How to install ICE Cream Sandwich on a Android Straight Talk Phone!

Paul

Android-2.4-Ice-Cream-Sandwich

It wasn’t extremely difficult!

I am not saying you have to be an expert on Android, but it does help!  I didn’t have to do some things that would actually make it easier for me to install Android 2.3.7 but the hard part was first you will definately need to root and possibly unlock your cell phone!  I did have a few hiccups when it came to installing this new Android operating system.  In this little tutorial I will be discussing how to do that!  In case some of you were curious, I am using the HTC Inspire that I unlocked and rooted a few weeks ago!

After Unlocking and Rooting the Device!

You have several options available to you.  You could just leave it that way and use it with any carrier you may want to use or you could add Ice Cream Sandwich to your newly unlocked and rooted phone.  I will say that doing this may void your warranty of the phone in question, so it is best to only do this with phones that have no warranty that way if you brick your phone then having to worry about paying for it out of pocket if it is under warranty!  So I leave that up to you and I will make sure to tell you, I am not responsible for anything that happens to your phone.  You do this at your own risk.

Download the ROM Manager!

This is how I did to install the Android Ice Cream Operating System, but others may have their own way.  Some of the more user friendly ROM managers are:

 

  • ROM Manager by Clockworkmod — I used this one to make to upgrade my phone to ICE Sandwich, I used my HTC Inspire which now my phone tells me it is a HTC Desire.  Guess they used the same hardware just changed the  name!  On a Side note, if you need to boot into recovery Mode, just press POWER+Volume down.  (You should clear cache, data, and something else but can’t remember on my HTC Inspire!)  
  • Droid 2 Recovery Bootstrap by Clockworkmod — Haven’t used this but it is again by the same company so it must be decent enough!
  • ROM Toolbox Lite by JRummy16 — Another one that I haven’t tried but looks promising!

These are just three that I’ve found but you must know that their are probably a dozen more ones out there that you may want to try.  These are just recommendations on which ones that I have used or might try later on!

Last step!

The last step is to find your mod that you are wanting to install and install it.  I used the Cynagenmod for my chance to have the Ice Cream Sandwich update, but it is totally up to you what mod you may want to install.  You just have to remember to backup your data that you think is the most important and remember that you have to pick carefully what you want to install and hope that it won’t brick your phone.  Which may be a possiblity, although unlikely.  

Paul Sylvester

 

How to Tether on a HTC Inspire using Straight Talk!

Paul1 Reply

iPhone -> eee pc tether.

Is it possible?

You might be asking this because you don’t know if Straight Talk allows this.  I don’t know if they do or not but I’ve been using my HTC inspire to tether to my Laptop without much problems but then again, I’ve had to root my device.  Is it possible to do this to all Straight Talk Android Phones for instance:

To be truthful these are the only two that I could find out when you need to use Straight Talk as your carrier but I am sure there are going to be more ways to root your device for using the Tethering option.  

Will I get In trouble?

I don’t know about you but I am have had several calls in the past about to much data usage but I have not been terminated by them.  I am not sure if they are just trying to scare people or are just warning people.  I do know that I’ve been using tethering when I’m at a class and don’t have any wifi available.  That is kind of the reason why I haven’t been posting as much because I am hard at work trying to accomplish keeping my grades up.

I would like to warn people that they could very well disable your account if they find you are constantly teethering, so only use when you need.  If you are like me and you need it while going to class or something like that, they might not know but don’t constantly try to stream your Amazon [Affiliate link] or Netflix accounts to your laptop, that might be a red flag with them.

How do I teether?

