Problems on Blackberry 10

Facts, Tips and tricks for problematic Blackberry10 devices

Android Runtime

Doesn't launch
1) restart device

or

2) hard reset. pressing the power key down for about 12 seconds
(if you have not done so already) then leave the device for 10 minutes or so and try the apps again. If no help then you probably need to reload the OS as suggested above.

or

3) deploy an autoloader (backup info, configuration,etc before)

Upgrading OS

Download autoloader i.e Z30_10.3.03.3216_STA100-1-2-3-4-5-6.7z
(do a backup)
execute .exe from windows

Backup tasks

Extract a list of installed apps

 native appninja (export inc BB and android)

contacts

native ContactImEx

PIM data (Android)

Mybackup Pro (Android)
Darcys BB Tools (PC)
   

Hardware

native BBVE and execute tests
CPU-Z (android) to see hardware info
native toolbox (HugSoft) to see hardware info

Debug

Blackberry-Logger-v1.6 (PC app)
  Using developer mode connects to android runtime debug,

 From BB10,  Settings, Security and Privacy,  BB Software Logging tool
 (Snapshot/Streaming)
select external SD 
Y:\bbswlt\bbswltLog20180610124811  (not plain text)

 

Glossary/PC software

Darcys BB Tools_DBBT3.1.0.1
  Plug USB and enter pin in Windows
  in Darcy Connect to device and Enter pin in
  Backup (app, settings,bin) data  to bbb format
  Installed Apps (sys apps cannot be deleted)

  ....

Blackberry Link:
Sync multimedia and move files, documents, backup
Restore factory configuration

Blackberry Blend:
Manage and interact with your BlackBerry device from a computer via usb or wifi

Sachesi:
Utility software for PC (Win, Mac, Linux) Firmware, Backup (generate a .bbb file compatible with Link) ,...

Snap (.bar)
Free Google Play client, requires sideload.

DDPB (PC, Req. Win, .NET, Java )
App for sideload

links:

http://www.blackberryhack.com/


http://forums.crackberry.com/tips-how-faq-f3/how-hack-your-blackberry-access-engineering-screen-548537/

http://forums.crackberry.com/blackberry-10-os-f269/bb10-console-fun-bgshellplus-809130/

 

Regarding Web browsers (on 2018 and mainly FOSS)

webbrowsers are the new OS!

 

Firefox engine

https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/

   Firefox Developer Edition (beta version and its own profile folder)
   Waterfox 61 (Compatible with XUL legacy addons and webextensions)
   Basilisk 201804 (updated and based in FF52, targeting v55)
   Palemoon 27.x (based in pre Australis UI interface, compatible with old-legacy addons v27


for Android
  www.apkmirror.com

   Waterfox 55.2 (compatible with bb10 Android runtime, support for addons)
   html5test: 477/555
   Waterfox 56.1 (NOT compatible with bb10 Android runtime)
   Fennec F-droid 60 (proprietary parts removed from FF code)

 Webkit

for Android
Mercury (compatible with bb10 Android 4.3 runtime, super light weight, predefined useragents)
v 3.2.3 html5test: 201/555

Lightning (compatible with bb10 Android 4.3 runtime, super light weight, predefined useragents)
html5test: 201/555

 Chromium

for Android
yubrowser optimized for Snapdragon cpu (compatible with bb10 Android 4.3 runtime, too heavy, predefined useragents)
html5test: 500/555

BEOL (bb en of life) super lightweight based in cordova (compatible with bb10 Android 4.3 runtime, early beta and ultra-minimalistic)
identified as a Crosswalk webview/Chrome 53
html5test: 498/555

 

Mainly Free games for phones

All the Android Games are compatible v4 JellyBean and BB10

Free/Opensource
OpenTyrian-2.1.25.apk
airfighter kill'em all

PipePanic
    org.olgsoft.apipepanic v. 0.18  /data/data/org.olgsoft.apipepanic

Planet Rider
    io.githubfede0d.planetrider v. 1.0

Heriswap
Apple Flinger
Openflood
tttris

Non free
-Bejeweled2v2.0.20.apk
-BubbleKingdomMod1.2.5.apk
-Pinball Arcade 1.49
A great  exercise of preserving knowledge about many real pinball boards
(asks for Google services but it doesn't require to work)



Blackberry10 native
Breakfast saga

RetroArch-Cascades-1_0_2_97.bar 
Works superwell with BB physical keyboard

BlackBerry - patching android APK - GMS(Google Maps Se rvices)

Why to do this:
Some apps are using Google Play/Maps services and they requires them to run.
However BB10, not only doesn't include these services  but also cannot be installed from Blackberry World.

