Latest News : ICS has begin rolling out updates to various countries such as Korea and Europe countries such as Poland, Hungary and Sweden.
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Specifications :
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Display
4.3" Super AMOLED Plus
Dimensions
125.3 x 66.1 x 8.49mm
Memory
1GB of Random Access Memory (RAM) and 16 GB Internal Storage, Expandable up to 32 GB via MicroSD card.
Camera
8 Megapixels for the Rear Facing Camera with a LED Flash and 2 Megapixels for the front facing camera. Rear Facing Camera can record in Full HD at 1080 at 30 FPS.
Network
HSPA+ 21Mbps/ HSUPA 5.76Mbps EDGE/ GPRS Class 12 Quad band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Quad band UMTS 850/900/1900/2100
Connectivity
Wi-Fi a/b/g/n BT v3.0+HS USB 2.0 OTG Connectors MicroUSB, 3.5mm Ear Jack MHL Port : * May not be applicable in some regions. * Display: "4.27" in actual measurement
Battery
1650mAh
Operating System
Android OS Gingerbread (Upgradeable to Ice Cream Sandwich on March 1st 2012)
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Engadget
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For a handset with such a broad range of standout features and specs, the Galaxy S II is remarkably easy to summarize. It's the best Android smartphone yet, but more importantly, it might well be the best smartphone, period. Of course, a 4.3-inch screen size won't suit everyone, no matter how stupendously thin the device that carries it may be, and we also can't say for sure that the Galaxy S II would justify a long-term iOS user foresaking his investment into one ecosystem and making the leap to another. Nonetheless, if you're asking us what smartphone to buy today, unconstrained by such externalities, the Galaxy S II would be the clear choice. Sometimes it's just as simple as that.
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Is it perfect? No, of course not. While we like some of Samsung’s tweaks – the Kies air app is surprisingly useful, for instance – we’d prefer to see a clean Gingerbread install rather than TouchWiz. How much of a delay that UI modification will force on future Android OS updates remains to be seen, and some changes – such as the keyboard – are frankly backward steps. There are also some annoying teething pains, such as the Video Maker app being unable to handle the Galaxy S II’s 1080p footage.
They pale in comparison to the Samsung’s strengths, however. The display belies its WVGA resolution with Super AMOLED Plus technology that manages to be both frugal and visible outdoors, while the dual-core 1.2GHz processor does a similar balancing act with power use and performance. Together they add up to a smartphone with brilliant battery life and the most future-proof hardware we’ve seen to-date. Layer on top of that a great camera, fulsome multimedia support, broad connectivity and a wafer-thin design, and we’re running out of reasons not to buy the Galaxy S II. Samsung has upped not only its game but the benchmark for smartphones in general.
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And so we come to the end of our epic Samsung Galaxy S2 review – and we know some of you might have jumped straight here to see what we think.
However, if you're considering purchasing this phone, we recommend you take a look through our review, as there's a lot to cover in the new phone and we wouldn't want you to miss anything now, would we?
But if you're after a one-word summary of the Samsung Galaxy S2: awesome. We've been waiting for a phone to set a benchmark among the dual-core breed, and we've found it in the Samsung Galaxy S2.
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Seldom do we rate a phone a full 5/5, but the Galaxy S II is one of the most advanced, well-rounded, and powerful smartphones we've ever tested. Samsung truly delivered on its second-generation Galaxy S. We can't get over how thin the Galaxy S II is, and it's a true joy to be able to browse the web with such smoothness and speed.
There certainly is room for improvement here. Samsung ought to work on making TouchWiz as lean as possible, and it'd be nice to turn it off entirely and revert back to stock Android for maximum speed. We also wonder whose idea it was to have the device make a beep when the battery is fully charged...if you like waking up at 3AM, this won't be a problem for you, but for those of us that like to sleep soundly, it's a big annoyance.
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The Plus indicates a transition from the Pentile matrix to a panel technology that has three sub-pixels for each pixel. The Pentile matrix shares eight sub-pixels between four pixels while the new pixel layout in Super AMOLED Plus follows what has been commonly done in LCD panels. This means the same four pixels will have a total of 12 sub-pixels. This should translate to improved color reproduction and a generally sharper-looking images.
Mass Storage Mode?
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1. Enable USB debugging from Menu > Settings > Applications 2. Return to Home screen 3. Plug in the USB Cable 4. Activate the Status Bar 5. Press ' connect usb storage' button
Tethering?
