Anyone successfully run Android on their A81 MID?

[bryanzs]

Thanks, htklee888! I'm downloading the image now (it says it'll take about 4 hours but I've already downloaded the patch).

[zapikoe]

Thanks for the Android download mirror, htklee888. Downloading the Image now.. and waiting for another 6 hours, until it finishes

[bryanzs]

My download finally finished, but (at least for me) getting the image installed is not as easy as you might imagine (even once the download is done). You'll need to find a copy of hexedit somewhere (it's not included in the downloads), so you can "clone" the image to your SD card. And so far I've not had any luck getting the image cloned properly Later tonight I'm going to try putting it on my 8GB SD card (instead of the 2GB) and see if that makes it any better (in case it's just a matter of being a little too big...)

[htklee888]

Originally Posted by bryanzs

My download finally finished, but (at least for me) getting the image installed is not as easy as you might imagine (even once the download is done). You'll need to find a copy of hexedit somewhere (it's not included in the downloads), so you can "clone" the image to your SD card. And so far I've not had any luck getting the image cloned properly Later tonight I'm going to try putting it on my 8GB SD card (instead of the 2GB) and see if that makes it any better (in case it's just a matter of being a little too big...)

Use Winhex check message from Jtworld on 11/4 gives full instruction on cloning, with video (using the old android image)! However, only the registered version can be used for cloning!
2GB card is OK. 8GB card gives the same result and the remaining storage space would not be used.

I understand that a freeware dd.exe can do the cloning, using console commands. You have to be very careful in doing the programme as the harddisk might be erased if a wrong disk reference were used.

[bryanzs]

Originally Posted by htklee888

Use Winhex check message from Jtworld on 11/4 gives full instruction on cloning, with video (using the old android image)! However, only the registered version can be used for cloning!
2GB card is OK. 8GB card gives the same result and the remaining storage space would not be used.

I understand that a freeware dd.exe can do the cloning, using console commands. You have to be very careful in doing the programme as the harddisk might be erased if a wrong disk reference were used.

I am having the same problem all the other posters have - either winhex gives me an error message (if I use my 2GB card), or finishes with a successful message but still does not boot up (if I use my 8GB card).

I don't see the JT's World message you are referring to (maybe it is in the "hidden text" of the forum?), but I will keep looking.

Do you have the instructions for using dd to make it work instead of winhex? I would be willing to try that too...

[htklee888]

Originally Posted by bryanzs

I am having the same problem all the other posters have - either winhex gives me an error message (if I use my 2GB card), or finishes with a successful message but still does not boot up (if I use my 8GB card).

I don't see the JT's World message you are referring to (maybe it is in the "hidden text" of the forum?), but I will keep looking.

Do you have the instructions for using dd to make it work instead of winhex? I would be willing to try that too...

See this thread
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79990

I have been successfully using Winhex on both 2GB and 8GB card, just using a 8GB card would then be a waste.

Do you remember to replace the "UImage" on the cloned card by that file in the patch? Otherwise it won't boot - you know how to boot, right? See jtworld video in the thread I quoted!

Search for "mistral solutions". They had released android for OMAP 3530 series and is using dd.exe for cloning of the image to 2GB card. You may see if you can find some hints there, or may try to use their android. I have downloaded that image once and won't boot and then witstech released theirs for A81 and I therefore not go back to that site anymore.

[htklee888]

Originally Posted by htklee888

See this thread
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79990

I have been successfully using Winhex on both 2GB and 8GB card, just using a 8GB card would then be a waste.

Do you remember to replace the "UImage" on the cloned card by that file in the patch? Otherwise it won't boot - you know how to boot, right? See jtworld video in the thread I quoted!

Search for "mistral solutions". They had released android for OMAP 3530 series and is using dd.exe for cloning of the image to 2GB card. You may see if you can find some hints there, or may try to use their android. I have downloaded that image once and won't boot and then witstech released theirs for A81 and I therefore not go back to that site anymore.

New android testing version just out in Chin forum. May want to wait to test the new vers!

[bryanzs]

Thanks for the link. That is exactly what I have done. When I used the 2GB SD card, at the end I got a message saying it couldn't write it (as many others reported). I noticed that the last sector it does write is smaller than the number of sectors supposedly in the image, which is why I decided to try the 8GB card. The 8GB card does finish the write properly.

However, once the image is done writing, the SD card no longer seems accessible on my Windows system (either directly through my card reader, or through the A81 running in 'disk mode') - whenever it's loaded, Windows says the card must be formatted to be used. So how could I copy over the modified file if Windows won't let me access it?

I will take a look for the mistral use of dd to see if that works any better, thanks.

Yes, a new Android would be better, too. Of course, we would need to ask you to download it again for us And maybe try it yourself to see if it is worth using?

Update: I see the new image is more like the firmware upgrade build, and is much smaller, so I will try to download it myself directly...

[htklee888]

Originally Posted by bryanzs

Thanks for the link. That is exactly what I have done. When I used the 2GB SD card, at the end I got a message saying it couldn't write it (as many others reported). I noticed that the last sector it does write is smaller than the number of sectors supposedly in the image, which is why I decided to try the 8GB card. The 8GB card does finish the write properly.

However, once the image is done writing, the SD card no longer seems accessible on my Windows system (either directly through my card reader, or through the A81 running in 'disk mode') - whenever it's loaded, Windows says the card must be formatted to be used. So how could I copy over the modified file if Windows won't let me access it?

I will take a look for the mistral use of dd to see if that works any better, thanks.

Yes, a new Android would be better, too. Of course, we would need to ask you to download it again for us And maybe try it yourself to see if it is worth using?

Update: I see the new image is more like the firmware upgrade build, and is much smaller, so I will try to download it myself directly...

Yes, the android image now released in a similar way as he wince image and is therefore much smaller and is to be flashed to the ROM for boot (you probably lose the wince though). I have downloaded the new image and would try it out sometime in these few days. I trust you understand how to install the new android (google translation) and don't need my help then!

The WIFI, BT etc. are still NOT working in this release as wistech said and they would try to improve it asap.

Good luck!

[bryanzs]

By downloading the various bits from the Witstech site I was able to get Android installed on my A81. I still can't figure out how to _use_ it properly but at least it's installed.

NOTE: THIS WILL FLASH YOUR A81 TO ANDROID - IT IS NOT A DUAL BOOT. If you want to keep on using Windows CE, this is not firmware you're looking for...move along...

Here are the steps:
1. Go to the witstech bbs at http://bbs.witstech.com.cn/index.asp?boardid=10&page= - it's in Chinese, but look at the (currently 2nd-listed) entry that reads (with part in English) "A81 Android 1.6". Click that entry;
2. You should find 4 downloads; they're marked (with part in English) "HBUSBFW.RAR", "ANDROID_IMG.RAR", "ANDROID_USB_WINDOWS.RAR", and "APKINSTALLER.RAR". Download and unzip/unpack those 4 files;
3. Run hbusbfw to format your SD card (choose FAT32 format);
4. Copy the MLO file from the android_img to the SD card first;
5. Then copy all the other files from the android_img to the SD card;
6. Load the SD card into the A81, and - while pressing something into the "flash" hole (a little hole over where the USB cable goes in) - turn on the power. You should see the 4 color squares. You can then release the power button and stop pressing the "flash" hole;
7. The A81 screen will fade to white, and just sit there, for several minutes, until it is flashed, and then you will see the Android boot-up

And now on to the issues:
1. The APKInstaller is designed to let you download and install android applications (.apk) onto your SD card - but its user interface is entirely in Chinese. I think you'd be best off looking on your favorite search engine for "apkinstaller english" (unless, of course, you read Chinese);
2. The A81 is no longer recognized as a USB drive when you hook it up to your system. The files in the "Android_USB_Windows" RAR file are supposed to fix that, but on my system at least (Vista) they weren't acceptable To try it for yourself, after your A81 is turned on in Android mode, plug in the USB cable and when Windows asks for the drivers, point it to where you have the Android_usb_windows files unpacked;
3. While I am in Android, I can't figure out how to get anything that goes "full screen" (for example, like the "Settings" menu) off the screen, and I have to reboot;
4. Powering off seems to be hit-or-miss; it usually takes about 10 seconds of pressing the power key until it shuts down

That's all I've got so far...

