text:
stock sms client creates multiple threads for the same number
Running the default android SMS application, multiple threads get created for the same number.
This is how it started: I was visiting a foreign country, I got a legit sms from the service provider (smartone in Hong Kong) suggesting that I could get cheaper calls by dialing *131*001 followed by country code and number. I tried it on an sms to see if it would work. It didn't but from then on the sms app started two threads, in a seemingly random way: most of the received sms are listed under a number starting with *131*001 that I cannot reply to. In the process all the past sms conversations were "captured" and listed under that number. To send sms I had to start a new thread with the same number but without *131*001.
This is what I tried: first, I added *131*001etc as an additional number for my contact, hoping that the threads would be merged. But it did nothing.
Secondly, after reading some, I used SMSBackupAndRestore to save the sms and modify the resulting xml file. I noticed one difference between the sms in the two different threads, namely, a difference in the service_center, for instance service_center="+852161645501" for the sms listed as *131*001etc and service_center="null" for the properly listed sms. So I replaced every instance of service_center="+852161645501" (numbers varied) with service_center="null". I then reloaded the modified xml file using SMSBackupAndRestore.
Before the "fix" just described, I had about 2,000 messages listed under *131*001etc and about 5 or 6 listed under the correct number. After the "fix", I had two more or less evenly split lists, of about 1,000 messages each. Plus a third list got created with 2 messages in it.
As I was doing this, it occurred to me that SMSBackupAndRestore only saves the text of the sms, not the pictures and other attachments. Yet, the pictures and attachments were showing up after applying the "fix", showing that the sms had not really been deleted, merely taken off the directory and upon being re-loaded the android sms app would "recognize" the messages and re-load the pictures and attachments. This means that there is a folder somewhere with the history of my sms. And the android sms app is using information stored there to recreate the *131*001etc thread that I'm trying to delete.
I wanted to delete all the cache. I couldn't find it by browsing (I'm using Windows 7), so I downloaded some apps to help me, two apps named 1tap cleaner, both worked in a similar way and deleted cache, but obviously not the cache I want to delete since it hasn't solved anything.
I have deleted all the sms, but double threads listed as *131*001etc still happen with the new messages. Plus now I can't even add a picture to my contacts (when I "edit" the contact, I can only edit the name and number, nothing else)...
Handcent hasn't helped.
Any suggestions on how to get out of this nightmare? many thanks.

Sounds like it might be an APN issue.  You should look at Settings -> Wireless and network -> Mobile networks and see if there's anything in there related to that 131 stuff, and change/remove it.

Thanks Matthew, I looked in there but couldn't see anything much... would you know how to access the sms cache to clear it?


text:
How to Disable File Verification while installing Cyanogen in Nexus One
When I try to install CyanogenMod through ClockworkMod Recovery process I get the following error, ‘failed to verify whole-file signature’.
I followed WikiLink for Cyanogen for carrying out the installation.
Is there any way to disable file verification or any other way through which I can overcome this error.
I am using Nexus One phone with,
Kernel Version   - 2.6.35.7.
Build number     - GRK39F.
Android version - 2.3.6

In current versions of Clockworkmod Recovery, go into the "Install zip from sdcard" menu and chose "toggle signature verification".

Previous answer:
You're in stock recovery, not CWM recovery.  CWM recovery doesn't verify signatures.  You either failed to install the recovery properly, or you need to hit "install packages" or similar from the stock recovery in order to get into CWM.

Thanks for pointing that out. But I downloaded CWM Recovery from the wiki link I pointed, used fastboot  and got Success message.
I am new to this (rooting and stuffs). so can you please tell in detail how can I install CWM. Any link where I can find instructions for Nexus One.

Just to double check, your recovery screen should look something like this if your using ClockworkMod Recovery. http://bit.ly/wAFUBb

@SyncMaster Could be that the recovery is being overwritten, so make sure you go directly to recovery after flashing it (without a full reboot) so that it can't be overwritten.  Also try hitting "install packages" from the stock recovery, I have to do that on my Vibrant to get CWM installed at least.

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sort: votes


text:
How to set bash as default shell?
When I adb into a device with Cyanogenmod, I'm presented with a nice bash shell, color prompt, and bashrc.  I don't see a symlink from /system/xbin/bash to /system/bin/sh.  How do they set the default shell to bash instead of sh?  I looked through rc files, but didn't find anything.  I'd like to do the same on my Android build, which isn't Cyanogenmod.
Update
After re-installing from scratch with CM7, I'm taken to sh instead of bash.  Now the question is how to set bash as default.

Vanilla CM7 (built from source) drops me at sh, not bash, when I use adb to connect. What build are you using?

It's 7.1.0.1 for the ViewSonic G Tablet.  I didn't build from sources though.

When adb shell is executed, the Android side also launches adb which then executes /system/bin/sh -. This path is hard-coded in system/core/adb/services.c:
347 #if ADB_HOST
348 #define SHELL_COMMAND "/bin/sh"
349 #define ALTERNATE_SHELL_COMMAND ""
350 #else
351 #define SHELL_COMMAND "/system/bin/sh"
352 #define ALTERNATE_SHELL_COMMAND "/sbin/sh"
353 #endif

If you want to change this to bash, you will have to recompile it.
It is possible to execute some commands from file when running the interactive shell. As written in system/core/sh/main.c, sh - (note the - for interactive mode) reads from the following files (in this order):

/etc/profile
.profile (relative to current directory, this is /.profile for adb shell
$ENV (environment variable ENV should point to a file)

As /etc/ and / are read-only, the only way to get something loaded was by setting ENV. You can probably create a symlink from /etc/profile to /data/profile by mounting / read-write (exercise for the reader).

/etc is a symlink to the /system partition. I remounted that read-write and added /etc/profile but it does not get called by sh :(

I didn't have my Android with me right now to test, but with the Android Terminal Emulator if you go to the menu, you might be able to use the "Command line" or "Initial command" option.

Gee, I'll have to try that menu from my adb prompt.

Nothing related to OP question and adb

This is an old question, but I was recently curious about this myself. I found a method that doesn't require recompiling adbd, however it does require su (I'm using Chainfire SuperSu 2.45).
Assuming bash is located at /system/bin/bash, and su is at /system/xbin/su, it's essentially something like this:

adb shell (use an interactive shell. Invoking this process as a
one-liner could cause ADB to cease working if there is a problem)
mount -o remount,rw /system
mv /system/bin/sh /system/bin/sh.bak
echo -e '#!/system/bin/bash\n/system/xbin/su -mm -l -s /system/xbin/bash' > /system/bin/sh  Note that your paths may differ; use which bash and which su to be sure.
chmod 777 /system/bin/sh
Test the shell before you exit: /system/bin/sh.  If you get an error, fix the error or revert by restoring the backup: cp /system/bin/sh.bak /system/bin/sh.
Optionally remount /system; most devices will do this automatically:
mount -o remount,ro /system

And you're done.
Simply symlinking BASH to SH doesn't work because bash emulates SH when invoked this way.
However, having a look at strace, it does seem to look for a bashrc when a symlinked BASH is called as 'sh --login'. While this could conceivably be used to "chainload" shells via script, as mentioned above the way adbd invokes SH is hardcoded.
If there is a problem and you have removed (or moved) /system/bin/sh ADB wont have a shell to give you to fix the problem. If this happens, you have a few options:

Reboot into a recovery that has adbd (such as CWM or TWRP) and open an adb shell to it, to copy /system/bin/sh.bak over to /system/bin/sh again.
Use adb to copy the backup:  adb root; adb remount; adb shell; adb pull /system/bin/sh.bak; adb push sh.bak /system/bin/sh  Note that this won't work on all devices; some refuse to allow adb to remount /system rw in this way.
Use a terminal emulator that can be set to run a different shell; note that several will try /system/bin/sh first and force close.

On your PC, get a bash binary and overwrite /system/bin/sh.
I have one here.
Feel free to copy this code:
git clone https://github.com/SuperDethByte/Bash-for-ARM.git
cd Bash-for-ARM
echo "Make sure your phone is plugged into your computer."
sleep 5s
echo "Remounting /system partition as r/w..."
adb shell mount -o remount,rw /system
echo "Making A Backup..."
adb shell cp /system/bin/sh /system/bin/sh.bak
echo "checking if backup was made..."
if [ adb shell 'ls /system/bin/ | grep "sh.bak"' ]; then
echo "pushing bash binary to android..."
adb push bash /system/bin/sh
echo "Remounting /system partition as r/o..."
adb shell mount -o remount,ro /system
echo "DONE"
else
echo "Backup Failed"
echo "Remounting /system partition as r/o..."
adb shell mount -o remount,ro /system
fi

Found the proper & simple way from a Linux box, even in 2021 and lineageos:
adb shell -t bash -i

You logon directly via bash in interactive way.
To not having to remember this command all the times, I personally
use an alias, simply add this to your ~/.bashrc on Linux box:
alias adb_shell='adb shell -t bash -i'
source ~/.bashrc

Then all is configured, simply run
adb_shell

and enjoy all bash features like tab completion and anything. \o/

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text:
Broken Screen + Using adb shell to run vnc server
I have an HTC HD2 with a completely busted screen, I tried repairing it with a replacement screen but broke the ribbon cable to the screen (oops) sad day,
I've got two of these and I've been running them as servers and ipcam cameras.
I started using qtadb, which did work on my phone despite a broken screen. I installed droid VNC Server beta using the file manager on qtadb.
I grabbed the app's manifest:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest android:versionCode="52" android:versionName="0.991" package="org.onaips.vnc"  xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="3" />
<application android:label="droid VNC server" android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:name="MainApplication" android:debuggable="false">
    <activity android:label="@string/app_name" android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:name=".MainActivity" android:launchMode="singleInstance">
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
    <activity android:label="Preferences" android:name="preferences" />
    <meta-data android:name="com.mobclix.APPLICATION_ID" android:value="1F34160B-63BB-4854-BDB7-D46B7EADBF06" />
    <activity android:name="com.mobclix.android.sdk.MobclixBrowserActivity" />
    <service android:name="StartAtBootService">
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="org.onaips.vnc.StartAtBootService" />
        </intent-filter>
    </service>
    <receiver android:name="StartAtBootServiceReceiver">
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.HOME" />
        </intent-filter>
    </receiver>
    <service android:name="avncservice" />
</application>
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_SUPERUSER" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.GET_TASKS" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WAKE_LOCK" />
</manifest>

and I have tried several things to start and run the service using the console on qtadb. I have tried running:
am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n org.onaips.vnc/com.mobclix.android.sdk.MobclixBrowserActivity

am start -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n org.onaips.vnc/org.onaips.vnc.MainActivity

am start -n org.onaips.vnc/com.mobclix.android.sdk.MobclixBrowserActivity

am start -n org.onaips.vnc/org.onaips.vnc.MainActivity

am startservice -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n org.onaips.vnc/com.mobclix.android.sdk.MobclixBrowserActivity

am startservice -a android.intent.action.MAIN -n org.onaips.vnc/org.onaips.vnc.MainActivity

etc....
I test each time by NMAPing my device's ip address, no new ports show up. (I don't have a firewall)
But on a working phone, it doesn't start when you run the app; it starts when you press the run button. So How do I press the run button with a broken screen?
I just need vnc server to run so i can actually do some config things to run debian and my video server on it.

