It has been way too long since I have gone out and interviewed a shining star in the Android community, so what better way to bring this series back then by reaching out to Jake Klinker, developer for Sliding Messaging. If you are unfamiliar with Jake’s work, it has been my officially unofficial app of 2013 so far, and for darn good reason. It is a messaging app, based of Google’s own that comes on stock Android devices, but with a new look and a ton of awesome features.

I know plenty of our readers have taken a liking to it, so I reached out to Jake to see if he would like to do a quick ten question interview for DL. He is a very active guy, currently in school, but is somehow making the time to create apps, answer people’s questions, and be there for the community. But enough of all this, welcome back to The Tato Series. 

Droid Life:  What’s your name and current occupation? (If in school, what’s your major?)

Jake:  Jake Klinker. I am currently a freshman at the University of Iowa studying computer engineering.

DL:  What interested you about developing for Android? How did you get started in developing?

Jake:  I got started developing in high school by taking a couple programming classes and I realized that it was something I had a natural talent for. I was always an Android guy, not a fan of Apple at all, so naturally I picked it as my platform of choice.

DL:  Is Sliding Messaging your first app?

Jake:  Sliding Messaging isn’t my first app, I’ve made a couple of others. One of them was for swimmers and converting times from yards to meters, and I also looked into making a game called Squarez. It wasn’t much of a hit though, but it made me really want to keep trying to see if I could create something useful that others would enjoy.

DL:  What’s the story behind Sliding Messaging? What did you not see in the stock app that you wanted in Sliding?

Jake:  Sliding Messaging really started when I saw the twitter client Falcon Pro. I loved the app and the navigation scheme, and I thought that was exactly how a messaging app should feel! It was a quick and easy way to switch between messages. A lot of people have told me that its a lot like the Google Talk app, but in reality, I’ve never used that app before and had never even seen it in action. The whole idea really all came right out of my head and into code.

DL:  Did you expect such positive feedback from the public for your app?

Jake:  To tell you guys the truth, I never planned on publishing the app at all. I really made it because I was bored over my Spring Break and put all of the base together over about a week. My brother convinced me to publish it and I sure am glad that I did. It seems that there are a lot of people out there who like the idea and that makes me happy! I never expected it to turn into much, just posted a quick thread on XDA and it took off from there. I was so surprised when I started getting all of the feedback and have been trying to fix most people’s issues since. Makes me happy to know that others are using it and enjoying it.

DL:  What can we expect in terms of the future of you and your apps?

Jake:  As for the future, I am doing my best currently to fix bugs and at the same time, adding new features that people are asking me for. Currently I’m working on adding a per contact notification system for even more customization. That’s a big feature that people have been looking for. After that, I will work on some speed optimizations as that is the main problem holding many back. For me, the app flies on my phone and its actually faster than the stock app. But for people with a ton of messages in their inbox, there have been some problems, so I would love to fix that for everyone. It actually may require an almost complete rewrite of the code, so that will take a lot of time, but it should be worth it. After that, I will begin working on MMS as long as I don’t get too many new requests and ideas that I like. Right now, the problem with MMS is that Google hasn’t done any support with it in the APIs, so I am having to look into the CyanogenMod messaging app and trying to figure out how it sends and receives MMS. That will be a very lengthy process, so I am saving it until I have more time. School has kept me very busy lately so I don’t have time to add big features like that.

DL:   If there was another app that you would want to tackle, what would it be?

Jake:  Right now, I’m not thinking about new apps, but when the time comes and I am happy with where Sliding Messaging is at, I may begin something else. What I really like to do is take Google apps (which in my opinion are really amazing looking apps), and emulate the look along with adding features to improve it.

DL:  Any words of advice for other young/new developers?

Jake:  For those of you starting out developing either in school or just for fun, just know that it can sometimes be very hard to get started, but there are so many people out there on the Internet willing to share knowledge. If you get stuck, Google it and chances are someone else has the answer. Google has done an amazing job of documenting APIs, so be sure sure to check those out when you have problems or get stuck. Use your resources and you will have a much easier time! I taught all of this stuff to myself and its paid off. Someday I hope to get a job doing this for a living because its what I love to do.

DL:  What’s your current phone?

Jake:  Right now, I’m using a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, but I recently bought two Nexus 4′s and I may be switching carriers away from Sprint so that I can use a GSM phone. Could never switch away from a developer phone now that I’ve used one for a while though.

DL:  Any last words for the Android community?

Jake:  I don’t like last words, makes me feel like you’ll never hear from me again and that’s not the way I like to leave things. Instead, I’ll close with this – expect lots of updates in the future! You guys that have paid for the pro version will always have priority on requested features and I will do everything I can to accommodate them! Thanks for downloading the app!

If you still haven’t checked out his app, you can grab it through Google Play for just $0.99.

The Tato Series Returns: An Interview With the Developer of Sliding Messaging is a post from: Droid Life

Droid Life is a site that was built on a passion for Android, especially its incarnation in the OG DROID. Back when I was still sporting the OG I remember coming across The Mobile Panda. Between blog posts and trolling podcasts, @black_man_x, as he’s known on Twitter, used to drop hints about future products and help out regular users. I’ve always appreciated his perspective on mobile, so I thought our lovely community of readers would enjoy the chance to read more about the Panda’s perspective on a variety of topics. 

Most readers know you for giving out advice and tips about Verizon devices and the occasional Panda poem. Why did you decide to engage with customers?

In my past life alot of the information that I was seeing (in terms of the products and services that the nation’s largest carrier was providing) was in my opinion lacking.  Loving the tech that was out there, I wanted to debate, talk, and rant with other lovers of mobile.  The Panda was actually an idea from a friend of mine that understood that even Clark Kent needed to protect his paycheck.  Being the Panda isn’t just one person I like to think of it as a mantle. Batman has his cowl and cape, pandas have our bamboo, Twitter, blogs, and forums to combat mobile injustice.

Is Verizon still your carrier of choice?

I have lines on most major carriers, except Sprint.   My personal line is still on Verizon, but with Google Voice my number goes where I do and I suspend what I am not using at the time.  As you can imagine, reconciling my phone bill is quite the exercise in math and paper management.

What phone is your current daily driver?

Currently I am using a GSM Galaxy Nexus on AT&T, but I have been showing the HTC ONE X a lot of love as well. The S3 is also on deck.  I am currently debating if I want to pull the trigger on a Nokia Lumia 900; I am, after all, a lover of all mobile.

How do you feel about manufacturer skins and customizations? Which do you like the most, and why? 

In the past it was needed, badly.  If anyone remembers Windows Mobile you know that is how HTC got started. Sense (originally TouchFlo) was a godsend to those that wanted an easy to use experience from a device/OS that wasn’t user friendly. Android was the same way: pick up a G1 and use it for ten minutes and you will beg for Touchwiz or Sense.  The Android team has improved the UI and with ICS they’re pushing the focus from function to form.

In terms of skins, I think that HTC has the right idea. Why work so hard to skin and put your hooks into everything if the stock experience is already stellar?  HTC has scaled back and pushed their focus to things like the camera and audio.  With the new version of Touchwiz, Samsung is adding amazing services like S-Voice that take Android and build upon it.  Moto… well they stumbled out the block a bit, but I think feedback on the ICS Blur experience will be positive.

How do you think Google feels about manufacturer skins/customizations? Obviously without the manufacturers Android would not be the success it is today, but that doesn’t mean Google likes skins or the delays in updates. 

As I said before, the Android experience is about the customer. When it comes to vendor customizations, based on sales they seem to love it.  Sammy is the biggest phone company in the world with the S3 preorders reaching 10 million and HTC Sense devices like the ONE series are flying off the shelf.  The Nexus or stock device types are there for the power users, but for Android to continue its growth and become the power that it is we need to capture the mind share and heart of the average consumer walking into their Verizon, AT&T or O2 store.  HTC’s skin took a weather widget and made it an icon for their experience. A lot of people see that clock today either on a HTC device or a widget like Beautiful Widgets and say “hey is that an EVO?” That is the power of customized experience.

As for delays in devices getting updated, consumers need to understand these are not simply “skins” like you would see with Launcher Pro, Nova, or other experiences in the Play Store. These are in every way custom devices running complex software on an Android base. To make a small change requires lots of work to ensure you don’t break something.  A lot of people wonder how ROM makers can get an ICS Sense ROM working before HTC, but they have never had to deal with Verizon’s certification process.

Google has been accused of straying from its mantra of Don’t Do Evil. How do Googlers interpret that mantra? What does it mean for a company like Google to not do evil? 

That motto was built on the premise of a startup mind frame. As a now publicly traded company with commitments to shareholders and our partners, I am sure people understand that there are business choices made that may not be popular.  I don’t make those choices, but I understand. Apple has some of the highest public ratings and their products make people happy. Heck, I watch their commercials and I want to call my mom and hug a tree, but ask a Foxconn worker two years ago what they thought of Apple (or better yet ask their spouse!).  It’s all about prospective in the end.

In the past I’ve suggested that Google should offer services and products for money instead of advertisements. What are your thoughts on offering products for money vs ads? 

Google’s business model is built on ad services.  While some users are concerned about how their data is used, I think the privacy standards recently clarified outline the company’s stance in an easy to understand format.  While the idea of paying for services is intriguing, I do not believe it would work. As history has shown, asking someone to pay for something that was free yesterday to protect a concept like user data that they do not understand fully only leads to confusion.  Once you take the profit model out of Android development, what is a company like Google’s reason to continue to put resources and money into improving it?  Eyeballs drive profits.

Google’s relationship with carriers has changed over time. What role do you think carriers should take in the mobile industry? 

I would like carriers to be a data pipe that fully embrace the ideals of net neutrality. Just give us the data and let us do what we like with it. I think that alot of people that say that really don’t understand what that would entail, though.  As we approach using more and more valuable spectrum, we face ever rising data prices, caps and throttling.  Paying 30 bucks a month and using 24 GB of high speed data may sound fun now, but wait till your data bill reflects the true cost. It won’t be pretty.  With coverage becoming secondary to exclusive devices and services, it’s no longer about “Can you hear me now,” but “Can I pay that bill now.” I would be interested to see what T-Mobile and Sprint do with their upcoming LTE networks.

It seems like every year the phone screens get bigger and bigger. Was the Dell Streak just before it’s time? Why do you think manufacturers are making bigger phones? 

I once thought a 4.3 inch screen was way too big, yet I am currently using 4.65, 4.7 and 5.3 inch devices along with a 10.1 inch tablet!  The Streak was truly before its time, but if anyone wants one I may throw mine on Swappa! I think that the push for bigger screens is due to people wanting to maximize the experiences that LTE and other 4G technologies enable like Netflix, Hulu and other video services. With the Note and the S Pen, Samsung truly changed what a large screen smartphone experience could be like. The phablet is a great alternative for those that want a cutting edge phone and don’t want to double dip on an iPad or Android tablet.  The success of the Note shows that customers want it and we see others are following suit.

John Gruber theorized that phone screens are bigger to accommodate the larger LTE chips and batteries. Is there any truth to that?

In the past that was a bit of the reason. Early CDMA/LTE internals were a bit bulky, to say the least. The main reason was to highlight the things that LTE lets a customer do such as real video, real web browsing and Skype. All of those activities look better on a big honkin’ screen. Hell, the EVO 4G came with a kickstand just in case anyone needed a hint!  But with SOCs like the S4 and the upcoming Tegra3 with LTE, it’s clear that you can have 4G data, great battery life and a thin and light device. It’s just the nature of hardware improving.

While there are some LTE phones like the RAZR MAXX and HTC One X that have good battery life, most phones still struggle. Is this a hardware or a software issue? 

The RAZR has a 3300 mAh battery. If you put that in any device it’s going to have great battery life. The S4 GSM /LTE SOC is an amazing chipset and very battery-friendly. As we see new devices using newer hardware along with operating systems that manage power consumption more effectively it will only get better.

Apple released Siri as a beta last year and now Samsung has tried to create a competitor called S-Voice. In your opinion is this kind of voice automated personal assistant a real competitive feature or just a gimmic like 3D? 

