“life as a pixeladdikt”

hell breaks loose - new eminem & dr dre

// December 4th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

rogers apn settings for mms

// October 31st, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

i had issues getting a mms sent to me tonight - after flashing all the roms on my rogers/htc magic i’ve had to re-add my apn settings quite often - that’s no prob cause i’ve memorized it but learned the hard way that my mms wouldn’t work - gave up looking online i just called rogers tech support and played dumb - told them i was a noob and changed them - no worries he said & hooked me up with the original settings.

so here they are just in case i need them - i’m sure i will

name: rogers
apn: rogers-core-appl1.apn
mmsc: http://mms.gprs.rogers.com
mms proxy: 10.128.1.69
mms port: 80
mms protocol: wap2.0
mcc: 302
mnc: 720

Verizon takes on Apple with new Android Ads - DroidDoes.com

// October 18th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

cyanogenmod vs google - a look into the controversy & open source apps

// September 25th, 2009 // No Comments » // roms

Save CyanogenMod Petition

concept by @pixeladdikt & written by @csewell08
published on wootroot.com & pixeladdikt.com

Android was formed as part of the Open Handset Alliance, it was to be a open source operating system originally intended for mobile phones. But there seems to be a little find print as far as “open source” is concerned.

Many of you know Steve Kondik as Cyanogen. And anyone who uses his Roms know why having developers such as Steve around is a must. He recently released his latest “experimental” rom that was based off of Android 1.6. Unfortunately, this seems to of caught the attention of Google in a undesired way.

Since Steve is not part of the Open Handset Alliance, and only members of such can legally distribute the Google closed source apps, it seems that his Roms aren’t exactly legal in a sense. Let me take this moment to mention that Steve never meant to break any rules, nor does he intend to distribute warez.

A statement found on Phandroid:

My intent was to make a ROM for Android devices using the bits we already have (proprietary parts) and everything else built from source.a

The 1.6 Market was a leak, and most likely untraceable.

Android without the Google parts is not usable for an end-user. There is no sync functionality, no market, no IM or GTalk, no maps..

I was always under the impression that it was OK to do this since I don’t modify the Google apps, and only targeted devices which were licensed for them. Apparently this is not the case.

Might as well consider this entire forum cease-and-desisted.

Google released this statement, while it didnt specifically mention Steve, you’ll see how it mainly points directly at his latest work.

A Note on Google Apps for Android
Posted by Dan Morrill on 25 September 2009 at 2:31 PM

Lately we’ve been busy bees in Mountain View, as you can see from the recent release of Android 1.6 to the open-source tree, not to mention some devices we’re working on with partners that we think you’ll really like. Of course, the community isn’t sitting around either, and we’ve been seeing some really cool and impressive things, such as the custom Android builds that are popular with many enthusiasts. Recently there’s been some discussion about an exchange we had with the developer of one of those builds, and I’ve noticed some confusion around what is and isn’t part of Android’s open source code. I want to take a few moments to clear up some of those misconceptions, and explain how Google’s apps for Android fit in.

Everyone knows that mobile is a big deal, but for a long time it was hard to be a mobile app developer. Competing interests and the slow pace of platform innovation made it hard to create innovative apps. For our part, Google offers a lot of services — such as Google Search, Google Maps, and so on — and we found delivering those services to users’ phones to be a very frustrating experience. But we also found that we weren’t alone, so we formed the Open Handset Alliance, a group of like-minded partners, and created Android to be the platform that we all wished we had. To encourage broad adoption, we arranged for Android to be open-source. Google also created and operates Android Market as a service for developers to distribute their apps to Android users. In other words, we created Android because the industry needed an injection of openness. Today, we’re thrilled to see all the enthusiasm that developers, users, and others in the mobile industry have shown toward Android.

With a high-quality open platform in hand, we then returned to our goal of making our services available on users’ phones. That’s why we developed Android apps for many of our services like YouTube, Gmail, Google Voice, and so on. These apps are Google’s way of benefiting from Android in the same way that any other developer can, but the apps are not part of the Android platform itself. We make some of these apps available to users of any Android-powered device via Android Market, and others are pre-installed on some phones through business deals. Either way, these apps aren’t open source, and that’s why they aren’t included in the Android source code repository. Unauthorized distribution of this software harms us just like it would any other business, even if it’s done with the best of intentions.

I hope that clears up some of the confusion around Google’s apps for Android. We always love seeing novel uses of Android, including custom Android builds from developers who see a need. I look forward to seeing what comes next!