Use adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.Main -n org.onaips.vnc/.MainActivity outside the shell, and the VNC server will start.

This answer was suggested as an edit by an anonymous user, but should stand on its own.

First you have to locate the droidvncserver executable file on your device. On a Nexus S it's in this directory:
/data/data/org.onaips.vnc/files

Then you have to set the execution right on the executable file (it's a UNIX subutility) from PC using adb.exe. In a command line window (from the appropriate Android SDK folder) you can type :
adb.exe shell chmod 766 /data/data/org.onaips.vnc/files/androidvncserver

(this has to be to done only once, for further detail on chmod command type man chmod in google)
Then you'll be able to launch vnc server directly from your PC using adb.exe:
adb.exe shell /data/data/org.onaips.vnc/files/androidvncserver

Additionnaly to connect your VncViewer using the USB cable type in another command line window:
adb.exe forward tcp:5901 tcp:5901

Vysor is the answer! It's a Chrome app with a built-in VNC server that launches automatically. It even works on Android 6+. Find it here.

adb shell
cd /data/data/org.onaips.vnc/files
chmod 766 androidvncserver
androidvncserver

No explanations, nothing! Care to elaborate more about this for the benefit of end user reading this?

You'll need to do adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.Main -n org.onaips.vnc/.MainActivity first.


text:
Watching Android Tablet app on connected TV
I was looking into whether a vanilla Android app running on a tablet can have the tablet screen output to TV via an AVI or HDMI output jack? The intent is NOT to view video content but just the app screen on a large TV. An example of how this would be useful would be a 'low-tech' training session for a bunch of people on how to use the app.

This may depend on the tablet, but as far as I know anything with Honeycomb and an HDMI output will simply mirror the screen when plugged in. My Motorola Xoom, for example, will mirror everything on the screen to a TV when my HDMI cable is plugged in. I can use it for app demos and the like at work just fine, so what you're looking for is (from a purely technical standpoint) possible.
Saying that it will work on every device would a very broad and presumably incorrect generalization on my part, though, so I would assume that I cannot accurately apply this rule to every device out there. You'll probably want to look at the specs for specific devices before you purchase one, and ask a retailer (or a manufacturer, if necessary) about it's video output capabilities.
On top of that, there are also some devices like the Galaxy Tab 7 which support composite output via a special connector cable. This also mirrors the screen, as I recall, but I don't know of any other devices that support composite hookups offhand.


text:
Permission denied when I run insmod in terminal emulator
I want to install a module (bcm4329.ko) in my nexus one phone. I have rooted the phone and installed Cyanogenmod too.
In Terminal emulator, I tried various commands but everything resulted in failure
$ insmod /system/lib/modules/bcm4329.ko //[Operation Not Permitted]
$ su insmod /system/lib/modules/bcm4329.ko //[throw the syntax/man page of su]
$ cd /system/lib/modules
$ chmod 777 bcm4329.ko //[Read only file system]

The error messages I received are enclosed within '[ ]' after every command. How can I install this module in my android phone. Any help please.

You need to remount the system partition as read-write, it's read-only by default.
mount -o remount,rw /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system

Got the error "mount: permission denied (are you root?)" Is there any other way to give root permission, as I already have rooted the device.

@SyncMaster Did you type su in the terminal first?

http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/4021/how-to-be-root-user-in-terminal solved it. thanks. :)

@SyncMaster Lol good timing.


text:
Cannot connect Samsung Galaxy S2 to computer in storage mode via USB
I am trying to install an application (developed using Eclipse) onto the computer (I am using Windows XP). When I try to connect the USB cable with the phone, it starts to charge or starts the MTP application, but it does not go into mass storage mode. Here is what I have tried so far:

Turned on USB Debugging and then plugged in the USB cable.
Result: Phone goes into charging mode.
With USB Debugging switched off, USB Utilities -> Connect to Mass Storage button pressed and the USB cable plugged in.
Result: Plugging in the USB cable results in MTP application starting. Switching that off by pressing the home key and then pressing that Connect to Mass Storage button again results in the message: USB is connected. Remove the cable
Tried the *#7284 routine described in thread on this forum. That did not work either. My default settings were USB -> PDA (just the way that thread said it should be).
Checked if the Google USB drivers are all installed. Yes, they are. Other drives also mount from the same USB slot without any problems.
Switched off and then back on the phone.
Used different cables (one from Samsung and the other from Nokia) to see if there could be anything wrong with the cable. The same situation as above. And the Nokia cable is brand new.

After having done all of this and spent a grand total of five hours, I am at my wits' end trying to figure out how I can get the phone to mount as a USB storage device. I have mounted it successfully before.
UPDATE:
I plugged my phone in to a Linux machine and a Windows machine using both cables today. It worked for the both of them!!! So now I know that USB storage mode on my phone works. The problem has to be with my laptop, or to be more specific, with the USB drive on my laptop. My questions now are:

How do I know what USB drive make is present on my computer.
I would like to re-install the USB drivers on my laptop, all the while hoping that it does not screw up my machine.

Sounds like it's just ignoring the setting, that sucks.  I would suggest a factory reset, though hopefully there's a simpler solution.

I highly recommend checking out QTadb. It is a very useful program with a file manager; you can just drag and drop across. If you have an APK on your local machine, you can install it right in the file manager. Plus there is an ADB shell built in, an app list with back up options, and a ton of other stuff.
I would say this is a must-have for an Android developer. It's just extremely useful.
I hope that helps you out.

Potentially useful workaround, but not really a solution to fixing mass storage mode.

I would suggest seeing if it is possible to connect using adb (or QTadb) and to browse the drive. I have an sgs2 and i had a problem with it not mounting. I used qtadb and that magically fixed the issue, i imagine mostly because it remounted it with adb.


text:
How can I arrange the applications on each page of my app drawer?
I have recently bought a Samsung ACE S5830 smartphone and downloaded several applications like astrology, live wallpapers, games, and some daily usage applications.
When I open my application drawer, I see all these applications mixed up and are spread across 5 pages. This is very confusing and makes it cumbersome to find an application I want to use.
How can I arrange the applications on each page? For example, I want astrology related applications on page 1 of the applications page, games on page 2 and the default applications (like Internet, calculator, clock, etc) on page 3.
Is this possible? I have tried folder organizers and app organizers from the Android market but none of them meets my requirement.

You can press the Menu button while in the app drawer and change the view type the "Customizable grid".  Then hit Menu again and "Edit" to rearrange the icons.  It won't let you leave empty spots on a page, though.
Probably the best way to do this is simply to drag the icons onto your home screens, and then you can have a home screen for each type of app.  If you don't have enough home screens then there are probably custom launchers where you can set the number of screens.  Another alternative is folders, as you mentioned; I don't see why they wouldn't work.

Just a note that some 3rd-party launchers allow you to create folders even within the app drawer, which could be closer to what @Indeevar is looking for.


text:
Is it possible to direct all audio output, including music output, to a Bluetooth headset?
I am able to make and receive calls from my Samsung ACE S5830 phone using a  Bluetooth device. However, when I play MP3 songs on my phone, the output does not play through the Bluetooth mono headset; it just directly plays from the phone's speakers.
Is there a way to direct all audio output to the Bluetooth mono headset?

I did some googling and stumbled across this post on androidforums.com which has some suggestions:

There are several apps which appear to provide this functionality.  BTmono is the only free one I found that isn't limited to a certain length of time.  It requires Android 2.2+.  There are several other similar apps that you can also see at that link.
This person posted a trick which looks like it works without the use of an additional app:

I went to the phone and dialed '**' (2 stars) which creates a 'p' for pause. Then press call. This enables the headset without actually
  placing a call.
After this I started doggcatcher (or other audio / video player) and it played through the headset. Everything went through the headset
  after this point.
In order to stop playback to my headset I just called my voicemail and hung up. At that point, audio was routed back to the speaker.

EDIT: I have found that it only works when my ringer volume is off or
  on vibrate. Also, the media volume needs to be turned up separately --
  Either from the settings control or prior to performing the 'p' call.
  The volume rocker only controls the Bluetooth call volume after the
  bluetooth headset is active.

BTmono works perfect! Samsung galaxy note 3.

Generally, audio apps use the media channel, which will be played over Bluetooth if your Bluetooth device supports that A2DP profile.
Check the specs on your headset to see if it supports A2DP -- if it does, please edit your question to include additional information on the music app you use and the make and model of your headset.

If

You want to hear music on your bluetooth device
Your bluetooth device pairs perfectly with your android phone.
It works only with calls, media still plays on your device speakers.

BTMono is a great tool that suits your requirement. It will allow you to simply turn ON media streaming and you are good to go.
Remember that it is free and you need to restart the app after every phone call.
This feature can be unlocked in the pro version which is just $1 :D

Try Mono Bluetooth Router. Its free version has more feautures than BTMono.

+1. I installed the free version, and it works fine for me.  I'm using a Samsung Galaxy S Relay.  This is a cellphone which is probably somewhat similar to a Samsung Galaxy S3.

You can also try my application to direct non-call audio to BT. Here's is my github link: https://github.com/sauravpradhan/AnySound2BT

It didn't work for me. I think it crashed. I have posted slightly more information here. Unfortunately, I haven't provided a backtrace, and a backtrace is probably what you'd need in order to fix the problem.

The crash might be because I'm not releasing the resource , the code works perfectly in most of the phones if tried according to the steps mentioned in Github!

