Android is a Linux-based mobile phone operating system based developed by Google. It is very similar to the iPhone, with a touchscreen for some or all user interactions, depending on the hardware, and a market for third-party applications.
Contents
Wireless
Android can connect to VT_WLAN, but needing to log in via the browser can be annoying. Setting up VT-Wireless is recommended. To do so, follow the PEAP-MSCHAPv2 instructions. As of spring 2010, no known, non-rooted version of Android has an interface for handling the EAP-TLS certificates.
Android 2.2 (EAP-TLS)
This has been confirmed working with Android 2.2 (Froyo) on the Droid X and HTC Evo 4G:
- Install the CA certificate
- Obtain a trusted copy of the Thawte Premium Certificate. Most Linux distributions come with one, sometimes in /etc/ssl/...
- Install it by uploading the .pem file to RealmB's Android Certificate Installer. This site resends the certificate with the correct HTTP headers for the phone browser to install it.
- Name the certificate whatever suits you
- Install your personal certificate.
- Copy the .p12 file to the top level folder of your SD card (/sdcard in Android)
- Use "Install from SD card" or similar under the Security section of the Android's system settings
- Set up the wireless settings
- SSID: VT-Wireless
- EAP method: TLS
- CA certificate: (The certificate you installed via the browser)
- Client certificate: (The certificate you installed from the SD card)
- You can leave the rest of the fields blank (Identity, Anonymous identity, Wireless password)
Synchronization
Synchronization of contacts, calendar events and email is possible through three built-in mechanisms. Notes and task lists must be handled through third-party solutions like Remember the Milk.
ActiveSync
ActiveSync is the best method for synchronizing your data if you don't use Google web services. Located under Settings->Data synchronization->Exchange ActiveSync, the originally proprietary ActiveSync protocol allows for fully configurable over-the-air synchronization thanks to the open source Z-Push project.
Google Web Applications
Google web applications are the default on some systems like the HTC Eris. Beware that giving your phone your Gmail credentials can result in your phone contacts being drowned in a flood of email contacts imported from Gmail. If you don't want to use Google's services, navigate to Settings->Data synchronization->Google and uncheck Auto-sync.
PC
Synchronization over a cable is the third available option.
Applications
Productivity
The builtin email client and calendar, along with the HTC widgets, perform relatively well. There is no native task-management software. Astrid is recommended for that purpose. It can sync with RememberTheMilk.
SSH
To connect to a remote server over secure shell, use the ConnectBot application. To insert a tab character with the virtual keyboard, press the trackball and then the i key. To insert an escape character with the soft keyboard, press.the trackball twice. To page up and down, scroll with the touchscreen on the left side. Further special key instructions can be found in the ConnectBot documentation.
Editing Wiki Pages
The default browser handles editing large text boxes in portrait mode very poorly. The workaround is to use landscape mode for editing large text boxes such as those found on wikis. Additionally, the vertical bar or pipe on the soft keyboard is a ¦ character rather than a |. Copy and paste provide a workaround for this bug, but it's surprising that Google couldn't properly map the keys on its software keyboard.
Cartography
Builtin Functionality
Android phones have builtin GPS, cell tower and wifi location mechanisms. Thanks to this, these devices can be used to contribute to geographic information system projects like OpenStreetMap. To turn on wifi and GPS positioning, toggle the appropriate settings under Settings->Location. To enable photo geotagging, press the Menu button while the camera application is running and select Settings. From this menu, check the Geo-tag photos box.
Additional Software
- AndNav2! is an excellent OpenStreetMap client, with tools for logging GPS tracks and adding POIs on OpenStreetMap or OpenStreetBug.
- Vespucci application allows editing of OpenStreetMap data directly from your mobile device.
- GPS Logger for Android Allows logging of GPS tracks to the SD card in a GPX format.