WP plugining and Nexus 7ing

This morning I tried to update the kernel on my Nexus 7. Apparently the linaro optimisations can make up to 100% performance improvement: Linaro Android Nearly Doubles ICS Performance, And Now Parts Of It Are Being Added to CM9. I was trying to install the Motley kernel, which includes linaro optimisations, and often seems to be recommended.

I did some research, and it seemed like you copy the zip file of the kernel to the nexus. Strangely, when I connected the Nexus 7 to my PC without USB debugging ticked, it did not show up as a drive. But it did show up when USB debugging (in the developer options) was ticked.

I copied the zip file across to the Nexus 7, I just placed it in the root (which I'm not sure is the real root, as it often seems to be referred to as /sdcard? I then booted into recovery mode. I downloaded an app to do this, but you can actually do it from the ROM manager app, or there is a manual way to do it: How to Put Nexus 7 Into Recovery Mode.

But when I booted into recovery mode it just had a fallen over android with a red exclamation mark triangle above him. After trying a few times I gave up and did some work on my wordpress plugin.

I was thinking that the work I wanted to do on my plugin today would be quick and easy (add an import and export settings option). But actually it was quite difficult. I had a number of problems, such as:

• registering actions too late (but I didn't know it was too late)
• checking an array was empty when actually I wanted to check it contained no values (an array with an empty key is not empty)
• Serving a file (Can't serve a file and a page)
• Saving a file using a user provided name (can't allow forward slashes)
• cron task not working

The cron task not working I haven't solved yet, but in the afternoon I decided to take a look at getting the new kernel installed on my nexus 7 again. It turned out that when you boot into recovery mode, the tablet must be connected to your PC. So I did that and got the new kernel installed. Easy when you know how!

After writing this blog post so far I did a bit of work in the garden. Then I made a cake.

In the evening I was watching more Nexus 7 videos. It turns out there is an N64 emulator for it, and it works well. The emulator is called N64oid. It costs a few dollars. There is another one that is free, but it isn't meant to be very good performance wise, as well as having lots of adverts.

You can also use a PS3 wireless bluetooth controller with the tablet: Unofficial how to set up ps3 Sixaxis controller App thread.

This post here has a good list of different emulators (though it doesn't mention the MAME one): [GAMES] Nexus 7 Gaming Thread.

I also watched an episode of VR Troopers and played on Eledees with Billy in the evening.