Managed to install Google Play Books, Magazines and Movie & TV apps on my unrooted S3 with a VPN connection. Surprisingly, when you try to browse or download books, tv or magazines with the installed app, google recognizes that the device is not US native and pops an error message that the app is not supported in your country - even with the VPN connection.

To get around this error, with your VPN connection, google 'books on google play' and open with chrome (and not the play store app), you should now be able to view, buy or download books, magazines and movies and buy them into your device.

Has anyone gotten google maps navigation to work on an unrooted S3?

Maybe I wasn't clear, I was referring to turn by turn navigation on google maps which is disabled in Malaysia?

I understand that with a rooted device, you can do a clean uninstall of google maps and then do an install of a modded maps which allow navi. But on unrooted S3, you can't do a clean uninstall of google maps which means you can't do an installation of the modded google maps

Just rooted my s3 with cf auto root (without cwm). Also did a triangle away flash and then installed ota rootkeeper. All went well.

Really paranoid when I started but although it was easy peasy, it's a key milestone in my time with android.

Now, how to do start removing the Samsung bloat ware that's always on and hogging ram?

Thanks for the titanium backup tip. Nearly forgot that.

Cf auto root is chainfire's latest root app. Simply installs super su and stock recovery. This is chainfire's reasoning for no longer supporting previous cf root with cwm

"I have personally moved away from permanent custom recoveries, and I am no longer supporting them. On newer devices they cause flash counter and OTA flashing issues. If you really want one, others do provide versions of CWM and TWRP for most devices. Personally I just use Mobile ODIN to install ZIPs and Titanium Backup for my backup/restore needs. I do always want root though, and as such I'm still supporting CF-Auto-Root as quick way to root."

You can download cf auto root from cf auto root by chainfire

Btw, there is titanium pro and free, is it worth it to get the paid version?

Not very familiar with these android terminology but chainfire did mention that his cf auto root kit installs the super su and stock recovery

I m not into custom roms (yet) and prefer to go stock to get the ota updates.

If my device is rooted and the root is protected by ota root keeper, do I need to temporary un-root in root keeper before I can get the OTA updates or do I just leave it be and continue to do ota updates and then restore root with rootkeeper? Tq

Anyone can help?

Updated via OTA.

To answer my own question, those who preserve root under ota rootkeeper, just click restore root after the ota update and your root privileges will be fully restored. No need to do cf root again.

Super stuff this ota rootkeeper app

In ota rootkeeper app,

Protect root (after first rooting)
Download Samsung OTA update
After update, root is disabled
Open OTA rootkeeper
Click Restore Root

DONE!!

Google now can also be accessed from google search bar widget

1. Just a thin light gray notification bar which gives the screen a different shade at the top. No red color frame around the screen tho'
2. No issues with notifications count. Looks ok

Speed is very smooth and turbo quick on nova launcher, touch wiz has a slight lag tho'

This post has been edited by kuntakinte: Oct 29 2012, 08:32 PM

What's app notification ok. Vibration function also working

Yeah, seems to drain very quickly on usage. But significantly improved battery life on idle

Drop touchpiss and use nova launcher. Super quick, stable and no lag. With tons of customization capabilities, you can create your own home screens