“That wizard is just a crazy old man. Now, tomorrow I want you to take that R2 unit to Anchorhead and have it’s memory erased. That’ll be the end of it. It belongs to us now.”

After seeing the Nexus-One receiving the Android 2.2 a.k.a FroYo update last week, I decided to not wait for Motorola and Verizon any longer and take matters into my own hands, upgrading the Motorola Droid to FroYo. But before going into details, Tom and I made a short field-trip yesterday.

While we don’t currently have an iPhone 4 and we are not really in the market to buy one in the next couple of weeks and months, after watching Steve Jobs’ Antenna Gate press conference Tom and I still wanted to see it for ourselves that “Phones aren’t perfect”. Fortunately, we live in an area with a high Apple-Store density, so off we went to the nearest one, checking out the newest iPhone.

Holding it wrong?

At the store were plenty of iPhones to play with and we really enjoyed FaceTime, a beautiful application for making video calls over WIFI networks. The Retina Display was not as overwhelming as all the media hoopla wanted to make us believe. Maybe it’s because I’m using a Motorola Droid, which too has a pretty incredible display or maybe it was the lighting inside the store – the display looks great but not overwhelming.

While playing with the new iPhone, we of course noticed the quickly disappearing bars. Even with the updated iOS4, no matter how we were holding the iPhones, starting from all 5 bars, bars were dropping to a single one or disappearing altogether in a matter of seconds.

Taking the DROID from Android 2.1-Upd.1 to Android 2.2

After installing the flashing tools on Windows, the whole update process can be done in the matter of minutes. Starting with an Motorola Droid running stock Android 2.1 -Update 1, putting Android 2.2 on the device is a two-step process, requiring a Windows (XP or later) host computer  - a Windows VirtualMachine, using VM-Ware-Fusion for instance, does suffice.

Step 1

The first step uses RSD-Lite to install a new recovery image onto the  phone. This replaces the stock Android recovery image and allows the installation of new ROMs, e.g. ROMs with root access.  This process is demonstrated nicely here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9udWx-KXwGY

Step 2

The second and last step is much simpler (no Windows needed here):

1. Download the FRF84B-Released file to your SD card root folder and rename it to update.zip.
2. Reboot into recovery mode (hold the power and “x” button at the same time).
3. Using the volume up/down switch highlight “Wipe data/factory reset” and select with the camera button.
4. Choose “Wipe cache partition.”
5. Choose “Install.”
6. Choose “Allow update.zip installation.”
7. Choose “Install /sdcard/update.zip (deprecated).”
8. After the install process finishes, select “reboot”

This process is demonstrated nicely here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL167EAIYjc

Andorid 2.2 FRF84B on the Motorola DROID

After working through the two steps, a stock 2.2 rooted ROM has been installed and all accounts need to be set up again. However, after the google account has been set, all previously installed applications will install automatically, it’s just going to take a few minutes.

There are still quite a few shortcoming with this release. Only USB Tethering (which is not supported on OS-X) has been implemented, i.e. Tethering over WIFI is still missing.

Booting up the DROID seems to take longer than it used to and not all applications seem to be available in the Marketplace, but the DROID certainly is a lot snappier now!

Downgrading back to Android 2.1

Since the hacked Android 2.2 version will not be able to pick up over-the-air (OTA) updates, the phone will not receive the official Android 2.2 update once Verizon makes it available. I.e. if you want to put the official Android 2.2 on the phone, it needs to be run stock Android 2.1 again.

Instructions:

After 2.0.1 is back on the phone it needs to be reactivated, which is a pretty much fully automated process. However, if it does not kick-in automatically you can initiate it by dialing *228.

Every couple of years my personal web presence gets a major overhaul. This time it took a little longer, meaning wolfpaulus.com had the same look and feel for quite some time now and I had to use WayBack machine at http://web.archive.org/ to find out for how long …

This time to focus of the upgrade was mainly to make content creation and syndication easier but it also resulted in what I think is great look and feel. If you happen to read this in an RSS feed reader, I encourage you to go to http://wolfpaulus.com and take look.

Content Creation

Until now, I had rolled my own PHP driven content management and syndication system; a simple file based system that was looking for some proprietary tags in the text content. Building your own system certainly has a lot of advantages and I also learned a lot developing and running it. However, eventually I spent too much time in the PHP, time I would rather use to add content to this site.

Looking at all the available options, I ended up with WordPress. Instead of going directly to http://wordpress.com/, I’m running WordPress 3.0 at Arvixe, my web hosting provider, giving my at least the sense of being in control.

Using WordPress opens the door to a multitude of tools, supporting writing, editing, publishing, and syndicating.

Look and Feel

Some time back, all WordPress based sites looked pretty much the same. Not anymore, ever since professional theme creators got into the business of selling WordPress Themes, sites became more distinguishable and way more attractive.

