All Things Android - Apps, Phones, Tablets - Discussion

Regular old plug it in and copy the files over?

 

They're using a second init binary/ROM combo. In essence, it's injecting code into the OEM kernel at boot to deactivate stock kernel modules and use CM modules. The good thing about that is that ALL things Moto can be cleared out because the Moto kernel isn't in control of anything but very baseline ops. AFAIK, on the Droid X the CM binary is over WiFi/Bluetooth/CDMA/Sound/etc... It's a very interesting option they went with. It's also how Step666 got CM7 on his Motorola Defy.

Flashing kernels is still impossible though.

NICE! The MyTouch 4G is a very capable phone.

Like ahl395 said, just drag and drop... it's never failed me. It's just not a one plug sync thing like the i-devices have.

 

Perhaps the better question is, what is the best music browser/player on Android?

 

IMO, Google Music 3.0, or what ahl395 uses... I believe he uses PowerAMP. Though PowerAMP is a paid app, where Google Music is free.

 

Yep! PowerAMP, has a full 10 band equalizer and bass/treble settings along with alot more Worth the small cost for what you get IMO.

If your not too picky about sound though, Free Google Music ftw if you can get in

 

PowerAMP has customizable eqs....per song. You can even change the eq on a same song depending on if you're using headphones vs speaker. I wish there was a damn PC program that'd do that

 

I didn't know it did that. O_O

I might have to take a second look at it now.

 

Question for you droids, perhaps some of you own nexus phones? I'm deciding what to do about pulling the trigger on my first droid phone and narrowed it down a bit, between the Nexus One, the Nexus S and the G2X.

The N1, while obviously older hardware, can be had for about $250 where I am. The NS can be had for $420, and the G2X costs about $450. Regardless of the phone, it will be an AWS version (tmobile). Both Nexus models have an advantage of being sold by auth'd dealers, the g2x would be bought off a guy who buys them from the US and brings them north. All are unlocked and new.

Now, for the cost difference ($170) between the N1 and the NS, several potential defects (I've read about the N1 power button, unresponsive nav buttons, and poor multitouch issues) get tossed out and I'd get more up-to-date hardware. For another $30 on top of that, I'd get a dual-core tegra and a very nice camera, but the g2x doesn't have gingerbread. Who knows when the g2x will get 2.3 OTA, and isn't the N1 close to the end of its' 18 month google commitment deal?

I should mention that this will be my first droid touchscreen device so I have little to form a personal basis on, coming from an old blackberry. I won't be rooting or putting cyan on it right away, and really don't expect to be gaming on it all that much, so while futureproof is nice to think about I probably don't need a dualcore (g2x). But everyone likes speed you know..? Also, if I've overlooked a phone in this category (AWS/UMTS band IV, under ~$400) you could point me in a direction if you'd like. But so far, the N1 is by far the most bang/buck I can find (the hardware for the most part is still on par with a lot of phones being sold today), it's just the potential defects on it are worrisome.

TLDR; For my first droid, is an additional $170 worth the slightly upgraded hardware/nicer screen and more importantly, the peace of mind w/ regards to defects and long term OTA updates?

 

Get the Nexus S. The N1 is old and outdated at this point. And the G2x is riddled with bugs.

The Nexus S is the absolute smoothest phone out right now, aside from the Galaxy S/Galaxy S2. It would give you a very good first impression of Android. Plus, gaming wise, the Nexus S can keep up with a Tegra 2 device.

 

So, if all Motorola phones after the original Droid are locked like that, does that mean the Triumph wouldn't be able to have a custom ROM/kernel if I ended up getting one?

 

Possibly. Though you won't be able to change the kernel, custom ROM's are still very much a reality. There will be ROM's for the Triumph, as I see that being a very popular prepaid device.

 

As far as buying apps from the Android Store goes, how do you pay for them? Do they get billed directly to your phone bill or can it be separate?

 

I'm not sure about T-Mobile, but on AT&T you can charge it to your bill, or pay with credit/debit card. You have 15 minutes to return the app if you don't like it...

 

Won't really be doing gaming on the phone. Also the Nexus 3 is coming out in ~6 months, and its' rumored specs blow everything out there away, while also being an official google phone. Really it comes down to... if I buy an NS now for $420+tax, will I be kicking myself in 6 months, since if I have an NS it's unlikely the upgrade to the N3 (would hold onto the NS until I can't)?

On the other hand, an N1 might not be eligible/supported when ICS rolls out, so it doesn't offer the tiny futureproof protection that the NS has... it's just a whole lot cheaper. The adage of buy what you need right now doesn't really apply to me right now, since I don't even know what I'll need; the BB I'm coming from is so old it's nearly a dumbphone (I cut off BIS a while ago too), this will practically be a jump from a dumbphone to a smartdroid... so you can see why I'm having these troubles

 

I have owned the nexus one for over a year (first phone in a LONG time that I have owned for that long) and while I do love it, at this point I would not recommend getting it. The touchscreen issues are just too frustrating. If it wasn't for that issue, I would say jump on it... but it's just too hard to recommend with that issue.