After you’ve Rooted your device, like me using my HTC Inspire that I’ve rooted so I could unlock it and use it with Straight talk.  You will need to use one of these many apps to teether:

  • WiFi Tether for Root Users — This is what I’m using and it works really well with my current setup.  I can use the wifi on the HTC to make a connection with my laptop and have had no problems with tethering with this app.
  • 1-Click WiFi Tether No Root — It says no rooting needs to be done but I didn’t even try this because the first one that I did work well.  So I am guessing you will probably be ok with this one.  Let me know if this works or not!
  • Barnacle Wifi Tether — I don’t know if you need to be Rooted or not but you can try this before you root your device to see if it works.
  • Wireless Tether for Root Users — It looks like you will need to be rooted user like me so, you have a good chance of succeeding with this one also if your rooted.  I don’t think you can use this without being rooted but you could try!

These are just a few that I found that look promising but the one that does work on my HTC Inspire is the Wifi Tether for Rooted Users and It works flawlessly while I am in my class doing class work that is to be done.  I will remind users that you use this information at your own risk.  I can’t be held responsible if Straight Talk starts to terminate accounts for tethering.  Only time will tell if they will keep allowing this in the future.

Paul Sylvester

Flash: How Businesses are Adopting New Data Storage

Zach Buckley

 

Data storage - old and new

 

While solid-state disk (SSD) technology [Affiliate Link] isn’t anything new – it has been around for a few years as fast local storage for personal and business laptops and mobile devices – it is being used in new ways that is catching the eye of big spenders in the data storage and management industry. In particular, datacenters and server manufacturers are really taking notice. For starters, flash storage is a bit more stable than traditional disks, as it doesn’t rely on mechanical parts to function.

The downside is flash disk technology can cost over 10 times what mechanical disks cost. While there is much anticipation to use the latest and greatest technology, new startups in the space are looking for ways to make flash storage solutions as inexpensive as possible. To put this into concrete figures, traditional mechanical hard disks cost $1 per gigabyte, while flash disk solutions cost upwards of $10/GB.

An SSD Primer: SSDs vs. HDDs

In order to talk about why SSD tech is such a big deal, it’s important to understand exactly what we’re talking about when we’re talking about solid state:

  • Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) – Hard disks are made up of mechanical moving parts. This includes a rotating disk coated in magnetic material where all the data is stored. Since these components are fairly primitive compared to cutting edge data storage technology, their price tag is relatively low. The major downside to hard disk storage solutions is that the components that make up hard disks can break down and even wear out. In fact, the majority of hard disks face a lifespan of about five years.
  • Solid-State Drives (SSDs) – Solid-state drives on the other hand skip the mechanical parts, and rely on a tiny, silicon-based microchip to store data, as opposed to a mechanical magnetic disk. This makes for a much more reliable storage solution. Again, these drives are dramatically more expensive that HDDs.

How Businesses Are Using SSD Tech: Hybrid Disk Solutions

As with many new technological advances, businesses are adopting a hybrid approach to flash storage integration. This seems to be the healthiest balance between the cost effectiveness and instability of HDDs, and the high performance and high price tag of most SSDs. Companies, both large and small, are using hard disks to manage menial tasks on a small scale, while using solid state systems to the heavy lifting when it comes to multimedia and document file management on large scale. Additionally, some larger institutions fail to see the immediate need of adopting flash technology. In fact, many large universities and other like-minded institutions have resorted to using desktop virtualization in lieu of high-priced flash storage. A sensible choice, given the financial turmoil inherent in the education industry at current.

Conclusion

In the world of data storage, you really get what you pay for. Every business has to establish what their immediate and long-term needs are going to be. For small to medium size businesses, a stable of massive flash storage arrays is neither going to be possible or practical for now. The good news is that there are legions of storage geeks in their evil lairs cooking up the next big thing in flash storage that just may end archaic forms of data storage for good.

Zach Buckley is a freelance writer who is interested in exploring the intersection of culture, science and education.  He lives in the Midwest and enjoys music, literature and good food.

 


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Knowing your Abilities and Ways to improve upon them!

Paul

What technology brings...

The storyline thickens!

Anybody who knows me, will tell you I’ve been having some major financial problems because of what has happened in the last few years.  I won’t go into much details but I am moving on in my life and thought it was high time to become a improve on my abilities.  In this article, we will be discussing why this is good and what the steps are to even consider doing something like this.   I know some of you have already decided this from the get go but are hesitant because of what your wife might say or for that matter your family.  It is all in about how you aproach the matter and let them do their own quest for answers.  If they really love you then it is in their best interest to allow you to learn more.

Use what you know!

So I’ve been doing a lot of research on this very matter and want to give you a few sites that might help you out.  Nothing can begin until you take the first steps.  So Here are a few sites that will help you along your way:

These are just a few to say the least.  I’ve been having really good success with my Job goal by going to your local employment office and checking them out.  Each state calls them differently but they are do relatively the same thing.  Helps you find a job and look for one in the same process.  

Improving your Abilities and Skills!

Nothing Says you know what your talking about in an interview until you have the skills to show them off.  Now I’m not saying go into an interview and be cocky or trying to be to over confidence but you should at least try to be ready for all you questions.  You are sitting there thinking, but how do it without paying two much money.  I’m not saying it is going to be easy but there are plenty of government programs out there to do just that.  You can have the government pay for your college education if you fall with in the guidelines.  I don’t know all of them but here are a few websites that can help you find that out also:

 

I’m sure there are more than that but you should at least start there and try to find something that you can use.  Sometimes they can help direct you to the right place in your local area that can help you.   Each state is different and thus I can’t list them all, but this is just going to be a reference for those who might want to go back to college because continuing your education is always a good idea.  In the coming months, I am hoping to make my blog post shine even more, but for right now, It is going to make me do very little blogging because of all my time and effort in going to college.  So please be patient with me!

Paul Sylvester

P.s. I’ve added a Flattr button, don’t be afraid to use it. (Only on the website right now)

 

 

How do you boost signal strength with Straight Talk Wireless?

Paul

 

Catching Signal in Landscape

No or Little Signal?

I’ve been having that lately but that is because I moved to an area that my phone doesn’t expect me to be.  This can always be a problem when it comes to having a MVNO like Straight Talk But lately with my HTC Inspire I’ve been having problems with the signal strength due to my location. I have searched long and high and thou I’ve been look around at the Signal Boosters that I could use on my phone.  You could even try zBoost YX545 SOHO Dual-Band Cell Phone Signal Booster but I’ve yet to find out if it would help.  

Called Straight Talk!

I did call Straight Talk to see what we could try to improve my cell phone signal. They suggested two options, chaning my ZIP code of where I am, but I have yet to see much of a difference!  I think I might have to do option two, but that would mean I’ve need to get a new number.  I really don’t care about that because I give out my Google Voice number so it isn’t a big deal on my part.  It isn’t a big process to change the number but my family likes to use my actual number to get a hold of me.  They think the Google Voice number is too troublesome for them!   So if I change my number my family would have to get used to the new number!

I’ve look around!

I’ve check on the Google Marketplace to find anything that would help increase my cellular signal but have yet to find.   Some of the ones that look promising are:

  •  Opensignalmaps — The ultimate wifi and signal finding tool. Supports GSM, CDMA, 4G, 3G, 2G.  Now you can refresh network! Boost your bars at the touch of a button.
  • Network signal speed booster — Network Speed Booster gives you better signal by connecting you to the best available cell site tower around you!
  • Signal Finder —App showing where the nearest towers are for the best cell phone reception.  This application provides the opportunity never to lose reception, showing where the nearest towers are for the best cell phone reception available as well as the strength the towers have at that location.
  • Signal Booster Pro — Signal Booster Pro uses sophisticated technologies to dynamically assign your phone to the closest, or highest signal cell tower in your area!

These are just a few apps that look promising but I am quite certain that it will reduce my battery life to half unless I am constantly plugged in all the time.  So I am going to ask others if there is something else I could do to improve my Cell Signal strength?  If you know, you can contact me or leave a comment.  I’d love to hear your opinions on how to increase signal strength and how you did it.

 

Paul Sylvester