[Android Head-Units] Tuatara:
Power supply ...

You should be able to receive SMS messages using Google Hangouts through a USB 3G/4G key (like the Huawei). I have not yet tried this on the Carpad, but I have done this on my Nexus 7 without problems. Signal strength should be visible in the 3G bars icon in the upper corner, and through an android system call (but I'm not familiar with the exact one). I'm sure there is an App on the Play Store which can display the signal strength of 3G and WiFi connections.

If you are using the android through the Firewire (FW) cable, then you are receiving around 1A from the head unit. Assuming about 300mA for the android device, the remainder is available for your USB attached devices. Each USB port (in theory) can deliver 500mA, but the total budget would be more like 700mA. This is why you can't run a physical Hard Drive off the USB Host, and/or hook up power-hungry cameras either. Having a microphone, and a 3G stick will be absolutely fine. The microphone uses a negligible amount, and the 3G stick would use the remainder.

In summary: One device on each port (as long as they are not power hungry devices) will be perfectly fine.

If you want to run more than that, and are using a USB hub to hook up more devices, that hub NEEDS to be powered, as the android unit can not supply the power which would be required.

My power supply comments were for those people who were running the android box on it's own - on a bench without the head unit (i.e. no Firewire cable connected). They were (successfully) powering the device using ONLY the USB Host or the USB OTG port (i.e. from their computer or a plug adapter). I would not recommend doing this, with more than just the HDMI connected, and a keyboard/mouse wireless combo dongle, as the power requirements would exceed the specifications. That is the reason why some have experienced HMDI failures, shutdowns, or other issues while doing so.

---------- Post added at 05:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:09 PM ----------

No problem ... I'll fix it.

Right ... just for you I'll make a "build.prop" file, which you will be able to download along with the ROM.

METHOD: Open the build.prop download in your favorite text editor (notepad will do). Select All. Copy to clipboard. Open FWFactoryToolv4.4, click "Firmware" and load the (misconfigured) ROM. Click "Modify Buildprop", and click into the upper left corner of the text. Press [shift][ctrl][end], and then [delete]. Then press [ctrl][v] to paste in the (correct) build.prop. Optionally click "Replace boot logo" to get rid of that awful Tuatara logo, picking your favourite (oops spelling!) image (car logo is my choice). Then click "Confirm Modification" and save your beautiful, perfect, US centric, Month/Day/Year, Imperial(istic) ROM.

Sorry for the extra steps, but this way you don't have to touch the screen and change all the settings on the Carpad. :cool:

Busybox is installed, and available. If you need a busybox icon (what does it let you do? Does it provide a shell?) I'll see what I can do about this.

Right ... definitely an error on my part then. I'll fix this in the updated version I'm working on now.

I'm still waiting to hear feedback on the (aggressive) HWUI graphics optimizations I put in. I've found them to be too aggressive, and memory hungry, and have toned them down a lot.

Also, I would like to hear back from users who have a 1GB version of the android box - is the performance acceptable, worse, or better than before? I've increased the Dalvik heap sizes, but I'm worried that they may be too big for a lower memory device.

In either case, I think I will provide "special" build.prop files, which can be individually adjusted and tailored for the different devices (and different timezone needs) - which can be easily replaced using FW Tools 4.4. (as above) in the base ROM I'll provide.

It still prompted me to try it out, and I was stunned with the difference. It needed to be included - but not active by default. There is a noticeable increase in the noise floor (background hiss), but the overall improvement in audio compensation available when in the car (and driving) is absolutely amazing.

Yup ... Wiki that!

Yes it is. The regular NEON_SQ.so is the Normal/Standard Quality, the NEON.so the battery saving, and NEON_HQ.so the high quality one. HQ all the way.

Not a chance. Hopefully someone with "sum gud writin skillz" will be able to put all this information into the Wiki in a structured and accessible manner. I generally write huge "brain dumps", which can contain far too much information, and be overly verbose for what is needed. I usually have technical writers who edit my work and help me. :rolleyes: