HTC promises fix for Droid Incredible's ne'er-to-forget browser
In case you missed the recent excitement, a "feature" of HTC's Droid Incredible was found whereby the Sense UI bookmarking widget would take random screenshots of your web browsing experience and put them in a folder that's nigh impossible to delete, even after resetting to factory settings. Looks like the company knows about the issue, acknowledging it in a statement and promising a fix "in the near future." It also suggests a different reset to fix the mess, which apparently is to select "Format Phone Storage" from the "SD Card and Phone Storage" settings menu. Let us know if you have any luck with this and please, be careful about your browsing habits if you're worried what might be hanging around.























Is this really unique to the Incredible? The browser on both my G1 and Nexus One would save an image for a bookmarked website. Maybe these actually delete those when done.
@Dafrety Not even just android devices, i'm pretty sure my touch pro 2 does the same thing
@Dafrety
no that's a lil different. When u save a bookmark it keep a thumbnail so u can know what it is if u wanna keep it on one of your homescreens.
iPhone does the same thing.
Incredible does this randomly tho even if ur not saving a bookmark
@Dafrety
The original article was sensationalist crap. I contacted Vlad and told him that the reason this "privacy" issue wasn't fixed by a factory reset is because the images were simply stored in the HTC bookmarks folder on the memory card (of course a factory reset won't wipe your memory card) - and I suggested he update the original article, but it wasn't updated. Because of course, then people wouldn't be outraged about this HUGE privacy issue!
@m0zzie
5 MORE DAYS TIL WE CAN GET AN IPHONE PEOPLE.. 5 MORE DAYS
Im so excited to watch all the unboxing and reviews :D
@Dafrety
My Desire does it. It seems as though it uses them for previews of the tabs you have open. Why it doesn't delete them afterwards is beyond me, but I had no trouble deleting them myself.
"Nigh impossible to delete" is very misleading. This folder is not nearly impossible to delete, it is very easy to delete. It's on the SD card, for Christ's sake.
It annoys me when writers post things without having a full understanding of the issue.
@E30 Kid
I misspoke. When I said SD card, I meant internal storage. That part of the storage is easily accessible and is not part of the locked down NAND.
@E30 Kid
After berating the author, you could have at least made sure you got your comment right first time
@pukerocket
The author can edit his article...we can't edit our comments.
@Tes
Good point. Hence the reason he should have got it right first time
@uckApple 2 more days till I can just update mine! But I am extrememly jealous of the new one
@E30 Kid The bloggers here have been given enough feedback in the comment threads and from credible sources to know full well the images are stored on the sdcard and are as easily deleted as any other image stored on the card.
If someone gains physical access to your phone, those bookmark images should be the least of your worries.
DEL f:\.bookmark_thumb1\*.jpg
Running that as a batch file is not very difficult.
"In the near future" from HTC sounds very promising
@piformance
*cough*
@piformance
just like those ATI drivers for my Kaiser.
@piformance
Yeah after they sell your shit to advertisers. Isn't that what Android is all about anyway? Selling you out.
@piformance Umm....yeah... either way, we already determined this is a Non-Issue :/
Select Astro then press the "UP" button. Scroll down to "emmc" then delete the ".bookmark_thumb1" folder.
@NerdPower Indeed. It's just a folder after all...
@NerdPower
Sounds complicated. Try this. Get your phone. Got it? Now go get the box, the bag it came in, and the receipt. Go to Verizon and get a refund. Now proceed to the Apple store and get a real phone.
@Pure Calculus A real phone? How is a smartphone for dumb people a real phone. It can't even make calls half of the time.
@4u2nv
The way HTC phones are crumbling they wont be making calls much longer either. And iPhone is not a dumbphone. The software is so highly optimized anybody can use it. That's not a weakness, it's a strength. Also a testament to design and build quality. Something I see HTC lacks.
@Pure Calculus
No, it's a dumbed down OS that the masses can use. No thanks.
@E30 Kid
Whereas you are a tech guru cos you use Android? I know you probably changed a stick of RAM once, or replaced an HD, but it hardly means you're not part of the stupid crowd.
You're sadly deluded if you think harder to use = better.
