Stop Google Taking Over MeMO 7HD

TickledBlue

Member
Oct 10, 2013
26
3
Hi all,

OK, love his thing, but Google is dominating it. If I put it to sleep with no active processes and then wake it back up a few hours later there are 12+ apps running.

Using the built in Task Manager, it shows most if not all are Google stuff. All well and good, but this is MY Tablet and I would like to have some say in what it is doing.

Apparently, even when I have wifi off, the self-starting Google apps turn it on, do their stuff and turn it off again. My Modem/Router is showing wifi traffic during the time when all wifi things are supposed to be off.

I do not want to Root it, but I am not happy with the Google intrusions. I have tried "Force stop" but the apps start themselves up again and there is no facility to uninstall them.

If it was a Google device, I could understand this, but that was the main reason I did not buy a Nexus after reading Google's TOS.

Thoughts and suggestions to stop this errant (you will be assimilated - do some harm) behavior gratefully received. :)

Thanks
 

Traveller

Administrator
Staff member
Jun 16, 2012
2,858
982
Do the thing you don't want to do, and root. Then you can freeze (prevent from starting) the apps using an app for the purpose from the Play Store, or outright remove them if you so desire.

Keep in mind that the inclusion of the Google apps is Asus' choice. Google does not force manufacturers to include Google apps when using Android, and in fact there are more than a few third-tier tablet manufacturers that don't include Google apps at all. The point here is that your ire is slightly misplaced. While I understand you being upset at Google, I'd be more upset at Asus in your shoes.
 
Last edited:

edap

Senior Member
Dec 12, 2012
1,120
106
I guess, that's the price that has to be paid by Asus in order to continue manufacturing the hardware for Google's pure Android flagship, the Nexus.
 

Spider

Administrator
Staff member
Mar 24, 2011
15,785
1,813
Keep in mind that the inclusion of the Google apps is Asus' choice. Google does not force manufacturers to include Google apps when using Android

I guess, that's the price that has to be paid by Asus in order to continue manufacturing the hardware for Google's pure Android flagship, the Nexus.

Either Traveller's right or they didn't put enough Google stuff on the Nexus7 2013. The way it looks, Asus won't be making the next Nexus7.
 

Traveller

Administrator
Staff member
Jun 16, 2012
2,858
982
The Nexus devices fall under a different arrangement. Since they're made for Google it's reasonable to see Google apps galore on them. The OP's device isn't Google-branded but an Asus device, thus Asus has latitude regarding what Google apps are included.
 

Frederuco

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 6, 2011
1,980
503
This happens almost every, if not all, Android tablet that has Google services on it (play store, GMail, Gallery).

You can disable the Google apps without having to root. You will have to enable them again to use the Google Services. Also, if you manually turn off WiFi it will allow them to NOT connect.

Another item to note - on my tablet if I have WiFi off for a while, when I turn it on and it starts syncing to all the Google Services, it bogs down for a little while. Same thing will happen when you re-enable the google services rather than let them run during sleep.

Just my two cents.
 

tpaine

Senior Member
Aug 18, 2012
525
130
This is why google can "give" android away for free. Its free as long as you carry this big sign around that says "GOOGLE"
 

Traveller

Administrator
Staff member
Jun 16, 2012
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Getting back to the heart of the matter, what in the TOS did the OP find distasteful?
 

tpaine

Senior Member
Aug 18, 2012
525
130
Maybe this:

When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content.

As the market matures, look for google, facebook, etc to become more and more aggressive in their marketing of our data.
 

tpaine

Senior Member
Aug 18, 2012
525
130
Actually, google gets paid on a per click basis. so every time a user accesses one of their services, thats a click. Every link on a google search thats followed is a click.

Placement ads are another category. Basically, its all ads and its measuered by clicks.
 

TickledBlue

Member
Oct 10, 2013
26
3
Maybe this:

When you upload or otherwise submit content to our Services, you give Google (and those we work with) a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content.

As the market matures, look for google, facebook, etc to become more and more aggressive in their marketing of our data.

That's a start, and my ire did not include the latest "offer" from Google to included face-pics, comments and recomendations. I don't have the time to find the exact section of the G-TOS, but it also included giving them the right to any and all pics I have taken that they have access to. The single TOS G began using last year is particularly onerous to the end user.

I am often surpirsed when I read online software reviews from respected reviewers that they never do a search of the software TOS to see just how good or bad it is. This is much the same with Android Permissions.

Before the recent Play Store update, the Permissions were on a Tab of their own. Now that Tab has gone and they are the first part of a download, which I am guessing, G hopes that the user will just click past. Hell, when they display the Permissions required, they only show a few and a "More" button. Pardon my paranoid thinking but that is a little subversive to this old fart's mind. :)
 

TickledBlue

Member
Oct 10, 2013
26
3
Also, if you manually turn off WiFi it will allow them to NOT connect.

Thanks, but please re-read my OP, the apps (or something) turns wifi on and the off again.

We turn off both PCs at bedtime. I do not mean Hibernate or Sleep, I mean off, off, off. :) Also, they d not use wifi they are both Cat5E to the router.

The only thing with wifi that is left in Sleep state is the 7HD. Overnight the modem records traffic via wifi. Now, maybe someone nearby has managed to crack my WPA and a very random password and is using it, or something is coming out of sleep. Given that I live out in the boonies on 40-acres of land, the "crack attack" is very unlikely. :)

If the G-apps are not turning it on and off, then who is passing data overnight? Last night I turned the 7HD off, really off and the modem showed no traffic. I will do the same for the next few nights just to prove the point. In fact I may even put the 7HD in a metal shed a 1/4-mile from the house. :)
 

TickledBlue

Member
Oct 10, 2013
26
3
Do the thing you don't want to do, and root.

Thanks, but I do not want to do that until I am sure I can come back from a failed-root. I have checked the only root I can find on XDA that mentions the 7HD as a candidate, but that root inccludes a bunch of "if it doesn't work" statements. :eek:

Three months back I tried rooting my Fire HD and it failed half way through and I ended up with a brick for about 6-weeks. Amazon pushed through a system update which overwrote the failed root and I got the Fire back. Once bitten, twice shy. :)
 

Frederuco

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jul 6, 2011
1,980
503
If you turn your tablet OFF (not sleep) at night, does it do a full boot up in the morning? If so, that is not Google using your data.

Do you have any other devices like a DirecTV or a PC that could be downloading updates? How about a smartphone or iPod touch? Printer downloading a firmware update?
 
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