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I'm semi homeless and Google's forced update on the Pixel 4a ruined it

news.ycombinator.com

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Re: I'm semi homeless and Google's forced update on the Pixel 4a ruined it

#31

Post by m463 »

rusty_venture wrote: post #17

I'm sorry to have to say this, but this whole thread reeks of someone refusing to help themselves. Several people have given you legitimately helpful advice and you have just come back with excuses as to why it won't work for you. This includes: - Using a wireless power bank. Android phones will work with a completely dead/useless battery if they are plugged into a power bank. If your power bank doesn't work that way…

lol, I imagine everyone in a relationship that posts here might have run into the "listen vs problem solve" scenario...

I definitely have tried to problem solve and things would escalate because the other person wanted me to listen.

But yeah, this is HN :)

Re: I'm semi homeless and Google's forced update on the Pixel 4a ruined it

#32

Post by dauertewigkeit »

computehyper wrote: post #12
zevon wrote: post #10

You could install another operating system on the phone. For example, as far as I know GrapheneOS ( https://grapheneos.org ) still has limited support for the Pixel 4a and apparantly does not include the new changes google introduced at this time (there are already a few threads about this in the GrapheneOS forums). There is probably a Hackerspace or a Makerspace somewhere around and it's very likely that you will fi…

My files on my Pixel 4a are very important, and the battery barely lasts so even upgrading wouldn't work, it will surely mess up, and I am scared to lose or screw anything up with the phone. I also heard that doing anything weird like this can brick your phone. I also have bank apps that do not work on anything else apparently. I wish Google would have told the truth so I had time to prepare. Luckily the news sites n…

Do you access to a computer? Maybe at a public library? Or on a university campus? You can recover your files with ADB.

Re: I'm semi homeless and Google's forced update on the Pixel 4a ruined it

#33

Post by miunau »

rusty_venture wrote: post #28
computehyper wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn't about an old device, it's just a few years old (2020, on Android 13). I understand that things break, but this is not about that. It's how Google lied to users about the update, then the update wrecking their phones to a point where it doesn't work. If my phone were to have naturally been destroyed then I get it, I have to move on. I'm sure a lot of people have Pixels here, if all of a sudden it is forced…

[flagged]

Hey dude. This is probably the most vile thing I've read in a while. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Re: I'm semi homeless and Google's forced update on the Pixel 4a ruined it

#36

Post by scarface_74 »

rusty_venture wrote: post #17

I'm sorry to have to say this, but this whole thread reeks of someone refusing to help themselves. Several people have given you legitimately helpful advice and you have just come back with excuses as to why it won't work for you. This includes: - Using a wireless power bank. Android phones will work with a completely dead/useless battery if they are plugged into a power bank. If your power bank doesn't work that way…

This is all Google’s fault though. They crippled a perfectly working device. An external battery pack is a bad band aid.

Google has always sucked at customer service.

Re: I'm semi homeless and Google's forced update on the Pixel 4a ruined it

#37

Post by [deleted] »

computehyper wrote: post #12
zevon wrote: post #10

You could install another operating system on the phone. For example, as far as I know GrapheneOS ( https://grapheneos.org ) still has limited support for the Pixel 4a and apparantly does not include the new changes google introduced at this time (there are already a few threads about this in the GrapheneOS forums). There is probably a Hackerspace or a Makerspace somewhere around and it's very likely that you will fi…

My files on my Pixel 4a are very important, and the battery barely lasts so even upgrading wouldn't work, it will surely mess up, and I am scared to lose or screw anything up with the phone. I also heard that doing anything weird like this can brick your phone. I also have bank apps that do not work on anything else apparently. I wish Google would have told the truth so I had time to prepare. Luckily the news sites n…

[deleted]

Re: I'm semi homeless and Google's forced update on the Pixel 4a ruined it

#38

Post by computehyper »

fallinghawks wrote: post #29

Will https://old.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1ic55ki/succesfull... help you undo what was done? It links to Android 13 S1 version August 5, 2023. I was fortunately able to catch my 4a after it had downloaded the update but still needed a reboot to install. Followed https://old.reddit.com/r/Pixel4a/comments/1i0zih0/the_only_w... , installing NextDNS to prevent the update from downloading.

I don't want to do anything like that because it's risky. Also it seems that Google may circumvent this now. Please check this link: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42873635

Re: I'm semi homeless and Google's forced update on the Pixel 4a ruined it

#39

Post by computehyper »

scarface_74 wrote: post #36
rusty_venture wrote: post #17

I'm sorry to have to say this, but this whole thread reeks of someone refusing to help themselves. Several people have given you legitimately helpful advice and you have just come back with excuses as to why it won't work for you. This includes: - Using a wireless power bank. Android phones will work with a completely dead/useless battery if they are plugged into a power bank. If your power bank doesn't work that way…

This is all Google’s fault though. They crippled a perfectly working device. An external battery pack is a bad band aid. Google has always sucked at customer service.

And now look at this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42873635 It gets worse.

Re: I'm semi homeless and Google's forced update on the Pixel 4a ruined it

#40

Post by BenjiWiebe »

computehyper wrote: post #5
999900000999 wrote: post #2

I vouched for this, since this is the type of issue our community should be concerned with. If you can find 12$, buy a battery pack from Walmart. https://www.walmart.com/ip/1610764819?sid=23a91a6a-7f0b-4873... This will keep you going for the time being. Best of luck! Edit: Here's Google official solution. Looks like a free replacement battery https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/15701861

Thank you for your help. I can't get a replacement because I was late and they told me that the battery will deplete only a little but I can barely use it and the charging is super slow. But I am not near any battery replacement stores so it wouldn't work. I called one that is still far away who told me that all their stores are out of stock and will be for awhile. And that they've had problems with some replacements…

Is your battery pack dead/bad? I've ran my galaxy s5 (2014) with a shot battery for a while, and it did run from a charger fine, even though the battery would only last a few hours of no use with airplane mode on, and even then randomly reboot.
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