Database Info

Parallel/Serial ports for PPCs

Hi There
Does anyone know if there is such a thing as a mini-USB to Serial (or parallel) device on the market? Something that would provide PPCs like the K-JAM/WIZARD with a serial/parallel port.
I know they are available for desktop PCs, but what about hand-helds?
Ken

not without USB host. However you can use bluetooth to serial. I got ones of these:-
http://www.merlinbluetooth.co.uk/merlinbluetooth/promi-bluetooth-module-p-33.html

Bluetooth-serial
Thanks for that; it looks great, so I will (I imagine) need to get some software to read/write to that device.
At the device end I should be able to configure some Data Acquisition circuitry.
My problem is that I don't get access to the Vario/K-JAM until Christmas Day - it's a present from my wife - so I have no idea about writing stuff to access the bluetooth system Does it present itself as some sort of I/O?
I've just bought the NSBASIC/CE, so I was hoping to be able to write the necessary stuff with that.
The K-JAM looks a great bit of kit, but I'm never satisfied until I can get two-way interaction with the outside world in both Digital and analogue.
Thanks again,
Ken

It appears as a com port "COM5" on mine. You can open it just like normal using CreateFile / WriteFile etc

GPS software with Speed Logging and Replay

I'm trying to find a gps app to run on my Raphael that is capable of recording/logging a trip including timestamps.
I want to be able to replay the trip precisely, preferably on the phone, but if absolutely necessary I'd be willing to replay it on a laptop computer (I have a macbook pro and am running windows vista in a virtual machine) and logically I can replay it from a website as well.
Specifically, I want to be able to replay this in a courtroom in front of a judge, but I don't need to make a grand show of it (thus the reason I prefer replaying from the phone rather than carrying in a laptop).
Any advice would be great. I've considered writing my own app for this, but I really need to be able to replay the trip with graphical maps visible, which makes it more difficult to do. I've got TomTom installed already (which doesn't have this feature built-in as far as I'm aware).

tracking
I have not found a software which does what you are expecting, so I have acquired a TRACKSTICK PRO which does all what you require including tracing the trip on google earth!!
Hope this help
Chris from snowy Chamonix (France)

A completely new device, especially one without it's own ability to navigate would just add to an already excessive bunch of cables and take up a valuable power plug.
I can't figure out where or how to purchase one. The "get it now" button just takes you to a form to submit for them to call you back...This and the fact that it claims to be a "low-cost" solution makes me think that they aren't very interested in dealing with single unit sales.
Thanks for the advice, it's just not what I had in mind.

TrackMe might be what you are looking for.

bubble said:
TrackMe might be what you are looking for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This looks pretty good I think. At least it's great for tracking and exporting, at least a little easier to work with than GpsGate which appears to only do NMEA sentences and a few file formats that nothing else reads. But this still leaves me trying to find the best way to present it.
I'd still like to be able to do sort of a playback of the trip rather than just data points on a map...and I'm still holding out hope for demonstrating the trip from my phone, but I'm starting to realize that none of the major GPS nav apps seem to have this feature, or at least I haven't found proof that they do. I think iGo might have a record/playback feature, but i haven't been able to verify.

[Q] Is Transformer viable option for Student?

I am looking to acquire this tablet for use at school. Bought a 17" ASUS in 2007, just too big to lug around campus.
What I will need it to do is the following:
- Note taking with a stylus (I presume a capacitive stylus would work?), possibly some app with organization of those notes would be nice too.
- Is it possible to do HW assignments (with stylus) and print them out?
- Is it easy to print or get files to computers on campus for work/print?
- An app with full Excel functionality (would google docs do this too?)
- Possible MATLAB or comparable functionality in an app.
- Does it work well with tethering? I have seen threads here that say you might have to change some setting in files to get it to recognize adhoc networks?
- Will the problem with not being able to charge the dock and laptop simultaneously prevent me from using one or the other if either of the batteries are dead?
- I've read the threads about the dock not charging, but don't quite understand what the issue is? Please explain.
I truly hope this is the right solution for what I need! I got my first Android phone in April (Epic 4g) and am learning new stuff everyday.

