Old Guy Be Kind! - Introductions

Announcing a new old 'hacker' on the patch! Hacker from when Hacking did involve using a hacksaw!
I came for research on repurposing old technology, which is still new for me, Android devices, particularly using Rockchips. (NOT Fred Flintstone's computers!) Samsung Galaxy Tab3, SmartTV box like a Raspberry Pi in a case but without GPIOs.
I began in about 1976 with a Signetics 2650 CPU and I think 7xTTL ICs and a home etched PCB to DIY computer. 256bytes of RAM, no clock, LEDs for output, 8 switches for input, a Read/write switch and push button to step through addresses! That probably beats most minimal designs today, but still used more power than most microcontrollers, just to turn it all on!
I only learned assembly code when I finally got a computer with enough memory!
I'm not alone mind you, there are many, many of us still around, and some have floated to the top of the computer scene and retired already, perhaps in final retirement, RIP!
So when you get a problem, and share your problem, and/or solution, you will likely also help those who came before you and are still learning!
(Experience on 2650,6800/02/2/5/9/11+,6502/10,8080,Z80,8086/186/286,and many microcontrollers of various types. CP/M,MDOS,MSDOS,Windows3.1/95/98,OS8/9,OS-X(v1-11),Linux(various from 80s Ubuntu et.al.))
P.S."NEVER STOP LEARNING!" Bob Harper VK4WG

Welcome to the xda family.
Cheers.

Related

Some questions from a HTC HD2 user before swaping

Hi I consider buying HD7, I am owning HTC HD2 now, cld u answer my questions pls.
how is HD7 compared to HT2
- Call recording - can some1 test VITO Audio Notes 1.38, does it record both sides?
- Battery Live - HD2 must be charged every day
- playing avi and other formats - no problem at all with HD2 (useing TCPMP)
- email - HD2 can record only on phones memory, so I use Profimail which is much better then original one.
- any navigation? garmin and iGo 8 works perfect on HD2
- is Cookie working on HD7?
- Facebook? working properly?
- Myspace? (not working on HD2)
- Word? (full version?)
- any English dictionares?
Thank you!
I came from a HD2
If i you are a gadget freek and like to play with new things, then go for it. But if you want something that can do everything and not parts then stick with the HD2.
I wish i had waited until things pick up a bit before jumping ship, i would say wp7 isnt ready yet. Ok the basics work but thats about it.
I think your expectations aren't quite right.. Windows Mobile 6.5 apps won't work under WP7. Nevertheless, my thoughts:
- Call recording - can some1 test VITO Audio Notes 1.38, does it record both sides?
Can't find this in the WP7 marketplace
- Battery Live - HD2 must be charged every day
For me, that's true with the HD7, although I've only had it 2 days, and battery life tends to get better after a week or so.
- playing avi and other formats - no problem at all with HD2 (useing TCPMP)
I've not had any problems aside from FLAC so far, but it's probably only a matter of time before apps are out which can play more formats.
- email - HD2 can record only on phones memory, so I use Profimail which is much better then original one.
I've not seen any email apps. I'm happier with the defailt WP7 email experience, compared that that on WM6.5
- any navigation? garmin and iGo 8 works perfect on HD2
Nothing in the marketplace yet, although Bing maps does support rudimentary navigation -- not turn-by-turn though.
- is Cookie working on HD7?
No, and it won't - MS have blocked any changes to the main interface.
- Facebook? working properly?
The Facebook app is one of the most impressive ones I've seen on WP7 to date.
- Myspace? (not working on HD2)
Can't see a myspace app, although the web browser is pretty impressive. I don't use myspace myself, so can't comment on how the website appears.
- Word? (full version?)
There's a Word app -- it'll read pretty much anything you throw at it, but if you start from scratch, it's just a glorified notepad, to be honest.
- any English dictionares?
The SMS app and Word will autocorrect, and underline mistakes.
Thank you guys. I will wait then a month or so, if there is still a lack of applications I will get Nokia E7.
Has anything changed after a month?
Ive still got my HTC HD2, had N8 for a week but it was a crap, considerind HD7
Pls answer the question from post nr1
Cheers
I wish I could change. I already sold my HD2. I really am regretting it. I'm tired of people saying it a brand new OS and give it some time. I think MS sold a barebones OS just to follow the Apple business model. Meaning only add things if the masses demand it.
I still believe in Windows mobile compared to Windows Phone. i think WM was and is still way ahead of it's time. Windows Mobile was MS vision of bringing or taking the PC Mobile; multi tasking and all.
However we live in an AOL Walled garden world which works. People really don't like options. They do want things to work but just don't like to choose. I'm ranting I know but WP7 seems to always get me ranting these days.
I'll hang with MS on this one. I know they're in for the long haul but things really aren't looking good.
alabij said:
I wish I could change. I already sold my HD2. I really am regretting it. I'm tired of people saying it a brand new OS and give it some time. I think MS sold a barebones OS just to follow the Apple business model. Meaning only add things if the masses demand it.
I still believe in Windows mobile compared to Windows Phone. i think WM was and is still way ahead of it's time. Windows Mobile was MS vision of bringing or taking the PC Mobile; multi tasking and all.
However we live in an AOL Walled garden world which works. People really don't like options. They do want things to work but just don't like to choose. I'm ranting I know but WP7 seems to always get me ranting these days.
I'll hang with MS on this one. I know they're in for the long haul but things really aren't looking good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, bare bone or not, there is many basic functions which are missing.
To me it seems like they released it unfinished. Or for 12 year old girls who want to keep up with face book, i mean look at the color options for the tiles?
Not one male color.
Also I get the whole live tiles, but how different are they from apps. only diff is they are bigger then ur avg app icon ( negative feature ) , and they update, whoopty do, u can set software to display updates on the app icon on any of the OS we see now ( if the developers wanted to), but things like alarm or that I have a new message, I dont need a huge tile to tell me, I have to scroll down twice to see if my alarm is set cause my phone, contacts, sms, and 4 email account tiles ( cause u cant view all 4 from one area, you have to have them separate) are all in the way.
