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Android’s emergency call shortcut is flooding dispatchers with false calls

arstechnica.com

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Re: Android’s emergency call shortcut is flooding dispatchers with false calls

#141

Post by TRiG_Ireland »

nickt wrote: post #112
piinbinary wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if a microwave is a sufficient Faraday cage to kill cell reception

Usually. You can check by putting your phone in and closing the door while looking at the signal strength meter. It should go without saying don’t turn the microwave oven on with your expensive electronics inside. If you get decent reception in the closed oven, you need a new one. Definitely works to kill reception forever if you power up the microwave for a couple of minutes…

You may just need to clean the inside of the door so it closes better. Try that first.

Re: Android’s emergency call shortcut is flooding dispatchers with false calls

#142

Post by hombre_fatal »

bombcar wrote: post #2

I had to disable the shortcuts on my iPhone because the toddler had discovered hold to dial 911 and talk to the nice lady. Luckily I caught it before it became like the other case I heard of, where a kid learned he could get a fire truck to visit anytime he was bored and had a phone.

I start dialing 911 on my iphone when I think I’m turning the volume up but it doesn’t seem to be getting louder. Turns out I pressed the lock button N times and it starts dialing.

Years of iphone and I’m still not quick at blindly figuring out which set of buttons I’m touching.

Re: Android’s emergency call shortcut is flooding dispatchers with false calls

#143

Post by hombre_fatal »

sowbug wrote: post #11

Possibly related: I've noticed that when I'm in humid weather and I stick my phone into a damp pocket, it basically monkey-tests until I pull it back out again. Flashlight might be on, string of gibberish might be queued up on a text message, etc. I'm normally really good about locking the screen when I'm done, but something with fingerprint or face recognition or lock screen quick actions behaves poorly.

I have an insane story where walking in my wet swim trunks opened Instagram and sent a weird selfie from my gallery to multiple people via DM. Rather awkward.

Re: Android’s emergency call shortcut is flooding dispatchers with false calls

#144

Post by andsoitis »

j-bos wrote: post #124
andsoitis wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> That was a fun night when the dead phone woke up and started dialling 112 repeatedly and there was nothing I could do short of smashing the damn thing with a hammer to stop it. > Just put it in a Faraday cage. Problem solved. Even if I don't have a hammer handy, I could probably find something in the middle of the night to smash the thing. A Faraday cage on the other hand...

Not sure your kitchen situation, but most homes have a microwave. Shouldn't that work?

Do I need to turn on the microwave with the phone inside it? This is an honest question because I don't know anything about microwave signals (I could google/research), but my instinct tells me I probably shouldn't turn on the microwave with the phone inside it, though I don't know for sure what will happen (explode?)

Re: Android’s emergency call shortcut is flooding dispatchers with false calls

#145

Post by taejavu »

gerdesj wrote: post #119
DanHulton wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These are not the same category of product in the same way that a smartphone and a rotary phone are not the same category of product, despite have words in their name in common.

You seem to have ignored the /s in your parent's comment. (EDIT: grammar)

GP is being snarky, not sarcastic.

Re: Android’s emergency call shortcut is flooding dispatchers with false calls

#146

Post by LegitShady »

kramerger wrote: post #10
topherPedersen wrote: post #6

I saw this happen to someone recently. Their phone was having other issues, so we were trying to reboot it, and Google changed which buttons you have to push to turn your phone off. You used to be able to just press the one button to turn the phone off, but now you have to press 2. So I think people might be pressing the power button a bunch of time now because they're trying to turn their phone off and don't realize…

Wait, Google is A/B testing the emergency dial? What the hell is wrong with these people? We are humans, not a data science project.

Starting in Android 12 - hitting your power button 3 times in a row brings up the camera, five times in a row calls 911. Its not A/B testing thats for everyone.

Re: Android’s emergency call shortcut is flooding dispatchers with false calls

#147

Post by judge2020 »

sneak wrote: post #139
kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We do have a useful invention called the screw. With every phone phablet sized nowadays there isn't a valid argument that they don't have room for waterproofed fasteners.

Screws are how in fact one accesses the battery in an iPhone.

Obviously they should be using big ph1 screws

Re: Android’s emergency call shortcut is flooding dispatchers with false calls

#148

Post by [deleted] »

andsoitis wrote: post #144
j-bos wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure your kitchen situation, but most homes have a microwave. Shouldn't that work?

Do I need to turn on the microwave with the phone inside it? This is an honest question because I don't know anything about microwave signals (I could google/research), but my instinct tells me I probably shouldn't turn on the microwave with the phone inside it, though I don't know for sure what will happen (explode?)

[deleted]

Re: Android’s emergency call shortcut is flooding dispatchers with false calls

#149

Post by tomrod »

andsoitis wrote: post #144
j-bos wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure your kitchen situation, but most homes have a microwave. Shouldn't that work?

Do I need to turn on the microwave with the phone inside it? This is an honest question because I don't know anything about microwave signals (I could google/research), but my instinct tells me I probably shouldn't turn on the microwave with the phone inside it, though I don't know for sure what will happen (explode?)

Don't microwave electronics

Re: Android’s emergency call shortcut is flooding dispatchers with false calls

#150

Post by throwaway2037 »

sneak wrote: post #139
kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We do have a useful invention called the screw. With every phone phablet sized nowadays there isn't a valid argument that they don't have room for waterproofed fasteners.

Screws are how in fact one accesses the battery in an iPhone.

This post is misleading. Have you watched a YouTube video of what it takes to replace a battery in a modern, advanced mobile phone? Woah, that is a lot of glue. And, it is very tricky to do it right.
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