 

Well, ICS should run on the N1, it's just how smooth. ICS is supposed to be more GPU intensive in the UI and the N1 would REALLY suffer there. The Nexus S would have no issue with that. And unless you're going to be multitasking like a fiend, a single core CPU should be fine. On my Captivate, I can't really tell any difference in general performance between it and my Galaxy S II. It's only when you start flipping through 4-5 apps that the single core chokes a bit, and the dual core shines.

 

Yeah.

I have to say, after using my Defy for the past week ( albeit sparingly due to being away from civilisation), I'm not quite sure what all the fuss is about CM7.
I know that's pretty much blasphemy but that's just my impression - I am aware of some of the advantages it offers but most of them seem like things you'd only use occasionally.

Aren't they all software issues though? And hasn't LG already released fixes for a lot of them?
Also, I'm sure I read that both Paul O'Brien and Cyanogen have Optimus 2Xs, which means there should be a glut of custom ROMs for it.

Anyone care to enlighten me as to what the rumours say? I haven't seen any.
Then again, I've been in a tent for the past week...

 

So...tempted, must...not...buy.

 

Awh, just look at it, laying down there with its accessories just waiting for an owner...so cute . I kid

 

Well, to get the full gist of CM, IMO, you have to use a custom kernel, which is impossible on the Defy. The custom kernels make the experience completely different. Things can be smoothed over, sped up, battery life can be significantly changed, features can be added... all in the kernel.

Yes, that's correct, most are in software, but in the stock software and the modified stock software (all ROM's except CM7) there are still significant flaws. CM7 for the most part is pretty stable though, thanks to the people you named.

Right now, rumors say that the Nexus 3 will be LG based and feature the next phone targeted Tegra chipset. I'm just unsure of that... I can see part of it happening, but there are some holes...

 

lolz @ suction cup mount

 

HTC Desire won’t get Gingerbread update | This is my next...

 

More reason to make manufacturer's enhancements optional updates...

 

The thing has 576MB RAM, and thats not enough? what the hell?

 

I don't get it. There are plenty of 2.3.3 Sense 2.1 updates without having to switch to Sense 3.0. There should be plenty enough ram to go around for Sense 2.1...

Sense 3.0 on the other hand, is occupying a nice 500MB of ram on my DHD. Better try a new build and see if ti's more optimised.

EDIT: Scrap that, Sense 3.0 si reporting ram usage weirdly.

 

I want my MyTouch4G to get 2.3 Gingerbread!!!

 

Root.............unlock the bootloader............load ROM Manager.........PROFIT!

 

That's OK, I don't want to brick my new phone just yet, I'm not that adventurous!

 

Nexus 3 details
http://www.bgr.com/2011/06/15/exclusive-google-nexus-4g-detailed-720p-display-4g-lte-android-4-0/#utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheBoyGeniusReport+%28BGR+|+Boy+Genius+Report%29

Desire will get gingerbread after all?
HTC flip-flops on Desire Gingerbread update: Back on the roadmap - SlashGear

thx for the input from the few of you on Nexus S vs N1, decided to go with the NS. It's an extra $200 but at least there aren't any defects with it and it's up to date.

 

Hey, HAL, I gotta ask you this :

If I want to, and there is such availability, can I get Sense UI 3.0 on the Xperia Arc? Not through LauncherPro or ADWLauncher, but a whole kernel and ROM replace. Is it possible?

 

Good choice.

It's entirely possible, you just need a dev who have enough time and effort to port it. You are not going to be able to get it via L-Pro or ADW anyway. Sense is completely integrated, not just a theme or alike. The main issues the devs have had porting the HTC Kingdom/Pyramid leaked builds to the Desire HD/Z/S is the screen aspect ratio problem. The Aforementioned models are all 16:10 where as the Kingdom/Pyramid are 16:9. An endless amount of resizing was/is required for just about every aspect of the framework.
(Keyword: possible)

 

Ah, I see. If it wasn't for the resize, it wouldn't be as hard, right?

Also, is there a way of having the Sense 3.0's lockscreen without having Sense 3.0? Like some sort of special function mod?

 

It's not that it's a complex operation. Just extremely time consuming to find every item that needs resizing and then resizing them all one by one. As for the lock screen, like many other components of Sense it requires the Sense frame work to operate. I have seen it work pretty good on Sense 2.1. But it is not possible with non Sense roms (not at all possible).

 

Oh... So it's almost impossible to port ONLY that section of the Sense framework into, say, Timescape UI or Gingerbread or TouchWiz 4.0?

 

Correct. Many components of Sense requires the Sense framework to operate. Which is why you only see Sense "themes" not actual Sense functions for other roms.

