Ara developer edition shipping "Fall 2016" (source: official site) - Project Ara General

I saw a [no url=http //gizmodo.com/googles-project-ara-modular-smartphone-will-ship-to-dev-1777834543]story on Gizmodo about the developer version of Ara[/no url] shipping this year.
Followed it up and [no url=https //atap.google.com/ara/]Google says Ara will ship to developers in Fall 2016[/no url].
Great news! But...
...there's a form at the bottom to register interest about becoming a developer...
...still great, but..
...not much info on how the modules interact with the OS, other than it uses a new GreyBus /whether it's likely the "GreyBus" stack will be implemented on other OSes (e.g. home automation, microservers etc.) for plug/play on other systems and for development. (*)
For some use cases, knowing the software side of that interface is pretty critical.
I haven't sought out GreyBus docs yet (they may provide all the answers, AFAICS not linked to on the Ara page above), but XDA (& projectaratalk.com - also posted there) to be the only real places to discuss Ara, so:
Does anyone here know any detail about GreyBus, what it's capabilities are and how it controls/interacts with modules?
Cheers!
(*) I really like the idea of portable capabilities that are forced to be decoupled [physically too!] from the host system
p.s. can't post links yet, but left the tags in as "no url" and broke the links - hope that's ok

Find the project Ara/GreyBus project on GitHub in case people are interested:
github.com/projectara/greybus-spec
Other places (I can't post links yet) for bacground info on UniPro and GreyBus
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UniPro
www .modularphonesforum.com/news/greybus-protocol-an-application-layer-for-unipro-491/
kernel-recipes.org/en/2015/talks/an-introduction-to-greybus/
lwn.net/Articles/648400/
Some good articles on this site too: www .modularphonesforum.com/developers/faq/ara-software-stack/
I haven't digested any of it yet, but it looks promising in terms of the scope modules can adopt, declaring what protocols the confirm to etc. But there does seem to be a dependency on protocol adoption by the core before a module using something novel can be rolled out - I need to read some more I think...

If I can get an invitation, I intend to buy one of these for development.

Related

Calling HTC Linux Geeks + Android Fans: MSM7200 Compatible Kernel Released!

