Hey
The first (Android) smartphone with camera that can really compete with the digital cameras and no section for it?
Modding it would be great
Altek A14 Leo
Altek Leo Section
regarding the serious problems the Altek Leo has, as no google apps, not even market, no rooting published, no adobe flash, firefox will not install and so on,
a section would be useful for the distessed owners of this camera phone which
is more a fumble phone than a smart phone. Its advantages are a very good lens, an outstanding CCD chip, a xenon flash and professional camera software.
True, is buggy
I bought one actually and despite it being pretty buggy, I just absolutely love the camera.
Definitely needs some software love though:
1) Interface is pretty sluggish and 2.1 isn't helping, the latest android performance improvements would be nice.
2) Touch-screen is strangely inaccurate. Swype was a must for me.
3) Battery life is pretty bad (not certain how much a newer Android would help, but any amount of powersaving fixes would help).
4) Buttons/widgets to lock the screen (e.g. Extended Controls) don't work.
5) The camera button doesn't open the camera when the phone is locked (debatable I guess, but imo, the camera button should just open the camera, period).
6) Default alarm clock doesn't ring randomly.
7) Not to mention apps randomly crashing, strange animation bugs in the Album viewer, no google apps, terrible GPS, etc.
But despite those, I've managed to work my way round them and am in love with it.
Alex
I have one of these and I do like the quirkyness .
I would love to improve the experience by modding.
Quirkyness fits well
To continue the list (more than enough for a forum)
- Backups by Titanium, AVG or Nandroid do not work because i have no idea
how to root the Altek Leo.
- WLAN range is still very short and does not always an automatic reconnect.
- I could not manage to make any browser play flash files, but the moboplayer
plays flv files well.
- Apps like soundhound say the microphone is blocked.
About half of the apps i need are not available because they will not install
or they are exclusively available over google market and getting them from
file hosters seems a bit risky to me. Most of this problems seem to be caused
by the small software space of 120 MB for files and 83 MB for running
applications.
But i will keep the Altek Leo and use it because the camera prooved itself
as outstanding among mobile phones.
- I use the application stores Applanet, Amazone Appstore, Handango,
SlideMe SAM and the tools Memory Booster Lite, Android Tweak.
Does anyone discovered any other useful helpers for this half of an
ANDROID device ?
"We do not need any adobe flash, we have got a real xenon flash."
Where To Buy
Does anyone know where to pick up/order one of these units?
Here To Buy
Search at Ebay, you will need a Paypal account.
I bought mine from Wifigadget.
Eason of Yupitek provides International Customer Service,
have a look at the facebook pinwall.
Thanks for the tips! Really like Memory Booster and Swype.
If you're on a mac, the "missing sync" from markspace is well worth the buy - particularly given that there does not seem to be a way to add a Google account under accounts and sync - it's missing on my altek leo! Anyone elses too?
Also recommend "Lookout" if you're worried about virus from no easy way to get apks other than file sharing sites.
Despite the quirks, very happy with this all-in-one device - music player + phone + camera - 3 down to 1! Fantastic!
Vignette
Sidenote, 'Vignette' is the perfect app for this device.
It doesn't fix any of the quirkiness, but it's a photo manipulation tool which complements the fantastic camera perfectly.
You can take your pics and then touch them up making the phone a studio for all things photography.
You can purchase it from the AndAppStore.
By poor battery life, how many days do you get out of it?
root and market
Has anyone tried the Gingerbreak exploit? I heard it might work on older devices. Also, if you don't trust file sharing sites and want stuff from the market. You could try running an emulator and installing the Market on that, then sideloading the APKs. I haven't tried it myself yet, but it seems there are a lot of people doing this. Here's one HOWTO which is specific to Mac but I think it's prety much the same or at least you should be able to use the same system image. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1387830/how-to-install-android-market-app-on-the-emulator there are lots of other links if you google "android market emulator" I don't have the Leo yet because they're sold out in Taiwan, but I've got mine on order. I'm most interested whether the google apps work at all if they're sideloaded. I've just sort of bricked my older Cyanogen device. Any feedback would be appreciated.
Oh, here's a Windows specific link - http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/10004/accessing-android-market-from-android-sdk/
and be careful with Gingerbreak!
There's also UniversalAndRoot to try http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=747598
and SuperOneClick http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=803682
Poor battery-life
@rocky7st
It depends on usage. Light usage is ok. Any sort of medium/heavy usage won't get you through the day.
I bought it from an ebay seller which sent me 2 batteries which was helpful:
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230614421067
It's is useful since it allows me to occasionally geek out with the camera, playing with apps or using the GPS (i.e. 2 hours straight) and and it'll completely run out of juice by late afternoon.
