I’ve just made a new HoFo Ion ROM, which is based on nk02’s modification’s. The Ion ROM is a special ROM that was given to developers by Google – it is the fastest Android ROM out there now.  The best part about this ROM for Rogers users is that there is no time stamp issue in this ROM.  Other than the speed, don’t expect anything special. One thing that you will notice is that you will not have an “H” in your status bar when using 3G HSPA data, but your Magic is in fact transferring data at HSPA speeds.

Here are some of the changes that I’ve made to nk02’s lite version:

- modified the boot.img for the Rogers HTC Magic
- replaced the WLAN driver to make the WiFi functional
- added all of the Hero ringtones
- added Exchange support
- added Quick Office
- added PDF viewer
- overclocked to 528 MHz (max)
- removed G1 boot logo, and replaced it with the HTC Magic logo
- removed unnecessary files from ROM
- fixed Haykuro’s keyboard (it wasn’t working)
- removed SuperUser Whitelist, you still have SuperUser functionality

Please keep in mind that you DO have to wipe if you are coming from a different ROM.

Update 1.08

- updated to the latest TigerTael kernel, now with BFS
- updated WLAN driver
- updated dalvikvm to the 2.1 JAC version
- updated MarketEnabler to version 3.0.2
- updated Loccy’s Better Browser to version 1.4.2
- you will get a Google Gears error the first time you open your Browser due to the kernel update one time
- I will not be providing updates to the themed versions any more

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/132951649/94e01a56/hofoion108.html

Update 1.07

- fixed 3G connection error that was made by a previous build.prop modification, please let me know if you still experience any problems

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/127659406/c9c7a3ae/hofoion107.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Update 1.06

- reverted back to gboddina’s kernel
- reverted back to gboddina’s WLAN driver
- fixed build.prop data settings

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/127381712/b81e9542/hofoion106.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Update 1.05

- updated to the Amon_RA kernel, as it has seem to fix all of the bugs in gboddina’s ROM
- updated to Amon_RA’s wlan.ko
- set minimum CPU speed to 128 MHz, battery life is now improved
- imported build.prop settings from Amon_RA’s ROM, they should increase data transfer speeds

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/127264303/92b9a1bf/hofoion105.html (rename to update.zip)

Hero theme version download: http://www.4shared.com/file/127272928/22c1e90f/hofoion105hero.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Update 1.04

- updated wireless driver to Donut version (thanks to TigerTael et al)
- updated kernel to allow tethering (thanks to TigerTael & gboddina)
- added android-wifi-tether, allows Bluetooth and WLAN tethering
- removed some unnecessary services from init.rc

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/126729633/4e0fd48d/hofoion104.html (rename to update.zip)

Hero theme version download: http://www.4shared.com/file/126894318/99ccf675/hofoion104hero.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Update 1.03

- updated dalvikvm from Donut (backported by cyanogen)
- updated power widget icons (backported by cyanogen)
- both keyboards are now inlcuded: HTC & Google (long press in text entry field to get Input Method option)
- version ID is now in the menu: Settings –> About phone –> Mod version

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/123029602/5d18a8c7/hofoion103.html (rename to update.zip)

Hero theme version download: http://www.4shared.com/file/123030864/a8d7e144/hofoion103hero.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Update 1.02

- added HSDPA icon
- replaced radio file with the Rogers one
- you don’t need to enter the Rogers APN settings any more
- updated Google Maps to 3.1.2
- added Donut power widget (ported by cyanogen)
- added MarketEnabler

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/121872259/d499b6e3/hofoion102.html (rename to update.zip)

Hero theme version download: http://www.4shared.com/file/122071091/ba7d92ad/hofoion102hero.html (rename to update.zip)

Google Ion keyboard version download: http://www.4shared.com/file/122108176/bf2c0088/hofoion102g.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Update 1.01

- fixed issue with PDF viewer

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/119360404/931c1ad5/hofoion101.html (rename to update.zip)

Google Ion keyboard version download: http://www.4shared.com/file/119756115/291bef3/hofoion101g.html (rename to update.zip)

Echo theme version download: http://www.4shared.com/file/119777338/8fee40a7/hofoion101ecco.html (rename to update.zip)

Hero theme version download: http://www.4shared.com/file/119774483/ec32f98f/hofoion101hero.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Original Version

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/118421922/b6dfb498/HoFoIon.html (rename to update.zip)

You can also follow this ROM over at Howard Forums: http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1550827

Sipdroid allows you to use Android phone with almost any SIP provider. The calls are crystal clear even over a 3G network, likewise for a WLAN connection. The best part about Sipdroid is that it integrates into your phone, eliminating the need for a separate phone book. You simply use your Android contacts in the same way as if you were making a call over a cellular network. It’s really an amazing application that is stable and simple to use, with the potential to save you plenty of money.

