text:
How do I restart the 2.2 update for HTC Desire?
I just got the notification for the 2.2 update for my HTC Desire (on O2 in the UK).  I downloaded and let the update install.  After a couple of reboots it told me it couldn't install as I needed to clean up some memory, which I've now done.
How do I restart the update install?  I've tried restarting the phone and going to the phone settings and checking for updates, but it doesn't find any updates and it's still reporting 2.1 installed.

Update:
Turns out the update file was on my SD card, but renaming it to update.zip and following Al. E's steps didn't work - I get a file not signed errors ("failed to verify whole-file signature" and "signature verification failed".
I've also since done a hard reset too, and now have open call with HTC second line support. Will update you when they get back to me.
Apparently setting the date to the future would cause the OTA to be detected again, but my date won't stay set to the future (yes, I have turned off network date updates!). I'm now researching how to use a file manager to update from the 2.2 zip file.
Watch this space...

Update 2: Okay, I finally cracked it!  First, I downloaded the UK O2 update from HTC's site, then followed Al E's method below to install the update.  Job done!!
The URL for the download was http://liveimage.htc.com/.  I knew the name of the update file as it was in my sd\download folder.

Thanks for the update. I'm interested in the ultimate solution.

No worries :) - I'll get back when I know more...

Settings | About phone | System updates
It should let you know that there's an update available.
If you still have the update.zip file on your SD card, these instructions should do it: http://geekword.net/manually-install-froyo-htc-desire

Step 1: Download the Android 2.2
  firmware for the Desire from here.
Step 2: Rename the file update.zip and
  copy it to your microSD card via USB.
  [Note: make sure the file is named
  update.zip and not update.zip.zip.]
Step 3: Power down your Desire.
Step 4: Hold down the “Volume Down” button
  as you power the phone back on.
Step 5: A screen should appear showing your
  phone’s system searching for various
  files. Scroll down to “recovery” and
  press the “Power” button.
Step 6: When you see the triangle with an
  exclamation point symbol, press the
  “Power” and “Volume Up” buttons at the
  same time.
Step 7: From the menu that appears, select “Apply
  sdcard:update.zip.”
Step 8: When the screen displays “Install from sdcard
  complete” select “reboot system now”
  and wait for the phone to power back
  up.

@Al E - nope, tried that and it says I'm up to date!

Pop the battery out?

Nope - still won't find the update online. As I downloaded it before, can run it from the phone somehow?

Perhaps. If you still have the update.zip file on your SD card, these instructions should do it: http://www.geekword.net/manually-install-froyo-htc-desire/

Al, that's a great help as I now know the name of the update file. However, unfortunately there's no update* file on my phone :(  Guess I'll have to wait until the update gets picked up again then?!?!

I edited my answer with the full instructions. You can get the update.zip file by following Step 1. (FWIW, I manually updated my Motorola Droid to the initial Froyo release using similar instructions, and it worked fine.)

As a last resort, you could always do a factory reset.

Did it work? Don't leave us hanging...

Hi Al, no file at the link you posted, just: "This file is either removed due to copyright claim or is deleted by the uploader".

Since the OTA update is available there's probably less of a drive to have the manual update file available, but it's probably still out there somewhere. I think you should consider a factory reset.


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Can a developer with an app in the market also distribute to un-registered (rooted) devices?
I'm looking to root a tablet device, to limit access to certain settings, and to remove the ability to get to the Market (long story).
However, I do want to get some apps that are available on the Android Market onto the device.  Is there any restrictions to app developers selling their apps in the market to also distribute their applications outside of the market.
Links to good references get bonus points.
Thanks!

I don't think there's anywhere to cite where Google has said that putting your app on the market is not exclusive, but I'm sure it's allowed, since there are a lot of different alternatives to the Market and you can even download versions of apps available on the market through other means. In certain cases, like Tasker, getting it directly (not through the market) is even encouraged by the author.

source: Stack Exchange

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/

sort: votes


text:
Is there a way to get my android phone to stop going back to the beginning of a song when I disconnect my bluetooth audio?
I have an Android phone (a Motorola Droid, running android 2.2) that I use with my car's bluetooth audio.  When I turn on the car, it will automatically conenct to the Droid and tell it to play, which automatically starts the music app and begins playing.  (I like that--that's what I want.)  Then when I turn the car off while playing, the music app automatically stops.  (I also like that.)  But when it stops in response to the car turning off, it goes immediately back to the beginning of the song, which I don't like.  I'd like it to pause when the car is turned off, and pick up in the middle of the song where it left off.
I don't even know exactly what's happening behind the scenes to cause this.  Is the car sending the phone a "stop" command when it turns off, which causes the phone to go back to the beginning of the track?  I'm not sure how to find out.  While the car is on, the only commands it supports are "play," "pause," "next," and "previous," which which do what you would expect.  I don't see any options available on the phone or on the car that would obviously control this behavior.
So I guess I'd like to know a) if there's a way to change this on the phone, and b) is there a way to tell exactly what commands the car is sending to the phone and when?  Some sort of log that can be enabled maybe?

I got curious enough about this that I actually wrote my own little program that captures the "media button" events that are driving this functionality.  I was able to determine that the car is doing something that translates into a "MEDIA_PLAY_PAUSE" keycode to start the playing.  Then when you tell it to play or pause while it's on, it issues another "MEDIA_PLAY_PAUSE."  But when you turn the car off (or turn off the audio in the car), it issues a "MEDIA_STOP".  The music players (both Winamp and the default music app anyway--I didn't try others) respond to the MEDIA_STOP by resetting the song position to the beginning and ceasing to play the music.
So to get what I want, I would have to somehow intercept the stop command and turn it into a "pause" instead.  Or somehow get the music apps not reset the song position when they receive as "stop."

Have you tried using a different music app?  You might get better results from say DoubleTwist or WinAmp.

I have the same with my regular headset, it's the default Music app, wouldn't want to go deleting it.

I'm not saying you have to delete the default Music app (in fact, don't do that!), but you can try one of the alternatives to see if that fixes the problem.

Alas, this doesn't help for me, and it's my car's fault.  See my self-answer below...

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/


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what is the most comfortable way to ssh and vim/latex/c++ on android?
I'm debating if i should get droid x. i'd like to use it for work, meaning latex and code in c++. I use vim.
i know this is possible with connectbot. but possible doesn't mean i can substitute a laptop in a coffee shop. are there people that use bluetooth keyboard with android device and are happy like this one (http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2010/08/20/travel-with-no-baggage/)? I don't mind the small screen.
just curious about your experience. and i think some keyboards have esc key, which is good for vim.
Update
My current set-up:
note 3 running juiceSSH and vnc (i couldn't get nx to work), perixx 805L, ms wedge mouse, and quikpod tripod to hold the note 3 at the eye level.

Really good question.  I'd like to know myself as I've recently created an Ubuntu machine that I can remote into.  Droid 1's keyboard is much better than the virtual screen for shell, but still lacks a lot of necessary keys.

droid x has a bigger screen and i agree about inconvenience of virtual keyboard. i was gonna use this (http://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Pro-Bluetooth-Keyboard/dp/B0030IT6AO/ref=pd_sim_e_1) with droid x

I ended up coding a lot on it. it works quite well. i use iGo Stowaway bluetooth keyboard (it fits in a pocket). i map esc to jk or jj. i also bring a charger just in case.
the small font size doesn't bother me as much. i just move my head closer to the screen.
also alt-tab works for switching application. it's useful because you need to use a stackoverflow for coding :-)

So, I have a Nexus One.
Firstly: do not try to use the soft keyboard for any form of coding. It's workable, to an extent, with connectbot's help, for system administration, but coding is flat out. If you insist on trying, look at Full Keyboard.
Secondly: the screen size is an issue, at least for me. I haven't found a font size that is both readable for long sessions and displays enough code on the screen.
Coding and longform text are still definitely a Computer thing.

I recommend ConnectBot for SSH. My biggest issue with Vim has always been getting the Escape key to work. By default, I believe the Escape key is the same as the Back key in Android.
One answer I found on stackoverflow (can't find the link) is to map a key sequence to escape:
:imap qq <Esc> " map qq to Escape while in insert mode

This should allow fairly normal Vim usage on Android. You can either enter it every time or add it to .vimrc. I got fed up with my Lapdock before I found this, but I will need to go back and try again.
Alternative: instead of Esc use Ctrl-[ - that works without additional mappings (http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/insert.html#i_CTRL-[)

Try mosh for a potential solution to latency issues. It does heuristic echoing of local keystrokes, so you get more immediate feedback and things feel less choppy.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


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Is it possible to clear the "Notifications" on Facebook for Android?
I have enabled notifications in the 'Inbox' section of my Facebook for Android program.
Does anyone know of a way to clear the 'Notifications' list ?
Reason I ask : Every time I start up Facebook , I get the message that I have 4 new notifications. Over and over again , the same notifications.
Under Windows, these are the same four as I can see when clcking the world icon on top of the screen. However, on Windows, the world icon only lights up when a new notification has arrived, as soon as you click (or view) the notification, no visual indication is present any more.
So, I would like these notifications only to alert me, when new arrive, not every time.
UPDATE:
As it was, I was talking about the Samsung version of FB/ Android (Facebook S! version 1). I downloaded and installed the one from the Market, and this is much better.

What version of the Facebook app do you have? My notifications bar is at the bottom of the screen.

@ Al E.: Still learning my new phone (and first Android) : but I think it it 'Facebook D! version 1,  can I get some more specific version information ?

Either go to the "Downloads" section of the Market, find the app, and get the version number there, or go to "Settings | Applications | Manage applications | Facebook". (This latter is also where you would clear the cache.)

I updated my question - thanks for the answers.

No, there doesn't appear to be a way to clear the notifications short of visiting the item so it is no longer new.
The Android Facebook app has a lot of deficits. It's still head-and-shoulders better than the previous version, though.

@Al E.: Visiting them doesn't clear them. That's the point , I don't mind visiting them if they are new.

Then I suggest your Facebook app is defective. They clear for me. Have you tried clearing the app cache?

