How To Take Screenshot on HTC Wildfire S

Mobile phones are becoming more sophisticated. It seems like the development of these devices are faster than we once thought. It is also one of the electrical devices that survived the evolution of gadgets. In fact, the features included in the phone made the demise of other devices. Since I had a mobile, I did no longer wear any watch, no longer interested with mp3 players, and did not bother  bringing in cameras at parties and  calculators at groceries as useful gadgets are squeezed inside these tiny devices which include digital camera, movie camera, compass, navigator and others on a long list, I am not able to mention.  I am sure there will be many more in the future.

But one significant function I noticed that is missing in a full of features smartphone is something I did not expect!

For a smart phone that can take videos, photos, has wi-fi, bluetooth, tethering, reverse tethering, android OS, and so on.  The HTC Wildfire S can not take screenshots!   Or is it? Here's how to get round the missing function.

The Boat Browser

 I have been searching the web on how to do this and solutions like using Boat Browser  seems a good start and the easiest. Just download it from the apps market and off you go.  The only problem with this method is it is only enabled when you are browsing the net using the specific browser. That means it does not function if you just want to show what's going on on your phone while not browsing.

Other applications that promise this functionality needed your phone to be modified, and some others charge you. Below is a screen shot with the boat browser.

Using Computer and Development Kit Software

Another solution is to download the development kit from android and java, two separate programs, that can make your phone capable of making screen shots on what it is shown in it's screen. It is a rather complicated thing and a long procedure for ordinary user like me, as there are many files to download, but you will get there I am sure.

1. Download the Java Development Kit SE first as this piece of software is needed before it would let you download the next software. You can choose the SDK for Windows or the version which is applicable for your computer if you are not running windows.

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/java-se-jdk-7-download-432154.html

2. Download the Android Development Kit, choose the zip version over the recommended version because when I've chosen the later,  I could not find the  specific DDMS.BAT file . Or maybe I do not know where it was!

http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html

• Make desktop your target destination  for easier archiving later, and I recommend personally to create a new folder for the downloaded file.

3. Extract the zip file into the same new folder . Below are the files, the bottom bit is the zip file and the high lighted one is the extracted file.

4,  Open the extracted file and double click the SDK manager and run, 

5. You will be presented a window where the items to be installed are listed. Tick "select all" and begin downloading and installing. This is the longest part of the procedure, it took more than 2 hours for me to complete this. My internet connection is rather slow at 2MBPS.

6. After installing the files,  close the application window and prepare the HTC.

• At your HTC phone, click home button, settings, applications, development, and tick USB debugging..

• Then go to settings again, select connect to PC, and choose charge only. Then plug in your phone into the PC's USB.

7. In your PC, go to the folder you have extracted the downloaded files, not the zip file, click tools then look for  DDMS BATCH file.

8. Run it and a command console (cmd.exe) will pop out followed by another  window (delvik debug monitor) after several seconds. The name of your device should appear on the left side of the device window and you need to highlight your device. 

9. Click the device menu located at the top of the window, and click screen capture. The picture should appear in your PC's screen and you can choose to save it on any destination you like! And that's it.

• The only downside to this method is, you need your PC to do a screen shot! I am wishing for an app that do not require modifying the device, can make screen shot with the phone itself by just pressing key combinations like the iPhone and do not need to be connected to the internet or use a browser to do a screen shot, most of all, something FREE!

HTC Wildfire and Accessories