About CEParsons

CEParsons · yesterday

Interesting perspective. Thanks for sharing. I personally think the Good Lock team is more than capable of producing a product on par with competitors (often companies much smaller with fewer resources) and that users should encourage the company to do so. The 50+ devices claim is true for general software support, but respectfully that's a false equivalency. The Good Lock suite does not apply the full lineup and, as it is an app overlay, does not need to be maintained and optimized on a per device basis in the same way firmware does. If, as you suggest, the answer is to "Google it," then my Googling skills are severely lacking as I am totally unable to find any resolution to these issues that do not require a third party launcher (the use of which introduces its own aesthetic issues.) If these issues truly do have existing solutions, please provide said solutions to these issues so that I may resolve them. As for the auxiliary devices, you are simply factually wrong on the issue and it has 0 to do with the devs of third party icon packs. The issue is not "half applied icon packs." The issue is that Theme Park acts as a launcher overlay rather than actually replacing the icons at the system pathway level. Other OEMs do not suffer from these inconsistencies. Samsung deserves every bit of credit for the incredible journey from TouchWiz to a very usable Android skin, but to suggest that it is unfair to request that fixable issues get fixed totally misses the mark.

CEParsons · yesterday

RCS in Google Messages fixes the vast majority of cross-platform compatibility issues.

CEParsons · yesterday

AOD, while not perfectly identical in every way, is the modern successor to the feature and directly contributed to the feature being phased out. Battery drain is pretty minor in my experience. Anecdotally, AOD represents 2-4% of usage with an average of 8hrs+ SOT. I use it as a desk clock so it is on most of my 8hr work day. Because the feature is, as you say "gone forever" (debatable, considering the potential resurgence in the industry with rumored features like Pixel Glow) our function in this forum is to offer potential alternatives. If you believe the native solutions are insufficient, you could always try a third party one. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jamworks.alwaysondisplay

CEParsons · yesterday

Yes, icon packs can be applied. The issue is how they are applied and what you can't do. - Live icons (calendar and clock) are not supported. There is no option to create a calendar icon that displays the current date or a clock that shows the current time. Several third party launchers feature this ability and there is no reason Samsung can't implement it. - Dynamic icons (light mode/dark mode) icon packs are not supported. - Lock screen shortcuts are changed to the icon in the applied pack with no option to retain the default appearance. If you use a shortcut that is not theme-able, such as flashlight or DND, you will have one shortcut with the default appearance and one with a themed icon. - Splash screens haven't worked properly for years and replace the native animation with a static image + default squircle border, which heavily affects the fluidity of animations in One UI. - Because of the method Theme Park uses, icon pack application can cause inconsistent/mixed aesthetics on auxiliary accessories such as Galaxy watch and Android Auto where some icons carry over and others don't.

CEParsons · Saturday

I want to use icon packs, and I have many of them made in Theme Park, but I can never stick with them. Through many years of iPhone use I trained myself to use the calendar icon as a date widget. Not having the current date on the widget drives me mad and there's no way to accomplish that with Theme Park. Also the un-theme-able flashlight lock screen shortcut makes me irrationally angry lol. Splash screens aren't great but I could live with them if the more egregious things were fixed.

CEParsons · Saturday

Modes and Routines, bar none. I just want Material You to not be broken. I'd also like Theme Park to properly apply icon packs without destroying various UI elements. I've requested these things many times over the past several years to no avail. I can only conclude that Samsung doesn't actually want us to use anything other than default icons.

CEParsons · Saturday

Definitely agree. We recently had a TV bite the dust and we opted to replace it with a TCL Nxtvision instead of a Frame specifically because the built in Google TV > Tizen

CEParsons · Saturday

I personally would like to see Samsung transition to using Google TV.

CEParsons · Saturday

Not particularly, but I get where you're coming from

CEParsons · Saturday

They did. It was called Tizen. It was Samsung's attempt to build a proprietary mobile OS apart from Google/Android and it failed. Tizen only exists on Samsung TVs today.

CEParsons · Saturday

I was under the impression that GrapheneOS offered experimental support for the Pixel 10 line https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/25099-pixel-10-support-for-grapheneos-is-now-available Maybe I'm missing something?

CEParsons · Saturday

Too high tech for my taste!

CEParsons · Saturday

Ironically, if you want Google out of your phone you will most likely need to buy a Google Pixel and install an alternative de-googled OS such as GrapheneOS. Modern Samsung phones feature Knox security which permanently locks the bootloader, making it impossible to fully de-Google the phone without blowing the e-fuse, which irreversibly disables several core functions. ADB is an option to temporarily/partially disable some Google services without tripping Knox and blowing the e-fuse, but does not and cannot "get Google out of your phone" in the strictest sense.

CEParsons · Saturday

Always On Display is the modern equivalent of this feature. Setting your lock screen notification style to "cards" places the notification indicators below your clock and makes them more visible. If you use brief style notifications, the banner will pop up on the AOD and the edge lighting animation will pull the primary color from the app icon. If this isn't sufficient, you can also turn on Flash notifications in accessibility settings.

CEParsons · Saturday

The number of users who are deeply suspicious of Google's data collection practices yet actively purchase and use products that require Google Mobile Services to function is truly remarkable.

