Hyperandy's Blog

Getting Started

If you are unfamiliar with “Rooting” then I suggest you head over to the CyanogenMod WiKi and get caught up specifically on the Unlocking Process. The CyanogenMod is just one of many after market firmwares to enhance the usability of your handset. But it is the one I suggest for getting your feet wet, due to the fact that the CyanogenMod is the most popular firmware at this time due to his constant updates and pushing the envelope of expectation, he truly has the end user in mind when he puts these Roms (the firmware) together.  Please head over to The CyanogenMod Wiki and Cyanogenmod.com for more information on Cyanogen and the the CyanogenMod.

Ok I have the CyanogenMod and it works, What now?

At this point there are many things that open up to you, because you are no longer “locked” into preselected settings and configurations. I highly believe some monkey with a dart board full of ideas picks out some of our “default” settings. Time to take back control!

I’m Up, I’m Up, can I please change that sound?

You will soon find out to save space certain audio files have been omitted from the Rom thankfully these can be easily added back to your device. just head over to http://www.cyanogenmod.com/downloads/audio-resources and download the audio-resources.zip, unzip it, and place it into the root of your SD card leaving the audio folder structure intact (this insures the audio doesn’t appear in your music player and shows up where it is suppose to, i.e. alarms will be under your alarms when you are setting them). Also feel free to browser this folder and remove sounds you don’t like or add sounds you want (into the corresponding folder of course). MP3 and OGG are the only two types of sounds I have created and as far as I am aware the only type you can use. Audacity is excellent for cutting/creating ring-tones!

Stinkin Keyboard, I want Better!

Another thing you will find at http://www.cyanogenmod.com/downloads/audio-resources is a file called HTC_IME.apk and Clicker.apk. These files allow you to use the HTC keyboard instead of the stock keyboard. Some people love the Stock keyboard, I am happy for you, but I hate it. Save these files on your sdcard (once installed you can remove the files you copies over). There are several methods you can use to get the same result, but I opened the files with Astro File Manager and installed with the built in App Manager. Easy Peasy! To enable your newly installed keyboard, anywhere where you would normally type, long press and you will see “Input Method” select that and then choose “Touch Input” and that’s it! Oh, and I should note HTC_IME.apk is the actually keyboard and Clicker.apk gives you the ability to calibrate it. I installed the calibration tool, but never have needed to use it.

Did someone say Tether?

So you pay for a super overpriced Internet plan on your phone, your out and about, with your laptop and you really need to get onto a real website to do something. Well you could pay more of your hard earned money to use that nearby HotSpot or leach off of someone else’s Wifi for free but then you are running the risk of not knowing whether or not the operator of the Wifi  really has your best interest in mind. Do yourself a favor and download Wifi Tether @ http://code.google.com/p/android-wifi-tether/ It’s better then nothing. You can install it the same way as the Keyboard above, using Astro File Manager. Also it should be noted Cyanogen added USB Tethering to his firmware version 4.2.3 and abovc!! Even more secure! Just go to Menu –> Settings –> and check “Internet tethering” I haven’t tried it on Windows yet, you may have to install a driver, but on Ubuntu 9.10 works perfect with no additional drivers to install!

Android is so Ugly, help me Beautify it!

With the CyanogenMod (as well as most other Roms) you can theme the hell out of it. Currently the most common method is downloading a Rom specific theme, booting into Cyanogen recovery, and applying the theme as you would an update. Not too hard and you can find a few themes @ http://www.cyanogenmod.com/downloads/themes also if you go to http://forum.xda-developers.com and go to Dream –> Dream themes and wallpapaers you can do a search and find a plethora of themes as well as information on how to create them (if you dare). Far a pretty cool dark theme try http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=549363 and if you like things a little on the lighter side try, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=576848. These are only 2 examples of themes you will find at the site. There are tons of great ones, just browse around! Unfortunately these type of themes are Rom specific, as I noted earlier, an easy way to keep up-to-date is by downloading the  CM Updater (I recommend this for keeping the firmware updated as well) from the Market. Visit http://www.cyanogenmod.com/downloads/cm-updater for more information on the Updater.

Thankfully a few developers are looking at something that may fix Rom specific Themes, It’s called MetaMorph @ http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=574556, it’s still an Alpha , so it has a way to go. Although it works pretty well, I recently used it to add the Moto Blur Menu animations to my Standard Cyanogen install. I definitely don’t recommend it with someone just starting out. If you are comfortable with breaking things, like I am, and understand some basic Command-line Fu in Linux/Unix to get yourself out of trouble. I highly suggest you give it a spin. I really love that little animated menu…I am such a nerd.

Also if you aren’t adventurous, then you are more then welcome to take the easy way out and use aHome or dxTop from the Market and apply a theme from there. The biggest benefit I have found from doing it though Cyanogen recovery with Rom specific Themes is that, they run much faster and generally (at least the ones I have tried) are much more polished.

I got too many apps and I feel unorganized!

Bom Pow…Tada http://www.cyanogenmod.com/downloads/mods/advanced-launcher check it out, you may want to wait until your comfort level has come up on your phone. Also if you are using a Rom specific theme, a lot of them will include a themed version of the Advanced Launcher.

Ok I am felling frisky now, give me something else to try

Get Google Maps 3.2.0 and the new YouTube App

Moto Blur Menu animations

Haven’t installed these independent of a theme, but I have seen it done with various methods:

Stericson’s Lockscreen

Loccy Browser

** Before you get to frisky please use nandroid to backup, don’t blame me if it all comes tumbling down. Blame everyone else :)