubuntu 22.04.4 LTS, so most of my observations are based on using this operating system.

With Ubuntu, the laptop works flawlessly right out of the box without requiring any special setup.

The laptop comes pre-installed with Windows 10 Pro, which can be upgraded to Windows 11 Pro.

Here’s a polished version of your pros section:

Pros:

Processor: My laptop came with an AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5650U, featuring 6 cores and 12 threads. It performs exceptionally well, handling my browser-based tasks with multiple open tabs without any slowdown.

Upgradable RAM: Unlike most ultrabooks that have soldered RAM, this laptop offers two RAM slots, allowing you to upgrade up to 64GB of DDR4-3200 RAM. This provides ample speed for most use cases.

SSD: You can upgrade to any 2280 NVMe Gen 3 SSD (PCIe 3.0). While you can use PCIe 4.0 SSDs due to backward compatibility, it doesn’t offer any significant advantage in this setup.

Graphics: The integrated AMD Radeon Graphics smoothly plays 4K videos without any buffering issues.

Plenty of Ports

This laptop includes all the essential ports, unlike the current trend of laptops that only feature USB-C ports and require a hub for additional connectivity.

HDMI 2.0

2 USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2: Both ports are located on the right side. While I would prefer one on each side for convenience, having them both on one side is still manageable.

Charging Options: The laptop comes with a dedicated charger and an HP proprietary charging port. However, it also supports Type-C charging, and I was able to use my Android phone charger, power bank and Lenovo 65-W Chromebook Type C charger to charge the laptop. If Type-C charging fails, you can reset the battery.

• 2 USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1: Both ports are on the left side.
• Fingerprint Reader: Works well in Ubuntu and saves time during login.
• WiFi: The Qualcomm Atheros QCNFA765 supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, ensuring fast and reliable wireless connectivity.
• Battery Life: Offers long battery life, lasting up to 10 hours.
• Weight: Weighs 1.37 kg (3.02 lb), making it portable and easy to carry.
• Backlit Keyboard: The backlit keyboard enhances usability in low-light conditions.
• 1080p Display: While some users have complained that the display is not bright enough, I find it very bright and usually reduce the brightness for comfortable use.
• Trackpoint: It also has a trackpoint, reminiscent of ThinkPads, providing an alternative navigation option.

Cons:

No USB 4.0 or Thunderbolt: The laptop lacks USB 4.0 and Thunderbolt support, which could limit connectivity options for some users.

No Micro SD Slot: The absence of a Micro SD slot could be inconvenient for users who frequently transfer data from devices like cameras or smartphones.

No Ethernet: Most ultraportable/ultrabooks don’t have these anyways.

Other Tidbits:

M.2 2242 Slot for WWAN: The laptop has an M.2 2242 slot for WWAN, which is currently empty. It might be possible to use this slot for an additional SSD, but I haven’t tested this. Note that it only supports 2242 form factor SSDs, so you CANNOT use 2280 or 2230 SSDs in this slot.

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) is here, and here are the direct download links.

India

Global

I’ve used over a dozen operating systems, and I recently decided to give ChromeOS a try. I initially considered getting a Windows laptop and dual-booting Linux, but since I wouldn’t use Windows, I didn’t want to pay for the license. I thought a Chromebook was a better choice because it runs Linux and can also run Android apps.

I’m a long-time Linux Desktop user (my current flavour is Ubuntu), so my expectations were high. I’m reviewing the Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook. Here’s my experience:

The Good

• ChromeOS runs very fast, just like most Linux distributions, faster than Windows.
• It has a clean interface with no annoying popups.
• The updates work great. They don’t take over your PC, and there are no forced reboots or endless waits. 
• It doesn’t need antivirus software, and neither does Linux.
• It’s stable and reliable, with no hanging or crashes.
• It’s great if you live in the browser.
• It’s nicely integrated with Android, and you can easily transfer files between your Android phone and Chromebook. You can also easily connect to your phone’s hotspot. It detects that you’re using mobile data even if you’re on a Mobile Hotspot, so it uses bandwidth judiciously.
• It’s mostly cheaper than Windows laptops.
• The touch works well.

The Bad

• If you’re a Linux power user, you’ll find ChromeOS very restrictive. It’s Linux under the hood, but many restrictions are hard to deal with. The Linux terminal is also very limited. While you can install most Linux packages, it’s still inside a container and it’s highly restricted.
• The keyboard is very bad. Why did they change the keyboard layout? Why can’t they just stick to what people are used to? More Grumbling follows.
• One of the features I like about Chrome Browser is the option for profiles, so I can run completely separate browser profiles, one for work and one for personal stuff. In ChromeOS, it’s no longer possible. You need to log out to log into another profile. Which is a bummer, how do you cut and paste between your personal space and workspace?
• ChromeOS login and Google ID are closely tied to each other. Your Google password is the same as your ChromeOS login. It reduces the number of passwords you need to remember, but I prefer them to be separate.
• ChromeOS is primarily a connected PC, so you have limited functionality when you’re offline.
• The apps are not the same as on Ubuntu (Linux) or Windows. For example, the Zoom PWA doesn’t support all the features of the native desktop client.
• I missed some of my favourite apps on ChromeOS, such as LibreOffice, Nemo file manager, Gimp, and a few other native Linux apps. There are ways to install them in the Linux container, but it’s not the same experience.

