Trinity Android Emulator

I'm no big fan of Android emulators but this one is interesting and open source.

On Win11 it worked fine but would not start on Win10

It was suggested to do this . . . yet to try

turn pn hyper v and also install intel xham

https://github.com/intel/haxm

Transfer Between PC and Android

Sharing should be easy but what the heck? 

So while you are searching for that perfect solution . . .  just do this:

Install Snapdrop on Android.

Choose the "pairdrop" server.

Then on the PC open pairdrop.net 

ShareDrop works with browser only. Simply send a link or scan the UPC.

Or just use Mega

Android On PC

nomodeset xforcevesa

(I don't know how to make this stick)

Network settings

Control Android (Shield - Fire) With PC SCRCPY

Bottom Line - I don't use this but it is interesting and does work.
Download the Windows Version of SCRCPY.
(Scroll down the page to find it.)

You can place the unzipped folder anywhere but C:\ is easiest.

Find your Android device's ip eg. 192.168.1.2

On your Android Device, enable developer mode (not needed on Fire).

Then turn Developer Options ON.

Turn Network Debugging ON

Open Command Prompt as Admin
Navigate to the scrcpy folder
Type adb connect 192.168.1.2:555
Watch Android device and accept connection
Then run scrcpy.exe
You should now have a screen on your PC reflecting your Android.
Give some time after commands to allow things to happen.
This "Android" screen on your PC will not be in the CMD window. Look around.
If you have low bandwidth a switch may be needed to use smaller window, eg.
  scrcpy -b2M -m800 or scrcpy -b2M -m600
To shut off the server when done use adb kill-server.

This is fantastic when it works. Mouse, keyboard . . . everything works.

However . . . these days, few things are needed for streaming and little typing is needed.
(Several different sources are available for each item.)
Downloader is #1
  Fire just say "downloader" into mic.
  Shield (thinking-maybe playstore)
APKTime (Get it right away. Several apps for Shield error on download "can't parse package" but I      have not run into this with Firestick.)
Kodi
  Fire-Downloader http://troypoint.com/kodistable (seems not to be on store)
  Shield in Playstore
Current Best Kodi Build
  http://xanaxrepo.com/repo/
Current Best APK
  UnlockTV APK
  Fire-Downloader http://bit.ly/unlocktv
  Shield-Downloader http://bit.ly/unlocktv
VPN-Private Internet Access
  Seems to be in All Playstores now
Browser
  PuffinTV is the best - (Forget all other browsers)
  Fire get it from APKTime
  Shield get it in playstore
    Fast.com Internet Speed Test works well in Puffin. Bookmark it.
    https://www.techdoctoruk.com/downloads/ is a good bookmark also.
Youtube (no adds)
  This is a moving target . . . So try
  https://www.techdoctoruk.com/downloads/
  or APKTime
Filelinked is another way to acquire apks. You need an address and sometimes a pin.
  This program can be irritating at times.
  address 22222222 pin 4754
This address has most current apks
Ciberflix (has worked well but recently iffy)
CinemaHD (can be okay)

Any more than this and you are just playing. Not that there is anything wrong with that :)

Android TV Box

2019-01-20 Just get Nvidia Shield

MECOOL BB2 PRO $68

It runs Kodi fine. LED it BRIGHT. Built in home page is ugly but Nova Launcher solves that.
The box had some kind of fit one day and video flashed on and off and acted totally weird. I booted several times and it finally recovered. Don't know what that was all about. These boxes are all basically the same except the Shield runs Android TV which is a different launcher and not actually replaceable like the other boxes. Shield can run other apps that sort of act as a launcher but the basic Home launcher never goes away. I can live with it because of the Shield's superior power and stability. Either is fine but Shield is definitely superior.

Things to install:
(Use apkpure website if necessary for apks)
Aptoide (the other play store) (Android TV's Google Play Store is not the complete Play Store)
***Install***
APKPure (the app)
Floating Apps (I do not find this very useful yet)

Nova Launcher (if yours is ugly)

ES File Explorer (also acts as basic internet browser and remote file share)

  turn off Recycle Bin

  settings turn off notify app permissions

  turn off logger floating widget
File Commander (Might be easier but I would install both.) 

Droid Buddy http://kodicustombuilds.com/ (No Adult version toward bottom)
  Use this for several installs
    TerrariumTV
    MX Player
    VLC (Terrarium can use this and it is great)
    Kodi

    SPMC
    Mobdro
    Team Viewer Quick Support (easy file share)
    Amazon Underground (to set up Prime)

Maybe these from Droid Buddy but Kodi and Terrarium TV is all you need.
Showbox
Cinemabox
Megabox HD
Movie HD
Newest Movies HD
Cine Box
Solid Streamz
UKTV Now
HD Cinema

Use Playstore, Aptoid or apkpure website:
Task Killer (Task Manager) Really not needed and somewhat quirky.