Content Features

All the relevant content has been transferred over from the file based system into WordPress. However, all Permalinks changed. Recently added QR Codes are also available on the new site as is a great printing feature, allowing not only to conveniently print and preview but also to tweet, email, and convert into PDF.

I don’t know yet how useful the the display of recent tweets and the TagClout really are, but it certainly looks cool.

Browsing wolfpaulus.com with a Droid

Mobile Clients get special treatment

For the best possible experience, when visiting the site with a mobile client, like your Android or iPhone, a specially tailored Theme is used, showing content beautifully. It scales images, captions and videos automatically. Breaks up content with ‘Load More’ links that use ajax to make browsing snappy. However, there is also an easy way to get to the regularly formatted site, when visiting with your

Feedback

WordPress also has a great and easy to use feedback system and there are plugins that filter out spam automatically.

So if you like the new site and even if you don’t, why not leave a brief reply below.

“Don’t be too proud of this technological terror you’ve constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force.”

Because of annotation incompatibilities, Android cannot be built with Java 6.0 but requires the older Java SE 5.0. Kind of shameful, considering that J2SE 5.0 reached its end of service life (EOSL) on November 3, 2009, which is the date of the final publicly available update of version 5.0 (J2SE 5.0 Update 22). The Android document however states firmly:

“JDK 5.0, update 12 or higher. Java 6 is not supported, because of incompatibilities with @Override.”

Appropriately, Apple doesn’t include an end-of-life product in a current OS X release and therefore, Java 5.0 is absent on OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. Still, if we want to build Android on a somewhat recent OS X version, we need Java 5. So here is how we can force this outdated Java version back into the current version of Mac OS X.

Step 1: Installing XCode

The XCode.mpkg is available on the SnowLeopard install DVD, in the Optional Installs folder. Installing, followed by an immediate Software Update, brings XCode to version 3.2.1., gcc to version 4.2.1 and Java to version 1.6.0_17. Anyway, we are currently more interested in Java 5 …

Step 2: Acquire Java 5.x for OS X

Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 6 can be downloaded from Apple’s support Web site here: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL971. This contains J2SE 5.0 to 1.5.0_22. The slightly newer Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 7, containing J2SE 5.0 to 1.5.0_24, is currently only available through the Apple’s developer site: http://developer.apple.com/technologies/xcode.html. Access is granted only to ADC member, but at its lowest level, membership is free.

Step 3: Deploying Java 5

No matter if you went with J2SE 1.5.0_22 or 1.5.0_24, deployment will works the same. First, we need to remove the Java 1.5 and 1.5.0 symbolic links, that currently still point to Java 6. With Finder, navigate to HD/System/Library/Frameworks/Java.VMframework/Versions, select 1.5 and 1.5.0 and drag both into the Trash; now empty the trash.

In a previous step we downloaded JavaForMacOSX10.5Update6.dmg or java_for_mac_os_x_10.5_update_7__9m3144.dmg and we now need to extract and deploy Java 1.5. from that diskimage, which can be most conveniently be done with a tool like Charlessoft’s Pacifist (available here: http://www.charlessoft.com).
Open the diskimage (dmg) with Pacifist and inside that diskimage navigate to: Contents of JavaFor MacOSX10.5Update7.pkg/System/Libarary/Frameworks/JavaVM.Frameworks/Versions Now right-click on 1.5.0 and select “Install to Default Location” and do the same for 1.5.

With Java 1.5 now deployed, we still need to fix the disk permissions, which can easily be done in Terminal, like so:
sudo chown -R root:wheel /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.5.0 and
sudo chown -R root:wheel /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.5

Now with Java 5 forced back into OS X 10.6 we can open the Java Preferences application in /Applications/Utilities, which immediately recognizes Java 5 and allows us to give it precedence or even make it the only JavaVM available. In previous OS X 10.6 point releases, the command line tools java and javac didn’t honor settings entered through the Java Preferences app. However, this seems to be fixed in OS X 10.6.3.

…but only for a short time

( Updated for AppleTV 3.0.2 )

Hello AppleTV, sometimes someone will find you annoying because you happen to do something … or more likely, because you don’t. I don’t want you to change something about yourself just because, and you know, we are all annoying at times, and some people are too quick to criticize. Oh, forget about it, enough is enough … you will get hacked again, NOW!

I have an AppleTV for many months now and even with good tools like Handbrake and the unfortunately discontinued VisualHub, it’s really annoying, having to convert every AVI or DivX encoded movie to make it play on the AppleTV. Other then that, it’s really a great device which doesn’t require much attention.

Meaning the task at hand was to mod. the AppleTV to make it play all sorts of movies, not only those that were encoded in a format that has Apple’s blessing. Nothing more, nothing less.

