Since the release of Honeycomb aka Android 3.0 Preview SDK, we have been eagerly awaiting its goodies to be ported on existing Android tablets. So here we are, with another guide to enjoy the sweetness of Honeycomb to the Viewsonic G Tablet.

Your device must be rooted prior to beginning straightforward Installation process.

Proedure:

Step 1: In case you don’t have ADB installed, here how to install it.

Step 2: Enable ADB USB drivers for your tablet to be able to use the ADB commands in the following steps.

Step 3: Download the boot animation from and save it at a convenient location. You can use C:\ as the location, thus the file path that we will use is C:\bootanimation.zip.

Step  4: Use Root Explorer, Super Manager or some other root level Android file manager to backup the existing bootanimation.zip file from the /logodata folder on your phone to some safe location.

Step 5: Connect your device to your computer via USB after enabling ‘USB Debugging’ mode from ‘Menu > Settings > Applications > Development’.

Step 6: Launch a Command Prompt window on your computer and enter the following commands: adb devices

adb push c:\bootanimation.zip /logodata/

adb kill-server

Step 7: Now disconnect the device from the computer and reboot it.

Viola! Your tablet is now rooted in  boot animation. Enjoy! In case anything messed up, just use the same method to restore the backed up bootanimation.zip file from step 3.

While Honeycomb aka Android 3.0 running on XOOM is the most popular subject of conversation, today. Its SDK has been ported to several devices in fairly working conditions. However, it’s hard to tell how many phones would taste the sweet honey. So here, we are with yet another tutorial on Honeycomb as boot animation on your Droid X.

Prerequisites:

• A rooted Motorola Droid X
• Root Explorer
• Honeycomb Boot Animation
• Honeycomb Boot Animation with Sound
• Half Speed Honeycomb Boot Animation
• Half Speed Honeycomb Boot with Sound
• ClockworkMod Recovery on the device

Procedure:

Step 1: Download the preferred Honeycomb animation.

Step 2: Place the zip on your SD card.

Step 3: Download and install Root Explorer on your device.

Step 4: Go to the Data/Local folder and copy off ‘bootanimation.zip’ to a safer place on microSD card so that you have a backup if you want to revert.

Step 5: Mount the system in read/write with Root Explorer.

Step 6: Rename the downloaded Honeycomb animation to ‘bootanimation.zip’ to copy it to the Data/Local folder.

Step 7: Exit Root Explorer and reboot your device to see the new boot Animation.

Step 8: For adding sound to your boot animation, download the appropriate animation link from above.

Step 9: Boot into ClockworkMod Recovery.

Step 10: Scroll down to Install zip. Select and install the downloaded zip file.

Step 11: Reboot after the installation is complete.

Bingo! Have fun with your new Honeycomb animation.

For any issues, suggestions and update, head over to the Droid X forums thread.

For those who own HTC Desire from the flagship of Taiwanese giant, possess one of the most versatile Android-based devices launched on the market. Learn how it can be customized for optimum use.

Create, Add, Rearrange or Delete Widgets:

• To create a new widget, tap and hold your finger on an empty spot on the homescreen of your HTC Desire.
• To move the widgets, swiftly, tap and hold the widget and move it wherever you want on the selected screen.
• If you want to move it on another homescreen, swipe across the optical pad to your choicest screen, while tapping and holding another finger on the widget.
• To move widget from the far left to the center screen, you must tap and hold the Home key. Press Home, and then release the widget.

Calculator:

• The Calculator app included in the firmware can be rotated into landscape via accelerometer. It transforms it into a scientific calculator.
• Press the Menu key to unlock the device.
• Tap the notification bar, while the phone is unlocked to check the current date. It is displayed at the upper-left corner of the screen.

Camera:

When using the camera of the smartphone, you can tap and hold on a spot to focus there and take the picture.

Music:

While listening to music, you will notice that the music controls on the lock screen will disappear after a short time. They are set to auto-hide after a few seconds, so you will need to swipe up to bring them back.

Feeds:

• If you want to get your feeds from Google Reader on to the HTC News application, you will need to export your Google Reader subscriptions as opml file.
• Save the file onto your smartphone and rename the file extension from xml to opml. Then simply import this file into your HTC News application.

Accessing Apps Menu in Emergency:

When your Android begins to act funny and it starts to force close, simply use the search key and type the first few letters for “Applications”. It will help you access the Applications settings menu. Visit Manage applications / HTC Sense and click on Clear data option. Although all Scenes will be erased, yet it is a much better option as compared to a hard reset.

Sending emails to desired account:

• If you have more than one account configured on your HTC Desire, and wish to send an email from an account, select the account to send from, in the email composing screen, scroll upwards until you reach the top.
• Click the button above the “To” field and choose what account you want to use. The tip applies even if you are replying to an email.

