How do you install Google Play?

[yhelothar]

I have no idea why this is being so difficult for me. My phone, Samsung Galaxy S didn't come with it with Android 2.2

I searched the android market app for "google play" and it returns thousands upon thousands of results, none with the words google or play ANYWHERE. WTF?!?!?!!?!?!?

THAT'S RETARDED

 

[WelshBloke]

You searched the android market for google play?

WTF?

EDIT: Google Play is the official name for the android market.

 

[yhelothar]

Yeah? Android market is where I download app, and I'm looking for the google play app, so it made sense to look for it there.

How are you supposed to install it then?

 

[WelshBloke]

Yeah? Android market is where I download app, and I'm looking for the google play app, so it made sense to look for it there.

How are you supposed to install it then?

Can you describe this Google Play app and what it does?

 

[yhelothar]

Hmmm I see that Google Play is supposed to come with Android 2.2 or later. But for some reason, my phone doesn't seem to have it.

I suppose I should upgrade to a newer android, but I'm trying to unlock my phone and I'm worried that the unlock won't work if I upgrade my android. But I seem to need google play to download the unlock app since the app doesn't show up from android market search.

 

[Fardringle]

As WelshBloke said earlier, if you can access the Android Market, then you already have Google Play since they are the same thing (Google Play is the new name for the Android Market).

 

[yhelothar]

Can you describe this Google Play app and what it does?

I'm going to assume that you know what the app is and what it does and you're trying to test me.

But this app is google's rebadged successor to android market.

 

[WelshBloke]

Hmmm I see that Google Play is supposed to come with Android 2.2 or later. But for some reason, my phone doesn't seem to have it.

I suppose I should upgrade to a newer android, but I'm trying to unlock my phone and I'm worried that the unlock won't work if I upgrade my android. But I seem to need google play to download the unlock app since the app doesn't show up from android market search.

Carrier unlock?

OG galaxy S is pretty old now, won't your carrier give you an unlock code.

 

[yhelothar]

As WelshBloke said earlier, if you can access the Android Market, then you already have Google Play since they are the same thing (Google Play is the new name for the Android Market).

Yup but surprisingly, I don't think adroid market offers the same apps that google play does for some reason. The app I'm searching for doesn't show up on android market, but shows up when I search for it on the google play site.

 

[yhelothar]

Carrier unlock?

OG galaxy S is pretty old now, won't your carrier give you an unlock code.

Hmmm I'm unaware of this. The phone is a t-mobile phone and I'm on the AT&T network with h20 wireless prepaid.

Do I contact t-mobile or ATT for the unlock code?

 

[WelshBloke]

I'm going to assume that you know what the app is and what it does and you're trying to test me.

But this app is google's rebadged successor to android market.

I wasn't trying to test you, I just couldn't work out what you thought Google Play was.

On your market hit the menu key, then settings, scroll down and tell us what version you have.

 

[WelshBloke]

Hmmm I'm unaware of this. The phone is a t-mobile phone and I'm on the AT&T network with h20 wireless prepaid.

Do I contact t-mobile or ATT for the unlock code?

In the UK you can request an unlock code from your carrier as soon as you have paid off the term of your contract. They will give you one for other reasons as well (like taking the phone abroad).

It should be cheap to get one on the Internet as well.

Is your phone working on AT&T? Why do you need a code?

 

[yhelothar]

It doesn't mention the version on the settings page. It just provides setting for content filtering and notifications

 

[yhelothar]

In the UK you can request an unlock code from your carrier as soon as you have paid off the term of your contract. They will give you one for other reasons as well (like taking the phone abroad).

It should be cheap to get one on the Internet as well.

Is your phone working on AT&T? Why do you need a code?

I got this phone from someone who got it from someone else. So I don't have access to the account/contract that paid for this phone.

The phone isn't working on AT&T.
I found a free app that would unlock it and many people in the comments says it works.
http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/how-to-sim-unlock-samsung-galaxy-s-for-free-without-code/

But the app won't show up on the android market search, only the google play search.

 

[WelshBloke]

It doesn't mention the version on the settings page. It just provides setting for content filtering and notifications

Build version, at the bottom.

 

[WelshBloke]

I got this phone from someone who got it from someone else. So I don't have access to the account/contract that paid for this phone.

The phone isn't working on AT&T.
I found a free app that would unlock it and many people in the comments says it works.
http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/how-to-sim-unlock-samsung-galaxy-s-for-free-without-code/

But the app won't show up on the android market search, only the google play search.

If you are desperate you could grab the .apk from xda (for the newest play store).

I'd advise you to purchase an unlock code from somewhere decent though. The app unlocks can have issues if you upgrade.

 

[yhelothar]

Build version, at the bottom.

Nope, there's absolutely nothing on the bottom half of the screen on the settings page. Pure white.

 

[yhelothar]

If you are desperate you could grab the .apk from xda (for the newest play store).

I'd advise you to purchase an unlock code from somewhere decent though. The app unlocks can have issues if you upgrade.

Any recommendations? How do you know if a place is decent?
What's a reasonable price for a code?

 

[yhelothar]

cellularunlocker.net sells codes for $25 for my phone. It's a bit pricey for me, considering this phone is only worth about $100.
But I might just jump on it if the app unlock is too much trouble.
Is $25 a decent deal?

 

[WelshBloke]

cellularunlocker.net sells codes for $25 for my phone. It's a bit pricey for me, considering this phone is only worth about $100.
But I might just jump on it if the app unlock is too much trouble.
Is $25 a decent deal?

Sounds expensive to me.

There's an article on phandroid specifically about getting unlock codes for the GS1, for some reason Tapatalk won't let me link it but it's titled "unlock codes for the Galaxy S are easy to get" or something. You could try that.

 

[yhelothar]

Sounds expensive to me.

There's an article on phandroid specifically about getting unlock codes for the GS1, for some reason Tapatalk won't let me link it but it's titled "unlock codes for the Galaxy S are easy to get" or something. You could try that.

Thanks for the info.

Unfortunately the apps required for the unlock isn't showing up on the android market app.

So I decided to try to update android to 2.3.
And I installed the kies software for Samsung... and it says phone not supported. After much googling, I found out that only Kies mini supports the galaxy S.

Now after installing, it's trying to install the driver for the phone, but it's stuck at 0%.

Ah I guess I'm just having one of those days where NOTHING seems to want to work. FML.

 

[yhelothar]

Ok, I got play installed through the apk.
The unlock app on google play says it's not compatible with my device. Weird.

I got the terminal set up, and when typing in the command to copy the nv_data.bin, it says file not found.

 

[WelshBloke]

If you're going to that effort you may as well research a decent ROM on XDA and flash that.

 

[yhelothar]

Thanks for all the help. I finally got everything working.

I think my phone was fairly molested by the last owner. When I found out how to get to recovery mode, I reset the phone to factory settings. Surprise, google play was preinstalled on factory mode, as it should be for android 2.2

The unlock app was able to download on it, and it's basically an automatic, user interface version of the info you suggested.

w000000000t!

 

[WelshBloke]

Cool, glad it's all sorted. :thumbup: