1. ookees's Avatar
    Since many of you are having issues like myself regarding Android ports or side loads not working properly with the VZW Z10, I have found a sort of fix.

    My issues have been LTE not working with many apps and the Android player (emulator) bar not showing after hidden with a swipe from the top.

    I have done many restarts all resulting with the same Android app issues.

    This is what I have found works for me (your experience may vary).

    Upon restart of the BB while on LTE, the first app you should open should be an Android Port or side load (you should see the BB logo on a black screen, this is OK). Once the app starts, test it make sure the above issues are corrected. Keep the Android bar pinned now. If this works close app, then go on wifi and try switching back and forth between LTE and wifi, closing the app each time before the switch. If the app still works then you should be set. Now you can open any BB apps you need.

    This could all be coincidence, but this is what I found works for me so far. I will update this post if I find out more.

    Some history on my recent BB experience. I have used the international BB Z10 stl100-2 version for over a month now and it worked almost flawlessly. I made the switch to verizon because I hate att service. So I have more experience with it then just a few days.
    03-29-13 10:19 AM
  2. brian_peterson's Avatar
    Interesting... I might give it a try... But hopefully they will fix it soon!
    03-29-13 11:19 AM
  3. QNXY's Avatar
    Confirmed. Good observation ookees!

    If you open a side loaded app (one the does not force close obviously) and pin the android navigation bar to stay open it resolves the mobile network connectivity issues within the app. It also appears as though once the Android Emulator is properly initialized it seems to stay that way until reboot in which case you would have to repeat the above process.
    03-29-13 12:20 PM
  4. QNXY's Avatar
    I tried to bring this up with Verizon, they transferred me over to Blackberry support.

    I discussed the problem and the steps involved to get it working using the ebay app from BB world.

    She assigned a ticket for it, it will only be open for 4 days I think so if you get a chance call up BB support and reference ticket 26347539 it may help expedite a patch.
    03-29-13 07:12 PM
  5. nycspaces.'s Avatar
    Seems like a this sort of works! The whole sideload thing is a little weak. They really need to get to JB4.X.X for the emulation otherwise this kind of 5u(ks. I still can't log into instagram but finally got Pocket working based upon your hack.
    03-30-13 09:48 AM
  6. lonestar1135's Avatar
    Definitely works. Also, you don't have to pin it. As long as you open and Android app right when you startup, you can swipe down from the top in any app, and the bar will pop up at the bottom. This is useful for things like Netflix and Snapchat.

    Thank you! Awesome find!

    Posted via CB10
    03-30-13 10:04 AM
  7. Omnitech's Avatar
    I have what I believe are ported Android apps (not sideloaded, installed via BBworld - some of them do the "black screen with faint BB logo" thing as they launch), but I am not clear on what you describe as the "Android bar".

    I have seen some like this that respond to a swipe from the top but none of the 3 I just tried do.

    Screenshots?
    04-01-13 06:06 PM
  8. gregorylkelly's Avatar
    I have a Verizon Z10 and have no issues with Android apps working on cellular data.

    Posted via CB10
    04-01-13 06:38 PM
  9. QNXY's Avatar
    It's the navigation bar added by BB for the android player.

    Verizon BB Z10 - Android app fix (sort of)-img_00000065.jpgVerizon BB Z10 - Android app fix (sort of)-img_00000062.jpg
    orgonebox likes this.
    04-02-13 12:33 PM
  10. Omnitech's Avatar
    Thanks for the screenshots.

    Strange, I've tried that gesture many times and I never got a navigation bar like that.
    04-02-13 01:23 PM
  11. QNXY's Avatar
    Thanks for the screenshots.

    Strange, I've tried that gesture many times and I never got a navigation bar like that.
    Well from what I have seen the rendering of this nav bar seems to cause an FC (force close) in the android emulator more often than not. It would appear as though if the emulator does not initialize properly you will never see the navigation bar in any android app (ebay included) unless you reboot and try again, it can be tedious to say the least.
    04-02-13 02:52 PM
  12. SMocek's Avatar
    Thanks for the screenshots.

    Strange, I've tried that gesture many times and I never got a navigation bar like that.
    I've found that on Kindle, which is my most used app, swiping down from the top to get the Android bar eventually stops working. Also at the same time, the up and to the left gesture only works maybe one in ten times. A reboot clears it up for a while.

    For now, I'm leaving the Android bar pinned. Not very happy with that because it obscures the last line or two of the Kindle page. You can read them, but it's kind of difficult. I have tons of technical reference and study books on Kindle, which I use everyday for work. Disappointing.

