I'm traveling abroad, and have been for the last several months. Before I left the US, I had updated to EB01 Froyo, with a Voodoo kernel, and added a few mods and a custom theme.
Since I've been out of the loop so long, and now that more stable versions of TW Gingerbread, AOSP, and CyanogenMod have been produced, I'd like to bring my device up to date. However, as I'm traveling without a personal computer, my priority is stability, not the "newest" leak or ROM.
I'm also in a unique situation, because, as I am abroad (Southeast Asia), I have suspended my VZW service, and do not need Voice, SMS, MMS, Data/3G (or wifi tethering for that matter). In fact, I want to keep these features disabled as much as possible (except for assisting AGPS if necessary). I just want a fast, stable, (feature-rich), WIFI-only phone (VOIP), with ability to use my apps. [I recognize that using a full-featured VZW ROM and using Airplane Mode and disabling Data accomplishes my need to remain disconnected from towers, so it's not necessary to point that out - I'm just offering this info to clarify my situation]
Essential features: working wifi, quick and accurate GPS (without using towers if possible, to avoid potential data charges, unless this isn't an issue), camera, Adobe Flash (I know this has been available since Froyo leaks), and ability to use VOIP (I'm currently using Skype, and when I can get it working, GrooVe IP). Working bluetooth functionality would also be helpful for VOIP (oddly it's not working on my device as currently set up- it won't even enable). Oh, and I have a secondary battery from the SGS Captivate that I want to continue to be able to use as a backup battery.
I'd like to have the quickest device possible, while still maintaining the more important stability, as I will not be able to update the device but very rarely.
I appreciate any insights and suggestions anyone may be able to offer. I know my situation is quite unique, but I'd imagine I'm not the only one wishing to use this great hardware "off-VZW."
Another complication is that most of the Internet Cafes around here do not allow installing software, such as the Samsung USB drivers, or required SDKs. But hopefully I can find a cafe with computers that do allow this, though that may mean it's more vulnerable. Any thoughts on this is appreciated as well.
Thanks again!
Related
I have been thinking recently about moving on to a newer Android device for a phone, and converting my Eris into a general purpose, WiFi-only Android device, for things like Media center remote control, Portable MP3 player, etc.
My question, basically, is whether or not its possible to completely disable the cellular radio and any other associated phone/mms/3G/2G drivers and utilities. Stripping out all the miscellaneous apks and apps i dont want is the easy part. Removing drivers, disabling devices, and modifying config files is the part i'm not comfortable with yet. Any tips, pointers or links would be awesome.
Is anybody else interested in having a ROM like this distributed on this forum? I can start posting my progress builds on here if there is interest. Otherwise, if something like this already exists, please let me know!
as far as using it as a wi-fi only device you can simply put the phone into airplane mode and then urn on the wi-fi.
Unwanted programs I have used this program (link below)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=628138
If your phone is rooted you can use the application manager to erase any app you want and hopefully thats good enough for what your looking for. I
It sounds like your looking to do more that I have knowledge in so hopefully this will help till you get the setup your looking for
When you setup your device on first boot after flashing a rom doesn't it have an option for wifi only connection on setup? Granted you may still have to airplane mode afterwards like said above, not really sure but worth a try.... hope this helps.
Sent from Ginger Tazz 10 on XDA App
I'd be interested, I wouldn't mind letting a youngin use it for mp3 player or something but always worried about an accidental 911 call or something dumb like that
sent from a phone
I think you could take an existing ROM and prune it from them and be happy. Removing drivers or disabling devices ? Not really necessary.... I think if you removed "phone.apk", there'd be no accidental 911 calls made, at least. My first thought was, don't activate it, but you can always make 911 calls as alluded to.
I realize removing the non-used stuff is likely in effort to trim it down to just the necessary stuff, but as I said, it might be overkill.
I've actually been thinking something like this would be awesome for when I retire this thing I say +1
Sent from my mePhone.
dragon1018 said:
as far as using it as a wi-fi only device you can simply put the phone into airplane mode and then urn on the wi-fi.
