How to opt out Google Shared Endorsements

Google updated their Terms of Service on Oct. 11, 2013. Your Profile name and photo might appear in Google products (including in reviews, advertising and other commercial contexts). If you don’t want your name and photo appear, you must opt out. To opt out Google Shared Endorsements:

1. Visit this page https://plus.google.com/settings/endorsements?hl=en
2. Uncheck the box next to Based upon my activity, Google may show my name and profile photo in shared endorsements that appear in ads. 
3. Click the Save button. 
4. Click the Continue button on the next dialog.

Android Studio

On Google IO 2013, Google introduced Android Studio, based on IntelliJ IDEA, a new tool for Android developers. I liked it. Since it was a preview version, Google noted:

Caution: Android Studio is currently available as an early access preview. Several features are either incomplete or not yet implemented and you may encounter bugs. If you are not comfortable using an unfinished product, you may want to instead download (or continue to use) the ADT Bundle (Eclipse with the ADT Plugin).

As soon it posted on developer.android.com, I downloaded and installed on three platforms: Ubuntu 13.04, Mac OS/X Lion 10.7.5 and Windows Vista. On Ubuntu 13.04 with OpenJDK 1.7, I got this error message:

'tool.jar' is not in Android Studio class path. Please ensure JAVA_HOME points to JDK rather than JRE.

I have no problem using Eclipse Juno (4.2.2) for Android development on this machine. Ran android-studio/bin/studio.sh at a terminal, there was a warning:

WARNING: You are launching the IDE using OpenJDK Java runtime. ITS KNOWN TO HAVE PERFORMANCE AND GRAPHICS ISSUES! SWITCH TO THE ORACLE(SUN) JDK BEFORE REPORTING PROBLEMS!

Downloaded and switched to Oracle (Sun) JDK from OpenJDK on Ubuntu 13.04 according to Hendré's blog, problem solved.

On Mac OS/X with Java 1.6.0_45, I got Android Studio ran immediately without hicup. After I made a new simple project to test, I could not load any Android Virtual Device. To work around, I opened Android Virtual Device Manager from Eclipse Juno to load the Android Application launched from Android Studio.

On Windows Vista with JRE 7 installed only, Nothing running after executed Android Studio (c:\android-studio\studio,exe) application. Tried to replaced Oracle JRE 7 with Oracle JDK 7, no luck. Solution: Added environment variable JAVA_HOME with value "C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_21) to system variables. Further reading:

• Getting Started with Android Studio. Need to read this page thoroughly to save time.
• IntelliJ IDEA and Android Studio FAQ. This FAQ is good.

Install Android Development Tools on Ubuntu 12.10 (Quantal Quetzal)

1. First thing first. Make sure Java Development Kit (JDK) install. Go to Terminal and type 'Java -version' to check. You should see the following:
   java version "1.7.0_07"
   OpenJDK Runtime Environment (IcedTea7 2.3.2) (7u7-2.3.2a-1ubuntu1)
   OpenJDK Server VM (build 23.2-b09, mixed mode)
2. If Java Development Kit is not installed, you can install it from Ubuntu Software Center. Click on Ubuntu Software Center icon from left side bar and search for Java. Here, I selected 'OpenJava JDK 7 runtime'
3. Go to http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/ to download Eclipse Classic 4.2.1 (Juno)
4. Go to your downloads folder and extract it. Move 'eclipse' folder to your home directory.
5. Launch Eclipse 4.2.1 (Juno) from 'eclipse' folder.
6. Install Android Developer Tools (ADT) plugin for Eclipse. Click on Help -> Install New Software and add the URL 'https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/' on the input text box next to 'Work with' and click the 'Add' button.
   
7. Download and install Android SDK from Eclipse 4.2.1. Click on Window -> Android SDK Manager. If Android SDK is not install, Eclipse will display a windows like this:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Otherwise, select the existing Android SDK and specify location if it already installed. 
8. Go to Windows -> AVD Manager to make at least one Android Virtual Device (AVD). Here is the screen shot for AVD using Galaxy Nexus skin.
   

References: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Java http://developer.android.com/sdk/installing/installing-adt.html

How to Check Gmail and Hotmail Services Status?

I could not login to my Hotmail today. Is Hotmail down?
To check for Hotmail or other Microsoft Windows Live services status, use this link: https://status.live.com/

To check Gmail or other Google App service status:
http://www.google.com/appsstatus

Is Verizon Share Every Thing Plan Good?

Yesterday, Verizon wireless revealed a new plan to allow customers share a pool of data for up to 10 devices. Is the new plan better for a customer with five smartphones?

	Verizon: Current	Verizon: New	AT&T	T-Mobile Value
Monthly	$279.95	$250.00	$229.96	$124.98
2 Years	$6,718.80	$6,000.00	$5,519.04	$2,999.52
Activation Fee	$175.00	$175.00	$180.00	$175.00
Cell Phones	$999.95	$999.95	$999.95	$1,999.95
Est. Sales Tax	$232.50	$232.50	$213.12	$154.61
Total Cost	$8,126.25	$7,407.45	$6,912.11	$5,324.13
Compare with T-Mobile	$2,802.11	$2,083.31	$1,587.98	0

Notes:
Full retail price for Samsung Galaxy S III 4G 16GB at Verizon Wireless is $599.99, at AT&T Wireless is $549.99
Buy Google Galaxy Nexus $399 to use with T-Mobile Value Plan. Amazon Wireless sells Samsung Galaxy S III 4G Android Phone 16GB (GSM for AT&T and T-Mobile) for $649.99

Conclusion:The new Share Every Thing plan is cost less than the current plan for five smart phones. However, there is 1GB data to share between five devices. Both Verizon plans still more expensive than AT&T and T-Mobile.

How to fix run-time error: Could not find class 'winterwell.jtwitter.Twitter'

If you follow the Marakana Android Bootcamp Series 2012 Video Tutorials, you may get this run-time error when practice the sample application Yamba-1.

06-03 10:48:43.695: E/dalvikvm(274): Could not find class 'winterwell.jtwitter.Twitter', referenced from method com.marakana.yamba1.StatusActivity.onCreate
06-03 10:48:43.695: W/dalvikvm(274): VFY: unable to resolve new-instance 42 (Lwinterwell/jtwitter/Twitter;) in Lcom/marakana/yamba1/StatusActivity;
06-03 10:48:43.695: D/dalvikvm(274): VFY: replacing opcode 0x22 at 0x0045
06-03 10:48:43.695: D/dalvikvm(274): VFY: dead code 0x0047-0057 in Lcom/marakana/yamba1/StatusActivity;.onCreate (Landroid/os/Bundle;)V
06-03 10:48:43.955: D/dalvikvm(274): GC_EXTERNAL_ALLOC freed 794 objects / 58272 bytes in 127ms
06-03 10:48:44.184: D/AndroidRuntime(274): Shutting down VM
06-03 10:48:44.184: W/dalvikvm(274): threadid=1: thread exiting with uncaught exception (group=0x4001d800)
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274): FATAL EXCEPTION: main
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274): java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: winterwell.jtwitter.Twitter
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274):     at com.marakana.yamba1.StatusActivity.onCreate(StatusActivity.java:43)
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274):     at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1047)
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274):     at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2627)
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274):     at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2679)
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274):     at android.app.ActivityThread.access$2300(ActivityThread.java:125)
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274):     at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:2033)
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274):     at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99)
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274):     at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:123)
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274):     at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:4627)
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274):     at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274):     at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:521)
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274):     at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:868)
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274):     at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:626)
06-03 10:48:44.194: E/AndroidRuntime(274):     at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)

Looked back into the Yamba-1 folder, jtwitter-yamba.jar was there.

Solution:
Make a new folder called libs under Yamba-1 and move this external libary inside sub-folder libs

Credit:
Sven Rau  http://marakana.com/forums/android/learning_android_book/689.html#p1790

Android Programming Tutorial Videos

I would like to share some great videos about Android development.

Androidology by Android Developers
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD7C64411AF40DEA5&feature=plcp

Marakana: Android Bootcamp Series 2012 Video Tutorials
http://marakana.com/s/android_bootcamp_series_2012_video_tutorial,1017/index.html

Android Bootcamp Training by Marakana TechTV
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE953C0B85B50AB62&feature=plcp

Episodes of xtensivearts: Android Video Tutorials & Training
http://blip.tv/xtensivearts

TheNewBoston - Android Application Development by ChangingTheUnknown
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL34F010EEF9D45FB8

200 Videos Android Application Development
http://thenewboston.org/list.php?cat=6

mybringback Series: Android Basics
http://www.mybringback.com/series/android-basics/

mybringback Series: Android Basics
http://www.mybringback.com/series/android-finishing-touches/

Is Windows Phone third place?

Few days ago, I read "Windows Phone:  Surprisingly Easy to Develop For" written by Dino Esposito on April 02, 2012 on Dr. Dobb's

From a consumer's viewpoint, Windows Phone is firmly the third OS by market share at present, following Android and iOS. Some analysts reckon that Windows Phone may be second only to Android by 2015 in a world with only four major mobile platforms left: Android, Windows Phone, iOS, and BlackBerry.

It's not true.

According to comScore report on May 1st, 2012

More than 106 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in March, up 9 percent versus December. Google Android ranked as the top smartphone platform with 51 percent market share (up 3.7 percentage points). Apple’s share of the smartphone market increased 1.1 percentage points to 30.7 percent. RIM ranked third with 12.3 percent share, followed by Microsoft (3.9 percent) and Symbian (1.4 percent).

Nielsen reported on May 7, 2012

1. Android OS 48.5%
2. iOS 32.0%
3. RIM Blackberry 11.6%
4. Windows Mobile 4.1%
5. Windows Phone 1.7%
6. Other 2.1%

But Microsoft tried to get into the third place in next couple years according to Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO:

"I think with a little bit more effort, a little bit more energy, the level of enthusiasm from the customer base is high enough we've just got to kick this thing to the next level. And I think we're in absolute good shape in order to be a very strong third ecosystem in the smart phone world.

(Source:  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/15/windows_phone_disappoints/)

Google Drive

There is a rumor Google will launch the Google Drive soon. Maybe next week. One said it will have 2GB. Other said it will have 5GB. Another guessed it maybe 7GB. I wonder Google can match up with Microsoft SkyDrive for 25GB of free storage or not?

How to completely disable Google Web History?

Google Web History records your key search and web activity after you log in to Google Account. When you create a Google Account at http://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount, you're given the option to enable Web History with your account. Visit Google Web History for more detail.

Many people choose to NOT enable Web History for privacy reason. However, when you activate Google+ service, you may accident enable Web History. For more information, read "Think You’ve Disabled Google’s Web History Tracking? Check Again" posted at TechCrunch.

To complete disable Google Web History, after login to Google Account, type this URL:
https://www.google.com/accounts/DeleteService?service=hist
(Source: Alex at Google Web Search Community)