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Tethering is preinstalled in the Android Gingerbread OS. Go to Menu > Settings > Wireless & Networks > Tethering
NFC (Near Field Communications) Support?
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Currently, only the i9100P has NFC support but this model is not sold in Malaysia, Only the original version (i9100) and the G variant is being sold in Malaysia. (i9100G)
1GB of RAM not shown?
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Some RAM is reserved for GPU and CPU processes, the device does have 1GB of RAM but some of it must be reserved for the phone processes itself.
Samsung Galaxy S2 internal memory explanation
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The internal 16 GB is flash memory. 2 GB is partitioned (unviewable) and all your apps is installed there. Out of the balance 14 GB, about 2GB is used by phone system and you have about 12 GB left. When you installed apps with supporting data, example games downloads, dictionary data, news feed, tweeter feeds data etc, all such data goes into the other 12 GB partition
Camera Shutter sound?
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If your device is root, you can do this by renaming the shutter sound ogg file in /system/media/audio/ui. Rename it to .ogg.bak and it should stop the noise. Users are recommended to use the app 'Root Explorer' - locate entry and hold down, selct open in text editor. Make sure dialog box above you have tap/select RW.
Samsung Widgets does not appear in other Launchers?
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This is normal, Samsung Widgets only appear in TouchWiz (Default Samsung Launcher)
Check Hardware functions and Phone/Battery Information?
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For Hardware functions, dial *#0*# on your Phone Dialer. For Phone/Battery and other informations, dial *#*#4636#*#* on your Phone Dialer.
Maximize Battery Life?
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Details refer to above link
- Use GPS wisely - Turn off Bluetooth when not in use - Disable Wireless Network Positioning - Switch off WiFi Or Always keep it on - Disable Always On Mobile data - Kill 3G if phone always struggle to find it - Use Quick Screen timeout - Turn down brightness - Do not use Live wallpapers - Amoled display : Use a dark wallpaper - Use widgets wisely - Use a reasonable time interval for automatic updates - Monitor apps using battery - Cutdown streaming apps usage
Battery maintenance tips : from forum lowyat SGS thread
1) Avoid frequent full discharges because this puts additional strain on the battery. Several partial discharges with frequent recharges are better for lithium-ion than one deep one. Recharging a partially charged lithium-ion does not cause harm because there is no memory. (In this respect, lithium-ion differs from nickel-based batteries.) Short battery life in a device is mainly cause by heat rather than charge / discharge patterns.
2) Batteries with fuel gauge should be calibrated by applying a deliberate full discharge once every 30 charges. Running the pack down in the equipment does this. If ignored, the fuel gauge will become increasingly less accurate and in some cases cut off the device prematurely.
3) Keep the lithium-ion battery cool. Avoid a hot car. For prolonged storage, keep the battery at a 40% charge level.
4) Avoid purchasing spare lithium-ion batteries for later use. Observe manufacturing dates. Do not buy old stock, even if sold at clearance prices.
5) If you have a spare lithium-ion battery, use one to the fullest and keep the other cool by placing it in the refrigerator. Do not freeze the battery. For best results, store the battery at 40% state-of-charge.
How to calibrate battery ?
1.Run the device down until it turns itself off. 2.Turn it back on and wait for it to turn itself off again. 3.Remove the battery for 10 seconds. 4.Replace the battery, but leave the device off. 5.Charge the device until full and then for another hour. 6.**Root users only** Using a Terminal Emulator, type “su” enter, followed by “rm /data/system/batterystats.bin” ( can also be done more easily through CWM or SGSTools app) 7.Run the device’s battery down until it turns itself off. 8.Turn the device on and charge for at least 8 hours. 9.Unplug the device, turn off, then charge for another hour. 10.Unplug the device, turn on, wait 2 minutes. 11.Turn off again and charge for another hour. 12.Restart and use as normal.
Wakelocks?
