Technology Explained for All
Android
Android: (Possible) Solution for Angry Birds Game NOT starting
Sep 5th
Angry Birds is one of the most annoying and at the same time most addicting games I’ve ever played. Angry Birds which was just released for the droid is the story of survival of a group of birds that Dish out revenge on the greedy pigs who stole their eggs (Duh – That’s why they are angry) . You use the unique powers of each bird to destroy the pigs’ fortresses. Angry Birds features challenging physics-based gameplay that requires logic, skill, and force to crush the enemy.
Angry Birds can be downloaded from the Android Marketplace (LINK) http://www.appbrain.com/app/com.rovio.angrybirds_lite (http://www NULL.appbrain NULL.com/app/com NULL.rovio NULL.angrybirds_lite) or using the QR Code
(http://chart NULL.apis NULL.google NULL.com/chart?cht=qr&chs=150x150&chl=market://search%3Fq%3Dpname:com NULL.rovio NULL.angrybirds_lite)Once you install Angry Birds you can find it in the All apps section of your phone
![image[3]](http://www.techgeekandmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/image31.png "image[3]")
One of the issues that I have been asked about with Angry Birds is that it seems not to start on some phones. During the startup process for the game you see the following screens
The Opening Screen from Rovio
Followed by the Angry Birds (Lite) Title screen and that’s it. The phone goes directly back to your phones desktop
(**This is the screen on my phone)
The (Possible) Solution to be able to run Angry Birds
Step #1 – Under All Apps go to Settings
Step #2 – In settings select Applications
Step #3 – In Applications select Manage Applications
Step #4 – In the Managed Applications Window look for the Angry Birds App and click on it
Step #5 – On the Info Screen click on Move to Phone. The game loads by default to the SD Card and for some phones it seems that is where the hang up happens. The button will change from “Move to Phone” to say “Move to SD”
<—Before 
<—After
Step #6 (And Final Step) During the game start up – Continuously tap the phone screen or hold your finger to the screen as soon as you see the title/splash screen for the game until it moves to the next screen. (**On my phone (EVO) tapping has worked but on a different phone (droid X) this was tested on holding your finger to the screen worked, so you may need to test both ways**)
![image[40]](http://www.techgeekandmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/image40.png "image[40]")
Once you see the intro screen – you have made it to play the game.
I know this is a lot for a BETA game – However in the interest of my sanity, here is how I get in to play the game, so that you don’t have to ask (me!).
**Game Tip – Use the pinch function on the phone screen to zoom in and out of the screen. (Hope that helps)
Android: TGM List of Preferred Android Apps – Free
Sep 5th
I’ve been enjoying my Sprint EVO phone since it’s release a few weeks ago. Coming from years of using Windows Mobile, learning Android has been “interesting” to say the least. In the Past few weeks I have found many apps that were nothing more than garbage, while at the same time finding many more that now I cant live without.
Since there are so many on my list, this post has gotten its own page. You have find the list of Preferred Android Apps here (LINK) http://www.techgeekandmore.com/android-tgm-list-of-preferred-android-apps-free/
This list will continue to grow over time…..in addition if you have an app that you use that is not on the TGM list let us know.
***9-5-10 / List is now updated and up to 91 Android Apps and counting. The list is still a work in progress.
Android: How to install apps on your Android phone.
Sep 4th
The following post was inspired by a friend who said that she just got her 1st droid and wanted to know “what do I do now”. Since she was coming from a non-smart phone, as so many people it seems like these days (Android saw an 888% increase in users based on a recent reports http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10839034 (http://www NULL.bbc NULL.co NULL.uk/news/technology-10839034) ).
With all these new users, I figured an Android “How to” would be in order. A couple of things to keep in mind with Android is that most apps you will want will come from a “Marketplace” and for Android there is more than 1 marketplace to choose from (Like going to Safeway vs. Acme vs. Vons…..etc.). All the Marketplaces offer a lot of the same products (like the supermarket) but they each have their own twists. Do you need to pick just one of the markets to use, no not at all, in addition to the market(s) many sites will also have apps you can directly download for Android
How to Install Applications
To install applications using Android Market perform the following steps:
- Open the Android Market application in the Applications menu.
- You can select any option – Applications, Games, Search or My Downloads based on what you want to do. You will then get a list of applications or games to choose from. You can also search for any particular application using the magnifying glass (on the top right) . You will then get a list of apps with their description and rating.
- Click on the application you want and you will get more details of that application – the number of downloads and user comments.
- To install it, just click on the Install button on the bottom of the screen.
