I know this isn't the proper use of code tags, but I figure(since there's no spoiler tag available) I should still give my fellow XDA'ers the opportunity to skip the backstory and letter format and get to the question:
Code:
Dear XDA-developers and members of Q&A,
I've been a software hacking enthusiast for 4 years now, ever since my father lent me his Motorola E680i and I figured out it ran Linux and I could hack it to increase its feature set. As I'm studying computer science and in my second year, I feel it may be time to start digging deeper than just the application layer.
My girlfriend has a Nokia N8, and in September we'll be able to get new phones, she'll finally get an Android phone and I might get a new one as well(depending on whether or not my Desire HD still satisfies me). As she'll be replacing her phone, I'll be able to do whatever I want with it, I decided I want to toy around with hacking it(and yes, foolishly I want to port Android to it).
My question to the developers amongst us is, how does hacking actually work, and how have you been able to port Android over to other devices?
Related
Hi,
I am at point where I would be buying a new mobile phone. I don't have budget problem, but I am looking from the point where I'll be able to use my phone as development device.
I have shortlisted some options:
Nexus S: This seems to me an idle device for development. It also has NFC. You have early access to the android flavors. But with dual core processor phone in the market, I not sure if this a good choice.
Samsung Galaxy s 2: The phone is expensive, but has many feature(except for NFC ). Do you think this can be a good device considering future versions of android might be out by November-December(speculating)
Wait for another device: Wait for a device. But then everything can't be obtained in a single device. How long will I wait?
HTC Sensation: Not much info about it.
Any other device
I seem to prefer device with NFC and dual core(may be because it a future ready).
Really confused. Just looking for a device that can be used for development on current and future flavors of Android.
Also I have read about rooting a device. Not sure if this is a proper question, but if someone roots a device can the person explore the full capabilities of the device(provided the rooting is proper).
I prefer not to wait for another device and I am confused between Nexus S and Galaxy S 2.
Please give you opinion about my choice or some other device that I should consider.
Thanks
Prerak Desai
if you need a phone for development, first choose your target audience.
i dont think a vast majority of the people will be upgrading too soon to dual core...
now if u wanna push boundaries with your programming, go ahead with the latest...
but its good to have a phone that a greater percentage of the people have...
also, do consider the major portion of people are on android 2.2 and 2.1 (more than 85% as on google site)...
think from a developer pov, not a user...
Thanks HyprGeek for the reply. Seems to give me a point or two to think about.
But don't you think if I buy what majority are buying today, then in about a month time something new will come up and the crowd will start moving towards it. Then i'll be stuck with old device.
I personally feel you need have something(especially electronics device) that arefuture ready so that you don't regret your decision in a short time.
What do you think from a general point of view, which device I should consider?
Thanks,
Prerak Desai
well, u need to detemine how big the "crowd" is...
http://developer.android.com/resources/dashboard/platform-versions.html
and i dont think computers/mobiles can ever be future ready...
Hi all,
Was hoping I could get a bit of help with my dilema!!!
I am due for an upgrade at the end of this month and cannot make up my mind as to which mobile to go for!
Over the last 12 months I have been learning to develop applications for android while on a work placement via my University. I have found this to be a steep learning curve as my Java knowledge was very limited, will I continue? not sure yet...! But, I do like the HTC Desire HD whether developing android apps or not.
On the otherside of the coin.....
Next year (this coming October) I will be learing to develop Windows phone 7 applications while on my third and final year. While I am still a novice with Silverlight and Expression Blend, I have had some considerable experience over the last 2 years writing C# code to develop Windows forms and ASP.Net sites, and have looked into developing for WP7 and feel quietly confident that this will be better than my experience developing for android.
I have never held a WP7 let alone used one and have read a number of negative reviews online about them. However, due to the areas I will be studying next year and my current knowledge I cannot decide on what handset to get, and as my contract will be for 2 years I want to make sure im stuck with the right one!
I havn't got a clue as to which WP7 is the best and am not fixed on the HTC Desire HD either...
I would like to hear from both android and WP7 developers / consumers your views on both OS's and preferred handsets.... from both a developers and a consumers point of view...... Also if there is anything that should be avoided i.e. specific versions of android / WP7 OS's?
Thanks guys!
Greeting to fellow developers,
First thing's first: I'm a programmer, experienced in Java, C,C++ (mainly MSVS, unix/linux), and a few other (i.e. no longer fashionable) programming languages ... And I'm planning to start developing Android based Apps. Currently I'm in the phase of selecting the most suitable phone for my future endeavours.
The Question: What is the best, most suitable, Android phone which fulfils following criteria:
[1] is based on Android OS
[2] has a front-facing, i.e. secondary, camera. This is a must (!!!)
[3] is suitable for development & testing front-facing camera Apps. A must (!!!)
[4] would also be suitable for development of other Apps
[5] phone has to have a company promise of at least 12 months of security updates and updates on newer Android OS vers. (Due to ongoing developing, App debugging, etc.)
Where I come from (Slovenia-land) following are the phones which are available and achieve upper five features: Samsung Galaxy S, Samsung Galaxy S 2, Samsung Nexus S, HTC Sensation, HTC Desire S, LG Optimus 2X, Samsung I8000 Omnia II, .... (These are all phones available through telecommunications companies - i.e.: by investing into a 24 month usage plan. There's also a few other, promised, scheduled to be pushed on the market, phones. But without any certain launch dates, there's no point in me mentioning them!)
What I'm looking for is an advice from seasoned developers, who are / were already developing front-facing-camera Apps, which Android phone is best for me to buy (to be used for a whole App life-cycle: learning, developing, testing, updating)? Due to Android phone fragmentation this choice is really mind-boggling me, and is very difficult for me to make, and I would really not like to buy two or more phones right from the head-start. - For the past few months I've been reading a lot about Android development, and the thing that frightens me most is Android fragmentation. The way I understand negative effects of this fragmentation is: Let's say I develope an App, which exploits some front-facing-camera functionality (like a new skype, fring, or sth. like that), and start marketing it on various Android App Markets. Which phone is best for me to buy, to be able to avoid, those "doesn't work on my htc", "doesn't work on my gingerbread SGS", etc. negative Customer Experience and Evaluations? ... In short: I'd like to buy an Android phone w/ an Android OS, that would ensure me a developed App on that phone, is giving me confidence and peace of mind, that my App will work on all, or at least most, front-cam Android phones. I'm looking for an advice on which phone to invest in, so that my developed App will work on all, or at least most, Android 2.3.* (or later ver.) phones?
Currently I'm rooting for a Nexus S, but have read a few negative evaluations about them on Cnet and Google Customer Support forums . And I'd really not like to buy a $600 phone, which front camera or Wi-Fi doesn't even work the way it's supposed to! ...
I hope I'm not asking sth. that's not even remotely possible? And most certainly I hope I'm not shooting goats? ... Like I said, I am experienced in desktop Java, linux, etc. development, ... but the World of Android development is totally new for me! But I don't the have money to buy all of the latest front camera Android Phones out there.
I've searched this forums extensively, but found no answer to my thoughts and questions! I've also asked on fellow developer forums, got a few weak answers, but no strong ones. As You can see, I have a few blind spots in my knowledge ... And hopefully w/ Your help, I can fill these spots!
Thank You very much for any advice!
-- Lucky Star
Anyone? ... .. I'm just looking for an advice on which front-cam Android phone is best for me to buy for development purpose (to ensure that my App will work on all Android 2.3.* phones, i.e. best phone to fight Android fragmentation) ... Any kind of advice will do.
Thank you for your help.
Have a nice day,
-- Lucky Star
I think your best choice is the Nexus S as it is the official Google puppy and very easy to develop for.
Why is the Nexus S, as you say, "very easy to develop for"? - Is the development process on e.g.: SGS2 more difficult than Nexus S? They are using same OS, same SDK. SGS2 only has different UI.
2nd Question: How do I ensure my developed Apps on, let's say, Nexus S will indeed work on all, or at least most, front-cam Android 2.3.* phones?
Thanks for any and all advice!
Keep em' coming!
-- Lucky Star
+1 i am i also seekin a good suggestion
Bump ...
Come on people ... There must be some enthusiast on XDA developing Apps and exploring Android's FFC functionalities?
Still in search for a good advice ...
Many thanks!
Sgs 2.
Sent from SGS Captivate CM7 or MIUI with Escapist orTKGlitch using XDA premium app.
Hello guys
First excuses for my bad english
Let me introduce myself, i'm a 56 years old developper, now working in an charity association, who want to sell to old persons or visually impaired persons android phones with a simplified interface and some presinstalled softs (skype, ...), and at of course really low price...
My project is to made tests with a first cheap phone i bought last week at the supermarket (brand echo, used for testing, but i would prefer using some more known brand to "reassure" my customers), with installed Koala launcher and some other really simple softs, and to clone my phone, for install new phones without having to do the same things X time. What i've done seems to work properly on the first phone, and my father, 84 yeas old will be my first tester...
Searched a lot on the internet, but i don't find any way to clone a phone without rooting, and rooted phones and warranty... you understand what i mean
So my question is: Is it possible to clone and duplicate a complete phone without rooting? I'm used with Linux but not with Android
Thanks in advance for any idea, even with paid software
Luc
Hi,
Try posting your question here:
Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting
The experts there may be able to help.
Good luck!
[DISCLAIMER]
I have basic understanding of programming and the android software so I'd like as much help as you can provide.