The Ugly

• Chromebooks are missing some important keys, such as the delete key and the caps lock key. In place of the caps lock key, there’s a Google search button.
• The function keys are also missing. You can enable this from settings, but they are not printed on the keys.
• The workaround: You can use an external keyboard to access all of the keys.
• I even tried to install a full-blown Linux distro on the Chromebook, but I wasn’t successful. If you’re planning to run a Linux distro, it’s best to get a Linux laptop or a Windows laptop that you can dual boot with Linux.

My Final Thoughts

ChromeOS is a great device if all you need is a web browser (read Chrome). Tablets are great content consumption devices, but Chromebooks are better because they have better keyboards. In short, it’s a content-consumption device with a keyboard.

If you’re a power user who needs more desktop apps, then you need to look elsewhere. Ubuntu (Linux) works well for me. It does everything that ChromeOS does and more. I can run native desktop apps, deal with large numbers of photos and videos, and easily edit PDFs.

Chromebooks are also a good choice for beginners and students who haven’t used computers for long and don’t want to deal with complexities. If you’ve been using a PC user for a while like me, you’ll find the keyboard layout very irritating and painful to get used to.

I started blogging on 3rd March 2003 — that makes it 13 years of blogging today. Makes me feel older, when there are people who are not even 13 and have started blogging!

Thanks you to all those readers and followers for all your encouragements, comments and feedback.

For those interested in the History, you can read it here.

From a numbers standpoint, Google is actually a distant fourth in the $23 billion cloud infrastructure services market, according to Synergy Research Group. AWS ranks first with 31 percent, followed by Microsoft Azure at 9 percent, IBM at 7 percent and Google Cloud Platform at 4 percent, Synergy data show. That means of Google parent Alphabet’s $75 billion in revenue, less than $1 billion came from cloud infrastructure.

Read More: http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/23/google-aims-to-catch-amazon-microsoft-in-cloud.html

New research has found, for the first time, a scientific solution that enables future internet infrastructure to become completely open and programmable while carrying internet traffic at the speed of light.

Read More: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160126110910.htm

When Internet of Things devices debut at this year’s CES, one of the biggest questions will be how they’ll connect to all the other smart-home gear on display. But anyone who expects a clear answer to that is like a kid who gets up Thanksgiving morning looking for a bunch of gifts under a tree.

The fact is, it’s too early to say what standard or protocol will become the glue that can turn a pile of cool gadgets into a system that runs your whole house for you. New systems are just starting to emerge, and though they may eventually work with each other and with older platforms, buying one of each and expecting harmony is still wishful thinking.

Connected homes may make life easier eventually. A thermostat linked to a garage-door opener could tell who’s coming home and set the heat or air-conditioning for their preferences. Compatible room lights and an audio system could join in, too.

Read More: http://www.cio.com/article/3018836/internet-of-things/what-you-need-to-know-about-home-iot-standards-at-ces.html

If you are a company that is interested in connected devices or the Internet of Things (IoT), you better not be waiting for standards to emerge. This will not be happening anytime soon. IoT is a multi-trillion dollar market, and, with so much potential business on the line, the big technology companies are all angling to create their own standard.

Of course these companies all say they want to create common protocols and framework. But let’s face it, there is too much at stake for any of these companies to not try and get the upper hand on the competition. As a result, we have an explosion of consortiums and “open source” projects that are intended to create these standards.

WHAT do you do when you have 30 seconds to spare? It may not sound like a lot of time, but there are productive things which you can try when the clock’s ticking away.

Here’s a list of 15 productive things for you to do within 30 seconds or less. No more complaints about “I don’t have time”, okay?

Read More: http://mypaper.sg/lifestyle/do-something-useful-within-30-seconds-20151117

Open Source key to innovation at Telstra says Frank Arrigo, API evangelist at Telstra.

Telstra is looking to stay ahead of the curve by encouraging technological innovation through collaboration with startups, machine-to-machine (M2M) technology, and the Internet of Things (IoT) — but said that ensuring its network continues to be the best in Australia is still at the core of its business, and the driving force behind being able to deliver these capabilities.

Speaking at Telstra’s Vantage 2015 conference in Melbourne on Tuesday, Telstra CEO Andrew Penn said that IoT is integral to all businesses now, because by 2020, “everything that can be connected will be connected”.

Cisco, which has a long-standing cloud, communications, and collaboration partnership with Telstra, predicted that there will be 50 billion IoT devices by 2020.