I'm not sure about your other questions but I do know about the dock/tablet charging. You can charge both of them at the same time if you have the tablet docked, just insert the charging cable into the dock and it will charge both. Also, you can keep the tablet docked to the keyboard forever if you wanted to.
Basically, the dock charges your tablet until it reaches 100%, then doesn't charge it unless the tablet battery gets below 95%. The tablet draws power only from the dock until it reaches 3%, then it starts taking power from it's own battery.
Hope this answers your questions about the dock+tablet functionality
EDIT: also check this thread to see which office app is best for excel: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1085173

i2IDIUM said:
I am looking to acquire this tablet for use at school. Bought a 17" ASUS in 2007, just too big to lug around campus.
What I will need it to do is the following:
- Note taking with a stylus (I presume a capacitive stylus would work?), possibly some app with organization of those notes would be nice too.
- Is it possible to do HW assignments (with stylus) and print them out?
- Is it easy to print or get files to computers on campus for work/print?
- An app with full Excel functionality (would google docs do this too?)
- Possible MATLAB or comparable functionality in an app.
- Does it work well with tethering? I have seen threads here that say you might have to change some setting in files to get it to recognize adhoc networks?
- Will the problem with not being able to charge the dock and laptop simultaneously prevent me from using one or the other if either of the batteries are dead?
- I've read the threads about the dock not charging, but don't quite understand what the issue is? Please explain.
I truly hope this is the right solution for what I need! I got my first Android phone in April (Epic 4g) and am learning new stuff everyday.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
- Trust me you wouldn't want to use stylus to write down stuff. It's more efficient to type notes.
- The office software that comes with eee pad doesn't have print option, but I've seen apps on android market that let you print.
- Not sure about 100% full functionality, but there is a nice excel alternative that is part of the office package.
- no MATLAB
- I connected to ad-hoc networks just fine. Didn't use them for sharing internet though.
- Both charge at the same time just fine.
- Some docks were sold with broken charging. But most of them charge just fine. It even charges without tablet part.

For printing needs check out PrinterShare on the market it is not free, but it works very well.

I am not gonna lie to you, TF is a great piece of hardware, Honeycomb it the best Tablet OS outhere, but for studying you will be limited with the office applications compare to a regular Windows/mac notebook... apart from that I don't see a problem as you can have all sorts of compatibility with regards to http, ftp exchange etc.. other stuff commonly used on campus.

Thanks for the input.
My final question is where is the best place to but it? The way I see it I have two options.
Newegg. No sales tax, saves me ~$40
Best Buy (brick n mortar). Sales tax, but also ability to get a full refund it not pleased within 14 days.
Any suggestions on this?

On where to buy it, this may be of interest to you:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1177461
According to that thread, some other shops will also accept the coupon thanks to some kind of "price match" system.

i2IDIUM said:
What I will need it to do is the following:
- Note taking with a stylus (I presume a capacitive stylus would work?), possibly some app with organization of those notes would be nice too.
- Is it possible to do HW assignments (with stylus) and print them out?
- Is it easy to print or get files to computers on campus for work/print?
- An app with full Excel functionality (would google docs do this too?)
- Possible MATLAB or comparable functionality in an app.
- Does it work well with tethering? I have seen threads here that say you might have to change some setting in files to get it to recognize adhoc networks?
- Will the problem with not being able to charge the dock and laptop simultaneously prevent me from using one or the other if either of the batteries are dead?
- I've read the threads about the dock not charging, but don't quite understand what the issue is? Please explain.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
- Typing would be much faster
- If by HW you mean writing up simple papers and doing online research, then yes.
- There are few Android apps that lets you print to network printers, but not sure what kind of file types they support or if they work well on honeycomb
- There are office apps with spreadsheet support, but they are no where close to MS office, don't expect to draw fancy graphs n stuff
- No MATLAB, and I don't think you'll see any scientific simulation tool for honeycomb anytime soon.
- Adhoc tethering has problems, but there are workarounds.
- Dock always charges the tablet, so I dont think there is going to be any issues with not being able to charge the dock and the tablet at once.
- I dont have a dock, so cant explain more.
Bottom line : you are better off with a regular notebook (12~13”) or even a netbook for that matter. Right now, I cant recommend an android tablet for a technology/science major student.