The old small tile bar up top of the screen which told you your signal strength, network, battery and a little alarm bell, was very effective, first rule of good business, dont change what works.
But great features like assignable favs from phone book to access are missing
Im ranting to, and I'm ranting cause if they think this OS is what ppl want then they need to fire their R&D
I know I know its new, its in development, when some one tells me something is new and in development I think of a door way to a building, it opens, it closes, it has a door handle, a lock with a key access, hinges, screws, paint, glass, sealed and their working on the art on the glass and adding thumb print access.
OS 7: they gave us a piece of wood with some glass, some slippery stuff to make it very smooth and said "hold on the hinges will be here in a month". but feel free to stare at the ppl tile as your friends faces rotate on them and tell u when little jimmy is updating his face book status cause he went poop.
Sorry guys just expected more, I know read the past its been talked about, well i have not read it, I though it would be an upgrade from HD2 6.5, instead we went back wards.
They just made it more slick, so slick its empty.
Fair enough, it's not for you, but I would totally disagree about it being a step back.
I think they've got a real winner on their hands. Android is already out there for people who want to tweak to their hearts content, have access to the entire OS, and have a slightly unstable phone as a result.
MS have instead produced a focussed, useable platform that does what it says it will. It provides functionality within one or two presses of the screen, it all integrates very nicely and hangs together well. It's easy and intuitive to navigate, and it VERSION 1!!!
This expectation that a brand new, from the ground up, piece of software will be fully featured and working perfectly is utterly unrealistic. Name me one piece of software that has EVER met those criteria?!?!
In fairness to MS, they have taken the decision to release what works, rather than throw in a few extra features that need a couple more months development and will be buggy and generally drag the whole experience down. They have stated that there will be regular updates, and we have no reason to think that they won't be true to their word. As long as they keep to that, and fill in the functionality then they will have a great OS on their hands.
For those complaining that it doesn't do what WM did, it's not meant to - hence why it's called windows phone rather than mobile - it's not meant to be a pocket PC anymore. Also, MS have said that they will be aiming to make the phone more business friendly with future releases next year - right now it's not intended to be a business machine, that's why WM6.5 hasn't been scrapped.
Personally, as much as I love android, I quickly got bored of it - it tries to be all things to all people, and suffers as a result. It's still a great OS, but it's not what I want. I've been following the development of WP7 for a long time, and had a few chances to play with it at MS events, and it really is fantastic. We all knew it didn't have cut and paste, we all knew it doesn't multi-task, so why oh why do people buy it and then complain about these missing features - it's like buying a bike, then complaining that it's got two wheels missing?!?!
WP7 does what it does very well, it's that simple.
rob_p said:
Fair enough, it's not for you, but I would totally disagree about it being a step back.
I think they've got a real winner on their hands. Android is already out there for people who want to tweak to their hearts content, have access to the entire OS, and have a slightly unstable phone as a result.
MS have instead produced a focussed, useable platform that does what it says it will. It provides functionality within one or two presses of the screen, it all integrates very nicely and hangs together well. It's easy and intuitive to navigate, and it VERSION 1!!!
This expectation that a brand new, from the ground up, piece of software will be fully featured and working perfectly is utterly unrealistic. Name me one piece of software that has EVER met those criteria?!?!
In fairness to MS, they have taken the decision to release what works, rather than throw in a few extra features that need a couple more months development and will be buggy and generally drag the whole experience down. They have stated that there will be regular updates, and we have no reason to think that they won't be true to their word. As long as they keep to that, and fill in the functionality then they will have a great OS on their hands.
For those complaining that it doesn't do what WM did, it's not meant to - hence why it's called windows phone rather than mobile - it's not meant to be a pocket PC anymore. Also, MS have said that they will be aiming to make the phone more business friendly with future releases next year - right now it's not intended to be a business machine, that's why WM6.5 hasn't been scrapped.
Personally, as much as I love android, I quickly got bored of it - it tries to be all things to all people, and suffers as a result. It's still a great OS, but it's not what I want. I've been following the development of WP7 for a long time, and had a few chances to play with it at MS events, and it really is fantastic. We all knew it didn't have cut and paste, we all knew it doesn't multi-task, so why oh why do people buy it and then complain about these missing features - it's like buying a bike, then complaining that it's got two wheels missing?!?!
WP7 does what it does very well, it's that simple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats the problem, we all didnt know, not all of us have been following this thing all this time or its development nor have the time to, but there is basic features which are expected in any phone to have in 2010 era.
Im sorry but not having cut and past on a phone which is all about media is rediculas, it should be part of the code, and its not complicated code, they know how to do it, but if you notice, there is an app out there you can buy that will do it for you. Hence, Microsoft has decided to bank on the app market vs the phone OS sales by giving us nothing and charging us for what we want.
What I predict in the upcoming updates? very basic things, everthing else that we want, that should be part of the basic OS will be available to buy, I dont blame them, it makes perfect sense.
For example, I over slept today, since there is only one setting for volume, I set my phone on vibrate over night so that if I have that one client who just cant wait till 9am to talk to me and calls at 6:30 i dont get woken up, but since the alerm sound is now not working, i sleep right through my 7:30 am alarm.
So the general person would say but no one else needs that, put it ringer on ring, cause most of us wont get calls at 6am right. Say you want to take a mid day nap cause ur head still pounding from going out the previous night, you need your alarm to wake u up but when that girl you chilled with last night calls you five times cause she is emotionaly unstable you dont want to hear it. How would you set that up?
Every phone since, hell 2002 I have seen have the ability to set different ring type and volume on alarm then the master one.
Thats a simple basic feature.
Things like that is what botheres me about this phone, like they forgot to put it in as they rushed it out the door for the holiday season so they can sell them for xmas
@Rysksy
Give it up dude- copy and paste will be in Jan update, along with other stuff. God knows what you did with the alarm but my WP7 phone is set to vibrate for calls and texts and full volume for music/ alarms etc. Press the volume key and you'll see how to do it.
Fair enough to complain about valid concerns, but the comments you are making sound like you haven't actually got one and would just like to have a moan about things which are either well documented and will soon be fixed, or aren't in fact an issue. If you loathe it so much why not sell it (if indeed you do own one), and buy a HD2 again with cash left over?
monkeybutler365 said:
@Rysksy
Give it up dude- copy and paste will be in Jan update, along with other stuff. God knows what you did with the alarm but my WP7 phone is set to vibrate for calls and texts and full volume for music/ alarms etc. Press the volume key and you'll see how to do it.
Fair enough to complain about valid concerns, but the comments you are making sound like you haven't actually got one and would just like to have a moan about things which are either well documented and will soon be fixed, or aren't in fact an issue. If you loathe it so much why not sell it (if indeed you do own one), and buy a HD2 again with cash left over?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the HD2 and the HD7, money is not the issue, id spendn 800$ on the N8 or E7 if I could test it before I got it, just no Nokia dealers in my city.
There is not many alarm settings, and when u press the volume key, your options is to either tune the level of ring up or down, or press in top right corner to go to ring or vibrate, there is no profile selection.
When I set my phone to vibrate, the alarm does not sound, it goes off, in a nice vibrating kind of way, but not sound. That is a bit frustrating, for the fact that some times I need to have alarm wake me up but not my calls or messages, dont have that kind of a setting, heck no setting to keep media volume separte from ringer volume, same problem HD2 had to, if I want to watch a movie I turn the volume up in hte movie, then I get a call and it blares at full volume. Those should be independent of each other.
I am not bitter, I just feel that we were given a half finish OS, lots of promises and not much delivered, but they are capitalizing on us buying things from the market to temp fix what we need. And having to wait for update, they know that most of us have 14 days from the time we buy to return, so they set the new release way out, so that every one is stuck with phone if they dont like it, maximize profits for the holidays, very smart of them.
If i was a car maker, i would not put a car on the market, and say " hold on doors coming soon"
Thats all I am saying
Wait a sec....
rysky007 said:
I have the HD2 and the HD7, money is not the issue, id spendn 800$ on the N8 or E7 if I could test it before I got it, just no Nokia dealers in my city.
There is not many alarm settings, and when u press the volume key, your options is to either tune the level of ring up or down, or press in top right corner to go to ring or vibrate, there is no profile selection.
When I set my phone to vibrate, the alarm does not sound, it goes off, in a nice vibrating kind of way, but not sound. That is a bit frustrating, for the fact that some times I need to have alarm wake me up but not my calls or messages, dont have that kind of a setting, heck no setting to keep media volume separte from ringer volume, same problem HD2 had to, if I want to watch a movie I turn the volume up in hte movie, then I get a call and it blares at full volume. Those should be independent of each other.
I am not bitter, I just feel that we were given a half finish OS, lots of promises and not much delivered, but they are capitalizing on us buying things from the market to temp fix what we need. And having to wait for update, they know that most of us have 14 days from the time we buy to return, so they set the new release way out, so that every one is stuck with phone if they dont like it, maximize profits for the holidays, very smart of them.
If i was a car maker, i would not put a car on the market, and say " hold on doors coming soon"
Thats all I am saying
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am a phone whore and have used just about every mobile platform available and many many many phone devices as well.
I currently have a Samsung Vibrant, HD2 and HD7 and here's my take.
This is not the first phone to come out unfinished and it probably won't be the last. All versions of Apples Mobile OS to this very day have been released with some major feature missing or a ton of bugs. This is really nothing new.
I've been using Android since the G1 and I can remember when many people scoffed at the platform. No one is laughing at Android now.
My HD2 is a pretty phone with a ****ty OS and I hacked and flashed custom ROMs on that thing from day one. My Android devices (all of them) though awesome, have also been customized, Rooted and flashed with all kinds of ROMs. When I used iPhones, I jailbroke them all. Heck, even my iPad is jailbroken right now.
There is no level playing field and there certainly is no perfect phone.
These things take time.
Now granted, some things in Windows phone should probably have been added from jump, e.g. Cut & Paste, but we all know that's coming sooner rather than later.
Regardless, this is a very polished platform that obviously has a lot of room for growth and amazing potential.
The question is can you be patient enough to wait a few weeks/months, or are you going to keep kvetching over the situation?
Once you answer that question, I'm pretty sure your next step will become clear to you
HD7 Really?
So, I got a HD2. . . It has been a decent phone for a few weeks(I got way fed up with my 3G iPhone and found a straight across trade).
It's the usual WMO OS, decent at best. Quite stable, but the menus are just. . . . Well, WMO.
Now, I just ordered the HD7. I called t-mobile and they just wanted to give me this thing. I added a line and renewed a contract and they gave me 2 HD7's for 300 Bucks on some loyalty BS.
So, I went to the T-mobile store to play with it before it got here.
Seriously what gives?
No Background
The tiles look idiotic(the rendering is nice, I guess)
Is there even a file management system?
SPB Shell will not work on it
Can you access the files in a removable storage format?
I guess that about covers it. . . Geez, it's like the iPhone OS in the early days.
rysky007 said:
I have the HD2 and the HD7, money is not the issue, id spendn 800$ on the N8 or E7 if I could test it before I got it, just no Nokia dealers in my city.
There is not many alarm settings, and when u press the volume key, your options is to either tune the level of ring up or down, or press in top right corner to go to ring or vibrate, there is no profile selection.