Services like Siri and S-voice allow users to interact with the one device they use most in a more personal way. Anything that can get you to love your mobile device makes me a happy Panda.   3D just made my head hurt. I prefer my 3D in theaters or my TV, not on a device I look at hundreds of times a day.

Google has struggled to get market share in the tablet space. Why do you think that is? 

In any new space there will be growing pains.  With the success of the iPad it’s clear that consumers will buy a tablet if they are presented with an easy-to-use, familiar experience.  Remember, there had been Windows tablets for years before the iPad existed. Apple did it right by encouraging creativity and that same comfortable user experience that made the iPhone an icon in the phone space.

Honeycomb wasn’t that same experience; it was what I like to called the “old” Android. Fun and easy to use for the geeks, but not easy to pick up and play for regular people.  Presented with an iPad next to a Xoom, 7 out of 10 average customers will be up and running with iPad in ten minutes.  That same group would be trying to find the browser on the Xoom and looking for a menu option to show the menu. Hence, returns were high and customer frustration was higher.  As ICS and the next versions of Android come to tablets, that ease-of-use factor will change.

There is still a dearth of tablet app options in the Play Store. What can Google do to change that? 

Developer relations and conferences like the upcoming IO will highlight some of the powerful tools coming to Android as well as the gaining market share of the platform. As market share in the tablet market grows with devices on multiple hardware and price levels, I think that developers will see that being the one of the “must have” Android tablet apps instead of one of the sea of millions iPad apps is attractive and profitable.

Do you see Google Glass as more of a hobby or part of the future of technology? 

Glasses or the technology and ideas that come from that will hopefully play a large part in the technology of the future. If it doesn’t then heck, maybe we can all get pairs for paintball, real life Call of Duty style.

Why do you think Google is getting involved in seemingly random technologies like a self-driving car and glasses? 

They are not random. Projects like Glass and the car thing provide benefits that are at first apparent, but think about how a self-driving car will help auto makers design cars with better crash prevention, help my grandma get to the market, or just look cool. Or think about how a pair of glasses will help provide a world of data at the blink of an eye to a doctor in an ER?  Thinking outside the box is what makes life fun.

What do you think the future of computing looks like? 

Twenty years ago some of the technology we take for granted was thought impossible.  I envision the line of what is considered mobile technology to be blurred beyond belief.  Most people I know don’t have home phones because they only use a cell phone. As services such as mobile payments, NFC and WiFi-direct become common, companies like Apple, HTC, Samsung, Microsoft and even RIM will be able to give to users that Minority Report future all of us geeks dream of. I just hope I can see the second golden age of mobile. Of course I’m sure I will still be looking for a charger.

The interview now done a panda grows glum for all the answers are given, but IO awaits and Android’s next(us) fate will be revealed.

But a Panda has faith because Matias is great and bells and whistles will amaze.

Be it a tablet or Phablet you will see real magic of sweet dessert delights.

Against fruit that grows stale or Metro products that pale, just know the green guy will prevail.

For rabid are the fans from all carrier brands and countries all over the map

 Because with growth like a rocket, any that knock it shall feel the fangs a Panda can bear…

An Interview with the Mobile Panda, @black_man_x is a post from: Droid Life

Owners of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus have surely heard the name Android Open Kang Project (AOKP). It is undoubtedly one of the most, if not thee most commonly used custom ROM available for select devices. I have had the opportunity to have a quick session with lead developer Roman Birg of AOKP and ask him some questions to get inside the mind of one of today’s top developers.  

DL: So, Roman. What started your work on the AOKP?

Roman: One day on twitter, b16 said he had a few extra Galaxy Nexus devices he was selling for a lot cheaper than stock, so I jumped on it. I’ve been doing ROMs for a little over a year now and I was eager to play with AOSP again, so I jumped on the offer, quick. A couple days after I got it, I released AOKP build 1, and I sort of add features around what I want personally, and AOSP just didn’t do it, so I just started adding things as I saw fit and it just sort of went from there…

DL: What’s your background in development in general? Do you have proper schooling in that or are you all self-taught? It seems like a lot of the Android devs out there these days pumping out ROMs have all just picked up their skills from fellow developers.

Roman: I’m a Computer Science major at college (and they teach Java), but I don’t think any college courses helped me with Android, maybe with a little bit of Java coding, but Android is just so much more than that.

DL: So what got you into Android development in the first place?

Roman: After I got a Samsung Vibrant, I was just flashing everything I could for a couple months. After a while, I wasn’t satisfied with something a ROM developer had done and I wanted to change it to how it was before. it just snow balled from there – I started doing a little theming. Then I started smali hacking and adding new features.

DL: So your first Android device was the Vibrant?

Roman: Yes and no, I found a G1 for like $90 on eBay a few months prior to getting my Vibrant. I’m pretty sure I didn’t even have the G1 24 hours before rooting and putting CyanogenMod on it.

DL: Nice - So do you also work full time alongside development on Android or have you made Android your full time? It seems you put so much work into AOKP that you wouldn’t have time for anything else.

Roman: Actually, I’m a full time student at college, and I was working 20 hours a week until about a week ago.

DL: What were you doing for work? Anything exciting?

Roman: I was working for a network research lab at school. It’s not as exciting as Android.

DL: What do you see in the future for your work on Android? Any goals you have set for yourself?

Roman: Ideally, I’d love to make ROMs as a job, but unfortunately, that doesn’t pay nearly enough to sustain anyone. However! Very soon, I’ll be starting to develop Android Apps. I could definitely see myself doing that in the future. Hopefully I have some success doing that.

DL: So, what types of apps are looking to make?

Roman: I’ve actually started working on my first app just yesterday. I’m working closely with the guys at RootzWiki to bring something (hopefully) awesome for all ROM fiends. It’s tentatively named RootzBox.

DL: Hmm, RootzBox? Can you give us a little hint as to what the app’s purpose is?

Roman: It’s still early in it’s planning and development, but the idea is to make everything related to ROMs easier on the user. We’ve got some nice features planned that will make the app unique and Rootz-worthy .

DL: Nice, be sure to keep us posted on that. So what do you think it is that has made AOKP so tremendously popular among users? Did you plan on creating a ROM that would make people even put CyanogenMod in the backseat for a bit?

Roman: Honestly, I had no idea it would get as big as it has. I do this all for fun, so I was just doing whatever — adding a feature here and there, whatever I felt like doing at the time. Ever since I started playing with ROMs, I’ve always been about options and user-choice. So after a while, I had a toggle for this and I had a toggle for that. People are able customize their phone and make it feel different than others. Furthermore, the community involvement has just been amazing, which is more than any ROM dev could want. People submit code to add a feature, or maybe improve on a feature that’s already been added. AOKP would be nothing without those who’ve contributed (Zaphod-Beeble, Whitehawkx, sethyx, Khas-Mek, and ProTekk just to name a few).

And on the subject of CyanogenMod – I just want to point out that I’m not in any way trying to compete with them. While AOKP is made from pure AOSP, we wouldn’t be able to get AOKP on any phone that’s not supported by AOSP without CyanogenMod and all of the people who contribute to it.

DL: So right off the top of your head, what types of features are you hoping to bring to future versions of AOKP? Anything you want to do but don’t have the ability, or means to quite yet? Anything like that on your mind lately?

Roman: I would love to be able to add a theme manager (like the T-Mobile one that CM7 had), but I don’t know nearly enough to accomplish something like that. More realistically, I think we’d be able to add a way for the user to change the color scheme of the whole ROM. Right now you can change the color of your clock, signal text, and a few other things, but I’d love to let the user be able to pick a color, and their whole phone be in that color.

DL: That’s something everyone has been hoping for. Okay, so I have to ask – What’s the deal with the pink unicorns?

Roman: Whitehawkx and I have a T-Mo SGS2 ROM and it has ROM Control kind of like AOKP, but it’s much more limited since we’re smali-hacking all the features in. Anyways, one day we were just joking around and thought it’d be really awesome to make pink unicorn our ‘logo.’ Before we know it, one of our friends, kwes, makes us a unicorn logo and Rascarlo makes us that boot animation. And it just stuck.

DL: Just last night I went to apply my favorite live wallpaper Phase Beam and noticed it had been replaced by cute pink unicorn heads dancing on my screen. Fabulous!

Roman: That was actually a user-contribution! We all loved it when we saw it, there’s no way I couldn’t not include it. It’s definitely fabulous.

DL: Awesome. Well to wrap it up, is there anything else you want to say to the community, users, fellow devs or anything?

Roman: We’re all here to learn and make our devices better. Users: don’t be afraid to ask questions and be as nice as you can to other users (I remember when I was deathly afraid of posting in fear of being scowled for asking something that was answered 10,000 pages back). Developers: open source is what drives this community, keep it that way.

DL: Excellent, thanks for talking with us!

Roman: May the kang be with you.

If you want to learn more about the AOKP or give it a go on your device, you can find downloads and all the info you will ever need over the AOKP site. Interested in reading other developer interviews we have held? Then you can search through here and find them all.

Interview: Roman Birg, Lead Developer of the Android Open Kang Project is a post from: Droid Life

I was fortunate enough to snag some time with an upcoming developer who’s work can be found for many HTC Thunderbolt devices if they search hard enough through the forums. The neat thing about this developer is that they are an incredible multi-tasker just like the platform they work on. A mother, full-time worker, and part-time Android developer. Impressive. Her name is Misty and she goes by Liquidzgrl on the web, and she creates ROMs and themes for the Thunderbolt.

Down below you can read my conversation with her on starting to develop, being a mom and still having time for a hobby, and possibly being the only underground Android developer who just so happens to be a girl.

DL: To start it off – what’s your name and what is it that you do?

Misty: My name is Misty. Better known by my Android alias, Liquidzgrl. I currently work full-time as a CSR in the utility industry. I’ve been with popular Android developer, Liquid0624 for 11 years now and we have 1 son together. I make boot-animations and other fun graphics for Android and have recently started getting into ROM development and am also experimenting with app development.

DL: Excellent. So what got you into Android in the first place?

Misty: Well, I am a former Blackberry user here. Liquid0624 purchased the OG Droid while I was left in the dust with my paperweight. I loved the capabilities that the Android system had to offer. Once I saw how amazing the graphics were I started my quest into the Android world with inspiration from ChevyNo1 and his Simply Stunning ROM. I never really had any formal background in computer programming although starting at age 14 I did start self study of C++ and VB.net a few years later. I started playing around with boot-animations at first for Chevy but then when Liquid0624 starting getting more involved into ROM development I followed quickly behind like a pesky fly wanting to know all about it so he has been helping me learn more and grow with Android Development myself now. I absolutely love being able to do what I want and have that control of my phone. I couldn’t contain myself any longer once I purchased my HTC Thunderbolt. I wanted to root in the worst way the bloat was getting to me. Though I think all the ROMs out there are amazing none of them were what I wanted so my journey truly began and i decided my goal was to make what I want happen and then root so that is just what I did. Going forward, the possibilities are endless and I love it!

DL: So, do you know of any other girl developers in the Android ROM community? You might be the only one!

Misty: No, I think I might be the only one at least for right now. There could be others out there but certainly none that I know of directly or that have been publicly mentioned. Maybe I’ll start a new trend. Now that I have released my first Rom, Liquid Thundersense V2.0 and some of those who have tried it are commenting as to how well it works and how much they like it, I am hoping it will easy the anxiety of some who are cautious to trust the development abilities of a woman.

DL: So what exactly was lacking from other ROMs that you are delivering in your ROM?

Misty: Actually, this one is an interesting twist on things. The other ROMs were lacking the basic stock only feel that I was seeking. The other ones had more than I wanted in them. So as a newly rooted user my ROM was created to be appealing to those who want the best of Stock minus bloat plus the speed and a ROM that makes newer rooting users feel more comfortable with the transition into the rooted android world.

DL: So where would you like to see your development in the future? Going to pursue making ROMs? Or would you like to do something else?

Misty: My future ambitions are still a work in progress at this time. I will be continuing ROM development but I would like to learn more about application development as well. I want to be well rounded in all aspects of Android development maybe with the exception of kernels. My current project is a ROM style similar to my first release but for Gingerbread. Basically, it’s going to be a new and re-designed Liquid Gingersense ROM with a new name for the new Dev. In addition, maybe it will be even better that my 1st for 2 reasons. 1= My experience is growing 2= I now have the added support of my team (TeamLiquid)

DL: About how much time would you say is spent on Android in any given week? Hard to juggle being a mother, having a job, and Android as a hobby?

