Interesting Green: USB

My Paper, Tuesday, July 9, 2013, Page A19, Technology, Gadget Review
From http://epaper.mypaper.sg/emnd/fvxen/fvxp/fvxpress.php?param=2013-07-09
Source Website: http://www.mypaper.com.sg/technology/not-easy-bridge-use-transfers-20130709
By ROY FURCHGOTT, The New York Times, Published on Jul 09, 2013, myp@sph.com.sg

PHOTO: PLUG IN TO TRANSFER: The Leef Bridge has two plugs, a standard USB to connect to a PC and a micro USB for a phone.
PHOTO: THE NEW YORK TIMES
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http://www.mypaper.com.sg/technology/not-easy-bridge-use-transfers-20130709

TRANSFERRING files from your computer to your phone can be a big hassle, especially when the devices do not use the same operating system.

The Leef Bridge, a USB thumb drive from Leef Technology, takes a stab at the problem, and it is a step in the right direction, even if it is not quite there yet.

The Bridge has two plugs, a standard USB on one side and a micro USB on the other. The idea is that you plug the standard side into a computer and load up the files you want. Then, plug the micro USB side into your phone.

It seems simple enough, but the fault in the Bridge lies with Android, not Leef.

Various phones handled the external drive differently and none of those I tried had easy transfer processes, although the transfer was smoothest with a Samsung Galaxy S4.

First, before you can use the Bridge, your phone has to run on Android's Jelly Bean 4.1 operating system or a newer version, and the device has to accommodate the USB OTG (On-The-Go) standard.

On top of that, you may need file-management software - Leef suggests Astro File Manager.

With help from Leef, I was able to use the file manager on an HTC One. The trick is not to open the file manager until after you plug in the Bridge.

The Galaxy S4 recognised the drive without additional software, which made the transfer easier. Using a Motorola Razr, I was unable to figure out how to make a transfer, even with the file-management software.

So, is this easier than using software like DoubleTwist, which connects your computer and phone? I'd say they are about the same. Both are manageable once you are over the considerable learning curve.

You may be wondering if you can do the same thing with any thumb drive and an adapter cable. You can. But it still doesn't solve the complexity of the file-management system.

The Leef Bridge might become more sensible to use when more phones recognise drives the way the Galaxy S4 does, or if someone were to make a smart, simple file manager - maybe one to go specifically with the Bridge (are you listening, Leef?).

In the meantime, the company said a 16GB Bridge will be available for US$18 (S$23) and a 32GB Bridge will be available for US$29.
By ROY FURCHGOTT, The New York Times, Published on Jul 09, 2013, myp@sph.com.sg

Reference

My Paper, Tuesday, July 9, 2013, Page A19, Technology, Gadget Review
http://epaper.mypaper.sg/emnd/fvxen/fvxp/fvxpress.php?param=2013-07-09
http://www.mypaper.com.sg/technology/not-easy-bridge-use-transfers-20130709

Source Website:
http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/wifimobileconnectivity/ss/how-to-tether-android-phones-with-pdanet-instructions.htm
http://pdanet.co/a/
http://www.wikihow.com/Find-the-MAC-Address-of-Your-Computer

By Melanie Pinola, About.com Guide

PHOTO: Melanie Pinola
Mobile Office Technology Guide
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhF2tPxZ-C3qEZFb-5OSNiCC3-aN3T46sOkcAIvxOw1SZbDdw2gGg8f6rEVq7YRIbJNvh6SCwLZ-TeYgqKvTM2FUXegyZY_slzb_gt7TiAzg4DTanugds_34x7_4FgMoPFbhhAci_r_T5/s1600/74202.jpg
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http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/wifimobileconnectivity/ss/how-to-tether-android-phones-with-pdanet-instructions.htm

PHOTO: PdaNet Tethering App
PdaNet Android app for tethering, Logo PdaNet / Screengrab Melanie Pinola

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCyFzTiUvhvYGQP-9d489nPjE-FsPTHvFdW0TWHtQCdsaYw4QHNSf35oisqY8VYE7DCbqiUwH7ibQBfdynXHGFO0W2AJp6Zhi7ISGYphSUZZQFov-qGfoI1CdXQEY0fu70RuD5GnfMz2QX/s1600/android-pdanet.png
http://0.tqn.com/d/mobileoffice/1/0/G/E/android-pdanet.png
http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/wifimobileconnectivity/ss/how-to-tether-android-phones-with-pdanet-instructions.htm

Tethering with PdaNet: An Overview
PdaNet is a free app (available for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, and other mobile platforms) that you can use to turn your smartphone into a modem for your laptop. Tethering capabilities mean you'll never have to worry about finding a wi-fi hotspot or be in range of a wireless access point -- as long as you have cellular data coverage (3G/4G), you'll be able to work online on your laptop wherever you are.

