Improve the voice quality on the Evo 3D

Brandon Orndorff
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0

People have been complaining about the voice quality on their HTC Evo 3D being less than perfect. These instructions will show you how to improve this so that people on the other end don’t think your hanging out in a tunnel.

What this will do is change the vocoder that your phone uses (this is the technology that encodes your voice on a call). This is not permanent and can be switched back if needed.  In most cases you will never want to go back and we have seen the voice quality on EVO 3D’s be so bad that people put the phone down and borrow one.

Instructions to Improve Voice Quality on the Evo 3D:

  1. Go to phone app and Dial ##3282#
  2. Choose Edit Mode
  3. Enter MSL (Ask technical support nicely)
  4. Advanced
  5. Change EVRC-B to enable
  6. Change Home Orig and Roam Orig to EVRC-B
  7. Hit Menu and Commit Changes

Again changes are not permanent and can be switched back if you run into and problems. This being said this setting does prevent Airave (Sprint’s Access Point Cell Phone Signal Booster) use based on users reviews.

We aren’t sure if there are any downsides to doing this since everyone seems to be happier after fixing the call quality using this method.  I will ask that anyone using this little trick let us know your experience so that others know what to expect.  Also if you are having any issues after trying this method we would like to hear those even more so that we can let people know the benefit/risk of this.

If you want more information Google: “EVRC-B evo” and see other peoples experiences.

How to Root the HTC Evo 3D

Brandon Orndorff
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0

After just over a week since the HTC Evo 3D has been officially released an exploit has been found.  From the buzz around the Android community Team Win have found this exploit that should allow them to root the Evo 3D.  This is great news for Evo 3D owners as until now there hasn’t been much talk about progress on getting root access on the Evo 3D.

HTC Evo 3d Root Access
HTC Evo 3d Root Access

Temp Root Instructions for the Evo 3D using Fre3vo:

Prereqs for Rooting the HTC Evo 3D:

  1. You must be able to push files via adb to your phone.
  2. You must know what a shell is.

Temporary Root Instructions for HTC Evo 3D:

  1. Download the fre3vo zip file (download link)
  2. Unzip the fre3vo binary
  3. Push the binary via ‘adb push fre3vo /data/local/tmp’
  4. Change the permissions via ‘adb shell chmod 777 /data/local/tmp/fre3vo’
  5. Run the binary via ‘adb shell /data/local/tmp/fre3vo’
  6. You will be sent back to a command prompt
  7. run ‘adb shell’ and you should have a ‘#’ prompt instead of ‘%’.
  8. Congrats you have root access (temporarily)!

This is temporary root. Rebooting your device will remove root access. Please read on for Permanent root access to your HTC Evo 3D.

Perm Root Instructions for the Evo 3D using Fre3dom:
(available soon)

 

 

AT&T and the HTC Status (Facebook Phone)

Brandon Orndorff
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0
AT&T and the HTC Status (Facebook Phone)

HTC Status Facebook Phone
HTC Status Facebook Phone

The HTC Status is coming to AT&T.  This phone is for serious social networking addicts with a full keyboard and runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread.  This phone is almost a dedicated Facebook device with one touch sharing, check in, and status updates.

Some of the HTC Status Features are:

  • Platform: Android™ 2.3 + HTC Sense
  • Display: 2.6-inch touch screen with 480 x 320 resolution
  • Network: Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 UMTS/HSDPA 850/1900
  • Memory: 512 MB RAM, 512 MB ROM
  • Processor: MSM7227, 800 MHz
  • Battery: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery, 1250 mAh
  • Camera resolution: 5 MP main camera with autofocus, VGA  front-facing camera

If your looking for the perfect device for social networking this is it.  This being said the HTC Status is not a very powerful phone

with only an 800MHz processor and 512MB of RAM.  If you want to be able to run most apps on the Google Market this device will disappoint with its 2.6 inch screen and low resolution you will not likely use it for anything more than Facebook.

 

Press Release | Android Tutorials, Advice, Instructions & Mods

Brandon Orndorff
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0
Press Release | Android Tutorials, Advice, Instructions & Mods

PRESS RELEASE

Android has quickly become the most used mobile operating system for not only phones but tablets as well. With Android users increasing rapidly, online resources for these devices are also increasing. When looking for information on a new phone that your interested in or trying to find a way to modify the one you already have, consider the following:

Information on New Android Devices
There are over 500,000 Android Devices activated every day and only a few great resources on the devices available outside of the biased reviews from carriers and manufacturers. When looking for the perfect Android phone for your needs (and wants) its important to look at an unbiased review.

