The USB tethering feature of Android Froyo allows you to share your phone's mobile network with a laptop or desktop computer, which is similar to the concept of using a usb modem (stick) or dongle.

The 3 major telcos in the Philippines today thar offer mobile broadband services are Globe, Smart and Sun cellular. In the image below, I have Globe Tattoo and Smart Bro USB modems, as you can see I don't have a Sun Cellular USB modem, however, what I do have is a Sun cellular prepaid sim card and an Android Froyo powered HTC Desire. I will use USB tethering to complement what I lack.

Below are the details on how to use this feature:

The essentials:

1. Configure the correct Access Point Name (APN) for your mobile phone. If you have no idea how to do this, contact your telco's customer service. (for prepaid Globe subscribers in the Philippines check my previous post about APN config)
2. Android version 2.2 (codename: Froyo) should be installed on your phone
3. HTC Micro USB data cable
4. Install HTC Sync on your computer.

HTC Sync

HTC Sync serves as a device content manager for your phone using a computer and also installs the required device drivers. By default, the file for this software is already on your phone's SD card, if ever you accidentally deleted this file on your phone, you can go to this link (HTC Sync for all HTC Android Phones) to download the file.

After dowloading and installing HTC Sync, connect your phone to the computer via the micro USB data cable then proceed to HTC Sync device setup. Make sure that 'HTC Sync' is selected in your 'Connect to PC' screen.

You don't really need to sync all of the contents of your phone to the PC at this time, we just have to make sure that HTC Sync can detect your phone and has a saved profile for it.

Just to make sure that everything is working, disconnect your phone from the PC, restart your computer, reconnect your phone to the PC (make sure that 'HTC Sync' is selected in your 'Connect to PC' screen); check if HTC Sync can already detect your phone automatically.

This is a one time setup, you don't need to open this software everytime you want to use USB tethering.

USB Tethering

1. Turn on 'Mobile Network'. There are 2 ways to do this:
   • Do a long press on the power button, on the "Phone options" screen, tap on "Mobile Network" to turn it on (or off).

     

   • Go to "Settings" > "Wireless & Networks" > Tap on the checkbox to turn it on
2. Connect your phone to the PC using the micro USB data cable
3. This time in the "Connect to PC" screen, select USB tethering

   

4. On the taskbar, click on the network connection icon, you would see that a new active network is added on the list. You might get a different name for the new connection. Select the new network and start browsing. Yippee!

   

Here's the the "Local Area Connection Properties" for the new network connection:

I guess this answers a friend's question, 'no? :)

This is a tutorial on how you can use your HTC Desire – Android Froyo as a portable Wi-Fi hotspot via a paid mobile internet.

On your Phone:

1. Make sure that you have configured the APN for your phone, otherwise call your network’s customer service to learn how. (for Globe prepaid subscribers check my previous post about APN config)

   

2. Configure the ‘Portable Wi-Fi hotspot settings’.
   • Go to ‘Settings’ > ‘Wi-fi and networks’ > tap on ‘Portable Wi-Fi hotspot settings’
   • Fill out the following fields:
     1. Router name: <mine is ‘HTC Network’>
     2. Security: <mine is WPA (TKIP)>
     3. Password : <I recommend to use this feature to prevent strangers from connecting to your phone.>
     4. Press ‘menu’ button > Tap on ‘Advanced’
        • Wi-Fi Channel : <default is Auto>
        • LAN Settings : <leave as is if you don’t know what to put on these fields>
        • Power mode:  <tap to choose what would happen in case of prolonged inactivity>
     5. Tap on ‘Manage users’
        • Enable ‘Allowed users only’
        • Tap on ‘Max. connections’ to increase or decrease the number of allowed connections. Your options are from 2-8.
3. Turn on ‘Mobile Network’.

   There are 2 ways to do this:

   • By doing a long press on the power button and tap ‘Mobile Network’ to switch on or off
   • By going to Settings > Wireless and Networks > Tap on the checkbox for ‘Mobile Network’
4. Turn on hotspot. Go to ‘Settings’ > Wireless and Networks > Tap on the checkbox. The ‘Wi-Fi hotspot active’ icon shows up on the topmost left of the screen.

On your computer:

Check the wireless network connections available, you will now see the “HTC Network” as an option. Select this network and enter the password you have previously set.  Surf and enjoy.

1. In your terminal go to the path of the parent directory or top folder, wherein you want to start searching for the files

2. Execute this command to find the files ending with "~"

find . -name "*.*~" -exec ls {} \;

3. Execute this command to find the files starting with "~"

find . -name "~*" -exec ls {} \;

4. Execute this command to delete the files ending with "~"

find . -name "*.*~" -exec rm -f \;

5. Execute this command to delete the files starting with "~"

find . -name "~*" -exec rm -f \;

Hope this helps!

I have just discovered what causes the "Credit Card Type not found" error in VirtueMart.

First problem : the "Credit Card Type" drop down box isn't displaying...this lead me to the 2nd problem, which is

Second problem : A javascript "writeDynaList" function is required, but is not included in your current javascript functions. So where will you find it?...moving on to the third problem

Third problem: the "writeDynaList" is inside the "JURI::root(true).'/includes/js/joomla.javascript.js'", but the javascript file isn't loading. WHY NOT?

The explanation can be found through this snippet of code in your <joomladirectory>/includes/application.php, and string search for this condition:

if ( $user->get('id') ) {
                    $document->addScript( JURI::root(true).'/includes/js/joomla.javascript.js');
                }
}

This means, that the user has to be logged in to load the javascript file.

If you want to force your customers to login during checkout, go to:

Administrator->Component->Virtuemart->Configuration->Global->User Registration Settings

then set the value of "User Registration Type" to "Normal Account Creation"

Hope this post helps you. Cheers!

I have combined and modified codes from Twitter's API and Facebook Connect in order to create a working sample that would let webpage viewers to share or publish a link (from a certain site) to their Twitter and Facebook accounts - simultaneously.

For the Twitter login, I prefer to use oAuth, since Basic authorization/authentication is very unsecure and would be terminated soon.

Here are some helpful developer links to get you started Ü

Facebook Connect
Facebook Connect
Facebook Connect Tutorial1
Connect/Demos

Twitter
Twitter API wiki
Beginner’s Guide to OAuth – Part I: Overview
Twitter-async

Of course, a few modification of my code would let you update your status using a dynamic text, but I'll leave that task to you.

Cheers!