Cosc 5/4730

Sign, convert, and install Android files on Blackberry Playbook.

Playbook android • Blackberry places the following limitations on android apps:

– No launcher Activity (a widget) and two or more launcher Activity.– Must have android API level of 10.

• Unsupported hardware: – Telephony, SMS, and MMS (because Playbook doesn’t have it)– Bluetooth, Camera (the camera intent is supported)– NFC, Barometer, Ambient Light and Proximity sensors– VoIP

• Unsupported Intents– Android Marketplace and Launcher (home screen) intents

• More information can be found here:– https://bdsc.webapps.blackberry.com/android/apisupport

Android-> BB Playbook

• Android produces .apk files• The Playbook requires signed .bar files

• This lecture will step you through how to convert them without the command line process.

Prerequisites• Request code signing keys - You'll need these right away, so get them

ASAP and store them somewhere safe. – Remember your PIN, this is not your device PIN. It's chosen by you and must

be alpha-numeric, lowercase and contain 6-10 characters– the keys are free and could take up to a couple of hours before you receive it.

• Download The Android Command Line Tools - Don't let the name scare you, you won't really need to use command line.

• Download The Android SDK - Grab the version most compatible with your system. ie: Mac for Mac, Windows for Windows. Unzip it and go to the "Tools" folder where you will need to run the file named "Android" and grab the updates.

• Download The BlackBerry Tablet OS Graphical Aid - This is the magic that makes it all happen. Make sure you grab the right version. ie: Mac for Mac, Windows for Windows. Unzip and install the file.

Installing.

• Open the commandline.zip and drop the folder somewhere you can remember– C:\program files\ is a good spot.

• Assuming you already have the android sdk installed

• Install the Blackberry Tablet OS graphical Aid– Configuration on the next slide.

Blackberry Tablet OS graphical Aid

• It is going to ask you to configure a lot of stuff.– Point the location Blackberry Commandline tools

• For the Blackberry WebWorks SDK, Tablet OS SDK, and Blackberry SDK for Android Apps.

– Point the location for Android SDK for

• Android-SDK-windowsdirectory.

Developer Certificate

• Click create Certificate– Follow the directions and finally click next

• Register Tablet OS Code Signing keys– They should be in your email (hopefully at this

point)

Developer Certificate (2)

• Point locations for the two keys.• The CSJ PIN is the pin you created when you

ordered the keys• The password, choose one and repeat in both

boxes.– If you are doing this for real, just a real password,

otherwise just use the CSJ PIN.• Click Register. It should then come processing

screen and finally that it is registered.

• The setup is now complete!

Converting and signing an .apk

• On the Build an Android tab

Converting and signing an .apk

• Click the “Choose APK File”– For the rest of this, I’m going to use the

FormExampleA.zip from the beginning of the class• Make sure it is using Android 2.3.3 as well in eclipse.• The apk will be in the bin directory of the project.

Check Compatibility

• Once you have selected the apk, check it’s compatibility.– A 1 or less is acceptable.• Note, the FormExampleA gets a 1 because of the icon

size is not correct. Should 86x86.

Now fill out the rest.

• Enter an Author name• Click sign Application, enter the password you choose.• Finally click Build. After a Operation processing, you

should hopefully get:

• Note the bar created in the same directory as the apk.

Installing.

• While there are a lot of ways to install .bar files (side-loading). The aid comes with one.

• You need to turn on development mode on the playbook (and set a password).

Installing (2)

• Get the IP address of playbook (found in development mode icon)

• Enter the IP and password you set• Click install.

Installing (3)

• As a note– formExample won’t launch (error 22) on the

playbook. No idea why.

As a last note.

• I switched a very simple and small app to get around UW’s wireless problems.

• It’s called Helloplaybook.zip, which is on the handout page as well, if you want to give it a try.

Installing (4)

• You get a please wait

• Finally you get:

Uninstall

• On the same page as install, you can uninstall the app as well.– Note this is the only way to uninstall a “side-

loaded” app.

References

• https://bdsc.webapps.blackberry.com/android/apisupport

• http://crackberry.com/how-sign-convert-and-install-android-files-your-blackberry-playbook-using-windows-or-mac.

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