[htklee888]

Originally Posted by bryanzs

By downloading the various bits from the Witstech site I was able to get Android installed on my A81. I still can't figure out how to _use_ it properly but at least it's installed.

NOTE: THIS WILL FLASH YOUR A81 TO ANDROID - IT IS NOT A DUAL BOOT. If you want to keep on using Windows CE, this is not firmware you're looking for...move along...

Here are the steps:
1. Go to the witstech bbs at http://bbs.witstech.com.cn/index.asp?boardid=10&page= - it's in Chinese, but look at the (currently 2nd-listed) entry that reads (with part in English) "A81 Android 1.6". Click that entry;
2. You should find 4 downloads; they're marked (with part in English) "HBUSBFW.RAR", "ANDROID_IMG.RAR", "ANDROID_USB_WINDOWS.RAR", and "APKINSTALLER.RAR". Download and unzip/unpack those 4 files;
3. Run hbusbfw to format your SD card (choose FAT32 format);
4. Copy the MLO file from the android_img to the SD card first;
5. Then copy all the other files from the android_img to the SD card;
6. Load the SD card into the A81, and - while pressing something into the "flash" hole (a little hole over where the USB cable goes in) - turn on the power. You should see the 4 color squares. You can then release the power button and stop pressing the "flash" hole;
7. The A81 screen will fade to white, and just sit there, for several minutes, until it is flashed, and then you will see the Android boot-up

And now on to the issues:
1. The APKInstaller is designed to let you download and install android applications (.apk) onto your SD card - but its user interface is entirely in Chinese. I think you'd be best off looking on your favorite search engine for "apkinstaller english" (unless, of course, you read Chinese);
2. The A81 is no longer recognized as a USB drive when you hook it up to your system. The files in the "Android_USB_Windows" RAR file are supposed to fix that, but on my system at least (Vista) they weren't acceptable To try it for yourself, after your A81 is turned on in Android mode, plug in the USB cable and when Windows asks for the drivers, point it to where you have the Android_usb_windows files unpacked;
3. While I am in Android, I can't figure out how to get anything that goes "full screen" (for example, like the "Settings" menu) off the screen, and I have to reboot;
4. Powering off seems to be hit-or-miss; it usually takes about 10 seconds of pressing the power key until it shuts down

That's all I've got so far...

I try to the best of my knowledge to give some hints to your question:
1. APKInstaller is in Simplified Chinese and you can't fix that unless you can read it. But it's a good programme for installing the APK. If you can't really find a substitute, let me know and see if I can give some brief explanation to the few buttons.

2. The win driver provided would provide only connection between the PC and the A81 for the apk install , etc. File transfer have to be done via a different prgramme.

3. Try pressing the "Power" buttn would get you back to the previous screen.

[bryanzs]

Thanks for that info, htklee888. Now that you mention it, I think I remember reading a while ago that the 'power' button serves as the back button. When I (briefly) click on it, I do go back a screen (yeah!).

I've also managed to figure out how to scroll down a screen (by sliding my finger in the scrollbar area "up" to move down the screen - as a computer person, that seems counter-intuitive, but I guess it's based on a "finger flick").

Until I can figure out how to get the device attached to my PC, though, I can't load any other applications on it - so it's not extremely useful to me right now...

[bryanzs]

After using my A81 for about a month, I've decided it's not exactly what I was looking for (even after getting Android to run on it (kind of)). My reading habits are apparently more suited to an e-ink device.

Anyone interested in this still-interesting, still-nearly-new hardware, please look here

Thanks!