    I wonder if this problem is specific to Verizon Z10 owners, because it seems that most people having this problem are on Verizon. And since we don't have the latest build, even if we are told that some pieces of the later update were brought forward...
    04-02-13 03:30 PM
  13. Goniff's Avatar
    I have this problem on my Verizon Z10 using Tapatalk. If I have the bar and then close Tapatalk, I lose the bar. The only way to get it back is to reboot. I have learned to live without it, however. I am having another issue that may be related. When I click on a youtube link in Tapatalk, it crashes the program and gives me the force close message.
    04-02-13 04:36 PM
  14. QNXY's Avatar
    Well I started looking into this originally because there seems to be a correlation between this nav bar and mobile data connectivity. In other words I am getting a "network not found" error when the android emulator does not start up properly. At least that has been my observation since getting this device .

    Last week i had the Z10 on ATT and TMO for a few days and did not encounter any issues with side loaded apps but that model was running the most recent version of BB OS unlike Verizon.

    So it seems (at least to me) that this is a Verizon / 10.9.xx issue. (hopefully)

    Added some screenshots...

    Verizon BB Z10 - Android app fix (sort of)-img_00000066.jpgVerizon BB Z10 - Android app fix (sort of)-img_00000068.jpgVerizon BB Z10 - Android app fix (sort of)-img_00000069.jpgVerizon BB Z10 - Android app fix (sort of)-img_00000073.jpg
    Last edited by palo.clare; 04-02-13 at 07:17 PM.
    04-02-13 04:57 PM
  15. Omnitech's Avatar
    I wonder if this problem is specific to Verizon Z10 owners, because it seems that most people having this problem are on Verizon. And since we don't have the latest build, even if we are told that some pieces of the later update were brought forward...
    What was back-ported to the VZW release was apparently patches and fixes, ie for battery life issues etc. In general, one would assume that if it is on a previous release series, certain enhancements and feature additions will not be there. But it's not uncommon to back-port bug-fixes to earlier series.
    04-02-13 10:10 PM
  16. Gix1k's Avatar
    This phone is hit or miss. I never had issues with Flipboard. I loaded that first with Instagram. Things like Netflix and other radio streaming apps gave me the connection error, but it's solved now.
    04-03-13 10:17 AM
  17. Camelhmpz's Avatar
    I have to do a battery pull a few times in order for it to finally see the connection. Called Verizon, which unfortunately my tech was friendly but not knowledgeable. He stated they weren't blocking any connections, and "never do" then said it was an internet attack on the east coast or something random.

    I inquired about the software update and he wasn't aware of any, which I wasn't surprised. Nice guy, said he liked the phone and was able to play with it the other day, just no help in this situation.
    04-05-13 09:16 AM
  18. Omnitech's Avatar
    04-05-13 03:40 PM
  19. Camelhmpz's Avatar
    Good, thanks for posting the link.

    I hope that means they'll find a fix soon enough, and Verizon will release it.

    I'm getting better battery life today and as long as I know BlackBerry is aware of this issue I feel a little more comfortable holding on. This device rocks.

    Posted via CB10
    04-05-13 04:11 PM
  20. EchoesFX's Avatar
    I posted this in another thread about the menu bar, but what I found is that when the phone is started with both mobile network and wifi shut off, and the first thing you do is start an android app, the menu bar works fine. The bar does not have to be pinned all the time and cellular data just plain works once you turn it on as well. If the connections are on, even if it's just cellular, then it can take several reboots to get things working right. With them both turned off during startup, I have not had a single problem.

    Posted via CB10
    Camelhmpz likes this.
    04-05-13 04:21 PM
  21. KMB4's Avatar
    I don't know all has changed but both Flipboard and Netflix are working fine now on the cell network. I didn't restart at all this morning...just turned off wifi then immediately went to Flipboard and voil. everything's good.

    I did have gestures on while locked by default and while reading up on how that may help battery life, switched it off. If that had anything to do with it (maybe reset the screen or something) I don't know. Something is just intermittent with the sideloaded apps which should be understood considering they are sideloaded. Obviously I'm on Verizon...

    Posted via CB10
    04-10-13 11:44 AM
  22. theguz4l's Avatar
    Tried this fix earlier... didn't seem to work right. I was able to drop down the bar using the top swipe, but still network data wasn't working.

    This sucks especially for trying to use google maps while on the road.
    04-10-13 12:40 PM
  23. theguz4l's Avatar
    Any idea when Verizon is planning on fixing this? This bug keeps Google maps and others from working correctly..
    04-11-13 12:47 PM

Similar Threads

  1. RIM says official Android apps coming end of summer-should I wait?
    By mandony in forum PlayBook Apps & Games
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 07-23-11, 12:08 AM
  2. Verizon appears to have unlocked gps...sort of
    By wchilds in forum General BlackBerry News, Discussion & Rumors
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 07-03-10, 01:54 AM
  3. Friend's Verizon storm updated, mine isn't.... sort of
    By jep0617 in forum BlackBerry Storm Series
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 01-27-10, 04:33 PM
  4. Called Verizon Store Got Storm2 Release Date Sort Of
    By Bettermost in forum BlackBerry Storm Series
    Replies: 30
    Last Post: 10-18-09, 09:53 PM
LINK TO POST COPIED TO CLIPBOARD