You might have seen an earlier post I wrote about this here, and I’ve essentially done the same thing this time, but with an important addition of code from Tom that properly stacks the characters (a critical feature often not available in an OS font library), and a new Tibetan font (actually Bhutanese) from Chris which is small, lightweight and efficient enough to be used on Android. All together this provides support for reading Tibetan text on web pages, and within full application user interfaces, eBooks and more.

With up to 32gb of storage possible via the tiny micro SD Card, this one device could probably store and serve up the majority of Tibetan Buddhist texts, not to mention literary, poetic and historic works, that exist, all in a lightweight, energy-efficient device. Since the device is also networked, you can use it to pull down the latest Tibetan language online news and blogs.

And yes, this is all possible because the Nook is based on the free, open-source Android operating system. Yay for freedom in all forms!

Thanks to the open-source movement and the hard work of many Tibet supporters and typography experts, I am happy to announce that  rendering of Tibetan characters is now supported on the most fantastic of mobile smartphones, Google Android!!!

Tendor’s Yarlung Raging blog viewed on a T-Mobile myTouch3G Android Phone

While it only has a small alphabet of characters, the Tibetan language has been notoriously difficult to support on Mac, Windows and Linux due to some complexities in how one character can modify the next. Dedicated academics, volunteers and software engineers have stayed focused on solving this and the most recent versions of all major operating systems are able to render Tibetan and provide Tibetan character input tools. Google Android is based on Linux, and fortunately is able to support the use of the GPL-licensed Tibet Machine Unicode font.

However, by default Android only has a small number of fonts built-in, and doesn’t support the easy addition of new fonts or locales. It does however have something called the “fallback” font, which is used to render any encoded text it comes across that it doesn’t quite know what to do with.

What I realized is that you could replace this font with a Tibetan unicode font compatible with Linux, and that this would then enable Tibetan support in all applications on Android, including the web browser, email apps, instant messaging, and short messaging (SMS), among others.

The steps below outline the technical how to for Android users.


WARNING: This is not for novices. However, it isn’t rocket science either. Your average neighborhood mobile phone enthusiast should be able to figure out how to do this, and potentially help their friends do it too. Down the road, I hope we can make this process easier and/or Google will allow for the addition of any font to the system.

Step 1: Get Root on your Android device. You don’t need to mod your phone with a custom firmware, you just need root access to change system fonts. Here’s some places to start looking on how to (this changes weekly, btw, and differs for each type of Android phone):

• CyanogenMod: How To Root
• Android 1-click Root
• Android InstantRoot

Step 2: Download Tibet Machine Unicode font. You can learn more about the variety of Tibetan fonts available here.

Step 3: Make the system font folder writeable and backup the existing font
This can be done using desktop ‘adb’ tool from the SDK or the Android terminal app on the device

# su
# mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system
# chmod 777 /system/fonts
# cd /system/fonts
# mv DroidSansFallback.ttf DroidSansFallback.ttf.bak
# exit

Step 4: Write the Tibetan unicode font as the new fallback font:
Using ADB Desktop tool with Android connected via USB

adb push TibMachUni-1.901b.ttf /system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf

Using on-device terminal app:

#cd /system/fonts
#wget -o DroidSansFallback.ttf http://tinyurl.com/tibfont /system/fonts/DroidSansFallback.ttf

Step 5: Reboot your Android phone

Step 6: Point your Android browser at http://yarlungraging.blogspot.com, http://lobsangmonlam.org/ or http://tb.tibet.cn to verify the Tibetan font support is properly installed.

What’s Next

Two big steps from here… this is a call to action for Android developers out there:

• Develop a one-click app that can install Tibetan (or any other third-party language) font for any rooted device
• Port an existing Java-based Tibetan input utility into Android as an Input Method Editor so that you can have a way to write Tibetan character emails, SMS messages and blog posts.

However, there is still much work to be done… read on!

1) Tor 0.2.2.5-alpha release contains all the necessary code for building the Tor binary exe using the Android C SDK. I utilized http://github.com/tmurakam/droid-wrapper toolchain wrapper scripts to make life easier. This will produce the output Tor exe that can run on Android w/o needing root.

Update: Thanks to Jake, you can now read the updated Orbot BUILD doc for the step by step build how to.