@ Al E.: How do you clear the cache ? But to be sure we are talking about the same thing here : pressing the inbox button, show a list of 6 possible notifications. I am talking about the last one in that list : this number remains the same, whether I click on them and visit the notification there or not. The others, as requests and Updates and so on, do clear fine.

Again, what version of the Facebook app are you using? I don't have an "Inbox" and I'm running the latest version (1.3.2).

@ Al E.: I think I have one made by Samsung (that's why it says Facebook S! vesion 1 - I mistyped before and said Facebook D!).

@ Al E.: I downloaded FB for Android just now - it's much better than the one I had. Thanks for your help.

Glad we got it straightened out.

"Facebook S! version 1" is Facebook for Samsung, available from the Samsung apps store on Samsung Android phones. This is their custom version of Facebook, not the standard Facebook for Android that's available from the Market, it is probably based on an older version of the Facebook app, and is definitely not the same as the current official Facebook app.
If you go to the Android Market, search for Facebook and download the app called "Facebook for Android" written by "Facebook" then you know that you have the latest official Facebook app. The notifications on that version go for me after I've visited them.
Also if for some reason you do prefer Samsung's app over Facebook's then you're running an older version of that, the current version (according to the Samsung Apps app on my Galaxy S) is 1.01 installing this updated version may fix some problems.

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


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wifi not recognized unless restarted in archos 32
Many times when I'm near a wifi network, my archos 32 won't recognize it. It shows no networks in the wireless settings and doesn't show alerts for available networks even when this alert is on in the settings. It would only recognize the network if I disable wifi and then reenable it.
Did that happen to anyone else? Any workaround?

This thread on an archos 5 mentions turning off the "static IP" setting on the device. Does your device have that setting?

@gary, thanks but it's by default off, and it's also off in my device.

As a power-saving strategy, radio chipsets can sleep -- meaning they stop actively listening for a wi-fi network to connect to -- when they are out of range of any network, and will wake up to search for a network once every few minutes.
It may simply be that the radio on your Android is doing this, and that you haven't waited long enough for it to wake up once you come back in range of a wi-fi network.
A quick search tells me there's a Powersave disabled setting in the wi-fi settings on the Archos that might help.

My 32 suffers from various wifi and bluetooth issues, dropping both connections. starting and stopping. Connecting to wifi but not routing packets. Connecting to bluetooth headset but no audio. I have to fuss with it all the time.


text:
How can you see your Facebook Groups in Facebook for Android?
I downloaded facebook for Android latest version just now.
This version is much better than the one which was pre-installed on my Samsung Galaxy S phone.
But can I see my Facebook groups somewhere in this version ?

Groups are not available in the Facebook app.  You'll have to go to the website via m.facebook.com or touch.facebook.com

"Groups" was released on Facebook only a short time ago. The app pre-dates it by quite a bit.

@Al it's slightly confusing, because there are two different group features on FB.  There is the old Group system and the New one they just rolled out.

Wasn't the old Groups called "Lists" though?

No the old groups was similar to fan pages, but with some different permissions. I believe they predate android.

Facebook have just released version 1.4 of their official Facebook app for Android, this has support for both the new Places and Groups features (this is the new Groups feature where you can group your friends, not the old Groups feature which is a bit like the current Pages feature).
If you've already got the official Facebook app installed, then you should be able to update though the Market app. Otherwise just download it from there!

@GA Thrawn: this still doesn't show me a list of all my groups, ready for me to enter a comment on the group page.


text:
How to get permission for overwrite files in /system/fonts directory in Android phone
I'm tryng to overwrite the fonts files (*.ttf) in my android device (Dell Aero). my new fonts are resident in the sdcard and I'm using the following command in a command shell (on the phone):
cd /sdcard/MyFonts/
cp *.ttf /system/fonts/
I get a "permission denied" echo from the cp command.
How should I do it correctly?
Thank you

You'll have to root your phone first, and probably set it S-OFF to be able to write to the /system directory while booted.

See this question for information on what rooting is.  S-OFF is the next step that gives you full control all of the time.  Neither are something you should do without understanding the risks.

Thank you for your answer.I'm a beginner in Android so can you please explain what the meaning of root the phone and set it as S-OFF? also, how shall I do it?


text:
My Windows laptop wants to repair my phone, but my phone is happy
When I initiate a USB mount of my phone, Windows 7 tells me the disk is going bad and wants to know if I want to rapair it (Motorola Droid 1; FRG22D if that matters). I am assuming this is a problem between the two disk systems talking to each other (like when you try to mount any EXT4 partition with Windows).
A) Is it really in need of repair? If so, should Windows be doing it? (Windows has no actual, practical problems with R/W of the drive and the phone is not reporting any issues or taking too long when remounting the SD card)
B) If Windows is just spitting up irrelevant error messages, how should I mount to disable the error message? Is this is just an annoyance anyone else has encountered?

FWIW, I have the same phone/OS as you, and I've never seen that message.

Tough problem to search for... google thinks I want to repair windows 7.

I'd say it likely is corrupt. The mounted storage is just the FAT32 partition on your memory card -- none of the linux partitions are mounted by default, unless you've got an aftermarket Apps2SD setup. As long as we're talking about your FAT32 partition, GAThrawn's answer below is correction.

@sai I had apps2sd setup while I was rooted, but I have had the problem before, during, and after (I got my phone replaced) rooting. The primary constant is the SD card. Thanks for clarifying that the FAT partition is the only one to mount; did not know that.

I had that on my old HTC Magic a couple of times, it is supposedly down to not properly doing the Eject Disk bit in Windows and Unmount drive bit on the phone before unplugging it.
After it had annoyed me enough times by asking me to repair the disk every time, I unplugged the micro-SD card from my phone, put it in a USB SD card reader, plugged that straight into the PC and let Windows run the repair. This time the repair completed successfully, and after plugging the SD back into the phone I didn't have any more problems with it (for a few months at least).

I am going to have to clone and give that a shot this weekend thanks!


text:
Gmail app always says "no connection"
even though I have a connection and can browse or do other things with connections. This happens when connected to both 3G and WiFi. Did anyone have the same problem, or know how to solve this?
the phone is galaxy s with os 2.1

Does it ever happen when you're connected ONLY with wifi or ONLY with 3G?

yes. I mean it happens both when I am connected with wiFi and when I am connected with 3G. sorry for the confusion

Have you tried any of the steps to kick-start a truculent app?
Have you re-entered your account and password information?
Have you tried changing any of the sync options for your Google account?

Gmail does not show up in Settings | Applications | Manage applications :(

You must still be using the built-in app. There's an update available in the Market. You should install that.

I couldn't find a Gmail app in the market

@Louis, Try using AppBrain to start the Android Market installer: http://www.appbrain.com/app/gmail/com.google.android.gm

when i click the install from market link, the market says that the app is not found.

ah I see it's for 2.2 and higher. Mine is 2.1


text:
Optimal Linux Distro to Install to SD card to use as USB-Bootloader for PC?
Many people install Linux-based distros on USB drives to use for, largely, basic PC troubleshooting.  Has anyone tried installing such a thing on their Android phone's SD card?  That way instead of carrying about both a USB drive and a phone, one could simply plug their phone in, boot the PC from USB, and set about performing whatever actions are necessary.  Does anyone have any recommendations for particular flavors of Linux which are best suited to this task?

That's a really esoteric use. From what I'm reading, the phone would be little more than the vehicle for the SD card (for purposes of this, anyway). You'd probably have better luck asking on http://unix.stackexchange.com/. I'm not saying it's off-topic here, but it's certainly on-topic there.

Good idea.  I hadn't realized (in retrospect, its obvious) that there's a *nix stack exchange.

I think this would be a really cool function for an Android phone.    Al is right that you're probably more likely to get an answer over at unix.SE (maybe even SuperUser) but I think the question should remain open here because I look forward to seeing an answer and I'm sure other Android Enthusiasts would too.

See: http://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/3441/optimal-linux-distro-to-install-to-sd-card-to-use-as-usb-bootloader-for-pc

@Al Should this question be closed and/or set as migrated?

This should not be closed.  It is on topic.  There's no question whether or not this can be done on a USB device.  The question is, is it possible with the way that Android handles itself as a USB Mass Storage Device.

OK, I hadn't read your previous comment I just saw the link to the unix SE site so it seemed close-able. Good point, my mistake!

As far as I know, there is no Android device that can be put into a USB-mass-storage-thumbdrive-compliant mode (to use the nontechnical term).  The phone would need to have a special mode where it emulated a USB drive and handled reads/writes to the SD card and that sort of thing.  I can't imagine any manufacturer modifying the hardware and writing the software necessary to support this when the expected return on investment would probably be 0.

Amon Ra's recovery could do this - so it's quite possible, just not stock.

@Broam Really? That would be awesome. If you can find a source/details you should post that as an answer!

Amon Ra's recovery (Here for Dream/G1, see that post for links to other supported phones) allows mounting the SD card as USB Mass Storage.
ClockworkMod Recovery may also allow this, but I'm more familiar with Amon Ra's patches.
You could boot the phone into recovery, turn on USB-MS, and boot from your phone.
NOTE OF CAUTION: My Dream(G1) and Magic (MyTouch 3G) do NOT charge when booted into recovery. I don't know if I'd recommend this for that reason alone.


text:
How to view animated GIFs in Android?
Is there a way to view animated GIFs on an Android device?  I searched the Market without success.

I would suggest trying to open them with the browser application using a file manager. Install a file manager that lets you choose "Run with..."

A Google search shows me a lot of people have this question...looks like it's still an issue.
Although one post here says Image Viewer (with animation) v1.0 from Androlib.com helped (I have not tried it).

I was hoping to avoid having to buy something, especially since my phone is caught in a sign in loop with my gmail account... http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Android+Market/thread?tid=3338af2b5afcbe7a&hl=en

Sign in loop sounds like a very good question of its own...

You're right.  It would have been, but I managed to fix it.  What's the etiquette for answering your own question?

Feel free to just ask then answer.

I use QuickPic and it has a rating of 4.7.

The Android browser will, but the image would have to be online somewhere. There's no way that I've found to open a local file in the browser. I suppose you could create an HTML file with the image and view it that way, but it seems a lot of hassle for little reward.

