Android

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Android is one of the many distributions that currently work on the Openmoko phones. You can compare a distribution with an Operating System on normal computers. It gives the phone all the software needed for operating. For more information about the different flavors, see distributions.

Contents

Android-logo.png

Introduction

This page is the central place for documentation about Android on the Neo 1973 and FreeRunner handsets.

Android is a software stack for mobile devices developed by the The Open Handset Alliance. Although Android is publicized as being open source software (most of the source code has been released) parts of the code have not been released yet.

A lot of work is being done to get Android functioning properly on the FreeRunner and it is likely, in the near future, to be the distribution most suited for using the FreeRunner as a phone.

Inside the FreeRunner 3 software components are working:

  • bootloader: a small program that runs first and starts everything else when the FreeRunner is powered on or reset (depending on how you reset it, the version from NOR or NAND is booted).
  • kernel: the central component in the Linux operating system.
  • root filesystem: contains all the files that make up the commands and applications that you can run.
  • Furthermore for the installation you have to format your MircorSD-Card because Android will storedata on it.

Usage

See: Android usage for detailed instructions on using Android on the FreeRunner.

Android is gaining functionality on the FreeRunner all the time and with Michael Trimarchi's (panicking) images it is possible to use as an everyday phone. Prerequisites for the best success seem to be:

  • Use the jffs version 14.6 and the kernel v17.
  • Uboot

You can then hope to achieve :

  • GSM calls
  • SMS
  • Adding, removing and importing contacts
  • GPRS
  • Wi-Fi

Caveats

  • Volume during voice calls is very low.
  • Wi-Fi does not reconnect after sleep - setup
  • You have to disable PIN security on your SIM card.

Android function sheet

External Links

Installation

See: Android on Freerunner for how to flash your FreeRunner with Android. In addition to flashing your Freerunner for using Android you have to format your SD card with 2 partitions to use Android. Just flashing is not sufficient.


You can also install the Koolu beta 4 rc1 directly from SD card onto the NAND see [1]

Development

See: Android porting

There are developers being paid to work on the port by Koolu. For details on the project source and some real detailed instructions on building the source, see the the Koolu Trac Website for Android.
There is a Android Freerunner Mailing list hosted by Koolu [2]


There is also some great unpaid work going on at Linux Embedded

News

  • 15 April 09 - Koolu Releases Beta6 [3]
  • 07 March 09 - Panicking released a cupcake rootfs
  • 26 February 09 - As promised, Sean McNeil has released source code to GSM libraries Source
  • 20090204 Koolu releases its Beta3 Android release.
    • Changelog:
      • Added GPS library that supports GPS under Android
      • MAX_PROCESSES patch to enable more background processes to be run (fixes Pictures application)
      • Added Dalvik optimization setting
      • Started including 3rd party applications
      • Updated user interfaces for GPS and Bluetooth to match new kernel
      • Now report RSSI of Wifi signals to upper application layer
      • Enable libsoundpool compilation to support audible clicks
  • 20090122 Koolu releases its Beta2 Android release.
  • 20081219 Koolu releases its Beta Android Image and kernel.
  • 20081104 The first Android-image has been successfully created by Sean McNeil! - sms and calling works, wifi and bluetooth doesn't. news-source

See also

Personal tools

Android is one of the many distributions that currently work on the Openmoko phones. You can compare a distribution with an Operating System on normal computers. It gives the phone all the software needed for operating. For more information about the different flavors, see distributions.

Contents

Android-logo.png

Introduction

This page is the central place for documentation about Android on the Neo 1973 and FreeRunner handsets.

Android is a software stack for mobile devices developed by the The Open Handset Alliance. Although Android is publicized as being open source software (most of the source code has been released) parts of the code have not been released yet.

A lot of work is being done to get Android functioning properly on the FreeRunner and it is likely, in the near future, to be the distribution most suited for using the FreeRunner as a phone.

Inside the FreeRunner 3 software components are working:

  • bootloader: a small program that runs first and starts everything else when the FreeRunner is powered on or reset (depending on how you reset it, the version from NOR or NAND is booted).
  • kernel: the central component in the Linux operating system.
  • root filesystem: contains all the files that make up the commands and applications that you can run.
  • Furthermore for the installation you have to format your MircorSD-Card because Android will storedata on it.

Usage

See: Android usage for detailed instructions on using Android on the FreeRunner.

Android is gaining functionality on the FreeRunner all the time and with Michael Trimarchi's (panicking) images it is possible to use as an everyday phone. Prerequisites for the best success seem to be:

  • Use the jffs version 14.6 and the kernel v17.
  • Uboot

You can then hope to achieve :

  • GSM calls
  • SMS
  • Adding, removing and importing contacts
  • GPRS
  • Wi-Fi

Caveats

  • Volume during voice calls is very low.
  • Wi-Fi does not reconnect after sleep - setup
  • You have to disable PIN security on your SIM card.

Android function sheet

External Links

Installation

See: Android on Freerunner for how to flash your FreeRunner with Android. In addition to flashing your Freerunner for using Android you have to format your SD card with 2 partitions to use Android. Just flashing is not sufficient.


You can also install the Koolu beta 4 rc1 directly from SD card onto the NAND see [1]

Development

See: Android porting

There are developers being paid to work on the port by Koolu. For details on the project source and some real detailed instructions on building the source, see the the Koolu Trac Website for Android.
There is a Android Freerunner Mailing list hosted by Koolu [2]


There is also some great unpaid work going on at Linux Embedded

News

  • 15 April 09 - Koolu Releases Beta6 [3]
  • 07 March 09 - Panicking released a cupcake rootfs
  • 26 February 09 - As promised, Sean McNeil has released source code to GSM libraries Source
  • 20090204 Koolu releases its Beta3 Android release.
    • Changelog:
      • Added GPS library that supports GPS under Android
      • MAX_PROCESSES patch to enable more background processes to be run (fixes Pictures application)
      • Added Dalvik optimization setting
      • Started including 3rd party applications
      • Updated user interfaces for GPS and Bluetooth to match new kernel
      • Now report RSSI of Wifi signals to upper application layer
      • Enable libsoundpool compilation to support audible clicks
  • 20090122 Koolu releases its Beta2 Android release.
  • 20081219 Koolu releases its Beta Android Image and kernel.
  • 20081104 The first Android-image has been successfully created by Sean McNeil! - sms and calling works, wifi and bluetooth doesn't. news-source

See also