There are a tonne of SIP providers out there, some may actually work without the use of http://pbxes.org – this wasn’t the case with my SIP provider.  For example, Acanac gives you a telephone number and unlimited North American calling for only $9.99 CAD per month. I myself use SMSdiscount (click on download, then Linux, and then register (this way you don’t have to install anything to register)) to make calls, as it’s less than a penny per minute to make a long distance call; I don’t use my phone enough to justify the unlimited plan.

The only catch with Sipdroid is that you have to use http://pbxes.org to tunnel your VOIP calls. The service is free, but the set-up is a bit tricky. In the instructions below I’ll use smsdiscount.com as an example to help you get things going.

1. Create a smsdiscount.com account (in the case of smsdicount.com, pay first before calling or most of the payment options will disappear).

2. Set-up a pbxes.org account.  Make sure to select the correct time zone, as this option also selects the appropriate data center.

3. Add a new extension, only add your name, extension (100 for example) and password.

4. Make sure to APPLY your settings now and when ever you click Submit.

5. Add a trunk, just enter a trunk name, your calleasy username, password and server (sip.poivy.com).

6. Add an outbound route, just enter a route name, select your trunk and enter your extension.  Do not enter a password here.

7. Download Sipdroid: http://code.google.com/p/sipdroid/downloads/list (the Market version doesn’t have 3G  calling enabled).

8. In Sipdroid enter your pbxes.org login name with your extension as your username (e.g. – hotweiss-100).

9. In Sipdroid enter your pbxes.org password.

10. In Sipdroid enter pbxes.org as the server, if not already entered.

11. Enable WLAN or 3G calling in settings.

12. Start making calls.

Today I have created a new ROM for the HoFo community in the hope that it will be used as a seed for further development. All of the other ROM’s that I have tried had missing features or they were extremely buggy and power hungry. This ROM is based on the orginal Rogers ROM, so everything works and it is stable as the original. Enjoy!

You can also follow these updates in the Howard Forums discussion thread: http://howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1547785

N.B. – If you get an error during an update please upgrade to the 2005 SPL: http://code.google.com/p/sapphire-port-dream/

If you want to drastically increase your battery life, follow these commands:

Settings –> Wireless controls –> Mobile networks –> Enable always-on mobile (uncheck it)

To delete Teeter, AziLink and MarketEnabler, apply the following command first:

adb remount

Then depending on which application you want to delete, use one of these commands:

Teeter: adb shell rm -r /system/app/teeter*

AziLink: adb shell rm -r /system/app/azilink*

MarketEnabler: adb shell rm -r /system/app/MarketEnabler*

Please keep in mind that you DO have to wipe if you are coming from a different ROM.

To use the adb console in version 2.0 +, please update to the latest SDK.

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/paulweiss

Version 3.0.8

- changed to screen based scaling, 128 MHz with the screen off & 528 MHz with the screen on
- possible fix for the LED notifications that some have been having (I have had no problems)

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo308.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 3.0.7

- fixed aGPS issue (thanks desmphil)
- fixed PDF viewer
- added SMSfixtimes as requested (it’s uninstallable)

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo307.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 3.0.6

- fixed ringtone lag (thanks to Case_)
- removed shutter sound file, as you cannot turn it off for some reason
- fixed the A2DP support (thanks to seto_613)
- optimized and zipaligned all of the apk’s (thank Daneshm90 for pointing out which files could not be optimized)
- removed some useless files
- removed HTC Sync, but  you should still have it if you are updating over a previous version
- all the ringtones are back

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo306.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 3.0.5

- added a few scripts to /system/bin
- possibly fixed the Market issue that some have been experiencing
- Bluetooth should be fully working now

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo305.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 3.0.4

- this version does not have any issues after an update with out a wipe
- added sysctl.conf to improve performance and improve battery life (original code by droidbot)
- fixed WiFi tethering
- added tun.ko module to kernel
- reverted some Bluetooth files, let me know if you see any improvements

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo304.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 3.0.3

- as requested, HTC Sync is back
- HSPA icon is back
- camera shutter sound is back (you can turn it off)
- possible fix for the Bluetooth issues some are experiencing

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo303.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 3.0.2

- switched  to yet another scheduler: anticipatory
- fixed WiFi glitch

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo302.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 3.0.1

- switched  to deadline (scheduler)
- fixed GPS icon (thanks to zortoflaven)
- fixed BusyBox
- fixed HQ YouTube videos

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo301.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 3.0.0

- upgraded to the Sense UI (Taiwanese 3.03 release)
- AK Notepad & Teeter are uninstallable
- SMS timestamp issue still exists
- Chinese and English locale’s have been integrated

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo300.zip (rename to update.zip)

You have to wipe.