Unwanted programs I have used this program (link below)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=628138
If your phone is rooted you can use the application manager to erase any app you want and hopefully thats good enough for what your looking for. I
It sounds like your looking to do more that I have knowledge in so hopefully this will help till you get the setup your looking for
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Airplane mode turns off the WIFI, too. It turns off any and ALL wireless signals, 2G, 3G, Wifi, any.
roirraW "edor" ehT said:
Airplane mode turns off the WIFI, too. It turns off any and ALL wireless signals, 2G, 3G, Wifi, any.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can re-enable WiFi after you enable airplane mode.
You could always go into the test call mode or whatever the field programming thing is and disable the radio from there. I forget exactly what the number is to call but it's the one that brings up all the field test tools and stuff...there's an option to completely disable the cellular radio.
Sounds like your basically looking for a honeycomb rom. Pretty sure if we just wait a bit we could possibly see something like that soon. I have faith in our devs.
Powered By: GSB CM7 2.1
I am looking for something like this too. I just bought a bluetooth odb2 adapter so I can use my old eris to monitor my vehicle and do gps and music. I'll probably even make a sweet case for it so basically only the screen shows and it could be installed in the dash. It could sync music whenever I am home in range of wifi. Plus with the new google maps "offline" feature, I could cache frequently used areas.
I think you should go ahead and start something of a tutorial. Just start from a good lean stable 2.2 rom and document what you remove/add etc. and what apps work best for something like that.
If you remove /system/bin/rild, (the "Radio Interface Layer Daemon") there is no longer a possibility of dialing any calls, getting any voice or data service, SMS, MMS et cetera.
This is not the same thing as turning off power to the radio, however. I think you would want to do that for reasons of power conservation alone.
bftb0 said:
If you remove /system/bin/rild, (the "Radio Interface Layer Daemon") there is no longer a possibility of dialing any calls, getting any voice or data service, SMS, MMS et cetera.
This is not the same thing as turning off power to the radio, however. I think you would want to do that for reasons of power conservation alone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you do that doesn't it also disable GPS except if wifi is on? I noticed that some still want to use GPS and I know that if you disable network GPS only works through wifi
Ginger Tazz 14 on XDA
This is an great concept for a ROM. I have also been thinking about this, because shortly I will be retiring this little guy. I was going to give it to my wife because she refuses to get a smartphone and has an mp3 player from like 8 years ago that she refuses to upgrade! The Eris keeps my kids busy when we are out also. This way I wouldn't have to worry about my kids (or my wife) doing something stupid!
dpiddy14 said:
This is an great concept for a ROM. I have also been thinking about this, because shortly I will be retiring this little guy. I was going to give it to my wife because she refuses to get a smartphone and has an mp3 player from like 8 years ago that she refuses to upgrade! The Eris keeps my kids busy when we are out also. This way I wouldn't have to worry about my kids (or my wife) doing something stupid!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True.
Powered By: GSB CM7 2.1
bftb0 said:
If you remove /system/bin/rild, (the "Radio Interface Layer Daemon") there is no longer a possibility of dialing any calls, getting any voice or data service, SMS, MMS et cetera.
This is not the same thing as turning off power to the radio, however. I think you would want to do that for reasons of power conservation alone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does it work better to remove the line from init.d or whatever? Or do errors finding files not matter?
There is a project underway to do this very thing, keep an eye on these forums and they'll be posting it when its ready for the world.
that sounds awesome can't wait to put it on my eris when i get the Thunderbolt!
and my next phone will have mobile hotspot so whenever I am in my car and away from my home wifi, my "carputer" will have internet access for maps. sweet
Randull said:
There is a project underway to do this very thing, keep an eye on these forums and they'll be posting it when its ready for the world.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you know who is going to post it?
I'm just wondering if anyone knows what we'd need to do or what would need to be ported to get Internet Calling (SIP) on our phones. While the Gingerbread ROMs should support it, I'm not seeing the required settings menus...
