android

Encrypted Internet on Android using Digital Ocean with WireGuard

4 minute read Published

How to hide your phone's IP address using an Ubuntu server on Digital Ocean.
I first learned of WireGuard three years ago. Since then I’ve been using it daily to secure my communications and hide the IP address on all of my devices. For a while I was paying Mullvad the equivalent of about $5 a month in Bitcoin Cash for the convenience of a managed WireGuard server. But that cost adds up and renewing my account was just another thing I had to remember to do.

Run Arch Linux on Android

4 minute read Published

How to install and run Arch Linux on Android.
It happened. The old MacBook Pro I purchased in the US finally stopped working. I’ve tried to fix it but the screen simply won’t light up anymore. But I’m not sad because the machine, although expensive, was also very heavy. Rather than securing a new machine I decided it would be wiser to combine them by moving my Linux development environment inside my Huawei P40 Pro+ and how you can too.

Unlimited Free International Calls to the United States

4 minute read Published

How to get Google Voice and make free phone calls to the US from anywhere.
Back in 2011 I explained how I was able to make unlimited free international calls to the USA while traveling abroad. That was back when Android was on version 2.2. Since then a lot has changed. But one thing that has remained constant is the use of Google Voice to get free stuff. In this post I will explain how anyone, anywhere in the world, can use Google Voice to make unlimited free international calls to the United States of America.

Managing Passwords on Android

2 minute read Updated

How to secure your passwords and keep them synced between devices.

After hacking Android onto an HD2 previously running Windows Mobile I quickly became challenged with the task of recalling passwords for frequently used apps – apps like Telegram, ProtonMail, Binance, Snapchat you name it.

And although long-term password management may feel like a burdensome task to some a steadfast approach is critical for security and relatively painless for anyone who’s been using a KeePass port the last decade.

Running Ice Cream Sandwich on the HTC HD2

2 minute read Published

How to run Android Ice Cream Sandwich on the HTC HD2 mobile phone.

The HD2 proves yet again to have been a great purchase. Just as soon as Android evolved to version 4.0 with ICS so too did  ICS AOSP Hit the HD2. Continue reading to learn how to direct-boot Ice Cream Sandwich using Nandroid on the HTC HD2.

Direct Boot Gingerbread on the HD2

3 minute read Published

Learn how to direct-boot Android Gingerbread on the HTC HD2.

Since the release of a direct-boot utility for the HD2 there has been a flurry of activity on the XDA forums to get Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) working on the HTC HD2 smartphone. I recently switched from dual-booting Android and WinMo to a Gingerbread direct boot method and am pleased with the improvement in boot speed and battery life. But as with the dual-boot method, there are still a few hiccups here and there. Read on to learn how to replace WinMo with a Nandroid version of Android Gingerbread on the HTC HD2.

Making Free VOIP Calls on Android Froyo

2 minute read Published

How to use Android Froyo to make free international calls to the US.

During two recent trips to Central and South America I needed a way to call back to the States without spending a lot of money. After a little research I found a competitive rate: free. Using an Android-powered smartphone it’s possible to make and receive calls free of charge from any Wi-Fi hotspot worldwide. In this post I’ll explain how to do this for US-based mobile devices.

Using an Android-powered smartphone it’s possible to make and receive calls free of charge from any Wi-Fi hotspot worldwide.

Running Android on the HTC HD2

3 minute read Published

How to install and run Android on the HTC HD2 mobile phone.

After spending a few weeks on the HD2 Android Development forums at XDA I learned how to coerce my T-Mobile HTC HD2 into dual-booting Android and WinMo. As of today I’ve got Android Froyo running with few issues and reasonable battery life. In this post I’ll explain how how you can dual-boot Android and WinMo on your HD2 as well.