Version 2.2.7

- possibly fixed a bug that was causing a slow down for some people

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo227.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo227cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.2.6

- changed scheduler to CFQ, it’s faster than deadline

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo226.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo226cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.2.5

- new boot animation, as requested by Daneshm90
- updated to the latest cyanogen kernel source (a WLAN bug was fixed)
- updated Loccy’s Better Browser to version 1.5

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo225.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo225cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.2.4

- went back to SLAB, it provides a smoother UI
- tweaked kernel for more speed

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo224.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo224cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.2.3

- bumped speed back up to 528 MHz, since you still can’t get two full days with 384 MHz

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo223.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo223cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.2.2

- now using ‘deadline’ instead of BFS
- now using SLUB instead of SLAB (memory allocator)
- reduced speed to 384 MHz to extend battery life, you shouldn’t see a big difference with the new changes

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo222.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo222cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.2.1

- updated BFS to version 300
- zipaligned all apk’s

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo221.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo221cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.2.0

- added cyanogen’s apn list, if your operator is included, you won’t have to enter your data & MMS setttings (suggested by xyzulu)
- put un-optimized teeter back in, as it doesn’t function with the optimized png’s (reported by terryleung)
- made the system directory writeable, some 3rd party apps require this (suggested by routermonkey)

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo220.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo220cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.1.9

- made some changes to the CPU scaling (please report back how your battery life is)
- since the sampling rate is now 100 (same as extended life version), the extended life version has now been removed; you can change CPU speed with any of the overclock Market applications
- you can now follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/paulweiss

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo219.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo219cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.1.8

- updated to the latest cyanogen kernel source
- added bfs230 kernel patch (updated from bfs222)
- fixed ‘adb install’

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo218.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo218cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.1.7

- removed Sim Checker, as it was causing some trouble for some people

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo217.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo217cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.1.6

- fixed camera FC issue, reverted back to original unoptimized camera app

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo216.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo216cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.1.5

- fixed camcorder FC issue (thanks to enomther’s camera app)
- now using the HoFo-V3 kernel
- removed some scripts from /system/bin
- fixed wifi tethering issue

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo215.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo215cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.1.4

- fixed a problem with su that was affecting some applications (thanks apacheo)

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo214.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo214cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.1.3

- now using the HoFo-V2 kernel, it should give you more speed

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo213.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo213cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.1.2

- optimized all of the png files in the apk’s

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo212.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo212cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.1.1

- created my first kernel based on cyanogen’s 4.1.11.1 BFS kernel, but with some optimizations (thanks to bcrook & cyanogen)
- created my first WLAN driver for the kernel
- added optimized HTC_IME (by Jubeh)

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo211.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo211cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.1.0

- reverted back to TigerTael’s kernel that was used in 2.0.2
- stopped making Japanese version due to lack of interest

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo210.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo210cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.0.9

- updated to bcrook’s 4.1.10 kernel, all of your previous issues should be rectified
- updated WLAN driver
- updated Loccy’s Better Browser to version 1.4.3
- added Sim Checker, an application that will SMS or email your phones location in the event a new SIM card is inserted
- new download site provided by lifeflayer

Download: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo209.zip (rename to update.zip)

Chinese and Japanese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo209cime.zip (rename to update.zip)

- Japanese input version: http://hotweiss.lifeflayer.com/roms/hofo209jime.zip (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.0.8

- updated to TigerTael’s 4.1.8 kernel, it is faster and has no camera issues
- updated WLAN driver
- optimized the boot.img

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/132972569/cce53a03/hofo208.html (rename to update.zip)

Chinese and Japanese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/132972575/dc484769/hofo208cime.html (rename to update.zip)

- Japanese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/132972572/422cd2ca/hofo208jime.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.0.7

- had to switch to TigerTael’s 4.1.7 kernel to get camera working again, you still have BFS

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/132883506/fbb0a305/hofo207.html (rename to update.zip)

Chinese and Japanese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/132894253/5355a443/hofo207cime.html (rename to update.zip)

- Japanese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/132894231/eb0162e9/hofo207jime.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.0.6

- you can now watch High Quality YouTube videos over a 3G connection (the 2.0 update removed the ability)
- updated to the latest TigerTael kernel, now with BFS
- updated WLAN driver
- updated dalvikvm to the 2.1 JAC version

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/132845119/958695d4/hofo206.html (rename to update.zip)

Chinese and Japanese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/132853172/4c059db6/hofo206cime.html (rename to update.zip)

- Japanese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/132853192/d286b038/hofo206jime.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.0.5

- updated MarketEnabler to version 3.0.2
- updated Loccy’s Better Browser to version 1.4.2
- fixed issue with secured apps (thanks to cyanogen)

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/132743335/79bf821a/hofo205.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.0.4

- removed OnDemand CPU scaling settings, default CPU scaling settings were more efficient

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/130549390/46d0ce59/hofo204.html (rename to update.zip)

Chinese and Japanese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/130549407/c39f636/hofo204cime.html (rename to update.zip)

- Japanese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/130549374/df3e27ce/hofo204jime.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.0.3

- updated MarketEnabler to version 3.0.1, all of your T-Mobile US application issues should be resolved

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/130404940/325f987a/hofo203.html (rename to update.zip)