Read More: http://www.zdnet.com/article/telstra-ceo-eyes-innovation-through-startups-iot-m2m/

Last week, Wired published an account describing how two security researchers, Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek, were able to wirelessly hack into a Jeep Cherokee, first taking control of the entertainment system and windshield wipers, and then disabling the accelerator. Andy Greenberg, the Wired writer who was at the wheel as the self-described “digital crash test dummy” explained what happened next:

Immediately my accelerator stopped working. As I frantically pressed the pedal and watched the RPMs climb, the Jeep lost half its speed, then slowed to a crawl. This occurred just as I reached a long overpass, with no shoulder to offer an escape. The experiment had ceased to be fun.

Miller and Valasek also wirelessly disabled the Jeep Cherokee’s brakes, leaving Greenberg “frantically pumping the pedal as the 2-ton SUV slid uncontrollably into a ditch.” In response, on July 24 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced a recall impacting about 1.4 million vehicles, stating, somewhat incongruously, that “no defect has been found.”

This is the one of the most dramatic demonstrations to date of the cybersecurity challenges that will accompany the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT). And, it offers an opportunity to make some broader observations about the changing landscape of cybersecurity as systems become increasingly connected and decentralized.

Here are five takeaways on the Security of Things (SoT) that designers—as well as companies building products for the cybersecurity market—should keep in mind as they build increasingly complex and connected systems:

Read More: http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnvillasenor/2015/07/27/five-lessons-on-the-security-of-things-from-the-jeep-cherokee-hack/

Amazon.com released for sale a tablet that sounded too good to be true…. a 7″ quad core tablet for a mere $50. It took me about 15 minutes to realize that there were a lot of “fine print” to the deal and I think you need to be aware of them before you buy or before you recommend it to friends and family.

Read more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickmoorhead/2015/09/17/read-the-fine-print-before-buying-the-50-amazon-fire-tablet/

From Forbes:

Traditionally, chief executive officers have come up through the ranks from the finance, sales or marketing side, so they don’t necessary bring an in-depth understanding of technology deployments. Not that it was necessary — the IT department ran its systems and spit out reports, while everyone else stuck to their specialties.

Now, everybody is getting into the technology act. A new study published by Deloitte finds that business executives — CEOs and CFOs — are getting directly involved in technology decisions. Maybe not studying and selecting application servers or hypervisors, but determining the technology direction that needs to be taken — whether it be moving to cloud, or deploying mobile to get closer to customers.

Close to two-thirds (62 percent) of 500 mid-market executives say their company’s C-suite leaders have “some” level of involvement in the adoption of next generation technologies such as cloud, social, analytics and mobile. In fact, nearly half (46 percent) say C-suite is “actively engaged.” A growing percentage (33 percent, compared with 20 percent in 2014) say their leadership is even “leading the charge.”

Read More: http://www.forbes.com/sites/joemckendrick/2015/09/12/should-you-trust-your-ceo-with-cloud-computing-decisions/

Facebook built the React JavaScript library so its engineering team could build interfaces for iOS, Android, and web with the same code. Now it’s giving that development super power to everyone by open sourcing the final part of the React trilogy, React Native For Android.

Read More: http://techcrunch.com/2015/09/14/react-native-android/#.q7nwkb:BMin

Taiwanese firm Foxconn’s decision to invest a whopping USD five billion in India has caused unease in China as it marks the first top international firm opting for India amid a slowdown in the Chinese economy.

“Foxconn chooses India over China for new plant,” read the headline in state-run china.org.cn while carrying the news of the Taiwanese electronic giant signing up to set up a big plant in Maharashtra.

“Foxconn’s latest India investment represents the leading electronic product maker’s intention to profit from the world’s fastest expanding market of smartphones. Foxconn, famous for making parts for Apple, will reportedly produce Xiaomi phones in the new factory, a rumour that Foxconn authorities did not clarify or comment,” it said.

Read More: http://www.financialexpress.com/article/industry/companies/foxconn-shift-to-india-causes-concerns-in-china/116976/

For a whole lot of people, especially those in developing countries, science – and with it, medicine – isn’t readily available to the majority of citizens. But Manu Prakash wants to change that.
Prakash, an assistant professor of bioengineering at Stanford, is the proprietor of “frugal science,” a term he coined to explain the movement toward building cheap versions of high tech tools. His endeavor aims to make medical devices both affordable and available to the masses.

The way Prakash sees it, labs don’t need the most expensive equipment out there in order to reach profound breakthroughs. “Today people look at these extraordinary labs and forget that in the 1800s they could still do the exact same science,” he told The New York Times.

So in 2014 he created a paper microscope, aptly named the Foldscope, that costs only 50 cents to produce.

Read More: http://www.businessinsider.in/A-paper-microscope-that-costs-only-50-cents-can-detect-malaria-from-just-a-drop-of-blood-and-it-could-revolutionize-medicine/articleshow/48259276.cms

Are you ready to play everybody’s not-so-favorite guilt game: what was I doing at that age? Ann Makosinski, a high school student from British Columbia, Canada, has created a simple LED torch powered by body heat. So instead of having to recharge it or swap in a fresh pair of AAs every so often, you literally just need to hold it in your hand for it to start glowing.

Read More: http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/06/15-year-old-invents-incredible-new-kind-of-torch/