Steve is current trying to work on a solution with Google, but it seems as if the members of XDA are also working on a solution of there own. This move by Google hasn’t been accepted very well with the Android Community and has caused the community to look to “break away from the chains”. The current ideas are to completely develop replacement applications that mimic the functions of the closed source applications that Google is protecting. The other concept that has been brought up would be to take advantage of the distribution rights. While Steve doesn’t have the right to distribute these closed source applications, HTC does. As pointed out by XDA member testing567 “HTC publicly distributes the Official rom for the Dev Phone and the Google I/O phone, which legally contains all the Google closed source apps.” He goes on to suggest the following solution: (LINK TO THREAD ON XDA)

First of all, let me say that I believe users doooshty and jjcd51590 has a great idea in this thread about remaking all the Google closed source apps form scratch in this thread.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=564263
However this has the obvious disadvantage that this could only help us at sometime in the future when all the new non Google apps are fully developed and stable. I have an idea that can help save the rom dev community immediately and it’s 100% legal. (At least I think it is. Anyone on here a lawyer?)

This closed source app situation got me thinking about other programs I’ve used on my PC in which the legality of it was questionable; specifically PlayStation emulators. If you ever installed one you know that they come missing important files (the bios) that are needed for it to run because it is illegal for them to be distributed by anyone except Sony. You are left to obtain these files on your own and complete the program yourself. The legal way to obtain these missing files is to download them directly off your own personal PlayStation. This has many similarities to the current situation.

Only members of the Open Handset Alliance can legally distribute the Google closed source apps. Unfortunately, Cyanogen is not a member of this group. Neither is any other dev on this site. However, HTC is. HTC publicly distributes the Official rom for the Dev Phone and the Google I/O phone, which legally contains all the Google closed source apps.
http://www.htc.com/www/support/android/adp.html#s3
http://www.htc.com/www/support/andro…io-device.html

My idea is for all rooted users to store the official Android release from HTC on there SD card in the same way you need to get the bios file for the emulator. Then perhaps someone (maybe Cyanogen) could create a new recovery image that can processes scripts in the update.zip files that can pull individual apk files from the HTC_Official.zip so the closed source apps don’t have to be included in the custom rom itself. Allowing the devs to bundle an app extraction script to their roms would allow for a noob friendly and seamless transition. It would also give the devs the direct ability to choose which apps to install and where they want to install them to, much like they can do now. Does anyone know if this can already be done by using the firstboot.sh script? If scripts can’t be run from the rom’s zip file during the install, then maybe a separate menu option to generically install the closed source apps from the HTC_Official.zip on your sd card. Although this would limit the control the devs have over their roms.

In order for something like this to work, we would need to set standards that everyone could do. Similar to the way the SD card is always divided into three partitions ,first one fat32, second one ext2/3 and the third one linux-swap, always in that order. Downloading the official HTC release and saving it on a standardized location on the SD card will have to become common practice.

This would be a way to still use the closed source applications while staying within the legal boundaries that have been setup. The other solution (as mentioned before and suggest by jjcd5159 on the XDA forums) was to completely develop open source replacement applications:

As you all are probably aware Cyanogen has been sent a Cease and Desist order.
The purpose here comes from an idea of Sr. member Doooshty where we should
use this opportunity to get everyone come together and create alternatives to Google’
apps we are calling on anyone with experience who is up to the challenge to set this
straight and out “Android” Google.

This however is not about Getting back at google or who was in the wrong in the C&D
This is solely a project about distributing a *Flavor* of android that is fully customizeable
and does not rely on google or other copyrights…

As of now the goal is a Rom (No google at all) that we can make calls from and text
I would like all apps to be developed in house so it is easy to get in contact with the developer if we
want to make any changes or get intouch with the origional developer to make sure they approve.

THIS IS ALL EXPERIMENTAL AT THIS TIME

We are going to need several things from devs such as:

1. New app store
slideme.org
anddevstore (cant find exact link)
various other new open souce in process of being developed

Obsidiandesire is looking into the android store

2. New email system
Dev needed

3. New Navigation
Dev needed

4. New IM client
Dev needed

5. YouTube
Dev needed
Talk of porting a .flv player but unclear about content copyright

6. Setup Wizard
(App developers is it possible to create a simple app that is basicly
a drop down with all major carriers APN settings that will
automaticly set at first boot?)

irrenhaus discovered it is a only database change. Any app developers
want to look into this with him?

7. Sync Alternative
Dev needed

8. Browser
(steel, default, opera)
Dev needed

I would like to get permission before using them if possible.