Chinese and Japanese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/130415113/5dee22e8/hofo203cime.html (rename to update.zip)

- Japanese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/130415139/8f0da974/hofo203jime.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.0.2

- updated to TigerTael’s 2.6.29 kernel with multi-touch support
- updated to TigerTael’s WLAN driver
- the max speed is 528 MHz again
- added OnDemand CPU scaling, I decided not to make the scaling too aggressive, so the performance will remain, but I don’t know how much the battery life will be improved by
- replaced Browser with Loccy’s BetterBrowser 1.4.1 (your bookmarks will be replaced), it will be a good idea to back-up and restore your bookmarks:
http://www.cyrket.com/package/com.happydroid.bookmarks
- - Loccy’s browser gives you multi-touch, full-screen viewing, and many other features

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/130340184/f07343f8/hofo202.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.0.1

- made some minor optimizations to framework-res.apk
- reverted back to 384 MHz (Max, Min is still 128 MHz) to improve battery life, let me know how you feel about that
- removed Azilink since we now have tethering
- changed kernel to Amon_RA’s 1.10 kernel, since it is based on the new HTC source
- you will get a Google Gears error the first time you open your Browser due to the kernel update one time

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/129012716/767d9537/hofo201.html (rename to update.zip)

Chinese and Japanese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/129012707/186194e0/hofo201cime.html (rename to update.zip)

- Japanese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/129012722/5a3d02ed/hofo201jime.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 2.0.0

- the ROM is now based on the Rogers August 25th update (build 2.17.631.2), which has the following changes:

• Improves the overall device functionality and stability
• Enables correct SMS timestamp
• Enables Chinese character display for POP3 HTML Emails
• Corrects E-mail client exchange Issues

(thanks to AnonymooseMonkey for providing the back-up image)

N.B.
If you are updating and already have an Exchange account, you have to reset your settings and set-up your accounts once again:
Settings–>Manage Applications–>Click on Mail–> Clear data

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/127726051/cc27577/hofo116.html (rename to update.zip)

Chinese and Japanese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/127883558/ffed557e/hofo200cime.html (rename to update.zip)

- Japanese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/127788684/67e4ec95/hofo200jime.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 1.1.5

- fixed 3G connection error that was made by a previous build.prop modification

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/127659396/1d4a0e62/hofo115.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 1.1.4

- reverted back to gboddina’s kernel
- reverted back to gboddina’s WLAN driver
- made some changes to the build.prop, let me know if your data speeds improve
- official HTC timestamp fix has been applied, your trackball will now glow when you miss a SMS (thanks to rylake)

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/127494326/84ec437e/hofo114.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 1.1.3

- updated to the Amon_RA kernel, as it has seem to fix all of the bugs in gboddina’s ROM
- updated to Amon_RA’s wlan.ko
- set minimum CPU speed to 128 MHz, battery life is now improved

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/127257765/7f9cdeee/hofo113.html (rename to update.zip)

Chinese and Japanese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/127257743/a4c91959/hofo113cime.html (rename to update.zip)

- Japanese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/127257699/f070e43d/hofo113jime.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 1.1.2

- updated wireless driver to Donut version (thanks to TigerTael et al)
- updated kernel to allow tethering (thanks to TigerTael & gboddina)
- added android-wifi-tether, allows Bluetooth and WLAN tethering

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/126673511/fc70d5cb/hofo112.html (rename to update.zip)

Chinese and Japanese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/126899774/33436dd9/hofo112cime.html (rename to update.zip)

- Japanese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/126899762/c33bf9ad/hofo112jime.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 1.1.1

- removed some unnecessary services from init.rc
- version ID is now in the menu: Settings –> About phone –> Mod version
- updated Exchange application (official HTC update)

• Fixed Exchange Contact and Calendar synchronization issues. After editing contacts without a photo assigned, contact synchronization would fail. After editing calendar appointments and accepting changes using ‘enter’ calendar synchronization would fail.
• Fixed authentication failure when manually setting up an Exchange server account.

N.B.
If you are updating and already have an Exchange account, you have to reset your settings and set-up your accounts once again:
Settings–>Manage Applications–>Click on Mail–> Clear data

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/123489417/e6cce3d0/hofo111.html (rename to update.zip)

Chinese and Japanese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/123489469/4e355810/hofo111cime.html (rename to update.zip)

- Japanese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/123489447/9bbb1795/hofo111jime.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 1.1.0

- dalvikvm backported (by cyanogen) from Donut = speed increase
- Google Maps updated to 3.1.2

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/122200410/45fe9a91/hofo110.html (rename to update.zip)

Chinese and Japanese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/122251947/de698031/hofo110-cime.html (rename to update.zip)

- Japanese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/122253766/3bcf37a4/hofo110-jime.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 1.0.9

- SMS/MMS time stamp issue is fixed thanks to nk02
- removed SmsFixTimes app

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/119216485/70d5f022/hofo109.html (rename to update.zip)