Just wanted to throw it out there for anyone wanting to know that BTmono worked like a charm for my HTC Desire S with android 2.3.3 and my Plantronics Explorer 210! Extremely easy interface for BTmono too.

I used BTmono so I could use a Komodo (aka KMD)  Bluetooth ear piece, as headphones. Worked perfectly.
The volume buttons controlled the ear piece, and if I hit one of the volume buttons, the phone says "Bluetooth In-Call Volume (volume bar)".   So... I say try that one out...

lol i remember i have an old moto rizr z3 using stereo headphones, but, by default when you listen to music, it uses mono sound for some reason. There is an option in the options menu to switch to stereo but sorry this is not android and i only have stereo headphones


text:
How to rate an app in Android Market on a tablet?
I know this question sounds dead stupid but I can't figure out how to rate an app in Android Market on my Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. Honestly I've looked everywhere. Am I blind or what?
Thanks in advance...

Related: How can I rate an app in Honeycomb?

The first versions of the Android Market on Tablets didn't have an option to rate an App. Rumors are that Google wanted to prevent bad ratings on Apps, because they weren't optimized for tables (yet).
Some say that they received an Market Update that enabled the rate function. My Lenovo Thinkpad Market hasn't got it yet. But it seems just a matter of time.
Until then, you can rate Apps on the web version of the Market.

PS: So, good news: You are not blind. :)

In Samsung's case it seems to be that they use a non-standard version of the Market for some reason. It reports itself on my Tab 10.1 as version 1.0.28. On a typical Honeycomb device you simply need to have the 3.1.6 update to be able to rate apps.

I have v1.1.0 on my tablet. The publisher is Google Inc. but I suppose it could be a custom version for Samsung. I'll just keep using my Galaxy Tab (phone) to rate apps. Thanks!

There are an update on the way from google which gives you the option, many have received it already, so just be use the web version of android market until then :)


text:
Any success with external microphones for Android phones or tablets?
What's the best way to record a video with high quality audio?  Specifically, this is for a presentation where a microphone could be placed by the speaker.  I know that an app that records with the right codec is necessary, but what about the microphone?
I'd prefer to use a USB mic but, even though Android 3.1+ supports USB host mode, it doesn't appear that this is easy to accomplish.  What about a 3.5mm microphone - would that yield acceptable results, or would it be better to stick with the built-in microphone?  Are any of the video-recording apps capable of handling the microphone?

Does your device have a mic jack?

Yes and no... I have a few test devices, let's say the Droid 1, which should work with a wired handsfree device.  I'll need to track down a splitter to use it with a standard 3.5mm microphone.  If I'm going the USB Host route, I'll use a Xoom or put a beta of Cyanogenmod9 (with ICS) onto the Droid 1.  There seem to be problems with using line-in audio for video recording, from what I've seen.  I'm still testing.

It's not a USB mic, but I have found a solution for external mic via 3.5 mm jack.
Look at my answer on this question:
How do I use an external microphone with my Galaxy Nexus?

Thanks, I ordered an TRRS cable, and will check out how that works.  My USB mic would be better sound, but this may yield acceptable results.

it does for me :)

i have two wireless microphones (for song etc.) on my galaxy Nexus now :)

TRRS cable works for a simple microphone (too bad I don't have any good 3.5mm microphones right now).  I used TapeMachine lite to test, since it shows the waveform.  Red connector for mic.   Unfortunately, I haven't had any luck with using it for video yet, even with LG Camera.

You need to find the right poles... It works for me after the right poles.. I can take a picture later if you want...

I bought a splitter ($7.65 on Amazon)to access the headphone/mic input on my HTC Thunderbolt.
An Audio Technica ATR6550 shotgun mike works fine with the built-in camcorder software.  Note that the impedence on this is 2200 ohms.
I have half a dozen other microphones, and NONE of them work (some have an impedence of around 1000 ohms, so maybe this is the problem).
So, here is what I know:

This is possible (at least with the atr6550).
The necessary splitter (i.e. splits input jack into mic + earphone connectors) is not expensive, and there seems no reason to use any different connector.
I have half a dozen other mics and NONE of them works.
I don't know if the incompatibility of the others is an impedence problem or a voltage / current problem, and don't know how to find out.

Here is the splitter info:
StarTech.com MUYHSMFF 3.5mm 4-Pin to 2x 3-Pin 3.5mm Headset Splitter Adapter - M/F
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC

I use the Irig Pre interface (30 euro / 30-40 US dollars) to connect any XLR mic to my HTC wildfire. In flightmode I can make good 48khz mono WAV recordings with the Taperecorder app.
When I switch flightmode off there sometimes are some ticks and clicks.
Afterwards you cann edit your recording and  convert it into MP3 files.

I don't have an XLR mic, but that looks like the right way to go.  The Irig Pre dongle is more compact than the TRRS splitter cable I now have (but more expensive), and allows using better microphones.  I will have to look into that, especially if I upgrade my mic.

A USB Microphone as well as any kind of USB Audio device needs a USB host which has drivers for USB Audio devices. Under Win/Mac/Linux these drivers come preinstalled and you can use your USB Audio device in a plug-and-play way. I have experimented with different ways of using USB Audio on Android and this topic seems to be quite diverse.
Depending on the version of Android and especially the Kernel in use you may, or may not, be able to connect USB devices over OTG USB (On-The-Go). With most devices these details don't show in the manufacturer's specifications and has to be tested manually. As far as I got in my research Samsung devices on Stock Android are the most reliable to support USB Audio, but if you start messing with different ROMs and Kernels it is possible deactivate this functionality.
I have been able to record very high quality audio with Urecord and USB Audio Recorder PRO using a stock Galaxy Note 2 and several interfaces (Alesis io4, Shure x2u) and I have been told that Audio Evolution is also able to record from a USB source.
An app that can record video as well as USB audio does not exist as far as I know. And of course, if your device does not support OTG and USB audio there is no way you can use a USB microphone.
good luck!

When you put your android on flight mode u need to go to the setting and put it on mp3 headphone mode, itdeends how sencitive ur android is. And if ur android is not sencitive then you have to go and speaxk to the android network.

I'm having a hard time figuring out the relevance of your answer, seemingly doesn't match the question. Please also don't use fuzzy english


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Android not syncing anymore
My wifi doesn't turn green anymore, just stays grey/white, therefore my google apps do not sync anymore. I have internet. HTC Desire 2.3.7
Any help?

Did you verify that they're not actually syncing?  Did you reboot?  Did you try a manual sync?  Etc.

yes, I tried a manual sync, I also rebooted

I've had this problem too, but I have found that it is correlated to low internal memory on the phone. Try clearing the cache from some apps and uninstalling the ones you don't use, it helped for me. Nexus One 2.3.7

Very true. I have an HTC Desire myself, and this is indeed the reason. When the notification about low space goes away (at around 15 MB free), then syncing resumes.

On my HTC Incredible, low space can be caused by any app, even if there is sufficient total space. However, it doesn't tell me what app and I have to guess, usually by clearing the cache/data of the app I'm using when it pops up with low memory.

@KevinM yeah, I even installed this https://market.android.com/details?id=com.a0soft.gphone.acc.pro to help with cleaning up

Mine has 6GB free internal memory (Droid2), still have been hitting the issue now. logcat reports an HTTP request timeout on Google's server (umm, do they only have one? or why does it stick to that IP?). So there must be other reasons why this occurs. Waiting the 3rd day already for a "server-side fixup".


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How do I increase audio sound on my app for recording phone calls?
I have an Echo phone and downloaded an app for recording phone calls, both received and made myself. When it records, my voice is very loud, but you can barely hear the other line unless it is on speaker phone. Is there a way of increasing there level without using speaker? I record phone interviews I do and it is much easier just using the headset and not using the speakerphone...cuts out parts of our conversation.

You're going to need to be more specific. This is almost certainly something that would need to be controlled within the app, so we can't really help you if we don't even know which app you're using.

The app I currently use is Record My Call https://market.android.com/details?id=com.record.my.call&hl=en

The recording works by using the microphone.  You're talking straight into the mic and thus are much louder than the sound that reaches the mic from the ear speaker.
You'll need to use an app that actually records the incoming call and not simply what it picks up from the mic.  Check out this question, I believe it includes a couple such apps in the answers.

You could also employ the services of Google Voice. It has an option to record phone calls, and you could also make them directly from your computer, which can be nifty.

I think I found a solution of this problem. I'm not sure why the call recordings cannot be recorded over phone calls, but only through the microphone of your smartphones, but I believe this one will help solve the problem. The app is called "Call Recorder - Cube ACR" by Cube Systems at Google Play.
I'm not sure what's the cause of these problems, but I found a solution. I share this app with the all of you and I believe it will help at least for now if they don't change any settings in future. I had problems with recording the phone calls and I couldn't hear the other side,  only my voice and if there was something heard it was very, very low as a volume because apps are working directly with the microphone of your smartphone and most of them  don't record when the loudspeaker is off. But this one does finally! Good luck!

Hello. Can you please link the app?

settings -> additional settings -> clear speaker setting -> clear speaker toggle

My phone, a Samsung, does not have this setting, even through settings search. Is this a limited-use setting of your specific device manufacturer (which you do not name), and, is this suggestion appropriate to the Echo phone specifically asked about in the original post?


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Minicom app for Android?
Is there a comm app similar to minicom, hyperterminal or zterm for Android? I would prefer a port of minicom, if it exits. BTW, I'm running Android ICS on a Galaxy Nexus.

What exactly do you want to communicate with? Telnet?SSH? Hardware serial devices? Local character-based software?

@Kevin: primarily hardware serial devices

I found one. There is an app called microcom that is part of some newer busybox packages. I used the latest busybox (1.9.3) that could be installed by BusyBox Pro (Steven Stericson) from the Android Market. I replaced busybox 1.9.3CM that came with my ROM and which did not have microcom.
With that busybox you just have to open a terminal (I used BTEP) and type microcom. The short help file will be displayed. Using it can be as simple as:
microcom -s 115200 /dev/ttyUSB0

I am still interested in a more full-featured version -- something more like minicom. But at least microcom gets the minimal job done for now.
If no one offers a more full featured app than microcom, I'll accept my answer in a few days.


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How can I get the latest compatible app version?
I once had Acrobat Reader and Seesmic installed in my LG GT540 (Android 2.1).
I had to uninstall them to free some space. After a few days I tried to install those apps again, but their updates made them unavailable to my Android version.
Is there anything I could do to install the latest compatible version?

Ok, this is not exactly what I was looking for, but it works... it is more like a preventive approach.
So, my solution would was to install Titanium Backup (which requires root access to work) and backup all my apps. Then, whenever I need more space, I just backup my apps before I go on. If I need them again, I can use Titanium Backup and restore.
And this is why I consider it a preventive approach: it is all about regular backups.
If anyone knows a better way to do this, please share =)


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How do I use an external microphone with my Galaxy Nexus?
How do I use an external microphone on my Galaxy Nexus, and what kind do I need?
I know if it should use a jack plug (3.5 mm), but not all jack connectors are the same, and I don't know if the lower or middle or upper part is for the microphone.
I want to use my phone for a video conference, but there is going to be a lot of noise around me, so I need an external microphone without all the background noise which the microphone in the phone gives.
I don't think the Gnex can handle a USB mic through the micro USB port, correct me if I'm wrong.

Some people over at the XDA developers are also looking for a solution to this quistion. And after another google search, i only found something about iPhone, but i don't think they are using the same jack stick... Hmmm, would be really happy if someone has tried this before :)

Looks like you're not alone: http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/19339/any-success-with-external-microphones-for-android-phones-or-tablets

Yeah, he is also talking about a external mic, but via USB on a tablet, i don't think micro usb on Gnex can support that, so i'm talking about using my jack stick with the mic, but i need to know which of the areas on the jack stick which belongs to the mic :) But thanks anyway, now i at least know im not alone :)

There's this, for the Nexus One: http://dsynflo.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/nexus-one-headset-controls-issue.html - not sure if it's the same wiring as the Galaxy Nexus, and this says that the Galaxy S has ground and mic swapped: https://www.kvconnection.com/Articles.asp?ID=165. Either way, a Mic will work if if wired to the sleeve and last ring.

Today i have made some progress in this question.
On iPhone you can buy a iRig Mic which can do the job (and it should work on android too).
But since i want to use another external microphone i have decided to make the adapter myself from some different adapters (which does the same thing as iRig Mic, but with a female 3.5 mm jack output, so i can use my wireless microphone with it)
I have ordered the parts from an online store in denmark, but you can get it all over the internet, you just need to know what you need :)
The first thing you need is a 3.5 mm male 4 pole conductor jack (TRRS) to RCA adapter.
Like this one
Then you need a RCA to either female jack or XLR adapter (either if your mic has a jack or XLR output)
Like this one
And thats all.
Then you can plug everything together and use the mic of your choice on your Android phone.
(BTW some stock camcorder apps can't use external microphones, then just use this camcorder app: https://market.android.com/details?id=rubberbigpepper.lgCamera&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsInJ1YmJlcmJpZ3BlcHBlci5sZ0NhbWVyYSJd )
I'm using this app ^^ with this set of wireless microphones
And i'm just waiting for the last adapter in the mail tomorrow..
So from tomorrow i can record with my galaxy nexus and record the sound via the wireless microphone on a distance up too 30 meters :D
And if i need to go around with the phone and the microphone, i will just plug in a wired microphone to the female jack and go around with the phone and microphone in my hand :)
I hope someone in the future can use this information which was very hard to find on the internet :)
When i have some time later today or tomorrow, i will upload a couple pictures to illustrate my setup :)

Do you know what the wiring is on those connectors? cause then you could also post which poles of the jack correspond to which component (speakers, mic)...

You'll need a TS connector for mic-only or TRRS for a headset with a mic, see this Wikipedia article.
For example, this TRS to TRRS adapter is supposed to work with the Galaxy Nexus and includes a mic.  I'm not sure if you would need to plug in headphones for it to work, but you could certainly plug them in and not use them.
You didn't mention Bluetooth; you could also potentially use a Bluetooth headset or mic.
Of course, it may be the case that the stock camera app won't record audio from the external mic, in which case you may need to run a separate audio recording app or simply use a different video recording app.  This app looks like it can record audio from a headset; I'm sure there are others.

Hi Matthew..
Maybe i was not precise enough. It is a microphone like this one:
http://www.podconsult.dk/wp-content/uploads/audio_technica-2-1024x1024.jpg
I like use, and then i need a connector from it (3.5 mm jack 2 pole) to the Galaxy Nexus 4 pole jack connection.
I have found one for the iPhone 4 http://www.podconsult.dk/wp-content/uploads/KM-IPHONE-MIC-2.jpg but im not sure the iPhone 4 is build in the same way as the Galaxy Nexus (they both have 4 connection areas on the 3.5 mm jack but i'm not sure they are made so the mic is at the buttom  on both of them)...

Even though it was'nt what i was looking for, you were the only one to answer me, and game me some ideas for searches.
I had proberly not found the solution myself without the ideas i got from you. So you get the bounty :)

@dev0 Ah, I didn't realize you had a specific mic in mind already.  Glad I was able to help somewhat :)

Yeah, i was properly not precise enough in my question, but you definitely helped me.. I would not have come up with my idea without your reply. So thanks again :) Have a great day :)

I am unable to answer your question fully, but the part "and I don't know if the lower or middle or upper part is for the microphone", you can verify it quite easily.
What you need to have is a head phone that came with your device or the one that works (both mic and headphone speaker should work), a 1.5V battery cell and a pair of small wire.
Just wear the headphone and hold the battery in your hand with one wire connecting the battery's negative terminal to your head phone's lowest terminal (ground). Connect another wire to the positive terminal of the battery and touch the other end of the wire on any other terminal of the headphone connector.  You can hear a pop or hiss on one of your ear. If you do not hear anything, then it could be the mic or you haven't completed the circuit.  By this way you can identify the parts of the head phone connector (Right, Mic, Left, Ground, generally in this order, but varies from device to device). If you are ready with believing what you is see, then the following image will explain.

Are you sure about this? Every other reference I've found puts left out on the tip, right out on the first ring, and the mic input either on the second ring or the sleeve (usually the sleeve). The remaining sleeve or ring is ground.

No I am not. That's why I start with asking the viewer by testing their pin connection themselves and ended with the sentence as in the answer.

I originally wrote this article for iPhone microphones and audio inputs, but it applies almost equally as well to any Android device that has a headset jack (TRRS, as mentioned in other answers).
The two primary things you need to do are:

Make sure the physical connection works—thus the need for a TRRS to TRS adapter like those made by KVConnection.
Make sure the input signal has the correct impedance. For the iphone, this is about 600Ω. Not sure what each model Android phone uses, but this makes the level of the microphone or audio device match up correctly to the input on your phone. Some phones will cut off the audio completely if the impedance is way off, as a safeguard against blowing out the audio circuit.

Once you can make the physical connection and have the right impedance, you just need a good audio recording app that will use the headset audio input. See my article for some ideas.

Some phones will cut off the audio completely if the impedance is way off, as a safeguard against blowing out the audio circuit   - this helped me !! thnx!

There are professional Bluetooth-to-XLR adapters availabe (Google search) that work just like any Bluetooth headset with HFP or A2DP profile.
Quality (especially the HFP mode may be subpar) and latency may vary from wired solutions, though.
JKAudio has such a product: Daptor 3

I use  the Irig Pre XLR  input adapter and headphone output with Phantom power on my HTC Wildfire. It works fine in flight mode. I use the Tapemachine PRO app.

I was Googling for the same product that works for my Galaxy Tab 2 tablet. I found the iRig microphone too, but it was somewhat of an overkill for my purpose since I already have a microphone.
So I searched for this "3.5mm 4-Pole Mic Headset adapter" on eBay and found this item. It costs only $4, and it will allow you to use a standard microphone.

http://www.startech.com/Cables/Audio-Video/Audio-Cables/35mm-4-Position-to-2x-3-Position-35mm-Headset-Splitter-Adapter-Male-to-Female~MUYHSMFF
I think this is what you are looking for.

Thanks, but i have already made the adapter...

Or this...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SENSITIVE-TIE-CLIP-LAPEL-LAVALIER-MICROPHONE-for-SAMSUNG-GALAXY-SMARTPHONES-/280916075048?pt=UK_Music_Instruments_Microphones_MJ&var=&hash=item4167e72228#ht_2015wt_872

Could you at least give the name of the product plus a short description, and state why this would be a good solution? eBay links tend to be short-lived.

authors: Артём Нечунаев


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Google+ client that takes up less space?
Has anyone tried a Google+ client that takes up less space than the standard client from Google Inc.? My phone gets full very quickly and right now the Google+ client is one of the largest installed apps I've got. Any suggestions?
The most useful feature of the client compared to using the browser version is that I can do "Share" from any other app, usually Google Reader, directly to Google+ without having to copy+paste the URL I want to share.
EDIT: This is on an HTC ChaCha (Status) which has a pretty tight memory space.

Have you tried moving it to the SD card? No disadvantages unless you want to use the widget.

@avilella: unfortunately, it seems Google+ API currently only provides read-only access to data (https://developers.google.com/+/api/); this means that it is unlikely that anyone would be able to write an alternative Google+ client without reverse-engineering Google+'s web interface or official client (which is not officially supported, therefore might be unstable and/or even a TOS violation). As is typical for Google, I'm positive they have plans to release a write API in the near future; but currently a full-fledged alternate client seems unlikely.

@LieRyan Google generally doesn't really care if someone uses their undocumented APIs e.g. the dictionary and weather ones are working without any issues and some are working on one for the music one too.

The mobile web version of the Google+ can be accessed from the browser. It provides all the basic features, although since it's just a web app there is no integration with the OS (no notification, etc).
Size? 0 kb.

It doesn't let me do "Share to Google+" from another app, unless there is a magical way of doing "Share to bookmark"...

http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/19397/share-to-bookmark

The size is not truly 0kb, as the browser will cache the data accessed. You would have to regularly clear the browser cache, in the same way you could clear the app's cache. Though presumably the browser cache is smaller.

I have searched though the Android Market and it dosen't look like there are any other app's which can do that.
But if you need space you can install a custom ROM on your phone and make an external partition on your sd card.
Then you can get 1 GB ekstra space for apps etc.
But since i don't know which phone you have, i can't point you to a specific guide.
But i would do that or you can try App2SD from the market, which can move some of the apps to your sd card :)

Google+ api does not support many features at the moment. Or i should say the API is readonly at the moment.
Due to this limitation there are hardly any apps for Google+, till that time either stick to google+ app, or the web app.
Since HTC Cha Cha is using Android 2.3 (Ginger Bread), you should be able to move Google+ to the SD card. (Settings -> Applications -> Manage Applications -> Downloaded (tab) -> Select Google+ -> Move to SD card)
or the alternate solution is install Apps2SD (lightweight app), and use it to l

did u manage to find some solution?


