Now that Android 4.0.4 for the Nexus S (i9023, i9020-T) is out, you may be wondering how to get your device up and running with the latest version of Android. Allow us to help. If you’re running stock 4.0.3 or any ROM with Clockwork Mod Recovery, the process to update your device couldn’t be [...]]]>

Now that Android 4.0.4 for the Nexus S (i9023, i9020-T) is out, you may be wondering how to get your device up and running with the latest version of Android. Allow us to help. If you’re running stock 4.0.3 or any ROM with Clockwork Mod Recovery, the process to update your device couldn’t be easier.

For those of you with Clockwork Mod Recovery flashed, all you have to do is:

• Download the flashable ROM from this XDA thread
• Place on the root of your SDcard (plug your device into your computer, mount as USB storage and drag the flashable ROM onto your Nexus S, not in any folders)
• Reboot your device into recovery
• Wipe data/factory reset
• Install .zip from SDcard
• Choose .zip from SDcard
• Flash the ROM you put on your Nexus S
• Enjoy!

If you’re using the stock build of 4.0.3, the steps to flash the update file are just as easy:

• Grab the update file from Google
• Place on the root of your SDcard
• Power off your Nexus S, then once it’s off, hold volume up and power to boot into the bootloader
• Navigate with the volume buttons to recovery, and use the power button to select it
• You should see a warning triangle shortly after that, from there, hold down the power button and press volume up
• Select apply update from /sdcard and choose the update file
• Reboot your Nexus S with the menu option provided
• Enjoy!

Of course, using either method to update your Nexus S is your decision. Only you are responsible for what happens to your device. For any additional help, or more information on the update process, you can use the comments or visit the XDA threads for either the rooted ROM or update file.

I’ve been playing around with the rooted but totally stock ROM and so far, and I love it. Everything is very fast and super smooth. No problems yet.

And don’t forget, those of you who don’t want to get their hands messy, this update will be hitting your device before you know it. So just hold on tight.

A few days ago, my Logitech Revue received its long-awaited update to Android 3.1 and with it came glorious, glorious access to the Android Market. The main category I’d been longing to fill was a solid media player with decent codec support. I finally found that in Plex so I wanted to review the [...]]]>

A few days ago, my Logitech Revue received its long-awaited update to Android 3.1 and with it came glorious, glorious access to the Android Market. The main category I’d been longing to fill was a solid media player with decent codec support. I finally found that in Plex so I wanted to review the app, which meant I needed a way to capture screenshots. Which, of course, I had no idea how to do.

Turns out it’s not a terribly complex process, but there are definitely a few gotchas that you should watch out for. You don’t even need to physically connect to the device, since the entire process is completed over WiFi via the Android Device Bridge (or ADB).

It’s called remote debugging and it’s something I’m sure the seasoned hackers out there are familiar with it but it’s not something I spent much time on myself. Also, after I got it working, I tweeted about my success, where @trsohmers chimed in and mentioned that remote debugging isn’t allowed on the Sony Google TV products, so this guide is exclusive to the Logitech Revue for the time being.

Update: As Cole points out in the comments, this method DOES work for the Sony Blu-ray player, so at least there’s that. It seems like only the Sony TV users are left in the cold here.

Prerequisite: Install the Android SDK

To complete the steps I’m about to lay out, you’ll need the Android SDK installed on your computer, the explanation of which is outside the scope of this tutorial- but fear not! There is ample explanation in other areas of the web, including a fairly old version right here on our site. If someone has a better basic SDK guide, please post it in the comments.

Another extremely important step is to set your Revue to display in 720p. The first few times I attempted this I was met with errors and it took finding an obscure post in a GTV Google Group to learn that 1080p is too large and will overrun the buffer. So for now, 720p is the way to go!

Once you’ve got the Android SDK installed on your workstation and a Logitech Revue powered up and on the network, you’re ready to connect and start debugging. If you’re Revue is in another room, you might want to make note of your workstation IP before we begin (example: 192.168.1.106).

Step 1: Enable Remote Debugging on the Revue

Before you can do anything, you’ll need to enable Remote Debugging on your Logitech Revue. You’ll find the option in Settings > Applications > Development and all you need to do is check a box:

While you’re here, you’ll also need to enter the IP address of your workstation computer. It’s basically a whitelist which allows your computer to connect- if you don’t enter the correct IP address here, you’re ADB command in the next step won’t work. I’d imagine this is for security, and I guess I appreciate it because I especially don’t want some goober peeping on what I’m watching.

Step 2: Retrieve IP address of GTV device

To connect to the device over WiFi, you’ll need the IP address of the Logitech Revue, which you can find in Settings > Network > Status:

Step 3: Connect to the GTV device via ADB

Once the Revue knows your workstation IP and you know the IP of the Revue, you’re ready to connect with a simple ADB command. Open up the command promt, and type:

adb connect <ip address>

replacing <ip address> with the actual IP we retrieved in the last step. If the command works, the prompt will return connected to <ip address> and you’ll be able to proceed as if you’d physically connected the device like you’ve done with a phone hundreds of times in the past.