Chinese and Japanese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/119777361/8b450c46/hofo109-cime.html (rename to update.zip)

- Japanese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/119777377/7b3d9832/hofo109-jime.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 1.0.8

- re-added Chinese input files, these missing files were apparently causing the sync error
- re-added SmsFixTimes (by Nathan Friess), as it was not causing the sync error

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/118445349/7ae22db7/hofo108.html (rename to update.zip)

Chinese and Japanese input added by tom0927:

- Chinese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/118827731/6efa66ce/hofo108-cime.html (rename to update.zip)

- Japanese input version: http://www.4shared.com/file/118833854/f194cc1d/hofo108-jime.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 1.0.7

- removed Curvefish widgets, I’ll let you customize this ROM any way you like it
- removed SmsFixTimes, it was causing sync problems with Google contacts

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/118393440/c68f2843/hofo107.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 1.0.6

- removed some Chinese input files that I missed earlier on
- re-added Teeter (as requested by archigram)
- added four Curvefish widgets: Bluetooth OnOff, WiFi OnOff, SilentMode OnOff, GPS OnOff
- added SmsFixTimes (by Nathan Friess), a script which displays the appropriate time in Messaging (not in notification area at the top)

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/118139765/ee5059d9/hofo106.html (rename to update.zip)

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 1.0.5

- removed Chinese input  (as pointed out by mcg)
- removed SuperUser Whitelist, you still have superuser functionality
- default wallpaper is now changed: http://i43.tinypic.com/2s6qcmr.jpg (thanks to maxisma)
- Hero wallpaper is now in the gallery (as requested by vladkor)

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/117479546/15eef915/hofo105.html (rename to update.zip)

Download mirror (thanks to photonix): http://android.thenextgizmo.com/files/HoFoROM/1.05/hofo105.zip

You don’t have to wipe, all of your settings will remain after the update.

Version 1.0.4

- updates will now not erase your previous data any more
- changed the default wallpaper to the default Hero wallpaper
- added AziLink to provide USB tethering capabilities
- added MarketEnabler to provide the ability to buy pay for applications

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/117083120/dba266d9/hofo104.html (rename to update.zip)

Chinese input version (thanks to tom0927): http://www.4shared.com/file/118126697/e30777eb/hofo104-cime.html

Download mirror (thanks to photonix): http://android.thenextgizmo.com/files/HoFoROM/1.04/hofo104.zip

Version 1.0.3

- made su permanent

Download: http://www.4shared.com/file/117022089/ab5f2304/update.html

Version 1.0.2

- fixed calibration forced close error
- libgl.so error gone (previous upload must have been bad)
- removed Teeter

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?y15wj12cycd

You don’t have to wipe.

Version 1.0.1

- maximum speed is now set to 528 MHz

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?uwzdy3ni2xy

You can also just extract the boot.img and fastboot it to get this update.

Version 1.0

- rooted boot.img
- removed wallpapers (just add whatever you’d like from the SD card)
- added all of the Hero ringtones
- upgraded Google Maps to 3.1.1
- upgraded QuickOffice to 1.0.1
- added voice search
- removed HTC sync
- removed Rogers icons
- added Haykuro’s keyboard
- added superuser functionality
- removed start-up sound

Download : http://www.mediafire.com/?iyanjkndf23

1. Go into your motherboard’s BIOS and turn on the RAID support

2. Go into your RAID’s BIOS and set-up your RAID partition

3. Boot the Live CD

4. Open Terminal and type the following:

sudo apt-get install dmraid

5. Once completed the above installation, type the following:

sudo modprobe dm-raid4-5

6. Now it’s time to install Linux Mint

7. Upon reaching the partition menu, select your RAID partition

8. Upon reaching the install confirmation menu (step 7 of 7), click on the Advanced button and uncheck install boot loader

9. Once the installation is completed, check your partitions by typing the following in Terminal:

cd /dev/mapper

and then:

dir

10. Copy the partition without a number; I will use dabdgddgLinuxFTW as an example

11. Now we have to see how the partitions are set-up, so type the following in Terminal:

sudo fdisk dabdgddgLinuxFTW

12. Type p in Terminal to see the actual partitions:

13. Note and copy which partition is the Linux partition (the other ones you will see is extended and swap); I will usedabdgddgLinuxFTW1 as an example

14. Type q in Terminal to exit fdisk

15. Now we have to mount the RAID partition in order to set-up grub by typing the following in Terminal:

sudo mount dabdgddgLinuxFTW1 /target

and

sudo mount –bind /dev /target/dev

(there should be two dashes before bind)

and

sudo mount -t proc proc /target/proc

and

sudo mount -t sysfs sys /target/sys

16. Now we have to set-up grub by typing the following in Terminal:

sudo chroot /target

and

apt-get install dmraid

and

apt-get install grub

and

mkdir /boot/grub

and

cp /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc/* /boot/grub
or
cp /usr/lib/grub/x86_64-pc/* /boot/grub

and

grub –no-curses

and

device (hd0) /dev/mapper/dabdgddgLinuxFTW

and

root (hd0,0)

and

setup (hd0)

and

quit

and

update-grub

(press y when asked to confirm)

17. Finally reboot.

You should now have your boot times and load times halved. Hopefully in Ubuntu 9.04 and Linux Mint 7 full RAID support will be integrated with the Live CD.

