Easily Upgrade your BlackBerry 10 Devices to Natively Install and Run Android Apps

For you BlackBerry power users (I'm a Q10 user) looking to run Android apps, this is how to do it (there was a single app I wanted which is a train commuter scheduler [RailBandit]). The newest leaked Blackberry OS includes Android runtime 4.2.1 and allows ability to natively load Android apps (yes - you load apps right from your BB - AWESOME!). Sadly, Verizon hasn't launched the next OS (10.2 even though it's been out for MONTHS), so you can do it yourself. I've been running this for 12 hrs, and so far I like it. It's super easy as well. This is to run the brand new leaked 10.2.1.1925 (radio 1899) less than a week old. What's cool about BB10 is you can upgrade the radio code separately from the general OS. Makes it easier for the carrier to test and release updates (or in theory should). The juicy details...

Use This to Download Your OS (Q10, Z10, Z30, etc)
http://forums.crackberry.com/bb10-leaked-beta-os-f395/lengend-presents-10-2-1-1925-all-q-z-887047/

Backup Source
http://www.bbin.in/en/2013/12/24/leaked-os-10-2-1-1925-for-all-blackberry-10-smartphones/

Here are the steps to install a leaked OS on your BlackBerry 10 device (most popular desktop OS required):

Download and install BlackBerry Link (latest is 1.2.2.13 b122) direct from BB.
Backup your BB, just in case and to downgrade if you need to.
Download correct OS from CB URL link above (don't worry about the term "radio" - from the one that says "10.2.1.1925").
Switch off your BlackBerry 10 device
Run the AutoLoader File
Connect your BlackBerry 10 Device to your PC via USB
Quickly Turn on your BlackBerry 10 device
The AutoLoader will detect your device and starts the installation
Please hold till the AutoLoader reaches to 100% and CLOSES automatically
Disconnect your BlackBerry 10 device and wait till it starts again
Security wipe before start using/restoring your data (I didn't do this, but the instructions suggest it)
Manual Setup your config, apps, etc
Enable the install apps functionality from 3rd parties. The first time you download and run an app, the OS will prompt you to enable this feature. Thanks BlackBerry!

Bonus: 2 good sources for loading Android apps is Amazon Apps and 1mobile.com. Load both App Store Apps and you can load your new Android apps easily.

Screenshots of the goodness (note: no BES required, but I run one since I roll like that)....

Before

 After - 10.2.1.1925 (yeah baby)

To a Happy, Healthy, Productive, and Efficient 2014!
-Ben

BES 5 & BES 10 Server Consolidation Coming...

Currently, users running BB 4-7 need BES 5 and BB 10 requires BES 10. So, you need to run 2 separate servers for BES 5 & BES 10. This will be changing once an update is released to BES 10 (ETA is May 2013). This update will be "managed using a single fully featured management console". Then BES 10 & BES 5.0.3+ will be able to run on the same server. Very helpful.

-Ben

Preparing for D Day for Me...

Hello All,

I've been doing a lot of "house keeping" lately before "D" Day. "D" day being delivery day. My wife is due with our 3rd child. While my wife is nesting, I'm doing the equivalent for an IT person. We had a false alarm when we thought it was happening, so now I feel like I'm living on borrowed time and have all this "extra" time. In the last week I've done the following:

• getting our REEF NY & TX SonicWall firewalls updated to the latest code (VPN tunnel speed to my TX off-site environment doubled in speed)
• rolling out a SonicWall based network bandwidth and auditing solution (we currently monitor it using another solution) for REEF's networks.
• NY based on-site servers replication operating system re-installed (for REEF environment, the on-site server is 2008 R2 based. The replication data was not touched, since it is iSCSI based.)
• NY based on-site servers replication software upgraded (to improve performance, noticeable positive difference between AppAssure Replay 4.6.1,31257 and 4.7.2.40512 [found a bug in the replication UI and alerted AppAssure about it and received a support response in 5 minutes. Impressive. I wish all AppAssure support techs responded so quickly]). For REEF environment. Enjoy the image below.
• TX based off-site servers replication upgraded (same AppAssure Replay versions upgraded)
• rolled out my digital photo album solution based on a BlackBerry PlayBook. Considered an iPad, but security, performance, and low cost of the 64GB PlayBook ($300) made it the better solution.
• NY on-site server operating system re-installed (for clients environment, the server environment is Windows 2003 x86 based. Currently using a stable release of Ahsay. Planning to upgrade to latest stable version shortly.
• working on deploying a new wireless SonicWall based solution so guests at home will be on a separate VLAN based network. In preparation for all those home visitors.

Notice the replication speed showing “10.22MBit/sec”. It should be “Mb”, not MB. A capital “B” is BYTES, while a lower case “b” is bits. This is on the latest version 4.7.2.40512. Dev has been alerted per support's response.

Back to spending time with the existing kids and wife,
-Ben

How a Turkish mobile provider's BlackBerry firmware helped save my BlackBerry Bold.

Hello All,

I've been dealing with dropped calls and signal issues since I initially switched to AT&T in Dec 08. Surprisingly, the problem was the device (BlackBerry Bold) & 3G, and not AT&T. Now, I'm a big of BlackBerry technology, but it's to blame! The Bold is a great device except for one thing, 3G. It seems the 3G driver has a problem switching cell towers in heavily used areas and other random places. So, I would experience dropped calls (many places) and "lock" on EDGE or GSM (heavily used areas) which a quick reboot would fix. Thankfully the Bold reboots quickly (I use an app called QuickPull). The reason for the post was it looks like I finally found a more permanent "solution" to this issue, disabling 3G. I'll explain how later on.

Before I switched to AT&T I tested out the service with a BlackBerry 8820 running OS 4.2 during the end of 2008. It worked great. So, I bought a Bold and switched to AT&T and then the problems started. Initially I thought this was "normal" AT&T service people complained about. Then I noticed a pattern. Certain areas would cause the "problems" above. So, my resolution testing began.

- SIM swap did nothing (that was the 1st and last idea by AT&T support I listened to).
- borrowed another Bold, same issues.
- retested with the 8820 and loaded 4.5, no issues.
- ran a variety of cutting edge (unauthorized) BlackBerry OSes on my Bold in attempts to fix the dropped call problem. They varied from Singapore, Latin America, & UAE. All are developed by RIM, but released to different mobile phone providers for support. AT&T supports 1 version of the BlackBerry OS currently, and it has problem. So, I would load the latest BlackBerry OS I could find and see what would happen.

And then I finally had the idea, it could be the Bold & 3G. So, AT&T did release an OS with the ability to select "2G" or "2G/3G" networks, but due to a serious bug, it was pulled from the market days after release. I decided I didn't want to run that, but finally.... another OS (4.6.0.301) with this capability was released by a Turkish mobile vendor, AVEA. So, I'm running it and so far it's been working as I hoped.

This is the URL that listed it.
http://forums.crackberry.com/f83/newest-9000-os-v4-6-0-301-official-avea-multilanguage-315322/

Enjoy,
-Ben