When I set my phone to vibrate, the alarm does not sound, it goes off, in a nice vibrating kind of way, but not sound. That is a bit frustrating, for the fact that some times I need to have alarm wake me up but not my calls or messages, dont have that kind of a setting, heck no setting to keep media volume separte from ringer volume, same problem HD2 had to, if I want to watch a movie I turn the volume up in hte movie, then I get a call and it blares at full volume. Those should be independent of each other.
I am not bitter, I just feel that we were given a half finish OS, lots of promises and not much delivered, but they are capitalizing on us buying things from the market to temp fix what we need. And having to wait for update, they know that most of us have 14 days from the time we buy to return, so they set the new release way out, so that every one is stuck with phone if they dont like it, maximize profits for the holidays, very smart of them.
If i was a car maker, i would not put a car on the market, and say " hold on doors coming soon"
Thats all I am saying
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do not know how to google???
Everything you complain about has been covered ad nauseum on the web for MONTHS!!!!
It's not MS's fault you didn't do your homework.
Maybe if you need to put your phone on vibrate when you sleep you should invest in a 10 dollar alarm clock. I've used the same one for over a decade, batteries last about 2 years in it.
If you are within your 2 weeks, I suggest you return the phone.
And FYI, you can adjust the ringer and media volumes separately on the hd2. It's obvious you didn't do your homework on that one either.
samson_420 said:
So, I got a HD2. . . It has been a decent phone for a few weeks(I got way fed up with my 3G iPhone and found a straight across trade).
It's the usual WMO OS, decent at best. Quite stable, but the menus are just. . . . Well, WMO.
Now, I just ordered the HD7. I called t-mobile and they just wanted to give me this thing. I added a line and renewed a contract and they gave me 2 HD7's for 300 Bucks on some loyalty BS.
So, I went to the T-mobile store to play with it before it got here.
Seriously what gives?
No Background
The tiles look idiotic(the rendering is nice, I guess)
Is there even a file management system?
SPB Shell will not work on it
Can you access the files in a removable storage format?
I guess that about covers it. . . Geez, it's like the iPhone OS in the early days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once again, a little research before you buy electronics goes a long way.
nrfitchett4 said:
Once again, a little research before you buy electronics goes a long way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very true, I got it just because it was cheap. It will most likely be sold due to these issues.
But, come on. . . You can't tell me these issues should not be resolved before a OS is released. Some of these issues are unreasonable.
nrfitchett4 said:
do not know how to google???
Everything you complain about has been covered ad nauseum on the web for MONTHS!!!!
It's not MS's fault you didn't do your homework.
Maybe if you need to put your phone on vibrate when you sleep you should invest in a 10 dollar alarm clock. I've used the same one for over a decade, batteries last about 2 years in it.
If you are within your 2 weeks, I suggest you return the phone.
And FYI, you can adjust the ringer and media volumes separately on the hd2. It's obvious you didn't do your homework on that one either.
Once again, a little research before you buy electronics goes a long way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually I never said that you cannot do it on HD2, thats one of the features I liked on the HD2, so you miss read my statement as I said that since the HD2 had the feature why not HD7.
Im glad that its been covered and beaten up for months on thousands of diff forums. And I will give you the same answer I gave the other person who made that comment. When I buy a car, I dont spend hours on line to research if it comes with brakes and doors. I research if it has a certain adapter or feature, but usually a quick glance to their site or call to dealer can solve that issue.
I dont have time to spend on line reading the thousands of posts.. which i did do a little research about it before I got one, and sorting through the clutter of personal reviews did not answer the question of what it does and does not have.
Especially since many of the posts were, "I took the fuzzy picture the guy took at the private release that was leaked to us and photo shopped it and rendered it 3d view and it looks like there is a small hole for something but I cannot tell what"
Until the product is released and played with, you will never fully know what it does and does not have. Things like cut and paste which many complained about is not a big deal for me. But alarm features, select all, and view multiple email accounts from one place i did not see discussed, why? cause its not important to most avg users who spend hours a day on google or face book,
I run two businesses, time is limited.
^ Yup. . . . So far from what I have seen of this new WMO Phone it is a fail. They really bit the big one on this. The only way I can use this device is if they release a serious update.
I recently had my HD2 stolen, so for the time being, I have had to go back to my old Orbit. I am so jealous of you guys with multiple phones and OSs
Anyway, to get to the point. I was totally in love with my HD2 and am a long time WinMo user and fan. But now I have the chance to look around for a new phone. Sorry, but iPhone doesn't even come into the equation. I have an iPod Touch and that has put me off the whole iOS. So that leaves only Symbian, Android and WP7. And you can kick Symbian off the list as I don't like the look of the OS. So, Android or WP7.
The beauty of the HD2 was that you can run it with Android, so I have already had a lot of use and fun out of that OS. It is smart and polished and with a lot of regular updates to keep it fresh and up to the minute. A serious contender in the replacement market.
My only experience with WP7 is 10 mins playing with it in a T-Mobile shop the other day and from what I have read here and on other sites. As many say, iOS started off the same; bare-bones with room for more as and when the public cry loud enough for it. But those 10 mins playing with it in the shop didn't give me a lot of faith in it. Yes, it's very fluid and slick, but the eco-system is too restrictive, just like the iPhone. And from Microsoft, I expected more... much more. They had 10 years of WinMo experience which in my opinion, they decided to pass up on and follow the Apple route. Copy and paste may not be something everyone uses, but the world scoffed at Apple for not having it until the 3Gs came along. The tiles on the "home" screen are an excellent idea, for a quick glance at what's new, but you could do the same with WinMo with one or two added apps (or just use Titanium, which also told you you had new mails, messages, etc).
In conclusion, I would most likely be replacing my HD2 with a new HD2. OK, WinMo may be old hat and a bit awkward, but with HTCs Sense it runs like a charm. And if I want Android, I can run that too. And who knows, maybe in the not too distant future there will be a WP7 port for it too. The perfect phone for me!
samson_420 said:
Very true, I got it just because it was cheap. It will most likely be sold due to these issues.
