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So im picking up a Samsung Galaxy S2 on Saturday that i bought for 3K 2nd hand from a friend. I just got that telkom 3 month uncapped promo, so i want to update EVERYTHING via Wi Fi. Could someone please give me ideas on any useful apps i could download? Its my first Android phone, im currently using a Blackberry Curve 8520. Any tips or fixes I should know about?

Also which service provider would be the cheapest data wise? im probably going to buy data bundles.

Thanks for your help guys

Since this has other questions I wont close it but take a look over here:

http://forums.pcformat.co.za/viewtopic. ... it=Android

It needs a update on a few things but thats where we discuss anything Android related.

The Samsung OS for South Africa has not been updated since the phone was release. They are still using a old Gingerbread build, you want the latest and greatest you will have to root your phone and install a custom ROM. What type of apps would you be looking for? Games, photography, messaging, social... There are many apps...

A list of all my apps on my SGS2 on appbrain:
http://www.appbrain.com/user/Anakha56/samsung-galaxy-s2

Oh sorry i searched for Galaxy S2 and got directed to the iPhone 4S thread...
Id like a few games, messaging like whatsapp, news feeds...
I have no idea what Android can do so i just want to see what kinda power it has. Maybe some photo editing software.
Basically any apps that would WOW me. I just had a quick browse through your list and im already WOWed!!!

Its cool, like I said you have some specific questions that I cant answer but others could so we will leave it .

With the S2 being one of the most powerful Android handsets on the market, the world is your oyster . If you do decide to root your phone you could look at Chainfire 3D: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthr ... ?t=1087427 It allows our phones to play Tegra games, the painful part is that the majority of the games (even after a Market fix) say that our device is not supported so getting them will be a problem.

Whatsapp is your number 1 choice for messaging. Yes you have Gtalk but WhatsApp is more universal.

To keep your data usage down (and only if your phone is rooted) download Droidwall. Great app to block apps from using your mobile connection.

Photo editing apps are quite hard to find at least ones that are powerful and can do quite a bit. Most of the time its just filters being applied on top of the original image.

Im gob smacked!!! I looked at the description of google goggles... OMW I never knew such tech existed! Im a total n00b in this department! Yes I'd like to root my phone, and I want to install ice cream sandwich but theyre all unreliable betas at the moment arent they?

Yep all ICS beta's be it Samsung or Cynogen have their issues. Currently the most stable is CM9 but its problem is video playback and a few hardware issues. These will be resolved when (if) Samsung release the source code for ICS for the SGS2. The Samsung beta's while being able to access every part of the phone and use the capabilities have issues with WIFI drops, mobile data connection stalling and random force close issues. So currently as it stands ICS is a no go unless you like living on the edge .

While Goggles is nice I hardly use it lol. Most of the installed apps I hardly use...

Rooting your phone has multiple methods and if done right you wont have to worry about it ever again.

Easiest method according to what I have read from other people: Zerg Rush exploit.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthr ... p=18805560

Works on a lot of phones and has a lot of happy customers. I dont know how it works because I rooted my phone prior to it coming out.

The method I used along with ryanrich: CF-Root
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthr ... ?t=1103399

Has some work involved but it worked for me.

Oh and if you are going to be rooting your phone and installing custom ROMS and such I would advise on looking at getting one of these: http://mobiletechvideos.mybigcommerce.c ... -mode-jig/ It resets the binary counter for how many custom ROM flashes you have made and puts your phone into download mode should something go wrong with a ROM flash. With regards to the binary counter everything flashed in CWM mode does not reflect on the counter.

Also read this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthr ... ?t=1134290

/what else...

//Tribz if you still want root on your phone investigate the Zerg Rush...

*edit*

After doing some reading, the zerg rush will give you root but now a Clockwork recovery used for flashing ROM's and backing up your current ROM install. So my advice would be to use the method I used. Or you could read this link: http://androidforums.com/galaxy-s2-inte ... unter.html Dont know if it will work for you...

/I cannot be held liable for a bricked phone...

i'm glad someone asked about apps for the SGS2 cause then i don't have to and can just read your guys' answers...
getting mine end of February when i upgrade...

I'll use your method, then I have you to ask for advice! im having a look at all those links now, theres so much I have to learn!!

We all started from somewhere.

Here is another guide with pictures http://androidflip.com/how-to-root-sams ... -firmware/

Ignore the part about it being KI3 only, chances are yours will be KI1 so you just need to find the kernel related to your ROM. Another tutorial is here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthr ... ?t=1075278

There are many ways to root, find a youtube video showing one and go with it .

Thank you very much for all your help Anakha!! i will give this a try on saturday and see what happens:)

No worries . If you dont right let me know and I will see what I can do to assist however my life is chaotic right now, so you better get it right first time .

Oh and seeing as you also live in Pinetown.... but Im sure I'll get it right! Thanks alot

I may live close to you but since this whole wedding thing hit, my weekends are not my own and work is demanding a lot of my time as well. It is easy to do, I did it, ryanrich did it and my boss has done it. The only person who has not done it is a certain cat on this forum...

Yes - and this cat is still scared she breaks her phone. But she will try it soon(ish)

Can anyone advise me on the cheapest service provider for data bundles? or perhaps specials...

I'm still on the Viodacom 20Gb for 2 months thing. Dunno what I'n gonna do 1 March.

The cheapest two are 8.ta (ye I know I know) and Cell-C.

Slimshaedy wrote:Oh sorry i searched for Galaxy S2 and got directed to the iPhone 4S thread...

Ja, sorry about that. Galaxy trolls emerge wherever an iPhone is mentioned.

Stuart wrote:

Slimshaedy wrote:Oh sorry i searched for Galaxy S2 and got directed to the iPhone 4S thread...

Ja, sorry about that. Galaxy trolls emerge wherever an iPhone is mentioned.

So I went to a Cell C shop today and theres a deal where I pay R1500 once off and get 1GB every month for 12 months. I cant see me using 1GB a month. My friend who has the same phone says its really easy to use 1GB a month. What do you guys think? There was also another deal where you get 3GB and pay R400 once off, so Im considering that too.

Oh and im picking the phone up tonite:D

That 3GB for R400 is only valid for 30 days though. So if you don't use it up in 30 days then you lose it.

I think you'll find it's easy to use a lot more data on this kind of phone than you think it is. That said, 1GB a month is a fair amount of data for a phone. I'd like to know exactly what your friend uses 1GB a month on, and then you'd have to ask if you're a similar user. But I reckon that the vast majority of users will fall comfortably short of 1GB a month.

I average around 500MB a month on my iPhone; I'd like to think I'd do the same on a Galaxy S2.

Exactly! I'd feel comfortable with 500MB. I have no idea what he looks at with 1GB, Youtube no doubt. that same friend isnt PC savvy either so I'm not taking his word for it.

Anyway i have the phone now, Im busy copying videos and pictures etc and playing around on it. Having a blast:)

If you root your phone and install DroidWall and then specify what apps have access to the mobile data network and what dont have you should not touch 500MB . I rarely go above 280MB on WiFi it is another story that can hover anywhere from 500MB to 1GB

Anakha56 wrote:on WiFi it is another story that can hover anywhere from 500MB to 1GB

And if he doesn't have WiFi and all his usage is on 3G?