February 2012
1 post
6 tags
Simple2Ext Tutorial for ICS →
You can see my tutorial on XDA
January 2012
2 posts
4 tags
Linux "root" tweaks
Tired of always being afraid someone will hack into your linux computer/server?
One of the most important steps is to make sure the attacker can’t log in with the “root” account.
In order to do this, you have to:
Make sure you can “switch user” to root (you will need to be able to control your system, after all)
Make sure that nobody can log in with root, neither...
4 tags
Flash your Cheshire Cat boot animation and splash...
After almost a year since I’ve modified the Ceshire Cat wallpaper to be turned into a splash image and a boot animation, I’ve decided to take the ten minutes I needed for creating a flash-able zip file.
The animation looks like this:
Grab the file from here:
CheshireCat.zip
Requirements:
Stock HBOOT (or a HBOOT which supports splash1 partition)
480x800 resolution (For example:...
November 2011
1 post
Top Twelve Must-Have (free) Android Apps
Every time after flashing my phone, there are some apps I have to install in order to be happy with it. This is the top ten eleven twelve list:
SMS Backup +
Automatically backup SMS, MMS and call log entries using a separate label in Gmail / Google Calendar. It is also possible to restore SMS and call log entries back to the phone
Yes! It’s free and it works flawless. It takes time if you...
October 2011
1 post
5 tags
jQuery Mobile Tumblr Theme
I have decided to share with the world the mobile theme I’ve developed for Tumblr.
You can see it in action here:
http://stopsayinglol.tumblr.com
Of course, it’s also viewable on this site (http://e-tel.eu) if you visit it from a mobile device (sorry Nokia, Tumblr doesn’t consider your browser a proper mobile browser…).
Also, there are some screenshots taken on my HTC...
September 2011
3 posts
7 tags
Bypassing the mobile ISP proxy (BMI)
Article target: web developers
For details about what it is, you can see this page.
Using a local-generated captcha for your website protection can be a bit frustrating if you have customers connecting via Vodafone, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint etc etc etc.
The problem appears if you try to start a session from your captcha script. The session will be started to the 1.2.3.4 domain instead of your...
The 5 Phases of Caffeine Intake - The Oatmeal →
2 tags
July 2011
1 post
3 tags
Create a Time Zone Drop Down List (DDL) in PHP
I’ve been struggling a bit with this, so I thought I shared it. The target was to have a nice drop down list with as many Country/City combinations as possible, so that the users are not confused. The code:
You can find the file in my online github repository.
May 2011
4 posts
5 tags
Updated scripts for backup and restore Android...
There’s an update for the backup and restore scripts. The links in the previous post have been updated automagically thanks to Google Sites :-) Bonus: Restore script with Cheshire Cat boot animation Feedback is, as always, welcomed. Don’t forget, I’m only testing this on InsertCoin GB Rom!
3 tags
Reading Books on your HTC Desire
I read a lot of eBooks on my HTC Desire, so I thought to share my experience with it.
Calibre Library + Dropbox + Aldiko FBreader= WIN
Having over 1,000 books in both paper and electronic format, I had to find a way to manage it without headaches. Here Calibre comes in. Simple drag-and-drop, press “E” to edit the metadata and then “C” to convert to epub format. Porting...
4 tags
Backup Apps, Wipe, Flash ROM, Restore Apps
So, I have finally had enough of all the many steps of wiping cache partition, wiping system partition, wiping data partition, wiping dalvik-cache, wiping sd-ext before flashing the ROM (at the moment, running InsertCoin v25 by baadnwz) and then hoping for the Android Market to all my apps.
So, the solution for me was to convert all these processes into three five (very) simple steps:
Boot...
4 tags
Blogger made my post disappear
Hello all, Sorry for the lack of response but Blogger managed to make my post from yesterday, about the backup and restore scripts disappear. They announced they were back, but
“We rolled back to a version of Blogger as of Wednesday May 11th, so your posts since then were temporarily removed. Those are the posts that we’re in the progress of restoring.”
More info here:...
April 2011
2 posts
4 tags
My Vodafone Romania experience
So, I’ve been a customer of Vodafone Romania since they were called “Connex”. Already there are twelve years since I activated my number. I had my ups and downs with them, always sorting it out until the end. I maybe call them once or twice per year. Always with an issue that can’t be sorted out through google.com or through their selfcare portal. Always there was either a...
4 tags
More space for HTC Desire!
A few days ago I got the “Low disk space” message. After checking, it turns out that I had only 15MB free on my /data partition (the partition where most the apps keep their settings). Using now InsertCoin 2.0.0 (the a2sd version), I really wasn’t in the mood to wipe my phone again, to install data2ext or data++. On top of that, all the documentation found online felt a bit hard...
February 2011
10 posts
3 tags
Updated application removal tool for Android
Following up on this post, I have updated the application removal script. It should work a lot more reliable now. For installation, please see the original post. Here is a sample run:
Usage
# remove_app.sh remove_app.sh Android application removal tool Will search in /system/app and /data/app for the name_of_apk.apk If it’s found, it will be deleted, then uninstalled with the Package...
4 tags
ADB Shell Tips and Tricks
Coming from a Linux world, it was easy for me to use the Android Debug Bridge (adb) shell. By default, it’s a Bourne Shell (sh) that opens when you connect to your phone. Here are a few tips and tricks for it.
Directory listing:
I always hate it when I want to see the content of a folder and I get to see funny characters instead. This is because the default Linux terminal supports color...
4 tags
The Cheshire Cat wallpaper for HTC Desire
To go with my custom splash1 and boot animation now is the wallpaper from the same series. Just click it and save it somewhere on your SD fat32 partition. The size is 960x800 px with a resolution of 72x72 dpi. Enjoy. P.S. Don’t forget to share this page and/or to click on “Like” if you enjoy it.
3 tags
Removing apps from Android (S-OFF and root...
WARNING!!! THIS MIGHT NOT WORK!!! USE WITH EXTREME CAUTION!!! I have put together a Bourne Shell script for Android, that will help you remove your APK files and also uninstall them. The file is here: remove_app.sh Script updated, please read this post Installation: Copy the file in /system/xbin on your S-OFF phone
adb shell mount -o remount,rw /system adb push C:\remove_app.sh...
4 tags
CWM-AlphaREV Recovery v2.5.1.8 bug
So, having decided to remove today some apk’s from InsertCoin 1.9d, I have stumbled upon an interesting bug inside CWM-AlphaREV Recovery v2.5.1.8. I have to say, first, that I use this recovery as it was installed during the S-OFF process. Here is the bug:
~ # uname -a uname -a Linux localhost 2.6.32.27-AlphaRev #1 PREEMPT Wed Dec 29 14:09:49 CET 2010 armv7l GNU/Linux ~ # cat...
5 tags
Android Debugging
I intended to do this for a long time now, as it goes hand in hand with Linux debugging. I’ve noticed, during my trolling on the InsertCoin forum, that people that start messing around with their Android mobile (read: start rooting it), don’t know what to do if something fails. The minimum tools needed for any debugging are:
Android SDK
Windows Command Prompt
USB Cable (the one...
2 tags
How I added a custom "Facebook Like" button to my...
After a one minute of search on Google, I found how to add a custom “Facebook Like” button to my blog. Obviously, it’s not something difficult if I could do it in three minutes all together, but I thought I’d share the experience. First thing, I had to go to my “Design” link on the blog. Then, to “Edit HTML”. Next, click on “Expand Widget...
4 tags
Boot animation - animated preview
What I forgot to add in my previous post is the animation “feel”. There you go:
3 tags
First post from mobile
To be honest, this is just a test. I’m really curious to see how the post will look like. Adding here also a preview of my Android desktop. Using Elixir widgets under the DesktopClock
9 tags
Custom splash screen and boot animation
I’ve just finished my customizing of the boot sequence of my S-OFF HTC Desire (AlphaREV).
I am currently running InsertCoin HD 1.9d InsertCoin GB by baadnwz.