to respectfully disagree with some of the above.
you can print from TF. Google cloud print works great. Plenty of apps for note taking.
Polaris or gdocs for excel....
TF is great option for a student

I will say with a stylus you do get the handwriting experience, I use it for taking notes down during meetings and works great. But for classes yes typing might be better unless you need to draw out a diagram or word problem or something like that then stylus would be nice to have.
I believe you can do everything you need to with a transformer, it has definitely bridged the gap between a tablet for consuming data and a tablet that consumes and creates data. Just need to find the right apps that get you what you want, and don't shy away from remoteing into a machine if need be using splashtop.

Personal Experience
Using it for school, overall functions as well as a laptop. Unable to do CAD work or any high end windows program, but for relative usage its good.
Oh and the best part. File transfer without worries for viruses.

Posting from my new tablet
What is best way to sell used laptop? Posted on FB, posting in local classifieds... anything else?

Android Bluetooth Driver

I was google'ing for anything about this bluetooth driver for android I have and came across this link :http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=585942
The OP has a pic of the exact app I have but they didn't have the apk file. Well I have it and wanted to post it somewhere someone might be able to fix it. Every time I try to run it says it has to activate over the internet but fails and closes.
Maybe someone can fix or bypass it.

help
I have the same problem .... and I can not connect the bluetooth mini keyboard .... my hd2 android [email protected] GRATEFUL help ...

that's an early version of the Teksoft "BlueInput" app.. it no longer works I reckon, the version has been bumped up in the meantime, and it now sells for 10€..
Hugely overpriced if you ask me, especially considering that the licence is only valid for 1 device (i.e one keyboard, if you have two like me you have to pay twice that), and the phone ID that is the base for the licence number generation changes as soon as you tweak one setting or two on your ROM.. And you only get 3 free resets of the registration number.
don't buy that crap, i've been hugely disappointed by the dev's attitude towards software licensing.
I ended up installing a CM7 on my SGS2, BT keyboards work pretty much "out of the box" on it without any 3rd party driver. but that's an interim measure, i'm currently trying to compile a whole new (and complete) BT stack for the SGS2, based on Bluez-4.96 (supposed to fully support the HID profile used for keyboards).

I was wondering the same thing.

[developer needed] Android device as bluetooth headset for phone

Well here is what’s needed by me and by general demand that I noticed:
We need an application that will enable an android device (a tablet for instance) to act as a Bluetooth headset and dialer for another phone
I have searched through the forums but with no luck, all that I found where similar questions but unanswered!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=844605
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=720397
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=905938
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=868062
So to sum it up I think we need a developer that can help us out also am willing to pay for it or buy it of the market if that’s what it takes
Cheers & thanks in advance
(PS: if this is not the proper place for something like this, please excuse the noob and redirect me to the proper thread)

Please guys. I'am looking to and is also willing to pay for it.

I'm also willing to pay for the application. Please someone help us?

bump!!
bump!!
come on guys... any thing?!?

bump
this should be a default feature for android...

I have been asking for the same thing, Moscow Desire is looking into it with LeeDroid to try and implement something by porting it from a phone I think...I'm waiting on pins and needles.
The thread on it is here, the last couple pages:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=23447188&posted=1#post23447188http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=23447188&posted=1#post23447188

It's not what we're looking for.
In the thread they are trying to get bluetooth headsets to work on a tablet.
We are looking for an app that can get a tablet to connect to a phone and make calls.
For example, I have my tablet built into my car and connectet to my car radio via cable. It would be nice if it could make and receive calls.

Bluetooth dialer
simonmbjornes said:
It's not what we're looking for.
In the thread they are trying to get bluetooth headsets to work on a tablet.
We are looking for an app that can get a tablet to connect to a phone and make calls.
For example, I have my tablet built into my car and connectet to my car radio via cable. It would be nice if it could make and receive calls.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi! I have been searching for the same solution from months but the onle thing i have found is,
"dealextreme.com/p/minipad-a9-1-lcd-bluetooth-dialer-headset-white-94840"
so untill any developer work on true bluetooth applitacation which can fulfill our needs this is the only thing we can use.

I started a thread on this then discovered that it's been asked plenty of times before. After doing research I have discovered the following things:
1) It is possible to replace the Bluetooth stack on Android
2) We would have to make Android play the role of the hands free and not an audio gateway
3) This has been implemented - http://www.parrot.com/usa/products/bluetooth-hands-free-car-kits/parrot-asteroid
4) The stack on Android is BlueZ
5) The devs at Cyanogen mod have been working with the Android Bluetooth stack
From what I can see, we would have to modify the Hands-Free Profile in the Bluez stack to play the hands-free role. If we could somehow load in another profile or edit the existing one, that might do the trick. I'm not too familiar with Bluetooth, but I will be going over code tonight to see if I can come up with an idea.

touchpad webos has this capibility
I have a hp touchpad with cynogenmod 9 that dual boots to webos. In webos, i can link via bluetooth to my blackberry phone. I can call and receive via a dialer app in webos. I have not been able to figure out how to do this on the android boot. I can pair the device but haven't figured out how to do in android. Hoping since wedos went open there might be an app for android to mirror the webos capibility.

I've posted support for this development in a number of forums and in other threads here at XDA. This would be a huge deal for the 'android-as-car-stereo' idea. There are a number of suppliers that make USB-->DAC-->RCA(composite) converters, and that takes the shoddy internal DAC out of the equation for most tablets. All that is left is the need for bluetooth call transfers to the tablet.

hopefull news
people check this out:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.funkyandroid.phonelink
its to connect between tablet and android phone hopefully this might lead somewhere!!

I have a Bluetooth transmitter (B-Speech RTX1) attached to my AV-receiver and want to use my phone with headphones as a speaker system. There has to be an app that plays the stream once we can connect a transmitter via HFP profile with the phone I guess...
I don't know if my wish is related to this thread, but there is a thread explaining how to enable HFP in Android by editing the "audio.conf".
I get the new options but am not able to connect the transmitter to my phone. I guess I will have to buy BT-headphones...

I too am looking for this service to be done (using my tablet in my dash of my car connected to my amp's/speakers). Another post for this can be seen here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=844605
I just tried the method posted in the link above by hudl.. but it didn't work. My tablet still pairs with my phone like before, no way to connect them, nor the "use for phone audio" option from my phone to the tablet. :-( Still no solution as of yet.

I think this might work for ya
I haven't tried it yet, but am downloading it now. After much searching I think this is what we've been looking for.

jimbill88 said:
I haven't tried it yet, but am downloading it now. After much searching I think this is what we've been looking for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
???

I'd love to see this and would happily pay towards development of this. Parrot Asteroid seems to handle incoming HFP, HSP and A2DP profiles very well. I too have modified the audio.conf file and can also see the additional options.. My phone just doesn't know what to do with it!
Is there anyone who can point this thread in the right direction? It's the only piece of the puzzle left for android carpc tablet goodness.
Thanks,
MrNorm

Just reviving interest in this thread again as tablets in cars are becoming more and more common.
Checking if any developer is still willing to help out, I am sure there are plenty of willing users waiting with their wallets ready
Cheers
Mario

Parrot did it for sure. It would be an awesome feature. I wish things just worked like that by default... someone needs to re-invent a BT-like connection where everything on a device is exposed... a phone should be a BT keyboard/mouse/airmouse/headset/speaker/monitor/camera/drive/sdreader/modem/gps/serial-console/etc as well as being on the opposite end of each of those things. And without needing a separate app for each of those things that is even possible/created.

http://www.gottabemobile.com/2012/04/18/using-the-galaxy-player-3-6-as-a-bluetooth-handset/
If we could use Samsungs work in this player we could easily implement it.