 

Very good choice. There is something special about owning a nexus device... can't really explain it. The nexus S is a great phone, easily worth the extra $200 due to the component design flaws of the nexus one. If it wasn't for the damn crappy touch screen, the n1 would be easy to recommend .

 

I found the Nexus S to be really pretty disappointing when I used it.


Those rumoured Nexus 4G specs are pretty nice though...

 

I'm rocking an Evo 4G running CyanogenMod Nightly #100 with Launcher Pro and the Tiamet(with sbc) kernel.
At the moment anyway xD

Must have apps, imo:

- Titanium Backup
- GO SMS(running in lightweight mode)
- Plants vs Zombies(let's be honest, the best game for iDevices and Android alike)
- Alarm Clock Xtreme(math problems = never dismissing by mistake)
- Amazon AppStore(free paid app a day? awesome)
- Dolphin Browser Mini(lightweight and is great)
- Kernal Manager/Rom Manager
- SetCPU(have my Evo at 1119mhz right now)
- Zedge(wallpapers, ringtones and notification sounds. What more could you want?)

There's my list of must-have's

 

Like Johnny T said... all the visual elements of Sense require the sense frameworks, then on top of that, the sense apps require the Sense background services, libs, framework jars. It's really complex, that's exactly the reason it takes HTC so long to get updates with Sense out to the public. Sense is ingrained into the entire OS on Sense equipped phones.

Could you elaborate on that? Were you using the S-LCD version? The only major factor that I don't like about it is that it doesn't capture 720p video. But then again, I don't video things very often..lol. IDK? I just don't see what's so disappointing about it.

Nice list! Pretty much all of those are musts... especially the alarm clock. Love that app.

What kind of battery life do you see on the EVO 4G with CM7, compared to the stock ROM?

 

Heh, that sounds really complex...

Also, just heard that the Nexus 4G will have a OMAP 4460 @ DC 1.5GHz with Android 4.0, 720p screen, 5MP rear and 1MP front and LTE support! I hope SE gets ICS into the Xperia Arc...

http://gear.ign.com/articles/117/1176516p1.html

 

Is there any way to browse and play music by folders?

 

All that and only a 5MP camera? LOL. I love how rumors blow everything out of proportion.

Hmm. Good question! I'm sure you can, but you'd probably need a special music player app. Try Rockbox for Android.

Reason it doesn't work with most apps is because Android keeps a database of information the media scanner detects on boot and when you unmount or remount a microSD card. The music apps just pull song information from that system wide database.

 

MP have nothing to do with quality of the camera. My 5.2 MP Kodak crossover camera takes much better pictures than my 12 MP Nikon Point and shoot, and infinitely better pictures than my 8.1 MP Sony Ericsson phone. Mp only tell yo the size you can print a picture. For example: the 20 MP in some DSLR's is only good if you want to print a Billboard, for 8x12 images 5 MP is about the standard. Camera quality is all about the sensor and the lens on the camera. So this 5 MP camera is probably plenty good for whatever you'd need it for (I seriously hope you aren't printing pictures from a phone that often...).

 

This I know... I'm just saying that 1080p capture usually features an 8MP camera module. Since the entire industry is moving towards HD video capture I would expect such to be built into future developers devices. There are apps that use the camera too.

Also, why can't we raise the resolution? Nothing says it has to be a bad camera module if it's over 5MP... I'm just saying maybe 8MP needs to be the new 5MP. Improve the sensors enough to where we have a quality 8MP sensor on a phone. It's not impossible, and I know they can do it. My 5MP on my Captivate takes some really nice pictures, and the iPhone 4's 5MP camera does wonderful.

Camera sensors on phones are usually overlooked by OEM's anyway, and most are extremely subpar. HTC is really bad about that, but they've been doing better on their recent devices.

EDIT: Don't light me on fire for saying this, but, watch Apple introduce the iPhone 5 with an 8MP camera and the whole industry will shift from 5MP to 8MP.

 

Its definitely not impossible though. There are ports of Sense to the Galaxy S's.

Main: HTC Sense Coming to Galaxy S - BriefMobile

[Port][ROM]Gone TeamGalaxySense Htc Sense Port...READ THE WHOLE FIRST POST!!! - xda-developers
[PORT][ROM]Gone Team Galaxy Sense Captivate v0.5..READ THE WHOLE FIRST POST!! - xda-developers

PowerAMP You can browse by folders or using the android library.

 

^ Same with Mixzing (browse/play by folder).

 

I second the Nexus S.. and if you use it has a MP3.. it has better sound quality than the iPhone 4

 

Anyone know what version of ADW CM7 uses?
And us it possible to use it on non-CM7 ROMs?

 

"Version 1.3.6 System CM 1.1"

Seeing as it says CM in the name I'd say probably not this specific one. But the regular version 1.3.6 will probably be the same.

If you want a Titanium Backup file of the CM ADW i can send it to you if you want.

 

You can grab it from market. And yes you can use it on non-CM7 roms.