I got my official HTA Update on my Nexus 5! So, I am now at Android 4.4.3…
I am on the T-Mobile network, so I don’t know if the other carriers are pushing at the same time.
Category: Google Phone
Jelly Bean Android ROMs
This is more of a public bookmark than anything else. I have been trying several different ROMs, but each on seems slow and laggy. I am not sure if am doing something wrong or if the HD2 is nearing the end of its life.
As always, the best place to find the most recent ROMs is: android.hd2roms.com
Here are the ROMS that I was looking at:
Google Voice Voicemail Rings
I have really enjoyed using the Google Voice option for voicemail on my cell phone. The cool part is that it sends me an email with the voicemail message. The message is attached in sound form and it also makes an attempt to do voice recognition. The one disadvantage is that it rings way too many times. Some people give up on leaving a message because it rings so many times. Well, thanks to Evan Wondrasek, I found a fix!
Here’s the original article:
Techorator: How to Prevent Extra Rings using Google Voice as Voicemail
HD2 Android Cooking
This is my first delve into cooking my own ROM for HD2. I am not at a point where I can give step-by-step directions, but I wanted to post some of the things that I figured out so far.
Danial’s (dsixda) Android Kitchen
I have heard a lot about the Android Kitchen, so I thought I would try it. It was an easy install. I just had to download the zip file from Git Hub and extract it into a directory:
To launch it, I go to that directory in a terminal…
… and run the ./menu command. That brings up the Kitchen menu.
Importing My First ROM
I started with the Paranoid Android – AOKP – Sourcery ROM. I simply downloaded it, and placed it in the
Then, on the menu, I chose option 1 to create the working folder.
When it was done, it created this working directory:
Adding My First App
Just to make a small easy change, I decided to add an app to the ROM. I have been using the Wifi Tether program, and I decided to bake that into the ROM. It was as easy as placing it into the working folder under data/app.
This worked fine, but for some reason, the wireless tethering won’t work on my ROM. The app works fine, but when it tethers, it gets an error. That’s an issue for troubleshooting another day.
Changing the Default Background
I found some instructions that suggested using the apktool program to update the background. But, rather than that, I just used the File Roller to extract and replace the files in the apk file.
I found the framework-res.apk file inside the system/framework folder in the working directory. I opened the file with file-roller and I went to the /res/drawable-hdpi folder. There I extracted the default_wallpaper.jpg.
I simply edited the image with Gimp and replaced it in the apk file.
This worked great at first. Then, my old wallpaper mysteriously reappeared. I assume that was from Google’s syncing my phone to previous setups.
Adding Chrome By Default
I unzipped my Titanium backup of Chrome to the System directory.
This made Chrome show up in the list, but it failed to run. I ended up moving it to the /data/app folder of the ROM, and that fixed the problem. Chrome was installed by default.
Note: I did the same thing with Swype. I found it also had to go in the /data/app folder.
Changing the Launcher
The ROM that I started with has the Nova Launcher in it. I did a little reading up on launchers, and I decided to try to the Go Launcher EX.
First, I removed the Nova Launcher. I deleted the NovaLauncher.apk file:
I tried to download the Go Launcher from their website, but it mostly sent me to the market. Instead, I installed it from the Market. Then, I pulled it off the phone with adb.
adb pull /data/app/com.gau.go.launcherex-1.apk adb pull /data/app/com.gau.go.launcherex.gowidget.weatherwidget-1.apk
I simply removed the NovaLauncher.apk from the /system/app folder. Then, I added these two apk files in its place. That gave me the Go launcher.
I tried that out for a bit, but then I decided to go back to Trebuchet. So, I swapped the two Go apk files with Trebuchet.apk from another CM10 ROM.
Building the ROM
After all this, I built the ROM from the kitchen. I just used option #99.
Then, I picked option#1, the interactive mode. Then, I took the defaults. It creates the zip file in the output zip folder.
