HOWTO: semi-OTA installs with Opera 4.1 & up

[emiliog]

if you've seen me in the 8830 forum, you know i like to complain about RIM's vaguely Microsoft-like iron fist of handset control: if you don't have BIS, they're not going to give you any help for alternatives. the biggest part of that is the browser, which you generally need for OTA installs and they won't let you set something else as the default. hey, remember when the US DoJ ordered Microsoft to stop doing that?

oh, right, this wasn't going to be a RIM-ripping post... on to the constructive stuff.

Opera 4.1 beta can now transfer files! before 4.1, Opera would glumly open up the BB Browser when presented with a downloadable MIME type. if you're like me and don't want to pay for silly 'ol BIS, you hit a wall because the service book won't let the Browser work - so no OTA installs. since you can install stuff with the file explorer, the only thing really stopping an OTA install is the actual download; the BB Browser doesn't do anything special other than get the files.

it's pretty easy to handle, but it takes a couple more steps. there are some things that can screw you up, it ain't a perfect process but it's better than the nothing RIM gives you. why go through all this trouble? well, if you're stuck without a desktop computer, the BB Desktop Manager, or the BB Browser, this is probably the only way to install something.

1. navigate to the OTA-install page of your choice. i'll use Blackberry Tracker on my 8830 as an example: Blackberry GPS Tracker - Download Client. ignore the actual OTA link - it fails because their web site is just looking for the BB Browser (lame).
2. find and download the JAD file. a .jad contains the instructions for installing a piece of software, including the location of the actual software. the BBTracker JAD is at http://tech9computers.com/BBTracker.jad. download the .jad to your memory card or device memory; if you use device memory, you should use /home/user/
3. find and download the companion COD file. a .cod is the program package itself; notice that there's no actual link to the COD file on the BBTracker page! here's where you have to be clever: probably 99% of the time, the .cod is named the same as the .jad and is in the same download directory. in this case, it's http://tech9computers.com/BBTracker.cod
4. things can go wrong when getting the COD files. first off is if they're in the wrong place or named in some odd manner. for example, the Yahoo! OneSearch Voice application uses multiple CODs: oneSearch.cod, and oneSearch-1.cod through oneSearch-4.cod. if you have a text editor then you can open the .jad and look for the .cod listings (can anyone recommend a free text editor for BB?). one roundabout way would be to use a SSH client to a shell, curl/wget the .jad, and open it in the shell.
5. once all the files are together, you're ready to install! open up the Media application, bring up the menu, and select "Explore". navigate to the location of your JAD and COD files and open the JAD. the software install screen will appear; confirm that its the software that you want and select the "Download" button.
6. you can use similar steps if you have a computer but no BB management software. say you're stuck at Uncle Lenny's Nebraska ranch with his Windows 98 machine, hot-hot-hot 56k modem, and no mobile data access. plug the phone in, download the JAD and CODs to the phone's card or memory, and Media > Explore > open the JAD.

once again, it ain't a perfect process. many software providers have rigidly defined OTA install pages that automatically feed the files without providing hard links to the packages; even worse, some will be looking only for the BB Browser and will just clam up at anything else (Yahoo! oneSearch Voice does that). if you distribute software for the BlackBerry, please, please offer a simple download page with separate links for OTA install and direct download of the components - you're not going to be confusing anyone if OTA still works!

- emilio

[Detman101]

Okay, that helped a bunch! Thank you!!

Now how about posting how to get opera 4.1 to download things like photos without opening up the BB browser.
They said it could but no one has been able to figure it out.
Till it is, I'm sticking with the BB browser.

[tokomoto]

thank you for this tutorial, it worked so well! He's right, I just need to get Opera 4.1 beta to download OTA.

[curve8310]

Thank You this worked wonderfull...

[astriblin]

Ok so I don't mean to sound like an ***** but isn't opera the the software that allows you to view internet pages as they really are. I can't find it anywhere, where can I get the download?

[P.H.A.D.E]

Thanks emiliog

This Has Been Helpful


And.............

Originally Posted by astriblin

Ok so I don't mean to sound like an ***** but isn't opera the the software that allows you to view internet pages as they really are. I can't find it anywhere, where can I get the download?

From Your BlackBerry Browser: operamini.com

[gielamonster]

Has anyone had success following the instructions on this site?

BlackBerryWithouBIS - Enable BlackBerry Browser without BIS
hxxp://blackberrywithoubis.googlepages.com/blackberrybrowserwithoutbis2

If you are not using BIS/BES, the only way to install BB into your phone is:

1. Remove Browser (remove module net_rim_bb_browser_daemon.cod)
2. After removing it, you can be free to use BlackBerry Desktop Manager (BDM) for backing-up or restore SB into BB.

Note that if you do not remove Browser, you cannot backup or restore SB database when you backup or restore by using BDM.

Looks promising, but I was nervous to try it without hearing success from some people first.