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Use BetterBatteryStats to check what is keeping your phone Awake and not allowing the phone to enter deep sleep
In the words of the developer:
I wrote BetterBatteryStats because I was missing the great battery history that Spare Parts allowed to call on Froyo: - Process stats with User and System CPU time - Network Usage with bytes sent and received - Wakelock stats (the most important one when it comes to battery drain)
This app is still under development and may contain bugs. If you find one you can keep it, but I’d be happy if you could also report it to me. BetterBatteryStats is calling the “batteryinfo” service of Android to retrieve data already lying there without generating overhead. BetterBatteryStats is focussing and has been tested on Froyo and Gingerbread and the APK is set to run only on those versions only. What are wakelocks and why should you care about them? When it comes to Android the most discussed and commented topic that I know is battery drain / battery life. I’m a quite heavy user because I spend a lot of time on the train every day reading my mails, surfing and listening to music but still my phone is off for a long time during the day and while I accept the battery being drained while I use the phone I care about it draining slowly while “doing nothing”. And here’s the point: my SGS2 drains about 2-10 mAh where it was up at 20-100 mAh before I started cleaning stuff up.
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You would need a Google Checkout account to buy apps from the Google Marketplace. Firstly, you would need a Gmail account, if you do not have one, make one. After that, navigate to Google Checkout : https://checkout.google.com/ , Sign in using your gmail account and you will be guided to set up your Google Checkout account.
Phone not Detected by PC? Installing KIES did not help?
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How do I enable my phone to connect to Kies? Disable USB debugging Setting > Applications > Development > untick Enable USB Debugging
KIES is often reported to be unreliable esp on Win 7 systems. You do not need KIES to have phone detected by PC> Install KIES if you need to sync data ( eg contacts, address, music etc ) with phone.
Install the proprietary Samsung USB phone drivers : Google for this exe file : SAMSUNG_USB_Driver_for_Mobile_Phones_v1.3.350.0.exe
Factory/Hard Reset?
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Software Reset
1. Go to the Home screen. 2. Go to Settings. 3. Select Privacy. 4. Select Factory Data reset. 5. Select Reset Phone. 6. Select Erase Everything.
You devices should be resetting now.
Hardware Key Reset
1. Switch off the phone. Pull out the battery if you device is not responding. 2. Now press and hold down the volume up + volume down button. Then press and release the Home/Power button. 3. Next the phone will present a menu for you to choose, select Clear Storage. 4. Confirm if you want to go ahead.
Alternative
Also you could try to key in *2767*3855# and press dial.
Navigation in Google Maps?
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Basically, you just need to replace the map data : see tutorial here :
Tips from user selphy : Ok, for those of you who have trouble installing the Google Maps (for Navigation), i had issues too, but managed to do it through the following:
1. First, make sure your phone is rooted, then download the Google Maps-ownhere.apk (NOT the re-sign one), and transfer to your external SD card. 2. Using Titanium backup on your phone, wipe data and then uninstall both Google Maps and Street View. 3. Then using root explorer on your phone (i used Super Manager, which also has root functions), transfer the Google Maps-ownhere.apk file to your phone's system/app folder (make sure its set to R/W). 4. Then just reset the phone, and voila! Navigation is available!
Charging Output?
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Any car charger can be used as long as the minimum output is 500mA, Ideal is 1000mA. Chargers used to charged tablets which has an output of 2000mA can also be used and will not damage the battery. Charging times will be shorter.
Apps that are safe to remove?
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Please refer this link for more information on what is safe to remove or not: http://tinyurl.com/3lwgecv
Deep Sleep?
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Deep Sleep runs automatically by the kernel and on battery only. If connected to charger, the kernel won't trigger deep sleep mode (the CPU will throttle down to 200MHz). When activated, the kernel will reduce the CPU frequency like notebook standby and will wake the phone when any services require an update in order to save battery.
Drawback, it introduce the wake up lag to the phone. If your phone instantly wakes up on battery, it means there is an active app running in the foreground (normally apps which requires constant network access) or a nasty app did not suspend or kill by the OS.
App to use to monitor : CPU Spy.
Data Usage?
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Popular apps to monitor data usage is LBE Privacy Guard and Onavo. 3G watchdog is known to be not so accurate so I advice users to use Onavo as it is free and Reliable.
File System Used?
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The Samsung Galaxy S2 uses a EXT4 file system
Notification LED?
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No, this phone does not have a Notification LED sadly.
Locked Bootloader?
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No, the bootloader of this phone is not locked.
Nvidia Tegra Zone games?
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No, Nvidia Tegra Zone games are custom taylored for Tegra processors only, however most of these games have a non-Tegra alternative
Titanium Backup?
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Titanium Backup is the best app to backup your apps, there is 2 version available, Free and Pro.