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How to revert back to stock rom for Galaxy S 2?

Possible Duplicate:
Where can I find stock or custom ROMs for my Android device?

I did the whole exercise and rooted my Swiss Sunrise 2.3.4 Galaxy S II ending up installing CM9 and the ICS 4.0.3 preview without TouchWiz shown and described here:
http://devsrom4android.blogspot.com/2012/02/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-android-ice-cream.html
I do not have a backup of the original stock rom from Sunrise for Switzerland and with this new version I cannot install home banking application (it's restricted for swiss devices and for OS version) neither can I install the new Chrome Beta for ICS because it tells me country is wrong.
where can I find a step-by-step guide on where/how to find the original rom and put it back possibly also unrooting so to bring the phone to its original state/configuration? Thanks!!

I have installed this and it works perfectly even if it was the official one for Italy, but I could switch the language to English ( I do am Italian anyway ): http://devsrom4android.blogspot.com/2012/02/i9100xila3-itv-android-236-italy.html

You can find the stock ROM for the SGS2 on XDA here, and there is also a list of branded carrier ROMs here.
You will then need to use a tool like ODIN (maybe even Kies) to flash the ROM to the device. The first link also is a good tutorial on how to flash via ODIN.
I recommend you read everything before you attempt to restore, then when you understand it all, read it again. If there is any reference to specific versions of things, or radios versions or anything like that, make sure you do the research and look in to that stuff and make sure everything is "correct" before you continue. Then follow it step-by-step when you are ready to restore.

unfortunately in any of the links you sent me I can find the stock rom for 2.3.x for the Swiss Sunrise Galaxy S 2 so no luck.

is swiss sunrise owned by Telstra? I found some reference to them when looking for swiss sunrise, or maybe the swisscom ROM... just guessing though.


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Is it possible to reorganize the SD card? Because it is a mess in there
One of the things I hate about Android is the folder organization. Each app creates its own folder, usually in the root of the SD card. When I'm trying to find something, I have to search it through long lists of app-specific folders.
Is it possible to reorganize these? For example, this is how I would like my SD card to look like:

Android: OS specific data
AppData: Application specific data. This is where every app puts its settings and data, not where they want
Documents
Downloads
Pictures
Music
Video etc.

So in other words, can I restrict where apps put their data?

You cannot restrict where the applications write the data on the sdcard. You can go and delete what ever you want on the sdcard, but it may be data for an application. If you move it, the application will think it has been deleted or doesn't exist, and it will just create the data in the same place again.
Google recommends applications use the /sdcard/Android/data/ folder, but if the application has permissions to write to the sdcard, they can write where ever they want on it. Some applications were created before the recommendations, others may not know the recommendation, and others may not care for what ever reason.
The "standard" is the following for non-application specific data:
Music/
Podcasts/
Ringtones/
Alarms/
Notifications/
Pictures/
Movies/
Download/
and then application specific is:
Android/data/<application>

Thanks, this is the kind of answer I was hoping for... So there is a standard... too bad apps don't respect it.

The fact is that Android is open enough for every dev to do whatever they want. There are some specific places certain stuff goes like the media folder and the .android_secure folder, as an example. The good news is that you can do a lot of cleaning up yourself by just browsing in there but be careful you don't delete data files and db's for apps still installed.
hth

The problem is that it's not well organized, and many applications put the data wherever they want. (usually the /sdcard/ folder). Can I restrict where apps can put data?, for example, and AppData folder?


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PPTP Disconnects
I am using the built in PPTP client on my 2.3 phone and 3.0.1 tablet, to connect to the same PPTP gateway. Neither will stay connected for longer than about 5 minutes, maximum.
My phone uses it's 3g connection. My table is Wifi only. I have a laptop that will stay connected, that connects via my home Wifi. I also have a wired desktop at home, that also stays connected. So it's just the two Android device, via 3G and Wifi, neither stay connected.
Are the better PPTP clients out there? Or something I can tune on my devices perhaps? They both have the maximum power settings for wifi already configured. The tablet is rooted, if that provides me with any other options?


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Changing the appearance of messages in the Messaging app on Droid RAZR Maxx?
I was just wondering if there was any (easy) way to change the appearance of the native messaging app on Droid RAZR Maxx - it doesn't need to be fancy, just resetting it to the default Android 2.3 style would be nice. Ideally, I'd like to keep the same app (so, in other words, without using GoSMS, Handcent, etc.).
If there isn't an easy way to do this, is it possible to do with a rooted Droid RAZR Maxx? If so, could anyone point me towards a tutorial? Thanks in advance!

The easiest solution is probably to use a third party messaging app such as Handcent or Go SMS Pro. Changing the default app itself probably needs rooting and some difficult mangling.
Please bear in mind that I have not tested these apps, and cannot say if they work well or not.

-1 because user asked specifically not to use third party apps, and you answer exactly with the examples given by the asker!


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How to establish a LAN directly between an Archos G9 (Android 4.0, WiFi) and a linux box?
I am buying an Archos G9 (Android 4.0). And a Raspberry Pi. I'd like to take them along for trips, and they need to be able to communicate over a network so I can use stuff like VNC etc.
How do I do this?
AFAIK ad hoc WiFi is annoyingly unsupported on Android, but can I connect to the Raspberry Pi if I manage to set the latter up in Master Mode with a usb wifi dongle? That might be hard though.
How about LAN over bridged usb cables? Does Android support that?
Any other ways of getting a network between this device and a generic linux box? It has WiFi, Bluetooth and Usb connections.

I would doubt LAN would be easily doable without a custom kernel, Android has never really provided drivers or support with it. Tangentially: has the G9 received an ICS update that is not reflected on the Archos site? The model you linked to is listed to run Android 3.2, not 4.0: http://www.archos.com/products/gen9/archos_101g9/features.html?country=us&lang=en&#d

The makers of Archos officially stated Android 4.0 would be on G9 in February 2012, so I thought I might as well base my question about that. Also, your comment about LAN is interesting but also leaves me clueless. Surely communicating with other devices is no problem via a WiFi access point? Which methods of LAN, specifically, are you saying are not supported at all?

Sorry, I meant your idea of using a USB cable for LAN. Android has never historically supported any kind of meaningful USB networking capabilities, AFAIK.

I've recently bought an Archos 101 G9 Turbo (running ICS 4.03) with the intention of using it for work purposes to replace my slow Windoze netbook. The only shortcomming I though I would experience was having access to an ethernet port on the device.
I found an old USB LAN adapter that's been lying around in a drawer for a few years and out of curiosity. I thought it can't do much harm to try it. I plugged it in the the micro-usb port via a host cable and much to my surprise a grey Ethernet icon immediately popped up in the tablet's system tray. I plugged in an Ethernet cable from my network switch into the adapter and lo-and-behold it picked up an IP address via DHCP and connected to the net! No software, no configuration - true plug-and-play!
The Ethernet icon 'lights up' when connected so you can see it's good to go. The only thing I can't find is any configuration options under settings, so it looks like it might only work with DHCP and default settings (if anyone can throw any light on this It would be appreciated).
Even better, these things are still available and really cheap to buy, the host cable (micro USB male to USB A female) was GBP £1.99 and the USB ethernet adapters can still be bought for less that GBP £2.50 online. The USB ethernet adapters are available from the usual online sources. The one I have uses an SR9600 chipset if that's any help.
FWIW I've just tried this on my old Archos 7c G2 tablet running Froyo 2.3.3 and it doesn't work with that. I've tried it on a Samsung, Galaxy tab running Honeycomb 3.2 and this too doesn't recognize the device so I guess it's just ICS it works with.


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Is it possible to make my Samsung Galaxy Nexus use external usb storage like memory sticks?
Is it possible to make my Samsung Galaxy Nexus connect to a USB memory stick?
I have the USB Connect. How can I do that?

It supports USB Host Mode, but the question is whether it has drivers for the stick.  I'd guess not, but you could connect it and try (I assume "I have the USB Connect" means you have a USB -> micro USB converter).

Not on the stock kernel, the mass storage drivers are missing, however most custom kernels have them.

I didn't test yet, but there's an app for that. You need a rooted phone and busybox installed

@loics2 still needs a kernel with the mass storage driver, most kernels have it for micro sdcard support, as the galaxy nexus has no microsd card the stock rom kernels do not have this driver.

If your Galaxy Nexus is rooted, install this app: StickMount. Then connect your USB to a USB-to-MicroUSB cable (such as this one), and plug the micro usb into the phone, a popup will appear asking you what application do you want to open, select StickMount. Using a file manager, such as this one, navigate to: /sdcard/usbStorage/ you will find your USB files there.
Note: If your phone is not rooted, you cannot do this.

You must be looking for this. Though it is costly, you can get local cables from radio shack or so. Then, use stickmount app. Note that this works only after rooting.
P.S. Rooting is not as complex as it sounds. You are just gaining access to your own phone. In Galaxy Nexus, you can unroot as well!


text:
How can I use an app purchased from the Market on a Kindle Fire?
I bought "Cut the Rope" on my Nexus One cellphone from the Android Market. When I open this game on my Kindle Fire it asks me to buy it but I expected it to be "Purchased".
How can I add my Google account to Kindle Fire's Amazon appstore account list?

The Amazon Kindle Store and the Google Android Market are different stores.  Apps you buy in one store are not honored in the other store.
You can install the Amazon Store on your Nexus One pretty easily, so you'll be able to use Apps you buy on your Fire on your Nexus One.  But going the other way is more trouble (it currently requires you've rooted your Kindle Fire).  See How can I get the Android Market installed on my Kindle Fire?


text:
Share to bookmark
Is there any way of having a "Bookmark" as part of the items in the "Share" options that show when one clicks "Share" on a given app?

I found an app Bookmark Home which adds Add bookmark to the share list. If you send a bookmark to it, it will be stored in the apps own storage, but there is an export option to save all of them in the Browser bookmarks.


text:
"sendmsg: Connection refused" trying to root a Nexus One
Following the link taken from this question, I got the following error.
$ ./freenexus
[*] Android local root exploid (C) The Android Exploid Crew
[*] Modified by ak for HTC Nexus One
[+] Using basedir=/data/local/tmp, path=/data/local/tmp/freenexus
[+] opening NETLINK_KOBJECT_UEVENT socket
[+] sending add message ...
[-] sendmsg: Connection refused

Does this mean that method is now outdated?

A fully-updated N1 won't have any of the previous vulnerabilities that were used for rooting. The rooting question has a link specifically for the N1 that uses fastboot oem unlock instead.

@eldarerathis: that guide is very much confused, it takes many things as granted, and after all it's not even a guide, it's just one guy having a problem on a forum. Isn't there something better written?

Try one of these, maybe: http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/Nexus_One/Guides_%26_Tutorials#Root

Ok thanks, looks like it's really hopeless: can't be rooted without wiping.

@eldarerathis: would you post both of your comments as an answer, please?

Ah, yeah. Wasn't really aware you were trying to avoid wiping your device :-/

As far as I know, a fully updated N1 won't have any exploitable vulnerabilities to allow you to root the device. Most of the older "one click" and similar methods used things like Gingerbreak, which were holes in Android that eventually got patched. I have not seen a root exploit on vanilla Android since Gingerbreak.
XDA's wiki has a couple of different options regarding the N1 which work but require unlocking the bootloader, and unlocking will perform a factory reset automatically. They can be found here and basically amount to:

Unlock the bootloader from fastboot mode with fastboot oem unlock
Flash a custom recovery (usually ClockworkMod)
Flash a zip file from recovery that will install su and Superuser for you
Reboot


text:
How to change google account without wiping?

Possible Duplicate:
How-to unlink the main Google account from android device without a factory reset

I'd like to change the google account an unrooted Nexus One is linked to without wiping. If I try to remove the current account it says it can't do it without a factory reset...

@eldarerathis: definitely a dupe

That is correct, you can't change the primary account without a wipe.
However, you can use Titanium Backup to back up your apps and settings so that putting your phone's environment back together after is a snap.

Incorrect, Titanium Backup does pretty much nothing useful if you're not rooted, that's the problem. It certainly doesn't backup application data, which is the whole problem.

Yes, you have to be rooted but that should not be a problem with the Nexus One.  And it most certainly does back up application data; I've used it to do just that many times.

currently you can't get root without wiping

Just did a quick search. It seems you can get root on the Nexus One just by adding a few binaries (su, fastboot, recovery)

Unfortunately, that post is quite probably outdated: http://android.stackexchange.com/a/19432/2665

It's from March 2001, and says it works for Gingerbread.  What version of Android are you running on the N1?  Also, unlocking the bootloader might indeed wipe your data, which would suck.  You can at least reload you app list easily though with AppBrain.


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Why doesn't uninstalling an app free all the space it had used?
I've noticed a problem in my Galaxy Pop today, that after uninstalling an app the actual free space on the device doesn't change. I have downloaded a virtual guitar of size 2.6 MB, but when I went to uninstall this app, then I was shocked to seeing that only 230 KB were freed.
My question is, where are th remaining 2.3 MB? I've searched the phone and SD card but couldn't find out it where it went. It also looks like I've been lost some internal space on the phone.

Welcome to Android-SE, Sam! I've done some editing on your question to improve the grammar and spelling. I guess English is not your first language, but please try to use proper spelling and capitalization when you post a question or answer. Hope you'll find this site a good resource for all things Android!

It could be a cache issue. You could try downloading  Astro File Manager and open it. Then go to File Manager > Pref > Cache from there click on Other Internal Caches. beyond that you will probably need to do a factory restore to retrieve all your memory.
Resources:

Uninstall app doesn't change space used

Support Samsung Galaxy S2 Internal Memory
Problems

I know it sounds smart-ass, but you may need to be a full restart to make the reclaimed space visible again.

I think that maybe the remaining 2.3 MB was data in the app. Your phone may say 'deleting this app will also delete all this data' or likewise, but sometimes it doesn't delete the data. So, if you recorded 2.3 MB of songs, this is probably hiding in your device or SD card (if applicable).
I hope this works for you!


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How to and from where install ClockworkMod Recovery (CWM) on GT-P1000?
Currently I am trying to upgrade my Android OS from 2.3.3 to Cyanogenmod 9 not with "Odin" but via the bootloader and SD-card. Now I had a problem with "Signature verification failed" described here which is highly likely due to the fact that I failed to install a custom bootloader. Now as it is mentioned everywhere as a pre-requisite, I want to install "ClockworkMod Recovery", but I cannot find it anywhere! More so in articles around the www from bloggers and journalists (who actually never tried what they wrote about) it is assumed that you already have installed CWM. It seems to be needed also for other ROM's for the EU Samsung Galaxy Tab 7"inch (GT-P1000), not only the one that I want to install.
The actual problem is:
When I try to install CWM with ROM Manager (5.0.0.6) it only shows the two models "Samsung Epic4G" and "Samsung GalaxyS i9000" in the list and not my model (Galaxy Tab EU) or any other model.
When I researched I only found outdated YouTube videos and XDA-developer threads that don't provide a link to a newer / the most current solution. Most of all, I had a hard time coming up with any Google search results that provide a current solution for my issue.
I am willing to try anything to get CWM up and running, as long as the process is outlined somewhere more or less understandable.
Finally: I am aware that I void the warranty I never had. I did win my Galaxy Tab, thus never paid for it and never got a receipt and now live in another country anyways.

You cannot install CWM recovery onto the Samsung Galaxy Tab P1000 via ROM Manager app.  You will need to flash it via Odin or Heimdal utilities.
XDA-Developers forums are a good start.  I suggest reading up on the Galaxy Tab Android Development section.  This thread seems to have good instructions for flashing ClockWorkMod v3 along with a Euro-specific kernel.  This should be a good start that will allow you to format the Tab to Ext4 file system, and allow for flashing other ROMs such as CM9 alpha/beta.

What's in the package:

Galaxy TAB (euro) kernel
1.4Ghz clockspeed (stock voltage)
Voodoo Sound patch V6 (search the market for the Voodoo Control App)
100 % MCR EXT4 compatible & separate Overcome version
UV control by sysfs or app (thanks to xan)
Camera/key-backlight working
UV LCD (3.3v to 2.6v) thanks to koxudaxi
UV RAM(1.8v to 1.6v) thanks to koxudaxi
LED Flash for flash light apps thanks to koxudaxi
Filesystem support - EXT2/EXT3/EXT4
frequencies 100/200/400/800/1000/1200/1400
rooted adb shell
ClockworkMod 3 (thanks to Paul Obrien)

Always BACKUP your stuff before flashing anything.
Extract the zip and use Heimdall to flash the zImage (kernel directory).
  Heimdall must be version 1.1.0 or greater.
  You MUST have the libusb drivers WORKING in download mode before you can flash using
  Heimdall.
Use the command line:
heimdall flash --kernel zImage
  where zImage is the name of the kernel, full path names are allowed.
Downloadlink:
Galaxy Tab 1.4Ghz V16 - MCR version
If you have a problem with the sensors just push this file to
  /system/lib/hw: http://xda.richardtrip.org/tab/sensors.default.so

Thanks man, I actually flashed - indeed with Odin - to Overcome 4.0! (Not 4.1, I think, I just went by the tutorial.) I then overwrote this one with the CM 9 ROM and kernel...

That's disappointing to hear. I'm currently halfway through this tutorial which links to ROM Manager with explicit instruction to use it to flash ClockWorkMod Recovery onto a GT P1000. http://www.mobiada.com/how-to-install-cyanogenmod-10-1-on-samsung-galaxy-tab-gt-p1000/   Is the article bogus?


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Accessing Calculation History on HTC Calculator App
On my HTC Thunderbolt, it comes with a Calculator app. If you hold down the Clear button, you get toast that says:

Calculation history cleared

I was wondering how to view the calculation history. I know you can clear it, I just don't have a clue how to get to it. menu button does nothing.

Definitely, the most unusual timing to anwser my own question!
When I picked up the phone. I accidentally held down the menu button and the on screen keyboard came up.
The up▲ and down▼ buttons there will do the trick!


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How to connect Galaxy Spica 2.1 to tv using RCA/ Phono cable
I bought an RCA phono cable 3.5mm. Connected it to my phone and to my tv but I only hear the audio that I play.
I wanna watch the movies of my phone on the tv.
Any help?

According to the specs I was looking at, the Galaxy Spica only supports audio out, not video.

If you're rooted, it may be possible to VNC to it or use the phone as USB disk to play a video file in the SD card; but there is no video out capability in Spica.

Ryan: the OP is looking to hook up to a TV and I doubt it can read from a USB disc.  Also, the frame rate for VNC is pretty low - I'm pretty sure it wouldn't support video playback very well.

there are TVs that can play video files directly from a plugged USB storage, the OP might have one; but he would have to check the manual or try it out. I agree regarding VNC.


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Emacs on Android
I would like to run Emacs on my Android phone. Has anyone done this? If so, how can I?
I've looked, and I haven't been able to find either an executable or instructions to compile emacs for Android.
I know CyanogenMod has some Unix commands, but I haven't found a list or whether it includes Emacs. I don't want to flash my phone without knowing.
I've seen many pages on running Emacs on "Android" via installing Ubuntu. I don't mean running Emacs on "Android" hardware, I mean running Emacs on the Android operating system.
I'm also aware I can use an app to SSH to a Unix box, and that there are online Emacs emulators. Again, not what I'm looking for.
I'm looking for the standard command-line GNU Emacs, and I'm aware I'll need to use a terminal emulator app to run it, as well as a Bluetooth keyboard to do anything useful. I'm not looking for a GUI app, though that would be better than nothing.
I'll accept either a link to a binary or instructions to compile it.

I don't think anyone has made a native port for Android.

Do you need emacs, or would an editor with emacs-style key bindings suffice?  Don't know of either, but you may have better luck with the latter.

@Chance Need is a strong word. I would very much like emacs. My goal is to be able to develop on an Android device. Emacs is much more desirable for such than a simple editor with bindings (though again, that would be better than nothing I suppose).

I have ported Emacs to Android. (Github)
It doesn't draw UI like the Linux X11 version, but uses a modified Android Terminal Emulator.

I'm so glad to see this!  (On my Asus tablet it seg-faults on start.  I saw your note about changing the font size being a work-around, but that didn't help me.  Looking forward to an update!)