This includes personally messaging me. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS THREAD OR MY POSTS PM ME AS I DO NOT WISH TO JUST CRUM UP MY GOALS HERE WITH DISCUSSIONS OF WHY THIS IS A BAD IDEA OR ANYTHING ELSE NOT CONCERNING THE MATTERS AT HAND.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[REASON]
This is my favorite device. I it seems to have long been forgotten and there are a lot of dead links. I understand the OG Devs have seemingly turned their backs on us in search of their own paths in life.
I do not blame them at all and instead I am sad to come upon the realization of how low our economic powers have come to have the ability to turn our own role models against us and their years or dedicated work here on XDA.
I can chat all day about my life and history here, you can message me directly if you must. Just understand my life hasn't been easy.
I was adopted at the age of 7 from another country into an American family that had hard heads and a cut throat attitude to rules they didn't even understand.
From the age of 10 years old I fell in love with technology and software. My efforts were suppressed greatly.
I was denied access to a simple flip phone that had no service and was punished for wanting to learn programming. I started hacking.
I learned all I could to become free of my chains. At 15 I made the money to buy my first Iphone (3GS), I fixed computers for people I knew for free even though I never owned my own. I used those opportunities to learn about jailbreaking and how basic filesystems and programming.
A lot happened during my years growing up I had a few good friends with good families that had androids, iphones, computers and they were glad to show me things and let me use their devices. One of my good friends had a Razr Maxx which he later Traded for an HD through his phone plan. I was in love and I helped him fix it a few times when he needed help. Then one day things didn't go well for me.
At 17 I was thrown away by the abusive family that adopted me and I traded my Jailbroken Iphone for a galaxy prepaid phone which was owned by a homeless drug addict I met at a shelter. The trade opened the world of Android and Linux to me from a hands on personal perspective. I loved it. But the device was small and low spec.
I started rooting. I found XDA. I wanted so badly to be a programmer but my life got in the way due to the simple fact that I had no one left to turn to. All my friends I learned from had went into collage and left or didn't want to be seen with the homeless kid. I was powerless due to reasons you can ask in a PM. I did all I could. I fixed my life over the years. I'm in my late 20's now and I finally got a few of these phones. I've learned a lot about Android, Linux, Unix, etc. At least as much as I could while struggling through managing my time and resources in life. At one point I even had an internship for IT through a school. That internship was ruined due to the recent pandemic that shut down the schools and forced me to move.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[THE INTENT]
This thread is going to be my way of securing a piece of technological history.
The history people such as Geohot and other big names on XDA and the Android rooting community have built to benefit us all. It may be hopeless but I plan to revive it. Even if I have to from scratch.
I then will go as far as saving files that are important on an offline storage and create an open platform for anyone to access for historical and educational purposes.
[THE PLEA]
I have been begging people all my life.
I had to let go of my ego to survive at a young age. And I am here now. Begging anyone who sees this. Help me out.
You can help support these effort by sharing resources I can use to bring us all the freedom of having End-User control of old devices such as these.
And and even better way to support this cause is helping me amongst this capitalist infrastructure by providing currency in the form of donated funds.
I will start a fundraising account soon but for now YOU HAVE THE OPTION to donate by sending funds to:
HERE
[ONWARD]
All our findings are within the spaces of this thread. I start this journey with:- A job
- A Windows 10 PC dualbooted with Linux and Linux subsystem
- 1 Droid Razr HD on JB 4.1.2 (xt926) with unlocked BL
- 3 Droid Razr Maxx phones on JB 4.1.2 & KK 4.4.2 (xt907) with locked BL
Issues I've come to find since 2022:- Most links on XDA before 2017 have been shutdown or replaced.
- Towelroot servers are shutdown due to Geohots employment/Integration with the big Goog. This means Hydrogen is only partially usable.
- Kingroot, Kingoroot, and Sunshine have the most effective exploits, regardless of the invasive integration.
I vow to make the best of this.
I will stand up for my work to never be diminished and for the rights of others to own their own hardware and have software they can rely on to the best of my ability.
ONLY WITH YOUR HELP
I'm gonna clean up my files and share all the most important ones still available.
I managed to find two custom Roms that work with the KKBL (2014)
Along with working TWRP files for the KKBL & JBBL
I located stock Firmware for JB and KK and decided to leave ICS due to it being outdated. It's sad for me because I liked ICS but I'm not here to preserve the OS. I'm here to preserve the phone, it's firmware, and It's potential.
I'm just about done with prepping this device (xt926) for custom development. For now I will turn my attention to the xt907.
I have started development of my own Rom. My first mission is to create a flexible file manager. My overall goal is to have a Rom that blends into my favorite Holo style and can run a clock widget as good as the circles3D on any Rom and ULBL devices.