Mobile Phones Archives » cyberfella ltd, since 2012.

There are two players in the modern smartphone arena as I see it. Apple and Samsung. I’d like to say Apple IOS and Google Android but it’s really only the very top end Android handsets that can honesty compete with the bespoke slickness of Apple’s IOS for one very good reason – the consistent hardware platform underneath IOS makes it easier for Apple to “get it right”.

I don’t buy into Apple’s walled garden because I choose to operate my devices one layer down from the top Application layer whenever possible. By that I mean that I use the command line in preference to an over simplified or over complicated and wholly unnecessary graphical user interfaces, and not for some kind of geek badge of honour but purely for speed of results. In fact the only gui I can’t live without is a decent file manager such as KDE’s Dolphin. I say can’t live without. I could live without it actually. Hmm.

Anyway, the reason for this post is to provide an answer to the one annoying feature of Samsungs Android phones when connecting them to a PC running Linux via the USB cable. I don’t expect it of Apple, but I do expect it of Samsung and that is automatic mounting of the internal storage devices using standard protocols. Android is Linux, Linux is Linux. When I plug in my Note 3, I absolutely do not expect to be given a choice of presenting the storage via Microsofts MTP protocol or as a camera whereby only jpg files show up. Grrrr. That really grips my, well you can see why right? Just mount the damn thing like a USB storage device for goodness sake! Microsoft protocols have absolutely no place here.

The open source community has already come to the rescue with the requisite packages to mount an MTP device into the Linux filesystem – mtpfs and mtp-tools. It’s a little bit back to front but it gets the job done without having to mess about with the phone’s functionality.

1. Install mtp filesystem support and tools using the commands numbered 39 through 43 in my history shown below…

2. Connect the phone via the usb cable and run mtp-detect

3. Write a udev rule to handle mounting of the phone’s specific MTP device automatically when connected via USB in future.

4. Relax and enjoy automatic mounting of the phones MTP device as if it were mounting the internal storage as a regular USB storage device!

Use the VID and PID (Vendor and Product ID) to construct the udev rule /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules as shown below, then restart udev.

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One problem with contracting is that you’re never in one place long enough to sign up to long contractual agreements with broadband providers, and hotel wi-fi is expensive.

My latest assignment is 242 miles from my home which is a little uncomfortable to commute every weekend, so I’ve sought a suitable rented property on the edge of the Peak District. Lovely. The only thing is with such remote locations, the broadband services are generally rubbish. A check of the postcode on Virgin’s website already alerted me to the pee-poor-promise of 1.6Mbps for £23.99 per month. Ouch. I needed to consider alternatives.

I already have a smartphone. Being more practical minded than fanboy, I’ve opted for the Motorola Razr MAXX. It isn’t up for debate. It’s the biggest battery of any smartphone on the market and that alone makes it the best. The rest is all BS so take your S3’s and your iPhones and do one. It also comes with a neat little Motorola HD Dock (purchased separately for £23) which allows me to use it with my 24″ monitor, and Motorola bluetooth keyboard and mouse (also purchased separately for £23) and use Motorola’s WebTop, effectively giving me PC functionality.

The best bit though is my careful choice of mobile contract. I’ve gone with a £25/mo deal with Three called The One. It’s their flagship deal apparently, and I think I’ve got the best option of the best deal having opted for the 1 Month SIM Only version (with micro sim for my handset) for the ultimate flexibility in the future instead of being locked into a 2 year contract. The only 2 year contracts I’m interested in signing up to are the ones where I’m the one getting paid.

In return for my hard earned. I get…

2000 minutes talk time

5000 3-to-3 minutes talk time

5000 text messages

All-You-Can-Eat data with Internet Tethering included.

You have to be careful though. This plan DOES include tethering, whereas many others – even with the same provider DO NOT. You have tethering capped at 1Gb, or have to purchase a Tethering addon to go with your AYCE data addon. Having done some reading around, it really only seems to be this package that is inclusive of tethering, which means I’ll avoid the necessity to pay for phone or broadband services to the residence, saving money (£25 with virgin broadband in my non-cable area).

I checked my area for coverage and it seems OK. Even though 3 boast 80% coverage in the UK, you still have to check, right down to the street level.

This combination of mobile handset, optional gubbins and 3’s tariff is as good a setup as I can find for a contractor potentially on the move every six months.

More info here…

http://blog.three.co.uk/2011/06/02/tethering-your-smartphone-on-three/

and here…

http://cow.neondragon.net/index.php/three-launches-the-one-plan-almost-unlimited-everything-for-25month

UPDATE: I’ve been using my mobile phone for a couple of weeks now as my one and only source of internet. It has impressed me immensely. I have found that the best way for me to use it is to use USB Tethering to my Desktop (much more reliable for multi-part downloading of larger files, such as tv episodes and .iso images) and simultaneously enable Mobile hotspot to allow additional devices such as PlayStation 3, laptops, other mobile phones to use the internet services by Tethering over WiFi. This is great, as my most intense usage is usually a combination of playing GT5 Seasonal Events on the PlayStation while I wait for downloads to complete on the PC. OK, so it all takes a little longer than it did at my main residence where I have 30Mb/s cable broadband, but it really isn’t bad.

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