Difference between the two apps
Features of the Free version: No time limit Very fast app listing (~1 second for 300 apps) Sort apps by name / last backup / backup frequency Filter apps by name / type / status / Apps Organizer labels (also affects Batch operations) Backup/restore regular apps + their settings Backup/restore protected apps + their settings Backup/restore system settings (incl. Wi-Fi AP list) Restores the Market links when restoring apps Zero-click background batch backup Interactive batch restore Many batch scenarios (eg: if more than N days since last backup, etc) Zero-click app un-installer Zero-click system app un-installer Desktop widgets A single weekly or biweekly scheduled backup User-defined apps lists with filtering, coloring and scheduling support
Additional features of the PRO/Donate version:
Multiple backups per app (history length can be chosen) Zero-click background batch restore Encryption of your backups (asymmetric crypto: the passphrase is needed on restore only) Batch verification of all backups Ultra fast HyperShell (much faster for almost everything) Market Doctor can remake any broken Market links (only for apps that were backed up with the link in place) App freezer can disable an app (and make it invisible) without un-installing it Batch app freezing/defrosting Unlimited, independent scheduled backups (each of which can run 1 to 7 times a week) Dalvik cache cleaner can free up precious internal memory Integrate updated system apps directly into your ROM to free up even more internal memory Synchronize all (or some of) your backups to Dropbox Retrieve all your backups from Dropbox (in case of lost phone or SD card failure) Brand the app with your name
Nandroid or Titanium?
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First of all , Nandroid Backup is NOT an app. You will have an option of a FULL backup of your phone as it is condition at time of backup using a BACKUP choice in ClockworkMod recovery. Your backup here is often called a Nandroid backup . All your phone's data, apps, settings, roms, kernel etc is FULLY 100 % backup, Under this ClockworkMod recovery you will also have option to RESTORE 100 % the phone status
Titanium Backup is an APP which requires phone to be rooted. You can use TB to backup all your apps and its associated data. You ONLY can use TB in a working phone . You can restore anything from TB if your phone crashes and cannot be rebooted. TB does not backup your kernel/roms,
Overheating Issues?
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For new users and to be user - the SGS II operating temperatures is higher than most other Androids, simply because it is dual core and its thinness transmit heat easily. Some users like to use the word " hot" - I'd said is warmer than normal. The word hot connotes a feeling of uneasiness and a possible burning effect on your skin, which it will not. Most users I believe will use some sort of casing or backcover - these will reduce the effect
If you have been using single core Androids 1 GHZ models before - you will not experienced the " hotness" as a serious concern, I'd say generally is about 2-3 degree centigrade more. Those who are coming over from say Blackberries and Symbian will feel the difference more obviously
Use an app to monitor battery temperatures - batterylife widget is a good free app. It shows you the temperature and voltage and is quite a well designed widget
These are guides to operating temperatures ( degree centigrade ) basing solely on my usage :
Idle not in use : 26 - 31 Browsing : 32-35 Gaming : 35 - 40 WiFi hotspot : 35 - 45 GPS : 35 -45
With prolong continuous usage over several hours it could hit 50 but I'd think such usage should be minimal unless you are one freaking gamer I read the phone has gone to extreme testing till 70 degree and still performs well
Back Cover feels flimsy?
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Watch this video and change your mind:
List of SEP Dealers in Malaysia?
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Samsung Elite Partners:
