On Tuesday 27 Aug 2013 20:18:44 Nitesh Bharadwaj wrote: > On Tue, Aug 27, 2013 at 10:47 PM, Matthew Toseland <matt...@toselandcs.co.uk > > wrote: > > > On Sunday 25 Aug 2013 15:52:55 Nitesh Bharadwaj wrote: > > > Its been long since last update. > > > Here I present a pre-alpha of the android application along with the > > > changes required in fred. It presently supports bluetooth and wifi-direct > > > based reference exchanges. > > > > > > The code for the server on home node is more or less unchanged from the > > > previous update and the main changes are on the android part. Some of > > them > > > pertain to > > > > > > UI and code structure: The UI had to be changed completely in order to > > > support old versions of android. Presently, the main thread serves as the > > > UIThread and it has a handler. Any other thread which wishes to change > > the > > > UI sends a message to this handler and the UI is updated. There are some > > > concurrency issues left out but these are rare cases (for example, a new > > > node - other than homenode is detected on our LAN while we are > > exchanging > > > noderefs with a friend) and some work is left on this front. Other than > > > these, UI issues are fixed. > > > > > > Bluetooth: I had to face various compatibility issues, especially on old > > > android devices (<= android 2.1-Froyo). These devices cannot connect with > > > newer devices in the way they are meant to i.e. as described is Android > > > SDK documentation. Following suit from > > > > > http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3397071/service-discovery-failed-exception-using-bluetooth-on-android > > , > > > I had to use java reflections to grab a bluetooth channel and force > > > connect. Note that this isn't so insecure as it sounds because any > > > bluetooth connection requires initial pairing. Alternatively, we can only > > > support devices > android 2.1. > > > > > > General Incompatibility Issues: For example, android ships Bouncy Castle > > in > > > its packages but doesn't pack any one version completely. We cannot > > build > > > along with the official bcprov...jar because it gives rise to class > > > conflicts with pre-shipped versions. The most used solution is to use > > > spongy castle (modified bouncy castle) but I used jarjar to rename the > > > classes and ended doing the same as what spongy castle does. > > > > > > Several such compatibility issues cropped up and delayed my project and I > > > am determined to keep it up and complete in time frame > > > > > > To be implemented: > > > #1 QR based exchange - This should be for mobiles which couldn't use any > > > other methods because of lack of hardware / any issues > > > #2 Exchange over internet : > > > Some discussion is needed in this respect but in general, public keys > > (DH) > > > are exchanged by QR and the actual noderef is sent over internet > > (email?). > > > This would be received by other mobile/ node(?) > > > > > > To try out the app: > > > Build using Eclipse + Android SDK or ant + Android SDK from source > > > https://github.com/NiteshBharadwaj/Freenet or alternatively, could be > > > downloaded form > > > http://www.mediafire.com/download/8h6889jtqpott5v/Freenet.apk > > > > > > Also, the modified fred and modified mdns-plugin need to be forked and > > > built from https://github.com/freenet/fred-staging and > > > https://github.com/NiteshBharadwaj/plugin-MDNSDiscovery-official > > > > It's good that it's working! > > > > How old is Android 2.1? > > It was a mistake that I mentioned 2.1 as Froyo. It is 2.2 and it was > released in 2010.
Do cheapish handsets shipped today still use the older version that you are trying to be compatible with? > > > NFC is worth considering IMHO if you have time. Although maybe BT/wifi > > direct will use that for setting up a pairing? How much manual work is > > involved in setting up the bluetooth pairing? > > I'll try to look into NFC. > > It takes much work to pair BT devices, discovery of new devices takes > 12 > seconds. After that users may have to put in a pin or click a button on > both devices. Ugh. We need this to be really easy! > > As per my current and local knowledge: > > Android <= 2.2 - Generally updated to Android 2.3. Only used when the > manufacturer doesn't provide an update. Especially, this is the case with > inexpensive mobiles from local/Chinese manufacturers. Usually accompanied > with a bad camera. > > So, bluetooth, inspite of drawbacks, bails out in this case. So for old android we need bluetooth? > > Android 2.3<= v < 4 > Some have good camera (I've observed that scanning a QR of whole noderef > works fine with a 5Mp camera) Right but IMHO we will want to transfer more data when we have FOAF connections. > Bluetooth more or less good with avg discovery time of 12 seconds. Force > acquiring bt channel not necessary except for some rogue HTC devices. > Some have NFC - can remove the delay in BT discovery So exchanging data out of band enables setting up a connection quickly? This is what we want IMHO. Even if it means on old phones we have to use a QR code for it. Possible? > > Android 4 < v < 4.2 > Most have Wifi-Direct, BT and NFC and optionally a good cam. Wifi-Direct > alone suffices our requirement Right. Though NFC is nice precisely because it's short range. > > Android >= 4.2 > Use android beam/ wifi direct depending on hardware, user choice > Beam (NFC+BT inbuilt protocol) is where I see some hope. Right. > This serves another purpose that we can beam an invite. If the other device > has our app, it will be opened. Otherwise, it will be redirected to > marketplace Nice! > > > We did talk about e.g. using the QR code to exchange a key to set up the > > encrypted BT pairing? > > I don't think android allows this kind of pairing. Also, pairing itself > isn't as tedious as discovering a new bluetooth device. If we initiate a > connection to a bt device (a known mac address) android automatically pops > up pairing dialog box if the devices aren't previously paired Right, so you can transfer the MAC address via a QR code, and quickly set up a pairing? Plus, even if we can't use a QR for BT directly, we could use it to exchange a password and use that for password-based connection setup. > > Is the user interface complicated because of justified paranoia about > > Bluetooth? How often are we going to not have wifi direct *and* not have > > bluetooth? > > This shouldn't ever be the case except in situations like a subsidized 20 > dollar tablet http://akashtablet.com/. This device also has a VGA camera > which can't properly scan normal QR codes, let alone noderefs. Point is, > its very rare. Ok cool. > > Exchanging data between the 2 phones over the internet would probably have > > to use email because they are of course NATed ... > > > > I will defer to nextgens on this stuff mostly. I don't have time to review > > it at the moment. > > Thanks Can I forward this to devl?
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