Droid X Rooted!

That didn’t take very long… I love the rooting/modding/hacking Android community.

This is my addendum to the instructions over at Droid-X Forums

Pre-root stuff (for the non expert at rooting Android- but still with a fair grasp of computer usage)

You will need to download:

• Motorola Droid X Drivers:
• x86 Drivers or
• x64 Drivers
• Android SDK 1.6
• DroidXRoot Files (must have an account on DroidX forums to download)

Prep Instructions:

• Install the appropriate drivers for your PC system (i.e. x86 or x64).
• Enable USB debugging for the phone: Menu –> Settings –> Applications –> Development –> check ‘USB debugging’.
• Extract the SDK contents somewhere you can access them; I put the files in c:\SDK.
• Extract the DroidXRoot Files into the ‘tools’ folder of the SDK folder. (For me, C:\SDK\Tools).
• Open a command prompt and navigate to the SDK tools directory (CD \SDK\Tools if you used the same path as I did).

Follow the instructions over at Droid-X Forums:

Step 1: Set up ADB (this was done in the ‘Prep’ instructions)
Step 2: Push exploid to /sqlite_stmt_journals "adb push exploid /sqlite_stmt_journals"
Step 3: type "adb shell"
Step 4: type "cd sqlite_stmt_journals"
Step 5: type "chmod 755 exploid"
Step 6: type "./exploid" and follow directions on screen
Step 7: type "rootshell"
Step 8: type in password "secretlol"
Step 9: your your’re in root!
Step 10: mount your sdcard to pc and put Superuser.apk and su in the sdcard
Step 11: unmount sdcard
Step 12: in adb (make sure your still in root with the # sign) type in:
- cp /sdcard/Superuser.apk /system/app/Superuser.apk
- cp /sdcard/su /system/bin/su
- chmod 4755 /system/bin/su

Notes:

I could not connect to ADB Shell while the phone was in ‘Mass Storage Mode’- I had to switch to ‘PC Mode’.  I was getting ‘error: device not found’

In step 6, it indicates ‘follow instructions on screen’; I had to run this twice to get it to ‘stick’.  On the second go I was able to toggle the phone’s Wi-Fi on/off via a screen widget to make the phone invoke ‘hotplug’

[*] Android local root exploid (C) The Android Exploid Crew
[*] Modified by birdman for the DroidX
[+] Using basedir=/sqlite_stmt_journals, path=/sqlite_stmt_journals/exploid
[+] opening NETLINK_KOBJECT_UEVENT socket
[+] sending add message ...
[*] Try to invoke hotplug now, clicking at the wireless
[*] settings, plugin USB key etc.
[*] You succeeded if you find /system/bin/rootshell.
[*] GUI might hang/restart meanwhile so be patient.

In step 10, I was unable to mount the SD card on my PC (or I was misunderstanding what they are communicating).  I eliminated steps 10 & 11 and did this:

Exit ADB Shell (should be able to just type ‘exit’)
adb push su /sdcard
adb push Superuser.apk /sdcard
adb shell
rootshell
(enter password = secretlol)
Continue with step 12

Home Remote Control

I installed several x10 light switches, cameras and modules a few years back with the goal of automating several tasks.  The cameras are terrible, but the rest of the system worked pretty well; I was able to program my porch lights to turn on at dusk/off at dawn, flood lights on at dusk, off at 12:00am, etc.

x10 is a protocol that is used for controlling various devices over power wiring or radio frequency.  A x10 transmitter is plugged into a wall outlet, allowing it to transmit commands into the home’s wiring.  The transmitter is controlled by connecting it to a PC (either serial or USB connection) and running software that can send x10 commands via the transmitter. 

For my home, I have the X10 CM15A USB computer interface.

The software that I initially purchased is the x10 ActiveHome Pro; this software is compete crap and is rarely updated/improved.  I believe it has been updated once since I started using it in July 2007.  There are security, camera, macros, remote access and other such add-ons- but the software is reminiscent of a mid 1990s website made in FrontPage.

