My CM7 Impressions, Problems, and Requests

[k4ever]

Hi all. I reinstalled CM7 on my TouchPad last night. I'm not new to Android. I first installed it on my HTC Tilt a few years ago and I have owned several Android devices. However, webOS has been my primary mobile OS since the Pre was released. With webOS news getting bleaker and bleaker everyday, I decided it was time to get back into Android.

I've used CM7 for 24 hours now. Here are my observations:

It is rock solid stable. I don't understand why it is still an alpha. The CM team must have very high standards.

It boots very fast and is very swift. Everything runs as smooth as butter.

Here are my problems:

Bluetooth is not working with my truck's radio. It keeps giving me an invalid key error but it doesn't allow me to enter a key.

Android Market crashes almost every time I open it.

The space bar on the keyboard is PITA. It is hard to hit and doesn't register sometimes.

I installed ADW Launcher EX, completely replacing the default launcher. I'm having issues with EX when I restart it or change the theme. The menus, widgets, and icons get fatter for some reason, like the resolution is off. Everything fixes itself when I plug the TouchPad in. Its weird. The dock also disappears sometimes.

The screen is off center (orientated to low) for Asphalt 5.

What I need help with:

I need a good replacement for Communities (tapatalk client). So far I haven't found one. I like being able to display the threads I have posted in.

A keyboard similar to the look and feel of the TouchPad's webOS keyboard.

Is there a way to skin the default calendar? It looks hideous and it is one of the apps I use a lot.

Is there an app that centralizes all of my email without routing my accounts through gmail (a major security violation for my company).

Is there a video player/server similar to KalemSoft Media Player/server or a decent upnp program? I need to link to my media on my computer.

Quick question: Is there a tablet version of the Kindle App? I like the page animations and book spine from the webOS version.

Android issues: Almost all of the apps that have webOS equivalents look better in webOS.

 

[flimsyspork]

I know this doesn't help you at all and I'm sorry. I just purchased the HP TouchPad and received it today and will be putting Android on it later. I just ordered the HP Keyboard that's supposed to work with it. Will the keyboard work with Android? I ask because I noticed you are looking for a keyboard that looks and feels similar to the TouchPad's keyboard and now I'm wondering if it's because it won't work with Android.

 

[k4ever]

I meant keyboard app. Sorry. I have an HP keyboard. I will test it for your.

 

[k4ever]

I couldn't get the keyboard to pair with the device. It would not accept the codes I typed. Bluetooth has not impressed me at all with CM7.

 

[DemonHighwayman]

Try the hackers keyboard on the android market for a more useful layout, it's not the prettiest one but it's free and better than the standard android one.

There are other calendar apps on the market which you can use with your gmail account.

I believe the screen resolution problems are because there aren't any other android tablets with a 4:3 screen ratio, once again there are apps on the market to fiddle around with the resolution.

The touchpad's radio's (wifi, blutooth) are still on the issues list and are probably a big part of why the CM team have kept it as an alpha so far.

 

[flimsyspork]

I downloaded, installed, and enabled the hacker's keyboard but the Android keyboard is still appearing. I rebooted for good measure, but still nothing.

 

[DemonHighwayman]

I downloaded, installed, and enabled the hacker's keyboard but the Android keyboard is still appearing. I rebooted for good measure, but still nothing.

Ah ok, you need to set it as the default keyboard in settings, language & keyboard settings, then make sure there is a check next to Hacker's Keyboard.

Hope that helps.

 

[Jman1313]

To get the HP keyboard to pair, when it asks for a code, enter any code on the touchpad and click OK, then Immediately enter the same code on the physical keyboard and press enter. The keyboard should pair and work great!

As to the space bar, I found moving the status bar/softkeys to the top of the tablet to fix this. When it's at the bottom, it is easy to hit the status bar instead of the space bar, which registers as trying to open the notification drawer instead of a space.

 

[k4ever]

Thanks guys for your help. I have some more issues/questions:

I also need a good cook book that is made for a tablet. I use Epicurious on webOS but the one that Android version is pretty much phone only.

DemonHighwayman, what apps in the market fix the screen resolution?

Is there a good tablet app for Last.fm? The Last.fm tablet app for webOS is fantastic. The ones I have seen in the market so far are not.

I still need an app that can stream and play videos from my desktop. KMP on webOS does an excellent job at this. Maybe a uPnP file manager or something that can link to Windows Media Player 12's server on Windows 7..

Does anyone know how to fix the sound distortion and pausing when playing media?

Does anyone know how to get the lock screen to show? I set a lock pattern but the screen never locks.

BTW, I'm using Business Calendar as my calendar replacement. Not as good looking as webOS' calendar but way better than the default calendar. I'm using the Hacker's Keyboard but for some reason I can't find a way to make it auto correct. I'm using K9 for email. It was definitely not easy at all to set-up, but I have all my accounts, including Gmail on it. I have the free version of Convo for tapatalk. No where near as good as Communities. Based on what I see in the free version, I'm a little hesitant to get the paid version. As a matter of fact, I'm finding it hard to justify paying for Android apps because almost all of them are made for a phone and don't look good on a tablet at all.

 

[flimsyspork]

Ah ok, you need to set it as the default keyboard in settings, language & keyboard settings, then make sure there is a check next to Hacker's Keyboard.

Hope that helps.

I definitely did that, but still no go. Also when I had the keyboard installed and when I was booted into android and pressed the sleep button it would reboot. So I just uninstalled it, which fixed the problem, and said oh well.

 

[gathome]

If you like a swype keyboard, I'm using SlideIt on my TP with no issues.

 

[DemonHighwayman]

Thanks guys for your help. I have some more issues/questions:
DemonHighwayman, what apps in the market fix the screen resolution?

Ok not tried these myself because my screen looks fine, but here are some:
LCD Resolution (Root) by Wemobs Labs
DPI Changer by Innodroid
LCDDensity for Root by Elviss Kustans
LCD Density Changer by Beansoft

 

[DemonHighwayman]

I definitely did that, but still no go. Also when I had the keyboard installed and when I was booted into android and pressed the sleep button it would reboot. So I just uninstalled it, which fixed the problem, and said oh well.

Are you running alpha 3 ? because it's working on mine ok (first screenshot) In the second screenshot I'm using Thumb Keyboard 4 which takes some getting used to. There are quiet a few different keyboards available on the market, and most of them you can skin.

 

[k4ever]

Are you running alpha 3 ? because it's working on mine ok (first screenshot) In the second screenshot I'm using Thumb Keyboard 4 which takes some getting used to. There are quiet a few different keyboards available on the market, and most of them you can skin.

I like your task bar. How did you make it look like Honeycomb? Also how do you take screenshots? I want show you the problem I am running into with widgets on my home screen. It may not be related to the resolution.

 

[DemonHighwayman]

I like your task bar. How did you make it look like Honeycomb? Also how do you take screenshots? I want show you the problem I am running into with widgets on my home screen. It may not be related to the resolution.

CM7 supports themes, so that is just a theme called 'Honeycomb 3D-SB Icons' from the market and applied with the built in theme chooser. To take screenshots just hold the power button down until a menu pops up and then select screenshot.

Oh and screens are saved in DCIM\Screenshots.

Look forward to some screenshots from you.

 

[k4ever]

DemonHighwayman,

Thanks! I got some good screenshots of the screwy behavior.

Edit: The first shot is how the screen is supposes to look. The second one is how it looks after a change (any change) is made in the settings menu. The third is some new weird behavior I'm getting. My dock icons are shrinking. The final shots are what each screen is supposed to look like followed by what happens with the screwy behavior. I have tracked it down (I hope) to the Main Dock Style settings. I can't use the "None (expanded desktop)" setting that is recommended and I have to recycle the settings every time I get small dock icons.

 

[k4ever]

BTW, what is the best desktop columns and rows setting? Right now I'm using the default 8x6.

 

[DemonHighwayman]

Looks like some kind of conflict with the dock bar to me, but I really don't have a clue what the cause is. Have you tried using a different launcher or dock bar yet ?, that might help. Apart from that I think you have the right idea with the columns and rows, mine is set at max, I think it's 9x9. One last thing I can think of (which probably will not help) is if you long press on the widget and go to 'edit' you can resize some stuff by dragging the border that appears. This has not worked for me yet with any widgets, but it looks as if it will stop other widgets using space you have designated to a certain widget. Like I said though It's probably not much use !

 

[cgk]

K4ever - BTW have you gone into the Rom Manager and run "fix permissions" - that tends to fix a lot of the force close issues.

 

[k4ever]

K4ever - BTW have you gone into the Rom Manager and run "fix permissions" - that tends to fix a lot of the force close issues.

No. Did not even know about it. Thanks! Doing it now. Question: Do I need to run this every time I install a new app?

BTW, I'm still looking for an app that will do a good job at replacing Communities. I'm using the free version of Convo right now and so far I don't like it. It doesn't have an option to go to my recent conversations and I can't seem to find a way to quote others comments in it. Am running CM7 now yet I am not posting this from Convo. The other Tapatalk program does not have a preview version. Also, I still need a good tablet oriented cookbook to replace Epicurious or when webOS is totally killed off my wife, mother, and daughter will revolt.