My BB story: I just got my Sprint 8330 and have OM loaded up, as well as Gmail App, GoogMaps, Nav4All, and aMaze... all with only the SERO $30/mo 500 min/unlimited data plan, but no BIS (that would double my monthly plan). I found .alx files for some apps online, and was able to install using the DM. But for the Gmail App for instance, I had to create my own .alx by copying some information off the .jad I got by downloading on my PC using User Agent Switcher as described in this thread.

hxxp://www.blackberryforums.com/aftermarket-software/55917-new-gmail-app-bb-application-loader.html

I'd love to get even "semi-OTA" to work.

[superm1]

Originally Posted by gielamonster

Has anyone had success following the instructions on this site?
Looks promising, but I was nervous to try it without hearing success from some people first.

My BB story: I just got my Sprint 8330 and have OM loaded up, as well as Gmail App, GoogMaps, Nav4All, and aMaze... all with only the SERO $30/mo 500 min/unlimited data plan, but no BIS (that would double my monthly plan). I found .alx files for some apps online, and was able to install using the DM. But for the Gmail App for instance, I had to create my own .alx by copying some information off the .jad I got by downloading on my PC using User Agent Switcher as described in this thread.

hxxp://www.blackberryforums.com/aftermarket-software/55917-new-gmail-app-bb-application-loader.html

I'd love to get even "semi-OTA" to work.

Yeah i've got that working. Bring discussion to my thread though:

hxxp://forums.crackberry.com/f70/sero-w-o-bis-but-functional-bb-browser-50247/

[gielamonster]

FYI, I was able to get OTA downloading (and full use of the BB Browser) by following the instructions on that website and in the other thread. Word!

[SevereDeceit]

Too much work for me, unlimited data all the way...

[amdaxiom]

Well, I can tell you that the directions given at this site
hxxp://blackberrywithoubis.googlepages.com/blackberrybrowserwithoutbis2
definitely do work, however, the directions really make no sense and it takes a good detective to understand what to do. Here is a breakdown of what to do.

1. Download two files at the bottom of the above web page, Blackberry Remove Tool V 2.0 and Service book Anworm TCP for All Network. If you have a Blackberry that supports Wifi I think you should select the link that is for TCP & Wifi instead which is also at the bottom of that page.
2. Extract the files from the Blackberry Remove Tool v2.0 to a directory like c:\javaloader.
3. Open the command prompt and navigate to the c:\javaloader directory. Start-> run, type cmd and hit enter. then type in cd\javaloader.
4. Back up your blackberry browser with the following command. The Blackberry automatically restarts without the Blackberry Browser.
javaloader -u save net_rim_bb_browser_daemon.cod
5. Follow the instructions on the web page to restore the service books. In general, without the Blackberry Browser you can now install the service books for the browser to connect through TCP rather than through BIS. You will have to run the Blackberry Desktop Manager Software, Click Backup and Restore and then Choose restore, point to the second file you downloaded, restore, choose service books and okay. Now your phone has service books to connect using TCP/IP.
6. Lastly, restore the blackberry browser with the following command
javaloader -u load net_rim_bb_browser_daemon.cod

The phone automatically restarts. I had to go into the advanced, TCP settings and enter the standard wap.cingular APN name. This was done with a Blackberry 8700C Pay as you Go Phone, and I subscribed to Unlimited Media Net for 19.99 a month Pay as You Go.

I was able to download Google Maps OTA - something I was not able to do previously. Plus I could not use the Blackberry Browser previously as well.

So basically, everything worked, but I did not understand the steps that needed to be followed and the commands in red that he has on his page were wrong (I have the correct commands in 4 and 6). the REM in front tells the command prompt to ignore the command which does no good.

Let me know if you have questions. Sorry for lack of links but I can't post links till I have posted 10 posts.

Harry

[peeyurr]

i was wondering what the GPRS for sprint is for those who know. also, any heads up on the cod/jad files for the applications listed earlier? is there someone that already has this downloaded that I can get a zip file of? thanks.

im going to try to order the curve. thanks for this forum and the ppl that worked on it.

[eyecon82]

I got this BlackBerryWithouBIS - Enable BlackBerry Browser without BIS trick working without any problems

[n4yhd]

Okay, I tried it using the technique on the other website....it all worked great. Now I am missing the step on how to configure the browser. Can anyone help, I am new at this, so please make the steps simple..


I followed Harry's steps, but I am missing this info.....

The phone automatically restarts. I had to go into the advanced, TCP settings and enter the standard wap.cingular APN name. This was done with a Blackberry 8700C Pay as you Go Phone, and I subscribed to Unlimited Media Net for 19.99 a month Pay as You Go.

For Boost, or Nextel, what/where do I configure this in the phone...and what settings? Can anyone assist? thanks

[ENORYT]

Can any one tell me what BIS stands for I am so new at all this jargon and teck stuff and do I need all this with my sprint curve 8330 evrythin plan / os 4.3.0.127 ... Iwanr my berry to have all kinds of cool stuf.... So can some one put all this stuff in lamer terms for me please?!?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com