Animated gif's don't work in the browser of Android 2.0.  I guess I should have been more specific about what version I was using.

Well, there are alternative browsers you might try. I'm not currently using any of them, so I can't speak to how they handle animated GIFs.

Navigating to the folder the gif file(s) are in with another browser besides the stock Android browser works for me.
E.G.: if your gifs are in the Downloads folder, Open Firefox, go to address bar, type in: /storage/emulated/0/Download (it may auto-complete for you). You should get a basic Index of: ... page from which you can click on the name of the gif.
Tested with Firefox 21.0 and Chrome 27.0.1453.90 on a Nexus 4.
Both browsers accepted /storage/emulated/0/Downloads, but Chrome gave an Access Denied error on the shorter path /storage/emulated/0.
I recommend making a bookmark of the page, for easier access in future.

You can view them in Firefox by typing in the gif folders destination.
file:///mnt/sdcard/(name of gif folder)/
It'll bring up the items in that folder as a list. Bookmark the page and store all your gifs in that folder. Firefox is the fastest gif player (that I know of).

You can use ES File Explorer. It provides a feature called ES Image Viewer which can load any GIF image, including animated GIFs.
Where to find it:

"ES Image Browser" is the only one in the above list that plays animated GIFs (I also have jrummy's Root Browser installed).

it can show any .gif image you want. Vote up my answer if that helped

Why don't you try Animated Gif Player?

Navigate to the location where the gif files are in Astro and open using Astro File manager.
Tried on Jelly Beans.

I had this issue and couldnt find a quick fix in google. Played around and found that Andriod compresses images when sending MMS, so it breaks the GIF. But, if your GIF is under about 1MB, it will send. Iphone will auto play, andriod you have to click. the biggest one i tested was 666KB.
Your welcome internet

The only app I've got that is able to run .gif files is Fast Image Viewer Free.


text:
Android SVG and VML support
Can the Android browser view SVG images in web pages? Can it view VML? Do 3rd party browsers (e.g. Opera) have this ability? If the default or 3rd party browsers don't support it, do they plan on doing so in a later version?

Currently, I've only seen two browsers on the Android platform that display SVG.
The Opera Mini browser displays static SVG. It seems to run scripting for a very short period of time, but does not run it continuously. It also does not appear to run SMIL animations.
The Fennec (Firefox Mobile) beta browser also displays static SVG, as well as running scripting. It's still in beta and relatively huge. It doesn't run all of my example scripts successfully, but it does run some. I can not test SMIL animations, because I removed it to free up a large amount of space on my phone.

Thanks! I inferred from your answer that there is no support in the native browser. Do you know if it's planned?

The new Opera Mobile browser for Android has better SVG support http://www.appbrain.com/app/opera-mobile-web-browser/com.opera.browser

For info Fennec is out of beta now and officially called Firefox 4 which was fully released recently. It is now much slimmer and faster than the early betas were. https://market.android.com/details?id=org.mozilla.firefox

I just can add to this, that VML is supported only by Microsoft products (and they will support SVG in ie9), and as you know there is no Microsoft Internet Explorer (or any Microsoft browser) for android :)
VML is still supported in Internet Explorer 9 but Microsoft expects web sites to transition to SVG in near future.


text:
Can I share files over WiFi as a Windows share with my Nexus One?
I have a Nexus One full of songs and when I go to my friend's house I would like to play songs off of it.  Since I have my phone connect to my friend's WiFi, the phone has a local IP.  If my phone's IP address is 192.168.1.101, I would like to be able to navigate to the phone via:
\192.168.1.101\Music
And have it open up a windows folder like any other share.  Then I could copy my songs, play songs off the share, etc.   Is something like this possible?  Is there an app I can buy?

WebSharing: http://www.appbrain.com/app/websharing-file-media-sync/nextapp.websharing.r1

Looks very good, and from their website, using WEBDAV in the paid version should let you just use it like a folder in Windows, instead of needing to use the web interface http://android.nextapp.com/site/websharing/doc/webdav will give this a try myself.

Totally perfect!  As GAThrawn discovered, the WEBDAV version delivers exactly what I want as a conventional windows share (so I can play using my favorite MP3 player instead of in the browser).  Thanks Matt!

There are a few apps that will give you similar functionality to what you're looking for.  I'd take a look at this article, it may be able to point you in the right direction.
SwiFTP would probably be your best bet, although I don't know if you could STREAM music, which it sounds like is what you're trying to accomplish.  Might just have to copy to his computer via FTP, then open from there.
EStrong has a Samba (Windows File Sharing) client, but I don't believe you can serve files, so that will more than likely not do what you're looking for.
And the other one listed there, On Air, I'm the least familiar with.  Haven't used a Mac since the screens came in several shades of green, and never had any experience with using the WebDAV protocol in Windows, but based on the description it looks promising.

Went with Matt's solution, but thanks for the info!

Yes, all Android devices gained a new feature called Nearby Share back in 2020.
As of 2023, there is an app for Windows that adds Nearby Share to your PC.

https://www.android.com/better-together/nearby-share-app/

I'm able to send a 1.2GB file from my phone to my PC at 60MB/s and I'm about thirty feet and four walls away.

Nearby Share uses the fastest possible connection it can establish with both devices. If it is not possible to establish a stable or secure proprietary Wi-Fi Direct connection, then it may fall back to using Bluetooth only. That will always be a magnitude slower.

Nearby Share uses Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, WebRTC, UWB, and peer-to-peer Wi-Fi to allow users to share files and links between devices. It was first released on August 4, 2020

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
Who makes the Orange San Francisco phone?
Does anyone what company who makes this phone? I assume it's made by a 'known' company but can't find any sign beyond the Orange branding.

Its original name was the ZTE Blade so, then, the manufacturer is the ZTE corp in China.

Interesting. Hadn't heard of them until now but apparently they're very keen to expand into the US and Europe, starting with the UK.


text:
Is there a 'User manual' for Android 2.1?
The user guides that came with my Android 2.1 phone are pretty basic and mostly geared to the mobile company's interface and apps. I've come across this PDF guide to Android 2.2. Is there something similar for 2.1?
Update:
Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) user manual now available here (PDF).

This Nexus One user manual seems to be basically the same document as you linked, but specific to that phone and Android 2.1. Since the Nexus One was a "pure" Android experience, the vast majority of the document should cover what you're looking for.
(That link seems dead, but this link from the Internet Archive Wayback Machine seems to be working. There's also this link from T-Mobile.)

Yep, seems to be the same Google produced document with added Nexus One specifics. I wonder if Google post these anywhere public as they're updated for new Android versions.

became 404 in 2012

@naxa: I added a link to the Wayback machine.


text:
How do Gmail (desktop) and Talk (Android) chats interact?
The interaction between Google Talk via Gmail and Google Talk via the Android client seems confusing. Here's my understanding of how things work:

If a chat is started in Gmail, it will sync in (near) real-time to Talk.
If a chat is started in Talk, it will show up in the chat history in Gmail, but will not spawn a new chat in Gmail (so the chat is confined to Talk).
If a chat is started in Gmail, and continued in Talk, messages will stop being sent to the chat in Gmail, and new messages will be sent to Talk (as well as the chat history in Gmail). In my (short) experience, this transition can be a bit flaky.

Is this basically how it works? What I'd love to see is a perfect 1:1 sync between Gmail and Talk. That is, if I start a chat in Talk, it will create a new chat tab in Gmail, and everything will get pushed to both, and vice-versa.
Anyone know if that's in the pipeline, or even possible now? How does everyone else handle moving as seamlessly as possible between Gmail and Talk?
Thanks!

To provide some background on this question, google talk uses xmpp (aka Jabber) which is an open Instant Messaging standard.  As a part of this standard, every instant messaging client (chat in gmail and the android talk app) is assigned a Resource.  The server then uses the resource to know which client is communicating.
This is how the interaction works:
Say your gmail account is bob@gmail.com.  Then gmail chat might be bob@gmail.com/gchat and
the talk app bob@gmail.com/talk
When your friend Sue (sue@gmail.com) wants to send you a message, she simply sends it to bob@gmail.com.  At this point, the server either sends the message to whichever client you used last, or sends the message to all currently connected clients (google does the latter).
When you reply to Sue using the talk app, she receives the message from bob@gmail.com/talk.  Now, instead of sending further messages to bob@gmail.com, Sue's client now sends messages directly to bob@gmail.com/talk and will continue doing so until a message is received from some other client.
This means that what Saiboogu said should work.  That is, to switch between clients, send a message to the person you are chatting with from the desired client.

tl;dr: This happens by design, Saiboogu's workaround works.

Thanks for the explanation. I was somewhat aware of how Jabber works, but I had assumed that Google had a web-facing Jabber layer, then routed the messages to clients using their own internal system. The fact that they're pretty much just using stock Jabber makes a lot more sense.

I don't know if what you propose is under consideration -- it would be nice.
Your summary of how it all works sounds accurate. I handle the transition by sending a new message from whatever new location I'm continuing the conversation in, to manually force it to redirect. As you say, you won't get the history but it's the simplest method.

Agreed, I get greatly annoyed by the way it currently works.


text:
Email app allows designation of priority and request for receipt
I am currently using K-9 Mail on my Samsung Vibrant (Galaxy S) and I use squirrel mail on my computer.  When using SquirrelMail I can designate a priority for outgoing emails (low, normal, high) as well as request delivery and read receipts. Is there an app that allows me to set these designations/requests?

I don't know of any apps off of the top of my head. There is Issue #4664 in Google's Android code to add that feature to the base Gmail application. (I voted for it, but it hasn't been reviewed yet.)


text:
Can anyone identify the widgets or software used in this?
I see this image and i would like to configure my Android phone to look like this too :)
But I have trouble finding the software or widgets used.
Can someone help me to find/identify them?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39965241@N03/3707753843/

mru is right about the Android and Me News Widget.  Based on the dock at the bottom I'd also say mru's right about that being the Sense UI as well, which means the clock and weather widget is stock, but you can replicate it with these:

Weather Forecast & Clock Widget
Beautiful Widgets
I have the Fancy Widget but it's no longer available because HTC thought it looked too much like their widget (you could probably find the apk out there somewhere)

The battery widget is called... Battery Widget.  Also, you may be able to get those sense icons by using the Sense UI Icons app for PandaHome.
The wallpaper is his own formated for a G1/Hero (640x480).  More on sizing wallpapers for specific Android phones.

