Android Phones

[Kevin Shaffer]

Thought I would post this since some others were wondering about tethering on the Hero. I'm using the free version of PDANet (which doesn't support secure connections in the free version). Its worked great for the couple of chases I've gone on.

 

[Jim Hunt]

MyWeather is pretty good and available for many platforms - http://www.myweather.com/index.html

 

[Randall Marable]

The Engineering Behind Flash Player 10.1

Adobe makes announcement today regarding Flash with respect to Android devices:

Today represents an exciting milestone for the Flash Platform as we officially launch the public beta release of Flash Player 10.1 on Android-based devices. The Beta release is now available and as soon as Google releases their update to the Android OS, code-named "FroYo", users will be able to get the new Flash Player installed over the air from the Android Market.

Full article here...http://blogs.adobe.com/flashplayer/2010/05/engineering_flash_player.html

 

[Michael Wurzburger]

Anybody get a Droid Incredible today? Looks very impressive. I'm going to go play with one before work at my local Verizon store...

Got mine about a week ago. Very fast. Very responsive. So far so good.

 

[Melanie Kern-Favilla]

GPS logger for Android

Got my Moto Droid the other day and I have a couple of questions:

I'm going chasing next month (all the storms will probably be gone by then, lol). I want to be able to log my trip via GPS. I just want to leave my phone on and have it save my route, that way my entire trip is logged, preferably with mileage and maps, etc. Anyone know of a good app for this?

Also, can someone tell me what 'rooted' means when using the PDAnet? or does it NOT have to be rooted??

THx...

 

[Kevin Franz]

I have had my Droid since the day they were available and am still convinced it is the best device I've ever owned!

Question #1: I've been using OpenGPS this summer. I'm only using to track my bike rides (crossed 200 logged miles today actually!) but I don't see why it won't work for logging chasing as well. It not only logs the miles but will show you a map view with your path as well. It's pretty slick.

Question #2: If you're familiar with linux/unix rooting is just a fancy word for having Superuser access. Superuser access = able to do anything you want to your phone. Provided you know what you're doing.

I have been rooted for quite awhile now. I use a 'rom' called bugless beast v1.0. It's pretty slick. It allows custom scripts, wireless tethering and the ability to overclock your processor, to name a few.

That being said Froyo (Android 2.2) is supposed to have a 500% performance increase and wireless tethering available. (No one knows if Verizon will charge for to tether. I'm hoping they go the pre route and let us use it for free.) So I'm not sure rooting is worth it given it should be released in the next month. I guess it just depends on how much you want to 'geek' out.

If you're really interested in the details I would recommend visiting droidforums.net and go to the 'hacking' section. There is a ton of information available there and it's very well organized. You'll see the +/-'s of rooting.

 

[Shawn Rutherford]

I'm still pretty ticked that up through 2.1, android doesn't natively support animated gifs... which eliminates a lot of imagery.

Have played with java versions of animated maps but just too much trouble to impliment.

shawn

 

[Ben Prusia]

I'm waiting here for the HTC EVO 4G, will be headed to the Sprint Studio store early Friday morning down at the Power and Light District here in Kansas City to get 2 of these phones. I'm particularlly interested in the mobile hot spot capability that the phone has, but I will still hold on to my data card.

Just have to wait now for HTC to move with Android 2.2 to get the animated GIFs going! I have been using Android OS since February 2009 and am loving it!

 

[Scott Hammel]

Android 2.2 should be available for the EVO, Droid, and Droid Incredible by mid-late June featuring full Flash support! Nexus 1 already is getting this update. Also, Moto Shadow will be launching on Verizon in July which I'm not sure is going to be considered the Droid 2 or if it will be a completely new line of phone...

 

[Jarrod Cook]

Got my Moto Droid the other day and I have a couple of questions:

I'm going chasing next month (all the storms will probably be gone by then, lol). I want to be able to log my trip via GPS. I just want to leave my phone on and have it save my route, that way my entire trip is logged, preferably with mileage and maps, etc. Anyone know of a good app for this?

THx...

Check out "My Tracks" from the market. It logs your GPS position and can upload the map to your Google account to view on Google maps.

 

[Scott Hammel]

Any Sprint users get an EVO today? That phone looks insane! Curious about initial thoughts on it...I'm holding out for the Droid Shadow coming to Verizon in July which should match up with the EVO's specs pretty well.

 

[Ben Prusia]

I got 2 EVO's yesterday at the Sprint Studio store here in Kansas City. Anybody watching NBC 41 news around 6:30AM yesterday might have seen me in a live shot waiting with about 3 or 4 other people at the time.

Initial impressions is excellent thus far. I live in an area of Kansas City that is under 4G, my signal goes in and out of 4G but will not stay steady with the 4G. My girlfriend and myself work at a workplace that is under 4G as well, but could not get the signal outside the building. Keep in mind though that I wouldn't use this to replace home internet (with the enclosed hotspot capabilities) because the 4G signal is considerably weaker when you are inside buildings then when you are outside (The 2.5 GhZ spectrum doesn't do that great of a job penetrating walls). The phone, even with the 3G speeds is faster than that of my old T-Mobile G1 phone. The speed of the phone is remarkably fast. With Android 2.2 (Froyo) on the horizon, the speed and performance of the phone will blow almost any phone away (til something new comes out, of course..). The screen size is possibly one of the biggest drawers of people to the phone. 4.3" should be enough to run radars with great clarity and the graphics are very sharp. Now we just need a radar application like GR for the Android and it would be the perfect storm chasing companion.

Overall, I love this phone and it is a great replacement to the G1 that it replaced.

 

[Darrin Rasberry]

Now we just need a radar application like GR for the Android and it would be the perfect storm chasing companion.

I've spoken with the very few people (namely, two) who had the knowhow and the motive to make this happen. It ain't.

The maker of RadarScope for the iPhone straight out denied that he would ever make it for Droid, blaming the difficulty of the Droid programming language, and the last I spoke to F5data they've shelved the F5 app indefinitely (read: they encountered the same difficulty with programming and thus we'll never, ever see it).

Everyone else with the capability knows Average Joe won't buy it, so they'll keep putting out their out-of-date, inaccurate, low-res crap. So the only weather app for us chasers will remain on the iPhone, exclusive to LameT&T because Apple loves to be snotty and high-brow rather than increasing their customer base. So that wasted app will work just fine if you chase in the New York, Chicago, or L.A. metro areas.

 

[Brian Hurst]

My-Cast has came out with a droid app.It's the best weather/radar app so far but still only has base reflectivity.

 

[Scott Hammel]

The maker of RadarScope for the iPhone straight out denied that he would ever make it for Droid, blaming the difficulty of the Droid programming language, and the last I spoke to F5data they've shelved the F5 app indefinitely (read: they encountered the same difficulty with programming and thus we'll never, ever see it).

No offense to the people trying (or lack there of) to get this to Android but it being "too difficult" is just about the lamest excuse I've ever heard. Someone else will eventually develop a comparable app for Android so I guess I'll wait until then. Too bad these guys are missing the boat big time...oh well.