Navizon

http://my.navizon.com/Webapps/UserAdmin/register.aspx?referral_code=5E5E5A5E57565B

Anyone heard of this before?  In theory it says you can earn some $ from mapping cell/wifi positions... 

HTC Desire Rooted + Gingerbread + Sense 2.1 + Apps2SD+ ROM + AdFree

Step-by-Step for what I did to root + install GB+Sense2.1 with Apps2SD+ and AdFree rom (Base from Coolexe) - also included the video tutorial which is ace.


00 - Watch the video tutorial so you know what you are doing: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1016084
    - Also make sure phone is fully charged


01 - Download the RUU
    - Download the latest RUU so you have something to return back to stock if rquired.
    - Latest non-branded FroYo is 2.29.405.5 - available here:
          http://www.4shared.com/file/uyR9BIyD/RUU_Bravo_Froyo_HTC_WWE_229405.html
          http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=869048

02 - Download HTC Sync
    - Download the latest version of HTC Sync from www.htc.com  (the support section)
    - Latest at time of writing is available here: http://dl4.htc.com/Driver/HTC%20Sensation/setup_3.0.5551.exe

03 - Install HTC Sync
    - Install software, but then when complete uninstall HTC Sync software (leave HTC Drivers on system)
 
04 - Download modified HBoot driver
    - Download driver from unrevoked website - available here:
      http://www.4shared.com/file/2vSCKQGF/android-usb-driver.html
        and here (with instructions for install):
      http://unrevoked.com/rootwiki/doku.php/public/windows_hboot_driver_install

05 - Install HBoot driver
     - Turn off phone, hold Vol Down and power on till it gets to the recovery menu (white screen with menu options)
     - Connect phone to PC/Laptop with USB cable and install driver in device manager downloaded from step 04.
     - When installed reboot phone to normal OS
 
06 - Prepare phone for Rooting
    - Go to Settings -> Connect to PC -> untick 'Ask Me' if ticked, and set 'default connection type' to 'Charge only'
    - Go to Settings -> Applications -> Tick 'Unknown Sources' if not ticked
    - Go to Settings -> Applications -> Development -> Tick 'USB Debugging' if not ticked
 
07 - Reboot everything, laptop, phone etc.

08 - Download unrEVOked (version 3.21)
    - Download unrEVOked and make sure you get version 3.21 for Desire
      Available here:
      http://www.4shared.com/file/iRMqpPDk/321reflash_package.html
      and here:
      http://downloads.unrevoked.com/recovery/3.21/reflash_package.exe
   
09 - Root
    - Connect phone to PC with USB cable and leave on Charge only (I'm 99% sure it should be set as charge, but if that doesn't work try HTC Sync option, as HTC Sync isn't installed it shouldn't kick off the HTC Sync software)
    - Run unrEVOked software and follow instructions on screen (basically hit ok and wait awhile)
 
10 - Rooted!
    - The phone will reboot a few times and settle down and you will then have superuser app installed on phone and will be rooted, and a custom recovery allowing backups and flashing etc. (Clockwork Recovery accessed by VOL DOWN + Power on while phone is off)
    - This does not mean you have full access to system partition - as HTC put an extra security protocol in place called S-Off - you can do this with Alpharev - but is not essential for this - http://alpharev.nl/ for more information

11 - NANDroid Backup (optional)
    - You can turn off phone, vol down + power on, select recovery, then select backup and restore, and create a NAND backup of your current phone settings (this is saved to SD card in a folder called ClockworkRecovery)
    - This should allow you to restore back to current state, but I have found it caused a boot loop with my phone stuck at HTC logo so may be best to do this right before flashing a new ROM - at step 17)

12 - Backup your SD Card data to PC
    - Take all the data off the SD card that you want, pictures, music etc.
 
13 - Download gparted for Partiting SD
    - Some people claim you can partition within windows using tools like MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition, but it is always advised to use gparted
    - Download gparted and burn to CD from the ISO from here:
      http://www.4shared.com/file/lpZ-igPy/gparted-live-080-1.html
      or here:
      http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php
   
14 - Partitoning SD
    - Connect phone in USB Storage mode to laptop and boot to Gparted CD
    - In GParted accept all defaults
    - Ensure that the SD Card is set as the device (not your laptop/pc HD!)
      ( see this video for more details http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7V64S6cEkGw&feature=player_embedded)
    - Remove all partitions from SD card
    - Create a new FAT32 partition at the start of the SD Card - this MUST be the first partition on the SD card, but leave <2048MB of space at the end (recommended 1024MB, but 512MB can be used, but NOT MORE than 2048MB)
    - Create a second partition for EXT3 with the remaining space.
    - Apply
    - Shut down gparted
 
15 - Download ROMs + extras
    - XDA's index of Roms is available here : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=809328
    - To keep things as they are now without going too much into AOSP, MIUI, etc. - the main ROM choices are, Gingerbread + Sense 2.1, or Gingerbread + Sense 2.1 WITH 3.0 Parts. However, the 3.0 parts seem a little more unstable than the pure GB + s2.1 roms.
    - I am using the Desire HD port of Gingerbread 2.3.3 with Sense 2.1 (and also access to HTCSense.com and HTC Hub) found in Cool Sense 2.1 Cool AceS v8:
    http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1018843
 
    - Download the ROM, Radio, RIL and EXT4 Alignment zips from the link above or here:
    ROM : http://www.4shared.com/file/QUrCNuP_/Cool-AceS-v8-MB.html (Custom version - has removed HTC Stocks, Plurk and widgets etc. - get from above link if this custom doesn't work... and use the original before I tweaked it)
    RADIO : http://www.4shared.com/file/_9U9yON8/bravo5170523.html or http://download.oxygen.im/radios/bravo.5.17.05.23.zip (I had trouble with the one from the Cool AceS v8 page
    RIL : http://www.4shared.com/file/tFhdHc5E/32560032U_5170523_RIL.html
    ALIGNMENT : http://www.4shared.com/file/Cu5u8ETL/Alignment_Cool.html

16 - Copy ZIP's to SD
    - In USB Mass storage mode copy the 4 zip's to the root of SD card. Simples. (should be the only things on there.)

17 - Flash ZIPs
    - Boot phone into Clockwork Recovery (Vol down + Power on) (use vol up/down navigation to get to recovery, and then trackwheel as navigation when in clockwork recovery)
    - NAND backup (optional - see step 11)
    - Wipe data/factory reset
    - wipe cache partition
    - advanced -> wipe dalvik cache
    - install zip from sdcard
    - select zip
    - ALIGNMENT.zip
    - ... should say successfully installed on the text at the bottom when completed
    - install zip from sdcard again
    - select zip
    - ROM.zip
    - ... should say successfully installed on the text at the bottom when completed
    - install zip from sdcard again
    - select zip
    - RADIO.zip
    - ... should say successfully installed on the text at the bottom when completed
    - install zip from sdcard again
    - select zip
    - RIL.zip
    - ... should say successfully installed on the text at the bottom when completed
    - reboot now

18 - WAIT while ROM adjusts itself
    - the ROM may hang on the HTC white screen for about 5-10 minutes (apparently can hang for 20 minutes sometimes) while it sorts out the SD-EXT partition, and re-arranges itself on the phone
     - Go through the wizard to set up phone, and leave it on for 30 mins - 60 mins while re-downloading apps etc. and setting up phone as it may freeze/hang for a few seconds while it is still reconfiguring itself and settling down.
 
19 - You are done.  You can now restore your SD Card settings and set up your phone again. (note ADFree is installed and when opening will update the hosts and ask for superuser permissions to download+install hosts and block those pesky adverts)

Although I recommend downloading 'battery calibration' app from here: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.nema.batterycalibration

and running that through after a day or so to recalibrate the battery.

You can delete the zips from the SD card if you like.





NOTE:  You do not need to move Apps to the SD like previously (applications -> move to SD), the ROM has Apps2SD+ built in so the system will handle that on your behalf, applications should still display (on phone)

To check Apps2SD partition space install Quick System Info and check in the app: https://market.android.com/details?id=org.uguess.android.sysinfo

Data Plans

Frustrating these days how everything is 'going to the cloud' and yet (UK) mobile operators seem to be in the stone age still with data plans.

I used to have a nice unlimited tarrif - which was scrapped and I was moved on to a 500mb a month one - also stated that 'I never use over 500mb' by the person who switched me on to it, and also that the 'Unlimited' plan actually meant 300mb...

I saw a CNN article saying that on average Android users are using 582MB a month - which is a quarter of the tier 1 plan on AT&T @ 2GB.

o2 UK have three options on their site - 100MB, 500MB, 1GB

Why is the top tier only half of AT&T's lowest tier?

Microsoft have adverts on TV for 'Go to the cloud' for photo editing etc.

Apple launched iCloud

Google have Music Beta

HTC are launching HTC Watch and HTC Listen for movie/music purchased/rental from the cloud to mobile and tablet devices - so why are UK mobile operators so behind? surely you can't expect people to live on at most 1GB a month when they are streaming music and movies frequently?

US also have 4G LTE available, and I heard that o2 UK will be 'trialing' it soon - but we seem to be paying for a lot less than the US too... :(

Google Music Beta on Android Device

I think I found a way to speed up the process of getting an Android device...
I read a few posts on the internet about factory reset, restarting, etc. but one I think products the most results is resetting your google account password, sync up with device (it will error and ask for new password) - then change back (if you want).
Wait awhile and/or reboot a few times - I had no joy this morning, but changing password and back again and waiting about 15 minutes has now activated the Xoom music :)

Google Music Beta

I registered for a Music Beta invite yesterday morning, and got the invite by the evening when I got home - so that was pretty quick, as I heard people waited a few days sometimes for an invite.
It took about 24 hours though before Music Beta authorization appeared on my Desire with the 3.0.1 Music app installed which was a bit frustrating as there didn't seem to be any way of speeding this up!
It still isn't activated on my Xoom either... :(

Other than the slow activation on actual Android handsets, I'm fairly impressed.
When driving home from work - I tested it out in the car and using the Data connection there appeared to be only one hiccup from the music and 14 songs downloaded to the cache folder.
As we seem to have rubbish signals around these parts, especially if on a call (with bluetooth headset, obviously) it can lose the signal and cut me off - I was expecting it to fail at some point.

I think my only grief with it at the moment is you need a PC/MAC to be able to upload music in the first place - I would have thought there'd be a way of uploading from an Android device in some way (even if it was an upload option from the browser...)