Thanx Matt :) A lot :D

I used to use Battery Widget until I got Cyanogen Mod.  Now I show the battery % inside of the battery icon in the notification bar.

The widget in the middle is the "android and me rss widget".
What you see is basically the sense UI.
You may try the accuweather widget for the weather. But it will possibly not look that shiny.


text:
How do I sharpen photos on my phone?
I am looking for a photo editor app or website that will let me sharpen photos, preferably using unsharp mask.
I tried several free photo editors from the market, but none of them lets me sharpen photos. I don't mind paying for an app, I just don't want to unless I know it is a good choice.

I have been using PicSay's free version and been happy with it.  I'll probably upgrade to the full version which has the ability to sharpen, but just haven't really had the need yet so I've been putting it off.  I'll report back if I do chip down.
Another alternative would be to use Pixlr's web based editor: http://pixlr.com/editor
Provided you have flash installed you can use their browser based editor that does have an "Unsharp Mask" filter.

Have you tried using Camera 360. It's a great all in one app and it makes most photos extremely clear. Try it. It has a free trial so you can try it before. :)

I like using Adobe Photoshop Express because it makes photos look sharper and a whole list of other things too. I'm no photographer, and this app makes my pictures look professional.


text:
Is there a way to mount a Windows shared drive so I can access those files on my phone?
I have a shared network drive full of files I want to access from my phone over wifi.
Is there a easy way to mount it on my phone?
I have a rooted Motorola Milestone.

ASTRO File Manager by Metago available from Google Play Store has an SMB plugin (ASTRO SMB Module) that serves your needs.

You may give SMB File Sharing a try.
Just klick the image or scan the code.

just curious, why did you not just give the url?

@Louis the QR code is link-clickable

Exactly, i linked the QR code to a description on androidpit. But so you won't have to type the Name of the app to search it in the market, just scan it with ixmat, or whatever barcode scanner you like and you are qucikly able to install the wanted application.

You can use PaderSyncFM from the dev's site
It supports FTP, SFTP, SMB and WebDAV...


text:
Can I make eBuddy be the default instant messanger?
Was wondering if anyone knows of a way to make eBuddy be the default instant messenger. I'm running on a Galaxy S Captivate. When you click on a contact's icon, it pops up a little toolbar with actions, such as: Call, View, Text, Email, IM, Navigate. Clicking on IM launches the built in IM client from AT&T. I'd like it to message the contact using eBuddy instead.

Good question. BTW your question was the fourth from the top when googling for an answer.

Normally you should just be able to do:
Menu->Settings->Applications->Manage Applications
Select the AT&T Messenger App.
Then scroll down in the app Settings and there is a button labelled 'Clear defaults'.
Clicking this will clear any launch by default settings.
Next time you click the text icon on a contact it will ask you what App you want to use.
However maybe AT&T have hacked the phone to prevent this.

Thanks for the idea, but yeah, the AT&T IM app does not show up in that applications list.

Bummer. My only suggestion then is to root the phone. Then you can manually remove the AT&T app using the SDK

@eidylon Have you tried looking in 'All Applications'? It should be there... every app should be there. It might not be called AT&T it might just have the package name e.g. com.att.messenger.

@mlevit: thanks for the tip. With that I found it by filtering Manage Applications to All (it defaults to Third-Party). When I click on Instant Messenger though, the "Clear Defaults" button is disabled and it says No defaults set. Ideas where to go from there? I've not quite nerved up to rooting yet... LOL . Feels a bit like flashing a BIOS, which always gave me the willies!  :)

@eidylon The reason why the 'Clear Defaults' button is disabled is because the defaults have been set in the OS itself therefore they are hardcoded defaults. I would think the only way to change this would be to have an app that can be used from that toolbar... this means that the app has to support that intent of send this user a message which I don't believe eBuddy does. My recommendation would be to send eBuddy a request to implement that intent.

Well, at your suggestion I've submitted a request/feedback to the eBuddy site; we'll see what happens...

@mlevit -- that sounds more like an answer, than just a comment!

@MichaelPaulukonis, agreed! If @mlevit wants to post his comment as an answer, i will accept it.


text:
Is there a way to create location shortcuts for navigation
I often have to navigate to the same places with the google maps navigation. I use speech to enter the address. Is there a way to create shortcuts, which i can chose on the touchscreen to navigate to an often used places? F.e. i dond't want to enter my home address everytime, instead i want to save it as "home" and have the ability to chose that.

You can create a screen shortcut for "home" or any location you use often. Long-press on the home screen, select the Shortcuts option, and scroll down to get a Directions option. You'll be prompted for an address, which can be either specific or general. Choose car, public transit, or walking directions, ensure "Turn-by-turn navigation" is checked, and give it a short name, like "home". Now you have a shortcut which will quickly get the directions you want from wherever you are.
You can also "star" locations on the map that you use often.
You can also use contacts to quickly get addresses for navigation. Were you to have a "home" entry in your contact list, you could simply use the voice command "Navigate to home".

Great answer... wish I had done this when I got the phone! Especially directions to home address!


text:
How do you remove Facebook birthday from "My Calendars"?
My calendar is full of facebook friend birthdays! and worse, they are listed under "My Calendar", not Facebook calendar, so I can't hide them by unchecking Facebook in Calendar, Settings > Calendars. Even thouh they are listed under My Calendar, they still have facebook logos on the entry and a sync logo. I tried by turning off the sync option, but they are still there. How can I remove them from my calendars, and add them to the "facebook" calendar?

I have the same issue with a Facebook event I accepted by mistake, can't get rid of it off my calendar either. Even although I've removed it in Facebook.

birthday is worse because it makes your calendar really full, lol.

How did they get there to begin with?  Via the official Facebook app or something else?

I think it must have gotten there from built-in account sync. I can remove my facebook account and check whether they still remain, but I'm a bit reluctant to do this because 1) it will mess with my contacts and 2) I'm not sure whether the birthday will really be removed when I do that.

i have all my FB birthdays on my Google calendar TWICE.  I have a Sprint Samsung Epic.  Any thoughts?  I don't want any FB birthdays on my Google Calendar at all.

This was reported in the Android Central forum here with a link to LifeHacker. It sounds like it will allow you to sync your Facbook calendar without the birthdays because you're exporting the events directly from Facebook. First, you may want to undo the sync that you have going on now. Hope it helps.
Quoting the post from Android Central:

just go to your google
  calendar thats linked with your google
  account on your phone and then follow
  this article.
Add Your Facebook Events to Google
  Calendar

In Facebook, go to your EVENTS page.
At the top of that page click EXPORT EVENTS
You'll get a pop up window with a URL, copy it.
In Google Cal, on the bottom left you'll see ‘Other Calendars' and below
  that a link to ADD. Click ADD
One of the new options you'll be presented with is ADD BY URL, select
  that
Paste the URL from Facebook where it asks for it.

and thats it! when your phone calendar
  syncs with your google calendar, all
  your facebook events will show up too
  and no birthdays.

the problem is that the birthdays show up as entries from "My Calendar", not as a Facebook event (they still have facebook logos on the entry and a sync logo though). I unchecked Facebook from calendar sync setting but still the birthday show up in the calendar.

It may be because the birthday's are syncing through the Contact Sync, then syncing from your contacts to your calendar.

@matt: how to cancel that?

I awarded the bounty because it's about to expire and I dont want to just lose 50 rep to the air :D but still the issue is not solved :(

@Louis I wanted to earn that bounty so I added Facebook to accounts that sync, then added FB to the calendar. Birthdays only show up when I have a the FB calendar added. Like @Matt suggests, it could be something other than FB that's causing this. Trying playing around with which accounts are synced. Go to Settings > Accounts & Sync (or something like that).

Go into Accounts and sync in Settings and remove Facebook HTC Sense and your calendar will be back to normal. Stupid thing had my calendar full of birthdays from my Facebook that I don't really care about....

There is a downward-pointing arrow on the top right of of the calendar. Hit this, and a list of all your calendars drops down. Untick the ones whose events you don't want synched to your phone's calendar.

I simply stopped syncing the Sense Facebook app to fix this.  However, all the contacts I connected with Facebook are gone as well which is the down side.


text:
Installation Error
I'm getting the following installation error on a few of my apps when trying to update them:
"Installation error - Unknown Reason - 18"
Any suggestions?  I'm running CM6 on a Motorola Droid.

I've had the same issue on my HTC Desire (with the default OS install), with the error "Couldn't install on USB or SD card" when trying to update apps that had been installed to SD.  Removing .android_secure/smdl2tmp1.asec as per Jan Willem's post fixed this.  I'd suggest retagging this, since it doesn't just apply to cyanogenmod or rooted phones.

Apparently the problem is with apps installing to the SD card.  Running the following command in the terminal fixed the problem for me:
su
rm /mnt/secure/asec/smdl2tmp1.asec

Removing smdl2tmp1.asec is the solution, but because "su" will  lead to "permission denied" if you don't have a rooted phone, and because the /mnt/secure/ appears to be empty, removing the file can be hard.
Alternatively you can do the following:

connect the phone to a computer with USB
mount the SD card as a disk drive
remove .android_secure/smdl2tmp1.asec

+1 for the idea to mount SD as disk drive!


text:
Can I manually rotate my phone while auto-rotation is disabled?
Android has a nifty feature to disable auto-rotation... Is there some sort of gesture or key combination to rotate your screen? (Say I am in a browser and want to rotate). The idea is to be on auto-rotate = off (mostly desired) and manually change the orientation when needed without exiting the application (preferably).

I use Quick Settings and there's an option to toggle auto-rotate.  I have it so the shortcut to Quick Settings lives in my Notification bar so to toggle it requires a swipe, two taps and the back button to toggle it and get back to the app I was in.
If you wanted to reduce this down to tap home, toggle, tap return if you use QuickDesk which lets you put widgets on it's popup launcher.
I'm sure you could probably set it up as a sortcut in Gesture Launcher but I never had any luck with that app.  All it does is force close for me.
Edit:  Sorry, misread you question.  I don't know of any app that does that and I looked around but came up empty.  Personally, that would actually be the ideal behavior of the screen orientation and while I'd have no idea how to make it, it can't be that hard.  I'd recommend asking around at the XDA forum.  Hopefully someone there may know or maybe one of the devs there will make an app to do it.

Yea toggling manual/auto is fine. I just want to change the orientation. In other words if I am in manual mode and in portrait and I need to go to landscape (and stick there).

Ohhh, now I understand.  That would actually be very cool.  I'm not aware of anything and I couldn't find anything.  I'm no dev but it seems to me it couldn't be that hard to write app to do this.  You may want to start asking around in the xda forums and maybe someone will make it.

@DmitriyLikhten If it can be of some help, I can sort of do this with my phone. If I disable auto-rotation and slide the physical keyboard out, it's set to landscape, and when I slide it back in, it's set to portrait. It even forces the lock screen to have a landscape display, which it normally doesn't, stretching the wallpaper. I have a Samsung Galaxy Q (SGH-T589W), running 2.3.6 Gingerbread.

You can use Tap'n'Turn. It shows a small arrow on the screen when it senses that the orientation changes. Pressing it will rotate the screen even when auto-rotation is off.

Instead of rotating the screen right away, it displays an icon which allows you explicitly adjust the orientation

It can also be found on F-Droid (where it is written with spaces: Tap 'n' Turn).

Looks like it's been removed from Play store. Downloaded from F-Droid and it's working nicely so far.

UPDATE: As of Jan 2022, the developer of GMD GestureControl tool removed the app from Play store. Thanks @AndrewT. for the tip.
I don't use Android anymore, so answer below stays the same for history purposes.
* * * * *
I don't know any way to do it by system tools.
However, I know couple of apps, which will let you complete this task.
You need root access.
Here is what I have: Ultimate Rotation Control and GMD GestureControl Lite.
GestureControl lets you tight almost anything to any gesture.
And URC has an ability to share switches of orientations of screen as "Actions".
So you're going to GMD and make new gesture and tie it to "Action" — any desired orientation from URC.
P.S. You need root to use GMD because, AFAIK Android has no another way to set system-wide gestures.

Looks like GMD GestureControl Lite is not on Play Store anymore.

@AndrewT., you're right. My search reveals that the developer decided to remove it alongside with all other applications, because they moved on. More info on XDA: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/app-4-5-6-7-gmd-gesturecontrol-root.1535740/post-84405019

Since you've said toggling auto is fine, you can just use the quick settings pull-down in Jelly Bean and later. Hold the phone in the orientation you want, then pull down the settings tray, and turn auto-rotate back on. When it's rotated, turn it off again right away.
You can even use it on phones that don't have the stock settings tray, if they have a replacement. Samsung phones are an example of this: instead of two trays, they have one notification panel with "quick access settings" at the top. You can configure which settings are shown, and auto rotate is one of the options.

Rotation Quick Setting works well and is GPL with source code on GitLab.

works even of the gyro sensor is dead

This answer is really underrated!

I don't think so. If your auto-rotation is off, only the application which you are running can force the screen to rotate programmatically. You can do this with code but only for your application not for others.
One good example is YouTube, if you start YouTube in portrait mode and even if your auto-rotate option is disabled, you can click on a button to watch the video on landscape mode.

You can do this with Tasker. Here's a small tutorial
In your profiles screen, click the + button and select application.  In the following screen that shows with the list of your installed apps, choose the app that you would wish to turn the Orientation lock to  off when opened.
Go back and you will be asked to create a new task. Create one and add the action Display Rotation and set it to on.
Now go back and long press on the task you created and click 'Add exit task' do the same thing as you did before but instead of setting it as on, set it to off.
So now, whenever you open the app that you've chosen (Browser), you can switch to landscape mode and at other times stay locked with whichever orientation you leave the app with.

I think in Android 11 you can do that. When you rotate your phone, a small icon will show up. You can click it to rotate your screen.

No, this is not a standard feature of Android 11. Possibly customization by the manufacturer. Would help if the manufacturer/device model is mentioned...

Actually, in my Vivo Iqoo 7, near the home button, there used to be a small rotation arrow pop-up when I rotate my phone after disabling auto-rotation. After the update, it disappeared.


text:
How can I configure my phone to automatically connect to remembered wifi networks? (after having left the device to sleep)
That question occured to me when I saw the WIFI_MODE_FULL API documentation:

Wi-Fi will be kept active, and will behave normally, i.e., it will attempt to automatically establish a connection to a remembered access point that is within range, and will do periodic scans if there are remembered access points but none are in range.

However, in my recent experience, my Nexus One never connects automatically to my remembered networks (It just displays the notification that some open networks are available). However the programming API suggests that it should be able to connect automatically - how can I configure my phone to do that?
I have a Nexus One with Android 2.2.
Edit: Thank you for your comments. After checking, I have found that my N1 does connect automatically to the remembered networks - but after I have left it to sleep, it is never connected (even though I set the Wifi sleep policy to "Never") - and when I open the Wireless configuration panel, I find that my remembered networks are "disabled". How can I prevent that?

That is odd.  It should just connect.  That is why my Droid does, and I'd find it hard to believe that the Nexus One is different.  I believe that is a feature of Android, not the phone.  Are you using any other apps the control the WiFi like Quick Settings or Tasker?

Same here.  It should automatically connect to any networks you have previously connected to before.

@Matt, @Bryan Denny: Thank you for your comments - I have found that the incriminating behavior happens after the screen is turned off, then on - despite setting the wifi sleep policy to "Never", I find that my phone is never connected in these cases.

I've just started seeing this same problem after the latest Froyo OTA upgrade. Maybe that's related?

@Jacob: Set your wireless connection Sleep Policy (advanced settings in Wireless Configuration) to "When screen turns off". If the problem persists, then it is different from mine.

I have this same problem, intermittently, with my N1/froyo/CM6. I don't know why it happens, but it's been happening since the froyo update afair.
I've noticed it happens less often if I stay in one place. This led me to the theory that, since I live at a university, the fact that networks will pop in and out of range even as I enter my dorm and walk up to my room will make my N1 think that the network's unstable and thus disable it.
Toggling definitely fixes the issue.

That could be it. Would mean that in fact, choosing the "Sleep = Never" option can negatively affect usability. (Because it disconnects and disables the device while screen is off.)

I have had a similar problem, though intermittent, on my ADP2 (=MyTouch 3G) running Froyo (via CM6).  I believe that networks become disabled when a connection attempt fails.  I suspect something like the first connection attempt occurring when you are only barely in range, and once that fails, the network is "disabled" until you explicitly choose it and successfully connect.

Thank you for your reply - essentially the same as Sohum's - but there can be only one accepted answer. ;)

You could kill two birds with one stone... y5 is a little app that automatically toggles the wifi connection when you enter/leave cells with known wifi access points. I would bet that toggling wifi might help it connect when it detects a network it knows.


text:
Turn off Incredible Bottom Lights
Droid Incredible has 4 buttons below the screen that are very bright at night. I'd like to turn these off when I'm reading from the screen. Is there any way to do this without rooting the phone?

From what I've read, this is not possible without a rooted phone.  Other than that, you can you only control the lights' on/off state by how much ambient light is hitting the sensor.

It seems there must be some way to do this because FBreader turns then off whether there is high or low lighting.
http://www.appbrain.com/app/fbreader/org.geometerplus.zlibrary.ui.android
Even a note about this in the FBreader releases:
FBReaderJ 0.7.12/13 is released (October 28, 2010).
Changes:
    * Keys backlight has been disabled.

There is an app called Screen Filter which allows dimming of the screen, as well as disabling the bottom button lights. However, as my phone is rooted, I am not entirely sure if the button light disabling works on a non-rooted incredible. The app is free though, so it is worth a try.
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.haxor&hl=en


text:
What is the "sync" icon next to some Wi-Fi networks?
When you go to Menu > Settings > Wireless and network > Wi-Fi Settings there is the list at the bottom which lists all the detected networks in range or remembered.
The networks in range have the Wi-Fi "signal-strength" icon, and sometimes a lock if it's a secured network. Every now and then though, one or two of the networks will have an icon to the left of the strength, which looks like the "sync" icon from the Accounts screen (the circle with two chasing arrows in it). What does that icon indicate in the context of the Wi-Fi networks?
Running a Galaxy S Captivate with Eclair.

The access point supports Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS), which allows easier connections to the AP. You can long press the AP to use this feature. See Wikipedia for more info.

Ahhh - cool! Thanks for the info... Not knowing what that silly little icon was was driving me crazy every time I looked in the WiFi networks! Now I know - and knowing is half the battle.  B·)


text:
Can my Huawei U8220-6 get an upgrade?

Possible Duplicate:
When will my phone get the Android 2.2 update (FroYo)?

I have a Huawei U8220-6, bought in China. This is NOT T-Mobile pulse branded, so I wanted to know if there is anyway to put Froyo (or Eclair) in it. My current version is 1.6.


text:
Update Droid to 2.2 over wifi possible?
I have a Motorola Droid running 2.1 that does not have Verizon service.  Therefore it does not seem to be getting the over-the-air (OTA) update.  Is there anyway to update this via wifi?

You can manually update your phone by downloading the update.zip file for 2.2, putting it in the root of your SD card and applying the update in the recovery during boot up.
See detailed instructions here.

Is this different from what happens when you root your phone to get an update that the manufacturer/service provider hasn't pushed yet?

Sort-of. What I was describing here is when you take the official OTA update (which comes packaged in a zip file) and drop it in the root of your SD card.  The next time you reboot, your phone knows to look for that file. When you root and apply a non-official OTA update, it is a very similar process but usually involves having to manually flash the zip file to your phone using a recovery (ClockworkRecovery, for example).

Got it. Thanks! I wonder how I could find the official OTA updates' zip files whenever they become available....

...but that's probably its own question. :)

I think I found the answer to my question at http://support.vzw.com/how_to_use/droid_upgrade.html . It says "If you are roaming, you will not receive a system update notice. You will need to enable Wi-Fi and wait for the update notice to appear or as mentioned above you can manually update by selecting 'Home' > 'Menu' > 'Settings' > 'About phone' > 'System updates'."


text:
Can android phones play DVD-format movies over WIFI?
I have ripped my library of DVDs to my home server. I play them over WiFi from other PCs.
Can an Android phone with HDMI out do the same thing as a media center PC, playing these movies over the network on to a TV?

RockPlayer or VPlayer should be able to play most file types you throw at them (avis, etc.).  But as far as I know, they don't play over the network, you'd have to copy the files to your phone first.

It sounds like you're trying to do something a bit like DLNA? This is the set of technologies/protocols that allow you to play media on one device on another device on a home network. It's designed for connecting things like media servers, media players, TVs, etc all together to play across the home network.
You might find the answers to the following questions useful:
Can I get DLNA on my Droid?
DLNA enabled media player?

You might consider plex. You would need to install the plex server on some machine and then install the plex player on your Android. Software is free. I've found that it generally works well over wireless. However, I've been playing from my Win7 laptop over to my Roku (with plex installed). Haven't tried it on the phone. In theory, plex works at WAN speeds too; and they provide a login service you can use to find your plex server at home while on the road.
oops... didn't look at the date of the post. Sorry.


text:
How to backup Angry Birds saves/data?
I need to reinstall my Android ROM but before I would like to backup my Angry Birds savegame/data/scores.
Do you have any idea how can I do it?

Angry Birds' data would be stored inside the phones memory under the folder Data. Access to that folder is not permitted to you or any app for security reasons.
Without having root access there is no way to access that folder or backup your app. However once you've obtained root access you could either extract the data yourself or use an application like
Titanium Backup:

I highly recommend Titanium Backup for root users.  Especially if you like to flash new mods a lot.

I used Titanium Backup with root permission, it worked very well.

not even when from a PC?

@Louis Rhys: You can access it through ADB, but IIRC it won't show up in USB Mass Storage mode.

Yes you can back up your Angry Birds data, without rooting your phone! It takes a few steps, and it's a manual process, but pretty easy nonetheless. This works with my Samsung Android 2 phone.

Install the Android SDK onto your computer from http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html. You will be using the ADB program, part of the SDK's Platform-Tools.
Connect your Android device to your computer in debugging mode. On my Galaxy S Android 2 phone, I had to go to Settings / Applications / Development and turn on USB Debugging before connecting the cable.
On your computer, start a Command Prompt and run these commands:

    cd "C:\Program Files\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools"
    adb pull /data/data/com.rovio.angrybirds/files/highscores.lua C:\MyBackup\ab_highscores.lua
    adb pull /data/data/com.rovio.angrybirds/files/settings.lua C:\MyBackup\ab_settings.lua

Of course, supply your own directory names depending on where you installed the Android SDK, and where you want the files saved.
To restore the files later:

Reinstall Angry Birds and complete at least one level. (This ensures the device has the appropriate directories.)
Connect your device in debugging mode and start a Command Prompt, as done above. Run these commands:

    cd "C:\Program Files\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools"
    adb push C:\MyBackup\ab_highscores.lua /data/data/com.rovio.angrybirds/files/highscores.lua
    adb push C:\MyBackup\ab_settings.lua /data/data/com.rovio.angrybirds/files/settings.lua

Q: Is it safe?A: Yes! The Android SDK is provided by Google, the developers of Android, for use by software developers that write applications for Android devices. ADB, its Android Debugging Bridge is the official way that Google wants developers to interact with their Android devices. As long as you are careful with what files you push/pull, it's fine.
Q: How about Angry Birds Seasons?A: Same as above, but type "angrybirdsseasons" instead of "angrybirds" (and of course change the name of the local backup file!).

It works! I've tested it with linux, and works fine at least to pull those files from the device. When I reinstall (or upgrade) my android, I will know if it works too pushing them back.

This worked perfectly. I did it with angrybirds rio (com.rovio.angrybirdsrio) and it worked flawlessly. You have to type of the path exactly though, and you can't navigate the filesystem on the android device with adb shell. You'll get lots of permission denied errors if you're not root. Oh, and I did it with a galaxy tab 10.1.

Works perfectly. I exported them from a Xperia X10 mini to a Nexus S. This answer should be the selected answer to the question, indeed.

There is a program called "Angry Birds Backup" on the market that allows you to back your progress up without having root access. I've not tried it myself, but I've heard good things. You can read more about it on their web site at http://www.angrybackup.com/

I used a program by Antbee called Angry Birds Backup. It worked great, and it was free. For Seasons and Rio, I used Angry Birds Seasons Backup and Angry Birds Rio Backup by Whitney Powell. All three worked flawlessly.
It saved me from having to root my phone and/or replay all those levels.

I can't test this since I am rooted, but I assume ADB will allow you to access the data via shell. At worst you can copy over the data into a directory on the sd card. Restoring it would be problematic.
ADB = Android Debugging tool as part of the android SDK.
http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
Fortunately unrevoked has a tool to root your phone as an application exploit so that you don't get the 100% root (can do nandroid and replace kernels) but you can run titanium backup.
www.unrevoked.com (unrevoked forever is the 1-click root). Check their list for supported devices.
As long as your phone is not bricked, this should not void your warranty as long as you just run titanium and remove unrevoked + titanium when returning the phone.

ADB won't give you access to the data directory unless you're rooted. But once you've rooted it, then you should be able to.

@mlevit: Dang! Yet another reason to root.


text:
Can I use multiple Android devices with a single Google account?
Surprisingly I haven't found a satisfactory answer for this in a FAQ somewhere or anything.
I have a Motorola Droid (with froyo, if it matters)
I am thinking about getting a Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Pretty simple question:
What will happen if I attach the same google account to the tablet?
What I do not want to happen is for the new device to automatically download all of the same apps from my phone, especially the ones that don't make sense on a Wifi-only non-phone device.  And especially if the installed apps on both devices need to always stay synchronized.
What I want is to be able to sync contacts, gmail, calendar, etc, on both devices.

Bonus Question
It would be nice if my paid apps were available for re-download on the new device, but that isn't even necessary. So I was thinking about creating a new google account just for the sake of apps on the new device, and adding my gmail account as a "secondary" on the tablet.  So, the bonus question is: would this option be a better plan (if it would work at all)?

[link] this guy seems to be forced to fill a captcha forever and could not login using his account on a second phone. Does anyone have the same problem?

I have a Motorola Droid running CM6 (Android 2.2, effectively) and a G1 running CM5 (Android 2.1, effectively).  The Droid is on Verizon and the G1 is on a pre-pay SIM card with no data (so it is basically a wifi device I use for dev testing).
I use the same Google account on both.  It does not force me to have the same apps on both phones.  I can download apps I have paid for on both phones without any problems.  Contacts, gmail, etc. sync just fine.
However, I do believe that if both devices are running Froyo, it will try to initially restore your apps when you add your Google account.  But I believe you can then uninstall them (it won't try to re-install again).

That's true. It's no problem to use multiple phones with one account. I do it like this myself with a g1 and a galaxy s. The paid apps are connected to your gmail account so you can use them on any phone with your credentials. Otherwise you would have to pay with every new phone you are going to buy.

Do you have different apps actually installed on both of those devices? Or the same exact set? Does it let you pick-and-choose or do you have to install everything and then manually uninstall it? What about Appbrain or Chrome2Phone, how do they "know" which device you are talking to?

I do not use Appbrain and neither Chrome2Phone. Yes, the app sets are different on both phones. You can pick which apps to install, so you don't have to install anything you don't want to.

Great question. Here's an answer for someone with two G1's as seen here.

I have 2 G1's and only one sim card. I
  have put the sim card in each and
  wiped, even with different esn numbers
  they both sign in to google
  flawlessly. And the paid apps are
  associated with the gmail sign in, so
  they show up on both phones.

So accordingly, it seems that paid apps are "synced" with the gmail account. This makes sense from a ownership standpoint (paying for a given app grants access on multiple devices), however it may not make sense for some specific apps (i.e. GPS, location, etc.).

But does it force you to have the same set of apps installed on both devices?  For example, I know that when I "restore to factory settings" with froyo, the market automatically tries to download all of my Installed apps again.  I don't want to go through that hassle with a new (especially non-phone) device.

I can confirm what @Bryan Denny has said in the accepted answer. I have a Samsung Galaxy S and an Archos 101 device.

Both running Froyo 2.2.1 now.
Using the same Google account.
Nothing was installed automatically when I set up the Archos 101.
I had to install all applications I wanted.
I was able to install both the paid and the free applications I had running on the Galaxy.

I only want to add that, if you select an application from the Android Market via pc, you have to choose between your devices to which device you want to install the application ( the devices are listed in a combo box ).
If you want to install it on both :

Click the install button, and choose the first device. The button will now read Installed.
For the second device, just click Installed again - it will give you the option once more to choose a device from your device.
Choose the second device and it will be installed a second time ( although is displays Installed , it's still a click through to the next screen ).

Just looking around my desk, I see at least 10 phones running Android from 3 manufacturers. And a XOOM. Nearly all of them are activated with my "primary gmail account" for the sake of getting them going and doing some testing. I also connect some of these devices to my work Google Apps account.
Android does exactly the right thing with regards to syncing of data. Email, contacts and calendar works flawlessly. Apps that I purchased on one device show up in the market app for those devices that are compatible, but it doesn't download them until I say to do so. Books I bought are available in my book reader from one device to the next.  Apps that I downloaded or paid for but don't want to use on a particular device show up in the market, but I'm free to ignore them and not download them.
When a new device arrives, usually it's a matter of 20-30 minutes to get it to a useful state by downloading the core apps and data that I need. I'm sure that could be shorter if I bothered to set up a install routine, but half the fun of getting a new toy is figuring out how it feels in my hands.  The new web-based Market interface makes this much easier. I just sync once and it shows up as another device in my Market account. Then I start pushing apps at it.