Misty: Harder than I could ever even begin to describe! Being a mother is a full time job. I work a full time job. Android as my hobby though I would like to devote more time to it, sadly I must put it on the back burner. The time I spend on Android work in any given week varies so extremely it is hard to pinpoint a number as a generalized answer. I’d say on a good week 10-20 hours and a bad week less than 10.

DL: That’s got to be intense.

Misty: Indeed.

DL: Do you think Android will be around when your son grows up? Maybe he can be the next big ROM Developer? Going to teach him to code at an early age?

Misty: I definitely think Android will be around when he grows up though by then it might just have the capability to go to work for me. *laughs* Maybe he can be the next big ROM Developer? Absolutely, he has the potential to do anything that he sets his mind too. We all do! Am I going to teach him code at an early age? I may not have to, he watches Daddy(Liquid0624) and me and has started reading internet tutorials already without any suggestion from us.
He longs to hold the LiquidJR title in the community.

DL: Nice. We look forward to his work. Keep us posted on any future development. Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us!

Misty: And thank you and all the other great developers out there who have also helped get me here today! Everyone watch for releases and upcoming work from me and our team!

_______________________________________

It’s been a long time since we had one of these and it reminds me that there are so many people out there that spend lots of their free time, to help people enjoy their devices to their full potential. Developers like Misty and her husband are good people that deserve some gratitude. So on behalf of the DL community, a big thanks to all the developers/themers out there that don’t make a living off this, but still sacrifice the time and energy for the love of it.

If you want to follow Misty on Twitter, you can find her here. Interested in flashing her ROM? Then check it out here. Learn more about their work at their website.

More of this series can be found here.

The Tato Series: An Interview With Liquidzgrl – One of the Few Female Android Developers is a post from: Droid Life

It’s been too long since we’ve done a developer interview here at Droid Life, and you won’t believe how many emails and tweets I get asking that we bring it back. When we ran a poll on which custom ROM users were using on their OG DROID, I saw that the majority of readers were using Project Elite, even more than CM7. I knew that I would soon be reaching out to the developer for an interview, and here it is.

Greg (“Actngrezy”) was a pleasure to chat with, and we’ll definitely be keeping good track of his future releases for all our readers. We’ve heard nothing but good coming from P.E. users, so be on the lookout for it if you haven’t already tried it.   

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Tato: So can you introduce yourself and give everyone here the run down on what it is you do?

Greg:  My name is Greg Maahs and I go by Actngrezy or Greg, I develop a custom rom that goes by the name of Project Elite for the original Motorola DROID (Good ol’ trustee). I would also like to point out that mojo_droid is a co-developer of P.E. and there are others that help as well.

Tato:  Ahh, yes. Project Elite is very well known in the OG DROID community. How long have you been developing for the DROID?

Greg: I got the DROID in Feb of 2010 and couldn’t help but notice everyone talking about rooting and having features that weren’t available with stock software so I began to research and dabble about a week after purchasing, but did not actually begin to really do anything as far as ROMs until July which were just tweaks for myself and a select few friends.

Tato: So how did you learn about making ROMs and doing tweaks? Do you have a background in development?

Greg:  Well at first I was just making tweaks and edits to the OTA software and leaks. I started reading day and night, bought books, and more books. I read everything I could online from more knowledgable people and couldnt keep myself away. Then after releasing the first version I realized I needed to build from source if I wanted to actually do anything that would be interesting. At first I had help from different members in the community getting started.

Liquid was there to help me and show me alot about compiling from source. Other members from the android community like Koveleski, Gurluvsdroid, Cereal Killer, etc helped me get P.E. off the ground and continued to help and support the project. From then on I just kept up with reading about Android, Java, and trial and error of course. I didnt have a background in mobile platform development but went to school for computer science so I had the basic c++ and other courses that helped me a little but nothing as far as developing anything like Project Elite.

Tato:  That’s wonderful! When I talk to our readers about Project Elite, they have nothing but nice things to say. What do you think makes P.E. different from the many other different custom ROMs available for the DROID?

Greg:  Thats a tough question. There are so many great ROMs and developers out there. I honestly never expected P.E to even come anywhere near as far as it has. Especially with ROMs like CyanogenMod, LGB, Simply Stunning its hard to even think P.E. can compare to any of those. I think one of the main differences is that I feel like P.E. is a team effort. Without the support from others like Gurluvsdroid who’s always around on the forums to help out with questions, help from other developers at times, Mojo_droid who helps with development and maintains the website,many others on the forums who are always around to help and users who voice their input Project Elite wouldnt be what it is. I definitely try to read and see what the users want as long as it can be implmented without impacting the performance of the ROM. I try to include their feedback and suggestions into the ROM so I think those are the factors that help out a lot.

Tato: We love a good team effort around here. Where do you think the future of your developing is going? Anything new on the horizon?

Greg:  I would like to expand and build for other phones/devices. I would have already but I really feel like I should have the phone that I develop for. If I have the phone, I can test for something specific or need to log something or throw something in and I have the device then I can. If I do not have the device then I’m relying on someone else which isn’t a bad thing but I feel more comfortable if I could do the intial testing. The worst is releasing something that has problems which could have been prevented. I am eligable for upgrade but just waiting for the right phone to come along or if I got my hands on an older phone then Project Elite would expand.

Tato:  So expanding and developing on more phones is your goal. That’s great. So is this a full time job for you, or do you have day job and this is the hobby?

Greg:  This is a hobby. It would be nice to do this fulltime. Actually this is going to sound kind of funny but I am now a plumber. I fell into an opportunity for decent money a few years ago and while I would love to move back into the computer field, for now I am a plumber. I have been working alot lately which hasn’t allowed me much time to play with Android as much as I would like to, but a recent job change will open up more time for me to work on Android stuff again.

Tato:  Oh wow. Well everyone needs plumbers. No flack there. What did you do before your current occupation?

Greg:  I worked at General Motors. There was a plant where I live but all the plants on the East Coast started to close which forced all the younger people out of a job because everyone with senority moved to the plant I was working at. Of course I was one of those younger people so I was out the door.

Tato:  And how old are you?

Greg:  I will be 29 in August.

Tato:  Is there anything you wish Android had which you think it lacks currently?

Greg:  Not so much Android, but maybe Google to enforce their open source policy on manufactures and carriers. I just don’t feel its fair that they can take an open source platform and try and close it down. While I know this is probably about politics and money since they are a business  but it would be nice to see. While that wasn’t so much an answer geared towards features and Android, that is the one thing I would like to see happen with Android powered devices.

Tato:  Well, in closing, is there anything you would want to say to the readers, or anyone else reading?

Greg:  Well I’d like to thank everyone that helped make Project Elite possible. Without the developers from the Cyanogen team, and people like cvpcs, p3, Birdman, b16a2smith, JRummy, Droid Life, forums and others that are in the forefront of the android developing community android wouldn’t be what it is today. Also with these people and others such as Koveleski, Gurluvsdroid, Mojo, Liquid, Peter Alfonso, Cereal Killer and many others Project Elite would not have been possible. Especially the users, themers, etc. I wish I could name everyone. I would just like to thank everyone for all the help and support Project Elite has received and I hope to continue to bring great roms and contributions to the Android community as a whole.

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If you wanna know more about Greg and stay up to date on Project Elite, follow him on Twitter. More importantly, if you’re a DROID owner, check out the Project Elite ROM.

Thanks again everyone for all of your previous feedback concerning developer interviews. If you would like to request/submit an interview then just email me at timotato at droid-life dot com.

The Tato Series: An Interview With Actngrezy, Developer of Project Elite is a post from: Droid Life

Sorry it has been so long everyone. Let me tell you, it isn’t like I’ve been sitting on my butt not doing anything. I’ve been working hard! That IRC isn’t gonna manage itself, you know! So I have told a few of you that this was coming, and there was a general excitement. I myself have been excited because it isn’t everyday that the ‘Average Joe’ such as myself gets to talk to the Big Wigs that basically created everything we in the nice ‘lil underground community love and abuse daily.

Koush is responsible for many things. The list seems endless. So instead of me trying to explain and talk about things that I hardly try to comprehend, (I leave it to the Devs) why don’t we just read what the man himself has to say…

Come on in and read.  

Tim-o-tato: Hey Koush! Thanks for letting me set this up! Mind telling us your name and what it is you do for the readers who may not know you?

Koush: Hey, I’m Koushik Dutta. Most people know me for my work on ROM Manager, ClockworkMod Recovery, and CyanogenMod for Droid and Incredible. I also work with the Unrevoked team that was responsible for the NAND unlocks for HTC phones. I’ve also ported Mono to Android, and other random Android stuff (rooting the G1, etc).

Tim-o-tato: So basically you’re one of the most well known names in underground Android Development. You’ve done so much already. How did you first get into it all?

Koush: I was in the Windows Mobile world prior to Android. Did mostly app development on that, and didn’t really get into the custom ROM scene. Windows Mobile started dying off, and I jumped into Android when the G1 was released. As I mentioned before, a coworker and I discovered how to exploit the console shell to get root access on the phone. Shortly thereafter, I wrote the first (crappy) version of Superuser.

Tim-o-tato: That’s amazing. So it’s not like anyone can just jump into this stuff. Where have you learned all these skills? School? Natural ‘gift’?

Koush: The 10,000 hours rule. Do anything for 10,000 hours and you’ll be successful or “world class” at it (Outliers). I’ve been writing code in one fashion or another since 6th grade.

Tim-o-tato: That is what amazes me the most. The age some of you all start out at. My 6th grade experience had nothing to do with Tech stuff. I think Pokemon might have had my attention. Sad I know, but it paid for my candy addiction. Do you come from a Tech-Savvy family?

Koush: Not particularly. My dad is an engineer I guess, but he still looks at the keyboard when he types.

Tim-o-tato: So while doing all of these things (must be time constraining) do you have a day job or are you a student?

Koush: I have a full time job as a software engineer at Kiha. We do Android stuff.

Tim-o-tato: Lucky you. What would you say has been the most rewarding aspect of all your work on Android?

Koush: I really get a kick out of seeing the download counts on the stuff we work on… CyanogenMod 6 had 100k+ downloads within 2 days of release (across however many phones we now support). ROM Manager has 270k downloads. It’s a nice feeling knowing that people appreciate your stuff.

Tim-o-tato: I’m sure everyone MORE than appreciates it. Your work gives added value to a phone(s) that already cost us all a pretty penny in some to most cases. To me that seems like an invaluable thing. What are some things you would like to accomplish in the future of your work?

Koush: A huge portion of users still use forums as their primary way of downloading ROMs. I am in the process of adding a “ROM to Phone” type feature to ROM Manager. Basically, a user is browsing a ROM thread on their computer, decides they want to download it and clicks the link. The link would then trigger a download in ROM Manager on the phone. The other idea I had is to create a home screen app; One that is not based off the AOSP launcher, and that would utilize fantastic 3d hardware found in newer phones.

Tim-o-tato: Now that would kick a**! What device are you yourself personally using these days?

Koush: A Nexus One and an iPhone 4

Tim-o-tato: iPhone4? Please explain this atrocity…

Koush: I just grab whichever one I see first in the morning. But I always grab the N1 if I plan on needing driving directions.

Tim-o-tato: But why do you have one in the first place, I mean.  I’ll admit the games are better…but really?!?

Koush: Yeah, I get that reaction a lot. I’m not really a zealot when it comes to hardware/software, on mobile or otherwise. I have several Windows and Mac desktops/laptops. I have an iPad, I have a half dozen Android phones. I like gadgets, and don’t really have a religious affinity to one or another. At the end of the day, the iPhone has fantastic hardware and software, and it has a lot of features that Android can and should aspire towards. In particular, all the in-window rendering in Android is done in software, rather than using the GPU. You’ll notice that animations and transitions on iPhone are noticeably smoother than on Android due to this. The music app and syncing story is a little sad on Android too. Conversely, Android is much, much, better as a development platform. The language and tools are better, market is better, the openness is better, and I am super excited about the new official MonoDroid product that will be released shortly. Basically, not allowing yourself to see what is good about one platform or another and just being a blind follower, limits you.