I later found x10 commander which also has an iPhone app that would allow me to remotely toggle lights; this was useful as well- especially for the lights at Christmas time.

x10 commander has a free ‘server’ application that is installed on a system connected to the x10 transmitter.  The iPhone app for x10 Commander runs $9.99 in the app store.

This combination of hardware/software has suited my needs for the past few years.

A few weeks ago, I found a product called HomeSeer.  While this is well out of my budget range (software starts at $220 and goes up to $600- plus add-ons!) it is a very inclusive software.

HomeSeer is more advanced than either x10 ActiveHome Pro or x10 Commander- and it supports both power line x10 adapters and z-wave control system. 

z-wave is a wireless (900mhz) mesh network that has similar home automation controls to the x10 system- but has additional items such as thermostats and door locks (both of which are planned future additions to my home).

HomeSeer is setup and controlled via a web interface:

Many additional modules are available that will allow connectivity to IP webcams, DSC alarm panels, iTunes and similar.

One interesting module is the HSTouch module which allows for remote control via iPhone/iPod Touch.  There is also an Interface design module that can be used to design custom screens for remote control- i.e. if you have specific functions you want to use and don’t want to be bothered with navigating through the menus.

I have been evaluating the software and find it to be very well written and very in-depth.  There are so many options that I doubt I will ever use 1/4 of them.

I will need to purchase a z-wave controller (the Aeon Lab Z-Stick V2 as it works with the Schlage locks) and a z-wave thermostat to see exactly what this system can do.

More Clear WiMax Complaints

Just when I think Clear WiMax in Atlanta, GA couldn’t suck any harder, they implement a new draconian cap/bandwidth throttle and show they are the queen of horrible internet service.

Clear Wireless does NOT want you to use their service.  If you have a download running for over 15 minutes, your bandwidth instantly drops to 512kbps: i.e. your normally unstable 4-8Mbps WiMax connection will drop to a rock-solid .5Mbps.

It appears that Clear has resolved their issues with poor signal strength (now showing a CINR of 22db), but at 512kbps It will take me 2-3 days to download a Linux ISO…

I am assuming this is how Clear can support all of those 4G EVOs that were released into the wild a few months back.

This is the Clear 4G coverage map (from Clear’s web site) for Atlanta, GA:

Notice all of the white spots (I would include all of the light green as well) where there is no WiMax coverage?

From my understanding, WiMax is directional and line-of-site.  All of the WiMax antennas point South, creating a cone of WiMax coverage (note the triangle shaped patterns on the right side of the map).  You need to align your home WiMax modem so it’s antennas face north toward your closest tower.   If there are trees or buildings in the way, your coverage will be degraded.  If it is off axis by more than a few degrees, your throughput will suffer even more.  If it rains, your speed will drop to 1/2 of normal.  i.e., WiMax sucks!

I actually can see ‘see’ 11 towers on my modem- albeit only 4 of them are close enough to actually be usable:

In addition, as a WiMax market matures, the saturation of a single tower can quickly be exceeded if too many people try to access the Internet at the same time (kind of like the problem of being on a busy cable modem node).  In Atlanta, I believe Clear has greatly oversold their service as I can rarely achieve the speeds I was constantly getting at this time last year (usually only during 3am – 5am).

I did a test with my Clear USB stick last week; I plugged it in to my laptop and started a download log as I drove into work.  When I arrived at my office (9 miles away via the Interstate) I had experienced no less than 5 connection drops- most of them taking 30+ seconds to reconnect.  Not quite the 3G experience.

In short, Clear WiMax has very spotty coverage and they do not expect you to actually use your connection.  If you are planning on getting Clear WiMax to replace your existing DSL/Cable Internet- JUST DON’T!  Wait for AT&T U-Verse or upgrade your existing service to a faster connection (AT&T DSL goes up to 6Mbps, Comcast up to 12Mbps)- all at a comparable speed to Clear WiMax- and without the added headache of trying to align the modem just perfect to hit the right antenna (and the WiMax speed drop when it rains).

So when is LTE going to be rolling out?