I had a problem with the ROM flashing. I think that it has to do with the “if” statements in the update script. The kitchen didn’t translate it correctly. So, I replaced the update script with the original script from the original ROM.
Later, I went back into it and found that I could remove the if, else, and end-if lines from the update-script in the working folder. This takes out the feature that autodetects CLK vs. MagLdr. But, it flashes on my phone fine. I can figure that out later.
Resources
- Cook your own custom ROM for HTC Android Smartphones in DSIXDA’s ROM Kitchen
- XDA Thread: dsixda’s Android Kitchen
- The Unlockr: How To – Create Your Own Custom ROM for Android, Part 2 – Creating Your First ROM
- XDA Developers Wiki: HTC HD2
- [REF] Changing default wallpaper in ICS firmwares [FOR ROM DEVELOPERS]
- Android APK Tool
- lifehacker: Five Best Android Launchers
- XDA Developers: What is Best Apex,Nova or Trebuchet Launcher?
- Go Dev Team
- Rootz Wiki: Google Apps
- Swype Download Page
- XDA Developers: update-script syntax – A guide for ROM devs, modders, and themers
- AOKP GitHub
- Free Your Android: An introduction to the Edify (Updater-Script) language
Enabling Chrome on My Custom ROM
On my latest ROM download, I found that Chrome wouldn’t work for some reason. It said that it wasn’t compatible with my phone, but that really confused me. I’ve had it running on my phone with no problem in the past.
I still haven’t gotten it to work. If you know what I am doing wrong, please point it out. Or, you might find a tip that will help you out. In any regard, I can’t promise any answers.
Android: I have Jelly Bean!
Thanks to ThdDude and his Unofficial CM10 HD2 ROM, I now have Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) on my phone. I thought I would show off a few pictures and at least capture the link to his XDA Thread so that I can remember where to go back for updates.
Jelly Bean ROMS for HD2
Right now, using the HD2 ROMs page, I see three different ROMs out there. I have only tried the one at this point, but here is the list of ROMs I know of:
- Unofficial CM10 HD2 by ThdDude
- AOKP – Paranoid Android – Sourcery by Xlylograph
- UNOFFICIAL-CM10-HD2 a10 by The Learning Never Ends Team
- JellyBean AOSP Alpha 6 for HD2 by smokin901
- JellyBean alpha 6 by The Learning Never Ends Team
My Home Screen
For starters, here is the way I have my home screen customized. I removed the stock clock, and I added the Fancy Widgets clock. I also removed the messaging and Email to replace them with Gesture Search and GMail.
Notifications
One of the new features in Jelly Bean is the notifications. I like how they are dynamic and adjust to the situation. For example, the following screenshots show a bunch of notifications all together. Notice how they are packed in together and take up the minimal amount of space.
When, I clear out some of the notifications, notice how the email notification expands to show more information now that it has room.
Application Switcher
I don’t think this is new to Jelly Bean, but it has the ICS Application Switcher. When you hold the Home key down, you get this:
Google Now
I just stumbled on the Google Now interface. I had read a little about, but I just now accidentally pulled it up. To open it, you click on the search bar on the home screen:
It brings up an interface that looks like this. The various cards give you information:
When you talk, it has updated the interface. I have read that now this voice recognition happens on your phone and we don’t have to go to the web to get it to recognize.
Version Information
Here is the basic information from the Settings > About screen.
Here are the build details:
If you tap on the Android Version, you’ll see this easter egg:
The Lock Screen
The lock screen has a slightly different feel to it. Just a different look…
Chrome
One disappointment I had was that Chrome would not install. It said that it was not compatible with this version!
I wonder if this is because hardware acceleration is not included yet?
HD2 Toolkit
After getting a new laptop, I was looking for the HD2 Toolkit. I use it to flash my HD2 phone. The new Jelly Bean ROM that I am trying out needed a bigger partition.
Apparently, it was just updated in July. Here’s the new link:
XDA: Updated with new Recovery!
