How to root Samsung Galaxy S2 GT-I9100 on Jelly Bean Android 4.1.2

This method, according to my research, is the safest and easiest method to root your Galaxy S2 running stock Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.

Step 1:
Download the following files.

• recovery-clockwork-touch-5.8.1.5-galaxys2.zip
• CWM-SuperSU-v0.97

Step 2

• Put recovery-clockwork-touch-5.8.1.5-galaxys2.zip in the external_sd of your device.
• Put CWM-SuperSU-v0.97 in the sdcard (inbuilt) of your device.
• Power off your phone.

Step 3

• Boot into Recovery Mode by holding Volume Up+Home Button+Power Button till you see the Android dude and then the list of options.
• Now using the Volume Down button scroll down to 'apply update from external storage'  and then press the Power button to select that option.
• Select recovery-clockwork-touch-5.8.1.5-galaxys2.zip and let it finish installing.
• Wait for CWM Recovery to appear. From here on you will be able to use the touch screen so don't press the volume keys to scroll.
• Select 'install zip from sdcard' and look for CWM-SuperSU-v0.97 on your sdcard and install it.
• Reboot phone.
• Congratulations, your phone is now rooted!!

Step 4 (Additional steps to ensure smooth running after rooting)

• Open Google Play Store.
• Find BusyBox (free) and install it. Open the app and install BusyBox.
• All Done!

How to Install Jelly Bean Upgrade on Bell Samsung Galaxy S2 GT-I9100M Official Android 4.1.2

I've had a lot of requests to post a step by step tutorial on how to upgrade the Bell/Virgin Mobile Canada Galaxy S2 to the officially released Jelly Bean.

A few quick things you should know to make this process simple. The Bell Galaxy S2 though marketed as the GT-I9100M in Canada is essentially the same as the internationally marketed GT-I9100. As such the official Jelly Bean upgrades released in Spain, Nordic Region, Italy etc all work on our Galaxy S2 without any flaws/issues.

Upgrading Steps:

Step 1:
Download the following files.

1. Odin v3.07
2. Samsung USB Drivers for Windows
3. Official Jelly Bean Stock ROM
• Spain
• Italy
• Nordic

Notes: You will need to install the Samsung USB Drivers only if you've never installed Samsung Kies before.  Odin is an official Samsung software provided to flash official firmwares. Also, out of the 3 firmware links provided, you can chose any one and it will not matter at all. I chose to install the latest release for Spain.

Step 2:

Flashing the firmware.

• Extract the firmware and you should have a file that ends in *.tar.md5.
• Open Odin.
• Turn off the phone.
• Put your device into Download Mode by holding Home+Volume Down+Power.
• Press Volume Up to continue.
• In Odin, click PDA and select the *.tar.md5 file that you had extracted before.
• Then finally click Start.

Step 3:
Finishing the process.

• Your Phone should restart and go through an upgrade process.
• If you didn't do a full wipe before the upgrade then all your apps and data should be saved.
• You will lose root access if you had it prior to upgrading to Jelly Bean.
• You will lose SIM unlock if you had unlocked your phone via Galaxy_S Unlock or other apps.

Congratulations your Bell Canada (Virgin Mobile Canada) Galaxy S2 is now running stock Jelly Bean (Android 4.1.2).

Adobe Flash Player Exits Google Play Store, But you can download the installer here!

As of today, 15th August 2012, Adobe Flash is no longer supported on Android and neither is it available for download on the Google Play Store.

It is kind of sad to see something go that clearly helped Android set itself apart from iOS initially.

If you've already got it installed, then you are all set. But if you purchased a new device or accidentally uninstalled adobe flash or just had to restore your device you'll need to download the installer again.

Download the APK here.

MoboPlayer 1.3 adds floating video playback as the Galaxy S3!

I've always searched for a better video player than the stock player on the Galaxy S2 and so far I have found that MoboPlayer has been the best.

Some of the benefits of this player are that it's free and it plays most file types without any hitches.
Although, the newest update brings the coolest feature as of yet. We've all seen the floating video window on the Galaxy S3 and wanted it on our phones (or maybe it's just me).

To get it going, just play the video of your choice and then press then 'Home' button to activate the floating video. Attached below is a screenshot of the feature in action. Enjoy!

You can download the player for free on Google Play.

What's this song? Google for ICS - Ripped from Jelly Bean

Download and install the new What's this song? widget on your ICS device. It's similar to Soundhound and Shazam and thus allows you to identify songs quickly.

Just download the APK from the link below. Install GoogleEars-signed.apk and then add the widget to your home screen.
I've got it running on my Samsung Galaxy S2 running on Android 4.0.3 and it's been running smoothly so far.

Download here.

How to use Pandora Radio on Android in Canada

I've always been envious of our neighbors to the south due to the availability of multiple free music streaming apps such as Pandora Radio.

However, I've come up with an easy solution to get pass the restrictions and stream music for free.

Requirements:


1) Rooted Android Phone. If you have a Samsung Galaxy S2, you can use the guide here to root.
2) Pandora app and DroidVPN app from the Play Store (both are free).

Steps: 

1. Install DroidVPN and create a free account. Make sure you connect to the free US server. They allow 100 Mbs of free transfer per day on the free account. According to my estimation, that works out to about 30 songs, which is enough for me.

2. Install Pandora. Log in if you have an account, create your station by typing in the name of your favorite artist or genre.

3. Start streaming and enjoy!

How to Unlock Bell or Virgin Mobile Samsung Galaxy S2 for free!

This is the easiest and cheapest (free!!) method to unlock your Samsung Galaxy S2 from Bell Mobility or Virgin Mobile Canada.

Couple of notes:

• You will need to root your phone in order for this to work.
• Once you unlock, you will retain the unlock even if you unroot or upgrade the firmware of your phone.
• The unlock app does retain the original files if you choose to lock the phone again for warranty reasons.

Step 1

• Refer to this post to root your phone.

Step 2

• Open the Google Play Store and search for Galaxy_S Unlock by Helroz.
• Install the app and run it.
• In the app, select the 'Unlock' tab and Start by 'Save actual EFS Folder' and then 'Sim Unlock'.
• That's it, your phone is now unlocked!!