The Tato Series: An Interview With JRummy16

Exciting times around here seeing as how Kellex’s Droid X finally got some 2.2 love, but I wish all you DX users the best. (I was skeptical hehe.)

I got to have a very fun chat with JRummy the other day and can tell he is a very well spoken, smart individual. Throughout the Tato Series I have yet to converse with anyone that hasn’t come off as someone who isn’t extremely nice and knowledgeable in their respective fields including JRummy. Put all these guys in one room and North America might explode!

Task Killers, nicknames, future of LithiumMod, and even a possible interview with “The Great Tim-o-tato”? Ha! We’ll see about that!

Continue on….

Tim-o-tato: So can I have you introduce yourself and what it is you do?

JRummy16: Well, My name is Jared Rummler and on internet sites I usually go by the name JRummy16. Rummy has always been kind of a nick name so I went with it. I am from Southern California and besides working on Android I am a full time student at Cal State Fullerton and also have a full time job doing accounting. On my free time I love to hang out with my beautiful wife at the beach where I surf and skim board.

Tim-o-tato: Excellent! What are you currently in school for?

JRummy16: Accounting. Far from anything I do in the Android community but I have some opportunities that I don’t want to pass up. Learning and developing in Android has definitely opened my eyes into different things that I have grown to love though.

Tim-o-tato: Well I know that any work you put towards Android people will be happy with. What got you into Android to begin with?

JRummy16: I am fairly new to Android and the ROM world actually. I have always had a “nerd” side to me and when I purchased my Droid1 I wanted to learn everything about it. After rooting my device I wanted to unleash the full potential of my new toy. I think my first ROM was Bugless Beast 7.4 or something.  I started with simple hacks I could teach myself, then I got into creating themes where I learned simple but necessary things like xml’s, smali and backsmali, and Eclipse. I then started building ROMs. First they were based off of Cyanogen Mod (which I believe was the only source built ROM at the time). Then I began to teach myself Bash and Java (which I’m still doing) and started compiling my own ROMs from source.  So far it has been a fun and educational little hobby 🙂

Tim-o-tato: Wow! So JRummys first ROM was Bugless Beast?

JRummy16: Ha, yep!

Tim-o-tato: When you started working on all of this, did you have any clue that people would accept your work so widely? In other words, did you expect to become so popular?

JRummy16: I didn’t know what would become of my work. When I started I really looked up to AdamZ and Xeudoxus. Those are developers that do it just for the fun of developing and not for numbers or show (like many other developers too).  I am stoked that so many people have enjoyed my work. I compile ROMs and theme because that’s what I love to do and it’s just a bonus that others love it too.

Tim-o-tato: Awesome. So what got you thinking about making a *super* pink theme for Droid-Life then?

Tim-o-tato: Think it got people to check out the good work you were pumping out at the time?

JRummy16: Because Droid-Life is just that cool! When my wife got her droid I wanted to root and install a custom ROM for her but she was hesitant until I showed her my Pink-Life theme. She is still using it today and loves it. Also, I had a color scheme going I guess. Besides Pink-Life I have developed a green, blue, red and a cyan theme.

Tim-o-tato: My ex girlfriend really liked it too! Turns out she likes iPhones more though…(hence the Ex).
What types of things are you working on these days? Anything up those sleeves?

JRummy16: Lately I have been swamped with school and work but I can’t seem to step away from Android.  So, when I have time I have been working on a compilation of scripts which act much like BusyBox and getting them into a GUI. I have also spent some time working on more customization on status bar icons, SetCPU and other customization in the Settings App.

Tim-o-tato: Sounds good. I’m sure we’ll all be on the lookout. So may I ask you age Jared? I’m guessing you’re not “16”?

JRummy16: I’m 25. But what about you? When is Droid-Life going to have an interview with the amazing Tim-o-tato?

Tim-o-tato: Haha. I’m 21! The amazing? Hmm, I guess I could get use to that.

😛

Tim-o-tato: So what are your thoughts about the Android community as a whole? Likes? Dislikes?

JRummy16: As a whole it is a great group. I have become friends with a great group of Developers and Theme makers. I talk constantly to JDLFG, Xeudoxus, {n8}, Liquid0624, and many others. I have also had a good opportunity to share what I have learned with other developers. I think I have spent more time talking, learning and teaching other people than I have spent developing because there are so many good people here.

Tim-o-tato: That’s what we like to hear! Hopefully it’s only gonna get better!! As someone that’s on the inside, where do you see Android a few years down the road?

JRummy16: I think Android has a huge potential and it’s obvious that the competition is scared. I’ll be sticking with it for a long time and hope to keep bringing some amazing work to the table.

Tim-o-tato: What type of phone did you have before your first Android phone? (which was? Droid? G1?)

JRummy16: My first Android phone was the Droid1 and before that I had a bulky ugly Windows Mobile phone.

Tim-o-tato: Ohh, so no I*hone?

JRummy16: Nope!

Tim-o-tato: Clever…

Time for my dumb silly Q’s…

Tim-o-tato: Task Killers: What is your view and opinion them?

JRummy16: I never used one and I think they are a bit over rated. :-/

Tim-o-tato: We hear that a lot!

Tim-o-tato: So Steve Jobs writes to you, say he needs your help with the new i*hone. Your response?

JRummy16: Lol! Umm…I would say heck yes, if it were April Fools day or if he offered me a ton of money!!

Tim-o-tato: Yea, ton of money would be nice I suppose…

Tim-o-tato: If you had to change your nickname, what do you think you would choose?

JRummy16: Mr.GinormousMuscles would probably be the best way to describe me…so probably that.

Tim-o-tato: Awesome! Who could argue?!?

Tim-o-tato: So you mentioned some other Developers you admire. Is there something you hope to be an innovator for maybe in the future? Or that you would like to create that isn’t already available?

JRummy16: There are always ideas and new things to work on. It has been a little of a slow start but Lithium Mod has some great developers and has some real potential.

Tim-o-tato: That’s good to hear that it’s still alive! Well we are ALL waiting. You’ll make us proud!

So before I let you go, is there ANYTHING you would like to ask the Droid-Life readers?

JRummy16: Sure. First, what do you look for most in a ROM (features, stability, theme, customization, etc.)?

Second, what is going to be your next device?

Tim-o-tato: That seems to be the question on everybodies mind. As contracts are starting to end, everyone wants to know what the next big thing is. In your opinion, what do you think the next big phone will be?

JRummy16: The droid X is starting to explode but for the next device honestly I’m not sure.

Tim-o-tato: Thanks so much for your time Jared! I myself and everyone at DL really appreciate it!!!

JRummy16: Your welcome! Thanks! 🙂

Tim-o-tato: Have a good one and talk soon!

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Well that was fun! I had no idea I was “great”, buuut I am not one to argue with a guy like Jrummy, so I’ll run with it! Thanks for everyone reading these and letting me know that you care for it!

Huge props to JRummy for giving me his time!

So tell me…What’s gonna be the next big phone?!?

-Tim-o-tato

Read the rest of the Tato Series interviews!

Follow JRummy on Twitter!

Check out Tato’s Band!