Rooting your Android Device
Once you have the new device that you feel is the latest and greatest (after looking around for days i’m sure) its time to unlock all of the features your new device is capable of. Rooting your phone while slightly dangerous (depending on the method) is worth every worry along the way. Some of the reasons you will want to root would be installing custom ROM’s like CyanogenMod or Tethering without paying a carrier for the plan using an app like Barnacle and for some users (AT&T users i’m talking to you) its as simple as being able to install apps from sources other than the Google Android Market.

Currently while we have only been around a few months now we have all kinds of instructions on rooting and modifying your Android Devices. This site does not stray from Android Devices much but also includes news and information on Android Carriers and Device Manufacturers.

Android UI Themes Tutorial

Brandon Orndorff
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0
Android UI Themes Tutorial

This tutorial is meant to get you started and understanding the theme capabilities of  the Android SDK’s API.  Many options such as background color and image on widgets can be changed easily although some such as Activity and Dialog winds must be changed via theme facility.

You can define most of your resources within a styles.xml file located at “ProjectName/res/values/styles.xml”.

An Example of a style.xml file:

<resources>
<!– Base application theme is the default theme. –>
<style name=”Theme” parent=”android:Theme”></style>

<!– Variation on our application theme that has a translucent background. –>
<style name=”Theme.Translucent”>
<item name=”android:windowBackground”>@drawable/translucent_background</item>
<item name=”android:windowNoTitle”>true</item>
<item name=”android:colorForeground”>#fff</item>
</style>

<!– Variation on our application theme that has a transparent background; this example completely removes the background, allowing the activity to decide how to composite. –>
<style name=”Theme.Transparent”>
<item name=”android:windowBackground”>@drawable/transparent_background</item>
<item name=”android:windowNoTitle”>true</item>
<item name=”android:colorForeground”>#fff</item>
</style>
<style name=”TextAppearance.Theme.PlainText” parent=”android:TextAppearance.Theme”>
<item name=”android:textStyle”>normal</item>
</style>
</resources>

This is how you will reference your resource:

public class WidgetActivity extends Activity {
@Override protected void onCreate(Bundle bundle) {
super.onCreate(bundle);

Log.i(Global.TAG2, “sub-Activity WidgetActivity being creation: start”);
setTheme(R.style.Theme_Translucent);
setContentView(Panel2Builder.createWidgetPanel(this));
Log.i(Global.TAG2, “sub-Activity WidgetActivity being creation: end”);
}
}//end class WidgetActivity

Resource located at: developerlife.com

 

Root Instructions for Acer Iconia A500 3.1

Brandon Orndorff
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1

If you have an Acer Iconia A500 3.1 (Acer_A500_3.0.19.04_COM_GEN1) this method has been tested and works flawlessly. If you have any other version it should work fine but has not been tested. This root was brought to us by an XDA developer by the handle “sc2k” and we thank him for it.  Keep in mind that there is always a risk when rooting your device so only do it if you are comfortable with using a rooted device.  This being said the instructions are clear and very easy to follow so anyone can easily root and un-root the Acer Iconia A500.

Acer Iconia A500 3.1 Root Instructions:

  1. Allow Unknown sources via (Settings -> Applications -> Check Unkown Sources)
  2. Download and copy the inconiaroot-1.0.apk to your Iconia Acer (download link)
  3. Find and install the apk and start the tool
  4. click “root” and wait for the process to complete
  5. Congratulations, your done!

The tool will install su and superuser.apk for stock HC 3.1 so there will be no need to download the super user app from the Android market.  So what if you no longer want the tablet rooted and just want to lock the root access again? Well its as easy as opening the app again and unrooting as shown below.  If you have to return the tablet for any reason or need to have it worked on you will want to unroot using the method below as well as removing the app after you unroot.

Acer Iconia A500 3.1 UnRoot Instructions:

  1. Start the Iconia Root Tool again that you downloaded and installed during root
  2. Click “unroot” and wait for the process to complete
  3. Again, thats it your done unrooting it!

This has to be one of the easiest tools for rooting and unrooting any device we have played with yet. If you can’t figure this one out return the tablet 🙂

Instructions to Unlock the Motorola Atrix 4G Bootloader

Brandon Orndorff
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12

We all know that Motorola and AT&T will be unlocking the bootloader for the Atrix 4G next month with its Gingerbread update. This being said XDA has gotten hold of the code for the update and striped out what is needed to unlock the Atrix 4G Bootloader and made it available for all of us Atrix owners to unlock them a bit earlier.

It has only been two days since we heard about the July release of Gingerbread for the Motorola Atrix and already the Bootloader unlocking part of the new update has been found and used now. These instructions work for not only the Atrix running on Gingerbread but with it running on Froyo as well.

Instruction to Unlock the Atrix 4G Bootloader:

  1. If you’re already running Gingerbread, skip to step 12.
  2. Power off your Motorola Atrix
  3. Remove your microSD card and SIM card for the flashing process
  4. When turning the phone on, hold the Volume Up button until it acknowledges RSD
  5. Your device will say “Starting RSD protocol support”
  6. Run “RSD Lite” on your computer (Download RSD Lite 5.3.1)
  7. Download and unzip the SBF File (Download Unlock SBF file (REMOVED))
  8. Press the “. . .” button next to the box labeled “Filename” and Load the SBF file
  9. Plug your device into your computer (if you have USB on the back of your computer use it for safety)
  10. RSD Lite should recognize your device and say “Model: NS Flash Olympus” and “Connected…”
  11. Press the “Start” button (Be patient while the phone reboots. It will take a while).
  12. Open and extract the Fastboot package (Download Fastboot package)
  13. Open a command prompt window (Press Start and type “cmd” then press ENTER)
  14. Navigate to the fastboot folder (example: cd c:/fastboot)
  15. Turn off your Atrix
  16. Hold the power button and the volume down button until you see “Fastboot”
  17. Let go of the buttons and press the volume up button once
  18. You will now see “Starting Fastboot protocol support”
  19. Type the following command: “fastboot oem unlock” (without quotes of course)
  20. You will now receive a warning along with a unique device ID
  21. Type the following commands using your unique device ID in place of the ####: “fastboot oem unlock ####” Press ENTER then “fastboot reboot” (again no quotes)
  22. Wait for your device to reboot.
  23. Congratulations! Your Atrix 4G now has an unlocked bootloader!

CF-Bench (Benchmarking App for Android)

Brandon Orndorff
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0

CF-Bench for Android is the newest benchmarking tool that gives a truely stable score for your device.  While comparing your device to others it also gives you great information on your device from product board to build.  Its very close to Quadrant (the most popular benchmarking app for android) although the claims and my personal experience is that CF-Bench it much more reliable.CF Bench Screenshot

Even though the app is in the market and available for free download it is still considered a beta release by Chainfire (the XDA Developer that developed it).  We have ran the app on a few different devices and it seems to do what it says quickly and without fail.  All of this being said we haven’t seen any issues so enjoy.

If you get a chance to use the app let us know how it works for you and the reasons you have used it.  When buying a new device this is a handy tool to see which device would be a good upgrade from the one you currently have without downgrading due to a good marketing campaign.

Chainfire himself says to take these results with a grain of salt as there is no way to give a completely perfect score to a device with a single number.  This being said its not only a good way to see how your device stacks up to others but also a lot of fun.  Even if your just using it to compare your device to a friends its worth checking out.

Head n to the Android Market and grab CF-Bench and let us know what you think.

HTC Sensation 4G Review

Brandon Orndorff
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0

One of the most popular smartphone of 2011 at this point is the HTC Sensation 4G.  With its 4.3″ screen with qHD resolution, Sense 3.0 and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor why wouldn’t it be.

Hardware
The Sensation 4G has a simple structure that weighs in at 5.22 ounces (148 grams) making it an easy phone to handle and feels great in your hand.  The device also has a strong and sturdy aluminum frame making it feel solid with few gaps.  This being said the battery cover is a bit difficult to remove making switching out the SIM (located under the battery) and the micro SD card (visible without removing the battery) difficult to change frequently.  Also take note the phone has 1GB of internal memory but comes with a pre-installed 8GB micro SD Card.

Battery
While the Sensation 4G has a 1520 mAh battery it can handle a couple days of casual use (assuming your not shooting video and pictures).  When gaming and using other apps that are generally tough on battery life the device can handle a full day of fun.  All this being said if you like to take video and pictures from your phone you will only make it around 4-6 hours of use before it dies on you.

