On 28/09/2024 08:34, Jeff Layman wrote:
> On 26/09/2024 22:09, Jim the Geordie wrote:
>> On 23/09/2024 07:34, Andy Burns wrote:
>>> VanguardLH wrote:
>>>
>>>> The pink icon with downward arrow probably indicates a download.  My
>>>> guess is some app is running in the background that presents the
>>>> download icon.  You could kill all the background apps, or use a task
>>>> killer app to kill them.  Or disable "draw over other apps" permission.
>>>
>>> The magnifier option shows as a ping looking glass with a plus symbol, I
>>> think it can be dragged into position
>>>
>>> <https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wEcA5zPQJmg2F7h8V6FN6f-1200-80.jpg>
>>
>>
>> Found it!
>> https://www.jimscott.co.uk/Android/Pink_Circle.html
>> Still no idea what it is
>
> You could try taking your phone with its screenshot of the pink circle
> into your mobile provider's shop and asking the staff there. One of them
> might have seen it before and know what it is.
>
It seems the problem is caused by an app 'Floating Notes'
If you got a chance to see my screenshot, you may have noted a small
yellow box (top Right) That is a minimised 'Floating Note'
If at any time that box is pulled down to see what it may be hiding,
then the Pink Circle Icon appears and conversely, if pushed up, it
disappears. Taa Daa
I have notified the Floating Notes 'compiler'

--
Jim the Geordie

Jim the Geordie <jim@jimXscott.co.uk> wrote:

> It seems the problem is caused by an app 'Floating Notes'
> If you got a chance to see my screenshot, you may have noted a small
> yellow box (top Right) That is a minimised 'Floating Note'
> If at any time that box is pulled down to see what it may be hiding,
> then the Pink Circle Icon appears and conversely, if pushed up, it
> disappears. Taa Daa
> I have notified the Floating Notes 'compiler'

"Notes that keep visible while using other apps"

That app wants the draw-over permission. Looking at the list of
permissions would've shown this app having that permission. The Youtube
videos showed how to determine which apps have the draw-over permission,
and can disable that permission. Killing the backgrounded app would've
also eliminated its screen icons.

From your screenshot showing the pink icon with downward arrow, yep,
there is an icon at the upper right, but you must have the optioned
enabled to minimize the notes to an icon. The circle with underscores
looks to have some text that might be a capital F or P. Without knowing
the Floating Notes app, no way to associate that icon with the pink one.

"Synchronize your notes across all your Android devices"

That sure sounds like this app uploads your notes to a server, and the
app also downloads your notes from a server to synchronize across
devices. There is no mention the client (app) encrypts the data before
transit.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jsvmsoft.stickynotes

Click on "About this app", and then click on Permissions, View Details"
where "draw over other apps" (aka SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW) is a permission
for this app. Yet the details say this app is compatible with Android
4.4, and up. However, draw over other apps wasn't supposedly available
until Android 6.0. I have Android 8.0.0. At first, I didn't find the
draw-over permission. Had to drill a bit more to find it, and it is
listed. Hard to find.

At the Play Store app page, there is no mention of just how note sync is
performed, like if you need the app on each endpoint device to transfer
the notes, or if their server is involved, and if so how is your note
data protected from their prying eyes. Their web site notes there is a
Pro version, no mention of how to buy it, so it's probably an in-app ad
in the free app. I didn't see a price for the Pro version. Neither was
a list of what features would be uncrippled in the free version when you
pay for the Pro version. There are no technical details at the Play
Store or their web site.

Note: If the permission is not listed, you may have to go into Developer
Options (after you enable it) to grant the permission.

https://floatingnotes.com/privacy.html
Did you read this?
They make claims of securing your data, but no mention just how they do
that. Plus, all they need is your permission to access your data. No
password, or other encryption mechanism to undo to let them see your
data. No mention of endpoint encryption by their client app to totally
eliminate them seeing your data.

Usually when an app asks for permissions, the user get prompted on the
app's install to authorize or deny access to the permission.

https://usa.kaspersky.com/blog/android-8-permissions-guide/16300/
Display over other apps
What it is: This permission allows the app to display its own windows
on top of any other apps.

The danger: Malicious apps can hide important warnings from view, and
also superimpose fake forms for entering credit-card details or
passwords over legitimate app windows. This permission is one of two
key mechanisms used in so-called Cloak & Dagger attacks.

Also, this permission is widely used by adware to shove ads into
users’ faces more effectively, and by blockers, ransomware that
overlays a phone’s interface with its own window and demands ransom
for getting rid of it.

All in all, most apps should not be given this permission.

Where it’s configured: Settings -> Apps & notifications -> Advanced ->
Special app access -> Display over other apps

While this permission can easily be abused, it does have some purpose.
For example, when you get a phone call, you see a popup telling you
about the phone call; else, when in some app with its window on the
screen, you won't know you got a phone call.