But, come on. . . You can't tell me these issues should not be resolved before a OS is released. Some of these issues are unreasonable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I and most other users don't find anything "unreasonable" missing. It makes calls, texts, emails, plays music, videos, games, has office integration.
rysky007 said:
Actually I never said that you cannot do it on HD2, thats one of the features I liked on the HD2, so you miss read my statement as I said that since the HD2 had the feature why not HD7.
Im glad that its been covered and beaten up for months on thousands of diff forums. And I will give you the same answer I gave the other person who made that comment. When I buy a car, I dont spend hours on line to research if it comes with brakes and doors. I research if it has a certain adapter or feature, but usually a quick glance to their site or call to dealer can solve that issue.
I dont have time to spend on line reading the thousands of posts.. which i did do a little research about it before I got one, and sorting through the clutter of personal reviews did not answer the question of what it does and does not have.
Especially since many of the posts were, "I took the fuzzy picture the guy took at the private release that was leaked to us and photo shopped it and rendered it 3d view and it looks like there is a small hole for something but I cannot tell what"
Until the product is released and played with, you will never fully know what it does and does not have. Things like cut and paste which many complained about is not a big deal for me. But alarm features, select all, and view multiple email accounts from one place i did not see discussed, why? cause its not important to most avg users who spend hours a day on google or face book,
I run two businesses, time is limited.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Time is limited, yet you can't read one review before you buy a phone, yet can post 20 times what you hate about it afterwards. You probably buy an SUV, then complain to everyone when it gets 15mpg, like that is some unknown problem.....
[email protected] said:
I recently had my HD2 stolen, so for the time being, I have had to go back to my old Orbit. I am so jealous of you guys with multiple phones and OSs
Anyway, to get to the point. I was totally in love with my HD2 and am a long time WinMo user and fan. But now I have the chance to look around for a new phone. Sorry, but iPhone doesn't even come into the equation. I have an iPod Touch and that has put me off the whole iOS. So that leaves only Symbian, Android and WP7. And you can kick Symbian off the list as I don't like the look of the OS. So, Android or WP7.
The beauty of the HD2 was that you can run it with Android, so I have already had a lot of use and fun out of that OS. It is smart and polished and with a lot of regular updates to keep it fresh and up to the minute. A serious contender in the replacement market.
My only experience with WP7 is 10 mins playing with it in a T-Mobile shop the other day and from what I have read here and on other sites. As many say, iOS started off the same; bare-bones with room for more as and when the public cry loud enough for it. But those 10 mins playing with it in the shop didn't give me a lot of faith in it. Yes, it's very fluid and slick, but the eco-system is too restrictive, just like the iPhone. And from Microsoft, I expected more... much more. They had 10 years of WinMo experience which in my opinion, they decided to pass up on and follow the Apple route. Copy and paste may not be something everyone uses, but the world scoffed at Apple for not having it until the 3Gs came along. The tiles on the "home" screen are an excellent idea, for a quick glance at what's new, but you could do the same with WinMo with one or two added apps (or just use Titanium, which also told you you had new mails, messages, etc).
In conclusion, I would most likely be replacing my HD2 with a new HD2. OK, WinMo may be old hat and a bit awkward, but with HTCs Sense it runs like a charm. And if I want Android, I can run that too. And who knows, maybe in the not too distant future there will be a WP7 port for it too. The perfect phone for me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android doesn't get that many updates. It just seems that way because the android builds for the hd2 pull from all the android OS's. Most of them still haven't gotten an official 2.2 that has been released from google for months.
nrfitchett4 said:
I and most other users don't find anything "unreasonable" missing. It makes calls, texts, emails, plays music, videos, games, has office integration.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So does a much lower end phone. . . .
It will just take time as always for people that know what their doing to improve upon where the manufacturer has failed.

External Monitor App?

I was curious and thought this would be kind of a neat app. Is there an app that I can use to turn my GTab into an external/second monitor for my laptop? If so is it Linux compatible or just Windows? Is it USB or WIFI?
I've been trying to find something like this also.
You could try a remote access app. There are a few to choose from in the market. There are also a few threads here about some of the different options.
Looks like the iPad has one ... wonder if they will work on an Android version:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/maxivista/id380146095?mt=8
Doesn't look like it...
http://www.phraseexpress.com/phpBB3...&start=0&sid=0de7ef74024f2af56e0f99d9f067c652
jpmi23 said:
Doesn't look like it...
http://www.phraseexpress.com/phpBB3...&start=0&sid=0de7ef74024f2af56e0f99d9f067c652
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Too bad too, I like maxivista.
Surprised their devs are so naive as to say they couldn't see the market for and android version. Guess they don't actually watch or read the news much.
(BTW, I mean the PC version, I have never drunk the apple/itunes koolaid)
nunjabusiness said:
Surprised their devs are so naive as to say they couldn't see the market for and android version. Guess they don't actually watch or read the news much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol. I'll second that. Aren't we the "hackers" always looking to do something cool with our open source gadgets? They are as naive as it gets.
I was just thinking of something like this aswell. Is it possible to re-engineer the hdmi-out to take hdmi-in? I'd love to plug my cable box into my tab while i play xbox on the TV (or vice versa) I know there has been no positive progress on hdmi-in with HTC's mini-HDMI implementation. Maybe viewsonic (being a monitor company) has a better possibility? Any dev's feel like taking a crack at it?
iDisplay is available in the android market. works just like the iOS version.
Anyone tried iDisplay on the gtab?
I thought I'd buy it but there are only two bad reviews on their webpage and eleswhere I've read that they do no give refunds. There is no trial version on their site, but their terms of service says that customers are expected to run trial versions before they buy . . .
I sent them a kind message asking them if they truly expect anyone to give them money for basically nothing. But I tried to be nice, and to encourage them to post a trial so I could buy and give them a positive review. Five bucks ain't much, but darned if I'll give it away to shmucks . . .