1. Convergence Gadget Sdn Bhd - SK 2A 2nd Floor, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
2. UI Mobile Sdn Bhd - Lot 1-08, KSL City Shopping Mall, Taman Abad, 80250 Johor Bahru, Johor
3. AMS Mobility Sdn Bhd - Lot 1-TC 1-31A, 1st Floor, Low Yat Plaza, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
4. Steven Tele-World Centre Sdn Bhd - Lot KG 6E, Ground Floor, Mahkota Parade 75000 Melaka
5. Mobile Spirit Sdn Bhd - Lot 2C-K-06&07, First Avenue Shopping Center, Penang
6. Incomm Marketing - S73, Aeon Jusco Terbau City Shopping Centrem Taman Desa Tebrau. 81100, Johor
7. Welfon Telecommunication Sdn Bhd - Lot No T-242A Third Floor The Gardens Mid Valley Megamall, 59200 KL
8. Ashita Communication Sdn Bhd - No1, Ground Floor Klang Parade, No:2112 KM2, Jalan Meru 41050 Klang
9. Ashita Communication Sdn Bhd - Kiosk C6 Lot No. F-02, )4, 06 & 08 First Floor, Terminal One Shopping Centre, Seremban
10. Netzcom (M) Sdn Bhd - Kiosk K-G13, Grd Flr Digital Mall, No.2 Jalan 14/20 Seksyen 14 46100, PJ, Selangor
11. Arrow Link Telecommunication Sdn Bhd - Lot G21, Tingkat Bawah, Greentown Mall, Jalan Hospital, 30450 Ipoh Perak.
12. Welfon Telecommunication Sdn Bhd - Lot GK09 Ground Floor, IOI Mall, Batu 9 Jalan Puchong, Bandar Puchong Jaya, 4710 Puchong, Selangor.
13. Ocean Eleven - Unit No. L4-31, The Mines, Jalan Dulang, Mines Resort City, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor.
14. KTS Cellular Sdn Bhd - No.8 & 10, Jalan Goh Hock Huat, 41400 Klang Selangor.
15. BBS Distribution - GB-12, 1st Floor Sg Wan Plaza, Jalan Sultan Ismail 50250 Kuala Lumpur
16. Welfon Telecommunication Sdn Bhd - Unit No. F1.38, First Floor, Sunway Pyramid, Bandar Sunway, 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
17. Life Choice Telecommunication Sdn Bhd - Lot F66 First Floor, Jusco Ipoh, Ipoh Perak.
18. Ashita Communication Sdn Bhd - 3rd Floor Kiosk. No.3MPK 10-1, 01, 06, Alam Sentral Plaza, Shah Alam, Selangor
19. Skytrek - S-113, 2nd Floor, 1 Borneo Shopping Complex, Jalan Sulaiman, 88450 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
20. Easy Cell - Lot 222, 2nd Floor Wisma Saberkas, Jalan Green. 93100 Kuching, Sarawak
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Rooting an Android phone opens its core functions that aren’t available when you buy it. One of the major benefits is the ability to install apps to the SD card, which saves space on the device. Rooting also enables you to install apps that required access to system files, example - backup , screenshots . Commonly use of rooting is to allow installation of alternative roms which is faster and better, more features, and reduced bloatware. Rooting will not remove your 3rd party apps, data/wipe clean your phone. And the chance of bricking the phone during rooting is close to impossible. Just make sure your phone has at least 50% battery charge. Do refer to the specific methods on how to unroot back if needed - easiest is to use SuperOneclick, One root solution or flash back official stock rom
Warranty?
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Rooting will void your warranty but you could always unroot it before you send to SME to fix your phone. Some SME might not even mind if your phone is rooted.
How to Root? (ONLY For the Original Galaxy S2 variant (i9100)
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Rooting
1. Download Odin and the correct CF-root zip file according to your firmware. To check, go to settings, about phone, scroll to the bottom. Look at baseband version, remember the last 3 letters, so let's say its XXKL1, then download the KL1 CF Root file.
2. Unzip the attached CF-Root-xxx-vX.X.zip
3. (USB) Disconnect your phone from your computer
4. Start ODIN
5. Click the PDA button, and select CF-Root-xxx-vX.X.tar
6. Put your phone in download mode (To enter download mode, power off the phone, then press the volume down+home+power button at the same time. Once you see the GT-I9100, let go of all 3 buttons. The phone will display "warning" and some text. Press volume up button to continue. Your phone should show an android icon and "downloading" text. This means you are in download mode now.)
7. (USB) Connect the phone to your computer
8. Make sure repartition is NOT checked
9. Click the START button
10. Wait for the phone to reboot
11. Done (if it took you more than 30 seconds, you need practise!)
It is definitely possible to remove that pesky warning triangle during boot when running a custom kernel, though you should be well aware that this method does NOT reset the custom kernel flash counter. The steps are not complicated, but they aren't easy either, so read well.
1. Make sure you have CF-Root flashed (see the first post). You must have the "CWM Manager" app available.
2. Make sure you have the same version of CF-Root extracted until you have the zImage file. (ZIP --> extract --> TAR --> extract --> zImage).
3. Push the zImage file to /sdcard . It must still be called zImage !
4. Find an original Samsung signed stock kernel (preferably from the same stock firmware you have, but it's not terribly important)
5. Reboot into download mode (adb reboot download, or boot the device with home and volume-down pressed)
6. Fire up ODIN, and flash the Samsung kernel
7. Boot the device with the stock kernel. CWM Manager will still be available.
8. Start CWM Manager, select Flash Kernel, and select the zImage from CF-Root you previously put on your SD-card. The kernel will flash and the device will reboot.
9.You will now notice you no longer have the warning triangle during boot, but you are actually running CF-Root with all it's goodies!
10. In the future, if you only use the Flash Kernel option inside CWM Manager instead of ODIN, the triangle will not return, neither will your flash counter increase. But keep in mind, that CWM Manager can only handle a direct "zImage" if you are NOT running a kernel with full busybox support (this is currently needed for flashing kernels out of .TAR and .ZIP files)
How to Root? (ONLY For the G Variant of the Samsung Galaxy S2 variant (i9100G)
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This guide is written by user I9100G, all credits to him
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First and foremost I am not an expert in such stuffs - this is based on my experience flashing the first Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab and present Galaxy S II. Any experts reading this please do correct me if I am wrong in any way
PIT stands for PARTITION INFORMATION TABLE. The pit file basically tells Odin how to divide the partitions (for formating) and also where certain components ( PDA, PHONE, CSC ) to go when flashing them individually. PIT understanding is very crucial when you wish to flash roms from samfirmware.com , one place I always discourage new users from attempting as it is a trap to bricking a phone if you do not understand what you are doing
Cooked roms take cares of PIT ; you rarely see cooked roms asking you to choose PIT during flash thro Odin. Most cook roms, the developer has built in his rom the PIT instructions
For example, in the samfirmware.com Galaxy S site, you can even see different types of PIT listed and a warning that you choose the right PIT file. In its SGS II site, If you look at samfirmware.com - there is a default PIT file you can download at the top box just above the list of firmwares for different regions. If you download any of these official roms, you will see some roms comes with a PIT file and some does not. You asked a very good question, why is the PIT included if is of no use ? My advise is simply this : If you see a PIT included in your rom, choose it during flashing as most probably the PIT is a changed version from default. You can only use this PIT to flash with the rom that comes with it. You cannot take this PIT and used it to flash another rom - this will brick your phone. When you use a wrong PIT - you have 2 possible scenarios : - failed flash and phone cannot boot - flash OK but the whole internal SD is formatted and cannot be detected at all by phone ( my experience with the Tab)
If the rom downloaded does not supplied a PIT file - than you just flash it without it or you choose the default PIT
As the PIT name implies, using PIT basically repartition /reformat your whole internal SD - once you select PIT, you will see repartition is auto selected. All your data in the internal SD will be wipe clean
You can choose NOT to select the PIT during flashing if you wish to have your internal SD intact. I cannot say whether you will have a successful flash. If is successful it just means your present rom PIT is similar to the rom you have downloaded. If is unsuccessful, just flash it again and select PIT
If the rom file is packaged together as a single tar file ( instead breakdown into separate entities of PDA, Phone, CSC ) , there is no need to use PIT. Just flash the tar file as PDA in Odin
Recovery/Download Mode?
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Download mode is used when you need to flash rom through Odin. Recovery mode is used when you wish to do a backup/restore of your phone, flash roms based on zip files, cleaning up your caches , update firmware officially through supplied update zip files etc.
Difference between Normal Recovery and ClockWorkMod Recovery?
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The one that comes with the phone (Normal Recovery) has very little to it. It only has few basic features such as reboot system, clear cache, clear data partition and apply update from SDcard.
ClockworkMod has much more to it such as :
1. Reboot system now
2. Apply update from sdcard
3. Wipe data/factory reset
4. Wipe cache partition
5. Install zip from card
6. Backup and restore
7. Mounts and storage
8. Advanced
9. Power off
What is ROM/Flashing/FAQ about Flashing?
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Q: What is a ROM?
A: A ROM contains the operating system and often additional software which can be “installed” to your mobile device. Most ROM’s provided by the chefs (people who create cutomized ROM’s) just contain the operating system and additional applications. Shipping ROM’s (ROM’s provided by the manufacturer or official providers) also contain a Radio ROM and a bootloader. Please notice: A ROM can ONLY be flashed to a device it is made for.
Q: What is a Radio ROM?
A: The Radio ROM contains the drivers for the communication devices of your phone. Some ROM’s need one or more specific Radio ROM’s to work properly. Usually the chef, who created the ROM recommends a Radio ROM. But don’t mind, if your Radio Rom does not match, you can always flash another without needing to flash the ROM containing the Operating System (OS) again.
