Re: Android time

On 12/01/2011 10:13 AM, Mark Foster wrote:
> On 01/12/11 09:51, Jethro Carr wrote:
>> Stock android supports getting time from the network, but that doesn't
>> work on Vodafone in NZ (they don't provide the time info), unsure
>> about Telecom XT.
>
> +1 for this. Annoying.

=Thanks both.

=I had heard of this (sad - and so unnecessary) issue and noted that the 
(simple) phone I had overseas and transferred to Vodafone New Zealand 
doesn't even adapt to summer time clock changes (for which I, 
previously, blamed its heritage)...


>> You can download apps (clocksync is the one I use) that provide NTP
>> synchronisation, but IIRC, they might require a rooted phones.
>
> I use Clocksync.  A rooted phone can be automatically kept up to date. A
> non-rooted phone requires manual intervention but the clocksync app
> makes this pretty straightforward, however it can only keep you to
> within 30 seconds of correct (as you can only set to the minute).
>
> My Android clock runs fast to the tune of about a minute per week, so
> I'm regularly using Clocksync to sort things out.  It's imperfect but
> workable.

=yes, the inherent inaccuracy of the local time base (and comparatively 
across multiple users) is a show-stopping issue for this 
application/feasibility study. Hence the question.

=looking at Clocksync it seems to confirm my dim recollection that 
Android time is not particularly accurate (+-30s). Arghhhh! This is 
barely "accurate", even for "when's the next bus/train/TV pgm 
questions"! (hence my difficulty in accepting the fact)

=I see no mention of Clocksync having an API. Given the geo-location 
component, it would be rather handy. So I'll attempt to contact the 
author. (Thanks for the pointer)

=However I realise that for this application the code could be written 
so that it doesn't care which time zone the time-base uses - just as 
long as the same time info is accessible by multiple sources 
concurrently (and thus, consistently).

=Obviously plain vanilla NTP will do the job. However it seems 
reasonable (YMMV) that with all the time-bases available within the GPS 
and cell systems that there would be a 'native' solution to time 
questions...

-- 
Regards,
=dn

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