172 replies to this topic

[BooToo]

By the way, let's keep this threat as clean as possible and focus on the Folio improvement.

By this, I mean: If you do not like the Folio, keep it to yourself (no need to post a message just for that...).

I think there is now enough feedback to allow people to make up their mind...
Thanks in advance.

Edited by BooToo, 06 November 2010 - 03:01 PM.

[decpvr]

Just curious, as I saw the Fring icon on the PC World website, has anyone tried using the webcam for a video chat? Or just tested the webcam?

Although I'm not sure I'd want to hold a tablet for a long chat it could be handy for casual use.

[Bisto321]

BooToo, on Nov 6 2010, 14:54, said:

Really look promissing indeed...

I would really like to backup the entire ROM as an update.zip file before starting to play with it but to get to that point, it seems that the following need to happend:
1: Root the device - seems like SilentMobius got it rights with superoneclickroot - To Be confirmed
2: Install a custom recovery image WITH Nandroid - No idea how to get an existing recovery images compatible with the Folio
3: Create a full Nandroid backup of the ROM on the SD card - That should be a piece of cake once the custom recovery is in place...

Then, we will have an update.zip ready to be restored if we mess up with the ROM  

Anybody skilled enough to make compatible an existing custom recovery image?

UPDATE:
That might be easier than I thought...
http://www.androidpo...od-rom-manager/
Under the assumption that Clockworkmod does not need an access to the maket (CallHome) to work...

Someone has already extracted the rom, rooted it and repackaged on xda!
We also have access to fastboot and the existing rom recovery firmware on the folio so we are almost there, the viewsonic guys are progressing theirs extremely well and some are attempting to load the folio rom. Looks like a few of them may have bricked theirs though! Part of the development path, a few brave souls allways fall. My folio is behaving well today and I saw a comment online about flash being available on the tenth.

[fonetastic]

Bisto321, on Nov 6 2010, 18:37, said:

Someone has already extracted the rom, rooted it and repackaged on xda!
We also have access to fastboot and the existing rom recovery firmware on the folio so we are almost there, the viewsonic guys are progressing theirs extremely well and some are attempting to load the folio rom. Looks like a few of them may have bricked theirs though! Part of the development path, a few brave souls allways fall. My folio is behaving well today and I saw a comment online about flash being available on the tenth.

I think the viewsonic is possibly in a worse state than the folio which is why they're pushing along so much and good luck to them it can only help us lot out

[Bisto321]

SilentMobius, on Nov 4 2010, 10:21, said:

BTW, superoneclickroot seems to work

Ok I've pushed GoogleServicesFramework.apk and Vending.apk to system/app I now get the market icon and once executed it takes me to the account signup. however that fails after signup. I think the Folio is mis-reporting its MAC address and thus the check-in is failing

Working late, ideal time to play.

Thanks for the info about rooting a while back.
Got that sorted now and have used the xda viewsonic g tab method from ‘r34p3rex’ to install Google apps and market - maps are working well, but obviously Gmail and the market need an account and , like you, mine fails on sign up.

Did you get any further with your MAC address theory?

Looking forward to flash, but market would be the cherry on top.

My folio seems to still be running really well (really nice response?), just the annoying random on from sleep.

[BooToo]

Below is the link to Tegra 2 optimized Android Froyo 2.2 vanilla version (in case you get fed-up with the Tosh interface).

http://tegradevelope...tegra/downloads

The only remaining question is how it will behave with no 3G component available.

I thing this is a great starting point for a clean and fast android version  

EDIT: You will find in the "Tegra Android Setup Guide" PDF all you need to know to install the USB drivers on Win 7 64bits

Edited by BooToo, 07 November 2010 - 12:58 PM.

[Bisto321]

Bisto321, on Nov 5 2010, 16:53, said:

Just before you commit to a purchase of this app, it is worth noting that currently it looks as if some of the pay for widgets will not function on the folio.

Calendar, Facebook and Twitter.

Because of the lack of Google apps the calendar is 'not there', have not confirmed twitter, but facebook widget fails when adding login details. Bookmarks and contacts seems ok but I suspect the others are relying on chunks of code that are not there in our non 3G non Google device. Not had time to thoroughly check this out, launcher pro site may have more detail. Contacts, basic calendar and bookmarks are fine for me at the moment – full calendar sync would be nice though.

Update on above - I don't use Facebook but thinking about why Launcher Pro's widget did not function and it dawned on me that I probably needed to install the Facebook.apk - obvious really!
Did that and Launcher pro widget is now working well on the folio and looks really good on a bigger screen.

Going to try and get the calendar apk from my phone across - still need to resolve the market account creation issue

[shawnfr]

Bisto321, on Nov 7 2010, 09:06, said:

Update on above - I don't use Facebook but thinking about why Launcher Pro's widget did not function and it dawned on me that I probably needed to install the Facebook.apk - obvious really!
Did that and Launcher pro widget is now working well on the folio and looks really good on a bigger screen.