Q: What means SIM-Unlock?
A: Lots of providers want to bind their customers. So they add a SIM-Lock to their devices with only allows to use SIM-Cards using their networks. If you want to use a SIM-Card from another provider, you need to SIM-unlock your device. This can be done by contacting the phone's provider (paid & sometimes free). This is common for USA based Tecos.
Q: Can I brick my phone by flashing a ROM?
A: YES. But if you follow all instructions, it is quite implausible that your device bricks.
Q: Does flashing affect the warranty of my device?
A: Yes, flashing an unofficial rom will void warranty. But as long as your device can be unrooted and be reflashed again to stock original rom you can than send in for warranty claims.
Q: What can I do, if i gain problems with the ROM i flashed to my device?
A: First of all you should inform the creator by posting in the ROM's thread if the problem is not described yet. Then you should wait for an update/fix or, if the issue is a showstopper for you, try another ROM.
Q: Which is the best/fastest/... ROM?
A: Nobody can answer you this properly. There are nearly daily new ROM's here and everybody has different demands to a ROM. If you want to know, which fits best for you, read the ROM description and try the ROM('s). Only you can decide, which ROM is the best (for you).
Q: What is the difference between a hardreset and a softreset?
A: A softreset reboots your device. A hardreset sets all settings back to the ROM's defaults. All of your data, settings and additionally installed programs will be deleted.
What is IMEI?
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The International Mobile Equipment Identity or IMEI is a number, usually unique, to identify GSM, WCDMA, and iDEN mobile phones, as well as some satellite phones. It is usually found printed inside the battery compartment of the phone. It can also be displayed on the screen of the phone by entering *#06# into the keypad on most phones.
The IMEI number is used by the GSM network to identify valid devices and therefore can be used for stopping a stolen phone from accessing the network in that country. For example, if a mobile phone is stolen, the owner can call his or her network provider and instruct them to "blacklist" the phone using its IMEI number. This renders the phone useless on that network and sometimes other networks too, whether or not the phone's SIM is changed.
How to Backup your IMEI? (IMPORTANT)
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Every user of this phone should always backup their IMEI just incase something goes wrong when flashing files, use 'ktool' to backup your IMEI, it can also be used to flash new kernel files.
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The JIG just resets your flash counter and remove the yellow triangle during first bootup What does this counter do exactly?
It's very simple: it counts the number of times you flash a custom ROM or kernel on your SGS II, so the guys over at Samsung know of it when you return the phone to them for any kind of problem you may have (this is done so they can say whether you've voided your warranty or not). Even using Odin to get back to stock won't help you and will let the counter go up by one The good news is that the counter can be reset by using one of those jigs we all know very well
No, unfortunately Samsung has very clear in mind what it's doing. It seems there is a second counter, which counts the number of times the custom flash counter has been reset, and the bad news is that its position/folder has not been discovered yet.
Please note that ROMS made for the Original S2 cannot be flashed with the G version of S2 or you will brick your phone. Only ROMS made for the G version can be flashed.
List of ROMS for G version?
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Currently there is only 4 ROMS made for G version which is Superrom, Juffo, DarkRom and GalaxyROM
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If you install cracked/pirated apps from illegal "ahem" sources or using one of those blackmarket, faked android market apps, etc BEWARE that your phone becomes unstable. Common symptoms said to be due to these are :
- unexplained sudden reboots - auto shutdown - unstable browsing - sudden swing back to homescreen, freeze while in midst of browsing - occasional hangs/freeze while in use
The instability issues is more apparent/commonly occurring if phone is on Android version above Froyo 2.2.2 . Gingerbread is obviously more insecure
No one knows exactly how these cracked apps interact with one another and a combination of certain specific apps could be the cause of these issues. Installing anti virus apps might help but is not a proven solution.
APN Settings for Malaysia Telco
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MAXIS
1) Home -> Menu -> Settings -> Wireless & networks -> Mobile networks -> Access Points Name 2) Menu -> New APN Name = Maxis(3G) APN = unet Username = maxis MMSC = http://172.16.74.100:10021/mmsc MMS proxy = 202.75.133.49 MMS port = 80 APN type = default,mms (Others, leave blank)
DIGI
1) Home -> Menu -> Settings -> Wireless & networks -> Mobile networks -> Access Points Name 2) Menu -> New APN Name : DiGi Internet User name : digi APN: diginet MCC: 502 MNC: 16 APN Type: default (Others, blank)
NOTE : If you subscribed to Digi Internet Prepaid package ( RM2/day package ): the APN is : 3gdgnet
1) Home -> Menu -> Settings -> Wireless & networks -> Mobile networks -> Access Points Name 2) Menu -> New APN Name : Celcom 3G APN : celcom3g MMSC: http://mms.celcom.net.my MMS Proxy : 10.128.1.242 MMS Port : 8080
Other settings you can try :
Celcom 3g internet setting :
Name : Celcom 3G Internet APN : celcom3g MCC : 502 MNC : 19 APN type : default
Celcom 3g MMS setting :
Name : Celcom 3G MMS APN : celcom3g MMSC : http://mms.celcom.net.my MMS proxy : 10.128.1.242 MMS port : 8080 MCC : 502 MNC : 19 APN type : mms
Celcom 2g internet setting :
Name : Celcom 2G Internet APN : celcom.net.my MCC : 502 MNC : 19 APN type : default
Celcom 2g MMS setting :
Name : Celcom 2G MMS APN : mms.celcom.net.my MMSC : http://mms.celcom.net.my MMS proxy : 10.128.1.242 MMS port : 8080 MCC : 502 MNC : 19 APN type : mms
Comparison between I9100 and I9100G?
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Thanks to Spider on the CheckROM forums :
Most people come into custom roms and dont really understand what the forums are saying to them in the terms of doing things the right way, often things get misinterpreted as i understand but really you don't!!!
This is the case when it comes to custom roms installation, new comers think yeah i'll have a go and go for it without even understanding the basics of custom roms, wrong move, a little research didn't do anybody any harm, and is time well spent when it comes to taking a gamble on bricking your phone.
The main thing I've noticed is that people don't understand what a full wipe is and just go with what they see...
Going into clockwork mode and just selecting wipe. data, wipe delvic cache, wipe cache, is not a proper full wipe, its like wiping your arse with shit still in your bumhole untill you wash it, no no no, this method doesn't remove the old system files, there still there untill you carry out a format of the system partition, if you dont do this and install a rom over it you will have problems with the rom you just installed.
The correct procedure for doing a full wipe is below.
Go to clockwork mode recovery.
Go to mounts and storage and select it.
Go to format / system and select it. Scroll down to format system and select yes.
Go to format / data and select it. Scroll down to format data and select yes.
Go to format / cache and select it. Scroll down to format cache and select yes.
That's it no need to format anything else, just go back and install the rom from sd card.
This is the correct way of doing a full wipe everything is erased and formatted ready for the new rom, no old system files etc....
Spider
Free Apps from Amazon?
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1) Create a Amazon account. 2) Get your fake details from: www.fakenamegenerator.com 3) Once account is created, download the app onto your android device. 4) Sign into the app and start downloading the daily free apps.
*Amazon does not check your IP, only checks the address you register with them. the site above will help you generate fake address,credit card,name,etc..everything you need.
I like Chrome too. Funnily enough I can swipe from left to right to switch tab but can't do so the other way around. I see from the youtube it works both way
Hey, anyone knows how to backup the music (stock app) playlist? I read mybackup pro can do it, anyone with some personal experience?
Funny, never even encountered any of these so called g version bug except the micro sd one, but I can live without that. Lol it's not the best, but stop hammering it like its the worst
Shut up positron, I've reported your posts and hope you get a nice ban to accommodate with it. Mods have warn you once about piracy and now you just admitted it again, GTFO!
Yes wipe will only wipe your user data in the rom and the 2gb partition.
TB will backup the apps and their data. Contact and SMS can also. But i never try to restore contact through TB before so dunno how well it works. SMS works well.
Thanks for your prompt reply antt! and is there anything else I need to remember to backup?
1.Download rom from the link below. 2.Extract the zip. You will find a folder. 3.Copy the folder to /sdcard/clockworkmod/backup/ 4.Go to CWM recovery 5.Go to backup/restore option 6. Select SuperROM_v1.0_I9100G(for v1.0) or select SuperROM_v3.0 (for v3.0)
Guys, this is the instructions to flash the new superrom build, so do i straight go to backup/restore and select the rom or shall i clear other things in cwm first?
Mar 21 2012, 07:07 PM, updated 14y ago
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