Fwd: android on XO-4 questions

[Paul Fox]

thanks ben!

youxin wrote:
 > >
 > >     - is it possible to get root?  there's a terminal emulator
 > >         pre-installed, and it's possible to browse the filesystem
 > >         and do a few things, but being root would give access to
 > >         more.  (logs, for instance)
 > 
 > 
 > There is no official "root" process in Android user build. But there
 > are bunch of root tools you may can try on Android 4.3, I never tried
 > them and not sure which secure hole they use, but they may haven't
 > been fixed by XO-4 Android.
 > http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2565758
 > 
 > Alternatively,
 > * Serial port has root access.

good.  i'll try that first -- sounds easiest.  :-)

 > * Rebuild Android in engineer mode gives you root access out of box.
 > http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Android/Building/Variants
 > * XO-4 special secure hole, boot to sugar, unpack the Android ramdisk
 > in boot partition, change secure configuration, repack ramdisk and
 > replace it.
 > 
 > 
 > >
 > >
 > >     - are the USB ports fully supported?  i can't seen to get any
 > >         app that exists to allow access to a USB GPS dongle to work,
 > >         for instance.
 > 
 > 
 > Not tested, only USB mess storage is tested. I don't think USB GPS
 > dongle will work any way since there should be a GPS hardware abstract
 > layer for Android needs to be implemented.

the GPS dongles are all just serial devices, and an app opens the serial
port and reintroduces "mock" GPS events into the system.  "You Are Here GPS"
seems to be one such app:
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.agbooth.usbgps&hl=en
but the Play store won't let me install it -- claims "This item is not
compatible with your device".

 > 
 > >
 > >
 > >     - has anyone gotten bluetooth audio to work?  i know there's
 > >         a limitation in the XO-4 hardware regarding audio -- i
 > >         think stereo headsets won't work -- but can any audio work?
 > >         (here's a case where looking at logs and dmesg output might
 > >         be helpful)
 > 
 > 
 > Assume you are talk about A2DP?  It's not ported on XO-4, but HSP
 > should work fine.

okay.  i've rechecked the docs for my headset, and it only mentions
A2DP and HFP.  so i guess i'm stuck with a wired connection.  (the
headset allows for a wired input as well as using BT.)

 > >
 > >     - i could probably get audio to work via an external (USB)
 > >         bluetooth dongle, but a) USB devices would need to be
 > >         recognized, and b), i think i'd need to disable the internal
 > >         bluetooth.
 > 
 > 
 > I have no idea of this.
 > 
 > >
 > >
 > > finally, a different sort of question:
 > >     - i have exactly one app (an important one, unfortunately) in
 > >         which the mapping of ctrl-ESC to emulate the android hardware
 > >         "Menu" button doesn't work.  does anyone know where that
 > >         keyboard mapping is implemented?  i'd happily replace the
 > >         app-switcher function on the rotate button, and make it
 > >         a true Menu key, instead.
 > >
 > 
 > Keyboard mapping is here:
 > http://dev.laptop.org/git/users/ben/android_vendor_olpc_xo4/tree/keyboard/olpc_keyboard.kl?h=android-4.3.1-xo4
 > 
 > It located in system/usr/keylayout, you may need remount system
 > partition as rw to change it or change it when booted to sugar.

great -- i'll take a look.

thanks again,
paul

 > 
 > Regards,
 > Ben

=---------------------
 paul fox, pgf at laptop.org