Example of successfully  patch apps because its Google maps services (gms) requirements:

-Wikiloc (though this apps uses OpenStreetMaps offlines maps, it requires the gms) 
Transport apps:
  -City mapper
  -Moovit (it work very good without gms services, but few functions requires them)
 










Definitions and synonyms:
 
GMS, Google maps services
PS, Play services
GS, Google services
android.vending=Google Play (shop)
apk, file with a full 


In the  Crackberry forums there is plenty of posts and information about the process.




Following instruction are just a simple quick reference.




Installing on Blackberry 

Note that Playstore doesn't need GMS just accounts and ID



1)  Google maps services (by Cobalt)
Download Cobalt's files (lookup crackberry, or any web searcher)
Copy to BB10, the  apk containing gms, such as com.google.android.gms-8.4.xx-cobalt-buildx.apk
Execute apk file from any file explorer (com.google.android.gms-8.4.xx-cobalt-buildx.apk)

If  Playstore will be used do not install v11 but v8
com.google.android.gms-11.3.02-cobalt.apk







2) (Optional-REQ for ID) Google Account Manager
Install com.google.android.gsf.login-4.3.3-cobalt
Identify in Blackberry Google ID with Google account

note: do not install Google Account Manager 4.4.4, just update after have registered ID (to use Play store)

3) (Optional-REQ for PlayStore) Blackberry Google ID
Most third party apps don't require of this service, but if your want to use apps from Google you need it.

Besides its main function, which is identifying you BB device with your Google account, it also gives you 2 additional options. From Android settings you have the complete configuration for the Android Runtime.
cobalt.blackberry.googleid-x.x.apk


Do not forget to click on register this device, until the 4 lines sections have the device information, the procedure is not completed

1)register this device

2)add an account, existing
3)enter credentials


4) Register this device

(OK confirmation)

Update to Google Account Manager 4.4.4  (to use Play store)
[not required but suggested]

3)(Optional) Mobile Network/Google Settings
It gives you the function to disable mobile data for Android apps.
Besides previous main function, it also gives you the access to the Android Settings  and from there you have the complete configuration for the Android Runtime.
cobalt.mobilenetwork-x.x.apk


4)(Optional) whitelist
cobalt.googleplus.whitelist-1.0.0.6.apk

5)(Optional) Play store

Requieres ID/login with a google account associated
  com.android.vending-6.0.0-cobalt-build2.apk




Patching from PC Desktop

Download and install "Play_services_PS_Patcher-1.4", (it requires JAVA)
Execute, browse, load apk file,
Click on "Analyse APK file" (with default options), Click on "Continue"

Screenshots of patched and working apps

Download fixed/patched apps:

Wikiloc 2.7.8 apk fixed for BB10





(requires GMS service running in the BB10)

By default you cannot the see the maps because default maps are online Google, but an offline map is hundred times in the mountain better for mountain than one requiring a 3G connection.
So from the main menu "Offline maps", download any map (thanks to openstreetmaps community)

Uninstalling Google Services from Blackberry

There are some reason to uninstall these services temporary or definitively, but as it is logic, those patched apps which really require Google services will not work any more ;)



Method1: From Blackberry Google ID, Android Settings, Applications, Google Play services, Uninstall

Phone data migration(export/import)

-Contacts from Android to BB10
-Notes from Noteeverything to DejaOffice.
-



Import contacts from Android

Notes for Kies:
-export to csv (only phone contacts):
field contents between quotation marks, and columns delimited by comma
Too many fields(all) are exported in a fixed order, and the first line the field name in your language
groups in 1st field an delimited by double semicolon
i.e "Group1;;Group2;;Group3"

-export to vcf(only phone contacts). 1 per file (will loss groups and extended information)
content of all vcf file can be joined in a vcf file using the msdos copy command

(only phone contacts). There is no reason to extract google account contacts as they are  in the cloud and there are other methods to do it.