I usually wait till I get home to recharge it on those occasions, but it's been very useful to be able to switch to the backup battery if I'm out and about and I really need to use the phone.
@everyone_else
On the topic of side-loading apps, my gf has an Android phone with a market on it, so I use the "Astro" file manager which allows you to "Backup" the apks, and then I transfer them to my phone via email.
I've been unable to get my device to show up with adb, so not far enough to try SuperOneClick.
UniversalAndRoot says something like "unable to root"
Z4Root says "running root exploit" and does not progress..
That's bad news but good to know at the same time. Hopefully there will be a method soon. Still waiting on mine but I unbricked my older one. Seems to be an almost total lack of hands-on reviews (outside of a trade show) so I thought someone might be interested in this one. Also, I emailed the author to see whether and how he installed the Market app.
http://120x160.com/old-entries/216-hardware-review-altek-leo-a14-camera-phone
Cheers for the reply jackflap. Do you guys know anything about the Android 2.2 upgrade, I've heard Altek is meant to be releasing it next month.
Okay, I got SuperOneClick working so I have root. ADB worked in windows after installing the Altek software.
ADB in linux still cannot find the phone..
So I tried installing various vending.apk files but keep getting MISSING SHARED LIBRARY or out of date SDK.
@daktak I've been trying to develop for the Leo but have not been able to get ADB to work in windows. Where did you obtain the Altek software?
Hi All,
I am a complete noob here and non technical.
Recently bought an altek leo with the sole purpose of loading an app called Passport Photo Plus and using the device to create passport photopgraphs and to send by Bluetooth to a compatible printer.
We have been doing this on other android smartphones but wanted to use the altek due to its camera features.
It appears that our desired app is ony avaiable on Market.
Being non -technical we have tried and failed to find a way to install this app on our leo.
I'm sure there may be other apps available but we specifically want this one due to it's features.
Does anybody know if this can be done, and if so how? Can anybody point me in the right direction (in easy to understand non tech terms please!)
Would happily pay a small fee for succesful step by step instructions (not sure if I can post that here, if not please ignore / mods pls delete).
Many thanks in advance.
Hi ya folks, this is the only place i could think to go for help with this.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant (the one from t-mobile). I just recently switched to Verizon and got the Experia. Anyway I want to turn my vibrant into a strict mp3 player I looked for a rom to do this and was unable to find one. So I had the idea of removing everything but the OS from the phone I got rid of Touchwiz and used Zeam I got Poweramp and used the full screen widget and reduced it to a single Desktop. I Started deleting the Core components such as the phone camera gps 3g stuff all that fun stuff. but every time i keep deleting things that render the phone non functional. I was wondering If any of you wonderful developers had a list of non essential components so I could delete the right ones and leave the ones required to make the phone boot up and use the poweramp app. Thanks in advance.
Oh man, i had fun with this little piece of software in school with my old sony erricsson c510. my friend and me used to link our phones, hide it behind the board and activate the music with the other one xD. the teacher didnt knew what was goin on ^^
anyways, bt-info was a fun program and i searched the web for an android version of this. i alao tried to convert the jar file into an apk file. it worked but the software was incompatible. can anyone make it work on my samsung galaxy s2?
Would be awesome....
lol i remember that app back in the times... but it worked only with a few target phones, I remember always failing against Symbians, working on some LG and SE ( AT standard commands huh?).
Anyway, in my free time I'm playing with some Android scripting and I could sort something like this... you got any request for features ?
As of now I got a "talk server"... just run on the phone, connect to its IP from anywhere else (another phone, iphone, ipad, pc...) type something and the phone will say it you could prank as well with that, but there could be added other cool functions...
Think that could be done via bluetooth too, though haven't tried much the bt libs..
Let me know if that could interest you
ell3 said:
lol i remember that app back in the times... but it worked only with a few target phones, I remember always failing against Symbians, working on some LG and SE ( AT standard commands huh?).
Anyway, in my free time I'm playing with some Android scripting and I could sort something like this... you got any request for features ?
As of now I got a "talk server"... just run on the phone, connect to its IP from anywhere else (another phone, iphone, ipad, pc...) type something and the phone will say it you could prank as well with that, but there could be added other cool functions...
Think that could be done via bluetooth too, though haven't tried much the bt libs..
Let me know if that could interest you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It would be awesome if you could it even get to work! it crashes on my phone when i try to connect! i used a jar to apk converter ..... maybe not the best idea
the app is/was great just the way it worked! maybe wifi support... and dissable the code request-thingy when i try to connect to a phone - but i think that would be iligal...
but yeah ... if you can get it to work, you could sell it on the market! or publish it anywere else! im not the only one whos searching for that app working on android!