Speed Test

VPlayer
http://firetvguru.net/ (Has forks as apks of Kodi but I didn't like them)
Youtube for GoogleTV (Several versions of Youtube. I don't like the newest on these boxes.)
I like the Youtube version on the Shield
Soft Key https://apkpure.com/soft-key/com.vramsngrai.floattoucher (somewhat handy)
If your box does not have ethernet buy this UGREEN USB RJ45 Ethernet Adapter with USB 3.0 Hub and Gigabit Ethernet.

Sprint Galaxy S4 Stock ROM Flash

I rooted my S4 but when I tried the hotspot hack I froze on the yellow Sprint screen. Restore did not solve it so I had to flash a Stock ROM. Nothing worked so you can imagine it was alarming for awhile.

When flashing Android 4.3 you must use Odin v3.09. Select the "AP" slot for the file and check "reboot" only. Don't bother with the rooted version because it will not be rooted anyway.

QBKing77's video on rooting works but do not do the hotspot hack.

Rooting Sprint Android Phones

I need a place for links:

Latest Odin

For Galaxy S3 root consider using Chainfire.

I have rooted my S4 but it is not happy. Samsung update stops old methods.

Back to stock successfully.

Appears Chainfire has a root solution.

Chainfire includes Odin in the downloads.

My New Sprint Galaxy S4

Here is a root method. I'm waiting for more information.

Why did I leave my S3? My son needed a phone so he took my S3 and I grabbed an S4. If you have an S3 just keep it and don't bother with the S4. Even if you are buying new, the S3 is cheap or free on contract and the best phone I've ever had. S4 is great too but no great improvements that matter to me.

I ran FreeGS3 on the old S3 and the new profile will not update so I'm needing to get a stock ROM on it to update. I'm trying to find a stock rooted ROM. Maybe a reflash of FreeGS3 will do it.

One thing that get me on the new phone is the lag at times. I'm not accustomed to tapping and waiting for anything to happen. I guess once rooted it is hard to go back to the bloat.

Find Your Android After The Horse Left The Barn

Plan B can be downloaded to the phone from the play store and it will email the phones location to you. Have not tried by next time someone in the family loses their phone let's hope I remember to look here for answers.

So now I have 3 possible solutions.
1. Where's My Droid
2. Life 360 GPS tracker
3. Plan B
4. Avast (trying now but see it as the solution)

All for free

Cerberus may be worth a look even though it costs moola. This has a free trial for one week, then you can buy a lifetime license for a small price (2.99€) from within the application: no monthly or yearly fees, just a one-time payment. You can manage five phone from one account. Cerberus is so feature rich and so cheap that I'm going to grab it. The only reason I would not is to avoid having more junk running on the phone.

So $3.99 and explain to me how the miserable Euro is worth more than the dollar. Maybe I will let politics stand in the way of my purchase? No - I'm bigger than that so let's extend our magnanimous hand of friendship (filled with an extra dollar) across the sea and do business.

Lookout is another option. I got sick of it scanning everything and full feature is monthly fees.

SeekDroid Lite appears similar to Cerberus.
SeekDroid for $4.99 lifetime

Avast has a mobile security app for free that is popular. Can we turn off the anitvirus? Installing as we speak. Open interface by call Avast PIN. When you confirm the email it looks like you need to invite friends. Simply access the site another way to avoid. You can turn off all the anti-virus scanning (which I did) but it is a pain in the butt. Only took a minute.
Yep, that's me.

AirDroid v2 is an interesting possibility but not for locating. It failed to locate. But to get things on or off your phone it is slick.

Install GooManager For TWRP Replace Clockwork Mod

TWRP is a replacement for Clockwork Mod. It has graphic interface. An easy way to install TWRP is to use GooManager. Open GooManger, menu and select "install open recovery". My phone did not even need to reboot.

Here Are My Android Apps At The Moment

Android Apps That Work

Here are a few Android apps that work well on my Galaxy S3 (I am resisting the word awesome).

ES File Explorer
The file browser you need. This is not only a browser to copy, move, delete files from your phone's SD but is a simple as pie network server. Just search for the IP address of the Windows machine and enter it along with that computer's log in name and password. Now you can stream or copy files over to your phone. Or maybe you want to stream them. That works too.

AirDroid
Maybe you want to do all this wirelessly. Start AirDroid and enter the IP that AirDroid shows into your computer's browser, then enter the code that AirDroid gave. It is magical. GoodReader for iPad does this.

Moon+ Reader
This one handles mobi. Forget the other readers unless you want Kindle and Google also for text trapped inside their ecosystems.