A quick Google search reveals that we may need to port the dialer from AOSP? Just looking for thoughts or confirmation from someone in the know.
One thing I can tell you for sure, CM7 will have it.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA Premium App
I just want to point out that for AT&T handsets, this will likely never be capable.
Sadly, we lack the ability (UMA) to do this, it's a synchronious provider/handset/hardware/software effort. We lack handset hardware.
T-Mobile, on the other hand, you may have had a chance, with, not 100% anymore. But here is the information on AT&T: HERE
Anyways, with the Atrix it's impossible, sorry.
However, you can still make full use out of Google Voice, this functionality isn't harmed.
SIP is broken (seems like audio routing issue) on the motorola stack, problem affects even custom ROMs based off motorola kernel.
I've tried every single SIP application under the sun, all have audio issues, it looks like the way Motorola routes audio (to speaker or headphones or whatever) is a bit non-standard as they all exhibit different kinds of audio bugs (as opposed to SIP protocol connectivity issues).
Wait for CM7 or an AOSP based ROM i think.
Skype does work fine for me thou.
Good morning, Nerds. (and I use that term with utmost love and respect - seriously).
MODS: please move this if posted in wrong area. Thank you!
I don’t post much and prefer to use search, etc. to solve issues – and I’ve learned quite a bit thanks you to all. I’ve been working on a problem for two days now and it has me stumped.
Problem: I cannot connect my wife’s new Nook Tablet to wireless tether. The NT is NOT rooted and has been updated to 1.4.1. I prefer NOT to root it as she likes it and honestly she doesn’t need all the stuff rooting allows. That being said, if I need to root it, I am very close to making that call.
Here are the details:
I have Droid X2: rooted, ADW Launcher EX, lots of stuff frozen, averaging 40 hours on a single charge and loving life. It’s fast and I can do just about anything on it. I have done no ROMs or Themes cause I can get the looks I want, the toys I want and it flies already, so this is an area I’ve not chosen to learn about.
I have Xoom WiFi: same as the X2 in just about every way. I’ve also installed the AdHoc fix so I can tether. I have tethered to the X2 about 3 times when I needed to (hospital stays) but I really only did that as a backup and to learn how. BUT- it works, it smokes, and it’s easy. I use one of the older Google apks to tether from the X2, 2.0.5 I think. (I say I think cause I’ve made changes recently trying to get the NT to work). It worked great and neither the phone nor the Xoom started the Verizon sign up pages.
The NT. I really like it but am ready to root so I can do what I want. But the problem is weird so I’m not sure I need to root it – or it that will even fix it. As I have no root, I have not installed the AdHoc patch on the NT.
After reading all the pages I could find, the summary of my trial and error is as follows:
My son’s Bionic (my tester) finds and connects to my X2 tether every time, any program, any condition, no issues.
The older google codes won’t even be found by the NT. The newer ones can be found – I suspect this is because the newer ones broadcast in infrastructure mode as well and do not need the AdHoc Fix.
The newer ones only seem to work when set device as GoogleNexusOne, and the set up as Netd (I found this in a thread). When I do this, the NT FINDS the network and actually connects. BUT, both the phone and the NT redirect to Verizon pages. And even when I undo and delete the code, I have to go through and clear all cache, reboot the phone, etc as Dolphin starts up and ONLY go to the Verizon page.
With the Xoom, it would not work at all until the patch was installed. With the NT, it DOES work, it just redirects on the newer codes. But it won’t even find the older ones. KEY POINT too – when I use the newer codes on the Xoom – it too redirects! I have to undo everything to get back the functionality of the AdHoc fix, and the old code and perfect tethering.
So, if nothing worked I’d be rooting already. The fact that it does work, but redirects, makes me think I have a setting wrong (especially since the same behavior happens on the Xoom).
NOTE: I did see the posts about hacking the radio, I don’t think I’m up for that as an alternative to rooting. There are also some patches that might work, but specifically call out as NOT being for X2.
So that’s it. Any thoughts? I consider solving this without NT rooting a bit of a quest at this point!
not sure I fully understand your issue, so sorry if some of this response is redundant.
I think you know this already: is the wifi tether an adhoc network? if so, the NT won't be able to connect. You'll have to root and update the WPA_supplicant file to allow it to connect to adhoc networks. I have the OG droid and had to follow that process.
Additionally: you may be able to download a different tethering program for your phone that allows you to select the type of network your phone will tether - but it depends on your phones hardware - the og can only run adhoc. Try this one: http://android-wifi-tether.googlecode.com
i am unfamiliar with your phone, but I am using my galaxy S captivate phone to tether flawlessly to the nook tablets. I am not sure if this worked or didnt work before root, because everything is better with root So just know that there are others having success with it and the problem may or may not be root, My phone is rooted and running apex rom, with a rooted nook tablet.
Thanks for the input guys. I've used the programs you reference and with the settings, I CAN connect with the NT. The issue is when I do, it redirects me to VZ page. I've tried all the settings under the devices mentioned - only Netd works, and then redirects.
you said your phone was rooted right? it's odd that it's re-directing you to the VZ page, I assume telling you to sign up for the 'hot spot' feature?
I wonder if you tried putting a ROM on there like Cyanogen or something if that would make a difference? It's pretty easy, you just need to get clockwork mod (download from market) - I think it's 2 or 3 dollars for the premium version which you may or may not need for cyanogen.
Hey guys
I just installed the leaked AT&T ICS (the CWM version that's been posted), and so far everything's generally great.
However, ever since I upgraded to ICS, my phone has been downloading data like crazy over WiFi. Oddly enough, this has happened on my phone before as well when I was using GB, and I believe it also occurred then right after a reinstall.
It's incredibly annoying because whatever the phone's downloading, it seems like it's using a lot of bandwidth because any other internet-related activities I try and do take *forever*. I've rebooted the phone several times, tried stopping every service that I can, and turned off all auto account sync stuff. It's been several hours since I installed ICS, and it's still going.
I'm going to let it sit overnight and see what it's doing in the morning, but even if this is only a temporary problem it's REALLY annoying. Especially since if it's not done doing whatever it's doing by morning, I won't be able to use cellular data on it because I only have the 200 MB plan and don't feel like losing my entire volume for the month because I can't stop my phone from downloading.
Any ideas as to what's causing this? Like I said I'm pretty sure this isn't an ICS-specific problem because it happened under 2.3.4 also, I just want to be able to shut down whatever's doing this excessive downloading. And I'd love to know *what* exactly is being downloaded that's it's taking so long and using so much bandwidth.
Thanks for any help you guys can lend
If you do switch to data to let it pull it down, you can use the data usage in the settings to see what app is doing it. My Data Manager (free in the Play Store) can also monitor data, on cell data and wifi. That would also tell you what app is doing it.
I would guess you either have a ton of data in your Google account, such as contacts, calendar, Gmail, or you have an app that is trying to sync data down. I'm guessing you are restoring apps, then notice the data draw. Think about any apps you have that may sync data back and forth. If you sign into your Google account at initial set up, it should (depending on settings) automatically download and install your apps. But, that should be apparent, you should see the downloads as it does them app by app.
All that is based on guesses of what I would consider "normal" behavior after installing a new ROM.
Good luck tracking it down. :thumbup:
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
Settings > Data Usage
Check what is using it, and listing what APKs you added might help.
quarlow said:
If you do switch to data to let it pull it down, you can use the data usage in the settings to see what app is doing it. My Data Manager (free in the Play Store) can also monitor data, on cell data and wifi. That would also tell you what app is doing it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or avoid all that and use the native ICS data monitor.
The weird thing is that I hadn't really done anything to the phone when it started using all the data. My Google account doesn't really have much in it (don't have a ton of contacts, don't use it to back up apps/etc.), and I think the only things I'd done app-wise were updating a couple preinstalled apps (Facebook and Maps, I think), but I hadn't installed anything new yet.