Anyway, if the app works well, they deserve our support.
My gtab is running vegan5 and I use the HP mini wireless keyboard with both of the office suites available. The gtab is taking place of my laptop and doing a great job of it. To be able to also use it to augment the laptop by giving me more screen real estate would be icing on the cake.
Thanks for posting this thread. I never would have thought if it.
iDisplay working
I gave it a try and am happy to let you know it is working well. It is a bit laggy and slowed down my computer a bit but does work for an extra screen.
matthai5 said:
I gave it a try and am happy to let you know it is working well. It is a bit laggy and slowed down my computer a bit but does work for an extra screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the feedback. I'll purchase the app. I loaded the XP application and it appears that a virtual server is created which could be the reason for the slowdown.
It would be nice if some of these application developers provided just a wee bit of info that could be used to determine if an app is appropriate or not. I think that the apple market has set a kind of precedent for wishy-washy frivolity that is going to carry over into the android market unless google demands a higher degree of responsibility. The time is now, before the market matures as android tabs and notebooks take over most of our computing tasks, as I think they will.
The apps written for the old Palm devices were held to a much higher standard than a lot of iPhone apps I've seen. But then the Palm devices were oriented towards business productivity and not so much as toy/entertainment oriented as iPhones and iPads. I spent part of the day with my hands on the Xoom tab, and talking to several Motorola reps and Verizon sales people. I must have sounded like an evangalist for the android OS.
If google is listening I'd like to tell them to take their work seriously right now because they could be taking over the entire personal computing market in the near future. Computing, regardless of platform, is not all about entertainment. We in engineering and science have needs that also require more versatile hardware and software. The tegra3 is just around the corner . . . then what? How will all those extra processing cores be made truly useful? I want an android powered tricorder.
My evangelical proclivities are simply gushing forth . . . (in all the wrong places)
Thanks again to the OP for initiating this thread.
I tried iDisplay today. I like it! It is a bit laggy, but works great other than that!
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBD-H8Bhehc

[Q] Bluetooth Range Reality

Hi All,
With all the amazing progress with Bluetooth in CM7, I'm left with one question: is increasing the Bluetooth range on the Nook Color a possibility using nothing but software?
I've got a Motorola S305 and A2DP stereo media is spotty at best. It has occurred to me, given my limited knowledge, that this is likely to be a hardware issue (there's been some previous discussion over the length of the antenna available on the chip) rather than something which can be solved in software.
Does anyone with more knowledge than me have a feel for whether or not a software solution to increasing Bluetooth range might be likely? If so, I'll be waiting patiently, but if not, I'm going to head out and pick up a set of headphones.
Finally, just want to say thanks to all the devs for their amazing work. The Nook Color is the best tablet on the market, but that's only because of you all.
Thank you.
Tying the antenna into the headphone jack would have made sense -- that's how many portable FM radio "walkmen" were designed.
Has the idea been floated that the reason Barnes & Noble left off the Bluetooth feature was exactly because the hardware in the end proved incapable?
The Range issue is most likely a Software issue, the Bluetooth Radio is using the same Antenna as the Wifi, so there is not a problem there. Give the devs time and they will figure it out.
Also i don't see how the Hardware would be incapable. this device is based of a referance design from TI themselves the only reason there is even Bluetooth in the device is because its so tightly integrated you would have to replaced the whole WIFI chip itself. everything in the Nook was designed to go together by TI.
The hardware is not the issue on this its software.
xdabr said:
Tying the antenna into the headphone jack would have made sense -- that's how many portable FM radio "walkmen" were designed.
Has the idea been floated that the reason Barnes & Noble left off the Bluetooth feature was exactly because the hardware in the end proved incapable?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why exactly Barnes & Noble did not include Bluetooth is a real mystery to me. I can only assume they didn't want to deal with the headache of helping customers troubleshoot BT connectivity issues with a million different headsets keyboards and gaming controllers. Limit the ability of users to add third party hardware and you reduce your support calls. (btw howthe f%$£€k do you type a comma with the thumb keyboard!?)
dsf3g said:
(btw howthe f%$£€k do you type a comma with the thumb keyboard!?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hold period.
dsf3g said:
why exactly Barnes & Noble did not include Bluetooth is a real mystery to me. I can only assume they didn't want to deal with the headache of helping customers troubleshoot BT connectivity issues with a million different headsets keyboards and gaming controllers. Limit the ability of users to add third party hardware and you reduce your support calls. (btw howthe f%$£€k do you type a comma with the thumb keyboard!?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Remember that B&N was designing and marketing a color E-Reader - not a tablet. The fact that the NC can perform as a pretty good tablet is a result of folks like us messing with them -- and B&N may be taking notice of the fact.
I suspect it's more likely that B&N simply spec'd wifi, and the actual Nook designers used a readily available wifi chip that just happened to also have BT (as a lot do)...
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA Premium App
I read somewhere during the early days of NC hacking that bluetooth is probably there because the common chip WITH bluetooth was cheaper than the special one without it.
As for boosting through software- I have no idea.
Antenna "boosting" ideas I have seen include internal soldering (not worth it to me at this point) and software changes.
I have no clue what might be possible.
But I think it should be easy to toss a headphone cable in and see if it does anything to the range.
Mine seems to have about 2 to 3 foot range.
therealguppy said:
The Range issue is most likely a Software issue, the Bluetooth Radio is using the same Antenna as the Wifi, so there is not a problem there. Give the devs time and they will figure it out.
Also i don't see how the Hardware would be incapable. this device is based of a referance design from TI themselves the only reason there is even Bluetooth in the device is because its so tightly integrated you would have to replaced the whole WIFI chip itself. everything in the Nook was designed to go together by TI.