- Prior to the install starting, you will see a final screen letting you know what the program you are installing will have access to. If you have privacy concerns, this is the screen you want to pay attention to, so that you can know what information about you the program your installing is collecting. Just click on OK to finish installing the application.
![image[21]](http://www.techgeekandmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/image21_thumb.png "image[21]")
- Once installed just look in your program list and the app will be ready to use.
![image[21]](http://www.techgeekandmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/image21.png "image[21]")
Marketplaces for the Android
As mentioned earlier Android has more than one Marketplace. The most common marketplaces in addition to the one that comes with your Android the Marketplace created by your cell service provider
- Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, etc.
As well as the following sites (There are additional sites but these are two of the Major Ones)
- APP Brain App Marketplace (LINK) http://www.appbrain.com/ (http://www NULL.appbrain NULL.com/)
For App Brain you can do a search from the Main Android Marketplace and you will find a download for your phone that will allow you to search directly from your phone (exactly) the same way you do with the Android Marketplace.
- Android Lib (LINK) http://www.androlib.com/ (http://www NULL.androlib NULL.com/)
For Android Lib they do not have an app for your phone, however, when searching their site, you will find a QR code next to each app. The QR code can be used to make installing on your Android phone extremely simple (QR Code directions below)
Using QR Codes with your Android phone
One of the features that makes accessing links on your phone extremely simple involves using QR Codes. The QR Code below is the code for the TechGeekandMore.com Mobile site.
(file:///C:/Users/anovelo NULL.IMS/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter-429641856/supfiles173FFD8/TechGeekandMoreMobileBarcode2 NULL.png)
A QR Code is a matrix (http://en NULL.wikipedia NULL.org/wiki/Matrix_(mathematics)) barcode (http://en NULL.wikipedia NULL.org/wiki/Barcode) (or two-dimensional code (http://en NULL.wikipedia NULL.org/wiki/Barcode#Matrix_ NULL.282D NULL.29_barcodes)), readable (http://en NULL.wikipedia NULL.org/wiki/Machine-readable_medium) by QR scanners (http://en NULL.wikipedia NULL.org/wiki/Barcode_reader), mobile phones (http://en NULL.wikipedia NULL.org/wiki/Mobile_phone) with camera (http://en NULL.wikipedia NULL.org/wiki/Camera), and smartphones (http://en NULL.wikipedia NULL.org/wiki/Smartphones). The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on white background. The information encoded can be text, URL (http://en NULL.wikipedia NULL.org/wiki/URL) or other data. (From Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_Code (http://en NULL.wikipedia NULL.org/wiki/QR_Code) )
A QR code, derived from "Quick Response", is a two dimensional matrix bar code created by a Japanese corporation back in 1994 to allow its contents to be decoded at very high speed. Here is how to scan QR bar codes in order to get apps.
Instructions
From either the Android Marketplace or the APP Brain Marketplace, do a search for “Barcode Scanner”. You will see many scanners for download (as of this post there were 88 choices). I recommend that you install the app called "Barcode Scanner" developed by ZXing Team for Android phones. It is a free application and should be one of the 1st ones on the list. This barcode scanner is what you will use to then be able to access the QR code barcodes.
- Once installed, launch Barcode Scanner
(http://i NULL.ehow NULL.com/images/a05/nh/1u/scan-barcodes-apps-motorola-droid-1 NULL.1-800X800 NULL.jpg)
- Scan QR codes – To scan a QR code, move your phone towards the code and allowing enough distance from your Android phones camera in order to focus on the QR codes. You can scan almost any QR codes directly from your computer screen, as well as, magazines, or newspaper.
(http://i NULL.ehow NULL.com/images/a05/nh/1u/scan-barcodes-apps-motorola-droid-1 NULL.3-800X800 NULL.jpg) - When the QR code is successfully read, you will be notified that a URL is found. Simply click "Open Browser" button and you will see that the app is found quickly.
- At which point when you click open browser, you will get the prompt to install the program.
![image[27]](http://www.techgeekandmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/image27.png "image[27]")
That’s all there is to it, to install apps on Android……
SIMPLE!!!
Droid: Bing app for Android–Free app released today from Microsoft
Aug 31st
Microsoft today released their new bing app for the droid (LINK: http://www.bing.com/community/blogs/search/archive/2010/08/30/bing-for-mobile-comes-to-your-verizon-android.aspx (http://www NULL.bing NULL.com/community/blogs/search/archive/2010/08/30/bing-for-mobile-comes-to-your-verizon-android NULL.aspx) ). Officially the app is for Verizon phones (US), however, there are many “reports” of the app loading and running with no issues on other non-Verizon phones (Unofficially, I’m an EVO owner and I like the app a lot, that should tell you).