@4u2nv
Did you just call me dumb? :)
People sure are comfortable being off-handedly rude lately.
I'll just say after reading the comments on the 'liquid ware' article yesterday, I've come to realize most folks around here are worse than dumb -- and sadder yet, not deserving of the nerd/geek/hacker/programmer/whatever title. This site has devolved into the playground of consumerist whores who think they know how shit works, but mostly just know how to click "install", measure their screens, shout "mine's bigger than yours," all the while watching insipid network TV.
Engadget iPhone user == engadget android user
Engadget user IQ < doorknob
Any questions?
@pukerocket You are sadly deluded if you think more features = harder to use. Get lost, troll.
@WaltJabsco Holy shit, you just summarized perfectly the population of Engadget. Bravo, +1
@Pure Calculus
Sounds stupid. Try this. Close your web browser. Click the Apple logo on the top left corner of your desktop. Then click "Shut Down". Leave the computer alone, and save us from your comments.
Could be a real problem considering how Fandroids love their porn.
@Pure Calculus Gotta love that girl on girl action ;)
@Pure Calculus
there is porn on android? im sold.
@benchase7
haha yuup... There all optimized for iPhone tho :D
@Pure Calculus
Yeah, it's much better to have Steve Jobs as my daddy to tell me what I can and can't have.
"Daddy, can I have some Flash?"
"No, it's not good for you."
this is also on the evbo 4g. i just checked. i just delete the thumbs.favorites1 folder.
I feel like this is not a very fair summary. It's not "nigh impossible" to delete, it's fairly trivial to do so. Just delete it. Unlike with iPhone (which also has this feature), you full access to the file system and can view and remove files at will.
The only issue here is that the files weren't automatically deleted on factory reset. It's just really not a big deal, at all.
and promising a fix "in the near future."
Let me guess, the fix is for customers to buy the next Incredible.
Will it promise a fix to the plastic fugly back covers their phones have? Or maybe they will also fix that dreadful 3h battery life? Android OS is using 98% of your battery! Please close Android OS to conserve the battery!
@magadget Is this a joke?.... I can't believe anyone can be so stupid:
"Please close Android OS to conserve battery!"
And "dreadful battery covers"? Really? How are they so dreadful? They're removable? Unlike the iPhone 3GS cases that are not made to be opened and have cracking issues?
Go back to TUAW and make happy time with the new iPhone 4G with WiFi-only and iPhone 4-only video calling. And while you're there tell me how good the battery cover is!
How about Froyo? :/
@CaryHiroyuki Tagawa
Well we've had the best indication so far on XDA where someone posted screenshots from an email he had saying his issue (~Flash Lite not working on his phone) would be resolved with the forthcoming 2.2 update in a couple of weeks. My initial response was to call him out and declare it bullshit, but it COULD be true. Fingers crossed, but not holding my breath.
@CaryHiroyuki Tagawa
No thanks, I'm full. Shouldn't have had so much of the main course.
Elephones never forget.
@Android looks Hacked Together
get a girlfriend.
It wasn't really a big deal in the first place. But at least they put it into consideration for people who are worried.
why does engadget keep reporting the same garbage as BGR......is not near impossible to delete the thumbnails....a factory reset doesnt delete them because the incredible is one of the few if not the only android phone with big internal storage that is treated like an sd card and as android users know, when any other android phone is factory reset, it doesnt reset the data on the sd card, nor should it...
IF anyone is paranoid about this, just use dolphin browser and stop the hating and fear mongering.
I have to tell my friend to stop surfing for pr0n while at work. Or I could take his phone and tell him what sites he was on and threaten to show the boss as a joke.
@Android looks Hacked Together the incredible is more about hardware, plus 2.1 is slightly better than 1.5 sense, the incredible is without a doubt the best android phone currently available, by a longshot, and I am an iPhone user and think the incredible is pretty good
Is this was apple you fanboys would be flaming away, I think the issues here are that it takes random shots not specific shots for bookmarks etc., and that to removed them you have to format you ENTIRE phone, get it ENTIRE phone, all of your apps and music get erased too.
I guess that's no big deal though just format your ENTIRE phone then reinstall all your apps, music, photos, etc., :)
have a nice day droidboys
If this was *