My purchase price? According to the table above, obviously its RM299(thanks to my bro). The additional rebate is actually the manufacturer's rebate. The smartphone comes together with a 3 pin USB mains adapter, an approximately 9 inches long micro-USB cable and a handsfree. Oh, I nearly forgot, and the best of all is a free screen protector plus 1 month free DG Prepaid Smart Plan worth RM25. NOTE: According people at LowYat forums, customers who bought the phone are suppose to be entitled a free phone case. I didn't get it due to a stingy seller. So it all depends on the seller.
 |
This handsfree which has a flat cable design should last longer than most others. |
 |
| Comes in neat sealable plastic bags :D |
This is my very first smartphone and for such a price, I just gotta love it.
Physical and Outer Appearance(and feel)
At first feel(holding it), it has a very solid build very similar to that of an iPhone because of its beautiful curves. In fact, it looks a lot like an iPhone but bigger - about 1 cm wider and slightly longer. There are only 2 buttons, one at the left side of the phone which are the volume buttons and the power button at the top right. Right beside the power button to the left is the micro-USB slot followed by the 3.5mm audio jack socket 1 cm away. As for the camera, just by interpreting the first image at the top you can tell that it is raised. Based on my observation, it is raised about 2 mm from the rest of the phone's back. In my opinion the camera lens might get scratch easily because of this BUT the manufacturer designed it with a metal rim that is slightly raised from the camera lens which makes it less vulnerable. The back cover of the phone is kind of difficult to open even though it is designed with a slit at the bottom left side of the cover for you to slide your fingernails in and plop the cover a little - something like how you use a spoon to open a tight lid.
It's Software
Full Smartphone Firmware and Software Versions and Others
Android version - 4.0.4
Basevand version- MAUI.11AMD. W12.22.SP.V5.P2, 2012/09/19 15.39
Kernel version - 3.0.13 - jlhong @jlhong-Studio-540 #1 SMP PREEMPT Mon Dec 24 09:54:22 CST 2012
Build number - ALPS.ICS2.MP.V1
Custom build version - i9400_PR_ninetology_F4_V16 (LATEST as of 26/1/2013)
Just 3 words: Plenty. Of. Bloatware. I think I uninstalled 8 out of 10 applications that came with the phone. QQDoctor is one of the main culprits. Another one is MWarranty - although I kept a backup of it just in case. When I checked running apps before any uninstalls, guess what I found, an FM 97.1 radio running and 3 (of the same) weather widgets - like WTF?
Got rid the next after rooting it which I will explain later on.
Battery Life
From what I've read in the forums and reviews, it's battery life is an issue mainly due to unused apps running in the background. So far after removing bloatware and installing a power managing app called Easy Battery Saver - which helps by turning off functions like WiFi when you're not using it, my phone seems to last for 1 hour for every percent of battery on standby. I'll confirm this after a week or so.
Something important to read regarding battery life:
http://lifehacker.com/5650894/android-task-killers-explained-what-they-do-and-why-you-shouldnt-use-them
Prepping Your NEW Ninetology i9400
I'll just provide the links to relevant information and some explanation.
LowYat Forums - From the first post alone you can get the necessary USB driver in order for your smartphone to be connected to your computer as well as the software(MTKdroidTools) to root your smartphone. Includes step by step guides to do everything needed - from installing the USB driver to getting your smartphone rooted. This would be the first place to go to.
Life Hacker - The Lifehacker team have compiled a heck of comprehensive info on Android including how to clean the devices, good apps to get and SO MUCH MORE.
http://lifehacker.com/android-downloads/
http://lifehacker.com/5969763/most-popular-android-downloads-and-posts-of-2012?tag=android-downloads
http://lifehacker.com/5596108/how-to-choose-the-right-android-rom-for-you
http://lifehacker.com/5709148/how-to-speed-up-your-old-sluggish-android-device
http://lifehacker.com/5881842/how-to-get-better-battery-life-and-performance-on-your-android-phone-with-a-new-kernel
http://lifehacker.com/5924212/lifehacker-pack-for-android-our-list-of-the-best-android-apps
http://lifehacker.com/5915093/five-best-android-roms
http://lifehacker.com/5922522/five-best-android-keyboards
The articles on Android by Lifehacker cover pretty much everything you ever need to know about your Android smartphone. Lifehacker constantly brings in more articles of Android whenever possible. Just check in often.