The two files needed are here:
splash1.img
bootanimation.zip
Instructions (I will assume you already have S-OFF HTC Desire, running InsertCoin HD 1.9d GB):
adb push “C:\Your\Path\Here\bootanimation.zip”...
March 2009
2 posts
2 tags
German - Reloaded
German language is relatively easy. “All those of us that know a derived language from Latin like Portuguese language and are used to conjugate some verbs can learn it quickly…” That’s what the German language teacher said at the first lesson. Let’s go… To illustrate such a simplicity, imagine that we will study an example. First, we take a book in German, in this case a magnificent and beautiful...
2 tags
Romania - ce rau ne este
Am remarcat o tendinta din ce in ce mai acuta “sa ne plangem de Romania” si “sa injuram guvernul din Romania”. Bineinteles, nu ma refer numai la persoanele care traiesc efectiv in Romania, ci si la persoanele de 30-50 ani care au ales calea strainatatii de ani de zile. “Este rau in Romania” aud de la foarte multi oameni care au anumite asteptari, anumite vise....
February 2009
1 post
4 tags
Cute
So, after so much time I decided to write again something… Actually, I took some funny pictures and wanted to share them. This was yesterday morning, while driving to work. Check it out here: Now, imagine that all of a sudden, that yellowish-brownish beast looks into your eyes, coming from under the hood. Started to laugh instantly :-)
June 2008
1 post
4 tags
Build your own enterprise Asterisk on Gentoo
Because I like the speed of it, I have chosen for this Gentoo, on a 64-bit machine. For installing, you have to download from http://www.asterisk.org/downloads the following packages (these were the latest): Asterisk 1.6.1.6 DAHDI Linux 2.2.0.2 DAHDI Tools 2.2.0 Libpri 1.4.10.1 Addons 1.6.1.1 I agree, the Addons 1.6.1.1 package is not really needed, but I really like the various features it offers...
December 2007
1 post
3 tags
The story continues
I’ve been in Tanzania, in Dar es Salaam, two months now. Many friends asked me for more pictures and updates on this website. First of all, sometimes I really enjoy bitching. It’s the case now :) . We’re towards (I hope) the end of the “short-rain” season. I’ve seen chicks floating dead on the water pools that were formed in the middle of the asphalt-less...
October 2007
2 posts
3 tags
The story - first week in Tanzania
For you Romanian readers out there, I will write all the Tanzania-related posts in English, so that more people can benefit from my experience. To start from the beginning, about a year ago, a friend of mine (hi Khaled) started telling me how good it is to be in Tanzania, to work for Zantel (a GSM company owned by Etisalat). He asked me whether I wish to join him here, because the only department...
3 tags
First pictures
So, after two days of being in Tanzania, here are the first pictures. The first four pictures are with the view from the hotel (Markham Executive Suites), and the rest of four pictures are from the office, from Zantel:
September 2007
2 posts
2 tags
Let's herd the cats
2 tags
Unlock the files
Cautand o metoda mai eficienta de a putea sterge anumite fisiere in Windows, am gasit Unlocker. Si este gratuit.
July 2007
2 posts
2 tags
Exams (perle bacalaureat 2007)
Tocmai ce am primit prin e-mail “Bac 2007”. Nu stiu daca perlele sunt adevarate sau nu, dar sunt tare amuzante:
Vitoria Lipan este un Hitler in varianta feminina.
Este vorba de peripetiile lui Robinson Crusoe dupa ce pleaca din Troia.
In cunoscuta balada “Miorita”, sunt descrise cateva intamplari in care sunt implicate doi criminali, o oaie turnatoare, si un cioban ce...
