[Hero, G2 Touch Android Development] Hacre:
FroydVillain 1.4.4 OTA update released!

Changelog:

GPS NTP time sync now configured somewhat locally.
New libhtc_ril.so
GPS configuration fixes.

FroydVillain 1.4.4 update for EUROPEAN users.

FroydVillain 1.4.4 update for NORTH AMERICAN users.

FroydVillain 1.4.4 update for ASIAN users.

If your continent isn't listed use the one closest to you.

Also make sure if you flashed the Nindroid-2.6 test kernel, flash back to Nindroid-2.5. Use whatever radio works best for you with your carrier.

Kernels (also available in OTA, turn on experimental updates):

19-576 with bootanimation

19-576 without bootanimation

19-614 with bootanimation

19-614 without bootanimation

19-652 with bootanimation

19-652 without bootanimation

19-691 with bootanimation

19-691 without bootanimation

19-729 with bootanimation

19-729 without bootanimation

19-748 with bootanimation

19-748 without bootanimation

19-768 with bootanimation

19-768 without bootanimation

FroydVillain 1.4.3 OTA update released!

Changelogs:

1.4.1

Restore missing file for Villain Updater app.
Fix Google Framework crash.
Supply missing Wifi tethering app.

1.4.2

Fix outdated library crashing Google Shopper app.

1.4.3

Restore Clicker.apk for HTC IME Mod keyboard calibration.
Fix apns-conf.xml not being correctly configured for new GPS implementation.
Supply newer libspeex.so to prevent SoundHound crashing with Vlingo installed.

Nindroid version 2.5

Replace unnecessarily long app waits with sleep timers to eliminate "background noise" from drivers causing futile cpu usage. Improves battery life and stability especially noticeable with games that use accelerometer.
Allow for IP header compression on both IPv6 and IPv4 to improve Google app performance.
Add 245MHz clock speed into the table to facilitate correct clock timings when in power collapse suspend or SWFI.
Add 576MHz kernel variant for phones that cannot clock to 614MHz. Ondemand governor used due to frequency table being too narrow.

Workaround for Market stalling problem (thanks Revoked)

If your Market downloads are sticking, do the following:

adb shell rm -f /sdcard/.android_secure

Or mount the sdcard to your PC and delete the file from there.

All OTA updates from 1.4.0 - 1.4.3 download links for those who can't use the OTA app:

MUST BE APPLIED IN SERIES E.G. 1.4.1 THEN 1.4.2 TO GET 1.4.3

FroydVillain 1.4.0 - 1.4.1

FroydVillain 1.4.1 - 1.4.2

FroydVillain 1.4.2 - 1.4.3

Kernels (also available in OTA, turn on experimental updates):

19-576 with bootanimation

19-576 without bootanimation

19-614 with bootanimation

19-614 without bootanimation

19-652 with bootanimation

19-652 without bootanimation

19-691 with bootanimation

19-691 without bootanimation

19-729 with bootanimation

19-729 without bootanimation

19-748 with bootanimation

19-748 without bootanimation

19-768 with bootanimation

19-768 without bootanimation

FroydVillain 1.4.2 OTA Update:

Now live in the Villain Updater app is an OTA update that fixes the FC with Shopper.

GPS ISSUES: People having a problem with GPS, go to Menu, Settings, Applications, Development and UNCHECK Allow mock locations.

To make it as simple as possible:

Minor Update:

Just a small update for FroydVillain 1.4.0 folks to add in some missing files.

FroydVillain 1.4.0-1.4.1 Hotfix.

The fix contains a missing file for the VillainROM Updater, aNetShare for wireless tethering and the GoogleCalendarSync that stops the Google framework FC.

FroydVillain 1.4.0 "Smoother than a cashmere codpiece"

Well ****. You're probably getting tired of me saying every new release is awesomely awesome and fast and stuff.

Well tough tits because FroydVillain 1.4.0 is the fastest and smoothest FroydVillain TO DATE. Smoother than a buttered banister. For those who don't know what a banister is, it's a ****ing handrail.

Hell this release even contains boobs. Oh yes. Boobs. No penises though. Not gay. Honest.

Never let it be said that I let a small issue such as an entire website crash slow down my development work. Oh no. By the way my missus would like me to pass on that you can all go to hell and die slowly in a fire. She'd also like to ask for her other half back.

Sheesh. Anyone would think I only half listen to her as I rattle off on my keyboard. Oh, wait. Woops.

SOOO what has Uncle Ninpo kicked Santa out of bed to bring you today? Well there's a bit of a story to this. Bet you saw that comin...

How can I best intro this? Oh yeah.

Seriously. There I was cocking about with Webkit (DA FING THAT MAKES INTERWEB PAGES APPEAR for the newbs) and I somehow managed to make my way over to...DALVIK. Yes, that dark and mysterious place that many have gone and few have returned from alive. Dalvik, the heart that beats for Android, the second most important thing after the kernel.

Dalvik has eaten many a developer alive and spat them out in a gibbering wreck. It turns java fans over to .NET, it's even made a few go and buy an iphone. This is not a place for the faint hearted.

