How to Install (Full) Android Market on BlackBerry PlayBook after DingleBerry Jailbreak

After the DingleBerry Jailbreak release, RIM today rolled out BlackBerry PlayBook OS v1.0.8.6067 patching the DingleBerry exploit (KB29191) being used by Chris Wade to gain root access of the PlayBook.

Amid ongoing cat-and-mouse game, Chris was electrifying fast and packaged different vulnerability in DingleBerry 2.1 found within the QNX system, that successfully jailbreaks RIM’s latest firmware 6067. He confirmed it by posting an image as a proof  on his twitter feed.

Those who are unaware, what this tool is all about – DingleBerry jailbreak tool helps you to boot up Android OS on the QNX based PlayBook, providing you with loads of features including an access to the Android Market. Jailbroken BlackBerry PlayBook provides root user privileges (access to system administration-level functionality). Users can even run unsigned apps, third party applications or code on a tablet which are rather unsupported by the manufacturer. Currently, DingleBerry beta 2.1 won’t re-enable web access to Hulu or Netflix, it will only enable root.

Chris suggests that before upgrading to OS v1.0.8.6067, you must run DingleBerry 2.1 beta. We have already posted steps on how to use DingleBerry for jailbreaking PlayBook. After running, login via devuser and run /tmp/setuidgid root /bin/sh to gain root.

Once you confirm you have root then you can then upgrade to blackberry OS 6067 and do the same to gain root. As of now, all firmwares can be jailbroken using DingleBerry 2.1 beta. After gaining root privileges, follow the instruction below to get Android market on BlackBerry PlayBook (Thanks to dev @neuralic).

If you already upgraded to 6067 then you can downgrade using the instructions posted by hacker on pastie. The instructions are complicated and you should proceed only when you know what you are doing. After that, run DingleBerry 2.1 then upgrade again.

How to get Android Market working on rooted BlackBerry PlayBook

Step 1: Install the DingleBerry 2.1 beta on your playbook (Supports Windows only).

Step 2: Root your playbook using the dingleberry tool (Steps posted here)

Step 3: Download the Google apps package from Cyanogenmod 

Step 4: Install and launch an android app packaged as a .bar file in order to set up the android system. Installing a launcher app is highly recommended since you will need it to launch the Market and other Android apps. Some of the options are available at playbookbars.

Step 5: Log into your playbook as root using an scp FTP client (eg: WinSCP for windows).

Step 6: Copy the system folder in the Google apps download to the root of your playbook and merge it with the system folder there.

Step 7: Open up a root SSH shell and remove /system/app/SetupWizard.apk (this can by done by typing in mv /system/app/SetupWizard.apk /system/app/SetupWizard.apk.bak.

Step 8: Kill the running android player cd /apps/sys.android.XXXX.ns/native/scripts (XXXX will be different for each device) and run ./android-player-cmd.sh kill-android-core.sh

Step 9: Launch a launcher app (as mentioned in Step 4). Start up Android Market (or any other Google app), enter your account credentials and it will start working. This trick will also install google chat and a few other goodies. The Android Market works and will install things after you do this.

Important Notes:

1. Editing the wrong files may land you in hot water; you will eventually have to restore your device and repeat the process. The best part is that no permanent damage will be done, but make sure to take the backup before you start tinkering with the files. I cannot be held responsible for damaging your PlayBook.
2. The above steps only work for apks installed from the Android Market. For other apks, you can temporarily replace the file PackageInstaller.apk in /system/app with the PackageInstaller.app from cyanogenmod. You must restore the original PackageInstaller.apk before the next time that the android player reloads. You can use this method to get apps that update themselves by downloading a .apk file to work (eg: HCL Launcher Updater)
3. You can get an “Android Player” launcher app for your playbook by using the script “install-android-player.sh” from the old android beta. This will boot up and let you pick a launcher without opening up a different app afterwards.

After the Dingleberry jailbreak, more devs and fellas would start spreading thin that will bring more interesting mods in coming weeks. Modders are waiting for upcoming Playbook OS 2.0 in February which should make the jailbreaking process a whole lot easier. If you find anything interesting and want to share it with us, sound off in comments below.