Android beta

StatusNet Mobile...

Developers can download the StatusNet Mobile client source and test the code locally or on an Android device via USB.

What you'll need

 * an Android phone running Android 1.6 or later
 * Phones running Android 1.5 will not. Some of those phones may be able to upgrade to a newer version of Android through a third-party firmware update.
 * Some phones have disabled the 'Unknown sources' checkbox in Application Settings; this may prevent installation of beta packages, which are not distributed through the Market.

How to join

 * Join the group !snmobile to receive news and updates, such as when we push out a new beta or approach the general public release
 * When new beta code is available, download links will be sent out via the above public group.

Questions

 * Can I install the beta without registering here?
 * Yes, unless your phone has disabled installation of non-Market apps.
 * Does it support high-density screens such as the Droid and Nexus One?
 * Yes, however some UI artwork will be a bit blurry right now. Avatars should be fetched at proper resolution for these phones.
 * Does it support low-density screens (smaller than 320x480)?
 * Low-resolution screens have not yet been tested; if you have such a phone please let us know!
 * Does it support background fetching of messages?
 * Not yet, but we plan to soon.
 * Does it support network-to-app push notifications in Android 2.2?
 * Not yet, but we plan to eventually.
 * The app is huge, over 5 megabytes!
 * The package is currently bloated a bit with runtime libraries, which may make it harder to fit on devices with little spare room for application storage. We'll try and cut it down if possible.
 * Does it support installation to SD card on Android 2.2?
 * No, but if we can figure out how we'll enable it.

Installation
Betas are distributed via direct download for installation via the Android web browser or downloading onto an SD card. Note that some Android devices have disabled the option to install unsigned applications, and thus will not be able to run the beta. Final release versions will be available through the Android Market and should then be available for those devices.


 * 1) On your device, go to Settings -> Applications and check the box next to "Unknown sources"
 * 2) * Some mobile carriers lock down their devices to remove this option. Unfortunately if you are in this condition, you won't be able to install the beta. :(
 * 3) Download the beta application file:
 * 4) * StatusNet Mobile.apk
 * 5) ** In most cases you should be able to download this link directly from the Android web browser. When the download is complete, select it from the notification or downloads list to trigger install.
 * 6) ** If you have trouble downloading directly on your phone, you can download from your computer and then transfer it to your SD card. It should be available then through the Downloads list... (todo: double-check this!)

If all is well, a 'StatusNet' icon now appears in your application folder, ready to be launched!

Uninstall
Like any other app, you can remove the StatusNet app through Settings -> Applications -> Manage Applications.

Nexus One, Android 2.2
This is our primary test device and should be reasonably well supported.

Currently there are known problems with text wrapping which crop up at times. We haven't yet been able to work around it; there are issues in the runtime with how wrapping and auto-sizing of text works on the high-res screen.

HTC Dream (G1), Android 1.6
If fully updated to Android 1.6, StatusNet Mobile will run on the Dream / G1. It will run slower than newer devices, though; we have not fully optimized our cross-platform code for speed yet.