Android on Nico Maas

Nexus 7 Fix Touchscreen

Wed, 10 Oct 2018 09:00:27 +0000

The Nexus 7 has a quite faulty touchscreen which is prone to ghosting and similiar.

If you got your device rooted, you could go for Parrotmod, which seems to fix said problem:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-7-2013/orig-development/beta-1-parrotmod-improve-2013-nexus-7-t3375928

Another soultion would be to flash a new touchscreen firmware, as shown here. However, I have not tested this yet.

[Windows/Ubuntu] ADB and Fastboot - useful stuff for your Android

Fri, 21 Apr 2017 08:00:23 +0000

1.) Setup on Linux (Ubuntu)

sudo apt-get update 
sudo apt-get install -y android-tools-adb android-tools-fastboot

1b.) Setup on Windows

I recommend the Minimal ADB and fastboot Package by shimp208, which you can get from: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2317790.

After you’ve installed it, you should add the folder of the installation to your PATH Variable: Press WIN+X Key, choose System, Advanced Systemsettings, Advanced, Path Variables - or just press WIN+R and enter "C:\Windows\system32\rundll32.exe" sysdm.cpl,EditEnvironmentVariables.

You will need to click on the entry Path in the User Variables, edit and then create a new entry by clicking on new.

Lineage OS Fix: After reboot phone not usable anymore (Only back button/statusbar visible)

Tue, 07 Feb 2017 09:00:37 +0000

Sadly, my Nexus 4 (mako) had a rough experience after upgrading to Lineage OS: After a reboot, I ended up with this screen:

As you can see, only the back button and status bar are visible anymore, I can drag down the status bar and enable / disable stuff but cannot launch the settings or anything else - brick’d :(. I had to reinstall that thing several times, but then came to the conclusion what caused the error: I had enabled a screenlock (does not matter which kind :)) and played with the System Profile under Settings. I created a second System Profile which - as soon as it connected to my Home Wifi, removed the screenlock. And that was the problem. After two additional reboots, the error as seen manifested.

Nexus 4 / Nexus 7 CrossUpgrade from Cyanogenmod to Lineage OS

Thu, 26 Jan 2017 09:36:34 +0000

EDIT: Experimental Builds were deleted now, as initial stated by LineageOS Team in this post. CrossUpgrade is not possible anymore, best bet would be to wipe the device and start from scratch. So just skip the second step with EXP Image and WIPE EVERYTHING in TWRP and install the latest nightly. Please also stay alert on bugs which are included in LineageOS. This link will give you access to the unresolved section of the Nexus 4 / Mako device, while this link will give you access to the same for the Nexus 7 2013 Wifi / flo :). Also, you can find the latest changes for mako here and for flo here.

Cleaning Cache on Android >= 6.x (Apps won't work!)

Sat, 24 Dec 2016 12:32:05 +0000

As I am quite an Twitter Addict, I tend to surf a lot on that Social Media Site, blowing my Android Cache to unfriendly-sizes. In earlier days, I installed some random Cache Cleaner from the PlayStore, cleaned the Caches and directly uninstalled those Apps again, as they tended to be full of Ads. However, in recent days, I saw that most Cache Cleaners did not work - even though “the devs said so”. How come? Well, I found my answer on the Github Repo of the android-cache-cleaner: “Starting with Android 6.0, CLEAR_APP_CACHE permission seems to be no longer available to regular applications and since this permission is required for cleaning of internal cache, Cache Cleaner is not able to clean internal cache on Android 6.0 and newer. However, cleaning of external cache is still supported.” Well, cool thing. So most of those apps are useless as hell. But how to clean all the caches?!

Nexus 4 Upgrade to CM 14.1 / Android 7.1 Nougat + Updates

Fri, 02 Dec 2016 20:20:57 +0000

[UPDATED 10.12.2016]
A little bit problematic, but… works in the end.

Warning: Bleeding Edge!
Will bootloop, you’ll need to format your phone, it will break eggs, pcs, glass and burn down your house.
Comes with no support what-so-ever from my side.
You have been warned!**

1.) Get all the files

CM: https://download.cyanogenmod.org/?device=mako
- Latest version was: https://download.cyanogenmod.org/get/jenkins/187896/cm-14.1-20161202-NIGHTLY-mako.zip
GAPPS: http://opengapps.org/ (ARM, 7.1 GAPPS, Picco Version)
TWRP: https://twrp.me/devices/lgnexus4.html
- Download from: https://dl.twrp.me/mako

2.) Flash TWRP

[Android] Stagefright Bug

Thu, 06 Aug 2015 16:01:20 +0000

To check if your current Android System is vulnerable to the Stagefright Bug, just use this app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zimperium.stagefrightdetector

Private Dropbox/Google Drive/File Sync: Syncthing

Wed, 24 Jun 2015 17:30:06 +0000

I tested quite a lot of sync tools out there: Dropbox, G-Drive, Bittorrent Sync, ownCloud, plain Rsync,… You name it.
But to be true, I never really liked any tool that much: It never really worked out somehow: The Mobile Apps were bad, “Servers” did eat up too much performance, etc. etc.
And we don’t want to forget these little itching problems with privacy - thinking about Dropbox, G-Drive and the now closed source Bittorrent Sync…
Well - enter Syncthing: https://syncthing.net/
In truth I can only say one thing: It works. It just, plainly, works for syncing data from your mobile devices to your swarm of servers or pcs.
So give it a shot :)!

[Win8.1] Android MTP doesn't work

Tue, 17 Dec 2013 11:59:58 +0000

Got Windows 8.1 installed? MTP doesn’t work?
Well - maybe you got the Windows 8.1 N Version installed. The Version without Windows Media Player - and without MTP Drivers!
Just install the Windows Media Feature Pack for Windows 8.1 - reboot - and it works. It’s Magic, ain’t it?!

Android Failed to Build Eclipse Android Project Fix

Mon, 11 Nov 2013 10:16:24 +0000

[2013-11-02 08:26:51 - SearchViewDemo] Dx
trouble writing output: already prepared
[2013-11-02 08:26:51 - Dex Loader] Unable to execute dex: java.nio.BufferOverflowException. Check the Eclipse log for stack trace.
[2013-11-02 08:26:51 - SearchViewDemo] Conversion to Dalvik format failed: Unable to execute dex: java.nio.BufferOverflowException. Check the Eclipse log for stack trace.

Well that happend to me as I tried to build my latest project.
Solution was quite simple but… strange.
Just remove all newer Android SDK build-tools (i.e. 19) until the Version 18.1.1 with the Android SDK Manager.
Restart Eclipse. And it will work.

[Win7] Upgrade Error in Android SDK for Windows

Mon, 04 Nov 2013 13:21:34 +0000

Recently I got an error on trying to upgrade my Android SDK, claming that I would not be able to access an URL. I was looking around the Internet and got the information that I should first upgrade the Eclipse Plugin. OK!

Upgrading AVT:

In Eclipse go to Help
Install New Software - Add
inside Add Repository write the Name: ADT and Location: https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/
after loading you should get Developer Tools and NDK Plugins
check both if you want to use the Native Developer Kit (NDK) in the future or check Developer Tool only
click Next
Finish and Restart Eclipse

Source: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14869929/update-android-sdk-tool-to-22-0-4latest-version-from-22-0-1

[Win] Windows Partition Tools

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 08:51:26 +0000

Needed for Android SD Card partitioning or Raspberry Pi gambling:

MiniTool Partition Wizard
- http://www.partitionwizard.com/free-partition-manager.html
- Awesome Tool for Windows, can part and format even EXT4. It is small, fast and easy to use.
SD Card Formatter
- https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_3/
- Official Tool of the SD Card Foundation. Can format even problematic cards.
Image Writer for Windows
- https://launchpad.net/win32-image-writer/+download
- Great to write .img Images to disks.

IPv6 Primer \ Presentation

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:37:17 +0000

Following my work on IPv6/Dualstack EIGRP Routing on c3560 I did create an IPv6 Primer / Presentation for my staff and other technical interessted people. So if you are interessted in an little insight to my work and IPv6, feel free to download this file (German, about 1 MB): IPv6, Nico Maas (2012) PDF

[Android] Android x86 Project

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 09:00:50 +0000

If you want to testdrive Android 2.2 on an VMWare Machine or your EEE PC, feel free to:
The Android x86 Team did Port Cupcake (1.6) and Frozen Yoghurt (FroYo, 2.2) to these!
Project is alive, kicking and gets updates!

http://www.android-x86.org/

[Android] Exclude folders from beeing scanned for music / pictures

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 09:00:23 +0000

Upon opening the Gallery, Android showed up dozens of Application Folders…
Winamp did play programm sounds.
Thats not what we want.

If you ever come across this problem, the solution is simple:
Just put an empty file named “.nomedia” into the root of your “Problem Folder”.
Thats it! After an reboot, these folders are ignored from media scan!

[Android] Install FroyoMod onto Motorola Milestone

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:00:01 +0000

This document does explain in short how you install the popular FroyoMod onto your Motorola Milestone.
( Froyomod does use Android 2.2.2 )

install RSD Lite v4.9
download and unzip vulnerable_recovery_only_RAMDLD90_78.zip
download androidiani-openrecovery ( http://code.google.com/p/androidiani-openrecovery/ ):
unzip into root of your Android SD ( update.zip + OpenRecovery Folder )
Download Bootimage for your Droid (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=815595) und verschieben auf SD nach /sdcard/openrecovery/updates ( Zip nicht entpacken! )
Shutdown Phone, Connect USB, HOLD D-PAD UP, Power on
RSD Lite Flash Vulernable, Hold D-PAD UP on Reboot -> Boot to Boot Loader (OTHERWISE: OTA LOCK!)
Shutdown, Hold Camera Button + Power Button (or X+PWR), Maintance Screen comes up. Press Speaker U+ Camera, choose with D-Pad apply sdcard:update.zip and click
Backup: Recovery, Recovery All
Wipe: Wipe Dalvik, Wipe Cache und Wipe Data/Factory Reset
Flash: Apply Update

[Android] Welcome!

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 07:40:14 +0000

Starting from today on, I want to give a little bit more detail about the little green Robot above:
The Smartphone OS Android.
Reasons for that is quite simple: I helped myself to an Motorola Milestone ( German “Droid” ).
And I’m really happy with that.
Actually I do want to get a bit more into Detail about the different Versions and the nice “side projects” and Apps.
I hope you’ll enjoy it.