Droid related stuff (problems/solutions tips, tricks, apps)

[Gretyl]

Uhhh...
http://market.android.com/developer?pub=TUQSoft

[nippletwister]

Heh, yeah.

[Halt! Hammerzeit.]

In other news, I got sent one of those Chrome notebooks from Google. Pretty solid hardware (feels like black Macbook with the rubberized case). Comes with 100mb/month of Verizon 3G for 2 years.

[nippletwister]

Is that free to the consumer or just you? Paying for yet another device's connectivity makes it not worth it.

[Halt! Hammerzeit.]

It's free for the pilot program. Not sure about general consumers.

[WrenchHead]

Is that free to the consumer or just you? Paying for yet another device's connectivity makes it not worth it.

Chrome notebook works on any wi-fi network like a normal laptop, it appears... so it wouldn't be much of an issue to not pay for cellular service.

[Jobu]

My Galaxy tablet works the same. And probably at least 75% of the places I'm at with it, I can access wifi. But it's nice to have the cellular access when needed.

[nippletwister]

Is that free to the consumer or just you? Paying for yet another device's connectivity makes it not worth it.

Chrome notebook works on any wi-fi network like a normal laptop, it appears... so it wouldn't be much of an issue to not pay for cellular service.

Which is cool everywhere except on L trains, which I imagine is a place I'd use it a lot.

wifi would be enough for me, I suppose. Though while I traveled in Italy with my Droid, it was almost worthless with all the places charging for wifi connectivity, and my hotel that advertised free wifi having one tiny router on one end of the building.

[PaulMuaDib]

weird problem time again. my moto droid 1 sometimes won't connect to my computer via usb. tried rebooting both the computer and the phone and sometimes they just won't talk. i plug everything together like normal and i get zero response. 90% of the time it works great and i can transfer stuff, but that 10% really sucks. anyone else have this happen or know of a fix?

[caddymac]

Speaking of problems, anyone know if it is hard to replace the glass screen on a Droid 2?

[Gretyl]

lol problems!

[Wycked]

Man, whenever LG would like to release the Froyo update for the Apex would be great. Installing apps to SD is getting to be a necessity. My choices right now on 2.1u1 are A) have all the apps I want but no memory left for texts, or B) have squat for apps but be able to use the basic functions of the phone. Fucking US Cellular, always behind the times.

[daoist]

The digitizer on my Droid 1 is eating rainbows and shitting shit, so I ordered a new one.

Replacement victory speech / horror story in 4-9 days.

[daoist]

Replaced it last night. Works like a champ now. Though I am bit miffed that I forgot to use some canned air to spray off the LCD before reinstalling; I've got a couple strands of hair between the LCD and the digitizer now.

The micro usb port is pretty temperamental so I have a replacement. That will require soldering to fix. Once I work up enough courage I'll go for that and clean out the LCD while I'm in there.

[nippletwister]

eww


...pubes, right?

[Gretyl]

smartphones are one of the more intimate technologies we've yet developed

[WrenchHead]

What does the over the air update I got this morning on my original droid device do for me?

[caddymac]

The digitizer on my Droid 1 is eating rainbows and shitting shit, so I ordered a new one.

Replacement victory speech / horror story in 4-9 days.

Do you have a website to guide on doing this? I want to try on the woman's old Droid 1 before moving to her Droid 2.

[WrenchHead]

youtube videos exist.. they destroyed parts of mine to do it, like the gold speaker grille and a sticker by the battery.. It's obvious someone has been in there, but the phone works fine.

[daoist]

Yeah I watched a couple youtube videos before tackling it.

You will need a T5 torx bit. If you're unawares, that's fucking tiny. Lowes sells a cheap ass Kobalt 6 (I think) -in-1 bit driver set for about $5 that includes a T5 bit.

[daoist]

Yeah I watched a couple youtube videos before tackling it.

You will need a T5 torx bit. If you're unawares, that's fucking tiny. Lowes sells a cheap ass Kobalt 6 (I think) -in-1 bit driver set for about $5 that includes a T5 bit.

[Wycked]

Y'know what, US Cellular can just take their damned time with Froyo. I'm having fun with my freshly-rooted Apex.

[WrenchHead]

Last Friday, my Droid randomly dialed the last four people I had talked to on the phone (either they called me or I had called them.)

So I had four, one-minute calls placed to random people and places. WTF? It'd be nice to call it a butt dial, if the phone was even in a dialable state at the time.

[nithos]

So, what's THE andriod tablet to get in the next 3-6 months? Toshiba?