See, targeting new generation phones with that old bluetooth app wont be of any effect.... will just work on old ones.
Removing the "code thing" you say it's the pairing procedure of bluetooth, the standard authentication feature of bt, actually you can't get around it, and though it would be illegal, it would get you big money if you ever find how to
That app used pseudo-standard AT commands through the bluetooth modem interface of the phone, and that supposedly to issue an action on the phone (like push/pull contacts,sms,calendars, raise volume, set alarm....) but that was not implemented in all phones so most commands failed, but virtually could work with any target as long as it was bt enabled and paired.
TL;DR
Not worth porting bt-info. So, as it must be build from scratch, you can suggest some feature request
ell3 said:
See, targeting new generation phones with that old bluetooth app wont be of any effect.... will just work on old ones.
Removing the "code thing" you say it's the pairing procedure of bluetooth, the standard authentication feature of bt, actually you can't get around it, and though it would be illegal, it would get you big money if you ever find how to
That app used pseudo-standard AT commands through the bluetooth modem interface of the phone, and that supposedly to issue an action on the phone (like push/pull contacts,sms,calendars, raise volume, set alarm....) but that was not implemented in all phones so most commands failed, but virtually could work with any target as long as it was bt enabled and paired.
TL;DR
Not worth porting bt-info. So, as it must be build from scratch, you can suggest some feature request
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
would be nice if someone could 'rebuild' that app on android bases... hacking the bluetooth 'password-thingy'™© isnt a big deal! the app worked great without it!
My question: is it POSSIBLE to make that app for android with all the functions that it has? and make it work with android-> symbian and android -> android?
Man I've been looking and wanting this for my phone forever.
Evo 3D in full Affect with WTSB HYDRO SENSE 3.5
Q: is it POSSIBLE to make that app for android with all the functions that it has and make it work with android-> symbian and android -> android?
A: Symbians hardly support AT commands, you can try yourself using old bt.info or any other AT enabled shell to issue a command to a Symbian, I had no luck in the past. Android to android I dont know if it could be done natively (client on one phone, no server in the other) but it surely might be done with an app. To get a 100% compatibility there should be a client or a server installer in BOTH phones, UNLESS you find some AT command that would run on all (hard, as most vendors implement them differently).
I found this lil app that can give you an example, it's called "AT COMMAND TOOL" (google -> "sd.at.c8600"). It says it has presets for Huaweii phones, but that's the only supported. Anyway, looks like you can issue any command, but you have to find out WHICH one works with other phones !!
Google "at command list" and get the idea...
I haven't tested it, but looks similar to what you're looking for.
I remember using
Code:
AT+CNUM
to get the phone number via BT... that could come handy in certain situations
Hi,
It might be a stupid question, but I was wondering if it is possible to build a ROM with a very minimum features. No phone possibilities, no bluetooth, no gps, no sync with anything.... Turn it to a Ipod Touch like in someways...
I could use any ROM without using all these feature, but by removing all the unnecessary, could it be lighter and faster ?
I am asking that, because I have a aging I9000 and I would like to turn it up to a remote control only. I am currently using it for Spotify, my AV Receiver, XBMC, my NAS. So, actually, I just need WIFI, and maybe access to Google Play to install the apps needed, but it could be done by installing the APK directly.
That's it !
Thanks
Good day!
I recently upgraded my phone, and I want to hold onto my old device and use it as a media player, mainly for listening to podcasts. The phone is an HTC One M8 from Verizon.
I have been searching the forums and I believe I'm ready to root the device and install a custom ROM. I mainly want to get rid of the Verizon/HTC bloatware and strip the phone down to just what's needed to play podcasts and perhaps audiobooks from the library and such. I will do all of this over WiFi. Basically, I'm wanting an Android version of the iPod Touch.
My question is, how do I search for a ROM that doesn't treat the device as a phone? I've tried searching for the term "media", but that gets me way more than I need, with all kinds of bells and whistles for turning the phone into a multimedia device.
Thank you very much for your time, and for creating this newbie-friendly forum. I really appreciate all the work that xda does.
Hi !
Your request looks kinda unique here on xda , basically the developers are focused on improving and expanding the device`s functionality rather than reducing and eliminating it
I can say that there is no rom closer to your request but what you can do is some modifications by yourself
- block all radios by turning on the airplane mode
- remove the google account
- from settings/apps you can disable any unwanted application and re-enable it at anytime
Alternatively you can root the device and install Titanium backup which helps you to go deeply and freeze more apps or to flash an AOSP rom for your device and along with minimal gapps to reduce the bloatware , also using Titanium Backup
https://forum.xda-developers.com/htc-one-m8/orig-development
Good luck !