Tim-o-tato: Amen to that. I really couldn’t agree more. I love my *cough* iPod. So may we ask your age, sir?

Koush: 29

Tim-o-tato: Nice. Excited for the big 3-0?

Koush: Not particularly.

Koush: Just turned 29 a month ago .

Tim-o-tato: Oh well you got a year to live it up! Happy belated!

Tim-o-tato: So besides the obvious (CyanogenMod) are there any Devs who you keep a close eye on for releases or work?

Koush: I watch CVPCS’ work. He does good stuff, and we’ve shared a good amount of code.

Tim-o-tato: Agreed. Excellent stuff. So for the people who might want to know; How did you get into hacking the Droid and then writing the Recovery for it? Given your background, was this a pretty easy thing for you?

Koush: I had a Droid fall into my lap at work, and was surprised to see that no one was building from-source ROMs for it yet, so I decided to give that a shot. I found out that AmonRa’s recovery was not open source, and SPRecovery wasn’t very portable to other phones. And I wanted an open source recovery that was a part of the AOSP build (which SPRecovery and AmonRA were/are not). That means, every time you build CyanogenMod or AOSP, it also builds the recovery. It makes porting the recovery to other devices really easy. I think Clockwork is running on around 30ish phones at the moment. I’d done a lot of development in C before, so that wasn’t an issue, but I was fairly unfamiliar with Android’s recovery system.

Tim-o-tato: Wow. A true innovator. Well I myself appreciate all the work you’ve done! So what’s your favorite game for your Android phone?

Koush: I actually don’t play too many games on mobile at all. Though I’m a huge PC and console gamer. The last game I played on Android was Angry Birds, a few weeks ago

Koush: I tend to prefer puzzle type games on phones.

Tim-o-tato: Ahh, I see. What computer games do you enjoy?

Tim-o-tato: Don’t say WoW…unless…you like it. Heh.

Koush: I played WoW for a few years, hah. I quit around 3 years ago though. I’m currently addicted to SC2 and Halo Reach.

Tim-o-tato: Oh yes. Halo Reach. So what is your take on Task Killers?

Koush: Don’t use them, theyre useless.

Tim-o-tato: That’s what they keep telling me

So How many emails do you receive on a daily basis?

Koush: I have 807 unread emails in my clockwork mailbox right now. I have 6500 recovery failure logs from ROM Manager. None of which i’ve read; it’s mostly user error. I just look for recurring failures and see if I can prevent or fix them. Probably on the order of 200-300 a day.

Tim-o-tato: Ay Caramba! Mr. Popular

Koush: Mr. Fix-It-Is-Broken-Or-1Star - ROM Manager has a very loveit/hateit audience. If it works, people absolutely love it. If it doesn’t work (and it is USUALLY user error), they hate it. If you look through the market comments, you’ll see its almost all 1 stars or 5 stars, haha.

Tim-o-tato: Trust me, I fix peoples ROM Manager problems all day long and it’s all user error…Gets a bit excessive. But when I was learning I had the same issues. Live and learn. Like that saying, “You can take a man fishing, etc etc.”

Koush: Exactly. Let me know if you have any ideas on how to prevent user error. IE, recurring user errors can usually be fixed by adding some diagnostics or dialogs.

Tim-o-tato: Usually people just get a “!” and triangle and have no clue what to do. Hah.

Tim-o-tato: So do you have any thoughts on the Android Community as a whole? Likes? Dislikes?

Koush: It’s a pretty cool community as a whole. Lots of collaboration on CyanogenMod and XDA. The users are very supportive of developers. The downside is that there seems to be a constant undercurrent of drama of some sort or another. Unavoidable really.

Tim-o-tato: You’re basically the top of the heap. What is your take on the Dev drama? What starts it would you say? People not giving credit, or donations? Kanging? What do you think makes it so intense at times…

Koush: Well, there are Devs and then there are “Devs”. Between the guys and gals that actually know how to write software, there’s never really any drama that I have observed. A lot of the drama tends to come from kanging, donations, etc. Money and notoriety causes a lot of friction.
I think there’s a different mentality and behavior amongst folks that actually do software engineering for a living, vs. those that just jumped into it to do custom ROMs. The internet makes it really easy to disrespect people.

Tim-o-tato: You could not be more right about the web. Trolls and disrespectful people seem to outnumber the nice hard workers. It sucks at times. But you still gotta love the interwebz.

Well in conclusion, is there ANYTHING you would like to ask the community and the Droid-Life readers?

Koush: How happy are you guys with your current launchers? Would users be interesting in buying a new non-aosp based premium launcher? And what’s the #1 problem with current launchers?

Tim-o-tato: That is a really good question…If LauncherPro had a damn infinite looping feature I would crap myself. I wanna thank you SO much for your time Koush!

Koush: No problem!

Tim-o-tato: It has been a real pleasure to have the opportunity Maybe if youre not to busy we can see ya around Droid-Life sometime

Koush: I read the site regularly!

Tim-o-tato: Thanks again Koush. I really appreciate it.

Koush: No problem, thanks!

Tim-o-tato: Talk soon!

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It’s always very relieving when I realize that most of these guys are very down to Earth, just insanely smart people. As before mentioned, he started in 6th grade. Makes me seem like I’ve basically got no chance….*plays tiny violin*

But enough with the sob story. I’m going to be hitting the streets even harder now for interviews and inside info on today’s Android developers, but not just underground, I’m going to the source! Google Corp! If you or someone you know is a Dev and want a shot at getting your story posted for all to read – Email me! timotato @ droid-life dot com.

-Tim-o-tato

Discover what makes Koush tick by following him @koush | Read my past interviews with todays top Devs!

The Tato Series: An Interview With Koush Dutta is a post from: Droid Life

So, anyone who knows me should know two things about me:  I love Sapphire and I love me some good ol’ LauncherPro.  When it comes to launchers though there are lots of choices other than LP like ADW, Stock, Helix, and the list goes on. Well we took a poll a lil’ while ago to show what our readers were using then, (Time for an updated poll? I think so!) but there was one launcher missing from that list that lately has pretty much wiped the floor with the competition. That Launcher, is none other than LauncherPro.

Besides ADW, LauncherPro is the definitive Home replacement application. With a widely growing list of widgets and customizable  features…who could argue? I have been fortunate enough to score some time with the man behind the app, Mr. Federico Carnales. Please enjoy this as much as I did; he was a sincere pleasure to talk to!  

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Tim-o-tato: Hi Fede! Thanks so much for ‘sitting down with me’! Mind giving us your name and occupation?

Fede: Thanks for having me, Tim. My name is Federico Carnales, and I’m a full time, self-employed developer of LauncherPro.

Tim-o-tato: And what a great App it is! So how long have you been working on LauncherPro?

Fede: Why, thanks!  I started working on it April of this year.

Tim-o-tato: So from April it has become one of the most downloaded apps in the market place. Surprised with this success?

Fede: Quite a bit…I hoped it would get popular, but I didn’t expect it to become so popular so fast! It’s been a wild few months!

Tim-o-tato: I can only imagine! What made you want to begin this project?

Fede: Well, I really liked the idea of HTC Sense’s launcher, bringing the most used apps of your phone right to the home screen. But I didn’t have an HTC phone, and my phone at the time didn’t support custom ROMs (Motorola Milestone). So in short, the idea behind LauncherPro was to bring an experience similar to HTC Sense, to any phone by any manufacturer. Funny thing is, now I have tons of users who ditched Sense for LauncherPro

Tim-o-tato: Ouch! That poor Milestone. So since you have a Milestone, you must be from out of the States. Where are you located exactly?

Fede: I’m originally from Uruguay, but currently live in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Tim-o-tato: So in Argentina is there a big Developer scene at all?

Fede: For Android? No, I don’t think so. There aren’t many Android phones in the market here. Which is upsetting.

Tim-o-tato: So you’re a big fish in a pretty small pond.

Fede: Indeed

Tim-o-tato: If there are more Devs down there like you, we need all the Android phones down there as we can get!

Fede: Hahaha … I’m sure there’s tons of talented developers here. Android just hasn’t quite caught on yet. Give it some time, you’ll see more developers from around here!

Tim-o-tato: So you must have a background in development. Care to share you history?

Fede: My background in development is all self-taught. I started developing websites when I was around 14, and then got into web programming a couple of years later. Started getting some freelance gigs, which I did for a few years. Then got a bit sick of freelancing and decided to do my own thing.

Tim-o-tato: Wow, so started at 14..

Fede: Yup

Tim-o-tato: What type of sites were you working on at that age?

Fede: I was mostly just learning, playing around with HTML. I think my first website was a portal for Webmasters. I was really into web marketing and that kind of stuff.

Tim-o-tato: Haha. Wow. That’s good! At 14 I think I was just sitting on the couch playing video games. I should of been on a computer. I could of doing bigger things

Fede: Haha, yeah, I’ve always been a bit of a lone wolf, so that was a good hobby for me.

Tim-o-tato: You’re not alone anymore! So we all know that people arent allowed to purchase the Plus Version of your app since you live out of the US. What’s the story behind that? Have you contacted Google about that at all?

I would think they could make an exception for Apps with a certain download marker? Like a prize for being so popular!

Fede: At the moment there are only 9 (I think) countries allowed to sell paid apps on the Android market. The rest of the world doesn’t exist apparently. It’s weird because I was getting paid by Google (Adsense) almost ten years ago without a problem

Tim-o-tato: I would think since you’ve made something better than even their Devs have that they would just hire you. I’ll talk to some people! Haha

Fede: Hahaha! I don’t think I’d like to work for Google though. I’m quite comfortable being my own boss.

Tim-o-tato: Wish I could say that! So how many hours would you say you’ve put into LauncherPro?

Fede: Hmmm… hard to say, wish I kept track. Several hundred hours for sure.

Tim-o-tato: So since this last update, can we see a lot more coming from LauncherPro? More feautres for the future? (perhaps a gmail widget PLEASE!)

Fede: Yes, there will be a LOT more coming in the future and a Gmail widget is part of the plan, yes!

Tim-o-tato: Yay! Well I’m happy now.

Fede: Haha. Also, I’m slowly starting to work on rewriting the whole thing from scratch. Instead of starting with Android’s launcher.

Tim-o-tato: That must be lots of work

Fede: Yes. But I will keep updating the current LP while I re-build it from scratch.

Tim-o-tato: Lots of people have talked (wished for) a partnering with ADW and yourself in making the ultimate Home Launcher. Do you think something like that would ever become reality?

Fede: Probably not. We have quite different takes on software.

Tim-o-tato: So you two talk and are aware of the fact that people either use you or him? lol It is actually quite the feud I would say between users. ADW or LauncherPro!

Fede: Yup, definitely. It’s all about personal preference.

Tim-o-tato: That’s what I always say. Both are better than stock and that’s all that should matter. Haha

So is it just you, or do you have any other helpers/developers with this app?

Fede: Just me so far. I am definitely planning to hire a developer to help though. And also someone else to take care of support, documentation, website, etc.

Tim-o-tato: Well you have my email? The future is looking extremely bright for LauncherPro which is great!

Fede: Yes, I see a lot of future in LauncherPro!

Tim-o-tato: So you must get lots of emails about your App. About how many a day would you say?

Fede: I used to get over 500 hundred a day! Most with the same questions and suggestions. So I started referring people to the forum instead. It was getting out of control. The forum has been there from the start but a lot of people didn’t know about it, and a lot of people think it’s better to just email the developer. Which was fine when I started and was getting 10-15 emails a day.

Tim-o-tato: Then it blew up! Haha

Fede: Yes. And a lot of pepole don’t realize how much time it takes to reply to that many emails a day. Time that is much better spent adding cool new features to the app instead of answering the same questions over and over.

Tim-o-tato: Exactly. I could not agree more. So say you weren’t a Launcher Dev. Is there any other type of Apps you would want to Dev for at all?