I still can’t use it on Linux though, which is kind of frustrating. It installs fine under Wine or a on a VirtualBox virtual machine, but it can’t see the phone through the USB cable. I wish I could fix that, but it works great through my Windows partition.
ICS ROM Update for HD2
I decided it was time for a whole new post listing the latest Android 4.0/Ice Cream Sandwich ROMS for the HD2 phone. A few new ones have popped up since my last list.Currently, I have been following Tytung’s ROMs. I am on his NexusHD2-ICS-CM9 v1.2. So, here is a list of links relating to his ROMs:
- Nexus HD2 Website: This has links to all of Tytung’s different ROMs. It is the best place to go to check for updates and find what you want.
- XDA Thread for CM9 SD Version
- XDA Thread for CM9 NAND Version
- XDA Thread for AOSP Version
Here are a few more other ROMs out there:
- IceCreamTosti: This ROM has some cool unlock screen tweaks from the screenshots. I haven’t tried it, but it looks cool.
- Michie’s ROM: Has a few different cool features
- Ankuch’s ROM: SD Version
- Jama’s ROM
Note: SportsStar89’s ROM is discontinued. According to this post, he doesn’t have a working HD2 anymore. Apparently, he dropped it, cracked the digitizer, and broke it more trying to repair it.
I have picked up a number of source sites from these links that would be handy for creating a ROM.
- Android Open Kang Project: Source for IceCreamTosti
- MeDroid ICS Project Site: Source for Tytung’s ROMs
I can’t forget to mention the HD2 ROM site that lists all of the ROMs out there: HTC HD2 Android Roms/Builds.
Using My Phone for My Bible
A long time ago, I wrote about a an app called MySword. Well, I have gotten to the point that I use that program exclusively for my Bible on my phone. Let me walk you through how I use it, and please let me know if you have any suggestions.
You can install it from here:
Android Market: MySword from Riversoft Information System
Here are some of the advantages of using my phone like this over a regular Bible:
- I mostly have it with me all the time — no need to carry something additional
- Search — if someone mentions a verse without the reference, I can find it.
- Commentaries, Strongs, etc.
- Taking notes all in the same place
So, here’s what I do. On one of my screens, I put the MySword on my desktop with BuzzOff. (The BuzzOff allows me to turn the ringer off easily.)
The first thing you will want to do is get all of the Modules that you want to use. First, open the menu and choose the more option:
On the more menu, you can choose to Download Modules:
From the Download Modules Screen, you can get the different modules that you want:
Another thing that took me a bit to figure out was how to get rid of the Strongs numbers. I finally determined that you can switch them on and off by changing between KJV and KVJ Lite:
Looking up versions works fine. I like the way Virtue Bible works where you can see all of Bible Books at one time, but this works. Maybe I could recommend that as a new feature — different verse selection options. Here’s what the verse selector looks like:
When I take notes, I use the Journal:
There are different types of Journals, and I am using the “My Church Notes”.
Here’s the New button and Edit button for creating notes:
The one issue I found is that I can’t view a verse while editing the notes. So, when the pastor makes reference to a verse, I have to Save the notes, go the passage, then go back and edit again. So, there’s another feature request.
I still need to figure out how to:
- Sync my “Journal”/Church Notes back to my computer/Xiphos
- Convert my Sword modules from Xiphos to MySword
All in all, I really like the program, and I would recommend it as a Bible program for anyone.
ICS on HD2: Camera Now Somewhat Works!
This is a nice Christmas present: the camera now somewhat works on Tytung’s ICS Rom.
Here’s a screenshot just after I took a picture:
The preview doesn’t work. As you can see, it is just black. You can see the tiny thumbnail of the Christmas tree picture that I took though. When I select the thumbnail, it comes up like this:
Unfortunately, the phone keeps rebooting with the Camera application. I still not exactly sure what causes it. I tried to capture a log, but the app/phone wouldn’t cooperate. EdJones88 posted a work around to keep it from rebooting, but it is kind of impractical as far as I am concerned.
You can checkout my list of ICS Roms and watch as the ROM developers get things working.