(Some of) My Chosen Apps(OUTDATED - PLEASE REFER BELOW)
They're pretty easy to find - just GOOGLE! Details on most of these apps can be found at
Lifehacker.com
Titanium Backup Pro
Camera Zoom Fx
Seeder
SetCPU
ROM Manager Premium
Other Things to Note
- GPS doesn't seem to work. Maybe needs configuration.
- Camera resolution at 8megapixels=3264x2448 , 4.9megapixels=2560x1920
- My Black Pearl 2 seems to lag at every boot. After a while, the lag recedes.
End Note:
Just about everything you need to know can be found at those websites so I don't need to explain further. As for me, I've pretty much got all my necessary apps. Now all that's left is getting a better ROM and kernel.Oh, and not forgetting updating the Android itself.
-----------------------------------------UPDATE (2/2/2013)--------------------------------------------
According to the sources at LowYat forums, there's a new custom ROM for the Ninetology i9400. The ROM can be obtained HERE - it's called CINK SLIM V15. I haven't tried installing it yet so there won't be a guide until I successfully installed it myself.
Another tip from the forums:how to take a screenshot of your Android phone. Just press the Volume Down and Power button simultaneously for about 2-3 seconds. Your screen will flash and a smaller version of your screenshot will preview before your device starts saving it - it will give a notification. TIP: Make sure when pressing the 2 buttons, neither the volume decreased nor the 'switch off,airplane mode' notifications comes up.
----------------------------------------UPDATE (10/3/2013)-------------------------------------------
Finally after nearly 2 months of experimenting and observations, I've compiled interesting screenshots on battery performance for the Ninetology i9400 Black Pearl Two.
HERE IT IS:
NOTE: Most of them are self-explanatory.
http://www.slickpic.com/s/D41kDM3kwjTMMN/MyNinetologyI9400BlackPearl2BatteryPerformance?preview
Pic 13 of album:
http://www.slickpic.com/s/mod/LD2zUkY1QME24L/MyNinetologyI9400BlackPearl2BatteryPerformance/photo?view=3695213#3695213
Details in the Android's battery history.
Mobile network signal:
Green: Good
Yellow: Moderate
Red: Bad
Grey: Standby/low signal (not 100% sure myself)
Blank : No signal/cell off/in airplane mode
CONCLUSION:
If I were to estimate, I would say on a full charge:
CALLS - 6 hours
MUSIC - 9 hours - with screen on only to check music being played and others
GAMING-8 hours
On WiFi - 4 hours - not too sure on this one
Standby - 108 hours
Can't say how long it will while using data all the time cause I don't. SO if you're like me who uses his smartphone for, well, as a phone mostly, you don't have to worry about battery life too much. In my opinion, as long as I don't have to recharge my phone more than every 2 days for about 3 hours per charge, it's fine by me.
MY CHOICE OF APPS
FREE ONES
Another tip from the forums:how to take a screenshot of your Android phone. Just press the Volume Down and Power button simultaneously for about 2-3 seconds. Your screen will flash and a smaller version of your screenshot will preview before your device starts saving it - it will give a notification. TIP: Make sure when pressing the 2 buttons, neither the volume decreased nor the 'switch off,airplane mode' notifications comes up.
----------------------------------------UPDATE (10/3/2013)-------------------------------------------
Finally after nearly 2 months of experimenting and observations, I've compiled interesting screenshots on battery performance for the Ninetology i9400 Black Pearl Two.
HERE IT IS:
NOTE: Most of them are self-explanatory.
http://www.slickpic.com/s/D41kDM3kwjTMMN/MyNinetologyI9400BlackPearl2BatteryPerformance?preview
Pic 13 of album:
http://www.slickpic.com/s/mod/LD2zUkY1QME24L/MyNinetologyI9400BlackPearl2BatteryPerformance/photo?view=3695213#3695213
Details in the Android's battery history.
