Having trouble connecting a recent Google nexus device eg Nexus 4 7 or 10 to Ubuntu 12.04?

Having trouble connecting a recent Google nexus device eg Nexus 4 7 or 10 to Ubuntu 12.04?

Yeah me too.

Here's what worked for me 

NB:
1. there was a minor error - needed a 'sudo' on step 6 part b - the chmod command
2. I added the Dev Options and USB debugging instructions
3. I added a 'turn off USB debugging' when you're done, instruction

Here's how:
1. Enable Developer options and enable USB debugging
  goto Settings
  scroll to Build Number
  tap repeatedly about 7 or more times
  go back to settings and you should Developer Options
  go in and enable USB debugging

2. Install necessary modules to your computer:
sudo apt-get install mtp-tools mtpfs

3. Configure 51-android.rules:
sudo gedit /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules
paste the following at the end of the file (if the file does not exist then just paste):
#LG - Nexus 4
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="1004", MODE="0666"
#Samsung - Nexus 7 & 10
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", SYSFS{idVendor}=="18d1", MODE="0666"

Save and exit.

4. Make the file executable:
sudo chmod +x /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules

5. Restart udev
sudo service udev restart

6. Create mount point and permissions (will need to do this for other Nexus' if using for the 7 or 10)
sudo mkdir /media/nexus4
sudo chmod 755 /media/nexus4

7. Plug in the Nexus 4 and make sure MTP is enabled.

8. Mount with the following command:
sudo mtpfs -o allow_other /media/nexus4

9. When you have completed your work you must unmount:
sudo umount /media/nexus4

10. When done turn off USB debugging - it tightens up your security

Now each time you need to copy from/to your Nexus 4 to your Linux computer you only need to plug in and run 8, then 9 when you have completed your work.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2004182

Garmin Edge 500 Firmware: how to downgrade the firmware

My Garmin Edge 500 had a new firmware released for it, v 3.20. One problem is that startup time is now very very long. It used to be ready in about 10 seconds, now its about 1 minute.

I was looking for how to revert and downgrade to v 3.00, and I found some instructions here.

Since this is hosted on a Garmin forum I figured I would preserve the information on how to downgrade, and also the firmwares here.

Here's how:

0. Download the firmware you want. Don't forget, this is for the Garmin Edge 500, not any other model!

1. Plug the Edge 500 into the PC.

2. Once the Edge 500 is ready, copy the file to the Garmin subdirectory on your unit, renaming it to gupdate.gcd. The 500 will appear as another drive on your desktop (Mac), file manager eg Nautilus (Linux), Explorer drive letter (Windows)

3. Save the following into your Mac / PC / Linux computer so you don't have to recreate stuff:

Garmin\Settings\Settings.fit

Garmin\Elevations\Elevations.fit

Garmin\Sports\Cycling.fit (optional)

Updating the firmware doesn't usually mess with these files (a 'full reset' normally proscribed by Garmin support does).

4. Safely remove the Edge 500 from the Mac / PC / Linux.

5. Power up the Edge 500. If you are loading an older level firmware, it will ask you to verify you want to do this.

6. Let it update. This may take a while, be patient. Be very patient. Very.

7. Once the update completes, power the Edge 500 back down.

8. Reattach to your computer and restore the files saved in step 3.

9. Safely remove the 500 from the PC.

10. Power up the Edge 500, rescan for HRM, GSC-10, other devices, and re-pair them.

Google Chrome Remote Desktop in Full Screen

If you use Google Chrome Remote Desktop, and want to run in Full Screen, here's how.

0. Goto the Chrome Web Store and get Chrome Remote Desktop, and launch

1a. If you are using Chrome Browser: Go to a new tab, find the remote desktop application, right / control click and select "Open Full Screen"

1b. If you are using Chrome OS, click on the Apps button at the bottom

find Chrome Remote Desktop - you may need to click on the second pane as here

alt / right click on it and select "Open as Window"

2. Connect to the remote computer. Initially the remote screen will be scaled to fit your local screen. move the cursor to the top of the screen and the drop down appears

Click into 'Screen Options' and select 'Full screen'.

And here's my MacMini's screen. If there's a size / resolution mismatch and the remote side cannot adjust on the fly (like here) then you have to decide whether to shrink or scale etc.

Google Chrome and ChromeOS: Cloud print Save to Drive not available

When printing from Chrome and ChromeOS the docs say you should be able to Save to Google Drive.

On my ChromeBook this wasn't available

To resolve this issue, you need to type 'save' into the 'search destinations' dialogue box

After a second or two the 'Save to Google Drive' option will come up, and you can click it.

Thereafter it should be remembered, and even if its not, you can repeat this process.

Google Play Music and Chrome Settings: Oops we have a technical issue

Having a go with Google Music, but I was getting the error

Oops we have a technical issue

please refresh this page in your browser to go back to listening to your music. If issues persist, make sure that you have Flash enabled and working.

I use a Flash blocker so make sure you you've white listed play.google.com

and then if you use 'Click to Play' for plugin control, white list play.google.com there as well:

1. In Chrome go to 'Settings'
2. Scroll down to the bottom and click "Show advanced settings..."
3. Then click 'Content Settings'
4. Scroll to 'Plug-ins'
5. If 'Click to play' is selected, click 'Manage exceptions'
   
   
6. and add play.google.com

Reload play.google.com/music and you should be good to go

Showing the time with seconds in Ubuntu 12.04

I like seeing the time with seconds.

By default you get only hours and minutes, so here's how to get the seconds.

Firstly make sure you've got dconf-tools installed. Use either Software Centre or Synaptic to check:

Then launch Dconf Editor

and then navigate to com > canonical > indicator > datetime

and select "show-seconds".

The change is made immediately.

Save screen brightness on restart in Ubuntu 12.04

Sigh, Ubuntu 12.04 doesn't keep your screen brightness setting, so everytime you log in you need to change it.

There is a way around this, requires editing a file using the terminal.

sudo nano /etc/rc.local

and in the line before the last line which should say "exit 0" add

echo 4 > /sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0/brightness

in other words so it looks like this:

do ctrl+x to save and exit.