**** it, I thought and dived straight in. This is where the WTF/min picture comes in. Someone on the AOSP project -really- hates MSM7200A class phones. If it hasn't clicked, your Hero is an MSM7200A class phone. That's the processor/chipset inside. Google hate it, just FYI and so do HTC.

Well I ****ing don't so I grabbed Dalvik by the short and curlies and informed it that it was going to play nice with our Heros from now on. Which brings us to FroydVillain 1.4.0. What was supposed to be a quick fix to Tethering and GPS turned into an epic and bloody battle with Dalvik. I won.

I also got JIT enabled in the JSC rendering engine for the browser too, which considering that was my original goal, I'd call that a result.

SO what's new?

Well.

Completely new Dalvik build...

...the likes of which you won't see in any other ROM until someone either looks at my github and yanks it all, or they accept the changes upstream. Given that I think upstream consider me as some madcap insane scientist type person, I wouldn't hold out too much hope on the latter. Knowing these forums though, the former will probably happen pretty soon. Wibble.

So er yeah where was I? Oh right, new Dalvik build. Instead of being a giant lazy bastard when it comes to the Hero, Dalvik is now painfully aware of the processor our phone uses and how best to make use of it. Dalvik is already losing weight. It's about time, the fat ****er. Last time I ran into something this badly built it collapsed on my head when I slammed a door. Never did see any money back from that house.

JIT enabled in the browser engine

This was actually enabled in 1.3.x but I forgot to mention it. Plus I wasn't sure if it was really working because online benchmarks suck nut. It's at least as fast as the Eclair V8 engine though, which is good. Unfortunately the V8 engine on Froyo has been snatched away from us because it has armv7 code hardcoded in. Bastards.

AndChat makes a return

Because I don't use it, I kept forgetting to include this alright-ish-sorta IRC app (hey at least it's free) in FroydVillain builds after we got the go ahead from the dev. If you ask me, and I'm sure you won't, Android IRC is one of the best paid apps on the market.

New kernels again

Oh yes new kernels again. For those ITCHING for me to trip up over the GPL, tough ****, bang up to date source is in my signature. Muhahahaha.

This one has some IP improvements that apparently make Gapps play nicer. Given how badly Gapps have been playing lately, we could use some niceness from them. It was the kernel this time Google, next time it'll be pitchforks on your lawn.

Oh I've also made a set of kernels that turn off the bootanimation. Why? Does a 40 second boot time from power on to lockscren sound attractive? I thought it might. That's why.

More wallpapers

Since I added in a Villain wallpaper collection I've been hammered with suggestions for it. The good ones are in. The ones that had me looking for a bottle of bleach and a cotton swap are out. You're welcome.

Incidentally, speaking of eye candy, if you want a pure visual orgasm with the Hero, install Alex24's Galaxy theme+fonts and select the 5th wallpaper from the Wallpaper app (the blue FV wallpaper). Then get off your cheap arse and buy Beautiful Widgets and use the NeonTransparent clock skin with the Simply Beautiful weather skin.

If you disagree that they're not the most awesomely awesome things ever to grace your home launcher screen, you're clearly a moron and should sit in the corner away from everyone else.

I mean come on:

After popular demand, notification lights...

...work as you voted for. We're back to jogball for everything, LED for *****ing about battery status. Hurrah.

GPS really works, this time.

I promise. Almost two days testing this **** and it's been fine. So many reboots. My poor Hero. It thinks it's running Windows now. I've had to give it a completely blue theme to calm it down.

DSP Manager updates

****ed if I know what changed. The last time I asked alankila about DSP Manager he said some stuff that had me running and screaming for my happy place. He is one scarily smart bastard. It could have been satanic chants or it could have been mathematical formulae for how DSP Manager works. Who knows, I certainly don't. All I do know is my Hero has gone from sounding like trash, to outputting Dire Straits - Money for Nothing out in decent quality out of my car stereo. Score.

Woops, almost forgot...

Thanks to:

Cyanogenmod. Without their help and their repo, I wouldn't be the gibbering mad developer cackling over the code that I am today.

Alex24 for his theming work.

Mikebeecham and mpgrimes for some stellar wallpapers.

All my IRC minions for testing.

NikuelTrasgu for the original bootanimation and Alex24 again for making it smoother and loop for Froyo.

Anyone I forgot, just to avoid bleating. Imagine your name is here in a giant red font, flashing your sexiness per minute.

So, onto the links I guess.

FroydVillain-1.4.0-release download.

Themes:

Alex24's awesomesexysauce Galaxy theme.

Now, for those who cannot help but beg and plead that they don't want to have to wipe, we've had good reports from a few testers after just flashing the ROM. So give it a try. However if you want to report problems I suggest you nandroid and do a completely clean install before reporting those problems. No need to wipe dalvik, the install script does that for you. Aren't I nice? :D

I know these release notes will come as a bit of a disappointment to some, but come on folks this is the third release in what, a week? Lol. I need more breathing space to recharge my creative batteries. Hopefully this release will be stable enough for you all to give me that breather.

Enjoy. :)

EDIT: Woops forgot aNetshare for wifi tethering. Attached.