VanguardLH wrote:

> Jim the Geordie wrote:
>
>> It seems the problem is caused by an app 'Floating Notes'
>
> That app wants the draw-over permission.

Yes, a classic example. Looking at the screenshots on Play store, I
want to know what permission it needs to draw beyond the edges of the
screen?

Andy Burns <usenet@andyburns.uk> wrote:

> VanguardLH wrote:
>
>> Jim the Geordie wrote:
>>
>>> It seems the problem is caused by an app 'Floating Notes'
>>
>> That app wants the draw-over permission.
>
> Yes, a classic example. Looking at the screenshots on Play store, I
> want to know what permission it needs to draw beyond the edges of the
> screen?

The author is exaggerating his app. Apparently you can drag notes to
the edge of the screen, and then drag them back when you want to view
them, or maybe the placeholder icon toggles between showing the note
expanded within the screen to collapsing it to the placeholder icon.

With the OP saying it takes quite a while for the pink circled down
arrow to disappear, I have to wonder how huge are the notes the OP has
recorded, or how slow is the sync server (which the app author never
describes nor how notes are kept secret even from the app author).

On 04/10/2024 09:43, Andy Burns wrote:
> VanguardLH wrote:
>
>> Jim the Geordie wrote:
>>
>>> It seems the problem is caused by an app 'Floating Notes'
>>
>> That app wants the draw-over permission.
>
> Yes, a classic example.  Looking at the screenshots on Play store, I
> want to know what permission it needs to draw beyond the edges of the
> screen?

Uninstalled it and will do a reg clean.
I would like an alternative.
I have looked at Google Keep and Onenote, but as far as I can tell,
neither keeps a 'sticky' on the screen
--
Jim the Geordie

Jim the Geordie wrote:

> I would like an alternative.
> I have looked at Google Keep and Onenote, but as far as I can tell,
> neither keeps a 'sticky' on the screen

I use Keep, it has a widget for use on home screens, but no "on top" option.

On 04/10/2024 11:24, Andy Burns wrote:
> Jim the Geordie wrote:
>
>> I would like an alternative.
>> I have looked at Google Keep and Onenote, but as far as I can tell,
>> neither keeps a 'sticky' on the screen
>
> I use Keep, it has a widget for use on home screens, but no "on top"
> option.
>
Thanks Andy

Keep is nice and quick to use. OneNote is more 'professional'.

Another dilemma for me :)

--
Jim the Geordie

Jim the Geordie <jim@jimXscott.co.uk> wrote:

> Keep is nice and quick to use. OneNote is more 'professional'.
> Another dilemma for me :)

I use OneNote. While it has a widget to add to a screen for quick
access, I just add it to the home touch buttons (aka navbar) at the
bottom of the screen (*).

(*) Actually, my phone (LG V20) has 2 navbars: the typical one at the
bottom, and a separate off-screen navbar at the top to add more
shortcuts. While I use OneNote, its use is nowhere near as often as
Phone, Messages, web browser, or camera that are in the bottom navbar,
so OneNote goes into the scrollable top navbar in my setup. Of
course, I could put a shortcut or widget to OneNote on any "home"
screen (Android now calls all screens the home screens instead of the
default one being the home screen), and scroll through the screens.

I like OneNote lets me encrypt my notes. Alas, I can only encrypt by
section (within a notebook), not on an entire notebookd. The encryption
is local, so the data is encrypted before it gets uploaded. I can
access the data using their web client, or another OneNote client
connecting to the same account, but only after entering the password
(which is different than the login to the account). The data is
encrypted before transport. Of course, how secure depends on how strong
and long is the encryption string. While none of my accounts have been
hacked (I use a strong and long password that is unique to every
domain), a family member did. Having the cloud copy of your data
encrypted (using a different string than login) adds another hurdle to
the hacker. Of course, using login credentials that are unique to every
domain eliminates a hacker invading all your accounts across multiple
online services.

I checked, and OneNote does have the draw-over permission. However, I
don't remember ever seeing it used. I don't see anything of OneNote
until I choose. OneNote does have its sticky notes feature, but I've
never used it. I'm not into desktop/screen clutter.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/see-your-sticky-notes-on-other-devices-and-the-web-cf4bacd0-c042-46fd-9077-ca8c82dc0236#ID0EBBF=Android_phone
"Note: You cannot currently have Sticky Notes stay on top of other
applications."

Yet that comment (before selecting the OS platform) seems oriented
toward the Windows version. If you're into cluttering your screen(s),
see if OneNote's sticky notes are doable.

As I recall, Google has deprecated Keep, and will discontinue it to
replace with their Notes & Lists app.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.keep

Notice the package name ends with ".keep". Since I don't use it, I have
not investigate on the user data is secured, if at all, or how, or at
which endpoint (client or server).