Display
This 960 x 540 Super LCD screen gives you a very high quality display.  While not as advanced as the Super AMOLED competition it does have the qHD resolution making it a much cleaner look.  The screens stick to the standard 4 x 4 (16 icon) view although the quality of these are un-paralleled.  You can also notice a huge benefit of display when viewing pictures in the gallery.  Having this qHD screen also gives you the ability to watch movies in true widescreen (16:9) meaning you see the entire screen.

Sound
Calls on the Sensation 4G are clear as expected.  When talking to others outside they could hear every word we said even though it was not as easy for us when there was a lot of noise around us.  This being said it was no different than any other phone.  It does however have a very loud and clear speaker on it allowing voice calls, music and radio to be clearly heard with outstanding quality.

While the HTC Sensation has many other features we just directed this review to a few things that we have been asked about the device.  If anyone would like other aspects of the Sensation 4G reviewed please let us know and we will add it to the above.

 

Verizon Tiered Data Plans

Brandon Orndorff
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0
Verizon Tiered Data Plans

Verizon on July 7th will be introducing a tiered data plan according to an email from a Verizon regional VP.  The e-mail was as follows:

The Next Generation of Data Pricing – Our Evolution Amidst an Industry Revolution

June 20, 2011

Greetings team, it’s [redacted], your Area Vice President of Marketing and Sales Operations. As we approach the summer solstice, I wanted to reach out to the team and overview what I believe represents a significant and exciting evolution around how we package data solutions to our customers and the marketplace.

The Revolution is Upon Us…
In what has been a year of amazing performance by the [redacted] Area including company leading year-over-year churn improvement, successful introduction of the iPhone 4, strong post paid gross and net adds and industry leadership in launching our 4G LTE network; we find ourselves entering into a period of transformational innovation within Verizon Wireless and the wireless industry as a whole.

Our ability to out execute and deliver upon the promise of The Credo everyday has allowed us to maintain the industry leadership. At the same time, accelerated market expectations coupled with the introduction of many emerging solution categories has created new opportunities for us to meet and exceed the needs of our customers.

Data Pricing Evolution…The Present
Our legacy data pricing structure was designed to address a somewhat different customer need profile than what we are seeing and can expect in the future.

Consider this. Data usage has more than doubled over the last three years. Consumers and business users alike are doing more and more with their mobile devices. The notion of “send and end” has migrated to “managing multiple aspects of one’s lifestyle through mobility.” Whether it’s social media (85%+ of Smartphone users), mobile internet (88%+ of Smartphone users), or email/applications (71%+ of Smartphone users), this usage has one thing in common—dramatically increased demand for data and media consumption.

As a result, we are evolving our approach around how we package our data solutions and pricing to our customers. Coming soon, Verizon Wireless will move from our existing pricing format to a structure designed to allow customers to choose the right data solution that best aligns with their needs.

The Value Benefit Equation…
With the new usage based pricing plans, the vast majority of our customers will be able to enjoy their typical level of data consumption for the same value that they outlay today. Additionally, for those who have greater requirements for data, we will have solutions that they can tailor to their unique needs.

Perhaps more importantly, given our strong desire to continue to provide enhanced capability and value to our customers, the new data pricing will apply to both our 3G AND 4G LTE networks. So in essence, for those customers in our ever and rapidly expanding 4G LTE network coverage footprint, users will gain the benefit of the fastest and most advanced 4G LTE network in the U.S. all for the same usage based value. More speed. More functionality. Same value.

Let’s Do What WE Do…
Our expectation to extend our market leadership will be largely dependent on our demonstrated ability to “operationalize” in the face of an ever-changing environment. The successful launch of our new data pricing solutions represents a key milestone in our continued march to excellence.

Over the next few weeks, you will be receiving much more insight, information, and learning opportunities around this significant evolution in how we provide our industry leading best solutions, to the right customer, that best satisfies their needs.

I have every confidence in our ability to execute this flawlessly because it is the Verizon Wireless and South Area way. Our customers expect and deserve nothing less.
To paraphrase a quote from a favorite cinematic masterpiece of mine from the 80’s, Top Gun, “Verizon Wireless is engaged. The South Area has the lead…” Let’s do what we do.

As if Verizon wasen’t already expensive enough they are gonna milk everyone just a bit more.  I can agree that they have one of if not the best cell service of any provider out there.  Although, they are one of if not the most expensive and now they have found another way to bend everyone over again.

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