Instructions:

1. take off the plastic light cover from the front dome light assembly by using a flat-head screwdriver to pry it open
   

   Remove plastic light cover.

2. unscrew the two screws behind the light bulbs and remove the assembly 
   

   Remove the two screws behind the lights.

3. find the rear view mirror harness and cut the blue tape to release it
4. shave off some insulation from the yellow/green (+) and black (-) rear view mirror harness wires 
   

   Wiring.

5. get a telephone cord, cut it, and shave off the insulation from the red (+) and green (-) wire 
   

   Telephone wire.

6. remove the plastic pin in front of the dome light assembly with a flat-head screw driver to loosen the roof liner 
   

   Remove plastic pin.

7. remove fuse #6 from the fuse box just to be safe 
   

   Remove fuse # 6.

8. run the telephone wire behind the roof liner
9. wrap the red telephone wire around the yellow/green mirror harness wire and then put some electrical tape over the connection (solder for even a better connection)
10. optional: place an inline fuse between the yellow/green mirror harness wire and the red telephone wire
11. wrap the green telephone wire around the black mirror harness wire and then put some electrical tape over the connection (solder for even a better connection)
12. put fuse #6 back in and test your connections buy turning the key in the ignition
13. reassemble the dome light and put the plastic pin back in 
    

    The finished product.

The Windows based Gmail notifier created by Google only notifies you of the fact that you have new incoming email. CheckGmail on the other hand provides you with email notification, the first few characters of the email and an unprecedented message management system. This message management functionality is what makes CheckGmail a must for me. Instead of opening your mailbox to find Viagra spam, you only have to read the first line of the email in your CheckGmail notification pop-up to see if it is indeed spam and then upon confirmation you simply have to click on Report spam. If you get an email from a site that automatically sends you emails that you do not want to be bothered with, you can click on Delete, mark the email as read or archive the email. Having a conversation with someone? Click on the message title to display the full message within CheckGmail’s pop-up, or click open to display the message in your browser. To view messages within CheckGmail requires for you to install a few dependencies described later on in this review. If you have multiple messages, the notification pop-up box will increase in size to accommodate for the extra messages leaving you with the same message option choices for each email. If you want to access you actual Gmail account, you can at any time by clicking on the on the CheckGmail envelope in the task bar. Right-clicking on the CheckGmail envelope will bring up a menu that let’s you check your email before the preset interval, undo your last CheckGmail action, compose new email, set-up your preferences, restart CheckGmail and of course quit.

Installing CheckGmail is relatively easy, here I will use a Ubuntu install as an example. Depending on what Linux distribution you are using, the following may not apply. In this case different install options are available in the Download section in CheckGmail’s website. For this example I will be using a Debian package that Sandro Tosi maintains which is used by Ubuntu and all other Debian based Linux distributions:

A) To begin, download CheckGmail Debian package from here:
http://packages.debian.org/unstable/mail/checkgmail
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click on all in the bottom to download Checkgmail.

B) Double-click on the file that you have just downloaded. Ubuntu will now inform you that there is already an older version of CheckGmail in their repositories, install the new one you downloaded (1.13 at the time of me writing this) anyways.

C) Once you have completed the installation go into the main menu, then System, then Preferences and then Sessions. Once you have the Sessions window open, click on Add, in the Name field write CheckGmail, in the Command field write checkgmail using small caps, click on OK, click on Close and then reboot.

D) Once you have rebooted you will be asked for your username and password, signifying a successful installation. You are finished.

These are all the steps that an average user requires to take to install CheckGmail.

If you are an intermediate Linux user or better, you can take the following steps to enable the viewing of your messages within the CheckGmail notification window and password encryption.

A) You first have to install libsexy and Gtk2-sexy by typing the following in Terminal:
sudo apt-get install libsexymm2

B) Now install the dependency that is required for the encryption of your password by typing the following in Terminal:
sudo apt-get install libcrypt-simple-perl

C) Reboot for the changes to take into effect.

Once your have rebooted, CheckGmail will now ask you for your password again so that it can encrypt it using the new files we have just installed. After completing these steps, you have enabled the full functionality of CheckGmail.

