2024

Google quietly introduces new quotas for unvalidated AMAPI use

Private, unregistered AMAPI use has run mostly unchecked up to now. Google has decided enough is enough.

What is Play Auto Install (PAI) in Android and how does it work?

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes when you're presented with a list of recommended applications on device setup? Now you'll know.

AMAPI publicly adds support for DPC migration

The PlayEMM API, on which custom DPC-based EMM solutions are built, has had a looming deprecation over it for some time. This is the first such public example of both the intention to migrate devices into AMAPI, and the DPC migration solution debuted back in 2019.

How do Android devices become certified?

If you've taken a passing interest in Android as a product/platform in recent years, you may be familiar with GMS, Google Mobile Services, Certification - more recently rebranded to Play Protect Certification. But how does it all work?
2023

Mute @channel & @here notifications in Slack

Notification-geddon no more.

A guide to raising better support requests

Send this to your end users with no context.

Ask Jason: How should we manage security and/or OS updates for our devices?

Ask and you shall receive. You may also find your question posted on the website.

Pixel 8 series launches with 7 years of software support

The 8 series marks Google's longest commitment to software support and parts availability yet.

Android's work profile behaviour has been reverted in 14 beta 5.3

The work profile experience was changing in 14, but it's abrupt removal casts doubt on that actually happening.

Fairphone raises the bar with commitment to Android updates

OEMs offering just 3 years of support should be paying attention.

Product files: The DoorDash T8

My third in a series of articles that offer a glimpse of what I do day to day. This one focuses on the profound impact DoorDash has had on the humble T8.

Android's work profile gets a major upgrade in 14

The work profile experience is changing in 14, predominantly for the better. Here's a quick overview on what to expect.

Google's inactive account policy may not impact Android Enterprise customers

While Google typically lacks absolute clarity on the issue, it does appear enterprise customers may fall into the exclusions list Google provides for scenarios where a Google account won't be marked as inactive.

Product files: Alternative form factors and power solutions

My second in a series of articles that offer a glimpse of what I do day to day. This time bringing the first ever EDLA-certified ePOS to market.

What's new in Android 14 for enterprise

Android 14 is nearing official launch! Come and see what's new for enterprise.

Introducing Micro Mobility

A new venture for the next generation of Modern Mobility Management Experts.

Android Enterprise: A refresher

It's a new year, and a new opportunity to reintroduce Android Enterprise to the market. This is an Android Enterprise refresher for 2023.
2022

What I'd like to see from Android Enterprise in 2023

Android's enterprise feature set was pretty light in 2022, which obviously means 2023 is going to be a good one. Here are some of the features I'd like to see across the AE ecosystem next year.

Thoughts on Android 12's password complexity changes

Google's long-anticipated changes to device password complexity requirements for BYOD devices are here, and they're frustrating.

Google Play target API requirements & impact on enterprise applications

Google is taking a harder stance on "older" applications from 2022. For organisations with enterprise applications this is what you need to know.

Sunsetting Discuss comment platform

With the new website and lack of use, the Discuss comments platform is being shut down.

Google publishes differences between Android and Android Go

Google have recently (finally!) published details of the differences between Android and Android Go. This transparency will further help organisations determine if Go is suitable for their needs.

Android Go & EMM support

VMware recently announced "official" support for Android Go, the resource-mindful implementation of Android for lower-end devices. What does this mean for Android Go support over all, and does Android Go require dedicated support within the Android Ecosystem? (Hint: No).

Relaunching bayton.org

After a year of designing and developing, the new site is live. Come and see what's new.

AER dropped the 3/5 year update mandate with Android 11, where are we now?

Continuing on from losing my bet with Google, I’ve been spending some time with the Android security transparency report and ended up taking a long, hard look at the impact of dropping the Android 10 & below requirement for devices to receive 3/5 years of updates in order to be recommended by Google.

I made a bet with Google (and lost)

I owe someone a Steak dinner.
2020

Product files: Building Android devices

As 2020 comes to a long-overdue close and we head into what anyone can hope will be a slightly less chaotic new year, it also edges closer to what will soon be two years leading product with Social Mobile. With the results of all the hard work now materialising, I think it’s interesting to reflect on the last ~18 months, what it’s lead to, and what’s next.

Google announce big changes to zero-touch

Google today dropped the most significant update to zero-touch since its introduction with the Google Pixel back in 2016!

VMware announces end of support for Device Admin

This week, VMware announced their intention to end support for Device Admin based Android management.

Google launch the Android Enterprise Help Community

Google's brand new Product Expert Community for Android Enterprise!

Watch: An Android Enterprise discussion with Hypergate

Watch me talk AE with Hypergate

Listen again: BM podcast #144 - Jason Bayton & Russ Mohr talk Android!

Join me speaking to Jack Madden & Russ Morh talking all things AE

Google's Android Management API will soon support COPE

The COPE deployment scenario has been long sought-after in AMAPI, absent after most of the rest of the EMM market had adopted it in one way or another and even still following the unexpected news of the imminent change to how COPE is deployed in Android 11. Now, it's on the way

Android Enterprise in 11: Google reduces visibility and control with COPE to bolster privacy.

