Here is the situation: You have an Android device and a laptop. You want to transfer files from either the Android device to a laptop (photo’s for example), or from your laptop to the Android device (the latest ROM/Music etc.)
This is very easy, using a wireless router on your home LAN. But what if you are on the road, or at a friends house for example?
The solution is surprisingly simple.
First of all, convert your laptop (or wireless enabled PC) into an Access Point using Connectify for Windows
Connectify allows you to do all sorts of cool things, such as sharing a wired internet connection with multiple devices, as a LAN repeater etc. Check out their website for full details. It is pretty simple to set up, and you can choose whether you want to share the Windows PC’s internet, or just get file access in the setup wizard.
Once Connectify is installed and running, connect your Android device over WifFi using the password you set.
You now have two options, connecting to your Windows PC from the Android device, or vice versa.
Option one – Access files on your Android device from your Windows PC (You need a ROOTED device for this method):
Download the SambaFilesharing app from the Android Market and install it. Enter the relevant information for username and password in the app. Once the app is set up and enabled, simply open an Explorer (not Internet Explorer) window and type in the address bar “\[android ip]” – (minus quotes and replace [android ip] with the IP shown on the Samba Fileshare screen. You will be prompted for the username/password you set in the app and then have full access to your SD card on the Android device, just like a normal folder on your PC.
Option two – Access files on your windows PC from your Android device:
You will need to have a user account and password on the PC in question in advance for this method.
Download the AndSMB app from the Android Market and install it.
Add a new “server using the same IP details as above, but for the last set of digits, use 1, so xxx.xxx.xxx.1, where the xxx are from the IP, either showing on the Connectify status, or the Samba FileShare app.
Use the windows username and password you set earlier, save the settings and click connect.
You will now be able to see the files on your Windows PC. Clicking “Device File browser” at the top of the AndSMB app will now allow you to upload and download files from whichever folders you have selected in each view. You can switch back again, by pressing “SMB File Browser”.
A really simple way to transfer files both ways from both devices, anywhere & without cables.
Author: Darryl Leaning
Information Technology consultant based in Kirton Lindsey, Lincolnshire. Consulting for Security, Network, Virtualisation and Server systems. Computer Repair & Maintenance Services.
Increasing battery life on Android smartphones
Would you like to try to increase the battery life greatly on your Android device?
I have tested this on both HTC and SonyEricsson devices so far.
1) Go to dialer (use the phone dialler, not a 3rd party app).
2) Dial *#*#4636#*#* (Don’t press send) – wait a second and you will get the test menu.
3) In the test menu choose ‘Phone Information’
4) scroll down and choose from the first drop down: “GSM auto (PRL)”
5) Back all the way out.
How it works:
What this change does is to force the phone to switch automatically between G/E/3G/HSDPA networks, based on the networks predefined Preferred Roaming List (PRL), rather than the best/strongest signal available. The problem seems to stem from the device’s inability to switch between signals, and its preference to try to latch onto a weak 3G/HSDPA signal ,rather than a slower-but-stronger 2G signal – this cure should hopefully fix that.
And because the WCDMA setting involves the phone constantly scanning the network for the strongest signal, it can really eat away at the battery life (especially in patchy signal areas). Using GSM auto (PRL) should also help in this regard.
(Credit to various sources for the basis of information, which I tidied up and edited)
New Tech blog
In an attempt to clean up my personal journal, I have moved my ‘Tech’ ramblings over here to WordPress. It might take a while, but i’ll try and pull all the historical articles over here too. This should make everything easier to find for everyone.