The screenshots here use the Android version as an example (Android 2.1 and Windows 7). PdaNet's Android version enables tethering via USB cable as well as over Bluetooth DUN (Dial-Up Networking). Although you can use PdaNet for free, the full version ($23.95) allows you to access secure web sites after the trial period ends.

Next: Download and install PdaNet to your computer

PHOTO: Download and Install PdaNet on Your Mac or PC
Install PdaNet on Your Computer, by Melanie Pinola

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAv2-cZ5gWIFFHMF7peKFQ3kjUWgLJOlJ8oUhJMxMiC2eZRfHQbFBansYzRXYL4nkmxs_4seNLLr9XM4EYmy8MTih9NoNB4zY-UP9iViwZzhzSNBFRdHCExcFUGv210PDbp2hZUAWwVf7A/s1600/pdanet-install-usb-driver.gif
http://0.tqn.com/d/mobileoffice/1/0/E/E/pdanet-install-usb-driver.GIF
http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/wifimobileconnectivity/ss/how-to-tether-android-phones-with-pdanet-instructions_2.htm

Tether Your Android Phone to a Windows or Mac Computer
To use the PdaNet app for tethering your Android phone, you need to install the app on both your Android phone (download it from Android Market) and also install the software on the Windows computer (Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 -- 32-bit and 64-bit versions available) or Mac OS X (10.5+) computer you want to go online from using your cell phone as the modem.

Step 1: Download the PdaNet Android Windows or Mac installers from makers June Fabrics.
(Alternately, you can download the installation file to your Android phone's SD card, connect your phone via USB and mount the SD card, and run the installation package from there.)

Step 2: Install PdaNet on Your Computer:

Set up on the computer side is pretty straightforward though there are several steps involved. During the installation you'll be prompted to select your cell phone manufacturer and also connect your device via USB (enable USB debugging on your Android phone in Settings > Applications > Development).

You may be warned by Windows Security that the publisher of the driver software can't be verified, but just ignore that prompt and choose to "Install this driver software anyway."

Next: Install the PdaNet app on your Android device

PHOTO: Download and Install PdaNet on Your Cell Phone
Download PdaNet from the Android Market, Screengrab by Melanie Pinola

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ6d0tPsi9gCHjY9FveNZ7kUgTtzjbhLBmrg0IcHc0divRWT-_T4x6zIokQDxPijr9QnEgebloDFIgzTa48gfbY9XpGKg9g6mJVe-YBGEvoGX2T0eB-IyPzEhdQFewmjtpU2uJnGRRFwTL/s1600/android-pdanet-market.png
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http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/wifimobileconnectivity/ss/how-to-tether-android-phones-with-pdanet-instructions_3.htm

Step 3: Download PdaNet to Your Android Smartphone
After installing the PdaNet software for your Windows or Mac laptop/computer, you'll need the app on your Android smartphone. Search for "PdaNet" (not case-sensitive, actually) in the Android Market, and install the app (made by June Fabrics Technology Inc.).

Next: Connect Your Android phone via USB or Bluetooth

PHOTO: Tether Your Android Phone to Your Computer
Connect your Android device to your computer to use PdaNet for tethering, by Melanie Pinola
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHlxmEoMLjkFcMzSWq6orbuUFwzxWruVHuG1tBJNOl6zJKBlnIbRVq6xuhu73-2dEB5-9-vsHfL_0eFejs2uhkpb5PHYyF6MloK6jSPfe1KoWEJUiYiJ__vwl-ypwVM2yQ1qftQk_dPUAP/s1600/tether-pdanet-pop-up.jpg
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http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/wifimobileconnectivity/ss/how-to-tether-android-phones-with-pdanet-instructions_4.htm

Step 4: Connect Your Android Phone to Your Computer to Share the Internet Connection
Once the software has been installed on both your Android phone and your laptop, you can share your phone's Internet connection with your computer.

To connect over USB:

Go to the PdaNet app on your smartphone and select "Enable USB Tether," then use the USB cable to connect the device to your laptop.

You'll get a pop-up window on the laptop that you can click to connect the phone to PdaNet.

You may also or alternately have to click on the PdaNet icon in your taskbar, and select "Connect Internet."

To connect via Bluetooth, the steps are pretty much the same, except you will select "Enable Bluetooth DUN" in the Android app and pair your Android phone with your laptop via Bluetooth rather than via the USB cable.

You should then see the joyful "Connected!" notification on your laptop and be able to surf the Web (albeit [although] not that fast) using your Android's data connection.
By Melanie Pinola, About.com Guide

A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a number that identifies the network adaptor(s) installed on your computer. MAC Address is the Physical Address of network adaptor, eg. 00-13-72-A7-34-1F.
Source Website: http://www.wikihow.com/Find-the-MAC-Address-of-Your-Computer

Reference