Fede: Hmm… I know what I don’t like developing, and that’s games. I’m much more comfortable developing utilities. As for types of Apps I’d like to develop, maybe a Twitter app. There’s lots of great ones out there already, but I think there’s room for improvement. Or maybe a music player? Haha

Tim-o-tato: The Facebook App is also HORRIBLE… Help Fede! Haha

Fede: Yeah, that would be cool too! The problem is that the Facebook API is currently a bit limited. So there’s no way to make a fully functional Facebook app with the API. Twitter on the other hand, exposes pretty much every feature through their API.

Tim-o-tato: Awe. So when you’re not Developing what do you like to do? Any hobbies?

Fede: Baking! Haha! I always liked baking since I was a kid, and a few years ago went to pastry school and got a pastry chef diploma! Other than that, I love going to the movies and eating out.

Tim-o-tato: That’s awesome! For giggles, whats your favorite thing to bake?

Fede: Hmm, I make a bad-ass lemon meringue pie

Tim-o-tato: Yum!

So do you ever stop by Droid-Life to read up?

Fede: Yeah, whenever I have time. To be honest I hadn’t heard of it until you wrote your first piece on LauncherPro. But I’m glad I found it, it’s definitely one of the best Android sites out there!

Tim-o-tato: I’m using that as a quote! Haha

Fede: And you guys have been nothing but awesome to LauncherPro and me. You’ve been covering LauncherPro from the very beginning!

Tim-o-tato: Thanks! We love to hear that!

Tim-o-tato: Is there anything you want ask the readers? Feature requests or anything of that nature? Now would definitely be the time!

Fede: Hmm, not that I could think of…I always try to make some time to read the comments when LauncherPro gets blog coverage.  So I’m watching everything and always taking notes when someone suggests something interesting.

Tim-o-tato: Now since I have you right here…this is MY chance! There is a feature I was always curious about, and thats the infinite loop of the homescreens. Is that gonna be in the works? I would pay big bucks for that! Haha

Fede: That’s a tricky one. The main problem is the wallpaper. Live Wallpapers would be incompatible with that, and normal wallpapers would have to be loopable to keep them from looking awful when you join two ends together.

Tim-o-tato: Hmm, well if there is one man I believe in…it’s you hopefully! lol

Fede: LOL! It will probably come eventually.

Tim-o-tato: Well I wanna thank you SOOO much on behalf of Droid-Life and everyone Fede for your time! It was a real pleasure!

Fede: Thank you! Pleasure was all mine! Take care!

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It was a great time talking to Fede and I know we are ALL looking forward to future updates and progress reports.  Thanks everyone for another great week in life, a Droid-Life!

-Tim-o-tato

Get LauncherPro here at Fede’s Website!
And please check out the rest of The Tato Series!

Got ideas for more interviews? Message me at timotato@droid-life.com

The Tato Series: An Interview With Fede Of LauncherPro is a post from: Droid Life

Exciting times around here seeing as how Kellex’s Droid X finally got some 2.2 love, but I wish all you DX users the best. (I was skeptical hehe.)

I got to have a very fun chat with JRummy the other day and can tell he is a very well spoken, smart individual. Throughout the Tato Series I have yet to converse with anyone that hasn’t come off as someone who isn’t extremely nice and knowledgeable in their respective fields including JRummy. Put all these guys in one room and North America might explode!

Task Killers, nicknames, future of LithiumMod, and even a possible interview with “The Great Tim-o-tato”? Ha! We’ll see about that!

Continue on….

Tim-o-tato: So can I have you introduce yourself and what it is you do?

JRummy16: Well, My name is Jared Rummler and on internet sites I usually go by the name JRummy16. Rummy has always been kind of a nick name so I went with it. I am from Southern California and besides working on Android I am a full time student at Cal State Fullerton and also have a full time job doing accounting. On my free time I love to hang out with my beautiful wife at the beach where I surf and skim board.

Tim-o-tato: Excellent! What are you currently in school for?

JRummy16: Accounting. Far from anything I do in the Android community but I have some opportunities that I don’t want to pass up. Learning and developing in Android has definitely opened my eyes into different things that I have grown to love though.

Tim-o-tato: Well I know that any work you put towards Android people will be happy with. What got you into Android to begin with?

JRummy16: I am fairly new to Android and the ROM world actually. I have always had a “nerd” side to me and when I purchased my Droid1 I wanted to learn everything about it. After rooting my device I wanted to unleash the full potential of my new toy. I think my first ROM was Bugless Beast 7.4 or something.  I started with simple hacks I could teach myself, then I got into creating themes where I learned simple but necessary things like xml’s, smali and backsmali, and Eclipse. I then started building ROMs. First they were based off of Cyanogen Mod (which I believe was the only source built ROM at the time). Then I began to teach myself Bash and Java (which I’m still doing) and started compiling my own ROMs from source.  So far it has been a fun and educational little hobby

Tim-o-tato: Wow! So JRummys first ROM was Bugless Beast?

JRummy16: Ha, yep!

Tim-o-tato: When you started working on all of this, did you have any clue that people would accept your work so widely? In other words, did you expect to become so popular?

JRummy16: I didn’t know what would become of my work. When I started I really looked up to AdamZ and Xeudoxus. Those are developers that do it just for the fun of developing and not for numbers or show (like many other developers too).  I am stoked that so many people have enjoyed my work. I compile ROMs and theme because that’s what I love to do and it’s just a bonus that others love it too.

Tim-o-tato: Awesome. So what got you thinking about making a *super* pink theme for Droid-Life then?

Tim-o-tato: Think it got people to check out the good work you were pumping out at the time?

JRummy16: Because Droid-Life is just that cool! When my wife got her droid I wanted to root and install a custom ROM for her but she was hesitant until I showed her my Pink-Life theme. She is still using it today and loves it. Also, I had a color scheme going I guess. Besides Pink-Life I have developed a green, blue, red and a cyan theme.

Tim-o-tato: My ex girlfriend really liked it too! Turns out she likes iPhones more though…(hence the Ex).
What types of things are you working on these days? Anything up those sleeves?

JRummy16: Lately I have been swamped with school and work but I can’t seem to step away from Android.  So, when I have time I have been working on a compilation of scripts which act much like BusyBox and getting them into a GUI. I have also spent some time working on more customization on status bar icons, SetCPU and other customization in the Settings App.

Tim-o-tato: Sounds good. I’m sure we’ll all be on the lookout. So may I ask you age Jared? I’m guessing you’re not “16″?

JRummy16: I’m 25. But what about you? When is Droid-Life going to have an interview with the amazing Tim-o-tato?

Tim-o-tato: Haha. I’m 21! The amazing? Hmm, I guess I could get use to that.

Tim-o-tato: So what are your thoughts about the Android community as a whole? Likes? Dislikes?

JRummy16: As a whole it is a great group. I have become friends with a great group of Developers and Theme makers. I talk constantly to JDLFG, Xeudoxus, {n8}, Liquid0624, and many others. I have also had a good opportunity to share what I have learned with other developers. I think I have spent more time talking, learning and teaching other people than I have spent developing because there are so many good people here.

Tim-o-tato: That’s what we like to hear! Hopefully it’s only gonna get better!! As someone that’s on the inside, where do you see Android a few years down the road?

JRummy16: I think Android has a huge potential and it’s obvious that the competition is scared. I’ll be sticking with it for a long time and hope to keep bringing some amazing work to the table.

Tim-o-tato: What type of phone did you have before your first Android phone? (which was? Droid? G1?)

JRummy16: My first Android phone was the Droid1 and before that I had a bulky ugly Windows Mobile phone.

Tim-o-tato: Ohh, so no I*hone?

JRummy16: Nope!

Tim-o-tato: Clever…

Time for my dumb silly Q’s…

Tim-o-tato: Task Killers: What is your view and opinion them?

JRummy16: I never used one and I think they are a bit over rated. :-/

Tim-o-tato: We hear that a lot!

Tim-o-tato: So Steve Jobs writes to you, say he needs your help with the new i*hone. Your response?

JRummy16: Lol! Umm…I would say heck yes, if it were April Fools day or if he offered me a ton of money!!

Tim-o-tato: Yea, ton of money would be nice I suppose…

Tim-o-tato: If you had to change your nickname, what do you think you would choose?

JRummy16: Mr.GinormousMuscles would probably be the best way to describe me…so probably that.

Tim-o-tato: Awesome! Who could argue?!?

Tim-o-tato: So you mentioned some other Developers you admire. Is there something you hope to be an innovator for maybe in the future? Or that you would like to create that isn’t already available?

JRummy16: There are always ideas and new things to work on. It has been a little of a slow start but Lithium Mod has some great developers and has some real potential.

Tim-o-tato: That’s good to hear that it’s still alive! Well we are ALL waiting. You’ll make us proud!

So before I let you go, is there ANYTHING you would like to ask the Droid-Life readers?

JRummy16: Sure. First, what do you look for most in a ROM (features, stability, theme, customization, etc.)?

Second, what is going to be your next device?

Tim-o-tato: That seems to be the question on everybodies mind. As contracts are starting to end, everyone wants to know what the next big thing is. In your opinion, what do you think the next big phone will be?

JRummy16: The droid X is starting to explode but for the next device honestly I’m not sure.

Tim-o-tato: Thanks so much for your time Jared! I myself and everyone at DL really appreciate it!!!

JRummy16: Your welcome! Thanks!

Tim-o-tato: Have a good one and talk soon!

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Well that was fun! I had no idea I was “great”, buuut I am not one to argue with a guy like Jrummy, so I’ll run with it! Thanks for everyone reading these and letting me know that you care for it!

Huge props to JRummy for giving me his time!

So tell me…What’s gonna be the next big phone?!?

-Tim-o-tato

Read the rest of the Tato Series interviews!

Follow JRummy on Twitter!

Check out Tato’s Band!

The Tato Series: An Interview With JRummy16 is a post from: Droid Life

HOWDY D-L! Hope everyone is having a great week!

So I have had the chance recently to sit down for a bit with Aaron aka “InsaneNemesis” (definitely the most brutal Dev name so far). I’ve been following him personally for a while and have passed a lot of cool stuff on to Kellex and even demanded he post this all the way back in July! He complied….

When I heard Aaron (17 year old whiz) was working on a new project I knew I just had to catch up with him and have him give me the scoop and how this young dude got into all this! I give you the 4th installment of The Tato Series!

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Tim-o-tato: Hello sir! Mind introducing yourself for anyone  who may not know you?

InsaneNemesis: Hello my name is  Aaron (InsaneNemesis) and I develop for ShadowROM. I am 17  years old and am currently a Senior in High School.

Tim-o-tato:Wow! How long have you been developing  for the community?

InsaneNemesis: About a two months…

Tim-o-tato: ShadowROM….there has been lots of talk about it. Mind letting us in on the hype? Whats it all about?

InsaneNemesis: Well it is a highly source modified CyanogenMod based beast! There are some never before seen things, some features utilizing some of the less noted parts of CyanogenMod. Billygalbreath and I both hope this is our best release and we have certainly put lots of effort in it.

Tim-o-tato: So let me get this straight: You’re a Senior in High School? And you’re building “beastly” ROM’s?!? That is not what I was doing in High School! What got you into all this?

InsaneNemesis: I’ve always liked to mess  with things and since Android is open and free I thought it would be a  good way to start. When I got the Droid back in January I was just a normal user. Didn’t know what a ROM was, and had no prior Android experience. Actually before Android I had never used Linux or even coded. I was scared to root as were a lot of people. I was un-rooting and rooting trying to decide. Then I started thinking what I could do to make my Android more likable (not that Android isn’t awesome) but I wanted something more custom. So I started with live wallpapers and moved on to themes. It wasn’t what I really wanted to do. So I decided to make the jump to full ROMs. I decided if I was going to do a ROM, I might as well start off in the right direction by building from AOSP. I met ‘billygalbreath’ and it seems we have the same views on a lot of things. So we decided to start ShadowROM! Besides 2 devs is a lot better than one. Billygalbreath is an awesome Dev. He knows a lot about stuff I’ve never learned before. And over the time I’ve worked with him and have learned more than I could ever imagine. *Woo, that was a lot*

Tim-o-tato: Well that’s great! So not just anyone can say, “Hey I wanna Dev!”. How were you able to learn the coding aspect of it? Any background in that??