Mobile network signal:
Green: Good
Yellow: Moderate
Red: Bad
Grey: Standby/low signal (not 100% sure myself)
Blank : No signal/cell off/in airplane mode
CONCLUSION:
If I were to estimate, I would say on a full charge:
CALLS - 6 hours
MUSIC - 9 hours - with screen on only to check music being played and others
GAMING-8 hours
On WiFi - 4 hours - not too sure on this one
Standby - 108 hours
Can't say how long it will while using data all the time cause I don't. SO if you're like me who uses his smartphone for, well, as a phone mostly, you don't have to worry about battery life too much. In my opinion, as long as I don't have to recharge my phone more than every 2 days for about 3 hours per charge, it's fine by me.
Any related questions are welcome!!!!!
MY CHOICE OF APPS
FREE ONES
Camera ZOOM FX
androidslide
Top Developer
SwiftKey Keyboard
SwiftKey
Top Developer
Poweramp Music Player
Max MP
Top Developer
ROM Manager (Premium)
ClockworkModTasker
Crafty Apps
MY FLIP CASE FOR BLACK PEARL 2 - MODIFIED FROM A SAMSUNG GALAXY S2 FLIP CASE
 |
| It's stable enough to be put upright |
Compare it with the original Code case for Ninetology i9400:
And down here is the original case for the Samsung Galaxy S2:
As you can see in the pictures at the top, the hole for the camera which is designed for the Samsung Galaxy S2 has to be extended. I used a pair of mini-pliers(the cutting heads are about the size of a 5 sen coin). Once that's done, I used UHU glue to cover the exposed inner layers of the cover cause it looks like compressed cardboard which means it's easily damaged by water. The outer cover of my phone cover isn't exactly waterproof either. It kinda absorbs a little moisture making it feel a little soggy(REALLY little). Totally cost = ONLY RM25 and a few minutes of your time. After using it for over a month, it's definitely much better than the Code case since it only covers the back. The only 2 issues with my modified Samsung Galaxy S2 case is ,first, that the speaker is blocked since it's difficult (and most likely ugly to cut open a hole for the speaker) and second, the volume buttons at the left side is not as easy to press as before but it's definitely doable. As an added bonus, now I can put my reload cards with my phone all the time.
----------------------------------------UPDATE (14/3/2013)-------------------------------------------
I've started tinkering with my i9400 by upgrading it with the new WIKO CINK SLIM V15 ROM and it is a success. The guide back at LowYat Forums showed how to do it but it wasn't accurate so I decided to make my own based on his.
Here's the original: http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=2672653&st=80&p=57671732&#entry57671732 by stupidomen
Here's my guide(from start to finish including backup)
The guide by stupidomen mentioned this dialog box would appear after you click the Download button. It didn't happen to me but if it does to you, stupidomen says to click YES. THEN you plug in your phone(after taking out the battery)
Screenshots from new ROM:
As you can see, the Inter Storage increased by 1GB. Minused 1GB from the Internal SD Card/Phone Storage. For some reason my 32GB External SD Card became the new Internal SD Card(i.e. files are written automatically to it; screenshots, photo shots, Titanium Backup) which is a good thing. I'll observe for a few weeks to see the changes.
People these days keep complaining about their smartphone's battery keep running out so I've taken the initiative to do further testing on my phone's battery endurance over the past month, BUT, not how I did the months before. In this month or so, I've only charged my phone when it's totally run out of battery. To be precise: not enough energy to turn it on. To make sure my phone really has no energy left to power itself on I use it till it shutdown by itself. If you try to turn it on after after that(without charging), the phone will just vibrate.
Screenshot results:
All are self-explanatory so there's nothing necessary for me to mention.
8 DAYS+++!!! The longest i've heard is 4 days so I guess this is a new record :P . I now consider charging from 0 to 100 as a significant step to improving battery endurance. Average charging time: 6-8 hours.
Finally you are able to flash JellyBean 4.1.1 to your phone. Just use Flashtool. Your Flashtool should look something like this:
Then start the flashing process by clicking and "Download" and you're done. You'll be enjoying Android 4.1.1 in minutes.
But this isn't all, now your BP2 isn't rooted anymore but unfortunately I couldn't root my phone either. Using the same method to root using MTKdroid Tools, my phone keeps restarting whenever I tried to root it which is suppose happen during the process but it keeps doing it over and over. So rooting the phone will have to wait.