3 tags
Round and about
Am incercat sa gasesc o metoda pentru a tine minte pe unde am fost prin lume… Am gasit: Create your own travel map tlex has traveled to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kenya, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Netherlands, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Vatican City
March 2007
1 post
3 tags
To London or not to London
A venit si momentul sa ma intorc in Romania. Lumea este socata cand aude ca a fost alegerea mea, ca nu am fost constrans la aceasta decizie de nimeni. “Cum, iti place Bucuresti mai mult decat Londra?” ma intreaba toti, socati. Cel mai mare soc a fost insa de partea mea, cand am auzit pentru prima data aceasta intrebare. Ma bucur insa, pentru ca mi s-a dat o ocazie excelenta pentru o...
December 2006
5 posts
4 tags
Who would invest in a company both "micro" and...
Word goes that only “hacked” or “broken” Windows generates errors. The myth is busted however by this picture, taken in the London Underground:
3 tags
O bucata de istorie
Ceea ce ii impresioneaza pe Americani la alte popoare, intrucat ei nu au, este istoria mai veche putin. Cu aceasta istorie impresionanta am venit in contact la statia de metrou “Monument” (sau “Bank”). Aici se regaseste un turn imens, monument ridicat in memoria Marelui Incendiu din Londra (da, scriu special cu litere mari), ce a avut loc in anul 1666. Acest turn are 61m...
4 tags
Fashion boom
Nu am intalnit in viata mea o lume cu un gust mai prost in materie de imbracaminte. Ceea ce a pus capac a fost o domnisoara pe strada (din pacate, nu aveam aparatul foto la mine), ce avea o pereche extraordinara de pantofi luciosi verzi, o geanta roz excelenta, o fusta cam pana la o palma mai jos de genunchi, plina de pliuri si inegala (maro), precum si un puloveras galben deosebit de dragut....
4 tags
Guten Morning!
Si cum toata lumea ma intreaba “Dar cum e vremea la Londra?”, m-am decis sa va spun povestea zilei londoneze: Dimineata, chiar dinainte de rasaritul soarelui, strazile orasului sunt temeinic spalate. Insa aici nu se vad masini care sa stropeasca pe jos. Nu sunt necesare. Economie mare de carburant: vine direct ploaia si rezolva tot. Pana ajungem in centru (pe la 9-10-11, depinde de...
4 tags
0800-GetAFuneral
Ce credeti ca mi-au vazut ochii in dimineata asta, cand m-am trezit? EXACT!!! Un magazin de pietre funerare chiar vis-a-vis de intrarea in hotel. Este extraordinar de practic, nu credeti? Parca si vad o campanie publicitara: “Te cazezi la noi si primesti o piatra funerara a doua zi. Nu, nu e gratis, in schimb poate oricine s-o puna in roaba sa o aduca, deci ai cheltuieli reduse cu...
November 2006
3 posts
3 tags
Business über alles
Prin plimbarile noastre am ajuns prin centru, cam la 2 minute de mers pe jos de la statia de metrou Liverpool Street. Chiar daca suntem in Londra de aproape doua saptamani, de abia acum am reusit sa observam metropolaLondra, nu doar orasul supraaglomerat si suprapopulat. M-am tot abtinut la comentarii rautacioase sau la lauda gratuita, ca sa dau ocazia acestui loc sa imi creeze o imagine. Dupa ce...
3 tags
Diagon or Knockturn Alley?
Pe cand eram in plimbarile pe langa hotel, peste ce dam vis-a-vis? Brick Lane. Fiind atrasi de nume precum si de multimea de pe strada, am mers sa aruncam o privire. In aceasta zona populata in special de arabi si indieni, oricine poate sa gaseasca orice oricat de ieftin. Inclusiv gunoi. Pozele vorbesc de la sine: Si daca va intrebati, suntem deja in al patrulea hotel de cand am ajuns aici.
3 tags
Avionul din gradina
Chiar acum stau la un hotel de langa aeroport: Jurys Inn Heathrow. Hotelul este la maximum un km de aeroportul Heathrow, avioanele aterizeaza chiar pe langa el (trec la 200-300m distanta), dar dinauntru nu se aude nimic. Asadar, In cazul in care nu aveti prea des treaba prin centrul Londrei, sau nu va deranjeaza sa mergeti cam 700m pana la statia de metrou, va recomand acest hotel. Cam asa se vede...