I get 'emacs.zielm.com forbidden -- press enter to continue'.

From what I understand, it is not possible (at the time of writing this), since almost all the dependencies that are required for Emacs to run do not exist on the Android system. Then, even if you got all the dependencies to compile for ARM and Android kernel, it would take longer to start up Emacs than it would to SSH into another machine that has Emacs available.
If you want to try, you can look at this site which explains what you need to do to compile Linux binaries for Android devices. And here is how you build Emacs.

"it would take longer to start up emacs then it would to ssh" -
I will probably ssh to a box when I can, regardless. But I would like to be able to develop without internet. I am often without a connection while travelling.

If you have Lollipop or above, Termux is a terminal emulator and Linux environment where you can install Emacs via apt update; apt install emacs. Or check out Running Emacs on Android on how to do get it running.
I have Emacs running on my CyanogenMod tablet using this method.

There is now an official release on F-Droid. Binaries can also be downloaded directly from the project page on SourceForge.
The official wiki page is also available.

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


text:
How many computers can I connect simultaneously using Android tethering?
Yesterday I tried to connect 5 computers with my Android smartphone to the internet, however, I could only connect two of them simultaneously, is this the theorical limitation or there is any configuration to be done to increase this number? Is this a limitation of my smartphone's wifi card?
PS: Android 2.2 @ Samsung Galaxy 551

did you receive IP addresses from android for all of them?

yes, I mean, for the 2 that i could connect simultaneously.

again. Connected to internet via android phone only 2 of them but all of them wifi connected to the android hostspot without any problems receiving their IP addresses correspondingly? Could be the the issue of the particular samsung galaxy 551 AFAK they create their own brews of android. Here's an issue about 8-client AP limit for galaxy S http://code.google.com/p/android-wifi-tether/issues/detail?id=1171

I didnt noticed about DHCP or ip adresses, when I connect the 3th computer, the first one that was connected just goes disconect state..

looks like obvious dhcp /31 restriction to me...

Sorry, but it is not obvious for me and for most of users here, what "dhcp /31" means? Could you give us details? Please consider to post it as an answear..

If your devices are getting disconnected from AP's wifi when you try to connect them it means that AP's DHCP does not  lease more than 2 addresses meaning subnet /31 and the rest is disconnected. Have you checked the DHCP of all devices?? What do they get? If they are connected to the AP but not connected to the internet it means it's a firewall/nat restriction.

As far as I've read, there is a limit on how many devices can simultaneously connect to an Android-device-hotspot; if I remember correctly, it was 5 clients. But at the moment I cannot find the source where I read it...


text:
How do I disable the "Select input method" Notification?
I don't know if this is standard ICS behavior or if it's due to my Cyanogenmod based ROM, but every time I open the soft keyboard by clicking on a text box/area a notification appears in the notification drawer that says "Select input method."  I don't mind seeing this notification one time, but I'm already using the input method I want and I'd like to disable the notification.
Is this standard behavior for Ice Cream Sandwich? Can it be disabled?

Do you have an external keyboard paired/plugged in or anything of that sort? That's the only time I've seen it appear, personally.

No I don't.  I'm using just my phone and nothing else, and there's no hardware keyboard on my particular phone (Droid Bionic)

Why do you want to disable the notification?

Setting -> Notifications ->Android System -> Virtual keyboard; Works at least on Galaxy S10, Android 11.

This is a standard 'feature' of ICS. Aside from the notification, changing input methods can be accomplished through the "language and input" section of the phone menu. If you disable and uninstall all keyboards except for one, so there is nothing else to switch to, the notification may disappear.

Unfortunately, this is true. The only way to disable it is to run a custom ICS ROM that the ability to disable it (a few do).

Ha that's kinda lame.  I guess I have my answer then.

I'm not sure about stock ICS, but in CyanogenMod 9 there is a toggle that allows you to hide this notification.  I will post this as a separate answer.

If you only have one method to select from, I believe it goes away. Go to Settings -> Language & Input and uncheck all but one input method.

I am using alternative keyboard and can't disable the default. Which means I have two I input methods. Thus I can't get rid of notification. Sucks...

@SergiyByelozyorov If you're rooted you can just uninstall/disable the stock keyboard. You can disable even if you're not rooted.

@LiamW: Can't disable it on my Samsung S III. The checkbox in the "Language and input" (in Settings) is checked and grayed out. My phone is not rooted.

@SergiyByelozyorov The stock Android keyboard cannot be unselected, sorry.

@SergiyByelozyorov You can not uncheck it, but you can disable by Settings ->Apps ->All ->Google Keyboard ->Disable ->OK

Unfortunately @András you cannot do this for the Samsung Keyboard, if you prefer to keep the Google Keyboard.  There is only a  Force Stop option.

If only GBoard supported Korean, I wouldn't have to have a second keyboard installed. But I do and there's nothing I can do?

I'm not sure about stock ICS, but in CyanogenMod 9 & 10.2 you can disable this notification by going to "Settings -> Language & input" and de-selecting the "Selector notification" option just below the list of keyboards.

I'm using CM 11 and no longer have this option :(

@Ben CM 11 is still a work in progress.  Most of the CM 10.2 features are currently being forward-ported, and should eventually re-appear.  Give it some time.

I confirm that CM11 does have this option now, and also most ROMs that are based on it.

This option is also present in Paranoid Android (4.6 BETA 1)

Go into language settings and disable(uncheck) all of the other keyboards but the one you wish to use. go to applications settings, find the "all" tab, find the other stock keyboards and disable them. restart. worked for me.

This should definitely be marked as correct answer, IMO. On my stock ICS GNexus, I did this (while leaving my Google voice keyboard option enabled), and once I restarted, the icon no longer appears. Finally!

Just a note, this doesn't seem to work with JB 4.2. :/

This seems to work perfectly fine on my Google Nexus 4 running Android 4.4.4.

This is a feature in ICS and above. Its goal is to make it easy to switch input methods.
It only appears if you have more than one IME enabled. The sad thing is that if you use a non-stock keyboard this will always appear.
If you want to get rid of it simply go into
Settings -> Apps -> All (tab)

and find the default keyboard(s). Open the entry and choose disable.

What's "the default keyboard" called?

Google Keyboard is the name for Nexus devices for example.

This worked just fine on my non-rooted phone, using (customly installed) Gboard input.

Yes it is standard behavior in ICS. This appears if you have more than one keyboard selected in the ICS keyboard & language settings page, which is always the case if you use a third party keyboard. Some custom roms (particularly CM9 and AOKP) allow you to disable it in their extra settings.

On Xperia devices you can disable this by disabling the "Smart Keyboard" option in
Settings->Xperia->Smart Keyboard.

Cannot find this on my Z5 Compact.

Use Titanium Backup to backup, then uninstall "Android keyboard"

You DON'T need to be rooted to do this. The "Disable" function is part of Android, it does not delete the app. Disable can also be used
  to turn off bloatware apps if your squeamish about rooting to get rid
  of them. It does however stop the app from working at all, so be sure
  that its not used or connected to any of the apps you use. Unlike
  using root and Titanium Backup to delete or "freeze" an app, Disabling
  will not keep you from being able to take any updates. When the update
  checks the app will still be there, just turned off
System Settings-->Language & Input Go down to the Keyboard & Input Methods section and uncheck everything but the keyboard that you plan
  to use, including "Google voice typing" and "moto Chinese input" (for
  me that means leaving Swiftkey checked). having only one checked
  should stop the notification. However on the Bionic there are two
  input methods that the checkmark is blocked out on so you can't
  uncheck them: the stock keyboard and Swype. These two are what would
  keep the stupid notification coming back. So you need to go turn the
  things off manually in apps.
System Settings-->Apps-->All-->Android Keyboard (AOSP)-->Disable-->OK System
  Settings-->Apps-->All-->Swype-->Disable-->OK As far I know disabling
  these shouldn't mess with any other apps on your phone if you have
  another keyboard installed from the market, so don't worry about the
  notification that pops up when you hit "Disable".If you are worried
  about it...then you'll have to live with the notification. If
  something down the road does cause you a problem and you think this is
  it then just go back to apps-->all, scroll all the way down, and hit
  "Enable", then reboot and you should be good to go. If you use one of
  these two instead of a third party keyboard I'm sure you could just
  disable the other one and get the notification to go away.
Power off and reboot your device.
Open up texting and test that when you select the input field A) you don't get a notification and B) That a keyboard shows up at all
  :icon_eek: If you don't get a keyboard at all don't panic, there's
  just one more step to do.If you still get a notification go back to
  step one and make sure that any other keyboards are unchecked.
System Settings-->Language & Input-->Default-->Select your keyboard (for me this is Swiftkey) Your keyboard of choice should be the only
  option in this list, select it and then go test to make sure
  everything works right.

Source

Go to Settings > Language and Input and uncheck Google Voice Typing.

If all else fails just disable the stock Google search (which automatically reactivates Google voice typing & therefore 'select input method') and use Google search from a downloaded app.  Yahoo or Bing can also be replacement search engines.


text:
How to port a SIM card to an Android phone
The procedure for porting a SIM card from a pay-as-you-go phone to an iPhone 4 is well documented (example 1, example 2, config tool for iOS 5). This is a nice option for people mostly on WiFi who use a small number of minutes (or VoIP), because with AT&T GoPhone plans, you can keep network costs down toward $100/year.
Is there a similar procedure for porting to a high-end Android phone? For example, can you buy a $3 GoPhone from Best Buy, buy an unlocked or AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II off eBay, move the SIM card into the Galaxy, and expect it to work? Other than ensuring the GoPhone plan has a data bundle feature, what other configuration is required?

If you have an unlocked phone, I don't think there should be any problem. The SIM card for GoPhone is apparently just a regular prepaid SIM card and is not tied to the phone it is sold with. If the phone doesn't recognize the APN for 3G, just go to Settings > Wireless and Networks > Mobile Networks > Access point Names and enter the appropriate access point settings manually.

If the phone is locked to AT&T, would that work, too?

