Santa gave me a nice gift for this Christmas… a brand new shiny smartphone! I haven't had a new device in many many years. I have always used older discarded technology, if I may add, to great effect. My friends continuously chasing the latest gadgets are a boon to me, as I get their not so new devices which I can then put to good use.
All my current in-use Android devices are stock Eclair or Gingerbread. Subsequently, the manufacturer abandoned any software updates for those models. Custom ROMs have saved those devices from the scrapyard and given them a much longer life. I learned how to DIY. It was an exciting ride, though a bit scary on occasion as I was playing with my daily driver. Many a weekend has been ruined pulling out my hair. Thankfully, I survived along with all those devices.
For now I am still keeping my trusty old smartphone
Showing posts with label android. Show all posts
Showing posts with label android. Show all posts
ubuntu phone touch emulator
disappointed with
android bloatware getting worse, incompatible releases, and an unstable roadmap, i am seriously considering a proper linux mobile device.
android wifi priority
does your android device always connect to some non-preferred wifi network, when your preferred wireless network is still available? then read on…
my android apps
labels:
android
i continously seek smaller app/vers, and switchover. in doing so, i have about 250 apps installed on my small phone. you may notice that i have no qualmns using very old versions, if they are small enough. most official apps start out efficient, and end up bloatware. i also purge most of the pre-installed crapware apps (google play, google maps, gmail, google talk, email, clock), replacing them with smaller/efficient apps.
reclaiming android foss
labels:
android,
capacity,
utilisation
i am gradually removing google apps, as they continue to bloat.
if you are looking to buy a new phone, i will only recommend those phones which have a sizable open-source developer community behind it. if you don't want to end up with a paperweight, do not buy any phones, which can't be openly hacked!
if you are looking to buy a new phone, i will only recommend those phones which have a sizable open-source developer community behind it. if you don't want to end up with a paperweight, do not buy any phones, which can't be openly hacked!
android roadmap?
i'm not sure which way google are going, but they seem to want to turn the android into a desktop os, rather than a handheld os. google are doing to android, what microsoft did to windows.. make it bloatware & proprietary locking everyone out, till people give up and move to alternatives.
usb tethering
connect your phone via usb to your computer. your phone gets charged via your computer, while your computer gets the internet via your phone. win-win synergy!
local.prop
labels:
android,
build.prop,
local.prop
i used to change my
now i put these changes in
/system/build.prop, each time i found a hack. frequent changes were cumbersome, as /system partition is read-only. also, any rom updates would wipe that clean.now i put these changes in
/data/local.prop, a more efficient way of keeping all these hacks together, and maintaining them across rom updates. also, /data partition is mounted read-write. so i can push the changes anytime.
fennec: firefox mobile
labels:
android,
browser,
damnsmalllinux
The Mozilla Blog caught my eye with a post on Firefox Mobile for Android. http://blog.mozilla.com/blog/2011/08/16/firefox-for-android-has-a-new-look-and-tools-that-empower-developers-to-build-rich-mobile-web-experiences/
Exploring from there, I reached here: http://mozilla.com/mobile
Exploring from there, I reached here: http://mozilla.com/mobile
rooting the pulse
two steps:
1. flash the recovery image
amon-ra
2. flash the system image
http://bit.ly/dyA33l
1. flash the recovery image
amon-ra
2. flash the system image
http://bit.ly/dyA33l
custom rom
labels:
android,
custom.rom,
modaco,
root
http://android.modaco.com/content/t-mobile-pulse-pulse-modaco-com/309645/trimmed-vanilla-2-1-rom-v9/
Check the link above for a fantastic post#5 in the thread, looking at the innards of android. I hit this very late after, I had rooted and hacked my android, removing unnecessary built-in apps and tweaking some configs. I am a fan of minimalism. I need to revisit this...
Check the link above for a fantastic post#5 in the thread, looking at the innards of android. I hit this very late after, I had rooted and hacked my android, removing unnecessary built-in apps and tweaking some configs. I am a fan of minimalism. I need to revisit this...
android fonts
I can't view any non-english characters. I am told that android 2.2 resolved this issue. I won't be able to get Froyo soonish. So I have to live with this issue for the time being.
My workaround has been to use Opera Mini with fonts being rendered on the server. I can read many sites, though not all.
My workaround has been to use Opera Mini with fonts being rendered on the server. I can read many sites, though not all.
Huawei U8220
labels:
android
Herein begins my Android adventure. As it is based on linux, I incorporate it in this blog.
Yesterday, I ordered a new phone - the T-Mobile Pulse - on contract. I have just picked the package from Royal Mail delivery office. The phone came with android 1.5, co-pilot satnav software and other accessories. Well pleased with what I have received.
Well done to T-Mobile and Google!
Yesterday, I ordered a new phone - the T-Mobile Pulse - on contract. I have just picked the package from Royal Mail delivery office. The phone came with android 1.5, co-pilot satnav software and other accessories. Well pleased with what I have received.
Well done to T-Mobile and Google!
