Wait, what feature? You can't access the phone's storage? I'm pretty sure I can access my phone's storage.
Comment on Somehow USB disks are still the easiest and most reliable way
renzev@lemmy.world 2 years agoMudMan@fedia.io 2 years ago
renzev@lemmy.world 2 years ago
Old android phones used to emulate a USB mass storage device when you would connect them. To the computer, the phone would appear as a usb stick. Modern android phones, on the other hand, use a protocol called MTP (Mobile Transfer Protocol), which is completely its own thing.
The reason they switched to MTP is that the old approach gave the computer complete control over the phone’s storage; the phone would become completely unusable while connected in this way, and would just display a “connected via usb” splash screen. With MTP, the phone continues to be usable while connected via USB. But it has the downside that MTP is a much less widespread protocol than USB mass storage. On personal computers it should “just work”, but on stuff like printers it might not.
Personally, I think they should bring back USB mass storage emulation as an optional feature. Heck, it can still be done, but you need to compile your own android ROM with usb mass storage drivers, which I’m not nearly skilled enough to do.
MudMan@fedia.io 2 years ago
Old USB implementation used to be a finicky nightmare, though. You make it sound like it wasn't changed for a reason, MTP connectivity on Android as it is now is so much more functional, as well as safer.
In any case, that solves the misunderstanding. I thought you meant you couldn't directly access phone storage anymore, which isn't the case.
The printer scenario seems like an edge case to me. I mean, MTP has been the default for what? Over a decade? If you have a recent printer you're probably fine (also, it probably has wifi and a dedicated mobile app or at least enough third party support to be used from your phone regardless). If your printer is older than that you're probably better served by going through your PC first anyway. Sure, you don't get direct USB access to printing photos, but now we're talking about a very specific feature that was in use for a very specific sliver of time, and it requires you to be tethered to a device anyway. I don't think that's enough to justify legacy storage support on phones.
renzev@lemmy.world 2 years ago
Sure, you don’t get direct USB access to printing photos, but now we’re talking about a very specific feature that was in use for a very specific sliver of time, and it requires you to be tethered to a device anyway. I don’t think that’s enough to justify legacy storage support on phones.
Yeah, fair enough.
MonkderVierte@lemmy.ml 2 years ago
If you have a recent printer you’re probably fine (also, it probably has wifi and a dedicated mobile app or at least enough third party support to be used from your phone regardless).
Not to forget the gazillion security holes. But most of the features stop working after a few years anyway.
steersman2484@sh.itjust.works 2 years ago
I just add the printer on my phone and print over the network
saltesc@lemmy.world 2 years ago
So many people on here always talking about printing stuff in 2024. Is everyone a lawyer?
CapeWearingAeroplane@sopuli.xyz 2 years ago
I can’t post my memes on the much room bulletin board for everyone to see unless I print them :/
tourist@lemmy.world 2 years ago
Some banks and other places like that still require physical documents for stuff like proof of address, affidavits etc.
Even though they’re going to fucking scan it into pdf anyway
I use my printer to print silly stickers, because I am a manchild, but I don’t think I am using the correct ink or paper, because they fade very quickly and smudge sometimes.
Also use it to print graph paper to doodle on.
DakRalter@thelemmy.club 2 years ago
What type of printer/paper do you use? I find cheap photo paper works well for high res on my inkjet, although it can fade if you leave it in the sun. I’ve been using vinyl sticker sheets for customising my bike and it seems to be holding well, but I did laminate them with sticky back plastic first.
There’s also the sellotape trick, but that only works for laser printers and you obviously can’t print white.
Fisch@discuss.tchncs.de 2 years ago
No, I just live in Germany
Honytawk@lemmy.zip 2 years ago
I transfer data by printing it and then scanning it when I get to the location.
I just like the artefacts it leaves behind.
If it is anything other than text or a photo, I compile the file into a QR code and print that.
A Windows 10 installation iso is about 1499639 QR codes
Ghoelian@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 years ago
Couldn’t you, theoretically, create one massive QR code containing all that data? You’d need a massive camera sensor to get the resolution required to actually decode it though.
steersman2484@sh.itjust.works 2 years ago
You mean I can backup my 20tb NAS on QR codes?
steersman2484@sh.itjust.works 2 years ago
Sometimes I need to print out stuff for my grandmother
idunnololz@lemmy.world 2 years ago
When I cook I like to print out the recipe. It’s annoying to have to touch ur phone when cooking because you might be handling raw meat so it’s annoying to have to wash ur re-hands whenever you need to check the recipe. Plus using a phone when hands are wet is also annoying.