By Who is Eric J? That’s what a lot of people are asking after AndroidForums member viperguy586 accidentally found a bizarre easter egg on the HTC Incredible. The oddity was confirmed by several members and then ned4spd8874 posted the following video for all to see:
Basically you just:
- Open the software keyboard
- Hold down “B” until you get an “)”
- Hold down “V” until you get an “(“
- You suddenly see the following as an auto-correct option
)(HTC_RUDB_v00.04.03_EricJ. )
)(HTC_MDB_V1.1.12_normal
So who is Eric J? Probably an HTC or Android programmer who left himself a little call sign. Or maybe he was debugging and accidentally forgot to delete a snippet of code. Regardless of how it got there, the bottom line is that it’s completely useless. Just a fun little random side note to help you while away the hours.
Give it a try on your phone and let us know if it works in the comments!
eric j?
On HTC Desire 2.2 as well
Comes up on my Evo.
I get the same auto-correct on my Evo so it likely was accidentally left in as part of the default Touch Input keyboard for several HTC devices.
Anything easter egg like things on the Galaxy S series of phones? Mine is the Epic 4G.
This works on my Wildfire
Yep, works on my DINC.
If I made a phone OS, i would do something like that
I tried it and got:
)(HTC_MDB_V1.1.12_normal
Come out on my HTC EVO
It comes up on the MyTouch 4G too.
confirm, nearly the same on Desire 2.
)(HTC_RUDB_v00.04.02_EricJ
but with a 02 instead of 03
works on the Vibrant
Ooh, and who the hell Thomas is Froyo Gallery3D app? even my SD card is empty, NO pix. It still shows a Thomas folder
Nothing on Fascinate
I get HTC_MDB_V1.1.4_NORMAL on my Hero.
Works on a 2.2 FROrange Desire with a Desire HD ROM
I’M Eric J!!
I’m in your Android, haxzoring your Facebook!
Same thing on htc ime mod
it’s not that incredible… that’s a joke
Eric J. and his fifteen posts of fame..
I get…. “)(htc_rudb_v00.04.02_ericj”
I want v00.04.03 – Come on Eric J…..why won’t verizon push out this update already!!!!
Shows up on my HTC Hero with 2.1.
Got it on my incredible. I think they are monitoring us. (twilight zone music plays)
)(HTC_RUDB_v00.04.02_EricJ ….wow works on hero too.
I get normal on the Eris
Yep. Got it on my MT4G also. Silly Eric J.
Comfirmed to be present in the HTC_IME port of the keyboard for the original Motorola Droid. EricJ, who are you?
Works on D1 with HTC Mod…
It happened on my Sprint HTC Hero
I expect ericj may be out of a job after this mess up :P
Who is John Galt?
who is the drizzle?
who is John G?
Works on my Dinc using the Touch keyboard. (Does not work with Swiftkey Beta, of course).
Who is The Coon?
Wo-hoo! My hand, phone and counter top are now famous! :o)
lol I get my 2 mins of fame for finding this out :) lol
still wondering who he is and whats the version in reference to…..
on the eris also
)(HTC_RUDB_v00.04.03_EricJ
I’d say confirmed. HTC Incredible w/ SkyRaider 3
)(htc_mdb_v1.1.7_normal on my nexus.
I get both on my Eris
Eric J as well on the mt4g using touch keyboard
Hah…gotcha!!!!!
Forgot to mention this in the thread, but googled rudb and mdb and both came back with stuff involving the htc ime. My guess is they are databases for the prediction system. The )( are probably recognized by the system as some sort of default or maybe a specific variable relating to the version of he address, and ericj probably had no idea putting those in would cause the version to be listed.
)(HTC_RUDB_v00.04.03_EricJ
No way!! Works on Microsoft Word 93 too!!! Weird?
works on Tmo Samsung Vibrant running TeamWhiskey Onyx 4.2
Works on the HTC Desire HD as well
HTC Desire Z I get
)(HTC_RUDB_v00.04.03_EricJ
in an SMS entry screen or other text entry
)(HTC_MDB_V2.0.2_email
in a email address field (Gmail)
Makes sense that there are different expansions for the different types of field.
Guess this doesn’t work on older Android versions, nothing on my G1.
confirmed:
not in text mode but email mode
(HTC_RUDB v00.04.03 Ericj
)(HTC_MDB V1.1.12 normal
It does the same thing on my evo!!!!!!!
I had to turn Swype off first :)
It’s not an “easter egg” per se. I have done programming for embedded systems like this and it’s probably just a quick way for testers to find the:
Build
Version
they used codesmith or code form it to aid in the programing. Eric J is the CEO of codesmith