BB Contacts Imp/Exp: requires a first line with headers, and it will map to BB contacts

BB Contacts Imp/Exp

-export to csv: field contents between quotation marks, and columns delimited by comma.
Number and position of fields is variable.

To know field names, you can create a dummy contact with enough information and export it to csv

Fields in the header of a csv file  exported by BB Imp/Exp:

"Name/NameGiven","Name/NameMiddle","Name/NameSurname","Phone/Home","Phone/Work","Email/Other","PostalAddressLine1/Home","PostalAddressCity/Home","PostalAddressCountry/Home","PostalAddressLabel/Home","OrganizationAffiliation/OrganizationAffiliationName"

Mapping CSV from Android with "Contacts Imp/Exp" headers from csv file.
Use a good spreadsheet software like Gnumeric or Libreoffice (avoid excel  because it cannot export properly)

Verification after export:
Check that long numbers i.e 420721958625 are not shorten to a form like xxxE+11 (another reason to avoid the use of Ms Excel)
Check numbers that phones beginning with a 0 have it
Check numbers with a country prefix +xx

Steps to convert:

From Kies csv file, remove as many columns as possible, generally normal users don't use more than 10 fields.
Groups: If you have contacts classified by groups, you can associate "Group" column from Android contacts to "OrganizationAffiliation/OrganizationAffiliationName" column in BB
If contacts are associated to multiple groups it, and you want to keep it, it would require more complex steps, before mapping if decide to kept only a group per contact and remove additional.

Best Software for Blackberry 10 (native and Android)

Natives or based in Android runtime.

Best of native apps/ports:
  Dejaoffice 2.4.5 (ported)
  GhostCommander 1.51
  No Tag Player (folder mp3 player)
  Flashlight Pro
  ContactsIm Ex
  Maxidict (native dictionary, free version only search in a startdict at time)
     (SD in /accounts/1000/removable/sdcard/documents/MaxiDict or any custom folder
     Y:\documents\MaxiDict)
  K9 5 (ported)
  Navfree /Navmii (maps based in OSM free maps) (ported)
  Q Browser (based in the BB browser and therefore a webkit flavour)
  BGshell
  LuckyPatcher 5.4.3(ported)

  Google services (patched by Cobalt)

Whatsapp(BB native, not working anymore)
SD\photos\WhatsApp\2017-xx


Best/Mustto (apk) from Android: (for more Android apps see Best Android apps)
   F-Droid
   Whatsapp(android)
       Media: SD\Android\WhatsApp\Media\WhatsApp Images

palmOS_styletap_android.png

   APK Permission Remover 1.3.3 (heagoo.apkpermremover)
   Palemoon 25.8
   Advanced Task killer 2.0.3 (rechild)
   Note everything
   Apk extractor
   MiniLyrics 1.0.18(from apk)
   KeepassDroid 2.0.3
   Applications info 1.5 (from F-droid)
   Amaze (opensource fileexplorer, app backup to apk) 
   Styletap (PalmOS emulator)
       \misc\android\Android\data\com.StyleTap.StyleTap\import




  fungipedia lite (mushrooms)
       \misc\android\Android\data\com.codewai.fungipedialite\files\galerias

  GPS-MAPS

Applications info (from F-droid)

   Wikiloc 2.7.1 (patched - requires Google Maps services)
     (\misc\android\wikiloc\offlineMaps)

   City Mapper (patched - requires Google Maps services)
   Moovit

   Triposo (download region info from wikitravel  to read offline, maps doesn't work)
   /mnt/sdcard/Android/data/com.triposo.droidguide.world

  Genius Maps (Navteq maps)
    (Format map .cpf, .ie.  spain_nt_2016q1_cell.cpf)
   W:\Arthur
   
  Mireo Dont Panic (tomtom2015)
(Format map .cpf, .ie.  spain_ta_201503_cell.cpf)
   W:\Dontpanic
   

 
Configuring BB10/Software:
     
Import contacts from .vcf or .csv file using "ContactsIm Ex"
    (clean android contacts with Kies)

Import DejaOffice db  (from android)
   send or copy backup file from Android /clusb
   to device/misc/android/clusb/
   rename or delete companionlink.db (Dejaoffice must be closed)
   rename backup file (companionlink2015-xx-xx).db to companionlink.db
 