The hardware is not the issue on this its software.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that sounds good to me! I prefer to choose to believe therealguppy.
bluetooth range
I can get about 2 foot with the keyboard but my motorola S9-HD have to be on top of the unit for them to work. I know the developers are the best at what they do and i am fairly confident they will find a solution.
tj!2k7 said:
hold period.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OMFG, only a friggin' acne riddled hacker* who spends all day typing IP addresses into his device would set the period as default and the comma as the "hold and wait" character.
(*Just kidding, Mr. acne riddled hacker, and thanks for putting the time into developing cool stuff for Android!)
dsf3g said:
OMFG, only a friggin' acne riddled hacker* who spends all day typing IP addresses into his device would set the period as default and the comma as the "hold and wait" character.
(*Just kidding, Mr. acne riddled hacker, and thanks for putting the time into developing cool stuff for Android!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you type more commas than periods then you need to work on shortening your typical sentence structure.
RoboRay said:
If you type more commas than periods then you need to work on shortening your typical sentence structure.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Classic!!!
dsf3g said:
OMFG, only a friggin' acne riddled hacker* who spends all day typing IP addresses into his device would set the period as default and the comma as the "hold and wait" character.
(*Just kidding, Mr. acne riddled hacker, and thanks for putting the time into developing cool stuff for Android!)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If one was to be on the stock B&N rom and is to use it as primarily a book reader, the comma is rarely used.
You can always download a different keyboard, there are tons available (SwiftKey, KeyPurr, Swype, Stock 2.3 Gingerbread, etc).
Anyways, the bluetooth chip is the same as the Droid 2/Droid X, right? The bluetooth range on the X is great, so eventually this software-limitation should be gone.
See also the intriguing longer range Bluetooth PAN tweaking at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1013934

[Q] I was robbed last night!

Man what a weekend. For the last 6 months I've been working may ass off just trying to stay ahead of the game. I'm overworked and underpaid (who isn't these days) and it starting to take its toll. I'm making mistakes I would have never made before. Like last night. I fell asleep early and the dog woke me up to go out. I took her out and in my dazed way back in neglected to lock the door.
I feel like a world class jackass but not for long. I'm looking for a security system. I need something advanced and am hoping among all the techies here there's some experience and advice on where to start looking for the best system.
Things I know I want/need are sensors for all windows, motion detectors, automatic light control, some fixed cameras, some 360 degree cameras. Oh and of course I will need an android app to interact and control the system.
In my case this was my own fault for not locking my door but it really hit home how unsecure my house really is. I have barely a line of defense and its time to get with the program. Even if I had locked the door there were still a number of unsecured entry points into my home.
So does anyone have any experience with home security? Do you have any suggestions on where to start? Have you come across any systems in tech blogs and such that look promising?
I'm beginning to research into all this as we speak but this is unfamiliar territory for me. I'm a tech Guy like you but home security has never been an interest till now. If you have anything to offer as far as what to get, what to do, and what not to do it will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
I've never tried an Android-based home security system, but I don't see why not. For example, you could install a Schlage LiNK™ system. There's also Alarm.com and ElkDroid. I suppose other home automation tools might be useful.
But, um... are you planning to take your Nook Color with you while you walk the dog? These apps require network access; if you plan to stray more than ~20m from your house, you'd probably need a portable access point. Of course, it's not a problem if you plan to monitor your home while you're at the office (with network access).
Good luck!
Thanks for the reply and links to look into. You made a good point about not having network access to my Nook on a dog walk. I guess in that situation I would use my android phone instead. But while at home since my nook is my go to device I would use it. I don't think the system needs to be android based but I would like an app that would let me monitor the security cameras, turn on and off lights, and be notified of opened doors and windows.
The system needs to be a hardwired system and if possible also be capable of wireless. Maybe I'm going to have to pick one or the other but I haven't figured that out yet. I'm probably going to start out small and cover the most important aspects first so the system would also need to be expandable.
I began searching the net yesterday for information regarding home security. Theres alot! Hopefully as I research and begin making my choices in equipment and monitoring I will update this thread to maybe help others. What ever I choose Android will be a part of the system.
Best security system you can get on a budget is a Foscam camera.
luke121 said:
Best security system you can get on a budget is a Foscam camera.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mind sending me a pm about foscam? My restaurant just got broken into and I'm looking for an economic and proficient way to watch or protect.
Thank you in advance!
Sent from my unrooted Galaxy Tab.
I was robbed last night
I know the feeling well. I've been broken into twice. As a result, I called Brinks and had a system installed. But I kept forgetting to set the alarm and it was costing me $35.00 a month. So I began looking for other alternatives. In the search, I discovered all kinds of DIY things I could do to safeguard my house. So I ended up with a self defense website. You can install door and window alarms, surveillance systems, ect. There is actually a barking dog alarm that really works. A local woman had one and was able to scare an intruder off. I'm sure she thinks it was worth every penny she paid for it.
I was robbed also, about 4 years ago.
They made off with a new 24" iMac, WiFi printer, Gateway laptop, my old ass 8 year old PC with a 15" CRT monitor that I used to run Mandrake and other flavors of Linux on. They also managed to locate my backup hard drive in the kitchen.
I have worked as freelance Web Development & Design for years and lost a ton of work, clients respect and reliability.
I now have two remote backup hard drives (my moms house and my friend) with automation scripts that run nightly.
I use Dropbox on my two Android™ phones + my Nook + my desktop PC + my clients PCs.
As for home security: I no longer advertise on my vehicle, nor promote myself on the streets, I carry the minimum amount of cash, only carry one credit card, don't wear any jewelry, and talk to my children about the dangers of strangers, open the front door, etc.
Plus we have the peace of mind having electronic home security, motion sensors, door + window sensors, etc.
The geek in me wants to install a few webcams throughout the house, front yard, back, etc. and have access to view them via https via one of my websites.
But that'll have to wait.
I have 2 Panasonic Network Cameras with audio. You can monitor the cams on your Android phone with an app. There is a way to set it up for motion detection too.