The decade that redefined Android in the enterprise

2018

My top Android apps in 2018

Year in review: 2018

MobileIron Cloud R58 supports Android Enterprise fully managed devices with work profiles

Hands on with the Huawei Mate 20 Pro

Workspace ONE UEM 1810 introduces support for Android Enterprise fully managed devices with work profiles

G Suite no longer prevents Android data leakage by default

Live: Huawei Mate series launch

How to sideload the Digital Wellbeing beta on Pie

How to manually update the Nokia 7 Plus to Android Pie

Hands on with the BQ Aquaris X2 Pro

Hands on with Sony OEMConfig

The state of Android Enterprise in 2018

BYOD & Privacy: Don’t settle for legacy Android management in 2018

Connecting two Synologies via SSH using public and private key authentication

A Synology is basically a linux system, in a small case and with a nice web interface to do most basic tasks. For the tasks which do not run by default from the web interface, SSH can be used. This tutorial demonstrates how to set up passwordless SSH between two (or more) Synology boxes. This is very useful for automated tasks, such as automated backups. In this tutorial we will have a local Synology and a remote Synology. The local Synology will be able to connect over SSH without a password, to the remote Synology.

How to update Rsync on Mac OS Mojave and High Sierra

Out of the box, Mac OS High Sierra ships with a 12 year old version of Rsync. The reason for this is that Apple doesn’t include anything released under GPLv3 or similar licenses. Luckily, it's relatively quick and simple to update Rsync using Homebrew. Homebrew is a package manager not dissimilar to Yum on Redhat or Apt on Debian. You can follow the instructions in the above link, or just copy and paste the commands documented as follows.

Intune gains support for Android Enterprise COSU deployments

Android Enterprise Recommended: HMD Global launch the Nokia 3.1 and Nokia 5.1

Android Enterprise Partner Summit 2018 highlights

Live: MobileIron LIVE! 2018

Android Enterprise first: AirWatch 9.4 lands with a new name and focus

Live: Android Enterprise Partner Summit 2018

Samsung, Oreo and an inconsistent Android Enterprise UX

MobileIron launch Android Enterprise work profiles on fully managed devices

Android P demonstrates Google's focus on the enterprise

An introduction to managed Google Play

MWC 2018: Android One, Oreo Go, Android Enterprise Recommended & Android Enterprise

Enterprise ready: Google launch Android Enterprise Recommended

2017

Year in review: 2017

Google is deprecating device admin in favour of Android Enterprise

Hands on with the Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact

Moto C Plus giveaway

The state of Android Enterprise in 2017

Samsung launched a Note 8 for enterprise

MobileIron officially supports Android Enterprise QR code provisioning

Android zero-touch enrolment has landed

MobileIron unofficially supports QR provisioning for Android Enterprise work-managed devices, this is how I found it

Hands on with the Nokia 3

Experimenting with clustering and data replication in Nextcloud with MariaDB Galera and SyncThing

Introducing documentation on bayton.org

Goodbye Alexa, Hey Google: Hands on with the Google Home

Restricting access to Exchange ActiveSync

What is Mobile Device Management?

8 tips for a successful EMM deployment

Long-term update: the fitlet-RM, a fanless industrial mini PC by Compulab

First look: the FreedomPop V7

Vault7 and the CIA: This is why we need EMM

What is Android Enterprise (Android for Work) and why is it used?

Introducing night mode on bayton.org

What is iOS Supervision and why is it used?

Hands on with the Galaxy TabPro S

Introducing Nextcloud demo servers

Part 4 - Project Obsidian: Obsidian is dead, long live Obsidian

2016

My top Android apps 2016

Hands on with the Linx 12V64

Wandera review 2016: 2 years on

Deploying MobileIron 9.1+ on KVM

Hands on with the Nextcloud Box

How a promoted tweet landed me on Finnish national news

Using RWG Mobile for simple, cross-device centralised voicemail

Part 3 – Project Obsidian: A change, data migration day 1 and build day 2

Hands on: fitlet-RM, a fanless industrial mini PC by Compulab

Part 2 - Project Obsidian: Build day 1

Part 1 - Project Obsidian: Objectives & parts list

Part 0 - Project Obsidian: Low power NAS & container server

5 Android apps improving my Chromebook experience

First look: Android apps on ChromeOS

Competition: Win 3 months of free VPS/Container hosting - Closed!

ElasticHosts review

ElasticHosts: Cloud Storage vs Folders, what's the difference?

Adding bash completion to LXD

Android N: First look & hands-on

Springs.io - Container hosting at container prices

Apple vs the FBI: This is why we need MDM

Miradore Online MDM: Expanding management with subscriptions

Lenovo Yoga 300 (11IBY) hard drive upgrade

I bought a Lenovo Yoga 300, this is why I'm sending it back

Restricting access to Exchange ActiveSync

Switching to HTTPS on WordPress

2010

Have a Google Buzz Christmas

Root a G1 running Android 1.6 without recovery!

Windows 7 display issues on old Dell desktops

Google added the Apps flexibility we've been waiting for!

Part I: My 3 step program for moving to Google Apps

Downloading torrents

Completing the Buzz experience for Google Maps Mobile

Quicktip: Trial Google Apps

Quicktip: Save internet images fast

Turn your desktop 3D!

Part III - Device not compatible - Skype on 3

Swype not compatible? ShapeWriter!

Don't wait, get Swype now!

HideIP VPN. Finally!

Google enables Wave for Apps domains

Aspire One touch screen

Streamline XP into Ubuntu

Edit a PDF with Zamzar

Google offering Gmail addresses in the UK

Google Wave: Revolutionising blogs!

Hexxeh's Google Chrome OS builds

Update: Buzz on Windows Mobile

Alternatives to Internet Explorer

Wordress 3.0 is coming!

Skype for WM alternatives

Browsing on a (data) budget? Opera!

Buzz on unsupported mobiles

Buzz on your desktop

What's all the Buzz?

Part II: Device not compatible - Skype on 3

Part I - Device not compatible - Skype on 3

Dreamscene on Windows 7

Free Skype with 3? There's a catch..

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