Several people have asked me which Android phone I would buy if I were to buy one right now. Until yesterday that was an easy choice. I would buy the G1. They are cheap and easy to root. But now that the DROID has been successfully rooted, the decision is harder. I guess it depends on your carrier. Why do I only care about rooted Android devices? Here is a short list of the things you can do once you root your Android device (there are many more):
1. Performance enhancements: Rooted G1s can run at the full 512MHz (Stock G1s are underclocked at 384MHz because of battery life, and possibly to market the myTouch as “faster.” They actually have the same CPU inside.)
2. Wireless tethering: Your G1 can basically act like a wireless router, allowing you and anyone you approve to connect to the Internet via your phone’s unlimited data plan. (This works best with 3G connections). Here is the free app you need (only works on rooted phones): http://code.google.com/p/android-wifi-tether/
OK, so maybe this isn’t a “complete” guide, but it brings together many of the bits and pieces of tutorials I have found for importing contacts into Gmail from several of the major email and address book applications. Feel free to add or suggest additional ones in the comments, but as I have mentioned in other tutorials, I am only posting to be helpful (use at your own risk, etc, etc). This does not make me your technical support for life.
Introduction
With the release of Verizon’s DROID, and with several other new Android phones on the way, more and more people are making the switch from older PDAs and smart phones to Android. A big part of this involves moving contacts (names, addresses, and emails) over to Gmail, which syncs with Android. Many of us have accumulated contact information over time using other applications such as Outlook or Palm Desktop. This guide is meant to help people import contacts easily into Gmail, which will then sync automatically with their Android devices. Gmail offers a way to import contacts from other email applications and address books (up to 3000 contacts at a time).
The entire process can be divided into two main parts: (1) exporting contacts from the old program, and (2) importing contacts into Gmail. Part 1 depends on which program you are exporting from. Part 2 will be the same for all programs.
I finally got around to upgrading to the latest Android CyanogenMod (4.2.3.1), and my G1 is noticeably faster now. Cyanogen must have done some serious optimizing, so this update is definitely worth the trouble. I’ll spare you the details, but if you are upgrading from a Cyanogen Mod version lower than 4.1.99, this update will put you back in compliance with Google’s Terms of Use. It was a pretty simple upgrade once I found the right instructions (there are lots out there).
Keep in mind that by providing these instructions I am not agreeing to provide you with technical support for the rest of your life. The instructions are for the G1 ONLY, so if you have a MyTouch or something else you will need to look elsewhere. Use at your own risk, blah, blah, blah…
This guide will tell you how to upgrade from an older version of CyanogenMod to the latest and greatest versions!
Download: Android 1.6 Recovery Image. Look for the 1.6 recovery image called “signed-dream_devphone_userdebug-ota-14721.zip.” FWIW, you won’t be able to download it from your phone because there is a weird popup license you need to agree to.
Barnes & Noble’s Nook e-book reader runs Android! (gotta love the name… “Nook e-book” is every bit as good as the Wii for puns and jokes!) I’m not surprised to see that Nook is powered by Android, especially after running across a dual boot Android/XP netbook and a “dualbook” (part e-reader, part Android netbook) called the enTourage eDGe. The Android operating system is definitely designed for more than just cellphones. It’s an OS for mobile devices.
So while I understand there are limitations with the refresh rate of the E-Ink display, it’s hard not to get carried away thinking about the possibilities. I’ll be honest, I was not really interested in the Nook until I heard it will run Android. That changed everything. So while some complain that Nook would be great if it only had text-to-speech or a web browser, I don’t really care about the current features anymore. (Yes, their e-books are overpriced.) Someone is going to hack this thing, and that will be the point at which it becomes amazing and irresistible. Let me put it this way: 10-inch screen+wifi+micro-sd slot+color touchscreen+Android+root=Awesomeness!
Update: Make that 4.0.4. Two days later, they have cranked out another update. Obviously I am not going to try to keep up. Just install the Cyanogen Updater from the Android Market and keep up with the updates that way. Or just check here:
The new Cyanogen 4.0.3 Android ROM is now available for both G1 (HTC Dream) and the MyTouch (Magic). But of course, if you have Cyanogen Updater installed from the Android Market, you would already know that. I recently switched from the JF ROMs to Cyanogen, and have never looked back. Both are great ROMs for rooting your Android phone and have common features such as multi-touch (eventually coming for all Android users in a future “Donut” release), but Cyanogen seems more stable to me. It also has the big added advantage of having Apps2SD built-in, so if you can figure out how to create an ext2/3/4 partition on your microSD card you have virtually unlimited storage space for apps. (I recommend giving no more than 1GB to the ext3 partition — you’ll never need that much space anyway.)
Here’s what’s new in 4.0.3:
Changes in v4.0.3 * More Donut guts: Bluetooth and audio updates * Fixed swap-free-notify for compcache * Tweaked kernel (trying out SLQB) * Lots of small stuff recently added to AOSP * Possible fix for the phone number parsing issue
The folks at AndroidAndMe.com recently wrote this great tutorial showing how to use FlashRec app to root your Android G1 or MyTouch in about 6 minutes. Here is the video:
Update: I have switched from JF 1.5.1 to the latest Cyanogen ROM (v.4.0.2). You should NOT use Apps2SD with this ROM because it already has built-in support for using your microSD card for app storage (you still need to set up a separate ext partition so it will work). More details are available here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=537204
Back in October 2008 I started using Google’s first Android phone, the T-mobile G1. By the end of January 2009 there were 800 Android apps compared to over 15,000 iPhone apps. Of course, the iPhone had been around for well over a year at that point. But I think 2009 will be the year that Google Android really comes into its own as more than a dozen new models of Android phones are introduced. There are definite pros and cons to going with an open platform like Android, and I hope I can offer a realistic view of the good and the not-so-good that I have experienced with my Android G1 phone so far.