Thanks for the replies. I'm still searching for the best system to meet my needs. We did check into ADT but I'd hate to pay the 35 dollars a month bill when we have the tech today that would make proffesional monitoring a waste. They do provide the equipment and install which is nice though.
Isn't there some kind of security enthusiast sites like a maximum PC or Tg daily. A site that could get me better informed of my options?
IFLATLINEI said:
Thanks for the replies. I'm still searching for the best system to meet my needs. We did check into ADT but I'd hate to pay the 35 dollars a month bill when we have the tech today that would make proffesional monitoring a waste. They do provide the equipment and install which is nice though.
Isn't there some kind of security enthusiast sites like a maximum PC or Tg daily. A site that could get me better informed of my options?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The best security I know is, no one can steal your stuff if its all on fire.
For a real serious system that is also open to DIY, I'd strongly recommend the Elk Products M1G Gold system.
A great site to learn more is from http://www.cocoontech.com
Can do extensive home automation as well if that's your wish.
Awesome! Thank you.

[Q] Using a USB Wireless Adapter...

Ok guys, maybe this question has been asked and maybe it has not. I'm typing this on the fly via mobile of course and don't have the time to scour through related forum threads which may or may not be able to help me out.
That said, I have several adapters that I use for packet injection. I have one which has an SMA port for antennas and I bought a 16dBi high gain antenna to use with another project and I am also using with this adapter.
Anyway, I woukd like to be able to use this adapter with its extended range while I'm wardriving.
I have microUSB to Female USB cables for my phone. But connecting a device does little other than power it on.
I need a script that disables the on board WiFi and installs a driver for the secondary adapter and then enables it. Or perhaps there is an app out there that makes this easier.
Anyone have any suggestions or solutions to this dilemma I'm facing?
Thanks in Advance!
PAinguIN
C'mon guys, this is the TOP mobile device (particularly Android) forum in the world. I've been a member for years... I know someone on here has something I can try or a complete solution. I know that this has been successful on the Droid Milestone but that's a bit of an older phone.
Any help would be appreciated...
Thanks again..
PAinguINx said:
C'mon guys, this is the TOP mobile device (particularly Android) forum in the world. I've been a member for years... I know someone on here has something I can try or a complete solution. I know that this has been successful on the Droid Milestone but that's a bit of an older phone.
Any help would be appreciated...
Thanks again..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
google "pwnpad" maybe you find something you can use, also the wifi adapter they use is cheap and support packet injection and external antennas.
milad407 said:
google "pwnpad" maybe you find something you can use, also the wifi adapter they use is cheap and support packet injection and external antennas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks milad407... Your input is appreciated. I am looking in to it right now... If I find a good solution I will be sure to post it here in the forums.
Again, thank you!
You're welcome, i'll be keeping my eye on the thread, if you find something..
milad407 said:
You're welcome, i'll be keeping my eye on the thread, if you find something..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I have not tried this yet but if it works in anyway similar to how it would on a laptop then I should succeed. Using either "Linux Deploy" or Complete Linux Installer" I can install various Linux distros on my phone virtually. Even custom images can be used. But by stock you can install Ubuntu, Debian, (not sure why they offer both), Backtrack, Kali (again, unsure why they offer both) and several other Linux distros.
If I install Backtrack, which I know supports the adapter I want to use when running from live cd or live usb from a laptop (or even Kali Linux) then it should also work on my device. It's all about the drivers and disabling the devices built in WiFi adapter....
I have to take my phone back to stock due to some issues which have recently occurred. I will S-Off first probably, then return to Stock, re-root and after I recover my contacts, programs, etc, etc, I will attempt to install a virtual image of either BT5 or Kali and see what happens.
Again, I will keep updated this thread. If it works then everyone with an M7 from Sprint will be able to utilize this method.
:fingers-crossed:
Have a look here as well: http://www.toolswatch.org/2013/05/installing-my-own-pwnpad-community-for-fun-and-for-less-than-300/
I think the problem with the Pwnpad source code is that, it's written for Nexus 7
milad407 said:
Have a look here as well: http://www.toolswatch.org/2013/05/installing-my-own-pwnpad-community-for-fun-and-for-less-than-300/
I think the problem with the Pwnpad source code is that, it's written for Nexus 7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm, interesting... I actually have a Nexus 7 - 32GB 1st gen, it's a nice, smooth tablet but doesn't hold a candle many other devices out there. If I had my choice of device to turn in to a "hacking" tab, uh, Phablet... I would choose the Galaxy Note 3.
Check out the arena....
http://www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/Google-Nexus-7-2013,Samsung-Galaxy-Note-3,Samsung-Galaxy-Mega-6.3/phones/8021,7984,7805
But, aside from that... You would think that you would only be limited to any devices hardware capabilities... Technically, we could probably take an old Toshiba or Acer Iconia tablet, install and/or run either BT5 or Kali virtually on top of whatever version of Android the device is running and have near the same capabilities that you would with a laptop.
If/when I figure out a way to use my Alpha AWUS036NH on any of the devices I own I'll be able to wardrive and pick up networks from nearly and 1/8th - 1/4 of a mile away. No exaggeration. Utilizing a 16dBi omni directional antenna instead of the measly 5 dBi that's included make an enormous difference.
But, rather or not it will work so easily running BT5 or Kali virtually over JellyBean or ICS compared to the ease of a live/virtual/physical installation of either OS on a laptop or PC will only be known once it has been tried. I wish I had more free time to do what I truly love to do with technology instead of the repetitive and thankless administration tasks I perform at work... The grass is always greener though... Lol!
One of these weekends I'll get something going, and I'll post it and hopeflly save peeps that $899. The only thing they will have to pay for will be the adapter(s) they choose to utilize and the tablet, phablet, or even phone that they want to use The rest will be open source and included with (hopefully) current and future releases of Kali Linux now that BT5 is suddenly and abruptly "dead". Did that catch anyone else by surprise or just me? Lol!

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