CheckGmail is surprisingly user intuitive for a Linux application that is not mainstream yet, and configuring it is a snap. Once you open your Preferences window you will have 5 panes displayed. The first pane in the top left allows you to change your username and password, the second pane below allows you to change the default language, the third pane below pane below it allows you to manage external commands which further enhance CheckGmail’s functionality, the fourth pane in the top right allows you to check the interval at which your email is checked and the fifth pain below it allows you to manage your system tray icon. The external commands that can be run in conjunction with CheckGmail allow you to use the email LED that is built-in to your computer, play a sound when new email arrives, and have your Num Lock LED flash upon new email arrival; instructions on how to perform these functions can be found in CheckGmail’s FAQ. For those of you who have multiple Labels in Gmail, notification of these emails can now be displayed at your desired notification interval even if you have your filter is set to bypass your inbox. In addition, in the fifth pane you can replace the notification icons in the system tray with any image that you would like, you will be able to set the display interval of your notification pop-up and set the background image of the tray icon.

If you are not impressed with CheckGmail’s functionality by now, put down the keyboard, give-up on email and head down to your local post office. CheckGmail is a testament to the open source community that displays its’ power and innovation that large corporations cannot always accomplish and most dream of. You will see that living without CheckGmail can be a frustrating experience thanks to the constant launching of your browser and the associated lag. That doesn’t sound too bad, but if you try CheckGmail you will see how indispensable and convenient it really is. Am I exaggerating? What other email notifier is as configurable, allows you to run multiple instances of itself, allows you to check email on Gmail hosted domains and provides you with CheckGmail’s message management all in one package?

Comments in green reflect the changes required in Ubuntu 9.10.

1. Screen Brightness

The ambient light sensor is the cause of the dim screen, we’ll have to turn it off. To fix this we will have to create a shell script that will be run on boot up that will turn of the ambient light sensor.

A) Open Terminal (Menu->Accessories), and type the following:
sudo nano brightness

B) Now paste the following in the Terminal window:
#!/bin/sh
echo 0 > /sys/devices/platform/asus-laptop/ls_switch
echo 0 > /sys/devices/platform/asus_laptop/ls_switch

C) Hit Ctrl-O to save and then Ctrl-X to exit.

D) Now we will copy our new shell script to the appropriate directory, make it executable and add the following links by typing the following in Terminal:
sudo mv brightness /etc/init.d
and then
sudo chmod 755 /etc/init.d/brightness
and then
sudo update-rc.d brightness defaults 90

E) Reboot, and you will have regained control of your brightness level.

2. Nvidia Driver

This step is not required when installing Ubuntu 9.10.

Your screen resolution will be limited to 800×600 without the appropriate drivers. Thanks to Alberto Milone’s Envy the whole process is automated for you, with the only requirement being an internet connection.

A) First we’ll need to update Ubuntu’s repositories by typing the following in Terminal:
sudo apt-get update

B) Now we’ll need to install Envy by typing the following in Terminal:
sudo apt-get install envyng-gtk

C) Next we’ll need to execute Envy by typing the following in Terminal:
sudo envyng -g

D) Select Nvidia on the left side, now click on Install the Nvidia driver (Manual Selection of the Driver), select 169.12, and finally click Apply.

E) Once the installation is completed, reboot and you will once again have a crisp screen.

3. Webcam Driver

This step is not required when installing Ubuntu 9.10.

The webcam if attempted to be used will crash any application that is trying to access it by default. Thanks to the great tutorial by Bill Giannikos the process of installing your Asus uvc webcam driver is relatively easy.

A) First we’ll need to install the files needed to build the driver by typing the following in Terminal:
sudo apt-get install build-essential subversion linux-headers-`uname -r`

B) Now we will build the driver by typing the following commands in Terminal:
cd /usr/src
and then
sudo svn checkout svn://svn.berlios.de/linux-uvc/linux-uvc/trunk
and then
cd trunk
and then
sudo make
and then
sudo cp -a uvcvideo.ko /lib/modules/`uname -r`/ubuntu/media/usbvideo/

C) Reboot, and your webcam will now be working.

4. Fingerprint Reader Driver

The fingerprint reader is especially useful in Linux as you are asked for your password before completing any change within the operating system. None the less, I would still not recommend for you to install the fingerprint reader driver due to its’ unstable nature and poor quality. The guide provided by Karol Krizka solved the problem of installing this driver.

A) First we’ll need to add the driver source to our software repository by typing the following in Terminal to open the sources list:
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list

B) Now scroll to the end of the file and paste the following line there:
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/madman2k/ubuntu hardy main restricted universe multiverse

C) Hit Ctrl-O to save and then Ctrl-X to exit.

D) Update the source list by typing the following in Terminal:
sudo aptitude update

E) Install the fingerprint reader driver by typing the following in Terminal:
sudo aptitude install fprint-demo libpam-fprint libfprint

F) Enroll your fingerprint by typing the following in Terminal:
sudo fprint_demo

G) Click on Enroll and swipe your finger.

H) Now we will have to tell Ubuntu when to use your fingerprint by editing the fingerprint reader driver’s configuration file by typing the following in Terminal:
sudo nano /etc/pam.d/common-auth

I) Paste the following in the file at the end:
auth sufficient pam_fprint.so
auth required pam_unix.so nullok_secure

J) Hit Ctrl-O to save and then Ctrl-X to exit.