New Favorite Apps
I am still very happy overall with my G1. Especially now that I have root access to my phone I can do even more, like tether my laptop to my phone’s Internet connection via wifi. At the 1-month mark I made a list of my top 20 Android apps. That list has changed quite a bit, so here is my new list of top 20 Android apps. Interestingly, only 5 of these apps were on my first list 9 months ago. They are marked in bold. All the apps below are free unless marked otherwise.
Where – Displays movies, weather, etc. based on your location. It also has voice recognition and Yellowbook search, which presents you with address and phone numbers of businesses based on your location which you can then call or look up on a GoogleMap with a click or two.
BeyondPod ($2.99) – A Podcast app that allows you to manage podcasts and even update them over wifi. (So iPod Touch, why can’t you do this?)
Sky Map – Allows you to see stars, planets, and constellations just by holding your G1 in the direction you want to look (including the ones beneath the horizon). The digital compass, accelerometer, and GPS to move your phone around and see different areas of the sky. A very cool example of what augmented reality (AR) apps can do.
Wikitude – This is another great augmented reality app, but this one lets you “see” cities and landmarks close to you by holding the phone in front of you and turning in any direction. Selecting the names on the screen pulls up the web page for that city or point of interest in wikipedia.
Places Directory – Google’s version of Where. I can’t decide which one I like best so I use them both. Places uses you location to look up restaurants, shops, parks, and other points of interest. You get addresses and phone numbers you can use to locate or call whatever it is you are trying to find.
With the G2 out and a total of 18 Android phones expected by year’s end, I am happier than ever with my G1. Why? Because I have root access and a second battery There are lots of forums and blogs that describe how to root a G1 Android phone, but first I want to focus on why you might want actually want to do it.
Others have compiled lists of pros and cons for rooting the G1 phone, but I want to focus more on the specific apps that make rooting the G1 totally worth it to me. Normally, Android only lets you copy/paste links, but the rooted G1 (running JF 1.5.1) has a nifty feature that let’s me copy text from anywhere. (I do this a lot, so this is one less reason to bring the laptop.) With a rooted G1 you can hold Shift, scroll anywhere on the screen, click the scroll ball once to start selecting, and click it again to stop the selection — it automatically copies your selection to the clipboard. It also has a the iPhone’s multi-touch feature for the browser, if you care about that kind of stuff.
Here are a few of my favorite “root only” apps:
Wifi tether (free here) — This is the single coolest reason to root your G1 phone. It allows your to use your G1’s data connection as a wifi access point. This is great alternative when staying in a hotel that charges for wifi. For those on a 3G network, this is actually pretty fast (a little less than DSL speeds). The G1 will prompt you when someone is trying to connect, so you can control who uses it. (It also works via Bluetooth, if you prefer that.) I’ve used wifi tether to create a mobile access point in the car. My wife used it to surf around on her iPod Touch on a recent road trip. Very cool.
Backup for Root Users (free on Android market) — Backs/restores all your apps and settings to your micro SD card. Even compatible with App2SD.
SetCPU (costs $0.99) — This app overclocks the G1 up to 528 MHz (384 is normal) when you are using it or when it’s plugged in, and can also “underclock” the processor down to 128 MHz when in sleep mode to save battery life. No reported problems with this level of overclocking. Very cool!
I just saw Torrent Droid, the Android app that allows you to scan a barcode from your Android phone and initiate a bit torrent download on your computer at home. It’s not currently available anywhere, but that doesn’t stop it from being the coolest Android app ever. Of course, this should not be used for downloading proprietary stuff… just all the free stuff that has barcodes. Seriously, though, I see a totally new delivery vehicle for (even legitimate) digital products. Forget the bit torrent part for a sec. You scan a movie, an album, or a software package in a store, and the product makes it home before you do. What if it gave you a 25-50% discount over the lowest store price? I would probably do it just to bypass all the useless packaging. (This could be done with 2D barcodes on billboards as well.) Of course, some of you are probably thinking, ‘What’s wrong with a 100% discount?’ We won’t go there…
Well, shiver me timbers! It looks like the first 2D barcode game was called QR-Kill and took place about a year ago in Barcelona. (Have you ever noticed how everything cool happens in Barcelona?) Thanks to Leo Gaggl of BrightCookie.com for pointing this out to me. And while the more generic name is 2D barcode, I think most people are using a certain type called a QR Code. I found a free QR code generator (from that same group in Barcelona). I can see how this could make for some really fun games. Here’s an example of how you could set up to play a game of SMS tag:
As fun as that would be, I want to set up a game where some of the codes give you text clues (up to 100 characters per QR code), others call you back with a recording, and still others allow you to track what items you have picked up so you can solve more complex games — including instructional games. I also wonder how to support multiple languages. For now it seems each language would need it’s own QR code.
Anyway, here are some links to QR code readers. To download them visit any of the following websites from your cell phone’s browser:
Barnes & Noble’s Nook e-book reader runs Android! (gotta love the name… 
There are lots of forums and blogs that describe how to root a G1 Android phone, but first I want to focus on why you might want actually want to do it.
Recent Comments