9. Making apps talk to each other.
Dev needed

10. Space for development files.
Anyone?
we Should open one of them google project pages jk

90% of useful apps come from this website in some way so i believe along with Doooshty and Cyanogen
that this can be accomplished…

CALLING ALL DEVS!!!! If you are interested in taking android away from the chains
of the man post here or send me a private message.

Can anyone create a Rom with no google what so ever to start with so we can see where
we need to go from there?

This is coming along nicely (other then the occasional “This is dumb blah blah blah”) I want to thank everyone for taking an interest in this.

Now while other ways may work like loop holes and loading close source apps on the user end at this point it will require one of 2 things either 1. Each developer does it thier own way (which is perfectly fine). or 2 automatically import the closed source apps in via script (which im sure could be painless in itself) while this is easy the visual customization would be alot less user friendly AFAIK such as theming. Say you got that nice new manup theme everything just flows together but u open up a stock browser/email/whatever it really throws off the experiance I may be completely wrong but this is what I think.

Dont get me wrong i love google but id rather not have them stopping developmen

While both of these ideas are great, what are we to do in the mean time? Well I have compiled a small list of applications that could offer a replacement to each closed source application. These apps may be missing certain functionality of the closed source applications, but they should still contain the core functions to allow you to perform the desired tasks. If you know of a alternative that isnt listed below, please feel free to comment and we will include your find in the post.

Below is a list of closed source applications, as well as alternatives to those applications.

Gmail

• ENotify

Gtalk

• Meebo IM
• eBuddy IM

• IM+ All-in-One Messenger (Non Market App)

Google Maps

• OruxMaps
• Places Directory
• Waze
• Co-Pilot Love

IM

• Meebo IM
• eBuddy IM

• IM+ All-in-One Messenger (Non Market App)

Yahoo

• Yahoo mobile web
• IM+ All-in-One Messenger (Non Market App)

Google Voice

• GV

Even if we did manage to salvage this blow to the Android Community, the consequences of Google’s move seems to have had a impact on one of the lead Android developers Jean-Baptiste Queru. He recently tweeted, “To my Apple, Microsoft and Palm buddies: are you hiring to work on mobile stuff?”

It seems as if this is only the beginning. Im sure with the upset of the Android Community that more views such as that of Jean will be expressed. I can only hope for Google, and the future of Android that there is a peaceful resolution that comes sooner rather than later.

Please share your comments below as we would love to hear them.

cyanogenmod 4.1.10.1 - on htc magic - donut 1.6

// September 24th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

my first hero rom demo video

// September 9th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

Developing Android Applications, Workshop One - OreillyMedia

// August 25th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

Build, Compile, and Test Your First Android Application, with Tony Hillerson
This first workshop covers the basic principles of the Android programming environment. Build a simple Android app from start to finish. For more information about the series of workshops, visit http://training.oreilly.com

Object-based media project brings iPhone and RFID together

// April 15th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

iPhone RFID: object-based media from timo on Vimeo.

RFID technology has turned up in plenty of surprising places, but there hasn’t exactly been the explosion of iPhone-related development that you may have expected. The lack of an easily accessible RFID reader may have something to do with that, but that doesn’t seem to have stopped the folks behind the Touch research project, who rigged up a not-so-discreet RFID reader and put it to some fairly inventive tasks. That includes assigning various media to different objects, like a Bob the Builder video clip that’s linked to a Bob the Builder toy, a clip of Chuck Norris kicking a car in the face that’s linked to a Chuck Norris action figure (which doesn’t even have an RFID chip), and a dynamically-updated MAKE podcast that’s linked to a slightly nerdy fellow. Of course, all of this is primarily a proof of concept, and the researchers behind the project see plenty of potential for other applications, including everything from gaming to marketing. Head on past the break to check it out in action.

[via engadget]

// April 3rd, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

BakerTweet from BakerTweet on Vimeo

[via Developer's Vimeo page]

Everyone knows the best time to get your baked goods is when they’re fresh out the oven. So we figured that this could be a killer use of Twitter. Letting followers know that fresh goodies are ready right now. But bakeries don’t want laptops or phones lying around in the kitchen. Flour, eggs and technology don’t mix so well.

So we built BakerTweet.

It’s a bespoke piece of hardware (with Arduino-based guts) that allows our friends at Albion across the road to select what’s just been baked and ping the relevant Twitter message to local customers. Meaning that you can time your trips to Albion to pick up the freshest freshness.

TPB

// March 9th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized