O&K Print Watch – Print monitor and printing control software.

Now those of you that know what I've been doing for the past decade or so, know that I love collecting statistics for improving the daily performance. Here’s what I’ve got for the printers.

Regarding our work printers, there's a constant need to push my users into printing less, without pushing everything mindlessly into ePrints. And I've found the tool to do it prober.

O&K Print watch is the name

I've been battling our corporate firewall for years, not getting the permissions to open the ports for the supplies collection services, and there's simply no way they'll get open. Having my users for some reason refuse to report when the multifunction machines are low before the supplies run out, have had me store supplies that grow old, unused or simply get lost.

For a while now I've been running O&K Print Watch on the frontdesk guest computer as it is never turned off.

And made it send me mails on printers that run with less than 20% supplies. And now I now longer have an extra storage, yet the printers are not run dry.

Every morning I get this mail from the frontdesk computer if any of the printers are at 20% or lower, I pick up the phone and order the supplies needed, which is pretty easy when you get all the information like serial and productnumber. Even if the supplier have a hard time getting it home.

And that's my main reason for using O&K Print Watch. And why I’d recommend it for any siteadmin.

The fact it's so simple to install and use, takes all printers (the computer knows of), and it leaves practically no footprint is more than enough to endorse this. From here it’s something I’m going to have to push onto the portfolio guys at HQ.

My next step with it would be the actual statistics of printing.

I've been curious about many of the statistical features, like tracking who prints how much, who's printing black/white compared to full color, Duplex, OfficeJets rather than LaserJets. It seems I may be able to reduce the officewide printing by actually pinpointing the users not following your print policies.

The options of dividing my users into groups and segment them into profiles leaves plenty room for managers, marketing and finance alike to be better informed of their impact on our carbonfootprint.

Buttomline, if you want to know what's going on with your printers and don't have the time and energy to set up large SNMP collection networks, O&K Print watch will do it for you. You only need 5-10 minuttes setting it up. There’s no substitute really, trust me, I’ve looked for quite a while.

Rooting YP-G70CW

Hi.

As promised I'll describe my current progress even though it's a bit meager:

I've gotten holdof the Samsung Galaxy Player 5.0 WiFi YP-G70CW
And I figured that to be a great starting point for learning the ropes as how to Root Android, and explore what to do with it.

First week I spend figuring out where to get some default information.
Second week I spend realizing how little I know, and getting to gribs with the explosive learning Cliff.
All I wanted to do was to Root. But once does not just go Root.

Learning the basics as in what Rooting essentially is, I realize more and more that I'm really not the rigth type for this. Usually I'm fine with the basics as long as it works. And when speaking of Phones, the basics usually works fine. There's rarely a need to change anything.

Yet my project was to use devices in way the manufacturer didn't expect, and make a baseline product that I could push to even simpler users.

So realizing that rooting is rather complicated, unless you're using a default, which again counteracts the purpose of rooting in the first place. I started digging.

Here's where I've landed at the moment:

http://www.androidauthority.com/root-android/
http://forum.xda-developers.com/sitesearch.php?q=backup%20nandroid
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1418
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1603209&highlight=search+this+forum&page=2
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1445840 (sikkert overflødig)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xve2kJUVK1A
http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/what-is-clockworkmod-recovery-and-how-to-use-it-on-android-complete-guide/
http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/how-to-install-clockworkmod-recovery-3-using-rom-manager/
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1444636
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1446774
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/use-odin-android-28504.html
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1417090

Yes these are links and reffrences to information or data that  is currently open in my attempt to do 3 simple things: Root the device, upgrade the OS+kernel, get a backup.

What I thus far have managed to do is to Root the device, Upgrade to Gingerbread with a decent kernel. I still don't have any way to perform a backup or the sligthest hint as how to get that. Of course it's clearly described in all the text, but I don't understand it.
Another step on the way was the cleaning of the said device. It's filled with unneeded stuff, and I still fail to understand how to "uninstall" it.

This is what most consider geekdom. To posses skills to perform tech magic, that to them seem simple, yet to the rest of us, makes absolutely no sense.
I'm still a geek and I'll master this eventually, but as said the learning cliff is indeed terrifing.
Well here's a walkthrough for those that were just looking how to Root a Samsung Galaxy Player 5.0 WiFi YP-G70CW (And the cw is very important, and very neglected in all describtions for some reason, if you are unsure, look at the back of the player)

First:
You'll want to root it:
I found SuperOneClick using http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xve2kJUVK1A as a refference point. His device isn't a YP-G70CW but a YP-G70?? Still the rooting proccess he used worked....
I found SuperOneClickV2.3-Shortfuse somehow and downloaded that and installed it. (remember to save and file everything as you migth need it later)
As he mentiones in his youtube video about it. It's a no brainer. Make sure to have the prober Device drivers (if you can get access to you drives on it, you're good).
Unmount or Remove the SD card.
Try with diffrent USB connection settings, and use the big Root button in superclick.
If superclick becomes unresponsive for more tehn 5 minuttes, you've done something wrong, and need to try again.
Once it's rooted, it's just end the scribt. But you won't be overly informed about it, so check and verify.
Sorry, this was the first and hardest bit.

Next loading a ROM with Kernel:
As you can imagine, loading the wrong rom here could brick it. And it most likely will. So verify that you're having a YP-G70CW and not some other device....

I tried various things as I figured I'd go for backup first, but no can't do:
The best and newest stock ROM, or back to basic ROM I found was called: G70XXKPF
You will find it in one of the links.
You'll need Odin for that: Google Odin or find it in my links. Odin 3 with SGIII or something. Odin 3 and it works:
Kernel: YP-G70-Kernel-r13.tar
Again find it and download it.
Now: Open Odin and find the tar to put in the PDA line and press the big Go button, and the Kernel will be loaded (You'll need to have the device in Download mode, holding Vol down button while it's startes, will do that) plug it to the PC via USB and you're ready to press the button:

Of course you don't want yours to fail, but I suspect that is because I have already loaded the kernel and it's working. Sorry.

This is how I'll get anywhere

So I've learned stuff.
One is that reading about Rooting a phone will put a lot of open tabs on your browser.
Usually it's be course you start reading a "manual", which then refers to something you need to know first, which again refers to something you need to know first. Last time I checked I was in a 12 nested manual reading to do one very simple thing.

Not having my equipment unpacked yet, considering it's Christmas and that I'll have loads of spare time this Wednesday. I'll postponed my post until I'm better suited to write it.

One thing I've learned is that I'm not the only one not using pictures :)
I'll publish my progress with more screen shots hence forth, also as I'll be writing the next many posts more as walkthroughs or HowTos for anyone following my footstep.
My initial plan was to learn how to root and build a good image for android.
That task is way too complex described like that, as each device needs it's own procedure.
Currently I have a Samsung Galaxy Player 5.0 WiFi, (YP-G70CW) that I'm working with and it'll serve me to learn the ropes. As said I've got it rooted. but as the smart of you already knows. That doesn't cut it. You'll need to load kernels, Custom ROM, and apps to hit goal.
All in due time. now it's rooted, next post will detail how to do so.
Next part will export and import an image of it. I figured that to be easy, it's not... Well on some devices it's piece of coffee. This model is hmmmm, interesting :)

If you have suggestion as stuff to do with the frigging thing. Don't hesitate to inform me.
For now:
V   Root
      Backup
      Load Rom
      Replace/optimize kernel
      Find Apps
        Low jack
        Add block
        Security
        Game store
      Skilled test
      Field test
      Finalize/prepare for next device

Usage?

Sometimes we throw our self as hopeless things to do. Start projects that'll never finish, and we know that even before we start.

This is here project smells a bit like stalling also, but i still have faith.
Some of the things I've come to terms with over the years is that I'm not exactly in my prime anymore. Things take longer to figure out, and as time goes by I find things being way more complex then they used to be...

It's not the first time I've tried hands with a non windows default setup. Usually i end up with someting linux, and some old desktop. I spend a few hours in a WM box setting up some system, that work rigth there, and could be replcated to that desktop I was thinking of.
Then stuff starts to get in the way.

A desktop will need power, network, screen and it'll take up space.
As I seem to consistanly fail to get the desktop or what ever device up and running to continue the project I was working on, and there's more options for stuff that could get in the way, for instance, it's noise to have running, the project kinda enters a state of standby.

I believe I have somewhere between 10 and 20 stranded projects like that. Just the systems I've consider and started building for my kids, the oldest is 9 and Teletubbies just aren't that much fun to her anymore :)
The hardware requirements for the projects tend to escalate too. Like I have a T43 running XP and with some game stuff. Now they want to go to the internet and play minecraft and Roblox. The poor machine just can't handle the load...

I should clean all that crap up some day.

My main point is that i always have an intented usage for the product of the project.
Yet the use case tends to have expired before I finish the project, yet I'm unwilling to let go.

Does that sound familiar to you?
How do you handle it?

Now what?

So...
As usual time flies by and putting time into the projects that really needs to finish tends to well you know, sometimes it's more fun to just pop some Bloons. But I did happen to get anywhere during the past weeks time.
I suspect Luck more then anything else.
First off: Getting a device.....http://www.gsmarena.com/
I spend some time looking around in there, but frankly I'm way lost. But I see why it's a good place to go for the info. Maybe I'm having the issue that money matters just that bit too much and I'm VERY CHEAP. 200$ is kinda my top mark, and as I know nothing yet, I'm kinda needing way overkill.

So actually getting my hands on a device have been taking me quite a while now (besides I don't have 200$ to burn yet).
Then again do i really need a device? Apararently I do.
Thank god I have a really nice Boss at work, previously when I was on the look out for a slate (if you don't know what a data slate is, go away... Seriously, go away), he borrowed me a minor 7" samsung data pad?
At that size you really can't call it a slate now can you?
Pad better fits the describtion, and by the way, help spread these words, have them take root where they belong. Hmmm, read this by chance: MaxxTheMonk Blogspot :/tablet-vs-slate

At anyrate my Boss at work just this morning agreed to sell me that samsung Pad thing. It's only WIFI connected, but then again... Who cares, it's android based, samsung, cheap and quite portable.
Getting a good rom and configurations for that one opens for the 3G version. Or it'd be a cheap Nexus copy... You see where I'm going?

But that's not all:
I found this grand Forum at G+.... Yea, I know.
And I found a good link for a starting manual (to get the basics down) and I'll link it once I refind it :)
For now I didn't do much more then glance at it to see the value of content. And it's atleast decent...

In time I suppose I'll need to create a link section and so on. Same goes for the design... Hey it took me forever to even split up the blog. and I'm still not happy with the design.
For now: Content.....

By the way. Don't hesitate to commentate. I'll atleast read it,  consider it's meaning. And unless it's way out of line or off topic, I'll leave it proberbly with a comment of my own attached ;)

Project Android [Begin]

Enough is enough.

I've been clashing into Linux systems since the end 90's and I still don't get it.

Currently I'm faced with a minor challenge that my oldest is coming of age and this means Mobile phones.

I came across, more by accident an article asking for what cheap smart phones to acquire for kids. And reading through it I find myself in the same spot.

I'd love to hand down a smart phone rather than the simplistic Nokia phone we currently use as kid deployment. It's a mobile phone, done, nothing more nothing less.

Reading this article I find loads of good advice, yet all of them are a good bid outside the price range except one: Rooted Android phone.

Now that strikes a nerve in me, as I'm already looking for a low cost Android GPS phone to use for stuff like #Ingress and #turfgame. Sure I have the slate, but it's very unhandy for outside usage, and it is most often packed away in a travel case when in transit.

So what does rooted Android phones and Linux have in common?

They are both at a level that they can be used for the simplest tasks, but they aren't as "safe" as the default choice. And messing about with settings to make everything work just the way you want it is becoming a complex matter.

With Ubuntu for instance once installed you have a nice working system for browsing, email, IM and so forth, and it's stable. Until you want to do something else, or you want to do something specific.

A good friend of mine helped me drop the RIM development platform I was working hard to put together, using a rule of thumb: In Linux, if you spend more than 2 hours finding the solution. Drop it.

Taking into account I'm somewhat slow in the uptake, let's say 6 hours.

So how much can I learn about the android system in 6 hours?

Not much I’m sure.

Frag me, then what?

Well, I’m not directly stupid. It’s just that the eco system is already way too big for me to keep up and dive into. This is what I often refer to as getting old and slow. My brain simply won’t assimilate enough information fast enough anymore to keep pace.

BUT:

If I was to get hold of a decent device, I could root it and get to work on it. After all I did manage to learn how computers work on a rather detailed level (I’m not an expert, but I know a few tricks of the trade and people to ask for help) so diving into an android thing to mess up with custom ROMS, learning how to pick a ROM, how to test a ROM, troubleshoot a ROM. That would get me into having the basic skills to learn how to use it.

Well let’s begin. I’ve got a limited budget (no money what so ever) so finding a device will be my first concern.

Taking the information from the article I saw today, I have a few basics to go by, what to look out for so as to avoid the most blatant mistakes.

Once a device is found, next step will be to root it.

Keeping in mind I have a goal (giving one to my kids); I’ll have some default apps and ideas I’d like to implement. But baby steps, remember I’m getting a bit old and slow here.

I’d be happy to see any type of advice and recommendations. There’s only one way to get better here and that’s by getting deeper into it. I’ll try out pretty much anything to progress.