H) Reboot, and you will be now scanning your finger instead of typing your password each time.

5. Email LED

Having a LED notifying you of incoming emails is quite handy, especially if you are not constantly by your computer. In this step I will provide you with instructions, showing you how to enable the email LED to work with the best Gmail notifier available – CheckGmail, a function that even Windows cannot even provide.

A) Follow the instructions provided by me in this tutorial to install CheckGmail:
http://seethisnowreadthis.com/2008/05/20/checkgmail-linuxs-blackberry/

B) Open the CheckGmail preferences and paste the following in the Command to execute on new mail field:
echo 1 > /sys/class/leds/asus:mail/brightness
echo 1 > /sys/class/leds/asus::mail/brightness

C) Now paste the following in the Command to execute for no mail field:
echo 0 > /sys/class/leds/asus:mail/brightness
echo 0 > /sys/class/leds/asus::mail/brightness

D) Without giving the right permissions CheckGmail will not be able to turn on the LED. To do this we must type the following in Terminal:
gksudo nautilus

E) Navigate to the following folder by pasting the following in Location field in the newly open File Browser:
/sys/class/leds/asus:mail
Press Enter.

F) Right-click on the file brightness, and select Properties.

G) Select the Permissions tab.

H) Click on root in the drop-down menu besides Owner and select yourself.

I) Without rebooting you should have now have the email LED notifying you of incoming email.

6. Microphone

By default the microphone is not enabled in enabled in the Volume Control menu. This problem will require the least effort.

A) Right-click on the speaker in the task bar and select Open Volume Control.

B) Select Edit from the menu, and then select Preferences.

C) Click on the boxes besides Capture and Capture 1.

D) Now your microphone should be working.

A) Right-click on the speaker in the task bar and select Sound Preferences.

B) Select Input from the menu, and then select Microphone 2.

C) Uncheck the box beside Mute.

D) Your microphone should be working.

7. Hard drive

This step is not required when installing Ubuntu 9.10.

The Seagate Momentus 5400.4 250 Gb hard drive has a firmware bug that makes Ubuntu park it every minute or so; the same problem exists in Vista. This parking is considered a load cycle, of which your hard drive was designed to complete 600,000 of such cycles. Without this fix your hard drive can prematurely fail after only 8 months. Thanks to jakon on ubuntuforums.org, we now have a fix that fully works with the Asus M50Sv-A1.

A) First we’ll have to adjust the hard drive’s power management settings by typing the following in Terminal:
sudo nano /etc/hdparm.conf

B) And by pasting the following three lines in the file:
/dev/sda {
apm = 254
}

C) Hit Ctrl-O to save and then Ctrl-X to exit.

D) Next we’ll have to tell the notebook to reactivate these settings after resuming from suspend mode by typing the following in Terminal:
sudo nano 30hdparm

E) And by pasting the following lines inside the file:
#!/bin/bash

# Run hdparm like on boot to restore hdparm.conf settings -
# hds lose them when going to standby.

resume_hdparm()
{
for x in /sys/bus/ide/devices/*/block* /sys/bus/scsi/devices/*/block*
do
# This check is required – x can contain
# literal ‘/sys/bus/ide/devices/*/block*’
# when the glob did not match anything.
if [ -e $x ]
then
drive=$(basename $(readlink $x))
DEVNAME=/dev/$drive /lib/udev/hdparm
fi
done
}

case “$1″ in
thaw|resume)
resume_hdparm
;;
*)
;;
esac

exit $?

F) Hit Ctrl-O to save and then Ctrl-X to exit.

G) Finally we’ll have to install the file we just created by typing the following in Terminal:
sudo install 30hdparm /etc/pm/sleep.d/

H) Reboot and your hard drive should be working with Ubuntu as it should have from the start.

8. Speakers

This step is not required when installing Ubuntu 9.10.

With the thousands of different notebook sound configurations that are out there, it is no surprise to have yet another ALSA bug. Thanks to Petr Zemek (s3rvac), we now have the correct ALSA option switch that will cause the speakers to mute when the headphones are plugged in. Surprisingly after trying all the generic options, the same option that works for a Haier notebook works with the Asus M50.

A) First we’ll have to edit the ALSA configuration file via terminal:
sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base

B) Scroll down to the bottom and add this line:
options snd-hda-intel model=haier-w66

C) Hit Ctrl-O to save and then Ctrl-X to exit.

D) Reboot and your speakers will now automatically mute when you plug your headphones in.

This guide will now allow you to use your Asus M50Sv-A1 with the most secure and progressive operating system at the moment that thrives on the open source community which provides for a much more dynamic experience than anything else out there now. Due to the fact that the notebook is relatively new, not all of its’ features could be fully exploited. Really, only some non-essential hotkeys cannot be used, but these are features that most of us are willing to trade for the privilidge of being on the Linux platform. If you find any other tweaks that could enhance Ubuntu on the Asus M50Sv-A1, please post below.