[Turbo]

I missed a call and a text message this weekend. Didn't even show up. wtf

[Toilet of Sadness]

So, what's THE andriod tablet to get in the next 3-6 months? Toshiba?

None of the above because they're all half-baked iPad knockoffs?

[daoist]

So, what's THE andriod tablet to get in the next 3-6 months? Toshiba?

None of the above because they're all half-baked iPad knockoffs?

Bingo.

Though, depending on how the honeycomb port goes, I'm considering picking up a Nook Color.

[nithos]

So, what's THE andriod tablet to get in the next 3-6 months? Toshiba?

None of the above because they're all half-baked iPad knockoffs?

I already have an iPad 2, but I need to bring in 2-3 more alternatives so I can run them through the paces before making a recommendation on which tablet will work best for our field service techs. The PlayBook is another one of the options I want to bring in house to test out.

I am finding that our customer portal (build with PlumTree circa 2002) doesn't play nicely with the iPad.

[Jobu]

So, what's THE andriod tablet to get in the next 3-6 months? Toshiba?

None of the above because they're all half-baked iPad knockoffs?

Bingo.

Though, depending on how the honeycomb port goes, I'm considering picking up a Nook Color.

As much as I dislike apple zealots, I agree. I really like my Galaxy tablet, but I wouldn't buy it if work wasn't paying for it. From what I've read, honeycomb has some potential, but you'll have to wait for developers to take advantage of it. I can't see anything good coming out until Christmas buying season at best.

[Toilet of Sadness]

I am finding that our customer portal (build with PlumTree circa 2002) doesn't play nicely with the iPad.

well, I guess WebKit browsers aren't all built equally, but I don't know that I would expect one or the other to handle shit web code any better.

[Gretyl]

bahahahah:
http://fuglyandroid.tumblr.com/

[WrenchHead]

bahahahah:
http://fuglyandroid.tumblr.com/

Reminds me of Myspace. Just because YOUR myspace looked like a sparkly .gif hoarder's rat's nest with yellow text set on a pink background doesn't mean that MINE looks that way.

It's true if you give some people the freedom to customize things, it'll turn out looking like a nightmare. It's probably hard to beat highly paid Apple designers as well, but at least you have the freedom to do it. If Apple made cars, we'd all be driving around in white and black VW beetles that shocked you if you tried to modify them.

[daoist]

So, what's THE andriod tablet to get in the next 3-6 months? Toshiba?

None of the above because they're all half-baked iPad knockoffs?

I already have an iPad 2, but I need to bring in 2-3 more alternatives so I can run them through the paces before making a recommendation on which tablet will work best for our field service techs. The PlayBook is another one of the options I want to bring in house to test out.

I am finding that our customer portal (build with PlumTree circa 2002) doesn't play nicely with the iPad.

Once I heard the playbook will do android apps the thought of being straight-jacketed into BES at work didn't seem quite so bad.

[Gretyl]

Even though it'll be Gingerbread-only?

[nithos]

I am finding that our customer portal (build with PlumTree circa 2002) doesn't play nicely with the iPad.

well, I guess WebKit browsers aren't all built equally, but I don't know that I would expect one or the other to handle shit web code any better.

Yeah, I knew the customer portal was shit going in. It doesn't even work in the desktop verson of Safari, so I didn't have high hopes.

[Toilet of Sadness]

It's true if you give some people the freedom to customize things, it'll turn out looking like a nightmare. It's probably hard to beat highly paid Apple designers as well, but at least you have the freedom to do it. If Apple made cars, we'd all be driving around in white and black VW beetles that shocked you if you tried to modify them.

welp, I guess google is now in the beetle production business (you know, that's a really shitty and strained metaphor):

Playtime is over in Android Land. Over the last couple of months Google (GOOG) has reached out to the major carriers and device makers backing its mobile operating system with a message: There will be no more willy-nilly tweaks to the software. No more partnerships formed outside of Google's purview. From now on, companies hoping to receive early access to Google's most up-to-date software will need approval of their plans. And they will seek that approval from Andy Rubin, the head of Google's Android group.

This is the new reality described by about a dozen executives working at key companies in the Android ecosystem. Some of those affected include LG, Toshiba, Samsung, and even Facebook, which has been trying to develop an Android device. There have been enough run-ins to trigger complaints with the Justice Dept., according to a person familiar with the matter. The Google that once welcomed all comers to help get its mobile software off the ground has become far more discriminating—especially for companies that want to include Google services such as search and maps on their hardware. Google also gives chip and device makers that abide by its rules a head start in bringing Android products to market, according to the executives.