CEParsons · Saturday

Samsung does not put ads on the lock screens of their devices by default. It looks like you have a third party lock screen installed on your device. The lock screen you show is slightly different from what the official Samsung lock screen looks like. See my attached screenshots for the differences in shortcuts and unlock prompts. The clock in the status bar (top left) is also a giveaway that this is not the default lock screen. That should show your carrier info, not another clock. This could be an app you have inadvertantly installed, or it could be one your carrier installed. Either way, you will need to identify and uninstall the offending app. Here's the official guide from Samsung: https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS10003382/

CEParsons · Friday

This is a peer-to-peer tech support forum. Decision-makers at Samsung do not directly monitor what is posted here. At present, "opting out" of AI features is available to you by disabling them, not using them, and avoiding posting on the Internet where AI scrapes training data. You can make feature requests, such as more complete AI removal options, by visiting to support tab in the members app and navigating to "send feedback." However, because AI is an important feature for all smartphone manufacturers, I would not expect to see the changes you request implemented. I would recommend contacting your local political representatives to request that they work toward introducing the kind of legislation you would like to see.

CEParsons · Thursday

Hey John! Welcome to the community. The "Android phones lag and freeze" stereotype comes from people who have only experienced budget Android phones and have not used a high end/flagship device. You will not experience these things on an S or Z series Samsung phone. I had a Z Flip 5 and traded it for an S24+. The Flip is by far my favorite form factor of any device I have ever owned... There were just some hardware trade offs I couldn't handle at the time. MUST KNOW: • Foldables are not fragile but they are higher maintenance and more prone to mechanical issues than traditional slab phones. • The built in screen protector will peel and need to be replaced at a certified Samsung repair center around 6-12 months of use. • TheZ Flip 7 battery and cameras are roughly on par with with the base model S25, minus a telephoto lens. • You should not purchase a foldable without also purchasing Care+. They are more durable than ever but the screen does literally bend in half and you don't want to be paying full price if you have a screen failure. Hope this helps! Feel free to reach out with any follow up questions.

CEParsons · Thursday

Not a mod, but if you are not located in the US, you should be using the appropriate forum for your geographic location. Samsung products and services vary significantly by region, especially when it comes to countries in entirely different continents, and you will be able to give/receive better support if you post in the proper location.

CEParsons · Wednesday

Hi there, you mention paying in Rupees. Unfortunately, you have reached a USA based forum. To receive the best possible peer support, you will need to post in the appropriate forum for your geographic location. Find your region's forum here: https://www.samsung.com/us/common/visitlocationsite/

CEParsons · Tuesday

Additionally, it is highly likely that the decision is irreversible at this point. While no one can say with 100% certainty what is happening internally at Samsung, it is generally the case in the tech industry that by the time discontinuation notices reach users, the relevant development teams have already been disbanded and reassigned to other projects.

CEParsons · Tuesday

You don't have to use it. Visit the Play Store and seek out an alternative SMS client to meet your needs.

CEParsons · Monday

Excellent news. I hope you are prepared for the inevitable appearance of those who will graciously share their authoritative views on the topic.

CEParsons · Monday

IIRC on 8.0, the Stretch Clock requires a realistic photograph of a human/animal subject. The feature is substantially improved in 8.5 and just detects negative space.

CEParsons · Monday

Thank you for sharing your perspective. It's disappointing to see the hostile and condescending responses you have received thus far. I'm sorry that your post is being attacked in this unhelpful way. Please know that this type of behavior does not represent our community. We are supposed to be here to help others and engage in polite civil discourse, even when our opinions differ.

CEParsons · a week ago

You can't. Digital Wellbeing is part of the Android system. You can, however, deny it access to usage data within the digital wellbeing settings (3 dots, top right) which effectively disables the screen time service. You can also toggle off "show digital wellbeing on apps screen" in those same settings to hide the icon.

CEParsons · a week ago

Thank you. Users familiar with Samsung devices should be well aware that edge lighting with a pop up is the default notification method and that the vast majority of notifications do not fully wake the screen.

CEParsons · a week ago

If you can hold off, I would. If not, the GW8 is great and will serve you well. My GW7 is still kicking and performs as expected. If you want a low-cost watch in the interim, the Galaxy Fit3 is a solid choice https://a.co/d/06JFqSc7

CEParsons · a week ago

Purchasing Samsung products directly from samsung.com is the primary way you can earn rewards points that are redeemable for discounts on future purchases. Please note that you cannot retroactively earn points by registering products, nor can you earn points if you purchase Samsung products from a third party retailer. If you are eligible, the Samsung Offers program is exceptional and one of the things I really, really appreciate about Samsung. https://www.samsung.com/us/shop/offer-program/ I personally work in an eligible field and received $100 off my most recent purchase.

CEParsons · a week ago

Going to take an educated guess based on the "modder" comment and say that OP meant to type "bootloader unlocking." @TaperingThought can you confirm? If so, permanently locked bootloaders are the trade-off for Knox hardware security and this has been the case for roughly a decade

Community stats

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Favorite One Ui featur...

Re: Samsung messages.

Re: Re: Re: Notifications

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Favorite One Ui feature? Bigge...

Re: Re: Re: Favorite One Ui feature? Biggest want?

Re: Favorite One Ui feature? Biggest want?

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I don't wa...

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I don't want googl...

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I don't want googl...

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I don't want google

Re: Re: Re: I don't want google

Re: Re: I don't want google

Re: I don't want google

Re: Notifications

Re: Re: Samsung messenger

Re: Advertisement Removal

Re: Unofficial AI opt out mega thread

Re: getting advice

Re: Is there a problem ?

Re: IOS VS ANDROID

Re: Re: Re: Re: Text

Re: Re: NEWS: Samsung Messages is officially being...

Re: iOS 26.5 finally E2EE!

Re: Re: S22 Ultra

Re: Google Messages RCS + Encryption > Samsung Mes...

Re: Digital well-being app

Re: Re: Re: Google messages

Re: Should I get the Galaxy watch 8 or wait for th...

Re: Rewards Programs

Re: Re: Samsung!!!

Manage the boards you are following

Nothing to display here yet.