I installed My Data Manager, but it looks like it's already done whatever it was doing. Though, even now the download arrow is constantly lit up on WiFi, but I think whatever it's doing now has something to do with the network I'm on (dorm room) as I've noticed almost constant non-zero download bandwidth being used on my desktop as well when it's on the network. If I turn WiFi off now it isn't constantly using cellular data any more, so thankfully it looks like it's finished with whatever it was doing and the constant WiFi downloading is a network, not phone, issue.
On an unrelated note, I was going to reinstall a tethering app, but figured I'd give a try to the built-in tethering first (don't have a plan). On GB it wouldn't even let me start up the tethering without a plan IIRC, but under ICS the tethering not only starts up, I can even connect my laptop to it. Unfortunately I couldn't get internet access on my laptop though, so I'm guessing there's still a restriction on it. Just found it interesting that you can actually enable the tethering without a plan now.
But there's a more serious problem, however. Is ATT clamping down on third-party tethering? I used to use Barnacle WiFi Tether, so I went to install that from the market. Well, Play tells me the app isn't able to be installed on my device because of carrier restrictions (lame). No problem, I figure, I go to their website and download the apk from there and manually install.
Well, when I try and start tethering using Barnacle, it says "WiFi: Could not set ad-hoc mode of wlan0: Operation not supported on transport endpoint"
Does this mean I'm screwed? Will any third-party tethering apps work? To be honest I'm not really into trying out 5 million different ROMs on my phone and don't really mind TW at all, so I'd prefer to keep it stock. But I use my phone overseas and need to be able to use tethering, and if ATT is really clamping down on third-party apps then I'll be installing a completely stock kernel once one's easily available.
Thoughts? Anyone else experimented with tethering on UCLC2 yet?
Well, never mind regarding the tethering stuff - I'd still be interested anyway to know if ATT is trying to actively prevent you from using it in ICS, but I just flashed the SHOstock2 ROM and I gotta say I'm blown away. Even after using it for a half hour I'm pretty sure I'll never go back to stock again (I'm sure most of you would say DUH to that), has everything I'd want in a ROM and nothing I don't. Default tethering works right out of the box too, so I don't even have to worry about installing another app.
Only kinda weird thing is the data indicator keeps switching between H+ and 3G (I'd post on the actual ROM thread but I don't have 10 posts yet...). I'm only on the 200 MB data plan so I switched it to the wap.cingular APN, but even after doing that it still switches. Data seems fast - and I'm not one to be super-concerned with data speeds since I'm mostly just checking e-mail - so it's not a huge deal, but figured I'd mention it anyway.
hbar said:
Well, never mind regarding the tethering stuff - I'd still be interested anyway to know if ATT is trying to actively prevent you from using it in ICS, but I just flashed the SHOstock2 ROM and I gotta say I'm blown away. Even after using it for a half hour I'm pretty sure I'll never go back to stock again (I'm sure most of you would say DUH to that), has everything I'd want in a ROM and nothing I don't. Default tethering works right out of the box too, so I don't even have to worry about installing another app.
Only kinda weird thing is the data indicator keeps switching between H+ and 3G (I'd post on the actual ROM thread but I don't have 10 posts yet...). I'm only on the 200 MB data plan so I switched it to the wap.cingular APN, but even after doing that it still switches. Data seems fast - and I'm not one to be super-concerned with data speeds since I'm mostly just checking e-mail - so it's not a huge deal, but figured I'd mention it anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The data switching is normal. The device idles on 3g to save battery and kicks up to 4g when it needs the speed. Stock roms hide this behavior by showing the 4g icon even on 3g
Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2 Beta-4
LiLChris06 said:
Settings > Data Usage
Or avoid all that and use the native ICS data monitor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never thought to press the menu key in there, there is no indication there are more options. By default it doesn't show wifi data, but on my TouchPad running CM9, that's all it shows. Guess I shouldn't have assumed the ICS wouldn't be without menu use fragmentation like every other android version.