InsaneNemesis: Well I am not in any respect good at coding lol. I can do the stuff that’s needed but sometimes I need help. That’s where having a team member is great! You are able to learn and help each other. It’s really not that hard to learn some java. A lot of it is close to English in androids form of GUI. Other than that you need to learn the basics and then you can use the android docs for the rest

Tim-o-tato: So before you met up with Billygalbreath what were you doing ROM wise?

InsaneNemesis: Well I was working on my own ROM Insanely Clean which was going well and I had a lot of users and stuff. Then I wanted to branch out and work as a team. Me and Billygalbreath started ShadowROM and since then that’s been my first priority.

Tim-o-tato: What are a few words you would  attribute to your work with ROMs?

InsaneNemesis: Clean, fast, simple, and  unique.

Shadow on D-Incredible

Tim-o-tato: Excellent! Now we’ve mentioned your age a bit. Does any of this  sometimes get in the way of your schoolwork at all? Or social life in  general?

InsaneNemesis: Not during the summer. When school starts up I plan on studying and  doing homework then Android stuff. Then while I’m at school my laptop  will compile for me everyday at 8AM if its on and in Ubuntu.

Tim-o-tato: Haha Nice! It’s good to know we have people out there taking the time to do all this amazing work  that benefits the Android Community!
Whats the future looking like for you? Big aspirations?

InsaneNemesis: Well I want to go to college and eventually go into the field of engineering.

Tim-o-tato: Excellent! Can’t go wrong there!  Are there any other Devs you’re keeping your eye on?

InsaneNemesis: Cyanogen and his team of 300 Spartans! lol

Tim-o-tato: So do you think anything is missing then from the community?

InsaneNemesis: Not really. I think we have a solid community with lots of devoted Devs and users and it growing more and more each day
Android as an OS has gotten more user friendly every time they release a new version. The community is great but not perfect. There will always be bad apples. But other than that I think people in Androids Community help each other are devoted and are respectful to other users.

Tim-o-tato: OK, now is my time to ask you silly Q’s! My favorite part! lol

Task Killers. What are your position on them?

InsaneNemesis: Hate them. Useless. Pointless. Are we doing word association here?? lol

Tim-o-tato: But they’re the most downloaded app in the market! How can they be worthless?

InsaneNemesis: Verizon tells people to get it cause it’s a good idea. I can confirm about 10 times they have told me that. I always say back, “NO IT’S NOT!”

Tim-o-tato: So, Mr. Steve Jobs personally writes you and says, “Please work for us!”. What would your honest answer be?

InsaneNemesis: No.

Tim-o-tato: Just “No”?? This is Steve Jobs we’re talking about! lol

InsaneNemesis: Yeah…..”No” lol

Tim-o-tato: You’re very well spoken. Well in closing…is there ANYTHING you wanna ask the community? Now is your chance to get some good user feedback or to see what the people want! Any Q’s for us???

InsaneNemesis: Suggestions for features is what I want people to tell me

Tim-o-tato: Is basically anything fair game?

InsaneNemesis: Sure! lol Not saying everything will be put into effect, but ideas are good!

Tim-o-tato: Well Aaron, as always it has been a serious pleasure. We all look forward to playing with Shadow. We wish you the best! Hope to see you soon in the forums!

InsaneNemesis: Yeah it’s been fun Tim! Thanks!

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It’s good to know there are people (let alone young people) who will become the “future of rock n’ roll” and carry the flag for development of things like this! A huge plus one to young people who are smarter than me! Yay!

-Tim-o-tato

Stalk InsaneNemesis on their IRC Channel.
Pick up their brand new ShadowROM HERE!
And of course…feel free to check out my band Abriel. Like “Gabriel” without the “G”

Submit questions in the comments for our next interview with LauncherPro creator, Federico Carnales!

The Tato Series: An Interview With InsaneNemesis Of Shadow ROM is a post from: Droid Life

Well…..Hello there lovely readers of Droid-Life! Boy, has it been busy around here! We got an IRC Channel, we got OTA’s, and even Manual Updates! Plus, you can expect it to get busier!

Time for a break and a nice lil’ sit down with one of my favorite peoples in the Android Community, Mr. CVPCS of the most righteous Sapphire ROM. You guys may know me for my non stop flashing of different ROM’s and themes, but if I had just one choice for a “backup” emergency ROM….it would be Sapphire. *sheds tear* It’s very good!

Anyways, enough of the emotional stuff. TechDeft and I had a great time chatting it up with CVPCS and are very excited to share this with you!

ENJOY!

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Tim-o-tato: So, its great to chat with you as always CVPCS. For the people who might not recognize the handle, mind giving us your name and what it is you do?

Cvpcs: My name is Austen Dicken, and I am currently a software developer full time over the summer and full time student in the fall/winter/spring.

Tim-o-tato: What is  it you are currently in school for?

Cvpcs: Computer science and Mathematics (double major)

Tim-o-tato: From your work, I would say that’s just about right!

TechDeft: Is the development you mention just android or professional as well?

Cvpcs: Professional.  I develop software that tracks the manufacture and testing of black box recorder systems designed by the company where I work for use in helicopters.

Tim-o-tato: I feel out of my league already! Thanks!

TechDeft: Sounds like you’ve already said too much! Do you have to kill us now?  When did you get your start in programming?

Cvpcs: I started programming around when I was 12. About a half-year after my parents had bought their first computer.  I started with Javascript, and then moved onto Java.  From there I wanted to get into more low-level stuff. Around the time I turned 13 I started working on learning C. (give or take a year, it was some time ago)

Tim-o-tato: So with all of these things you seem to have going on, how is it you find time for Android? A natural love?

Cvpcs: Like most of my personal programming projects, they tend to be quite time consuming and don’t pay well, so I would have to say I do it out of love, haha.  I find programming in general to be a ton of fun, especially when it comes to just trying to do interesting things with technology. Android is the coolest thing I’ve been involved with in a long time.
I always love seeing the different things there are to do.  And it’s an extension of some of the stuff I’ve done in the past.  I used to spend lots of time fiddling around with trying to see what different devices I could get to run Linux. Haha

TechDeft: Whats a personal goal for Android that you are working on now?

Cvpcs: Well currently I am excited to see the GEM series of ROMs ported to new devices.  Most know we are working on Ruby for the Incredible, and we are also looking into Emerald for the Evo.
I am also working on some other really exciting stuff, but sadly I can’t openly discuss it at present.

Tim-o-tato: Awe. We understand how that is!  So tell us, how did the affair start for you and Android?

Cvpcs: Well, as soon as I heard Google was going to put out a Mobile OS I was hooked.  I knew I wanted a droid pretty much as soon as they released it.  After that, it took me about a month until someone asked me, “Have you rooted yet?”.  While I knew what he meant I had never really thought about it. So I went online and (of course) Googled it.
After that I found “Alldroid” and a lot of information about all this “ROM” business.  To be honest though, at first I was a bit skeptical, and like most people a little scared.  I mean I had just dropped a few hundred on this phone!! Haha

Tim-o-tato: Makes sense lol
Given your background with java, were you able to easily dive right in once you got your feet wet?

Cvpcs: Well, after awhile I just decided, “Hell, I hack every other thing I own, why not this?!” I did it and haven’t looked back since. It actually wasn’t quite as easy as you’d think.
I didn’t start in the java end of it (what can I say, I’m a low-level guy).  My first android-related hacks were working on porting various x86 libraries and programs over to android. My first popular port was of the CWiiD Wii-mote connectivity library.
After I got that working I knew I was going to be messing with my phone for awhile.  It was bliss being able to use my classic controller to play SNESoid!

Tim-o-tato: Wow! I can see it now! Must have been exciting knowing you were doing all this…with a phone!
So then how did you make your way to building ROMs? From source nonetheless!

Cvpcs: Well, to be honest I started by reading some of Sniffle’s guides on Alldroid, but needless to say the source building process is very difficult, and very hard to explain in a simple guide.
I was determined to build my own ROM just out of the curiosity to learn how it’s done and the excitement of being able to make in-source changes.

TechDeft: Outside of programming for Android phones, what are some hardware or software hacks that you have done that might be interesting to our readers?

Cvpcs: Well, I personally love the reboot recovery menu option and the extended volume/camera button music controls.
I also love seeing what kind of crazy things I can get running on my Wii, as well as attempting to push the limits of my EeePC.

TechDeft: Wii and Netbook hacks!  Have you tried installing Android to the Asus EeePC at all?

Cvpcs: Way ahead of you!  I think I first installed android-x86 on that thing back in March. Right now it dual-boots!

TechDeft: That is impressive! So what do you feel Android is lacking?

Cvpcs: An open-source bootloader

Tim-o-tato: Amen to that

Cvpcs: Let me rephrase that…A standard open-source bootloader.

Tim-o-tato: So did you ever think your work would become as popular as it has with the community?

Cvpcs: Well, yes and no.  I always figured that one day Sapphire/GEM would become popular, as I truly believe in open source, and a lot of people hadn’t really been going down that route when I first started.  I wanted to do work that was freely available and always online for others to look at and base their work on or add their work to it, to show what it is like for a project to be completely open.  Everything about GEM is open.
What I had never expected was that it would take off so fast.  People have been so supportive that it caught me off guard.  It’s been a real blast working on all of this!

TechDeft: You do have quite the community! Do you have any metrics available?  Number of ROM installs, number of contributors, etc?

Cvpcs: Well, we have Google Analytics on our website, but the most interesting metric is I suppose downloads to date. Haha

TechDeft: Oh yea?  Would you care to disclose?

Cvpcs: The 1.0.0 zip has been tracked at approx: 20,000 downloads as of right now.

Tim-o-tato: That’s quite the number! What about all this work and social status. Do you get a kick off knowing you are a Dev for one of thee best built and popular ROMs for the Android device? Get a sense of cockiness at all? I think I would. Just being honest

Cvpcs: I try my best to keep a level head about it.  If I ever find myself feeling popular I just tell myself, “Yes Austen, you’re popular….. on the Internet!” Haha.  But in all seriousness I do enjoy when people recognize the name. But it’s about community and helping out. I still get a lot of help from a lot of people and I still like doing my best to help out anyone who has questions be it about the ROM or about Dev.

Tim-o-tato: Classy answer. +1 Do you mind if we ask your age?

Cvpcs: I’m presently 23, going to be 24 this fall.

Tim-o-tato: Happy early B-Day!

So im gonna go for the goofy questions now! Feel free to let loose and open up on these!

Cvpcs: Haha sounds good!

Tim-o-tato: So….Steve Jobs hands you an iPhone and says, “Come to the Dark Side and Dev!” What do you say back?

Cvpcs: “You’re holding it wrong”

Tim-o-tato: Yay! Good answer!

Task Killers- Do you use one? Or have you ever?

Cvpcs: I use Advanced Task Manager Free.  I don’t really support task managers the way people tend to use them, but when developing it’s common to have an app that may go haywire and for whatever reason the system won’t let you force close it.  In those cases a task killer can be useful.

Tim-o-tato: Well from a Dev stand point that is understandable lol

TechDeft: I like to keep the ATK widget on a screen for quick and dirty memory management myself.

Cvpcs: Haha don’t even get me started on task killers and memory management. >.<

Tim-o-tato: So Austen, tell us all something you think no one would know about you.
Exclusive Droid-Life info lol

Cvpcs: Well, when I was 16 I toured Europe as a tenor in an a-capella choir, where I performed in ~14 locations in 7 different countries.

Tim-o-tato: Wow! That’s awesome! Do you travel a lot anymore? Ride any of the helicopters? lol

Cvpcs: I haven’t been overseas again since then, but I have traveled quite a bit around the states.  I’d like to go see Asia next, as I’ve never been there and the culture is so rich.  As for helicopters, I’m strictly a developer, so no I haven’t had the pleasure, haha.
I’ve always wanted to see Japan, China, Mongolia, and India

Tim-o-tato: The Japanese would LOVE you! lol

TechDeft: So we are getting about ready to wrap it up…but before we go, can you think of one question you would like to ask of the Android Community readers?

Cvpcs:  Hmmm, that’s a tough one!

Tim-o-tato: Good! It’s hard thinking of tough Q’s for someone of your caliber!

