Sunday 9 September 2012

Mini210S, flash player, iplayer and google play

I live in the UK, so I get access to bbc TV/Radio video/audio streaming services for free via their iPlayer service, this needs adobe flash player, unfortunately, flash player isn't installed on the 210S and we don't have access to the android market/google play.  Follow these instructions to quickly and simply install adobe flash player on the mini210S.

1. go to the adobe flashplayer archives and download a version appropriate for the version of android, http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/archived-flash-player-versions.html I downloaded the latest version (Flash Player 11.1.for Android 4.0 (11.1.115.17)) as I have android 4.0.3 (Ice cream Sandwich) installed.

2. Save it to the Download dir on your SD card, using the ES file explorer, browse to the Download folder on the card, tap on install_flash_player_ics.apk, (if it complains about not being set to install apps that aren't downloaded from the android market, click on the settings button and scroll down and make sure 'unknown sources' is ticked, then press the back button and try again!).

3. once it's installed you can click done or open, if you click open, it will open the web browser and take you to the flash settings page, it was oversized on my LCD, so I don't think it was showing me the whole screen, probably something to do with screen pixel density maybe?  Either way, you should see something legible on screen, if all you see is a little block with a ? in it, then something went wrong somewhere and I have no idea where :D

If everything went ok and you're in the UK you can test flashplayer by going to http://www.bbc.co.uk/mobile/iplayer and play a tv show. 

Obviously this will use data, make sure you use it via wifi or it will use up your download quota if you're connected via mobile networks!! 

You can still test it by doing going to the shows page but don't actually play the video, if it's working you will see all of the user controls and the video itself, if it's not working you will probably see the blue box with the ? in it or just a black area.

Unfortunately, android and flash player is a well trodden subject on the internet, you will find many forum posts on the subject and many apk files to download, I tried loads of different methods until I stumbled across the the developer archive!!  I think this is probably going to be a bit of a commonly recurring theme while trying to track down issues with android.

Another unfortunate thing with the mini210S at the time of writing, there is no google play/android market support, it appears there are chinese app market tools on the device but nothing to cater for the continental markets.  For the time being at least we will probably have to use an alternative market, it's been suggested to me to use this:

http://www.1mobile.com/app/market/

I haven't tried it myself yet but it will do until I can work out how to get 'gapps' (google applications) installed on the mini210S, which will give us gmail and other google associated goodies including access to the market.

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