Note everything
  How to install "Note everything" keeping folders/categories (!)
     copy folder /noteeverything/backup from Android to device/misc/android/noteeverything
      install "Note everything" apk, app will detect previous backup in the folder and will ask for a restore

(!)     (Note: addon pro 2.5.1 doesn't work with Blackberry so backup functions cannot be used and expert to textnotes and import losses folder/categories)

    If notes are not classified, following method is OK
       in android "Export textnotes to SD"
      copy folder /noteeverything/text from Android to  device/misc/android/noteeverything
      Import, Mass import from SD-card, choose previous folder

Install Drivers on PC

Connect to PC     
    Access to SD     (to install mass storage drivers)
    Install Drivers    (to install drivers, Link and Blend) go to Computer, cdrom unit (folder .\Drivers)
  
Backup of BB configuration with Blackberry Link



Issues with:
   Wikiloc (as it need google play services, Accept to download them but it fails)
   Goldendict  pro  (as it need google play services, there is a 10 seconds lag) 


   Sygic 14.3.4 (maps 2014.0x)
    by default resources (storage/sdcard0/Sygic)
   From Android, zip the folder "/storage/sdcard0/Sygic"
   Unzip to: /mnt/sdcard/Sygic

     m_strSetMapPath=/../../../extSdCard/Sygic/Maps

   Here save maps to PC
    on Android, rename folder that is removing dot symbol from beggining of filename in order to do visible the hidden folder
   From PC copy the folder
   on Android, rename previous folder adding the  dot symbol at beggining of filename
  
   

Blackberry OS 10.x - System + Android runtime

Blackberry OS 10 in Classic device
HW Model: Classic - SQC100-1 (Q20)
HW: MSM8960 v3.2.1.1 N rev.11

Original soft release v.10.3.1.1779
   Soft release updated to  v.10.3.3.2137
                                         v.10.3.2.2474
                                         v.10.3.2.2836 

Original OS10 ver.  v.10.3.1.2576

Updated OS10 ver.  v.10.3.3.3216
                                 v.10.3.2.2639
                                 v.10.3.2.2876 
                          

3.5" 720x720 - 290.6 ppi
CPU: Qualcomm dual-core Snapdragon S4 MSM8960- 1.5 GHz Krait + Adreno 225 (GPU) (32bits core)
(Snapdragon S4/Krait is a ARMv7-A compatible CPU architecture,  armhf=ARMv7 )
RAM: 2GB of LPDDR2 SDRAM -16GB of built-in storage
MicroUSB - HDMI output (Slimport)
Nano-SIM
microSD up to 32GB

Battery 2515mAh 9,56Wh (SMD connector)

Android runtime. ver: 4.3



Unsupported APIs from JellyBean
https://developer.blackberry.com/android/apisupport/unsupportedapi_jellybean.html


Blackberry folders/paths

**Internal mem:**
/mnt/sdcard/ (Android runtime)
/sdcard (alias to /mnt/sdcard/)
/misc/android/
/accounts/1000/shared/misc/android (BB filesystem):

**Android folder  in internal mem**
/mnt/sdcard/Android  (Android runtime)
/misc/android/android (alias to /mnt/sdcard/misc/android/android)
/accounts/1000/shared/misc/android (BB filesystem):

**external/SD card memory:**
/mnt/sdcard/external_sd/  (Android runtime)
/accounts/1000/removable/sdcard/ (BB filesystem):
 Specific examples of folders:

/mnt/sdcard/external_sd/camera (Y:\camera)
/misc/android/    (used by Adobe PDF)
/misc\android\com.fsck.k9 (k9 settings)
\misc\android\MapsWithMe\150805 (MapsWithMe maps)

* All Android apps, even those ported to BB10 save files to this path


Configuring a BB from the very beginning
(avoiding any cloud service)

0- (just if you are cleaning an used phone)

settings;security and privacy, security wipe
1-

Autoconfiguration for provider
Configure wifi, Bluetooth device name

Step create a Blackberry account for Blackberry world  
    Install ContactsIm Ex
      Play cloud (native file manager)
      BG-SSH


Install Google services (optional)