(thanks to ioerror for the pic)

At this point, we are pretty convinced that the performance and efficiency of the C binary is quite significantly better than the Java-based ports of Tor running within Dalvik… this translate to a better experience for the user, with no noticeable increase in battery drain or lag on the rest of the device while Tor is running in the background.

2) Orbot – this is the new Android app which bundles the Tor binary, handles its proper installation on the device and then provides a gui for starting/stopping, view the log and torrc, etc. It also provides a built-in HTTP Proxy and is licensed under the Tor license.

Just to be clear – we aren’t using the NDK or a shared library… we are actually extracting a binary and managing it via Runtime.getRuntime().exec() calls. This is 100% supported – who knew?! More info on how to do this here

The first code is up here… all is working, but def needs much polish:
https://svn.torproject.org/svn/projects/android/trunk/Orbot/

This post is in part a call for developers to contribute to the continued development of Orbot, so we can get it to a 1.0 state. The other big task is to modify the open-source, privacy focused Shadow browser, from the University of Cambridge DTG group, in order to make it work with our HTTP proxy. That would be a really great step forward, as right now, we have to ask users to set their global APN (read: https://svn.torproject.org/svn/projects/android/trunk/Orbot/INSTALL)

Thanks for everyone’s help and support to get here. I’d like to keep pushing on to a public release via the App Market very soon. Let me know if you’d like to contribute in any way – code, screen designs, icons, testing….

Domo arigato, Mr. Orbot-o!!

Another exciting week at ITP. This week the classes was visited by Evan Henshaw-Plath aka Rabble, who both spoke of his personal experiences with mobile technology and activism, and also provided critical feedback to students on their projects during our first Speed Geek.

The second half of the class focused on preparing for the development of actual mobile applications and services. While students are free to choose any software or hardware approach they want, the two platforms that will be covered in class are IMified and Google Android.

Here is the audio of the second hour of class as I walk through the links and slide presentations embedded below:

Referenced links:

• Building an IM Bot for the NY Senate OpenLeg API
• NY Senate Bill Bot source code for the IMified platform
• gReporter: Android application source code
• Android Market app examples: TwitterVoteReport and Inauguration Report

This first presentation provides an overview on approaching the development of mobile applications considering all of the unique factors of using a small, portable device on the go:

The second presentation uses the gReporter application to discuss the development of location and media-capture applications on the Google Android platform.

Finally, for beginning to design and mockup applications, here’s a list of solutions for the iPhone (thanks to TechJini blog)  that can also apply to Android:

1. Use Interface Builder or Dashcode (Mac only)
2. Use Balsamiq mockup tool (Mac, windows, linux) – http://www.balsamiq.com (http://www.balsamiq.com/blog/2009/03/01/iphone-controls-new-icons-and-much-more/)
3. Use Omnigraffle (Mac only) and import an iPhone stencil – (http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnigraffle/download/ and http://www.graffletopia.com/search/iphone)
4. Use paper and a stencil- http://www.designcommission.com/shop/iphone-stencil-kit/
5. Use a pre-printed sketch paper – http://labs.boulevart.be/index.php/2008/06/05/sketch-paper-for-the-mobile-designer/
6. Use photoshop and the iPhone PSD – http://www.teehanlax.com/blog/?p=1628
7. Use Adobe Fireworks – http://blogs.adobe.com/fireworks/2008/08/iphone_gui_as_adobe_fireworks.html and http://www.building43.com/videos/2009/06/23/mockup-iphone-app-adobe-fireworks/
8. Although not there yet, you can try http://iphonemockup.lkmc.ch/
9. Use the stencil kit from Yahoo! which is available in a variety of formats – http://developer.yahoo.com/ypatterns/wireframes/
10. Use the sketchbook available at http://www.mobilesketchbook.com/

Recently, a kerfuffle arose where in some overeager/ever-vigiliant IP lawyers at Google sent the developer of Cyanogen a CeaseAndDesist letter, because in his custom distro of Android he included certain closed source applications that are NOT part of Android. Unfortunately, the closed source applications weren’t just some utilities or demo applications, but actually GMail, Google Maps, YouTube and the Android Market. It could be stated that these are pretty much the essential end-user experience for the common user. In addition, some of the companies behind the hardware device drivers in the ROM are also beginning to complain.

However, Cyanogen, being the innovative, clever hacker he has revealed himself to be, along with the hundreds of other Android MOD hackers out there, are bound to come up with a clever solution to this mess shortly. After all, when you purchase an Android phone off the shelf, you buy the right to a license of those applications, and should be able to continue using them on your device, regardless of the underlying operating system flavor you are running. (To keep abreast of the latest developments, which seem to be taking new twists and turns each hour, you should check http://twitter.com/cyanogen)

Finally, I just wanted to state some points about my perspective on the “open source”-ness of Android and the possibilities for any project looking to distribute custom MODs of it , including my own Guardian Project:

• Android is not completely open-source; we’ve all known that for awhile, specifically b/c the entire baseband layer and radio firmware are closed source. These are the pieces that manage the GSM radio, controlling all the actual interface into the wireless network. This is just the reality of the mobile phone industry today. (Mad props to OpenMoko and BugLabs for making actual, true completely open-source mobile software and hardware.)
• Having custom MODs of Android released without the Google pieces in there by default is actually a good thing… Android has always been perceived as being too tied into Google by default. I want to build the non-Google Google Phone. If Yahoo had a clue, they’d release their own open-source client applications for their mail and map services and make a Yahoogle Phone.
• There are plenty of excellent, truly open-source alternatives out there for the market, maps and video players. This will give those solutions opportunities to shine. Specifically checkout the OpenStreetMap-based AndNav and AndAppStore an open alternative to the Market. PixelPipe offers uploads to YouTube, Blip, Flickr and many other media sharing sites. Finally, K9Mail is a open-source email client that works just fine with GMail’s IMAP service.
• Android is fundamentally built to route around Google’s centralized control… you don’t NEED a marketplace. You can download and install apps directly via a URL link, send them via Bluetooth, install them from an SD card and so forth.
• Just the fact that it is possible for Cyanogen and the tens of other MOD and theme distributors out there to do what they are doing is completely freaking fantastic. We have to thank and commend Google for that. Compared to the glacial speed of OS update release cycle, etc. of Palm when I worked there, Cyanogen is moving at warp speed, embracing the best practices of agile and duct tape progamming.

That’s all I have for now… I’d love to hear from you. Perhaps I being too kind? Any other excellent true open-source alternatives out there for the Google closed apps? What do you think about the possibility for a Yahoogle phone?

I’ve quickly realized that a quality SMS encryption application for Android (along with interoperability with other mobile phone platforms) is a critical application for the Guardian Project to focus on. One of the really cool aspects of building apps for Android is that you can completely replace the core applications on the device, meaning that an encryption-enabled SMS application isn’t relegated to a third-party status within the device. It can actual take over and replace the built in “Messaging” application and seamlessly handle SMS traffic and transparently handling encryption of messages to and from those addresses you have done a key exchange with.

Where Its At

In the meantime, here is a quick breakdown of what is available on Android today:

• 
  While not used for encryption, ChompSMS represents an excellent example of a “power-up” replacement for the built-in Android messaging application. It does offer an ability to send SMS through their Internet-based SMSC gateway. This means that as long as you have an mobile Internet data connection, you can send SMS messages without being monitored by the local mobile carrier, and even send SMS over a WIFI connection.




• Encrypted SMS – $1.99 – “Parents Spy Much? Here’s your solution!” – This app is clearly targeted at the “passing secret notes in class” audience and not meant for anything serious. The encryption used seems to be of the basic letter substitution pig-latin variety, which could be cracked in about two seconds by someone with a pencil and paper.
• Platinum RSA SMS – Free – “Encrypted text messaging service for your Android device. 1024 bit RSA math” – While the potential for this app seems good and the heavy use of the phrase “RSA math” indicates they know SOMETHING about encryption, the user interface is very confusing, even for me a seasoned user of terrible mobile user interfaces.
• TXTCrypt – $9.99!
  
  “With TXTcrypt just enter your message and a password for it , now the encrypted message can only be decoded with that password , just tell it to someone , and send them message encrypted with it , they can use TXTcrypt to decode it..”. This application is very powerful and well written. However, it costs way too much for what it offers. No key change, no proper integration with SMS… it is just a basic password-based plain text encryption tool.

CryptoSMS

As mentioned before, there is a quality, open-source solution available called
CryptoSMS. From their site: “Cryptosms provides public/private key encryption, key generation and key management. it sends and receives encrypted sms and public keys, de- and encrypts files, offers key verification via fingerprints and provides a secure login. ”

Unfortunately, CryptoSMS is only available for J2ME-based phones today, which Android is not. There is a J2ME emulation app for Android, but it is a terrible user experience. What this is all adding up to is that the Guardian Project must/will plan to contribute to and otherwise support porting efforts of CryptoSMS to Android… while the user experience and integration with Android OS concepts like intents and content providers will take some work, the core engine of CryptoSMS appears to be just what is needed.

If you are in the New York area, and would like to learn more about CryptoSMS, you can attend a workshop this Thursday evening, August 13th, at The Change in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. More information available here…

The Guardian project has no official relationship with these apps or their creators, but as we work towards developing our own unique software, we want to make sure to shine the spotlight on existing efforts that we admire and which are currently available. We’d also happily collaborate with any of them (or *you* if you are a developer reading this), and have them join our open-source efforts.

The first application is Walkie Talkie Push to Talk, which is a great alternative take on real-time VOIP or standard phone calls. Physical walkie talkie radios and Nextel-style PTT services have long been a valuable tool for many activists, and this application bring that capability to a global scale. Walkie Talkie can be used over GRPS, EDGE, 3G or Wifi networks, as well – whatever is available at the time.

Here’s a short description from the developer:

Walkie Talkie Push to Talk is a mobile application that allows walkie talkie style voice communications. Simply hold down the “Record & Send” button and speak. Messages can be sent to a group of people. Received messages are automatically played. If program is running, incoming messages arrive as soon as 15 seconds. If program is not visible, it polls in the background every 1 minute (to save battery).

The back-end messaging system used by this application is actual POP or IMAP, in other words email! If you utilize a secure IMAP/S connection with the application, then the voice communications are transmitted securely over the wireless network and Internet. If you use a service like Gmail (which offers secure IMAP access), then your access is hidden within the millions of other users accessing Gmail, as well.

Not drawing attention to your network traffic is often as important as securing your data. Also, while Gmail isn’t always the ideal service to use if you wish to retain full control of your data, it is much more difficult for an authority to block than a single proxy or a private server.

A few screenshots below:

Learn more about Walkie Talkie and download it from the Android Market today.

• Development SDK is free, open-source and officially supported for Windows, Linux and Mac OS (iPhone is Mac OS only basically)
• Java is the foundation for Android development vs. Objective-C on iPhone: many more Java developers and more affordable; ALSO a number of existing open-source Java libraries can run on Android, specifically Apache Commons client library code
• Android devices have removable batteries and SIM cards and can be unlocked for use on other networks w/o breaking the law
• Android devices have Micro SD based storage that can be easily removed; good for both application data distribution and security reasons
• Android hardware supports a true digital compass (your software knows which direction your user is facing, not just GPS lat/lon), as well as (at least with G1 device) auto-focus 3 megapixel camera capable of barcode, fingerprint and human iris scanning
• Finally, custom version of the Android OS can be built that are purpose-built, stripped down and customized for certain applications

It’s from the guy who made (and sold!) Dodgeball (a pre-Twitter mobile social service) along with another super-sharp mobile guy in NYC, and it’s launching at SXSW…. well, at least the iPhone app is.

Feeling left out, I decided there should at least be a basic offering for Android, and realized I could just wrap and tweak the mobile web service they offer at http://m.playfoursquare.com

Hence, FourDroid was (quickly) born, thanks to the always awesome PhoneGap Framework and the built-in WebKit browser on Android.

The benefit the “app” version has over just pointing your browser at the site:

• the app keeps its state/page separate from any web browsing you might do
• You can easily add the app icon to your home screen for quick access
• the browser font size is increased by default (the size for the mobile site is very small)
• a bottom button/tab bar provides quick links to often used screens
• it is just so much hotter to have an “app” than to try to explain how to type in a mobile URL

At some point, PhoneGap can also be used to tie in GPS location detection, photo upload, accelerometer and more, but for now, I’ll just settle for the benefits listed above.

The best part of this whole story is that I wrote the app this evening while I was waiting for other work (well paying work) to compile… so about two hours total interleaved into what I was actualy supposed to be doing. Yay, for PhoneGap on Android!

Search for “fourdroid” or “foursquare” in the Android Market today to try the app out for yourself

Git Code Repository (source access and zip/gzip download): http://github.com/natdefreitas/georeport-android

Slide overview download: http://olivercoady.s3.amazonaws.com/AndroidAdvancedGReporter030909a.pdf

Here’s the slides I presented today at Columbia University on this topic…