MxPlayer
This plays the video streams over LAN through the ES server.

The list could go on for more standard apps ...

SPH-L710 Galaxy S3 My Favorite So Far & Rooted

Galaxy S3 is my favorite phone so far. I finally decided to root Android for the first time. I followed this guide and it worked fine. Rooting instructions has several instruction steps but this method is not difficult. I put this off because it looked like too much work, it was not. I am currently on 10/23 and  beyond now. Tips are at the end of this post.

This video tutorial is better. The Odin version is newer and the auto reboot is checked and battery removal is not mentioned. I believe this older tutorial needs to be modified to the method of the first tutorial. I included it because it is such a good video and has basically the same info except for the modified instructions.

I installed the Wifi Tether for Root from the play store and it also worked fine on the Sprint network using the original factory ROM.

I have no clue what BusyBox does but I installed it. Here is a reasonable explanation. Sounds like it is not totally necessary for simple root.

Here is the XDA Sprint Galaxy S3 page

I am holding off on custom ROM ....

I am not quite sure what is going to happen when a new update is pushed out. Of course I did not back up the original so if an update breaks things it will be a session. The factory ROM appears easily available. I was going to wait for the Jelly Bean update before rooting but oh well ... I believe that the phone will not auto update over the air if rooted. If update is desired follow the link below or find the update modified for rooted device.

This covers updating if rooted.

How to Install the CyanogenMod 10 JB
here is the xda site
change log
possible camera improvement
Pandora 1.7 will not stream on 3G so need 1.6

I'm not touching this yet ..... when the bugs settle down I plan to try it.

Update: I installed the 8-15-12 Build: http://d-h.st/KOL and it works great. I am free at last!
The chat room says new builds should work by simply installing over old with no wipe necessary. Wouldn't that be nice?
http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=gs3-sprint
channel= #gs3-sprint

What are the benefits of CyanogenMod? All the Sprint bloatware is gone. The interface is fast and crisp and the Samsung stuff is gone. I much prefer the Google voice commands over Samsung anyway. I did have one crash in two days and had to pull the battery. This CyanogenMod is still a preview but everything I tried so far has worked. Wifi hotspot works but root allowed that. Galaxy 3S stock is great but Cyanogen is faster and cleaner.

I just updated to nightly build 902. I downloaded on the phone, no PC required and booted into Clockwork. No wipe needed, just backup and install new mod over old then reboot. It has the new CyanogenMod boot screen, very nice.

I do love CyanogenMod 10.

There is a 5 second call answer delay before caller can hear you. This is supposed to be fixed with the 905 build, a welcomed fix.

905 installed. 3g didn't work so pulled battery and cleared the 2 caches. Now it works. I will use 905 until the forum reports some major release improvement.

I think each flash works better after giving it a day or two to settle in. At least it seems so.

Test from my basement. Forget it, I forgot to turn wifi off. If it's looks to good to be true ....

But I did get this, once, sometimes I can't even get 3G. I don't think it is a CM10 issue. There are too many variables to make judgements other than if it works, I am happy.

I just got this with build 910 from basement. Just moving the phone a couple feet will change the speed drastically in my basement.

Benchmark

Quadrant benchmark

910 is a good build for me. Pandora over 3G shows visually but I get no sound. 

Here is some information on corporate PRL (preferred roaming list). I have not tried it yet. Some say it helps speed and some say it helps roaming.

No. 25006 is the normal consumer PRL (currently). The corporate PRL is what goes out to phones on corporate accounts - accounts owned by corporations for company-owned phones. PRLs starting with 240xx are corporate. PRLs starting with 250xx go to everyone else.

get file here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=31313444&postcount=5264

To install:

1. Download and extract prl file from zip

2. Place file on INTERNAL sd card

3. Make a copy of the file and name it "TEST" (TEST.prl)

4.. Make nandroid backup

5.. Flash TW rom

6.. From dialer hit ##DATA#

7. select view>>PRL Write

8. Hit write PRL and let phone reboot

9. Go back to CM10

Here is an interesting list of apps for the Galaxy S3.

For what it's worth, the external SD is not seamlessly used. If you must direct programs to us the external SD, a directory bind could work.

Tips:
1. LTE handoff try "home only" under "mobile networks"
2. Clockwork Mod is fine but I use GooManager and TWRP. Cyanogen 10 also has an auto update in "about phone" that will download nightly and use TWRP to reboot recovery.
3. Samsung USB driver
4. If you get an "open with this program" selection and make the wrong "always" choice do this to fix: Settings>Apps>All>Media Storage and "Clear Defaults"
5. If you want the stock Jelly Bean leak
6. Set up lan server in ES File Explorer
Find the IP of the computer on the network to which you wish to connect.
Enter that IP into "Server"
Enter user name and password for that computer
Display name is anything
Now when you tap the server, the shares on that computer will be listed.
You can now download files from the network shares.

7. AirDroid will allow you to access the phone files from a wireless computer.

8. If you want stock Jelly Bean go here and here.

9. Jelly Bean 4.2 stuff here all in one zip here

10. Change log
11. Flash for Jelly Bean 2011.1_11.1.115.11
12. On TW to fix data reception problems try dialing ##72786#
13. Interesting file manager to try.
14. Force roaming Roam Control
15. Things to rename for battery save found here.

I've jumped ship on CM10.0 because CM10.1 is the new nightly and has too many problems. FreeGS3 is a Touch Wiz mod and works great. I'm going to stick with it until CM10.1 is ready and then reconsider. The 3G radio works better in a TW rom.

Check Amazon For A Sprint Phone Upgrade

I recently moved my Galaxy S2 down the food chain and upgraded to Galaxy S3 on Sprint. I did it at the local Sprint store for $250. Checking Amazon's price never occurred to me. Amazon has a Galaxy S3 Sprint upgrade for $99. But we do need to support our local store owners. Amazon pays no tax in my town and the guy is renting his store space from me. You may not have such loyalty feelings and who could blame you.

The Galaxy S3 is the best phone I have had. When Jelly Bean comes out it will be even better, so I'm told. The Sprint network is challenged in my two home areas but the data package and pricing is too good to pass up. Our local store says Sprint is adding 100 new packages a day in our small town area of 11,000 population and the network can't keep up at the moment. Maybe things will get better because Sprint is trying to upgrade its service.

Samsung is simply the Android phone king of the hill right now.

The Complete Android Guide

The Complete Android Guide - Complete Guides

Available on line. Should we read it? I probably won't but it is a resource.

Removing Facebook Sync from Evo

Calendar:

Go to calander. click on a day, click menu, click more, then click "calendars" and deselect the Facebook option. (Voila, no more birthdays)

Hat Tip: Android Central

"People" Facebook annoying sync behavior is disabled in similar fashion.

My List of Android Apps (developing)

My Android apps on AppBrain

(the embed does not list all my apps)

Weather Bug (never liked it on PC but great on Android) (has radar of sorts but home entry only)
Radar Now (quick weather Radar at your location but need gps on)

WiFi Analyzer (gives graphic quality of wifi signals)

Drudge Easy (Android DrudgeReport) (super easy read)

Swype (keyboard) stupid beta keeps expiring - had to resort to PirateBay

Dolphin Browser but unconvinced of usefulness yet.

Google Maps & Street View (LifeHacker)

Google Voice (I still prefer the native Message app for SMS so far but all call GV)

FlightView works great

TuneIn Radio is great

Considering:

How to prolong lithium-based batteries

How to prolong lithium-based batteries: "A lithium-ion battery provides 300-500 discharge/charge cycles. The battery prefers a partial rather than a full discharge. Frequent full discharges should be avoided when possible. Instead, charge the battery more often or use a larger battery. There is no concern of memory when applying unscheduled charges.

Although lithium-ion is memory-free in terms of performance deterioration, batteries with fuel gauges exhibit what engineers refer to as 'digital memory'. Here is the reason: Short discharges with subsequent recharges do not provide the periodic calibration needed to synchronize the fuel gauge with the battery's state-of-charge. A deliberate full discharge and recharge every 30 charges corrects this problem. Letting the battery run down to the cut-off point in the equipment will do this. If ignored, the fuel gauge will become increasingly less accurate"

Comments: Some say to run your EVO battery to zero to "calibrate". Here is a somewhat official reference for doing it. My EVO has good battery life but I'm doing it once anyway. There is a caution to not do it more than once a month. If you can't trust "BatteryUniversity.com" who can you trust. Is that Ivy League?

EVO Froyo and Battery Life

I am seeing complaints about Froyo and battery life. It appeared true and somewhere I saw a hint to remove Advanced App Killer so I did it. I went through my list again and made sure wi-fi did not sleep, sync other than Google was turned off, etc. and my battery life is great. My idle time barely moves once I get around 70%. No, I am not watching movies. I am trying to run the battery to zero (for some reason) and it's going to be more than 24 hours of my normal use. Happy, happy.

Edit: I'm half way through day 2 and still 38%. Just using as phone and some email.

Rooting EVO with Froyo

[Program] Updated: 8-5-10: 1 Click SimpleRoot OTA 1.47.651.1 Edition - xda-developers: "If you amazingly got your EVO with 2.2 or flashed it, theres no way to root 2.2 as of YET!!!"

Follow the above site for availability on Froyo.

Ok it has been rooted. but I'm waiting for a simpler way to come along.

Unrevoked 3 appears ready for Froyo