Android Making Android apps work fullscreen on the Edge

After some digging around I found that the reason some apps don't show up in fullscreen is that they are built against the android sdk 1.5_r3. By simply rebuilding them against 1.6_r2, the app automatically show up in fullscreen.

Here's the kicker. If you download apktool from http://code.google.com/p/android-apktool/, you can disassemble the apk, change AndroidManifest.xml from <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="3" /> to <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="4" />, rebuild the apk, and sign the apk file. Voila, you now have an app that can now run fullscreen.

I tried this with the engadget app and it works great!

This method is obviously tech heavy and so is not for everybody.

If you are willing to share your modified file please let me know where I can get it. The mobile browser version works pretty well but I would like to see the app as well.

Here a couple of links to full screen versions

http://www.mediafire.com/file/zmim2j....djvudroid.apk
http://www.mediafire.com/file/tnydw2...e.engadget.apk

awesome tip - thank you!

Engadget app is great and the videos even stream! Thanks!!!

This is very cool, thanks for your efforts. I haven't got around to trying it yet, but it's on the stack.

I would not even try it...I would brick my eDGe for sure!!

Is it possible for you to post the apk so that we less tech savvy people can download the apk for engadget.

edgelover, the two apks have already been posted above at post #4

This question is for borisb...is there a way to take this idea and provide an app that could automate the process so any normal user can simply take an APK and have it converted to full screen?

Is that possible?

Thanks

Craig

euser1: I was wondering if you would share which operating system you changed those apk's on? So far I have been very unsuccessful on the windows version. I am able to decode and rebuild with changes and sign the apk file, but when I attempt to install on the edge it fails. I have even tested with only decoding, rebuilding, and signing without any changes and still it fails.
As of this post I am installing a wubi Ubuntu to try the linux version as the apktool author's videos were created on that system.

If you are also using Windows version have you noticed and nuances or quirks to make this work?

You have to uninstall the original app and then reinstall the rebuilt app.

Thank you euser1. That worked perfectly. I am ashamed that I did not already try that myself.