hole size for taps

[DerbyDad03]

...snip...

Why do you use Google to back up your phone?

Why do you "log in to" Google?

[micky]

I don't, but most people with Android phones do. It's the only easy way. After going through the phone enough and asking around enough, I figured out how to do it without google.

Do like "sign in" better?

Or if you're really interested in why, and not what's in quotes, I don't remember, but for some of the things I do, a log-in screen appears. Posting from groups.google would be something that causes that, except I haven't done that for a year or more.

Reading gmail would be a reason to log in, but I don't have gmail.

I don't remember what I do that brings up the screen. It threatens me with something like that they won't be able to to get a hold of me if I lose my password and they don't have my phone number!!! (They could do what everyone else does, ask for the name of my best friend's teacher's first pet's name.)

They may have changed that. This time it said "Add Gmail to your Google Account By completing this form, you're upgrading to Gmail, email from Google. Gmail works on any device, blocks spam, and much more."

[I think it's funny that they call it "upgrading". it's just another email account, and iiuc, it's not even POP mail, just webmail.]

It continues:

"You'll be able to sign in using your new Gmail address, which will become the primary email address associated with this account. We'll send account updates, invitations, and other notifications to your Gmail address.

a@b will become an alternate email address on this account, and you'll still be able to sign in with it.

If you prefer, you can create a new Google Account with email, and leave this one as-is."

Here's their sign up for a google account screen and it wants the mobile phone number (they call it) too. But I can't tell if they're insisting on a number in the field. I could make up a number, but I don't want to drag whoever has that number into this. I could use a 555 exchange. Maybe next time, I will see if it falls for that.

[DerbyDad03]

No, it's not the _only_ easy way. If you are willing to spend $5 MyBackup Pro is pretty darn easy and allows you to back up everything on your phone to your own SD card. No need to get Google involved, since that what people seem to be afraid off.

I was interested in "why" regardless if we call it "log in" or "sign in".

It's too bad that you don't remember what you do that causes Google to ask for your information. That sure seems like something to avoid doing. ;-)

... Google stuff snipped....

[micky]

But, to be clear, the way I figured out is is not easy == in fact it's in two parts, one for contacts and one for photos etc. -- and since I haven't added any contacts etc. I haven't done it for a long time and I've already forgotten parts of the procedure, like where, at least, in my computer I put the info and where exactly in the phone the info is. .

When I was asking around, no one who replied mentioned this. Maybe it wasn't written yet. I certainly saw the need for something like this and I'm glad someone has filled it. Thanks.

In fact, this was one of the things about Android that annoyed me enough to consider buying something else. I bought my phone used and ebay says it's still worth 75% of what I paid for it.

Wait a second. You said "to your own SD card" but what is the purpose of

Which uses a PIN and a password and views something on the Web, "MyBackup Web Viewer" Does Rerwares just store my data on its computer? . I want something like Samsung PC Studio3, that puts the data on MY computer. Where I can edit and add contacts using the computer which is much easier to type with than using the phone

Are you saying the final destination is my own SD card, but it resides on their computer druing (and after) transit? Based on the privacy policy, that seems to be it. If it were necessary to provide info to someone else, like it is when one buys something, I would do it, but there is no reason something like Samsung PC Studio3 couldn't be written for Android too.

It's bad but not that bad. Next time it asks, that will be a reminder of when it asks. Maybe I'll forget again, maybe not.

Can't avoid it if I don't know what it is!

[micky]

Because if they didn't store the data at least for a little while,, they wouldn't need a privacy policy. Still, Mybackup seems better than letting Google store the same data. Google has desires of grandeur, and I doubt this company does (until it's bought by Google, of course)

But this would be better, where the data goes straight to my PC and then straight back after I've edited it, and added new contracts, and indeed, I think I found a few programs that do this.

I googled Android Back up to PC and got several hits.

root only

This is just a list. I have barely looked at the list and am not recommending any of these. Except the first from PC Magazine. Just ignore the parts about Google and gmail. Helium looks good too, even the free version, buit the paid version is also only $5.

I don't think I googled for this when I first wanted it, because I got pretty far on my own, and just didnt' know where the Contacts were stored. They didn't show up with windows explorer, because it turned out, I had to export them from where they were to some place on the SD card. On the way back I had to import them. These commands were listed in the phone but I didn't appreciate what they were for. Some girl told me.

Thanks, Dad, for the encouragement

[DerbyDad03]

I just look at the website I linked to and I can understand your confusion. There is not a lot of information at that site. Instead, search for the app on your smartphone and read the description given there. It is much more complete.

You have 2 options: back it up to their server or back it up to your own SD card. If you chose the SD card option, they never see your data. I can prove that by setting my phone to Airplane mode, turning off Wi-Fi and then performing a local backup to my SD card. It works fine, so unless they are coming into my phone once I reconnect to the network (which I doubt is happening) they never see my data.

...probably useful links snipped...

[micky]

The SD card IN the phone? So after that, I have to copy it all, or at least the contacts and the photos, etc. to my PC, right?

I saw the two options, but I figured that "to their server" was backing up, and "to the SD card" was restoring.

[DerbyDad03]

I guess, if that's what you want to do. Another option (mine) is to simply back it up the SD card and the store the card in a safe location in case you lose or damage your phone. I don't need all of my phone data on my PC. The stuff I do want, such as pictures, etc. I can copy directly just by mounting the phone as a drive.

Nope...