Skrrp's Android Blog

The importance of nandroid backups cannot be stressed enough.

Installed the 3G patch (early, impatient) and killed wifi by also installing the optional high memory kernel. The radio patch itself works amazingly, pushing the Nexus to slightly better than the G1 in overall terms. Still hit the blackspots where 2G and 3G are passing the buck, but that is exactly the same for my other radio devices.

I have re-partitioned my microSD to give 3.5GB total in the ext2 partition. At this stage, 2.1GB of that is used.

I always use a Linux box to play with the partitions and I am very careful about the order in which things are unmounted and unplugged. Two resizes so far and no data loss.

For anyone playing along at home, my xstartup currently reads:

#!/bin/sh
unset SESSION_MANAGER
gnome-wm &
gnome-panel &
gnome-settings-daemon &
nautilus --no-default-window &
gnome-volume-manager &

It’s not pretty, but it works.

The bug seems to be with the way that Gnome interfaces with the VNC server. There are a lot of different suggestions over the net to fix it. I have found one that works for me, but I will be trying the vnc4server one at some point.

Hugues Fournier posted a reply to Scrambled Keys in feisty ubuntu desktop which saves a working good keymap and then runs it in the Gnome session.

To do this you need to VNC in to your LXDE environment and run the command:

xmodmap -pke -display :1 > ~/xmodmap.map ( if your VNC display is :1 )

Then create a shell script in your filesystem containing:

#!/bin/bash
cat ~/xmodmap.map | xmodmap -

and chmod u+x it.

This is where I differ from Hughes’ instructions. You need to run this script while within the Gnome environment. For now, I have managed to use mouse control to edit the Menu. You can browse to the script and then enter anything as a name (you can tidy this later). Run the script from the menu and test. I will be looking at ways to auto-boot it later.

Throughout all of this work I am hammering the Nexus and it barely gets warm. It can get to enough above ambient so that you can feel it, but only just.

Admittedly I haven’t tried to increase the clock speed as cyanogen suggests.

Good work on the unit though, compared to the G1 the Nexus runs cold.

Just been shopping and the only shop to stock Bluetooth keyboards at all are the local Apple partner.

Tried a display model and the Nexus failed to spot it, despite seeing everything else in the store. Including the EPOS system.

Failure from: T-Mobile, 3, Carphone Warehouse, Orange, Phones4U, PC World and Maplins.

Getting closer.

My xstartup now reads:

#!/bin/sh
unset SESSION_MANAGER
gnome-session &
gnome-settings-daemon &
[ -x /etc/vnc/xstartup ] && exec /etc/vnc/xstartup
[ -r $HOME/.Xresources ] && xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
vncconfig -iconic &
x-window-manager

Background image still missing and keyboard mapping still screwed. It produces this:

Since I realised that I am now mainly working over a VNC link from a computer and not the device itself, I can push the resolution, especially under LXDE.

I have re-configured my .bashrc to run at 1024×768. Performance is still pretty good and I’m not noticing many slowdowns from the change.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/01/26/nexus_one_3g_patch/

Google have confirmed a radio patch for the Nexus to come soon. I can confirm that the trouble is real, the Nexus performance is currently poor compared to the G1 with the HTC radio firmware applied on T-Mobile’s network in the UK.

Once the patch is applied I expect the Nexus to perform well as the difference to the G1 was amazing.

The Nexus is solidly outperforming my other devices in standard 2G use though. It is a rare luxury to have this much signal.