Avi's Code

Linux Books Prices

Avi Telyas — Mon, 11 May 2009 07:08:19 +0000

Understanding the Linux Kernel, 3rd Edition is a book I used to consult very often.

Checking the prices in Japan compared to US, I was shocked to find:

While in Amazon US, the price is $32.97, the Japanese version of the book will cost in Amazon.jp ￥ 6,930 . Roughly, double!

Ubuntu 9.04 – KDE Cpu usage

Avi Telyas — Mon, 11 May 2009 04:33:20 +0000

Not sure why, but suddenly KDE4 has gone berserk on my ubuntu 9.04 machine.
Before I restart the machine, here is a screen capture of the CPU usage – 50% means one of my CPU is working 100% for KDE.

Ubuntu Jaunty and Android ADB

Avi Telyas — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:07:39 +0000

I have recently upgraded my ubuntu machine to Jaunty. When I tried to work with my G1 Devphone, I found out that adb doesn’t seem to find the device.

Luckily, I am not the first one to find it, and could find a solution in an Android Group :

cp /etc/udev/rules.d/50-android.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules

/etc/init.d/udev reload

Just don’t forget to disconnect and plug-in the device again, and there you go.

Android 1.5 early look available

Avi Telyas — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:42:31 +0000

Published on the Android Google blog, an early 1.5 API release is available. The blog warns that certain APIs may change before formal release.

What is new?

For a complete list, please refer to this list (not a formal release notes).

Highlights are:

Soft Keyboard (finally!!!)
UI enhancement for most of Google Applications
Video Recording
Stereo Bluetooth support

Can’t wait till HTC release their formal Android 1.5 binaries, and I am certain Samsung will release Android 1,5 with touch screen only. Let’s wait and see.

NubiNews – A Great Android RSS Reader

Avi Telyas — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:41:19 +0000

An open source RSS Reader, that be customized using Java Scripts for otherwise, non-supported websites. The reader supports English, Chinese, Japanese and is quite impressive: fast, easy to use.

Google code project homepage : http://code.google.com/p/nubi/

Blog: http://nubinewsblog.blogspot.com/

The writer uses the name Mattaku Betsujin, which can be translated from Japanese to: Honestly, another person.

Android Developers Group Japan

Avi Telyas — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 08:16:49 +0000

Continuing my Android Books in Japan post, would like to report additional Android related activities and Groups in Japan.

Android Group Japan website and Google Group are trying to bring together Japanese developers and support each other.

Twitters use the acronymos #agj for Android Related Discussions, and there many of them.

Android books available in Japanese

Avi Telyas — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:54:10 +0000

Although Google Android phones are not available in Japan (commercially), the race to develop applications has started.

Several books are already available:

Upgraded to Android 1.1 R1

Avi Telyas — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:55:24 +0000

Android 1.1 R1 was released.

Since I couldn’t help but test if my Android applications still work, I immediately upgraded according to the instructions: new SDK, version notes, and instructions.

ADT plugin was not upgraded as Eclipse couldn’t find an update.

Outcome:

Applications run without any modification.

Conclusions:

1) I did not use any of the APIs that were changed .

2) Android API is “settling” down. (Or Google finally understood the pain the cause developers each time they change it).

Google Android Plaform Group is being Spammed

Avi Telyas — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:52:12 +0000

It appears that Google Android Group is being spammed. Took me by surprise as I expected Google to be able to block such trivial spams.

Barcodes and QR Codes for Android

Avi Telyas — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:18:03 +0000

Just bumped into zxing project, and wanted to share.

According the Project Home page:

ZXing (pronounced “zebra crossing”) is an open-source, multi-format 1D/2D barcode image processing library implemented in Java. Our focus is on using the built-in camera on mobile phones to photograph and decode barcodes on the device, without communicating with a server. We currently have production-quality support for:

UPC-A and UPC-E

EAN-8 and EAN-13

Code 39

Code 128

QR Code

Now I have to think of an implementation that will use QR Codes…