Ok, there is plenty of speculation on Android and can we run it on our HTC devices, etc. I have started this new thread dedicated to the MSM7K Kernel release, and what it will take to get this running on our phones.
I would like this thread to become a resource, rather than just general theorizing. For example: "I know we need driver X to run Y on HTC device Foo." What I am not looking for: "Android is so l33t, plez tell me how to run on my Zaurus kthx". The difference is that the first example is constructive, and adds to the discussion.
The signal to noise ratio on the Android gGroup is terrible, and mostly consists of wild theorizing, self-promotion, and arguing. I have a feeling it will improve, but for now I'd like to discuss this subject away from all the SuperKoolNewAndroidForum.com forums.
My Goals for this Thread:
Establish what is known to work, and what the kernel is sorely lacking.
a) I know we have booted Linux on HTC devices, has it been done on the most current devices? (please link to thread/proof)
b) What are the main major roadblocks preventing Linux from being run on more HTC devices? (Obscure hardware design, bricking phone)
Compile a list of needed and helpful software for loading Android: bootloaders, useful Linux tools, filesystem images
Provide continual updates with photos/logs as we (hopefully) make progress
My bet is that the current 'gPhone' in the videos is an HTC device not unlike yours or mine. [link to my blog] IMHO, the hype over 'When will the first gPhone be released' is irrelevant, as Google has been working closely with HTC and Qualcomm for a long time -- and the specs for Android are so low, Google clearly expects to be able to run Android on existing hardware, without needing new hardware technology.
Of course, the tools and software we need are all in existence already, someone at Google is doing a good job of keeping their mouth shut. Therefore this is not an impossible task, just difficult, but I know you xda-hackers like a challenge! So, Let's go!!
Charles
FYI: I am aware XDA was founded with the Xanadux project, so this should be the perfect place to hack us a gPhone. I've also browsed threads, read the Wiki, studied up on the Hermes Linux project -- but things seem to have died since Feb 07, I'm hoping this latest development with Android will spark interest again, and we will be able to run Linux on our current, most powerful devices. I could make educated guesses about the state of the Xanadux project, but I'd rather hear it from XDA devs themselves who are most familiar.
Reserved for knowledge & files
Ok, I'll start:
Android.com *Now redirects (finally) to OpenHandsetAlliance.com
Download Android SDK
Official Android Dev gGroup
Here's what I know:
Announcement of the Kernel on the ARM Linux Mailing List
GIT Repository
gGroup for MSM7K Kernel Issues
[credit to Brian Swetland, Linux Kernel Lead, Android Project]
gGroups thread: Compiling C Binaries for Android
Filesystem dump from Android running on SDK Emulator: gGroups thread discussion | Benno's blog post with files
reserved for Android installation instructions
[ reserved ] Hopefully we will get this far
polyrhythmic said:
I've also browsed threads, read the Wiki, studied up on the Hermes Linux project -- but things seem to have died since Feb 07
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are interested in the facts, and not some google-related hype, please
check this one
http://www.handhelds.org/moin/moin.cgi/UniversalStatus
My Android News blog (now on Russian language)
English version cooming soon.
http://android.my1.ru
Now it is under construction
Much thanks cr2!
n00bs are everywhere I'm trying not to be one of them.
I have been doing a lot of reading, things have been quiet on the Kaiser front but that soon will change. I just read the #htc-linux logs from the past few days, see you there after work!
Charles
(sent from das Kaiser)
WoW!
Is this going to be like getting Linux OS on my Trinity? I like the browser but a lot of the apps in teh demo vid rely too much on 3G. Data rates in the UK are prohibitive at the moment so I stick with WIFI
welcome to join AndroidPort group
hello:
you are welcome to join the AndroidPort group, where the
idea is to make Linux and Android work on a real or virtual
hardware phone platform.
looks like you are quite advanced in this area. we would
welcome your presence and expert knowledge.
have a look at our website. you will find a lot of
information for this subject in 1 place.
AndroidPort
http://groups.google.com/group/androidport
Aaron
Cool initiative, will write about it in my next News collection.
polyrhythmic said:
Ok, there is plenty of speculation on Android and can we run it on our HTC devices, etc. I have started this new thread dedicated to the MSM7K Kernel release, and what it will take to get this running on our phones.
I would like this thread to become a resource, rather than just general theorizing. For example: "I know we need driver X to run Y on HTC device Foo." What I am not looking for: "Android is so l33t, plez tell me how to run on my Zaurus kthx". The difference is that the first example is constructive, and adds to the discussion.
The signal to noise ratio on the Android gGroup is terrible, and mostly consists of wild theorizing, self-promotion, and arguing. I have a feeling it will improve, but for now I'd like to discuss this subject away from all the SuperKoolNewAndroidForum.com forums.
My Goals for this Thread:
Establish what is known to work, and what the kernel is sorely lacking.
a) I know we have booted Linux on HTC devices, has it been done on the most current devices? (please link to thread/proof)
b) What are the main major roadblocks preventing Linux from being run on more HTC devices? (Obscure hardware design, bricking phone)
Compile a list of needed and helpful software for loading Android: bootloaders, useful Linux tools, filesystem images
Provide continual updates with photos/logs as we (hopefully) make progress
My bet is that the current 'gPhone' in the videos is an HTC device not unlike yours or mine. [link to my blog] IMHO, the hype over 'When will the first gPhone be released' is irrelevant, as Google has been working closely with HTC and Qualcomm for a long time -- and the specs for Android are so low, Google clearly expects to be able to run Android on existing hardware, without needing new hardware technology.
Of course, the tools and software we need are all in existence already, someone at Google is doing a good job of keeping their mouth shut. Therefore this is not an impossible task, just difficult, but I know you xda-hackers like a challenge! So, Let's go!!
Charles
FYI: I am aware XDA was founded with the Xanadux project, so this should be the perfect place to hack us a gPhone. I've also browsed threads, read the Wiki, studied up on the Hermes Linux project -- but things seem to have died since Feb 07, I'm hoping this latest development with Android will spark interest again, and we will be able to run Linux on our current, most powerful devices. I could make educated guesses about the state of the Xanadux project, but I'd rather hear it from XDA devs themselves who are most familiar.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
where is the video?
anheuer said:
where is the video?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YouTube Your best friend , along with google obviously

CodeWiki

Me and a few others have formed up to develop a wiki-based programming website, named CodeWiki. The idea is to gather as much information in one place as possible, and the wiki concept allows us to do just that.
The wiki will act as a database of everything from coding examples, explanations, definitions, everything. Ambitious, i know, but with enough effort, i think we can make something usefull..
In addition to the Wiki, we are launching a forum (which is already up here which will serve as a meeting point for users, as well as a place to ask for programming help, requests, feedback, etc.
Now, we have two interconnected wiki's, a norwegian one, and an english one. The idea is that the two will improve eachother. Due to an article being posted on hardware.no, Norways largest computer-related website, the Norwegian Wiki got an early start. Earlier than expected actually, forcing us to complete the Norwegian one faster than planned, leaving the english one slightly behind. Right now the Norwegian one has gotten 2500 hits in two days.
Anyways, i feel that CodeWiki could really use some good content regarding programming and development for mobile platforms. Everything from Java to VB.Net. So, if you find yourself urging to get your knowlage out there, please do check out one of the following url's:
http://en.codewiki.no <-- English Wiki
http://no.codewiki.no <-- Norwegian Wiki
http://www.codewiki.no <- will point to a nice front page once the frontpage is done
http://forum.codewiki.no <-- forum.
IRC Channel
Kind Regards
Cheers all!
looks nice!! please let us know as soon the sites are online!

[PRJ][21OCT2009] Pebbles goes open source! We need your help!

Hi Guys,
I have come to you with great news: Pebbles, the remote control software, goes (probably) open source. At the moment, I am in contact with Brad Myers, the former head of the development team involved in Pebbles. The Project has been stopped a long time ago, but I am trying to convince him, that a release of the source code to open source under a GPL License is way better than simply abandoning such an excellent project.
I also told him that the best programmers concerning Windows Mobile Devices can be found here. So I hope that there are some experiences programmers with a bit free time in here. I can deliver all necessary graphical elements as I am familiar with this subject for over nine years now.
A quick information for all of you who do not know what Pebbles is:
It consists of some sub-tools, for example Shortcutter, which allows you to define your own buttons. These can send keystrokes and commands to the PC via Bluetooth ActiveSync. Basically, it is a remote control tool.
Furthermore, there is Scribbles, a tool which is used when you are holding a presentation. You write on your device and it will generate an overlay onto your presentation.
And there is also RemoteCommander, a kinda-VNC which also supports Scribble.
There are some more, to be found here.​
Hopefully there are some programmers willing to put their efforts and experience into this great project. I am sure that the base of the software is well-written, as it still runs smoothly and without a single problem on my current hardware specs, which are Windows 7 (x64) on 8GB RAM and an HTC Touch Diamond with Windows Mobile 6.1.
For any further questions do not hesitate to post in here. If the project is opened on Sourceforge, I also can give you my ICQ and E-Mail details if needed.
I am looking for your responses, please also do vote the poll.
Regards,
Zuzler a.k.a. Stefan
Below, you can find an excerpt of my recent contact with Brad Myers from the School of Computer Science in Pittsburgh:
That is an excellent idea. We will look into the legal issues and get back to you. It will probably take a few weeks to work out.
Are there lots of windows mobile devices still? Does software for old devices work on newer ones?
Any recommendations for where to put our source code so people can work on it? Like sourceforge or something? What do people mostly use?
Brad Myers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My reply on this was:
Yes, there is a whole new generation out there. I for example got an HTC Touch Diamond, which has a resolution of 640x480 pixels, over 500 mhz and 4 GB storage. It has a touchscreen (it has just four keys, e.g. for answering calls and going back to home), GPS ans WiFi support. My Operating System is Windows Mobile 6.1 whereas my regular OS (i.e. at home) is Windows 7 (64 bit), and Pebbles runs smoothly on it. So I think Pebbles already has the best start as there are no OS issues with Windows as far as I am aware of.
For more information on the GPL you can have a look at the wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License). On the bottom there are more links to the original text. I would recommend he GPL Version 3, which is the latest one.
Sourceforge would also have been the platform of my choice. I will create a topic at the xda-developers.com forums to collect peoples responses on this subject.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reserving this post for future updates.
I am interested in this. I'm using an old Qtek 9100 (HTC Wizard, OMAP180 200MHz) upgraded to Windows Mobile Professional 6.5.
I'm already using SallingClicker which offers similar features, but I'm always willing to try something new...
Hi,
yes, Salling Clicker is a similar tool, it offers many features but the knowledge you have to have on order to create a working script is way too much.
I hope that there are some programmers here, which are willing to support this project. Then we also can create a wishlist, new features which should be added in 'our' first release.
Regards
An open source project would be awesome!
Looked at the specs of the original program, and it looks nice! Make it up to date, implement full touchscreen support, and this would be a winner!
I hope that I will receive a confirmtion by the end of this week.
One problem however is, that I do not have any experience in coding, the only thing I can do is graphics.
So my plea to all of you coders out there is: When time has come please have a look at the source code and tell us, if you can help us.
Maybe we also can create an "award system" - users request features, when they are implemented they can donate to the developers.
Maybe a mod can move this thread to the new created subforum "Windows software development"?
Regards,
Zuzler
I'm really looking forward to this software! It is bookmarked and I hope that we will have a nice new version...

[MOD] [THINKTANK] Building TaintDroid in a ZTE Blade Kernel

It would be great if TaintDroid could also be integrated in a Blade ROM.
ZTE Blade users, please show you're support if you also wish to see TaintDroid implemented in Custom ROM for your device.
webstas said:
A project for our Kernel devs maybe? i found this in the I9000 Forums and though i might keep it going over here in the Vibrant quadrant of XDA.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=812879
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
vasra said:
Most people don't yet know that many Android software leak all sorts of information to the internet with only scant user acknowledgement (basically what you accept when you install the app).
Due to this and the fact that there are already privacy information harvesting apps for Android on the marketplace - a team of security experts have created TaintDroid:
What is TaintDroid?
From the project's web page: "A realtime monitoring service called TaintDroid that precisely analyses how private information is obtained and released by applications "downloaded" to consumer phones."
From: http://appanalysis.org/index.html
How can I install TaintDroid?
As TaintDroid is currently compiled into the kernel, you cannot easily install it, but you have to cook your own kernel. Instructions (for Nexus 1) are available at the project web site: http://appanalysis.org/download.html
How does TaintDroid work?
Here's a video demonstrating how TaintDroid works once it is installed and configured:
http://appanalysis.org/demo/index.html
Why would you want to install this?
There can be many reasons for installint TaintDroid:
- You want to learn about privacy features and play with Android kernel
- As it is currently impossible to differentiate between innocent and sneaky Android apps based only on what access rights they request, you may want to dig in deeper
- You are worried about what apps are doing behind your back and you want to know which apps to uninstall
- You want to help create Android a more secure and privacy-protected platform, instead of the swiss cheese it currently is
What can you do?
As compiling kernels is mostly beyond the reach of mere mortals currently, consider cooking TaintDroid into your kernel, if you are cooking one yourself and offering it available for others to try and use.
Hopefully increased awareness and usage will bring this program eventually into other modders and perhaps even Google's attention and something more easily accessible is offered for the public at large.
BTW, I'm just a user, interested in getting TaintDroid on my own Galaxy S. I'm not affiliated with the research program, but I like what they are doing. This information is purely FYI.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ps: Sorry for replication but as this suggestion/request is taken up specifically for the ZTE Blade device, I thought it would be appropriate to duplicate the previous posts.

Open webOS on RaspberryPi

Apparently I can't post links yet, so please pardon this convoluted post!
webos-ports.org have a page about the Raspberry_Pi - they say a port is easy except for Qt4.8...
But now... Qt5! On the Luna_Next page you'll see the sys-manager is rewritten with QT5.
...and QT5 here over at raspberrypi.org if you search for the page: qt5-and-the-raspberry-pi
I'm not a developer, but I thought I'd post this here. The webOS-ports team are too busy getting to Alpha3 to do this. Given the nature of this site, I wondered if someone would like to try. To my uneducated eye it seems the jigsaw pieces are there.
I can't find much sign of a successful Android port on the Pi. It's stripped down nature sems to make it problematic. But webOS is essentially a UI to a full Linux kernel - in fact the system sans UI has already been ported. Search the RPi forums for: "WebOS lives on the pi "
What's the advantage? You get a mobile / tablet OS on the Pi, Kudos and maybe some from the RPi community put some work in on Open webOS if it is available to a broader community (2M+ Rpies sold)
Anyone want to try?

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