When Android hit the scene in 2008, Google had a tantalizing pitch: Android was "open source." That is, Google would do the hard work of developing the code, and hardware and software makers were free to use the system at no charge. Carriers and device makers relished the idea of not paying royalties. Android became the people's mobile software, a free zone that contrasted with the closed worlds of the iPhone (AAPL) and BlackBerry (RIMM). HTC, Motorola (MMI), and Acer could avoid spending billions developing their own operating systems and customize Android with unique services. Carriers got a raft of slick new devices to sell. Consumers enjoyed more choice. And Google's search-advertising business could tap the vast mobile phone market.

…

Over the past few months, according to several people familiar with the matter, Google has been demanding that Android licensees abide by "non-fragmentation clauses" that give Google the final say on how they can tweak the Android code—to make new interfaces and add services—and in some cases whom they can partner with. Google's Rubin says that such clauses have always been part of the Android license, but people interviewed for this story say that Google has recently tightened its policies. Facebook, for example, has been working to fashion its own variant of Android for smartphones. Executives at the social network are unhappy that Google gets to review Facebook's tweaks to Android, say two people who weren't comfortable being named talking about the business. Google has also tried to hold up the release of Verizon (VZ) Android devices that make use of Microsoft's (MSFT) rival Bing search engine, according to two people familiar with the discussions.

It's these types of actions that have prompted the gripes to the Justice Dept., says a person with knowledge of the matter. Google spokeswoman Shari Yoder Doherty declined to comment on Google and its partners or any complaints to the government.

Google has also started delaying the release of Android code to the public, putting smaller device makers and developers at a disadvantage. On Mar. 24, Bloomberg Businessweek reported Google won't widely release Honeycomb's source code for the foreseeable future.

The company's moves are hardly unprecedented in such a fast-moving industry. Google owes it to its partners and consumers to prevent Android from running amok. And yet murmurs abound that Android's master has tightened up too much—that its policies limit licensees' ability to differentiate their products. "The premise of a true open software platform may be where Android started, but it's not where Android is going," says Nokia (NOK) Chief Executive Stephen Elop, a former Microsoft executive who recently inked a deal with his former employer instead of Google. He says he did so in part because he thought he would have more opportunity to innovate atop Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 software.

[Gretyl]

you know, that's a really shitty and strained metaphor

the mid-late 90's taught me that car metaphors are where technical discussions go to die

[Gretyl]

as far as the rest of it goes...

Android is an open-source software stack for mobile devices, and a corresponding open-source project led by Google. We created Android in response to our own experiences launching mobile apps. We wanted to make sure that there was no central point of failure, so that no industry player can restrict or control the innovations of any other. That's why we created Android, and made its source code open.

laff!

[daoist]

DEAR SWEET LORD PLEASE LET THEM GIVE A RELEASE DATE FOR THE ASUS TRANSFORMER, I AM GETTING TIRED OF F5ING ALL THE NEWS SITES

[daoist]

just got an asus eee transformer. kicks total ass.

[MarcusAurelius]

plz to has specifics and comparisons. it looks awesome to me.

[Gretyl]

any cool-to-you usage videos, dao?

[daoist]

Most of the videos I've seen go on and on about how great the dock is, then they pop it in the dock, then pop it back out, and don't show any use of the dock.

[daoist]

My initial review is that it's pretty sweet. I've been using it mostly as a stand-alone tablet the last few days. It's doing all the androidy stuff I'd expect.

Plusses:

Obviously the dock. It's nice to be able to strap on a real keyboard to type. The dock also has a battery in it, which doubles the runtime of the tablet. There's a couple of usb ports on it which reportedly work with all kinds of fun stuff like usb drives, keyboard, mice, whatever. And there's a full-sized SD card slot, so that's really handy. The dock's hinge is really solid and when the tablet is attached it closes like a netbook. A nice advantage is that since the dock makes it a de-facto laptop, you don't have to find something to prop the tablet up if you want to watch a movie.

Honeycomb is pretty goddamned sweet. The UI changes are mostly for the better; I really like the new notification system (basically like windows' systray) and when you tap on the time it brings up a nice little settings widget with handy switches.

Another nice thing is that apps can now place widgets in the notification area, so e.g. a media player could put play/pause/rr/ffw controls right in there to use. Very nice.

It's really nice to have actual tabs in the browser. It's a much easier metaphor to use than windows on the phone version of the OS.

Minuses:

The browser has occasional graphical hiccups, usually cured by switching to another tab and then back again.