This used to be accomplished easily. However, the most recent two software update to 3.0.2 broke this added functionality, but not for long …

Patchstick

The 1st step was to enable ssh on the AppleTV. This used to be very hard and required opening the enclosure. Not anymore! The atvusb-creator project (currently at version 1.0b10) describes in detail how to put software onto a USB-Flashdrive that when inserted before the AppleTV boots enables ssh. Again, since Boxee, XBMC, or SoftwareMenu weren’t necessary, I happily opted-out.

1. Download the AppleTV image here: http://mesu.apple.com/data/OS/061-7495.20100210.TAVfr/2Z694-6013-013.dmg
2. Download the ATV USB (Patchstick) 1.0.b13 generator here:http://atvusb-creator.googlecode.com/files/atvusb-creator-1.0.b13.zip
3. Insert a USB Drive, this may not work with all drives and the current data will be overwritten; a Kingston 8GB DataTraveler always works perfectly fine for me.
4. Disable unnecessary tool, before generating the PatchStick, which should take less than 2 minutes. (see log below)
5. Insert the Patchstick into the AppleTV and reboot (power down and up) the AppleTV
6. Wait until the AppleTV booted, remove the Patchstick, and boot again.

AppleTV Firmware Files

1.1.0: 2Z694-5248-45.dmg
2.0.0: 2Z694-5274-109.dmg
2.0.1: 2Z694-5387-25.dmg
2.0.2: 2Z694-5428-3.dmg
2.1.0: 2Z694-5485-1.dmg
2.2.0: 2Z694-5499.dmg
2:3:0: 2Z694-5573-24.dmg
2.3.1: 2Z694-5587-18.dmg
2.4.0: 2Z694-5660-029.dmg
3.0.0: 2Z694-5789-067.dmg
3.0.1: 2Z694-6004-003.dmg
3.0.2: 2Z694-6013-013.dmg

With ssh now enabled, the rest was done in the matter of minutes. And since I had all the required codecs installed on my Macbook already, the remaining tasks were simply to copy the files over to the AppleTV, to put them into the right location, and finally to reboot the device.

ATV USB Creator Log:

2Z694-6013-013.dmg selected
Extracting boot.efi …
Extracting recovery seed …
extracting atv_recv.zip
Creating USB Flash Disk…
umount_disk settling delay (10 seconds)
partition the target disk
umount_disk settling delay (10 seconds)
install recovery onto target disk
copy files to target disk
remove recovery hfsplus GUID
umount_disk settling delay (10 seconds)
change recovery to real GUID
umount_disk settling delay (10 seconds)
install patchstick onto target disk
copy files to target disk
Complete! (0:01:47)

Copy

With ssh available, copying files can be done via scp, or Fugu, or Tranmit, the target location should be the home folder of the frontrow user account:frontrow@AppleTV.local:~

• ~/Downloads/ATVFiles-1.3.0b1.run.sh (available at http://ericiii.net/sa/appletv/ATVFiles-1.3.0b1.run)
• /Library/Quicktime/Perian.component
• /Library/Quicktime/AC3MovieImport.component
• /Library/Quicktime/Flip4Mac\ WMV\ Import.component .. (optional)
• /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/Components/A52Codec.component
• /System/Library/Quicktime/QuickTimeMPEG2.component .. (optional)
• .. or just copy everything from your Mac’s /Library/Quicktime/ folder over to the ATV’s

Deploy

Next step was to ssh into the AppleTV and run the ATVFiles installer script and move the components into their final destination:

• sudo sh ~/ATVFiles-1.3.0b1.run.sh
• sudo mount -uw /
  (sets the file system to read and write)
• sudo mv ~/Perian.component /Library/Quicktime/
• sudo mv ~/AC3MovieImport.component /Library/Quicktime/
• sudo mv ~/Flip4Mac\ WMV\ Import.component /Library/Quicktime/> .. (optional)
• sudo mv ~/A52Codec.component /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/
• sudo mv ~/QuickTimeMPEG2.component /System/Library/QuickTime/ .. (optional)

Reboot

After rebooting the AppleTV via sudo reboot tools like fugu or transmit work well, copying files over to the AppleTV. When watching the AppleTV, there is now a new menu item, Files, which for instance allows browsing of the frontrow user’s home directory structure, the location where movies are best copied to.

If you just want to play a movie every now and then that doesn’t happen to be a mov or mp4 file, this is a quick and easy way to make it happen.
While Boxee or NitoTV are much more capable, they also seem to make the AppleTV more sluggish.

We were looking for a small, inexpensive, and eco-friendly headless Linux server that would support some low traffic services like providing a Maven Repository (Nexus), a Source Code Repository like GIT or SubVersion, etc.

