public class DetachableAdapter extends BaseAdapter {

    private Context mContext;
    private List<String> mData;

    public DetachableAdapter() {
        // no Context yet.
    }

    public void setContext(Context context) {
        mContext = context;
    }

    public void setData(List<String> data) {
        mData = data;
        notifyDataSetChanged();
    }

    @Override
    public int getCount() {
        return mData.size();
    }

    @Override
    public Object getItem(int location) {
        return mData.get(location);
    }

    @Override
    public long getItemId(int location) {
        return location;
    }

    @Override
    public View getView(int location, View convertView, ViewGroup root) {
        // context can't be null here since this code is not exectued w/o context
        LayoutInflater inflater = LayoutInflater.from(mContext);
        View view = convertView;
        if (view == null) {
            view = inflater.inflate(android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1, null);
        }
        ((TextView) view).setText(mData.get(location));
        return view;
    }
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

public class RetainedFragment extends ListFragment {

    // ok to keep since it does not keep the reference to context
    private final DetachableAdapter mAdapter = new DetachableAdapter();
    // ok to keep since it does not keep any references
    private final List<String> mData = new ArrayList<String>();

    public RetainedFragment() {
        for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
            mData.add("SomeData:" + i);
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setRetainInstance(true);
        setListAdapter(mAdapter);
    }

    @Override
    public void onAttach(Activity activity) {
        super.onAttach(activity);
        mAdapter.setContext(activity);
    }

    @Override
    public void onDetach() {
        super.onDetach();
        mAdapter.setContext(null);
    }

    @Override
    public void onResume() {
        super.onStart();
        updateList();
    }

    private void updateList() {
        // simulate some sort of updates probably due to listeners..
        Collections.shuffle(mData);
        mAdapter.setData(mData);
    }
}