There aren't many tablet-aware apps. Of course regular android apps work a-ok, it just seems a waste to use up so much screen real-estate for single tasks. I think the issue here is that with a big enough screen I just sort of expect to have multiple things on-screen (or easy to get to) at once. It'd be really nice for them to add an ability to split-screen (side by side) two apps. So I could have a browser and a chat window open at once. Or if apps put a reply box widget right in the notification of a new message, that'd be cool. There's plenty of room for solutions, they just haven't been made yet.

The apps asus packed-in are barely functional. After a few hours of dickery I was able to get it to stream dlna content from my PC. It kept complaining that it couldn't find any DLNA servers on my network.

There is no way of knowing how much battery life is left in the keyboard dock. There is an indicator light, so I guess you will find out a little bit ahead of time before you're totally fucked. When you dock the tablet to the keybord the tablet thinks it's plugged in to AC, and the battery in the keyboard actually charges the tablet up. So that's a nice touch that you can use it as an emergency battery pack, but being able to tell how much battery remains would be nice.

The tablet doesn't have a usb port of any sort.


The tablet doesn't have a usb port of any sort. Yes I wrote that twice, because it's that bad. Sure the dock has a couple of host-mode usb ports, but lacking a gadget-mode port is a big oversight.

The device has a proprietary 40-pin port. Ugh and a motherfucking half. This port is what you plug the USB charging cable into, and it's also the way the dock connects. (The dock also has a 40 pin port on the side so you can charge it while docked)

It ships with a 2-foot charging cable. No, I'm serious. What the fuck, asus? And since it uses a usb3 connector (the best guess is the charger sends more current down the extra lines for faster charging) you can't just use a usb-2 extender cable.

This is already a great tablet, and there's only room to move up from here.

[MarcusAurelius]

It ships with a 2-foot charging cable.

[Gretyl]

Who would charge a foot, much less both of them at once?

[nithos]

The browser has occasional graphical hiccups, usually cured by switching to another tab and then back again.

How does it handle JavaScript? That's one of the big hurdles I ran into with iOS browsers, using our existing web portal technology. The JavaScript driven dropdown lists didn't function.

[Gretyl]

Is that a javascript thing or a hover thing?

[nithos]

It's been a couple weeks since I have looked into it. Some of it might be hover, when you select the drop down it will pop up, but you can't select anything from the list. There are also some javascript "action links" that are triggered by hitting Enter or pressing a button that never to get triggered.

[daoist]

I haven't seen any problems with this browser or the android browser on normal phones. The only "problem" I've had is that on the phone you sometimes have to zoom way teh fuck in to be able to actually tap on some list items.

[daoist]

By the way, if you happen to have an unsupported phone (like most of us), and are rooted (like some of us) you can trick the official netflix app to work by editing your build.prop file. Even works on my Droid 1!

[Jobu]

It worked pretty well on my Evo, though I can't imagine using it much. It ate through a third of my battery life after only about 20 minutes.

[Gretyl]

cellular data or wifi?

[Jobu]

wifi.

[Gretyl]

So what're the best references you've found to custom-ROM'ing your phones? A friend of mine just bricked his after failing at googling non-crap threads to do so and I want to help him out after he gets his replacement. Ideas... ?

[daoist]

forum.xda-developers.com. If they have a subforum for your particular handset, they are 100% the best place to go.

[White Thunder]

It worked pretty well on my Evo, though I can't imagine using it much. It ate through a third of my battery life after only about 20 minutes.

Same here. I'm glad the option is finally available, but I doubt I'll use it much.

[MarcusAurelius]

buying a new phone in the next two days. iphone 3g has begged me to throw it on cement with it's fuckawful slowness and worthlessness for the last time.

I'm on AT&T, and i want an android phone. i dunno if i'll ever be able to get 4g, but whatever, if i'm getting a new phone...

they have these HTC phones, samsung captivate, motorola atrix... what get? all i really want is internet and gps that works. oh and something that also works as a phone, unlike the old iphone made obsolete by it's own firmware.

[floor punching mummy]

http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/smar ... tandt-spr/

[MarcusAurelius]

i don't want a iphone 4!

[caddymac]

Don't worry, the iPhone 5 will be out soon!

[Gretyl]

[MarcusAurelius]

ordered a motorola atrix. $50 online. or $200 in person

[MarcusAurelius]

ordered a motorola atrix. $50 online. or $200 in person

totally sexy.

[MarcusAurelius]

this thread is too long. need must-get app summary.

the phone has an HDMI out for some reason. what would i use this for, besides maybe transferred movies? is hulu or netflix available?