TrackPad:

• The use of the optical track-pad makes your life easier when browsing, sending an email or simply editing a text.
• To select a certain text in text editing, place the cursor where you want to start. Long-press the optical track-pad to bring up the context menu.
• Then tap “Select text” and use the optical track-pad to fine tune your selection. Further, you will then be able to cut or copy the selection, by long-pressing on the optical track-pad to bring up the context menu and choosing one of the actions.
• Use track-pad to jump between links in the browser, especially when the links are tiny and hard to pinpoint with your finger.

Have more suggestions, feel free to write in the comment box below.

For all those proud owners of Dell Streak, here a are a few tips & tricks that will enable you to use your Android powered device in an effective way.

Save Energy:

• Reduce the energy consumption and prolong the battery’s life by turning off any background data synchronization, as well as GPS localization and data connection. To turn off the Data connection, Dell inserted a new switch in the firmware; it completely disables any APN point and doesn’t allow any data connections, until you switch it on again.
• To access the option, Go to Settings> Wireless controls> Mobile networks> Uncheck the Data connection option.
• The usual Background data option can be turned off from the Data synchronization menu, while the GPS localization can be found under the Security & location menu.

Taking screenshots with rooted Dell:

• Taking screenshots with an un-rooted Android smartphone running Android 1.6 OS proves to be difficult if you are unaware of the procedure. So here’ my take on it.
• After downloading the latest version of Android SDK (r07), and the essential software for USB driver, install manager to check the usb_driver folder.
• Connect your smartphone to your PC> Choose the first option from the pop-up menu > Copy media files to / from your computer (MTP).
• Your device will be automatically detected and access to the SD memory card is becomes available.
• Check the new driver that appears now under My Computer and double click on the Dell PC Suite file. It  will install Dell’s proprietary synchronization software, including USB driver that you will need to take screenshots in Dalvik’s virtual machine.
• Restart you computer, connect the smartphone through the USB cable . Choose the second option Copy other files to / from your computer. Open the virtual machine and notice that you Streak has been detected.

We hope these tips will help you manage your device. Feel free to share more tips via the comments box below. 

I recently acquired a Samsung Galaxy i7500 from Orange in Israel, because Google hasn’t written their own Hebrew support, the cellular companies here in Israel developed their own code together with Samsung Israel. Sounds interesting! However, the country plans to not share the software with the world. Worry not, as here’s the guide install a Hebrew Locale. The credit goes to Gilad Ben-Yossef, he wrote the original “tutorial” on how to do this; but it was in Hebrew and confusing, here you have it in comprehensible English now. Prior starting you need root for this process to work.

 Step 1: Go to the Android market and download the software “GScript Lite”

 Step 2: Open GScript, press and hold “Reboot phone” and select “Save to SD.” It will create a folder called “gscript” in your sd card.

 Step 3: Download the file with the Hebrew fonts here.

 Step 4: Plug your Galaxy to your PC and mount it

 Step 5:  Create a new folder on the root of the sd card called “Hebrew”

Step 6: Extract the contents of the zip file “hebdroid.zip” into the “Hebrew” folder on SD card. At the end of this process you should have eight font files and the LICENSE.txt file.

 Step 7: Download the file Hebrew.sh file here.

 Step 8: Save the file (hebrew.sh) in the “gscript” folder on sd card

Step 9: Unmount and disconnect your Galaxy from the computer.

 Step 10: Open the software GScript Lite. Click the “menu button”, click “Add” and then click “Load file”. Select from the list Hebrew.sh, click on “Save”. The device will run the script and will reboot.

 Congratulations! You now have the Hebrew fonts and support in your phone. 

CyanogenMod 6.1 is the most stable built on Froyo aka Android 2.2. Here’s a guide to successfully install CMD for first timers and pros.

First CyanogenMod install Instructions:

Step 1: Download ROM

Step 2: Connect your phone to the computer via USB, mount the microSD card and copy the downloaded ROM to the root of the SD card

Step 3: Your device must be rooted to install ROM. If you haven’t already done so, please root your myTouch 4G

Step 4: Clockwork Recovery must be installed on your device as well. If not done already installed, install it via ROM Manage.

Step 5: Reboot your phone in recovery and perform a NANDROID backup.

Step 6: Wipe your phone using the options given in recovery.

Step 7: From recovery, tap ‘apply zip from sd card’, select the copied ROM to the SD card. Follow the instructions and confirm any displayed prompts.

Step 8: Once the ROM has been flashed, reboot the phone when prompted and CMD is installed successfully

For Google apps, copy the downloaded zip file to your SD card, boot your phone in recovery again, tap ‘apply zip from sd card’, select the zip file that you just copied to the SD card, and follow the instructions, confirming any prompts that you get.

Upgrading from an earlier CyanogenMod installation:

Step 1: Reboot your phone in recovery and perform a NANDROID backup.

Step 2: From recovery, tap ‘apply zip from sd card’> Select the ROM that you copied to the SD card> Follow the instructions, confirm any prompts that you get.