Did anyone receive two random updates, last night, called Soundback and Kickback?

[cstephens]

Did anyone receive two random updates, last night, called Soundback and Kickback?

I've posted multiple messages regarding the multitude of problems I have had with this phone since the ED05 update and no one from VZW has chimed in with a solution from this forum. However, I have received several posts from other community members recommending yet another HARD RESET. Although, I have gone through the process of a hard reset, way too many times, I went ahead and completed one three nights ago. After completing the reset, I reprogrammed the phone and set up ONLY THE STANDARD ISSUE VERIZON APPS.

While in the middle of a text message last night, I saw an alert pop up across the top of the phone stating there were three updates found. Then, the phone just AUTOMATICALLY started updating. Instead of three updates, the phone appeared to have updated FIVE apps: Soundback, Kickback, Bing for VZW, VCAST Tones and Gmail. By the time I could dial Tech Support, it started prompting me for a Google Signin because somehow, my existing login was now invalid (how?? no clue). This pop up to re-sign in to Google would not go away.

Tech Support asked me to reprogram the phone (*228) then transferred me off to 2nd level support when that didn't work-- BEFORE THE TRANSFER HE INFORMED ME HAD JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH ANOTHER CALLER EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AND HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE/WHY THIS UPDATE OCCURRED... NICE! 

2nd level support tried to say that it my phone got corrupted because of one of my apps, I downloaded from the market. To my glee, I was able to inform this person that I HAD NO THIRD-PARTY APPS installed on the phone because I had just completed a hard reset two days prior and was only running Verizon issued apps. So, the only possible app to corrupt my phone had to have been a Verizon app based on the list of apps that automatically updated. At that point, she said "We'll just send you a new Fascinate (SIGH.. REALLY?? HERE WE GO AGAIN??) 

Did anyone else see this odd update last night? If so, what was it and why did it come across?

[thornbeck]

Yep, happened to me too.  I was in the Market doing another app update and these updates started to happen automatically.

Thanks,

- Tim

[cstephens]

I just tried to go into the Market to find this app and I was still getting this pop-up to signin to Google. I went to task manager to cancel the Market, then into my settings to manage applications and cleared all the data for the Market app. I was able to access the Market without the pop-up. I thought I was home free until the alert appeared again for three updates (doh!) It's already automatically updated Gmail again and the other three are in queue. When I look at MyApps, I see Skype and Talkback waiting to update.

Any suggestions on this issue??

[DC5_K20Z1]

This happened to my Wife and I last night as well, kickback, talkback were both automatically updated on our Droid Charges.....why?? Now when you goto my apps in the market, if you scroll further down, past installed apps, it also lists some apps that are "not installed" like...street view for google maps and such. Anyone know why this has happened?

[samanthalauryn]

Mine did the crazy update thing last night and it's doing it again right now as I type this message. '4 updates found' shows up at the top and then it automatically starts updating 4 random apps. I wasn't really concerned by it last night but it's doing it again and now it's kinda irking me so I'm here looking for answers.

[cstephens]

I can see the updates again on my phone too!! I had to clear the data settings in the market so that I could open the market and disable the auto updates for Talkback, Kickback, Soundback and Street level view. Now, it can find the update all day long but it won't automatically start loading. Those apps are what corrupted my phone last night and it's trying to do it again.

[higgielk]

looks like soundback and kickback are google apps for speech recognition.  kickback augments the other 2.  if you want more info, just search the name with app after it

[blfesper]

I received those updates as well, only it was a mere hour or so ago. It did not cause any login issues, but did quite upset me.

I had assumed that the updates were being pushed by Google (I guess they ultimately were), but when I saw the Bing on Verizon update, I knew that it was Verizon (in my opinion) overstepping their boundaries. Not only did they force an update that was non-essential to the functionality of the phone, but defaulted the market items to automatically update on their own. (Go ahead... check your installed apps in the Market. I'll wait.)

Verizon, if you are truly responsible for this, I am deeply disappointed! Although the devices may be subsidized through the monthly plans, I still paid a pretty penny for this device, and therefore consider it MINE, and not yours to randomly pollute with bloatware.

If I had done the same to your phone or computer (and note... I am NOT), I would have been immediately sequestered and prosecuted for cybercrimes.

It pains me to see the inferior Bing product on a phone based on a GOOGLE operating system, and even more so to see it forceably reinstalled. I have since forceably removed it from MY phone, and I EXPECT it to REMAIN removed, thank you very much!

Verizon, this, and the diminishing signal quality I have been experiencing over the last couple months in previously strong signal areas are just two more punches in the face of a once champion in your corner, defending you against all other mobile carriers to friends and family. No more... I will at least now be evaluating options.

[blfesper]

... and fyi, Soundback and Kickback are parts of a screen reader that will read your texts and/or emails aloud to you. (hands and eyes off the phone)

[cstephens]

to blfesper: I discovered this forcible update setting on these apps as well. It appears that ALL VZW apps are coded so that the automatic update box is checked by default. I went into all their apps and disabled the automatic update setting

[longplaypg]

Yes I also saw these last night.

I also reported several force close popups on the market when trying to remove these apps.

I finally gave up and booted to safe mode.

I still had force close popups on the market even in safe mode!

I got all the apps removed.

They auto installed again.

For the ones that installed again I confirmed the check mark to auto update was now removed.

So far they have not pushed back on as of yet.

Sadly my apps list looks a bit messed up as stated above where some programs are showing as not installed.

Today I am running in safe mode with stock apps to test some theories, but it looks like I will be doing a factory reset.

I will try to remember to report if those items are set to auto update on factory reset.
My goal will be to disable the auto updates ASAP so I can test on a factory stock install and report the problems I am having.

So far I have never encountered a support person that says I need these updates they are pushing in the market!

[NuDroidUsrr]

---

longplaypg wrote:

Yes I also saw these last night.

I also reported several force close popups on the market when trying to remove these apps.

I finally gave up and booted to safe mode.

I still had force close popups on the market even in safe mode!

I got all the apps removed.

They auto installed again.

For the ones that installed again I confirmed the check mark to auto update was now removed.

So far they have not pushed back on as of yet.

Sadly my apps list looks a bit messed up as stated above where some programs are showing as not installed.

Today I am running in safe mode with stock apps to test some theories, but it looks like I will be doing a factory reset.

I will try to remember to report if those items are set to auto update on factory reset.
My goal will be to disable the auto updates ASAP so I can test on a factory stock install and report the problems I am having.

So far I have never encountered a support person that says I need these updates they are pushing in the market!

---

  You can un-install Soundback and KickBack, but cannot remove Talkback. (Although if you visited the dentist, you might be able to). When I un-installed them, I marked them as SPAM, and gave them a feedback rating of 1, and listed that I had never authorized those apps to be installed.

  Hopefully, Verizon and Google get the hint that people do not want this stuff pushed to them, and for them to stop thinking that we are all mindless drones that will do whatever they want....

[longplaypg]

---

NuDroidUsrr wrote:

---

longplaypg wrote:

Yes I also saw these last night.

I also reported several force close popups on the market when trying to remove these apps.

I finally gave up and booted to safe mode.

I still had force close popups on the market even in safe mode!

I got all the apps removed.

They auto installed again.

For the ones that installed again I confirmed the check mark to auto update was now removed.

So far they have not pushed back on as of yet.

Sadly my apps list looks a bit messed up as stated above where some programs are showing as not installed.

Today I am running in safe mode with stock apps to test some theories, but it looks like I will be doing a factory reset.

I will try to remember to report if those items are set to auto update on factory reset.
My goal will be to disable the auto updates ASAP so I can test on a factory stock install and report the problems I am having.

So far I have never encountered a support person that says I need these updates they are pushing in the market!

---

  You can un-install Soundback and KickBack, but cannot remove Talkback. (Although if you visited the dentist, you might be able to). When I un-installed them, I marked them as SPAM, and gave them a feedback rating of 1, and listed that I had never authorized those apps to be installed.

  Hopefully, Verizon and Google get the hint that people do not want this stuff pushed to them, and for them to stop thinking that we are all mindless drones that will do whatever they want....

---

Stupid phantom buttons started acting up even in safe mode arggg.

Waiting for phone to restart...

I do agree that Talkback can not be un-installed and I like your idea of reporting them as spam! Sadly when I tried to un-install KickBack and Soundback that is when the force close happened right before you would normally see the feedback screen! This is why I might try a factory reset and  see if I can keep these 2 apps off for my testing since I can't remove them.

