diff --git a/include/utils/Parcel.h b/include/utils/Parcel.h
index 9087c44..af1490a 100644
--- a/include/utils/Parcel.h
+++ b/include/utils/Parcel.h
@@ -80,8 +80,11 @@
     status_t            writeStrongBinder(const sp<IBinder>& val);
     status_t            writeWeakBinder(const wp<IBinder>& val);
 
-    // doesn't take ownership of the native_handle
-    status_t            writeNativeHandle(const native_handle& handle);
+    // Place a native_handle into the parcel (the native_handle's file-
+    // descriptors are dup'ed, so it is safe to delete the native_handle
+    // when this function returns). 
+    // Doesn't take ownership of the native_handle.
+    status_t            writeNativeHandle(const native_handle* handle);
     
     // Place a file descriptor into the parcel.  The given fd must remain
     // valid for the lifetime of the parcel.
@@ -114,12 +117,11 @@
     wp<IBinder>         readWeakBinder() const;
 
     
-    // if alloc is NULL, native_handle is allocated with malloc(), otherwise
-    // alloc is used. If the function fails, the effects of alloc() must be
-    // reverted by the caller.
-    native_handle*     readNativeHandle(
-            native_handle* (*alloc)(void* cookie, int numFds, int ints),
-            void* cookie) const;
+    // Retrieve native_handle from the parcel. This returns a copy of the
+    // parcel's native_handle (the caller takes ownership). The caller
+    // must free the native_handle with native_handle_close() and 
+    // native_handle_delete().
+    native_handle*     readNativeHandle() const;
 
     
     // Retrieve a file descriptor from the parcel.  This returns the raw fd
diff --git a/include/utils/Singleton.h b/include/utils/Singleton.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..776f93b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/utils/Singleton.h
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2007 The Android Open Source Project
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+#ifndef ANDROID_UTILS_SINGLETON_H
+#define ANDROID_UTILS_SINGLETON_H
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <utils/threads.h>
+
+namespace android {
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+template <typename TYPE>
+class Singleton
+{
+public:
+    static TYPE& getInstance() {
+        Mutex::Autolock _l(sLock);
+        TYPE* instance = sInstance;
+        if (instance == 0) {
+            instance = new TYPE();
+            sInstance = instance;
+        }
+        return *instance;
+    }
+    
+protected:
+    ~Singleton() { };
+    Singleton() { };
+
+private:
+    Singleton(const Singleton&);
+    Singleton& operator = (const Singleton&);
+    static Mutex sLock;
+    static TYPE* sInstance;
+};
+
+template<class TYPE> Mutex Singleton<TYPE>::sLock; 
+template<class TYPE> TYPE* Singleton<TYPE>::sInstance(0); 
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+}; // namespace android
+
+#endif // ANDROID_UTILS_SINGLETON_H
+