@EdwardBrey: A SIM locked phone is locked to its original SIM card.


text:
Disappearing/deleted .pls files
I am making application that is using .pls files to read shoutcasts' adresses from them. At one moment I noticed, that sometimes .pls file I was reading data from is disappearing after I have used it.
After lots of testing, I noticed, that if I rename file to .txt, it won't get deleted.
A little more testing, a voila - sometimes, if I read data from one .pls file (pathname provided in String), ALL .pls files on sdcard get deleted! And my doing anything with any of them - they just all get deleted.
I am using HTC Desire Z, Android 2.3.3, not rooted, and I don't remember installing any applications that could be deleting files, especially without my knowledge.
Any ideas? I can provide you with the app code I am using, but I don't really think it is connected in anyway to this problem.

Now, I am not 100% that this is the exact issue, as I do know that this is the case with .m3u playlists, but I have not tried using .pls files for a playlist.
The problem sounds like it is with the Media Scanner. When it scans the directory that the .pls file is in, it sees the playlist file (the .pls) but if the directory does not have any other media files in there (like .mp3 for example) then it automatically assumes that the playlist is empty so it deletes it.
You can create a file in the directory called .nomedia and the Media Scanner will not even scan the directory, leaving your .pls files alone.
To test this, you could just drop some type of media file in the directory with the .pls and see if it is still deleted (or add the .nomedia file). If it is not deleted, then it is 100% the Media Scanner causing the files to delete. If it is still deleted, then I would check if in your application you are deleting them some how.

Ha, and I thought that switching to .m3u files would solve my problem (strangely, they don't get deleted. For now...).
I will try adding .nomedia file and do some tests to see if that was the case with .pls files.

Adding .nomedia file to directory with .pls files fixed the problem, thank you very much!


text:
Can I reverse tether my Android device to my phone using Bluetooth PAN or DUN?
I have a Sony Ericsson K800i phone that supports both bluetooth PAN and DUN.
Is there any way to share my phone's internet to my tablet (cheap achinese Aishuo A820 with Android 2.3.1, rooted). For now I don't care if the method requires root because the tablet is rooted, but if it's possible to do it without root would be great.
I've looked at https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/7817/reverse-tether-on-android-via-bluetooth-pan but it only appears to cover PAN (not DUN) and asks about tethering a phone with a PC. Since I'd like to tether two mobile devices I'm guessing that there will be fewer software options available to me.
I'm ok with writing shell scripts and I have some Linux experience, but not with bluetooth.

possible duplicate of Reverse tether on Android via Bluetooth PAN?

yes. I read that, but it's only about PAN and I think that extending it with DUN is enough to ask a separate question. Plus the question you are referring is about a PC (mostly) and my question is about a phone which has limited options (can't install software on it)

On my rooted device I was able to start connection once and it never worked again. Command is:
android# pand --connect XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
android# netcfg bnep0 dhcp

alternatively if you know the address of remote device  - let's say 192.168.101.1
android# ifconfig bnep0 192.168.101.1
android# route add default gw 192.168.101.1 dev bnep0
android# setprop net.dns1 192.168.101.1

I'm not sure why it stopped working for me. Maybe I'll restore factory image, root it and try again.


text:
Why wait ten minutes after installing some roms?
I notice a lot of custom roms tell you to wait ten minutes after the firstboot before touching anything and was wondering why it is so.

I've never seen that particular caveat, but the most likely things I can think of:

Caches (dalvik, in particular) being rebuilt
First-run scripts
Media scanner running: rebuilding thumbnails and indexes

The worry may be (particularly for first-run scripts) that if you start putting an interactive load on the device, the OS will kill those scripts that are running in the background.
In addition, interactive performance will suffer while all these things are going on.  ROM authors would probably much rather have you go have a snack and come back to a phone ready to go rather than have your first interaction involve poor performance until the OS is "warmed up".

This is pretty much what I've assumed as well.  My device does seem to perform better if I let it sit for a bit after a flash.


text:
Can't unlock LG Optimus P500
I have an LG Optimus P500 phone with Gingerbread.
Suddenly I am not able to unlock it by drawing the pattern. I remember the exact pattern, but its not showing what I draw there. It's not even turning its light on when I draw it.
Removed battery, re-inserted, and done every primary thing.
Strangely I can receive phone call by swiping to answer.
Tried turning it on by pressing power button + home button, but it went to some fast reboot mode and nothing happened.
Can anybody help me in repairing my phone?

What options do you have under the pattern dots? Is there any option to unlock it using your gmail username and password?

See: Cannot unlock tablet as have no internet connection?

All you have to do is HARD RESET Your Device.
Before it,try wrong  pattern continuously for 10-15 times .It will show some option where u can unlock your screen with your Google play account.
If it doesn't work try hard reset.
For hard reset

Switch off your phone.
press power button+volume up/down(try both separately) for 10-12 seconds.
It will show several option .
choose the appropriate one (don't choose options which you don't understand)

for selecting the menu press 'menu' button or try some other buttons if it doesn't work.
the menu choice depends on the different versions of Android phone.

Bad advice to just factory-reset and lose all data ;) Luckily you gave at least one alternative first. More alternatives can be found here: Cannot unlock tablet as have no internet connection?


text:
Galaxy Nexus screen flashes and brightness issues on various button taps and screens
While using my Galaxy Nexus at night in the dark, I started experiencing issues where the screen would flash for a moment to what felt like full brightness when I tap on certain buttons. It seems inconsistent, but frequent. I've had it happen when pressing the back button in various apps, or switching to different apps in the application switcher. It's bright enough to say that it kind of hurts my eyes.
It also seems like certain screens get locked into full brightness. One example is the main timeline screen of the official Twitter app.
I have Automatic Brightness turned off, and the brightness slider at the lowest setting.
Any ideas as to what causes this? Is there some setting I'm missing?

I just had this happen to me. Seeing your answer, Moskie, I carefully removed the apps one at a time from the application switcher by sliding them to the right, testing between each one. For me, pressing home from the web browser caused my screen to do a slow flaah, opening the apps menu made it go bright and stay bright.
The app that caused the trouble? Camera.

I ended up closing all running apps using the application switcher. That seemed to do the trick. I'm not sure which one was causing the problem, though.

There is an app called Screen filter, which I use to use my mobile during night.  Even when the brightness is at its lowest value, the screen is still bright enough during night to disturb others and hurt my own eyes when reading for long time.  This app enables me to reduce the brightness even further the lowest limit.  Though this does not neither help you to automatically adjust the brightness nor solve the random sudden increase of brightness. But still I posted this as it might help you or others if the lowest brightness is still not low enough.

Strange, i have never heard of something like that, it must be an app which are causing it... Anything you have installed recently? I would try and remove some of the recent installed apps, and see if that works, or make a reset of the phone.. If it still happens after a reset, then it's a hardware issue, and you should talk with those who sold it to you...


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where is factory data reset option on Android 2.3.5?
Where is the Factory Data Reset option on an HTC ChaCha Android 2.3.5 phone? I haven't been able to find the option anywhere, and it is recommended to free up memory, which is short in this phone.
Could it be that I can't do a "Factory data reset" on this model? I am looking at the Settings -> Privacy menu, and I only get:
Display message text [x]
Back up my settings [x]
Automatic restore [x]

nothing more...

Answering myself, it seems in this phone is under: "SD & phone storage > Factory data reset."

Whilst this doesn't answer the original question, it is useful information to maintain here. For some older phones (including a non-HTC Android 2.3.4 phone) this setting is found at:
Settings -> Privacy -> Factory data reset

Could it be that I can't do a "Factory data reset" on this model? See edit.

This is not the correct location for 2.3.5.  The accepted answer is correct.  Please delete your answer.


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modify the HTC unlock system on an HTC Android 2.3.5 phone?
My HTC Unlock system comes with "Phone", "Mail", "Camera" and "Messages" options on top of the bubble-thingy that one has to move around to unlock. How can I modify the options in this menu to add new app icons or remove any of these four?

Long tap in your main launcher window --> (Personalize menu pops)--> click on "Display" --> Lockscreen --> Settings.
You can only switch between application, but you cannot have more than 4.

This option has unfortunately disappeared in Android 4.0


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ProxyDroid not working
I am using connectify + proxy droid, yet only proxydroid seems to connect to the internet, while nothing else works.
Proxydroid connects in the sense that, it loads ads.
Nothing else works.
I'm rooted.
Is there any alternative way to set system wide proxy access? Nothing seems to be working. I tried autoproxy also.
Help.

Hmmm. Did you definitely tick the 'Transparent Proxy' option? That tells it to make everything go through the proxy.
Another thing I have noticed when using it is that it can be quite specific with a proxy - my school uses microsoft tmg, and has the proxy as 'tmg' in browsers, but proxydroid needs the full URL to the system (which is TMG.academy.(myschoolwebsiteurl).co.uk)

You're the G.O.A.T ! Thanks man.

Had you not ticked it? An easy mistake to make :)


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Not sure if Kernel Version correct
I recently updated my Samsung GT-S5830 to Gingerbread via Kies. After the update my phone is displaying the kernel version as 2.6.35.7-perf-CL5XXXXX root@DELL 142 #1. The Xs are some 5 digit number. Im not sure if this is normal or if theres something wrong (because of the 'root'). Any clues?

I can see how you'd be confused by that.  It doesn't indicate that your phone is rooted, just that the kernel was compiled by the root user (on a DELL build machine, apparently)!  If you look at /system/build.prop (probably requires root to look, ha) you'll see some other similar information about the build.  Mine says "jaeyoon.yoon@SEP-05" for the same info.


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Samsung S2 reads out message aloud
Some one has changed my phone settings, so when I recieve an SMS from any number the message is read out loudly.
Can someone tell me how to disable this?
My driving mode is turned off too.


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Lost sound on my Xperia X8?
I'm having problems with my Xperia X8, where it doesn't have sound from it's speaker.
No phone sound, music, games, and even alerts.
On the sound settings, the volume settings are set correctly.
Sound is coming fine while making calls, both ways.
It is even giving proper sound with headsets but sound is not coming from speakers.
Torubleshooting: Restarted.... Given soft & factory reset, but no luck.
(Android 2.1)

If everything looks correct from a software/settings perspective then I suppose you may want to consider the possibility that your speaker itself is broken. Most phones nowadays have separate speakers for media sounds and calling, so from what you described that seems possible.

I too had a same problem on Xeperia X8. I guess the cause was I kept on downloading the android apps without restarting the mobile for months. After experiencing similar issue like you I have just restarted my mobile, did not revert any settings to default or upgrade OS to latest.
It solved !!.

I'm glad it worked for you, but the OP notes that he/she has already done a restart and even reset the device.