This project is definitely for the more technology minded amongst us. All the same, a very useful project if you are so inclined.
As part a presentation I will be doing next week, I want to be able to show my Android Evo over a projector. The easiest way for me to do this is to connect my phone to my laptop, literally showing the audience how to use the applications I want to teach about.
Unfortunately, the Android doesn’t have any easy way to accomplish this task. But, after some research and fiddling about with my phone and computer, I figured out how to do it.
Since the information was not easy to find, I want to share it with you.
Why Would a Lawyer Want to Share a Phone in this Way?
In a deposition or trial you might find it useful to be able to show your phone to the opposing side or the jury. By being able to share directly from your phone you have a certain amount credibility.
You can also record video directly from your phone or take screen captures to put in a presentation.
Finally, imagine what you can accomplish by showing a phone with incriminating texts or emails right in the middle of a negotiation.
To me, the possibilities and uses are endless.
Download What you Need
To begin, you will need to download 4 items
- The Java Development Kit – updated link http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/java-se-jdk-7-download-432154.html
- Android SDK
- USB Driver for your phone (This will require a search on the Internet) Search USB Driver NAME OF PHONE
- Android Screen Capture Software
Installation
Once you have downloaded the items listed install them in the order presented above. Do not plug your phone in to your computer at this point.
Once you install SDK you will want to make sure you update the software, you will see the option to do so upon its installation.
Here are detailed instructions on installation from the manufacturer of the Ashot Software. These instructions do not address the issue of making sure you have the correct driver. You will also note that you need to copy some files and put them in various locations. Be sure you follow these directions exactly.
To install your driver (step 3) you will need to put your phone in recovery mode. On my Evo to do this I had to turn off the phone and then hold down both power and volume. Then I was given the option on how I wanted to boot the phone. Choose recovery mode. To find how to put your phone in recovery mode search “PHONE NAME recovery mode”
Next plug your phone into the computer. If you found and installed the correct driver it should automatically set itself up. If the computer cannot find the driver, direct it to the right place on your computer. If this process fails you do not have your phone in the right mode, do not have the correct driver or are sending your computer to the wrong location to look for the driver.
Once your driver is set, unplug your phone and take it out of recovery mode. Normally this is the same as putting it into recovery mode, but if you can’t find out how to do this, search “take NAME OF PHONE out of recovery” in Google.
Now you need to set up what is called the Debugging Mode on your phone. The steps are as follows:
- Go to your Phone
- Choose Menu
- Choose Settings
- Choose Applications
- Choose Development
- Choose USB debugging
You can leave your phone in this setting all of the time, but you are better off turning it off when you don’t plan on sharing your phone screen.
Once you have completed all of these tasks you have done everything you need to do to install and run the final software.
Plug your phone back in to your computer and run the Ashot software.
Now you will be able to show your phone on a computer, capture video or screen shots and impress people with your technical acumen.
*Installation note. If you find that Ashot hangs when you try to install it, use this zipped version instead. I ran into this issue.