Step 4: Capture screens using DDMS

Once you’ve got you’re GTV device connected (which you can verify by typing adb devices into the command prompt), you’ll be ready to capture screens using DDMS (the Dalvik Debug Monitor Server). Simply type ddms into the prompt and you’ll be on your way:

You’ll notice in the bottom of the DDMS window that you’ve got a ‘Log’ pane, which should be flashing all sorts of activity from your connected GTV device (this should let you know you’re on the right path). From there, just select Device > Screen Capture and you’ll get a nice capture of what’s going on on your Logitech Revue:

I should point out that the screen capture won’t work correctly if you’v got live TV currently displayed. Apparently they’ve used some sort of black magic to scrub the picture out, but almost every other app captures just fine.

In conclusion…

Now that I’ve got this new-found, TV-app-capturing capability, I plan on trying to do some more Google TV app reviews. Since I got the upgrade I’ve really been using the hell out of my Logitech Revue. My wife even just bought me a second one for Christmas (she even let me open it early because I guessed what it was). I opened it tonite and the upgrade came as part of the initial setup, so I see the Revue being at the center of my entertainment world for the foreseeable future.

I’d say my current favorite app is easily Plex for Google TV, which is a full-feature media player that feels close to what I thought I’d be getting with GTV the first time around. I can play all of my network media with ease, along with custom channels from around the internet. I’ll be working on a full review of Plex, but I was curious what other apps you GTV users have taken to. Is there anything else out there I totally need to check out?

And just for good measure, here is one more captured screenshot:

Many of you have probably purchased one of the (literally) most awaited devices in the history of Android. After being announced at CES, the Motorola Droid Bionic took over 8 months to be released. It went through its fair share of delays and revamps/upgrades and now it’s in your safe hands. Of course, [...]]]>

Many of you have probably purchased one of the (literally) most awaited devices in the history of Android. After being announced at CES, the Motorola Droid Bionic took over 8 months to be released. It went through its fair share of delays and revamps/upgrades and now it’s in your safe hands. Of course, one is never content with just owning the device; real fans want to get to know it very intimately.

Teardown^[1]

Now that the Bionic is out roaming the streets, iFixIt has come back with yet another teardown. This time the victim is the brand new Bionic, and it looks just like it should–gull of metal, cables and plastic. It’s always helpful to learn how to tear a device apart, just in case you ever need to replace a screen or other piece of hardware.

Even if you’re not the adventurous type and would rather send a device back to be fixed, it’s always interesting to see what’s inside that shiny phone. Those who want to check out iFixIt’s teardown can do so on their site, which also houses a collection of teardown tutorials and videos for many other devices.

One-Click Root^[2]

Now that you know what the Motorola Droid Bionic’s insides look like, you can start playing around with them. Root users know that the full potential of a device is only reached through the help of rooting. Playing around with the software and root apps is always the most exciting for Android/tech enthusiasts, especially with powerful devices like the Motorola Droid Bionic.

The root method was actually discovered before the device’s release, which is quite remarkable. It seems people are getting faster at this every day. There’s now even a one-click root method available; it’s very convenient for those who fear not being “tech-savvy” enough.

Of course, there are the disclaimers. If you so happen to brick your device, it is no one’s responsibility but yours. Do stay away from this if you prefer being on the safe side. Currently, there’s no way to un-root the Motorola Droid Bionic, so you would be rooted permanently (until/if a method is discovered). Motorola might want to patch this in a future update, so stay away from those if you want to keep root access.

If you still want to be able to use root apps, overclock your already awesome processor, try out custom ROMS and do other cool things like that, you can check out this guide. The guide is also good for most Motorola devices (list included in the guide), so others can use it as well.

Wrap-Up

Now that you’ve gotten cozy with your Bionic, we’d like to know how things are going for you. Has anyone tried either of these guides? Did you root your device yet? Will you? Are you enjoying your Droid Bionic? Let us know about your experiences, and enjoy your well-awaited device!

Special thanks to our [...]]]> Ever wondered what your HTC Thunderbolt‘s insides look like? Here’s your chance to check it out! The guys over at DirectFix have put together a video, giving us a full tear down of Verizon’s first 4G LTE smartphone. DISCLAIMER: This will void your warranty. Proceed at your own risk.

Special thanks to our friends at DirectFix. Be sure to check out their video after the break!

Learning how to disassemble your device is not only fun, but it can also be of great help in the future (and some of you probably had to do it already). While a bigger display is always nice, it is also easier to break. If you happen to dislike insurances, you’ve probably replaced a digitizer (or other parts) before. That’s when these nifty videos come in handy.

Has anyone out there opened up the Thunderbolt already? Have you ever needed to follow one of these tutorials? Let us know what you think of the video, and be careful if you try to open yours!

One cool feature is the ability to make voice calls over the internet using a SIP account. [...]]]> Android 2.3 just hit the streets yesterday and we’ve been playing around with it on the Nexus S, but it’s going to take awhile to check out all the new features that Google crammed into this release.

One cool feature is the ability to make voice calls over the internet using a SIP account. Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a signaling protocol widely used for controlling communications settings such as video and voice over Internet Protocol.

Anyone with a SIP account can easily enter their setup information into the new call settings menu found in Android 2.3 and then make a call over the internet to other uses who have SIP accounts.

If you don’t already have a VOIP account, this new feature might be useless to you but it gives you an idea of some possible features coming to Android soon. We expected that video calling would be a major feature of Gingerbread, but it appears that was delayed since it was left off the Nexus S.

Google’s Andy Rubin let is slip that video calls were already being tested with Google Talk when he showed off his Honeycomb tablet and we saw evidence of video controls in the Gingerbread SDK, so it’s only a matter of time before we eventually see this update.

I suspect Google will also introduce voice calls over Google Talk soon, but that might upset the carriers. The good thing about the Nexus S is that Google can do whatever the heck they want with the software, so hopefully we see it next year.

From Google Android 2.3 platform highlights: The user can make voice calls over the internet to other users who have SIP accounts. The user can add an internet calling number (a SIP address) to any Contact and can initiate a call from Quick Contact or Dialer. To use internet calling, the user must create an account at the SIP provider of their choice — SIP accounts are not provided as part of the internet calling feature. Additionally, support for the platform’s SIP and internet calling features on specific devices is determined by their manufacturers and associated carriers.

We know how eager everyone has been to get their hands on Android 2.3, so we [...]]]> Google just released the Android 2.3 SDK, but the new operating system will not be available until December 16th when the Nexus S goes on sale or the next few weeks when it hits the Nexus One.

We know how eager everyone has been to get their hands on Android 2.3, so we have decided to write up instructions so that anyone may download and install the SDK, then create and run an emulator instance. Full guide after the jump.These instructions were intended for installing the Android 2.0 SDK, but they work just the same for Android 2.3.

Note, the emulator is not intended to duplicate any particular device, so treat this more as a look at some of the core new features of Android 2.3 than an emulation of any current or future device. Also, things that require hardware features are not available in the emulator. No multi-touch in here guys (unless you manage to get two mice to work?).

Enough of the talk, let’s get down to business.

1)      Download appropriate file for your system from http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html

2)      Extract to desired location

3)      Run “SDK Setup.exe” (or the equivalent for your system)

Launch sdksetup.ext

a.       If you receive an error message stating “Failed to fetch url…” then you will have to force the Setup program to use http in lieu of https.

Got this error? Follow the steps.

i.      Close the “Refresh Sources” window

ii.      Cancel the “Choose Packages to Install” window

iii.      Select “Settings” from the left side of the “Android SDK and AVD Manager” window

iv.      Check the box labeled “Force https://… sources to be fetched using http://…”

v.      Click “Save and Apply”

vi.      Close and restart the SDK Setup program

4)      Choose the packages that you wish install

Select only the packages you need.

a.       If you are only interested in trying out the Android 2.0 Emulator

i.      Reject everything except “SDK Platform Android 2.3. API 9, revision 1” by selecting each item then selecting the Reject option

b.      If you plan to develop Android applications and Games, you may wish to Accept All

c.       Click “Install Selected”

5)      Allow the selected packages to download and install then close the “Installing Archives” window

6)      Create a new Android Virtual Device (AVD)

These are the settings to emulate the Moto Droid.

a.       Select “Virtual Devices” from the left side of the “Android SDK and AVD Manager” window

i.      Click “New”

ii.      Enter a Name

iii.      Choose a Target – Android 2.3

iv.      Enter a size for the emulated SD Card

v.      Choose a Skin

1.      To emulate current hardware such as the G1, MyTouch 3G, Hero, etc…

a.       Leave the default value

2.      To emulate the Motorola Droid

a.       Choose WVGA 854

3.      To emulate other devices

a.       Choose anything else

vi.      Click “Create AVD”

7)      Start your newly created Virtual Device

A successfully created AVD.

a.       Choose the Virtual Device from the list

b.      Click “Start…”

c.       Click “Launch”

Just click launch.

8)      Allow copious time for Emulator to start up

First startup will take a few minutes.

9)      Enjoy!

Android 2.0

Thanks to Justin Shapcott for his original instructions.

Follow these simple steps to turn you favorite YouTube videos into ringtones: