Properly test async Android code

AsyncTest.Java

/*
I've been writing tests for Android code that uses Handlers to communicate with background threads.
I couldn't get my callbacks to be called back to.
I got angry.
I finally found the solution...after way too much looking.
Here it is.
*/

package com.caseycrites.android.testexample

import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;

import junit.framework.Assert;

import android.os.Handler;
import android.os.Looper;
import android.os.Message;
import android.test.InstrumentationTestCase;

import com.caseycrites.android.SomeClass;

/*
Make sure you extend InstrumentationTestCase.
Maybe that's not true, you can mess around with it, let me know if others work.
*/
public class AsyncTest extends InstrumentationTestCase {

    int what = -1;
    Object obj;
    CountDownLatch latch;
    SomeClass someClass;

    @Override
    public void setUp() throws Exception {
        super.setUp();
        this.someClass = new SomeClass();
    }

    @Override
    public void tearDown() throws Exception {
        super.tearDown();
        this.what = -1;
        this.obj = null;
    }

    public void testHandlerCode() {
        this.latch = new CountDownLatch(1);

        new LooperThread() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                AsyncTest.this.someClass.someMethod(new Handler() {
                    @Override
                    public void handleMessage(Message message) {
                        AsyncTest.this.what = message.what;
                        AsyncTest.this.obj = message.obj;
                        AsyncTest.this.latch.countDown();
                    }
                });
            }
        }.start();

        this.latch.await();

        Assert.assertNotEquals(-1, this.what);
        Assert.assertNotNull(this.obj);
    }

    static class LooperThread extends Thread {

        @Override
        public void start() {
            new Thread() {
                @Override
                public void run() {
                    Looper.prepare();
                    LooperThread.this.run();
                    Looper.run();
                }
            }.start();
        }

    }
    
}

/*
Note: This should also work fine for testing AsyncTasks.
What I don't get and maybe someone can explain it to me, is why can't I send messages to my handler without creating a new Thread with a Looper?
InstrumentationTestCase (and most other Android supplied TestCases...I think?) have their own Looper? So why can't I send it messages?
Perhaps the Looper's message queue is reserved for the Android TestRunner's use only?
*/

This is life changing