The MSI Nettop 100 Barebone System seemed to be a close to perfect match, for what we had in mind, especially when considering that the missing pieces like memory and harddrive could be found in our scrap box. The MSI Nettop is one of the first Dual-Core Atom N330 Processor computers, has a very small footprint, consumes only 35 Watts on average, and costs about US$ 150.

A 64-bit Linux server with 4 virtual cores for about $150 didn’t sound too bad. When we received the box, we were amazed by the built quality of board and case as well as by the power of the dual-core ATOM chip.

… but first things first .. what do you really get, when ordering an MSI Nettop Barebone and what is missing:

MSI Wind Nettop 100 Desktop PC (1.6 GHz Intel Atom Dual Core N330 Processor, Barebone)

• Intel Dual Core Atom 330 1.6GHz, Frontside Bus 533MHz
• Intel 945GC Express chipset w/ Intel ICH7 I/O controller hub
• One VGA (no DVI/HDMI) port with integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics
• One CF Card Slot (internal), main board needs to be removed for access.
• One SD Card Slot (Front)
• Six USB 2.0 (Front 2, Rear 4)
• Realtek ALC858 8-CH Onboard Audio (6 jacks / Rear)
• One Ethernet Port, Realtek 8111C(10/100/1000Mbps)
• One Mic-in (Front)
• One Headphone-out (Front)

Memory Slot (Empty)

• One 200 pin Laptop Memory Slot
• Supported Memory:200-pin SODIMM, DDR2 PC2-4200 533MHz
• Speed 533MHz
• CAS Latency 4

Storage (Empty)

• Two SATA 3.0Gb/s

Case

• Mainly metal, black on the outside
• Plastic front bezel (black)
• One 3.5″ Internal bay
• One 5.25″ External bay
• External 65W Power Adapter
• Size: 11.8″ x 9.5″ x 2.55″

Miscellaneous

• Even at full load, the system operates, burning only 35 Watts
• Fan is noticeable but at 30dB still quiet.
• WiFi antenna included to support a 802.11a/b/g
• Vertical stand included

What’s Missing

Let me be clear, .. here is what’s NOT included:

• Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse
• CD / DVD Drive
• WiFi Network Adapter
• Hard drive(s)
• Memory

Listen, let me be very clear, .. the MSI Wind Nettop Barebone has only a VGA socket (no DVI or HDMI) meaning even if you want to run it headless, you still need a VGA-Monitor to do the initial setup. Please note that the VGA port does not provide a composite video signal on the un-used pins, i.e. inexpensive VGA-to-Composite-Video converters are useless.

Before configuring the BIOS, we needed to install memory and harddrive. While the Nettop supports up to 2GBytes, we had an un-used 1GB stick available, which we installed. The perfect memory module would look like this:

2GB, 200-Pin SODIMM, DDR2 PC2-4200, 533 MHz, CL=4

Faster memory, like PC2-5300 doesn’t provide any advantages, the frontside bus is limited to 533 MHz after all. However, down to CL 4 (CAS Latency) is supported, i.e. we got lucky that the scrap box memory (Crucial CT25664AC667) is unbuffered CL=4 memory.

The internals of the very well and solid built metal case provides space for a full size optical drive (5.25″) as well as a full size desktop harddrive (3.5″). However, we only had a 2.5-Inch laptop drive available, which is very quite and also less power hungry, i.e. eco-friendly. The harddrive bay is right on top of the processors heatsink, making it a less desirable location. Since we didn’t want to install a SATA optical drive, we put the harddrive into the muchcooler optical drive bay, which required a 3.5 to 2 X 2.5-Inch Bay Converter as well as Hard Drive Mounting Bracket. However, placing the harddrive away far away from the heatsinks not only prolongs the harddives life but also makes the whole system run a little cooler.

With memory and harddrive in place, we connected VGA-display and a USB Keyboard (anodized aluminum Apple Keyboard) and booted the system. By default the bootscreen was disabled and fast boot enabled, giving us only a VERY short moment to hit the delete key after hearing theBEEP. The 3rd or 4th attempt was finally successful and we were finally in the BIOS.
Since we didn’t have a CD-Drive connected, we had a Ubuntu 9.10 64-bit server distribution prepared on an SD-Card. After configuring the boot-option, as well as boot the screen settings in the BIOS, the Ubuntu installer came up on reboot.

Now, with Ubuntu Linux 9.10 (64-bit) server installed, there is much more to tell. The box runs smoothly and quietly, without any problems so far. It sits here in my room connected to the router via Ethernet cable but without Keyboard/Monitor/Mouse. So far, I have webmin, the browser-based interface for system administration for Unix installed and the above mentioned Nexus Maven Repository Server.