Installing Android On An O2 HTC HD2

Hey,

I set up an O2 Branded HTC HD2 for @JoeGarde to run Android yesterday.
It was pretty complicated and I never found a clear guide to the whole process while doing it, so I thought I'd toss a few notes that I made on here.

The first step, which wasn't mentioned anywhere was updating the ROM on the phone:

HTC's Support Site has the ROM updates for O2, Vodafone and Vanilla versions of the HD2.

(Along with being necessary to complete the install this update adds the ability to format the SD card, which will come in handy later)

Once the ROM was upgraded the next thing that needed to be upgraded was the radio image.

In order to install the Radio Image you need to have HSPL or HSPL2 Installed.
You get these from a HSPL Thread on the XDA-Developers forum:
Which one you choose is based on what version of SPL you have installed already, so read the instructions carefully.

Once HSPL is installed download an updated radio image from This HTC HD2 Radio ROM Thread. (I used the most recent one and that worked for me).

Install the image with this Custom RUU.

Once these updates are installed you should be ready to choose a build from the XDA HD2 Android Development Forum.
Follow the instructions that come with the build (here is where the ability to format your sd card from the phone may come in handy) and you're done!

Note:
This is a guide for the people who may have tried the first thing they found only to have the screen fade to black whenever they tried to boot their Android build.
These steps were found through trial and error.
I accept no responsibility for anything that happens to your phone while trying to follow them.
It is an assumption of this guide that you will read everything I have linked to.
If you find that I have some steps wrong or I have linked to something terribly out of date, please leave me a comment and I will fix it.
You will need to set up an account on XDA in order to download files there, if you could take the time to thank the people who's put in all the time and effort to make the tools you're using I'm sure they would appreciate it.

I hope this helps some lost soul find their way.

-Rory

Oh The Memories

I just got an email from The Kingdom Of Loathing which I thought was fantastic.

Have a read:

Dear Ankhwatcher,

Okay, I'm not good at this kind of thing, but I feel like I have to give it a try. So, here goes:

I was hanging out the other night, listening to some old mp3s, and I was just overcome with memories of when we used to hang out all the time. Remember? You were an intrepid, fearless adventurer, and I was the free-to-play, fun-and-funny online role-playing game that won your heart. Do you still remember those good times? I can't stop thinking about them.

I mean, I know things got kind of messed up at the end, and believe me, I'm sorry. If I could take any of that back, I totally would. And I know people grow and change, and you're not the same person you were then, but hey -- I've changed, too! I thought and thought about how to win you back. I figured I'd make you a mix CD, but I couldn't decide what "our song" was. So I just concentrated on becoming a better game for you, and here's what I came up with:

Remember how much fun you used to have with your clan? Alternately, remember how you never joined a clan because you didn't see the point? Either way, clans now have clan dungeons, group zones where your whole clan can work together. Crawl through sewers to Hobopolis, a vast underground vagrant vacation vista! Slide into the slime tube, and stir-fry sassy slimes!

I know I wasn't the prettiest game when we were together, so I had some work done. Almost every interface got an interface-lift. You can even manage most of your inventory via chat commands! I also came up with a way for you to automate some of the things you don't love about the game, so you can spend more time with the parts you do love.

Not only that, but there are way more animated .gifs than there were before. Don't worry; I haven't lost that low-fi edginess you love, but I'm a lot easier to play with now.

You can also have a custom title now, just in case you didn't feel like I appreciated what made you unique as an individual.

I should also say
Haiku Dungeon's been revamped.
See what I did there?

Maybe you quit because you got sick of always adventuring above the water. I admit that seems unlikely, but I fixed that, too -- there are a bunch of underwater zones with new food, equipment, mechanics, and challenges.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg, trust me. I'm still the silly, clever, deceptively-complex game you fell in love with, only with about 95% more awesome.

So, I'm just sayin', if you can find it in your heart to give me another chance, I won't disappoint you.

If you don't drop by, I promise I won't bother you again. I just really felt like we deserved one more try.

Love,

The Kingdom of Loathing.
http://www.kingdomofloathing.com

Not Every Application Developer Deserves Your Support

Some months ago I bought the paid version of an application in order to unlock a few extra features and support the developer.
Recently I tried to get an updated version of the application (which I had bought direct from the developer) or a refund so I could buy it in the Android Market.

I recieved this charming little note back.

Sadly I rebought the application before I read it.

No, I don't do this. This is exactly what I don't like the way Google runs their Market. Google decided for some incredibly unfair reason that all customers and users should get all upgrades and new versions for free forever, regardless of the enormous time and effort on the programmer's part. That is not how normal software works. When you buy software for your desktop computer you don't get all future versions for free forever. You have buy them. They might be cheaper than rebuying from scratch via a reduced upgrade price, but they aren't free!!!

So now I have people who buy my software by PayPal and want me to honor Google's rip-off to my own disadvantage. I'm under no obligation to sell my software through third party means in the same way Google runs their Market, but people expect it from me. They expect me to just send them free software whenever they ask.

Furthermore, PayPal upgrades are even more inconvenient for me since the process isn't automated...so now I have to manually email the program to any individual who asks for it. At least Google's method of ripping me off is automated and doesn't take any additional effort on my part.

Most people piss away the same amount of money on a single cup of coffee or about twice as much on a single movie ticket, but for software they can use for years on end, they want free upgrades and expect refunds three months after the fact.

It's a rude way to treat me, frankly.

Since PayPal won't honor the refund after sixty days, I will simply send the money back to you as a separate transaction. It'll be $2.76 since that's what PayPal paid me after taking their cut. PayPal will of course take a second fee out of it for the return transaction, so it'll probably be between $2.00 and $2.50 by the time it gets back to you. Don't spend it all at once.

Congratulations of the last three months of free software you were able to benefit from. I wish everything in life were so affordable.