I was removing other items they had pre marked as auto update such as Bing on VZW, Gmail, and a few others and got the same force closes on the market.

Google Search does not offer un-install

Streetview has no options at all

My Kickback, Talkback, and Soundback say "this item is not available" even though its in my installed list and do not offer un-install
The rest are pretty much part of stock apps just notifying me there are updates.

Looks like my market is hosed at this point.

[longplaypg]

---

NuDroidUsrr wrote:

---

longplaypg wrote:

Yes I also saw these last night.

I also reported several force close popups on the market when trying to remove these apps.

I finally gave up and booted to safe mode.

I still had force close popups on the market even in safe mode!

I got all the apps removed.

They auto installed again.

For the ones that installed again I confirmed the check mark to auto update was now removed.

So far they have not pushed back on as of yet.

Sadly my apps list looks a bit messed up as stated above where some programs are showing as not installed.

Today I am running in safe mode with stock apps to test some theories, but it looks like I will be doing a factory reset.

I will try to remember to report if those items are set to auto update on factory reset.
My goal will be to disable the auto updates ASAP so I can test on a factory stock install and report the problems I am having.

So far I have never encountered a support person that says I need these updates they are pushing in the market!

---

  You can un-install Soundback and KickBack, but cannot remove Talkback. (Although if you visited the dentist, you might be able to). When I un-installed them, I marked them as SPAM, and gave them a feedback rating of 1, and listed that I had never authorized those apps to be installed.

  Hopefully, Verizon and Google get the hint that people do not want this stuff pushed to them, and for them to stop thinking that we are all mindless drones that will do whatever they want....

---

Stupid phantom buttons started acting up even in safe mode arggg.

Waiting for phone to restart...

I do agree that Talkback can not be un-installed and I like your idea of reporting them as spam! Sadly when I tried to un-install KickBack and Soundback that is when the force close happened right before you would normally see the feedback screen! This is why I might try a factory reset and  see if I can keep these 2 apps off for my testing since I can't remove them.

I was removing other items they had pre marked as auto update such as Bing on VZW, Gmail, and a few others and got the same force closes on the market.

Google Search does not offer un-install

Streetview has no options at all

My Kickback, Talkback, and Soundback say "this item is not available" even though its in my installed list and do not offer un-install
The rest are pretty much part of stock apps just notifying me there are updates.

Looks like my market is hosed at this point.

[longplaypg]

nice try to qoute someone and the forum complains i have bad html

I read the instructions at the bottom that it corrected some stuff and i should review the highlighted areas and correct them.

There are none and now i have a double posting.

Sorry for the double post

[cstephens]

longplaypg: not sure if this will help but go into your settings, manage apps and clear the data for the market. it helped me with the market after those updates. I was experiencing a forced Google sign-in screen that was locking up my market

[longplaypg]

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cstephens wrote:

longplaypg: not sure if this will help but go into your settings, manage apps and clear the data for the market. it helped me with the market after those updates. I was experiencing a forced Google sign-in screen that was locking up my market

---

I had cleared the data for the market and I still got forced closed after removing an app. I had seen similar to you where I couldn't even open the market without a force close and clearing the data fixed that one. I shouldn't have had to to do it but clearly these phones are touchy.

Last night I decided it was a good time to clean up the mess and did a factory reset through the privacy area.

Everything reset fine.

I activated my phone.

It wanted to reset and I allowed it to.

The next boot I finished configuration...

I didn't allow backup assistant...

I entered my Google account information.

I skipped other mail setups for now ( usually I run 3 others besides gmail )

I allowed all 3 location services.

I deleted all of the widgets off the screens.

I put all of my apps on 1 screen and deleted the others I knew I would never use so that I didn't accidentally open them.

Visited the market, accepted the agreement, and it was the older market display.

I disabled the adds.

I checked my apps list and saw a few, but did not see how to keep them from auto updating.

Soundback, kickback, and talkback were NOT displayed!

I connected by Bluetooth headphones and started music player...

As always an hour later it just stopped playing and did the same behavior I posted in another topic here.

Visited the market to see how things had changed and I had to accept the agreement again. I thought that was odd.

It had auto check auto update on the items and I just left them for now.

Still was no soundback, kickbak, and talkback.

Left it go overnight and it did auto update the ones that were automatically checked and not by me.

It has been about 12 hours and still no kickback, soundback, or talkback update forced on me yet.

I shouldn't have had to do this in the first place, but so far things are behaving slightly different. I might reset again, but this time never accept the market agreement and never open it. I am curious if it will go out and update itself and then all the sudden start auto installing those other updates. This will make for a boring phone with no apps, but it seems that is the only way you can get support.

[cstephens]

I hope it all works for you. You did, pretty much, what I did after my factory reset sans disabling the auto updates. After those auto updates corrupted Fascinate #3, I called support and they sent me out Fascinate #4, last Thursday. I activated it and did the same things you described in your post... THIS TIME I DISABLED ALL AUTO updates and set up my emails, etc.

Since doing that the Market still found the updates for Soundback, Kickback and Talkback but this time, it's sitting in queue waiting for me to perform the manual update. Which I won't be performing.

Yesterday, one of my existing problems became an even bigger issue. I found that I was unable to maintain a signal to attempt a call  or connect my bluetooth to my vehicle. After two soft resets, the bluetooth connected but the signal was screwy all day. I missed calls and text messages. The only way they popped up were due to the repeated soft resets I performed all day yesterday.

As for the weak signal, I was sitting outside in my driveway, in open air space and fluctuated from two bars to no bars to a big blue circle with a line thru it. OUTSIDE!! This has NEVER BEEN THE CASE. I always had great signal strength outside, in my house... different story. Any way, I'm at a loss. Verizon is trying to say that my phone had device issues which is why they sent me a new one, but like I explained to them, no matter how great the hardware is if the software you push to the phone is garbage, a perfectly great piece of equipment becomes a wonderful paperweight!  Although, I don't believe their mantra of a "thoroughly tested" certified like new device that's better than a brand new one out the box... either.

[longplaypg]

Interesting I still do not see soundback, kickback, and talkback updates yet. It has recognized 3 items that were previously listed as not installed with no updates as 3 items not installed items that now have updates. I am pretty sure those updates probably existed before but something had to change in the market is my guess.

I do not have accessibility enabled at this time. I have refrained from searching for these 3 items in the market to see how long it takes for my phone to think it needs updating. This is allowing me to test some other issues and find conflicting results from my previous factory reset. I am not enjoying the fact that right now some parts of the phone are not behaving the same way after a 2nd factory reset. This leads me to think some of the updates may actually fix or break things. I guess its time for good notes and more wasted hours.

Luckily I have not had signal level issues lately in my areas. I also have not found my phone in airplane mode lately after I never put it there. There was a point where mine almost sounds like yours with the blue circle and line through it back when I was using ED04. I have not seen it on ED05 as of yet. Interesting enough it never displayed the airplane mode indicator, displayed the blue circle with a line through it, and if I visited the shutdown menu I could take it off airplane mode and get a signal again... I will pay closer attention next time it happens.

Yea I feel my exchange at day 31 of my contract for a certified like new device was a huge mistake on my part. I am seeing too many things that indicate bad software and nothing wrong with the actual hardware. I wish I had kept my original phone or even better canceled my contract back then. I bought the phone for emergencies and my business. Business has slowed and I shouldn't be wasting my valuable money and time on something the manufacturer and oem modifier are neglecting. My land line and DSL at home continue to function fine as always and if I am driving I don't need to be on the phone talking, emailing, or texting customers.

[longplaypg]

Ok I am tired of seeing double posts from myself. I am using IE9 and today I have forced compatibility mode for now to see if this will fix the issue. I know I am not multi clicking the post button and waiting.

On a another note I wanted to update that today I have forced accessibility on, and the 3 backs on (sound, talk, kick). I did not find them in the market for download even by searching by their name. I will see if in a few days if they show up as having updates now that I am using them on the phone.

[longplaypg]

Ok today now when I search the market all 3 backs show up (soundback, kickback, talkback). All 3 do not currently have auto update enabled or even a place to turn it on or off. I will give it a few days and see if that changes. Maybe they have listened and removed the forced update.

Clearly the market does some form of filtering.

Clearly some of the apps get treated differently when it comes to defaults for auto updating check marks.

Please understand this is only first factory reset and just my notes on what I am seeing.