I have a Droid 2 with Gingerbread, and then bought a Xoom with Honeycomb. The Xoom did indeed download all the apps, paid and free alike. I did have to remove some. Oddly, some it left off randomly. Could be due to the variation from gingerbread to honeycomb. Contacts and email sync perfectly, apps downloaded since the initial sync do not self-sync to the other device.

When you finish setting up a google account it shows you two options one to backup and one to restore apps and data (the last page of the "google account wizard", two checkboxes) if you disable those options it will not auto install any apps. You will be however able to install payed apps on the second device wihout buying them again (just search for the app again and you can install it without paying). Syncing of contacts, gmail and gtalk will also work normaly.


text:
Can anyone reccomend a 2g / 3g switching widget?
I've just got my new HTC Desire HD and I want to switch 3G on and off as required. I used to do this on my old HTC magic and got quite good battery life compared to some friends with the same phone.
Is there a reccomended, not spammy, preferably free, 2G 3G switchng widget?
If it's only a shortcut to the relevant menu option, so be it.
Edit: Little extra info - In the Marketplace there seem to be dozens of these little things, can anyone reccomend which work fine, and which will steal all my email contacts and sell them to spammers in Eastern Europe? :)

Power Control Plus will do this, and more.  Specifically for you, it will open up the settings page to toggle 2G/3G. However, it is not free.  It will cost you $2.

There are quite a few settings/control widgets that you can get to solve this issue. The only problem with them as Bryan stated is it will only open the settings page (for security reasons) where you'll have to change the settings yourself.

@mlevit, Thanks for the info. I'm happy with one that just opens the settings page, I'll have another look in the marketplace and try to pluck up the courage to try one.


text:
Can I use my Android phone as a bluetooth microphone (for Skype)?
I do some international phone-calls. Gets annoyingly expensive. I didn't like a bigger Android mobile, so I got this small Motorola Fuzzout thingy.
Is there any way to link the Android phone as a Bluetooth microphone? I can run Skype on my Mac or Windows PC. However I'm not sure how to connect the devices that way.

brownie points if you make phone work as a camera for skype (skype does not support video calling on phone). Tripple points for doing that over USB.

Can you be more specific about the device you are on or can you provide a link to some info about it?  A Google search for "Motorola Fuzzout" didn't return anything relevant.  Also, why do you need the phone as an intermediary?  If you are using Skype on the computer why not just plug a mic and headphones into the computer or use a bluetooth headset?

This question asks basically the same thing (and has an answer, kind of): http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/5796/can-an-android-phone-be-used-as-a-bluetooth-headset-speakers

Is the Skype app available in your view of the Market?  If so, why not just make the call on the device itself (via Skype)?

It's not available because the model isn't supported ;)

What you need is a A2DP headset, that's one that can send the Media audio (stereo) over BT. One such is the Jawbone Icon but a lot of the car handsfree gadgets use it too. I just verified this after updating the firmware on the Headset (which b.t.w. is not a stereo headset but a BT earpiece but has A2DP capability if updated).
You pair it and it should work. Test by opening a random youtube clip on the phone. If it works with youtube, it works with Skype. If you still get no sound open your BT settings and hold down on the row that represents your paired headset until a settings window is displayed, go to settings at the bottom and see if "Media Audio" is checked, if not check and try again. Should work now.


text:
Where can I find open source Android apps?
I'm not an open source zealot, but I generally prefer to use open source applications over proprietary ones if they stack up. Are there any directory sites with reviews, ect that specialize on open source Android apps? The closest thing I've been able to find is Wikipedia's list.

Looks like the Wiki list you found is a good answer to your own question. FYI: You can answer your own questions here and even accept your own answers.

You can install F-droid to get a market-style repository of Free and Open Source android apps:
http://f-droid.org/

You are free to submit apps.There are over 200 apps in the queue, however.To help, convert submission into metadata form and submit via git.Full instructions @ f-droid.org!

Review of F-Droid by Android Central

Google Code seems to be the predominant place for open source Android apps:
http://code.google.com/hosting/search?q=label:Android

Note: the above answer was written a LOOOONG time ago when Android was fairly new and lots of people hosted open source Android projects on Google code.  There may be other places people tend to host them now.

Can't find any directories that specialize in open source apps, but you could do worse than a simple search on one of the regular app directories (like this or this)
Otherwise, I'd say your Wikipedia list looks like a pretty good source.

This is another source:
http://www.aopensource.com/

How about crawling Aptoide? Not all are Open Source, but there are many!

As anyone and his little sister can have his own repository on Aptoide, it might be worth pointing out which ones can be considered safe. See e.g. How safe is it to use Aptoide? and Android Markets: How safe are alternative sources? I recommend sticking to the "Apps" repo, which is manually curated by the Aptoide team itself – and to those you know having a trustworthy maintainer as well.

As far as my own experience goes, Aptoide is really great. I discovered it when I was trying to find something similar to vshare for the iphone on android***.I downloaded the APK Installer for the app directly from their website - aptoide.com.*** I don't really know anything about f-droid, I might try i though. I did try blackmart before and didn't go very far with it, it didn't feel trustworthy. That was awhile ago though.Anyway, I have issues with google play and try to avoid it as much as possible, so I am solely dedicated to aptoide and it hasn't failed me yet. As far as safety goes, I occasionally install software such as AVG and Advanced Mobile Care if I feel I might be taking a risk. I haven't been afflicted with any malware from aptoide's markets yet! On the other hand, my 10 yr. old son is not as critical as I am when he chooses to download something from them on his own tablet, he also refuses to run any software like AMC & AVG and his tablet does have adware.But for as far as it goes , it doesn't seem to be doing any real damage to his device.
\

This is a commentary. Please stick to main topic. It's not worth telling a reader that you didn't try F-droid or that you don't trust Blackmart (unless you've a source to confirm it's shady). Google Play (no need to mention). Besides, you're relying too much on AVG and some other apps as a security measure which itself is a flaw. That said, could you mention the link to source code of AVG and other app? I've doubts reserved for them. About the last part, nowadays malwares are either spywares or adwares -- they don't usually damage your device, they just spy on you. They breach your privacy.

You can install F-droid or you can go to fossdroid.com (frontend web of F-Droid) to browser open source apps by trending, popularity, ect... (with screenshots).


text:
How would I use Tasker to boot my PC when I get home?
I have an Android phone running the Tasker app. I have a home computer running Windows 7 as well. Is there any way I can have Tasker detect that I've arrived at home, and send a "Wake On LAN" packet to the computer somehow? What configuration do I need to do on Tasker and on the PC itself to support this scenario?

You could check out this wake on LAN plugin for Tasker / Locale. (Haven't tried it - would be interested to hear how you get on if you give it a go)

Downloading it now;  will try it when I get home today.

@GWLlosa did you try it out?

Yes, but it was kind of hit-or-miss.  Mostly cause it turned out my locale itself on that phone was hit or miss;  Samsung Galaxy S had GPS issues.

Not using tasker, but the following may also work:
http://lifehacker.com/#!5796450/automatically-turn-on-your-pc-over-wi+fi-with-pcautowaker-on-android


text:
Can I hook up an external GPS to Android devices without a built-in GPS?
I know there's a number of solutions that allow you to use a Bluetooth-enabled external GPS antenna but what if you don't have Bluetooth?  Does anyone know of a way to connect a USB GPS antenna to an Android device?
*A little background: I just ordered this cheap resistive screen tablet primarily to be a less expensive dedicated Kindle/Nook Reader but I'm also thinking up other ways I can use this thing.  One way I was thinking was as GPS unit mounted on my dash, only problem... no GPS.

Off-topic, but I'd love to hear from you about you how like that tablet sometime.

Yeah, I'll report back as soon as it arrives.  I'm still trying to figure out if I should have dropped the extra $70-80 for the Augen or the Cherrypad that are running 2.1.  Basically, this was the cheapest way I could find out how bad a resistive screen actually is with Android.

I'm cancelling my order on the Cherrypad.  It still hasn't shipped and I'm going down to Sears right now to get this badboy: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00382001000P

@Matt What was the outcome of this?

If it has data or voice, you should be able to use triangulation from cell towers to get a rough location.

@Ryan Conrad: I returned that tablet and got and Archos 70 which still applies to this situation.  I haven't found a suitable solution yet.  The Archos has bluetooth and like I said I have seen Bluetooth enabled GPS antennas and there are some apps in the market that enable you to use an external BT antenna but I explored that route because I'm holding out for a USB solution which I haven't found yet.

I believe Bluetooth is the only way to do this.
In order to be able to do this via USB the device would need to support USB-OTG (basically be capable of acting as a USB host); given that you are excluding Bluetooth, I doubt there would be a device with USB-OTG but without Bluetooth. You'd obviously need a GPS capable of sending data over USB, as well.


text:
How to use an android phone as a wireless webcam?

Possible Duplicate:
Can I turn my Android device into a webcam?

Is it possible? It is possible with nokia symbian phone using an Motvik's app wwigo. I am wondering whether a similar app exists for android.


text:
Does Froyo fix Samsung Galaxy S I9000's GPS problem?
There have been reports that Samsung Galaxy S has problems with its GPS that render the GPS almost unusable.  Does the Android 2.2 update fix that?

The 2.1.1 update changed my unusable GPS to acceptable GPS. I don't always get a fix but once I do it works pretty OK.

See also: http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/6981/how-can-i-fix-the-gps-on-my-samsung-galaxy-s

Personally, I didn't find anything wrong with the GPS on mine (AT&T Captivate). You didn't say which version of the Galaxy you have (Captivate, Fascinate, etc.), but I know that before Froyo even, AT&T did push a separate update to their customers which supposedly was to fix the GPS (I don't know if it did though, since as I said I wasn't having issues before the update).

Guides to fix the GPS issues with Captivate and Vibrant have just been posted.
http://androidcommunity.com/samsung-posts-gps-fix-guide-for-captivate-and-vibrant-20101130/

Edit: Check out my guide on how to improve Galaxy S GPS performance.
With GPS on the Galaxy S, the answer is always "maybe".  New code works for some people, changing settings works for some people, and sometimes nothing works.

The latest update on the Samsung Vibrant (JI6) fixed GPS issues for 2.1. A similar update has been pushed to all the variants, as far as I know. As you can tell from the other responses, GPS issues aren't universal and even for those having trouble it wasn't always completely broken. It is safe to say it is fixed now, though -- and I see no reason to think it would be broken again in 2.2.

