diff --git a/AndroidManifest.xml b/AndroidManifest.xml
index ed28cb2..d9c4838 100644
--- a/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
   package="org.jfedor.frozenbubble"
-  android:versionCode="27"
-  android:versionName="2.3">
+  android:versionCode="28"
+  android:versionName="2.4">
 
   <supports-screens
-    android:smallScreens="true" 
-    android:normalScreens="true" 
-    android:largeScreens="true" 
+    android:smallScreens="true"
+    android:normalScreens="true"
+    android:largeScreens="true"
     android:anyDensity="true"/>
 
   <uses-sdk
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 
   <application
     android:allowBackup="true"
-    android:debuggable="false"
     android:icon="@drawable/app_frozen_bubble"
     android:label="@string/app_name">
 
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@
 
     <activity
       android:name="org.jfedor.frozenbubble.InterstitialActivity"
-      android:label="Interstitial" >
+      android:label="Interstitial">
     </activity>
 
     <activity
diff --git a/src/com/efortin/frozenbubble/ModPlayer.java b/src/com/efortin/frozenbubble/ModPlayer.java
index 9f88545..b0e0c18 100644
--- a/src/com/efortin/frozenbubble/ModPlayer.java
+++ b/src/com/efortin/frozenbubble/ModPlayer.java
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ public void loadNewSong(int songId, boolean startPlaying) {
       // Pause the current song.
       resplayer.PausePlay();
       // Load the current MOD into the player.
-      resplayer.LoadMODResource(songId);
+      resplayer.LoadMODResource(songId, true);
       if (startPlaying)
         resplayer.UnPausePlay();
     }
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ private void newMusicPlayer(Context context,
     // Create a new music player.
     resplayer = new MODResourcePlayer(context);
     // Load the mod file.
-    resplayer.LoadMODResource(songId);
+    resplayer.LoadMODResource(songId, false);
     // Loop the song forever.
     resplayer.setLoopCount(PlayerThread.LOOP_SONG_FOREVER);
     // Turn the music on or off.
diff --git a/src/com/efortin/frozenbubble/NetworkGameManager.java b/src/com/efortin/frozenbubble/NetworkGameManager.java
index 40f22bd..8d9d955 100644
--- a/src/com/efortin/frozenbubble/NetworkGameManager.java
+++ b/src/com/efortin/frozenbubble/NetworkGameManager.java
@@ -796,15 +796,6 @@ else if (newAction.playerID == remotePlayer.playerID) {
           }
           remoteActionList.add(newAction);
         }
-        /*
-         * If this action is the most current, then we can postpone the
-         * cyclic status message.  This is because we just received the
-         * data that the status message is supposed to prompt the remote
-         * player to send. 
-         */
-        if (newAction.localActionID == localStatus.remoteActionID) {
-          setStatusTimeout(STATUS_TIMEOUT);
-        }
       }
     }
   }
@@ -1082,6 +1073,15 @@ public boolean getRemoteAction() {
           }
           remoteInterface.gotAction = true;
           localStatus.remoteActionID++;
+          /*
+           * The local player status was updated.  Set the status
+           * timeout to expire immediately and wake up the network
+           * manager thread.
+           */
+          setStatusTimeout(0L);
+          synchronized(this) {
+            notify();
+          }
           break;
         }
       }
@@ -1476,6 +1476,13 @@ public void reserveGameID() {
         if (session != null) {
           session.setFilter(myGameID);
         }
+        /*
+         * The transport layer message format has been updated, so send
+         * an immediate status message to notify peers that we have
+         * reserved a game ID.  This function is called directly from
+         * the network manager thread, so there is no need to notify the
+         * thread to wake up.
+         */
         setStatusTimeout(0L);
         break;
       }
@@ -1587,6 +1594,15 @@ public void sendLocalPlayerAction(int playerId,
     tempAction.aimPosition = aimPosition;
     addAction(tempAction);
     transmitAction(tempAction);
+    /*
+     * The most current action IDs are being transmitted with this
+     * action.  Postpone the player status message as it will be mostly
+     * redundant with the information in this message, albeit the
+     * delayed game field checksums may potentially lead to a more
+     * significant game synchronization discrepancy if one is currently
+     * present.
+     */
+    setStatusTimeout(STATUS_TIMEOUT);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/com/peculiargames/andmodplug/MODResourcePlayer.java b/src/com/peculiargames/andmodplug/MODResourcePlayer.java
index af262c0..937709c 100644
--- a/src/com/peculiargames/andmodplug/MODResourcePlayer.java
+++ b/src/com/peculiargames/andmodplug/MODResourcePlayer.java
@@ -116,8 +116,10 @@ public MODResourcePlayer(Context context) {
    * MOD/XM song file, e.g. R.raw.coolsong
    * @param modresource - Android resource id for a MOD/XM/etc. (tracker
    * format) song file.
+   * @param gc - if <code>true</code>, perform garbage collection prior
+   * to loading the file.
    */
-  public boolean LoadMODResource(int modresource) {
+  public boolean LoadMODResource(int modresource, boolean gc) {
     byte[] modData = null;
     int currfilesize = 0;
     InputStream mModfileInStream;
@@ -141,6 +143,18 @@ public boolean LoadMODResource(int modresource) {
      * Allocate a buffer that can hold the current MOD file data.
      */
     try {
+      /*
+       * This is a very critical and often very large memory allocation.
+       * Force the system to perform garbage collection to free up
+       * memory for the allocation.
+       *
+       * This is not recommended practice, as it can affect system
+       * performance.  This should only be called when the user is not
+       * interacting with the system.
+       */
+      if (gc) {
+        System.gc();
+      }
       modData = new byte[currfilesize];
     } catch (OutOfMemoryError oome) {
       // Auto-generated catch block.
diff --git a/src/com/peculiargames/andmodplug/PlayerThread.java b/src/com/peculiargames/andmodplug/PlayerThread.java
index 9abf716..95549cd 100644
--- a/src/com/peculiargames/andmodplug/PlayerThread.java
+++ b/src/com/peculiargames/andmodplug/PlayerThread.java
@@ -552,7 +552,14 @@ public void run() {
      * greater than the minbuffer size the audio system reports in the
      * contructors...
      */
-    short[] mBuffer = new short[BUFFERSIZE];
+    short[] mBuffer;
+    try {
+      mBuffer = new short[BUFFERSIZE];
+    } catch (OutOfMemoryError oome) {
+      // Auto-generated catch block.
+      oome.printStackTrace();
+      mBuffer = null;
+    }
 
     if (mStart_paused) {
       mPlaying = false;
@@ -564,7 +571,7 @@ public void run() {
     /*
      * Main play loop.
      */
-    if (mMytrack != null) {
+    if ((mMytrack != null) && (mBuffer != null)) {
       mMytrack.play();
     }
     else {