Yeah, the data switching on a custom ROM is normal. Just showing you what the phone actually does. It can save power by reverting back to the 3G vs H when you are idle. The first thing most custom ROMs add is tethering on the built in method. If the leak let you start it up, I'm guessing its incomplete. I would bet att does the same in ICS as GB and has an app to check your account before letting you turn on tethering. Att can detect tethering on the back end too, so if you are caught they warn you first, but you can end up being put on the tethering plan if you keep tethering.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
Ahh, thanks for the info on the data switching, never knew about that!
I don't use tethering in the US, but I do overseas, which is why I was concerned about ATT blocking tethering apps. However, I realized it's probably not an issue anyway because I'm guessing that tethering wouldn't be blocked with a non-ATT SIM card. Anyway, SHOstock rocks, so it's all good
Also good to know that ICS can monitor WiFi traffic by default - didn't think to hit the settings button on that screen. I gotta admit, that's one huge interface design flaw of Android. There should be some kind of indicator on the screen when there's a menu available, really poor interface design choice to have to hit the menu button randomly to see if any menus are there.
hbar said:
Also good to know that ICS can monitor WiFi traffic by default - didn't think to hit the settings button on that screen. I gotta admit, that's one huge interface design flaw of Android. There should be some kind of indicator on the screen when there's a menu available, really poor interface design choice to have to hit the menu button randomly to see if any menus are there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With new ICS developed devices, most don't include touch buttons... The Nexus for example (using on screen buttons) only shows a menu button when a menu is available...
Cheers.
ALSO- I also noticed what appears to be constant "spurts" of Wifi data usage as well (at least according to my Wifi status bar indicator)... It doesn't seem to affect my Mobile Data, and every data monitoring App (including stock ICS data monitoring) doesn't show the culprit, which leads me to believe that we may be dealing with a system app that is accessing data in the background almost constantly... But only on Wifi. Maybe a location service, or something to do with Syncing? I say system because not even stock Data Monitoring is recognizing an app using data...
Another reason I say this is because I pointlessly wiped my device and started over due to this... "bug"... Only to find that running stock CM9 (with no installed apps) my Wifi indicator still led me to believe my device as downloading spurts of data constantly.
I haven't been able to narrow it down, and am hoping that the issue is fixed in a future software update. - But it is more than likely not an app, just an ICS/CM9 bug.
UPDATE- Just checked a Samsung Epic 4G running CM9 and the bug isn't there... So, it's something specifically within our device and ICS... Again, maybe a System app or Kernel bug...
Hello there! I was a relatively early adopter of Android and while I am not a programmer I am a nerd who can follow directions. I like to dial my devices in and maintain as much privacy as possible. I really don't like bloatware and when I was still working I would buy from Google rather than a pre-loaded cell. Now I am looking to get back to work and broke. I lost my last phone and got a lifeline (free) phone. It is a SKY Elite H55 with AndroidGo installed. The last time I had to use one of these phones I just took the sim card out and installed on a Motorola E5. For whatever reason I lost and had disabled location. While I am grateful to have cell service the Go phone experience is terrible and all I could manage to do is setup a wifi hotspot for other device. Just navigating menus was terrible and this one is newer but seems to have even more restrictions and less options. Also I have a thing for reading ToS and dont think anyone needs my data free. When I powered on the device I saw this as one of the only settings:
Allow Scanning: Allow apps to scan for wifi and nearby devices even when wifi or bluetooth is turned off.
What is the actual fudge is that? It BS and no I dont want that. I have not activated phone and qwould like to make this a more stock phone that just does basics. I can make calls with google voice on my iphone 8 all I need is this as a hotspot. The idea a default setting lets apps scanat will even after you turn of wfi/bt is offensive. Do I have any options.
Whatever I lack in skill I try to make up for by reading and following directions. I just did a complete softmod on a olld Nintendo DSI and it turned out perfect so I am ready to own my device. If possible. Danke.