The following items from the bing blog posting -
Are you a visual person? Try the image search feature that has endless scrolling results (Tip: this also works for any search result). Then easily swipe through image previews and click straight through to the image host site.
Voice search is also great when it comes to your local business listings. Give it a try, even something complex, hold the phone to your ear and speak, or press the mic button—it’s that simple.
The Android app also has a pretty smooth mapping feature. First, Bing will automatically find your current location. You can then easily discover new places by category such as restaurants, banks, theaters and you can choose whether you want walking or driving directions. Swipe through each step of your directions, and check out how fast the map pans and zooms. For times when you only have one hand free and can’t pinch, there is the handy zoom-out button.
There are a bunch of other features we’d love to tell you about, like local listing reviews, ratings and news
Review – TGM Reviews the bing app
- The voice search didn’t work for me (not sure if its my American “accent” or the fact that I own an EVO). However the regular search gave me very good results.
- Surf from within the bing window is smooth, and the pinch, spread, and double tap adjust the page your surfing nice and smooth. (The TechGeekandMore.com site – Full not mobile version looks great)
- Movies playing near you feature (If you turn on location on your phone) was very accurate for the area I was in.
- Maps feature is clean, I just wish it included street view not just aerial maps.
- Local feature (which include Restaurant, Shopping, Nightlife, etc.)
- News feature is simple and broken down very cleanly.
- Directions feature was easy to use and the function was smooth during the 1 time I was able to test it this evening. Directions worked better than the Google Maps version I usually use.
**Overall – This is something that I consider a “MUST HAVE” for the droid.
Sprint: The EVO 4G’s are getting the OFFICIAL Android 2.2 update (froyo) starting as of Aug 3rd. (Or tomorrow 7/30 if you want to manually update your EVO)
Aug 2nd
*****8/2/2010 UPDATE – UPDATE IS HERE************
To my fellow EVO users –
To those who want to install the Froyo 2.2 update, as of 9:15 pm (EST) it is now available directly from your phone. Customers can access the software update through their HTC EVO 4G under the Settings Menu > System Updates > HTC Software Update. This will initiate the three-step process also.
*****7/30/ 2010 UPDATE******************************
As of 5p it seems that the update has yet to be released for those who are looking at updating early. Latest Report was that the update was going to be ready after 12p CST and that it would be available at some point during the afternoon/evening Friday. Ill update as soon as I can get more details.
****************************************************
Based on an announcement on the Sprint Community Blog (LINK: http://community.sprint.com/baw/community/sprintblogs/buzz-by-sprint/announcements/blog/2010/07/29/sprint-is-the-first-wireless-carrier-to-bring-android-22-to-customers-using-the-award-winning-htc-evo-4g-beginning-tuesday-aug-3 (http://community NULL.sprint NULL.com/baw/community/sprintblogs/buzz-by-sprint/announcements/blog/2010/07/29/sprint-is-the-first-wireless-carrier-to-bring-android-22-to-customers-using-the-award-winning-htc-evo-4g-beginning-tuesday-aug-3)), the EVO will be getting its froyo update in the next couple of days. As of now the announcement says that the froyo (2.2) update for Android will be available as of 12p (CST) tomorrow 7/30 for download if you want to manually update the phone yourself (This is a nice touch on Sprints part for those who just don’t want to wait) and as of Aug. 3rd Sprint will begin (OTA) over the air updates to the EVO Devices.
Froyo which is the latest (and very highly awaited) update to the Android operating system, will carry numerous updates and new features as part of its update.
Some of the changes are -
For those who just can’t wait until the Froyo OTA update, you can manually trigger the download (As of 12p CST on 7/30) by doing the following
Customers can access the software update through their HTC EVO 4G under the Settings Menu > System Updates > HTC Software Update. This will initiate the three-step process also.
Software: Take screenshots on Android, iPhone, Windows and Mac OS X without app (From Techtrickz)
Jul 11th
As a support tech, when I can see the error that we are being asked to fix, it helps me find a solution a whole lot faster (That rule hold true for every tech). Most of the time what the support tech gets is “I don’t know what it said, I didn’t write it down…..”. The following comes from the Techtrickz website (LINK http://techtrickz.com/how-to/take-screenshots-on-android-iphone-windows-and-mac-os-x-without-app/ (http://techtrickz NULL.com/how-to/take-screenshots-on-android-iphone-windows-and-mac-os-x-without-app/) ). The following information is a simple way that you can take a screenshot (am image of your screen) that you can then share with any tech.
The tips are for Windows and Mac computers, as well as iPhone and Android phones.
(http://www