Going to try and get the calendar apk from my phone across - still need to resolve the market account creation issue

I'm thinking of getting a Folio 100 to do some development with, but haven't got one yet... Market/GMail is important :-)
So has anyone tried spoofing the MAC address? Perhaps to not be a Toshiba ID in the vendor section?
e.g.: http://superuser.com...from-ip-command

[Bisto321]

shawnfr, on Nov 7 2010, 13:12, said:

I'm thinking of getting a Folio 100 to do some development with, but haven't got one yet... Market/GMail is important :-)
So has anyone tried spoofing the MAC address? Perhaps to not be a Toshiba ID in the vendor section?
e.g.: http://superuser.com...from-ip-command

tried and failed so far with this;


"ip link show" command fails with ip: not found - suggests that busybox is not installed, yes?
but I have installed busybox with Titanium backup? so tried another method (ifconfig)

tried bringing down the wlan0 with ifconfig wlan0 down and that works ok

then trying ifconfig wlan0 hw ether 00:25:7E:20:CF:86 returns;

error: SIOCSIFADDR (Invalid argument)

probably is the Tosh id that is failing market, but can't get rid of it yet.

[whatkatedoes]

Hi Guys   Been following this and the other topic for a week, after being interested in the Advent.  Very much a gadgetgirl, and have wanted an Ipad type thing without actually wanting an ipad lol.. so been following things closely.  No experience of android, but liked what I saw, and have a Nokia N900 with Maemo, so sort of aquainted with linux a bit.

Anyway - yesterday visited currys and saw the Folio for the first time.. despite all the downsides posted here, I still liked what I saw, so bought one.. it was easier to decide having just traded in 2 of my old phones for £240

Anyway.. I like the folio a lot.  I see what people say about the unresponsiveness, but I see that it appears to be background chunder causing it.. I suspect if there was the equivalent of a hard-disk activity light we'd see it was up to mischief.  It definitely settles down after a while once booted.

So anyway, Im watching developments with hacking/etc and cant wait for more stuff to be opened up with it   I'm already pretty happy with the browser, the vintage comic book app (shame no proper cbr reader yet ) and especially ScummVM   The lack of flash decision in order to rush the device into the shops was unfortunate tho,. hope we see that soon

[BooToo]

I really wonder what Paul is waiting to create a dedicated section to the Folio 100...
Long WE maybe  

[SilentMobius]

So, I've returned my folio 100 now but here are the last few things I learned before.
I Installed busybox and tried using busybox's ip command to change the Mac address. That failed with the permissions error noted above. This not unusual, plenty of cheap network chip sets don't let you alter the Mac address.

My next thought was to set up a machine as a man-in-the middle SSL proxy to see what my N1 sends out when it does a checkin. My current theory is that whatever the market uses to get at the hardware "Id" the folio return dotted hex octets rather than a continuous string of hex octets.

Edited by SilentMobius, 08 November 2010 - 12:56 PM.

[shawnfr]

SilentMobius, on Nov 8 2010, 12:54, said:

So, I've returned my folio 100 now but here are the last few things I learned before.
I Installed busybox and tried using busybox's ip command to change the Mac address. That failed with the permissions error noted above. This not unusual, plenty of cheap network chip sets don't let you alter the Mac address.

My next thought was to set up a machine as a man-in-the middle SSL proxy to see what my N1 sends out when it does a checkin. My current theory is that whatever the market uses to get at the hardware "Id" the folio return dotted hex octets rather than a continuous string of hex octets.

I think that looking at the atheros driver on the NVidia GIT might be worth a shot... never actually tried building a driver though. The change log is talking about MAC address and the driver file talks about a softmac file. I wonder if this means it's possible to use a file for the MAC address?
Anyone skilled in building drivers?
http://armin762.word...s-6002-working/
Of course it might be the wrong chipset as the folder name seems to be 6003 on the folio...

[steeevo]

Rumor has it, Flash will be available tomorrow...

http://www.ubergizmo..._wednesday.html

[BooToo]

I can't wait!!!!!

Edited by BooToo, 09 November 2010 - 03:57 PM.

[Bisto321]

Y

steeevo, on Nov 9 2010, 08:50, said:

Rumor has it, Flash will be available tomorrow...

http://www.ubergizmo..._wednesday.html

Hopefully flash and some bug fixes and we will be half way there!
Just been in to PCW to pick up cheap padded pocket for it and saw a chap messing about with it! OMG, If that is how  it has behaved for every customer I would think they must not have sold a single one. I almost forgot how bad mine was before it started to play nice. Seen clips on YouTube(not on folio ) of an unresponsive folio, it is getting a bad rep.
Someone from Toshiba must be getting some crap from somewhere surely?

[steeevo]

Bisto321, on Nov 9 2010, 15:57, said:

Y

Hopefully flash and some bug fixes and we will be half way there!
Just been in to PCW to pick up cheap padded pocket for it and saw a chap messing about with it! OMG, If that is how  it has behaved for every customer I would think they must not have sold a single one. I almost forgot how bad mine was before it started to play nice. Seen clips on YouTube(not on folio ) of an unresponsive folio, it is getting a bad rep.
Someone from Toshiba must be getting some crap from somewhere surely?

TOSH are producing a custom leather case that folds as a stand like the iPad, £30.
http://www.mobilefun...case-p26195.htm

Also a TV kit with HDMI output and a USB dock.

Can't find any reference to them on PCW sites only mobilefun, but the case it looks very cool
I'll pop into the New Malden superstore this weekend and see if they have them or are getting them in.

[tsh]

Is anyone else seeing some of the installed apps force close? Mine got much worse after I wiped the data partition, but even out of the box, the Tosh service station didn't seem to be installed properly. Wondering if there is some background process which keeps getting respawned to explain the lag.

[whatkatedoes]

*waiting patiently(ish) for flash wednesday*  

*whistles*

[fonetastic]

whatkatedoes, on Nov 10 2010, 18:18, said:

*waiting patiently(ish) for flash wednesday*  

*whistles*

I think your whistling is making it hide.