Cvpcs: Last I heard, the Droid1 makes up 80% of the market share for android devices.  This as well as it being one of the most hackable phones created such a strong and vibrant development community that we have today.  Other phones had communities of their own but they never seemed as big or strong as the Droid1 “home brew” community.  Now Verizon/Motorola have discontinued the Droid1.  I’m curious what people think will be the next big thing!

Tim-o-tato: Great question! (ANSWER IT PEOPLE!) lol

I wanna thank you for all of your time today!!!
It has been a real pleasure! I’m walking away with +5 I.Q. points

Cvpcs: It’s been a real pleasure for me as well!

Tim-o-tato: Excellent! Hope to see you around Droid-Life sometime! Don’t be a stranger!

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And there it is. Another one for the books! Talk about someone who is on a completely different conscience level then me (and most people). Reminds me of Russel Crowe’s character in Beautiful Mind. Just a complete whiz. Someone with a gift. I absolutely LOVE how the Android Community is filled with them too! We need more people like Austen to lead the way in Development!  *sheds more tears*

I wanna thank everyone again for all your support of this site and Android in general. None of this would be possible if it weren’t for the readers! Keep it up! I’ll see ya in the comments section! (I’ll be the one posting “first”)

-Tim-o-tato & TechDeft

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Don’t forget to check out Tim’s previous interviews with Peter Alfonso and ChevyN01.

Support Cvpcs and check out the Sapphire Wiki Site! | Also: Cvpcs on Droid Fourms

Check out Tatos band! They just released an album! | Mr TechDeft runs a Blog. Perhaps you’ll stop by?

So tell me…”What’s gonna be the next BIG thing?”

Also: Submit questions for my next interview with Aaron Carpinteri of InsaneNemesis/Shadow ROM!!!

The Tato Series: An Interview with CVPCS of Sapphire is a post from: Droid Life

HELLO DROID-LIFE! Well as much as I promise, I also deliver.

We had such great feedback last week that this will become a weekly series on Droid-Life! Can I get a “heck yes”?!? I have had some awesome interviews lately and I (we) really can’t wait to share all it all with each and every single one of you.

Me and TechDeft (TechDeft and I?) had the supreme pleasure to chat it up with Doug (aka ChevyNo1, aka Kernel Masta, aka Mr. Simply Stunning). If you are in the rooted community, then you know this name. If you are non-rooted, you know this name. Let’s face it……you know his name!! So without further ado I give my second installment of The Tato Series. This place has become my second home. After Facebook of course

Enjoy!

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TechDeft: So Mr. Chevy, could you introduce yourself for readers who may not recognize your name?

ChevyNo1: Well, I call myself ChevyNo1 on all online forums (not just tech). My first name is Doug!

Tim-o-tato: “ChevyNo1″…whats the story behind that?

ChevyNo1: I started off in online forums I would say around 1997 – for me it was all about cars. Was looking into buying a 1998 Camaro, and wanted to get involved in the scene – so that’s where the name started. Of course, I am a HUGE Chevy fan. So I belong to a few automotive forums, also known as ChevyNo1.

Tim-o-tato: Excellent. Who doesnt love American muscle!

ChevyNo1: YEA!

TechDeft: So how did you chart a course from the car scene to the linux/Android scene?

ChevyNo1: Well, I’ve been quite the tech geek for quite some time as well … and over the years, tech I would say has pulled even with automotive for my interest level, and in the past few years has even surpassed it. I have been a programmer for 18 years now, but never mobile. I got the Droid in December of last year, and that was my first foray into ANYTHING mobile.

TechDeft: What have you been programming in? 18 years, you must have learned on COBOL I’m guessing?

ChevyNo1: Yep, COBOL was my primary language that I learned … ‘C’ was just starting to become popular so I only got one class of that … learned on a DEC VAX. My first job out of college though (1992) plunged me headfirst into UNIX – first 10 years was all UNIX, ‘C’, X-Windows/Motif.

TechDeft: You have an extensive background! Some readers are nodding their heads here, others are scratching them. Was it hard to move into mobile? What about Android made you want to develop for it?

ChevyNo1: I had been interested in either programming Palm or Windows (had several Palms before the Droid) … but didn’t jump in. Once I heard these phones were running a Linux OS, it was a no-brainer for me. I HAD to have one!
I actually wrote an app in the emulator even before the phone arrived!

TechDeft: Wow, you were excited! So you started with applications? Or you dove into kernel development?

ChevyNo1: Started with apps – and I haven’t written once since – that is until recently, when I started digging into Settings.apk. But after the apps – first it was a basic ROM build – THEN it was kernels – then it was more extensive ROM changes.

TechDeft: What apps did you write? Should we be scouring the market for gems?

ChevyNo1: Lol! No, nothing really exciting, pretty basic stuff. One of the earliest was a patcher for the wifi-tether application. There were lots of manual steps needed to make it work, so I put together an apk that did all the work, and made it a single-click widget on the desktop. Another was a brightness patcher, because the wireless driver floating around broke brightness. I have never put anything on the market – maybe one of these days!

TechDeft: Some of the work you have done is fairly complex, in some cases requiring pretty deep hardware knowledge(Overclocking). Did you do this kind of work on Linux kernels previous to Android, or did you learn it fresh for the mobile platforms?

ChevyNo1: I learned it fresh – I had never worked on a kernel in my life. Got 2-3 tips from Tasmanian Droid (old alldroid board) and from there I learned the rest!

Tim-o-tato: That’s very impressive!

ChevyNo1: I think of myself as a pretty quick learner

Tim-o-tato: So how old were you when you got into all things programming?
I did the math and if it was 18 years ago when you started, that means I was still receving milk from my mother still! LOL

ChevyNo1: The first time I saw a computer was in 7th grade – a Vic 20!! First programming of any kind was done in 1987 on a SuperPet running Basic. Our science teacher wouldn’t even let us touch it! Haha

Tim-o-tato: Wow, 87! I wasn’t even a thought lol

ChevyNo1: I can’t believe I’ve been around this long … *sigh* lol I still feel 20!

TechDeft: What kind of things do you feel are lacking in your work right now? What do you think could improve?

ChevyNo1: I am constantly digging into the guts of Android – and day by day I am becoming more knowledgeable, and more comfortable. I feel like I am just starting to get a firm grasp on it. If I weren’t so busy with ROMS, I would like to get into the kernel even more! I would specifically like to get into the hardware, and be able to tweak things beyond what I’ve done already. For example, make the screen more sensitive. Those types of things – really hardware-level stuff. Anything in the kernel is more difficult in my opinion than in the ROM. ROM programming is more intuitive, since it involves layouts, graphics, etc. Kernel development is all behind closed doors, and it’s just so low-level.

TechDeft: Which is some of the harder programming to do.(If you do get into it, figure a way to make 270 rotation less finicky lol) What phone do you focus your development for? Android as a whole? The “original” Droid(Moto)?

ChevyNo1: Right now I’m ONLY programming for the D1. I pretty much have enough donations now to purchase an ‘X’ – so that is my next victim

TechDeft: Will you continue to develop for the original Droid? Or will you focus your efforts on breaking your way through the bootloader?

ChevyNo1: I plan on continuing both – I have a loyal base of clients for D1, and I don’t intend to leave them in the dust. BUT cracking that bootloader will be high on the list of priorities!

Tim-o-tato: Let’s hope you crack it!

TechDeft: What do you think could most benefit the Android community as a software developer?

ChevyNo1: I think so far it’s doing well – it’s a good community of sharing, and I think that ultimately is the key.

Tim-o-tato: Agreed. It is a wonderful community.
Did you ever think your work would be admired by so many people?

ChevyNo1: No I didn’t!!! lol

Tim-o-tato: How does it make you feel to see so many people admire your kernels and the Simply Stunning ROM?

ChevyNo1: It makes me very proud of the effort I put into this – and thankful that people have given me a chance when they have choices. I only dream my job could be this much fun, lol

Tim-o-tato: Don’t we all? lol So do you have any family or friends that use Droids??

ChevyNo1: My best buddy bought a Droid after he saw mine
And now of course he’s running my ROM!

Tim-o-tato: Well he has the best user support anyone can ask for! lol

ChevyNo1:That’s actually one way I plan to make myself known – is by my support – I want everyone to know where the best support is. That and my attitude towards people – I feel I am very approachable and do not make anyone feel stupid for asking questions.

Tim-o-tato: That’s definitely a way to do it. As a user myself, having a way to get the right answers to questions is a big issue I myself have all the time.

TechDeft: How many hours a week do you spend doing this stuff?

ChevyNo1: Let’s see…I would estimate 15? Maybe 20 if I have a release.
I had a pretty big learning curve compared to the other ROM builders who have been at it for a while.

Tim-o-tato: Considering that Pete (Bugless Beast) has been working on programming for about 6 months, I would say you have a huge curve!

ChevyNo1: Yep, considering Pete has no programming background, I think he’s done a very nice job – he’s just limited as to how deep he can dig. Good work though!

Tim-o-tato: Are there other Devs that you look to for answers to questions you have? Or any Devs whos work you admire a great deal?

ChevyNo1: The obvious – Cyanogen, whom I’ve never interacted with, Koush ( have interacted some ). Another newcomer I’ve spoken a lot with and helped is JRummy – he’s doing excellent considering he has no background either. And also Sniffle (Sapphire|CVPCS).

Tim-o-tato: Sniffle is quite the comedian sometimes!

ChevyNo1: Haha yea! Nice guy from all I can tell – and smart!

…..So it’s time for my silly Q’s.

Tim-o-tato: If Steve Jobs offered you a job at Apple. Would you take it?

ChevyNo1: Only if he lets me make it open-source!!!

Tim-o-tato: We won’t get our hopes up lol

Tim-o-tato: Task Killers. Do you yourself have one?

ChevyNo1: Nope! I feel Android does quite a good job of managing that sort of thing – and yes, I was using one for a while. Not that I’m against it, but people must realize that if ANYTHING kills your app, it’s going to take time to reload. Often times this stuff gets blamed on a ROM or kernel.

Tim-o-tato: The name Simply Stunning. How did it make its way to fruition?

ChevyNo1: As far as the name – I felt two ‘words’ seemed fitting – I think at the time I was thinking of what would sound good alongside ‘Bugless Beast’ … and I really did feel my first attempt was ‘stunning’

Tim-o-tato: That’s wonderful! I must say when I first rooted and had only a few choices. JRummy, and Simply Stunning. I went with SS 3.1!

ChevyNo1: Glad you liked it!

Tim-o-tato: What launcher do you use for your Droid?

ChevyNo1: Just the good old stock Launcher2 that comes with the build – I am fine with it – have played around though, and if I recall correctly, I really did like LauncherPro. Would be fun to create my own Launcher as well – but so many others have done it, and have done it well …

Tim-o-tato: Tell us something no one would ever guess about you…

ChevyNo1: I a huge metalhead – not sure anyone would guess that, especially at my age!
I go with my son to metal concerts – not sure how many dads do that lol
I DO start out the day very lite – classic rock, 60′s and 70′s – but by the time noon rolls around look out!

TechDeft: (you just became Tims bestfriend)

Tim-o-tato: I’m in love! A Dev who likes metal! This is great!
So for the readers, name some of your favorite bands if you’d like.

ChevyNo1: My new favorites – Lamb Of God, Devildriver, Droid (the band)
Older metal – Pantera, Slayer, Megadeth, Metallica, etc

Tim-o-tato: Oh yea! +1 all day long!

ChevyNo1: When I moved to Pheonix 14 years ago I went into concert frenzy, because everything comes here. I’ve been to about 100 metal shows in the last 14 years and I have the ticket stubs and concert t’s to prove it! lol

Tim-o-tato: You mind giving just a bit of insight as to what your day job is or is like? Do your co workers know about your Droid fixation?

ChevyNo1: I work for a Fortune 500 company as a lead programmer analyst – mostly business programming. I do more leading than coding these days, which is why it is Android to the rescue of my sanity lol. A few at work know about my obsession – they think its quite cool. It’s been there 14 years now since I came to the USA.

Tim-o-tato: Since you came to USA? Where do you hail from?

ChevyNo1: I came from New Brunswick, Canada – that is where I grew up. Then I lived in Toronto for 2 years – then I came to the USA in 1996.

Tim-o-tato: Excellent. Canada is great! Poor Milestone users though lol

ChevyNo1: Hahaha I know it!

TechDeft: Is there anything that you would like to ask the non-developers of the community?

ChevyNo1: What can I do to become their premier ROM of choice?
What is it, about “ROM x” that makes them want it more than SS?

Tim-o-tato: That’s good for sure! (So, in the comment section below people: Answer his Q!)

TechDeft: What is the best way for folks to get in touch with you about your ROM? Is there a best forum post to post on, or an e-mail that you want public?

ChevyNo1: Sure! You can mail (chevyno1.droid@gmail.com) for any questions related to my ROM or kernels – also I have twitter (@ChevyNo1Droid)

Tim-o-tato: Well Chevy, I really wanna thank you for ALL of your time. This has been a true honor for myself. It’s been fun!

ChevyNo1: Very cool – thanks SO MUCH!

Tim-o-tato: You got it

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So there it is. ChevyNo1 has been doing his thing for 18 years! A true pioneer! We salute him and all his hard work to make our phones better everyday! Woo-hoo! Anyone else notice how when TechDeft and Chevy go into their ‘Nerdery’ I retreat and don’t say much? I really am clueless about all that!

So tell me everyone in the comments: What makes you choose other ROM’s over Simply Stunning? Chevy wants to know!

Thanks again everyone! See you in the comments!

-Tim-o-tato and TechDeft

Follow @ChevyNo1Droid on Twitter! And see his ROMs and Kernels HERE!
You can check out: TIMS BAND They have a CD release party this Thursday in San Fran!
TechDefts Blog is SUPER SWEET!

The Tato Series: An Interview with ChevyNo1 is a post from: Droid Life

Hey everyone~

Welcome to an idea I’ve had in my brain for a little while. I thought to myself how cool it would be to chat “Q&A” style with Androids most popular and hard to reach Developers. To try and get under the surface a bit and see just what these guys are all about. My buddy and fellow reader TechDeft have decided to track these people down and ask them the questions we think everyone wants the answers to!

Last week I had a rare privilege to sit down (at a computer) with Mr. Peter Alfonso, the man behind one of the most popular custom ROMs to date, ‘Bugless Beast’. As a fan and frequent user myself I was very excited and even nervous to be chatting with him. As it turns out though, he is a super easy going and NICE guy! We love that! Makes for an easy chat and we hope you like it as much as we did!

-Tim-o-tato

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Tim-o-tato: So Mr. Pete, if you could for people who may not know (live under a rock), could you please introduce yourself and tell us what you do?

Pete: Well, people call me Pete. By day I am a student and employee at Advance Auto Parts and by night I work on Bugless Beast. Currently in my second year of college.

TechDeft: College student?  Whats your major?

Pete: Currently I’m finishing my last semester at a local community college. My major is computer science. I recently switched it.

Tim-o-tato: What were you taking before?

Pete: I used to want to pursue a career as an orthodontist but then I bought a Droid and my life changed   So most of my classes I completed are no longer needed for Computer Science major so I am a bit behind in school now.

TechDeft: So you wanted to give people braces and now you want to do comp sci!  And you saw Droid commercials, and now you are going to program. That’s quite a shift!  Were friends and family surprised?

Pete: Well to be honest I have no idea what sparked the orthodontist thing. I had braces when I was younger and most parents tell their kids, “Your going to be a doctor when you grow up” so I just went with it. Once I decided to switch my family was not surprised. My mom works for IBM, I think she knew it was going to happen sooner or later.

Tim-o-tato: How did you hear about the Android OS? Or the Droid in general.

Read the rest of the interview with Pete after the jump!

Pete: I have always heard of “Android” but never really knew what it was before my Droid. One of my friends had bought an HTC Hero and I noticed how well it combined all of the Google services I was using. So I decided to do some research on these phones. At the time the Droid commercials got me hooked.

Tim-o-tato: Yea, those commercials are what got me too! So have you always been sort of a tech guru? Into programming and things of that nature?

Pete: Actually before buying my Droid I had opened a command prompt window only a few times! That’s how I know this is what I was meant to do. I pick it up and learn this extremely fast!

Tim-o-tato: So how did you learn about it?

Pete: I have always been around technology, but nothing like what I do now.  After buying the Droid (the day it came out) I was curious as to why some of the stock applications could not be removed. This REALLY bothered me so I decided to Google, “How to remove amazon mp3 android” or something similar. The search eventually led me to a You-tube video of a kid typing in some commands into a terminal to remove the app. I eventually found out root access was needed. After I rooted my Droid, I found these threads that would provide simple tutorials on how to add apps or remove apps but at the time I thought these people were like gods. After I became more comfortable and able to add or remove a few things I decided to make a “ROM” for my friends.

Tim-o-tato: So then how is it that you got to where you are these days? ‘Interwebs celebrity’ status! Did you know your work would become such a success??

Pete: I decided to post my “ROM” (although at the time I had no clue what a “ROM” was) on forums and some people were daring enough to try my work! I got a lot of positive feedback so I kept working. Then I got my own section and was labeled a “developer”. Just seeing that motivated me more than you could believe. I would wake up with ideas in my head and try them until they worked.

TechDeft: And how did that translate to what we see today?  Many hours of hard work? Inspiration?

Pete: Tons of hard work! I stay up very late most nights reading and trying to learn as much as possible. Inspiration yes, the feedback I got from people using my ROM and the “Developer” label under my name pushed me to continue.

TechDeft: What do you feel is currently lacking in your work? What do you wish you could improve that you do not have the knowledge to do?

Pete: Well, as I mentioned earlier I am in my second year of college. Unfortunately I have not had any classes to guide me with any of this. So far its all been self taught. You can mark my words, V0.6 will be built from source. I have never had the time to set aside to teach myself how to do it. But after I release V0.5 that will be my goal. I am sure I can do it, I just need to put aside some time and learn how. Things might be quiet for a while but that’s because I will be learning how

TechDeft: That is a question I see come up often, how come there is so much time between Bugless Beast versions, would you say that is generally because you are trying incorporate a new feature that you have to teach yourself?

Pete: Well when I first started I used to update about every 2 days, although I did learn a ton I did not manage my time well at all. Lately the releases have been more spread out because I learn so much in between that I try to incorporate in my release. Every release is somewhat of an expression of what I have learned, as I go on the ROM will get better and better as I learn.

TechDeft: Which is extremely impressive…do your friends and family know how deep into software development you are?

(TechDeft bails for work)

Pete: As far as family knowing. Most don’t really understand. My Mom does though. In fact when I have a question I go to her. lol

Tim-o-tato: So Pete, what’s it like being one of the most bugged Developers on the planet? People always asking for ETAs??

Pete: Well it’s actually very difficult. When it comes to building Bugless Beast (or anything that I have made actually) I am VERY OCD about it. I feel that if my name is going to be put on it that it has to be perfect. Because of this I am the only person I trust to work on my ROM and have very limited time to do so. I love the fact that people want the latest versions though. As far as being bugged, I get an insane amount of emails a day, I wish I could reply to all of them but it is impossible. For those who have emailed me and never got a response, please do not feel that I ignored you.  In my section on various forums I try to be as kind as possible to the users and answer their questions. I can relate to them and write it in a way they understand because I was there not long ago.

Tim-o-tato: I’m sure everyone appreciates that! What about other Developers ROMs? Are there any Developers out there whom you admire their work a great deal or anything of that nature?

Pete: Yes, the work that “Xeudoxus” does is simply amazing. I could only wish that one day I will be as knowledgeable as him. Another Dev I admire is “t3hSteve”, when the Droid first came out he did some great work as well. I haven’t seen any activity from him lately but maybe that just means he moved on to bigger and better things.  Really, all the Devs are great in there own ways.

Tim-o-tato: So what is it about your ROM’s in general that you think draw SOOO MANY users? You post a ROM and servers crash!  What makes your so special?

Pete: I honestly have no clue. The things I see mentioned about my ROM’s the most are stability, performance, and increased battery life. I suppose that’s the mixture that makes the servers crash! I also feel that I relate to people a lot more than some other Devs since I just started 6 months ago. I still consider myself a noob and feel like a nuisance when I reach out to ask a Dev a question. It might sound crazy that I consider myself a “noob”, but I feel that there is much much more to learn. I have only skimmed the surface. I have so many ideas that I can not implement until I have the knowledge to do so.

Tim-o-tato: Then that makes me an ULTRA noob! Haha Is there anything in the works that you might want to hint readers at, at all?

Pete: Well, lets just say some extra “goodies” will be included in V0.5  And on the subject of noobs, V0.5 will be the most user friendly ROM to have flashed to a noobs Droid. It will come with EVERYTHING they need. I will be doing some things that have not been done in previous ROMs.

Tim-o-tato: Oh really? Care to elaborate?

Pete: I don’t want to elaborate too much because it will be kanged before it gets out

Tim-o-tato: The name Bugless Beast. Where did it derive from?

Pete: Bugless Beast started out as Bugless Beauty. I wanted to provide a completely stable ROM. At the time, most of the ROMs had a small bug here and there and were mostly for advanced users to flash. I wanted something that would give users more features yet still be completely stable. Bugless Beauty was not overclocked. Someone suggested making an overclocked version for the more daring users and deeming it “Bugless Beast”. I supported both builds for a while as I learned what the Droid could handle. When I realized the Beast was still completely stable, I focused my attention on it and dropped the beauty.

Tim-o-tato: So I’m gonna ask you a couple silly Q’s. Feel free to go wild on them!

Tim-o-tato: If Steve Jobs offered you a job at Apple. Would you take it?

Pete: Wow! Let me think about this one lol just kidding I would turn it down.  I think I’d rather continue selling auto parts at Advance then work at Apple!

Tim-o-tato: Good answer!

Tim-o-tato: Task killers….do you use one?

Pete: No no no! Task killers are the biggest waste of time and money for Android users. They are simply not needed, the OS handles task perfectly without them.

Tim-o-tato: Tell us something that people would never know about you!

Pete: Oh gosh, I don’t know If I want to admit it lol

Tim-o-tato: Do it

Pete: Guess what phone I had before the Droid?

Tim-o-tato: Oh no!!! Say it ain’t so!!! iPhone?

Pete: You said it, not me

Tim-o-tato: Well my opinion of you has changed! haha

Pete: Haha! When I got my Droid I gave the iPhone to my mom. She hated it with a passion so I bought her a G1. Android family for life!

Tim-o-tato: So other then Bugless, and auto parts….what takes up your time? Any Bugless lady friends?

Pete: Well this is terrible but I did have a lady. Lost her to Bugless Beast I guess you could say. Too much time on the Droid lol This time I have learned how to set the Droid down and finish working on it later. Thats why BB V0.5 has been taking so long lol

Tim-o-tato: Oh no!  That’s too bad!

Pete: Its OK, everything happens for a reason!  That was a while ago, back when we were running android 2.0  Now I got my eye on someone else UPDATE: He got her!!! Congrats Pete!

Tim-o-tato: Pssh, 2.0 was ages ago!

Tim-o-tato: So I know you’re busy. Is there ANYTHING you want to say to the community or in general before I let you go?

Pete: Hmmmm….let me think.  I really just want to say thank you to all those who use Bugless Beast and to those who have donated to me. Without their support I would have never found my true calling. I would have been stuck working on kids braces all day as a career. Now I can pursue my dreams!!!

Tim-o-tato: And what are your dreams?

Pete: My dreams are to work for Google. I just smiled typing that!

Tim-o-tato: Awe! That’s awesome man. I wish you the best of luck. And I am sure I speak for everyone when saying that!

Pete: Thanks man, you better believe Im not gonna stop until I make it!

Tim-o-tato: Pete, I wanna thank you for your time and generosity in allowing us the privilege to talk to you!

Hope to see you drop by Droid-Life sometime!

Pete: No problem! Anytime!

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Hope you all have enjoyed the first of many Q&A’s. If anyone has any questions for future Developers, please leave it in the comment section below and we will do our best to get it done! Thanks everyone!

Tim-o-tato & TechDeft

*You can stay up to date with Pete at his excellent website!

*Tim is in a band! Check it out!

*TechDeft is an IT wizard! Check his blog HERE.

The Tato Series: An Interview with Peter Alfonso is a post from: Droid Life