It's definitely not safe to say it's fixed.  I've heard more people say that JI2 / JI6 fixed GPS than broke it, but for the majority of us there's been no change.

I can't confirm any GPS problems with my Galaxy S I9000 so far with 2.1. Unfortunately Froyo is not yet available for that device.

As an update, the official Froyo release started rolling out to unbranded Galaxy S devices in the UK on the 4th of November. Carrier branded devices (and the rest of the world) are expected to be released over the next few weeks.

Yes, now i am on froyo (in germany the rollout startet one day later). And i also had no gps issues on 2.2 so far.

Captivate received a software update a month or so ago(I think it was later September or early October 2010) that fixed most GPS problems.
I still have some errors, but the major problem I had was that cellular assisted was not enabled. This is a must for the samsung captivate.

Well I also have problems GPS lock issue on my Galaxy 5 i5500, hope this can fix your phone. I got tips to fix this issue.
Remember to write down the default setting before change the GPS setting below, in case you want to go back.
Make sure GPS has been activated.

Press *#*#1472365#*#*. This will
bring to GPS setting.
Settings -> Parameter Settings ->
Address -> Server Type: 1x MPC
Settings -> Parameter Settings ->
Position mode: option3
Settings -> Fix Request Settings ->
Session Operation: Standalone
Settings -> Fix Request Settings ->
Server Option: Local
gpsOne XTRA -> Xtra Enable: Enable

No,
After updating my Samsung Galaxy S from JP8 2.1 version, that was working normally with GPS, but losing GPS capture some times...
Now with Froyo 2.2, the capture GPS works very well, but the position is completely erratic and is going 100 meters from the site where I am....
I don't know what to do, and I didn't find any solution on internet ... and if you are waiting for Samsung help you could die waiting first.

No, I upgraded to the unofficial FROYO (Android 2.2) for Samsung Captivate and the GPS sucks. The signal does not lock and when it does, after waiting for days and sucking up the battery, it loses the signal just as fast. I am so frustrated with the GPS problem that I am thinking about switching carriers to get a different brand phone - like HTC or Motorola.

I also upgraded my Samsung Galaxy S to Froyo 2.2 and lost my GPS lock that I had on 2.1 which sometimes worked. I tried to a factory reset and cleaned everything on my phone and after the reset comepleted I had to input information and the first thing I tried was GPS and still could not get a lock. I download GPS locator before and that also did not lock onto a GPS. I will try what "user1100" said and see if that helps.
Bottom line Froyo 2.2 has GPS lock issues.. maps and navigation works without a GPS lock..:(

I am writing to inform you that this link is very helpful to fix GPS problems coming with samsung galaxy s froyo. But please be aware that this may have a risk (less probably) but worked very fine with me.
http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/how-to-fix-gps-on-samsung-galaxy-s-eclair-and-froyo/
step 7 does not appear in the settings so I passed that option. it is working now.
SAMSUNG GALAXY S 2.2 FROYO edition.

There was definitely a problem with the GPS on my Samsung Captivate I purchased from AT&T a week after it launched, but I wouldn't classify it as unusable.  It would take several minutes sometimes to first fix even when outdoors, but it would stay fixed as long as nothing obstructed it, such as my car ceiling.  If it had a fix recently, it would be quicker at getting a fix as well.  I used GPS Status to keep the GPS Almanac up to date which helped a bit, and applied several fixes people had suggested with minor improvements.  Even official updates from Samsung had little improvement.  I finally decided to replace my ROM with a third party and my GPS was greatly improved unlike anything Samsung had provided before.  Generally, any third-party ROM using the JK4 modem like Paragon


text:
How do I backup and restore SMS Messages?
How do I backup and restore SMS Messages?

I highly recommend SMS backup+.  It'll back up  your SMS to a Gmail Label:

Automatically backup SMS, MMS and call log entries using a separate label in Gmail / Google Calendar. It is also possible to restore SMS and call log entries back to the phone (MMS not supported yet).

The forked version is in active development (original has had no changes since early 2010), and also supports backing up to any IMAP server

Very slow. I'm on a HSDPA connection, capable of youtube, skype etc. Still when restoring my sms'es it took about a second per piece, for each of my 2900 texts.

This program also stores all your data online in the Google Cloud, that is not a solution I would like to use (protection of privacy)

rubo77 it says you can specify another IMAP server... trying it now...

You can use SMS Backup & Restore to export to an XML file:

Schedule automatic backups or backup your messages anytime you wish.
  You can view backup contents on your phone, and choose to backup selected conversations only.
Backups are created in XML format and saved to your device's SD card.
The XML can then be converted to other formats, and can also be viewed on a computer.
It's easy to e-mail your backup files anywhere you wish.

SMS Backup+ also supports other IMAP servers

thumps up for back up in XML format

+1 for a solution that doesen't use Google servers

These days, this app defaults to backing up to one of several cloud services (including Google), but also supports backing up to a file. It still works, looks like.

Use a 3rd party tool such as

Titanium backup
Handcent
...

These offer many other options (such as backing up call log which I'd say is related)

I recommend VeryAndroid SMS Backup. It is a smart Android SMS backup software that can copy and backup SMS on Android phone to computer, restore SMS backup file to any Android phone, and also send messages or chat with a friend on computer directly, exactly the same as that you do on your android phone.
It can help you:

Copy and backup SMS from Android phone to computer.
Restore SMS from CSV to Android phone any time.
Send SMS & SMS Chat on computer directly.
Transfer SMS to Android phone from other phones (iPhone, Windows Mobile, Nokia, Blackberry, etc).
View SMS messages in threading mode on computer.

Go SMS Pro https://market.android.com/details?id=com.jb.gosms has backing up SMS to SD as a feature. It is also a great replacement for text messages with Quick Replies and sending SMS on a schedule.


text:
I keep losing my Swype keyboard
I'm running CM6 on a Motorola Droid.
Every now and then (at least once a day), my keyboard will revert from Swype back to the Stock Android Keyboard and I have switch back to the Swype keyboard to be able to use it again.
And sometimes (at least once every other day), the Swype keyboard will be completely disabled and I have to go back into Settings --> Keyboards and re-enable Swype.
This is starting to get really annoying.  Any suggestions?

What happens if you try other alternative keyboard? Do you lose them as well or is it just Swype?

@Lie Good suggestion, I'll try that

I've not seen this behavior. Then again, it IS a beta.

I believe this problem was caused by having Swype installed to the SD card.  Moving Swype back to the phone's internal storage seems to have fixed the problem.
Settings-->Applications-->Manage Applications-->Swype-->Select "move to phone"

It's so irritating to see the OS differentiating between storage locations.

I want to be able to install anywhere, always.

Good question... I'm experiencing this currently although the app is already living on my phone. A quick fix for me seems to be un-selecting Swype as the alternative keyboard (see steps below) and then re-selecting it. Then I will then have to reset Swype (i.e. long-press in a text field, select Input Method and select Swype).
Settings > Language & Keyboard > Swype

Just a suggestion: is it possible that you have Swype on the kill list in your task killer?
(NOTE: I have a Droid as well, and have not experienced this. I do not run a task killer though. Also, I could not live without Swype.)

No, I do not run a task killer.

Try relicensing it.  That has worked for me in the past.


text:
Maximum (micro) SD card speed class for HTC EVO?
What is the maximum class (e.g., 2,4,6,8,10) supported of microSD card supported by the HTC EVO?
I noticed an improvement in performance when upgrading from the Class 2 to a faster card on my Hero.  I don't want to pay extra for performance that won't benefit my EVO.
HTC and Sprint have not included this information in their specs and I can't find it elsewhere.  Either I'm not understading something fundamental about SD classes or it's not published where I'm searching.

I should add I'm currently using Class 6.

It looks like someone sent HTC an email back in July and got the following response:

I understand you want to know which speed is the best for your device as far as SD card is concerned. We have tested the devices on a class 4 speed. I could not recommend anything higher than that. The phone may be capable of running a higher-class speed, but we have only tested it on a class 4.

You may also want to email HTC support and see what they officially say.  From I've been reading, people have been using Class 6 just fine.  Not sure about 8 or 10.


text:
Performance gain from upgrading higher class SD card

Possible Duplicate:
Is the class rating of my MicroSD card relevant?

If you've upgraded the SD card on your phone to a higher class, have you measured or noticed any significant performance difference?  What kinds of apps seemed most affected?

I noticed an overall improvement in the performance "feel" on my HTC Hero.  Proably because I was using a number of apps that do store data to SD.

This is the earlier question, so why was it closed?   What prevails - the earlier question or something else?

A higher class card is going to give you faster read and write speeds to your SD card. So any apps that use or write data to the memory card will get a boost (one example would be the camera and gallery apps). Another possible example would be apps saved to the memory card. You probably, however, won't be able to tell a huge difference, or at least it won't be as noticeable as it would on a DSLR camera where high speed cards make a world of difference when taking fast, continuous shots (sports).


text:
Why can't I get past CAPTCHA after changing Google Account password?
I changed my Google Account password, and now there's a notification about trouble logging into my Gmail account on my Samsung Galaxy S. That's fine, I'd expect that.
What I don't expect is a pop-up box containing a CAPTCHA, that I cannot get past. I'm sure I got at least one of them right (despite the auto-caps for start of words tripping me up a few times). It just keeps popping up with another CAPTCHA.
What's going on?

Did you try from the Gmail client and the browser?

Yeah, I did... no go. I tried it again just now, and it worked! Must have been something up server side. Thanks for the comment, tho.

THis seemed to solve itself. After trying again just now, it worked. Must have been a server-side thing. Sorry I can't help anyone else that has this issue.

Try unlock the captcha: https://www.google.com/accounts/DisplayUnlockCaptcha
Then, go back to your android phone e retype o password.

I had the same issue with the endless Captcha. There is a solution though.
Go to https://www.google.com/accounts/DisplayUnlockCaptcha on a PC or a web-browser and unlock the Captcha for your account. You will then be able to login again with username and password on your device.
Hope this helps