Here's a couple of screens from Android 4.1.1:
At its current state, the best you phone can be is having an UNROOTED Android 4.1.1 with other technical details as shown in the screenshot in my previous update. It is from THIS VERY STATE OF THE PHONE that you MUST take the next steps which WILL give you the well needed ROOT.
Source:A French Forum - Link Shared by an Anonymous Commenter - P.S. I translated it for easy viewing
FIRST: Get Scatter for Clork Work Mod(CWM) Custom Recovery (Direct Relink)
and Super User for WIKO CINK SLIM (Direct Relink)
SECOND: Flash Clock Work Mod Custom Recovery using Flashtool. (Method is exactly like for all previous steps involving Flashtool - Refer at top) and place the Super User(which comes downloaded as an archive) directly in your SD card of your phone. NOTE: Leave the Super User as it is. Don't extract it.
THIRD: Enter recovery mode for your phone: Press and hold volume buttons(up and down) + Power button until it enters a menu depending on whether your phone is ON or OFF. If ON, your phone will restart before entering the menu. If OFF, your phone should enter the menu quicker. It takes nearly 10 seconds of holding down the aforementioned buttons before the phone actually restarts so it's best to just turn it off first. After that It takes another 8 seconds before entering a menu. The menu should have 3 options:Recovery mode,Fast Boot mode and Normal Boot mode.
FOURTH: Now you should have entered Clock Work Mod Custom Recovery with it's respective logo on the screen. Select 'Install ZIP from SD card' and find the Super User ZIP file. Flashing begins and ends in about 10 seconds. Go back to root menu of Recovery,select reboot and DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOTE: If you tried to flash using the default Android Recovery, the thing will just abort.
I did try using ROM Manager Premium to do this. Just select the 'install from SD card' option. It seems to detect the Super User ZIP but without ROOT it's useless. I'm guessing this is how to Flash using ROM Manager.
I seemed to had accidentally 'bricked' my phone. Here's the full story: I forgot to charge my phone when it warned me of low battery levels. So it ended up running out of juice to even turn on. And on I go to charge it through my laptop's USB port. After a few minutes (when it had enough charge) , I attempted a reboot and found it to be reset to French! Not the language only, the entire phone setup turned up like it was when I first flash WIKO CINK SLIM JB. It was just the preliminary setups like asking which SIM card to use,etc. I thought it glitched and tried a reboot but it ended up bricked - not even able to BOOT!
My first thought was to reflash the entire ROM. But my Flashtool gave me an error:
BROM ERROR : S_DA_SOC_CHECK_FAIL (3013)
[User] SOC verification fail!
I tried configuring the stuff to flash to the phone but none of it worked. So i tried getting a newer version of Flash Tool HERE(NEWER VERSION: 3.1248.0.sn96) and it worked without a hitch! The weird part is that I used the older version of Flash Tool(OLD VERSION:3.1220.01) for the previous flashes and not once did I see the error above.
Here's the download link for Ninetology's i9400 STOCK ROM:
Use MTKDroid Tools to do the job.
It's been quite a while since there's an update for the Ninetology Black Pearl 2. I assume this phone is no longer being supported by the manufacturer and developer. In accordance with that fact, I've also switched to a much newer phone, the Xiaomi MI3 which you can read more on my blog HERE. It was a good phone since it was my first smart one but I have to move on - it was starting to feel slow to me since I've become quite a power user. Alas, things do come to an end.
Pretty s***s right?
 |
| My case can actually fold up like this. |
 |
| Design and functionality is practical. |
 |
| Up-close |
As you can see in the pictures at the top, the hole for the camera which is designed for the Samsung Galaxy S2 has to be extended. I used a pair of mini-pliers(the cutting heads are about the size of a 5 sen coin). Once that's done, I used UHU glue to cover the exposed inner layers of the cover cause it looks like compressed cardboard which means it's easily damaged by water. The outer cover of my phone cover isn't exactly waterproof either. It kinda absorbs a little moisture making it feel a little soggy(REALLY little). Totally cost = ONLY RM25 and a few minutes of your time. After using it for over a month, it's definitely much better than the Code case since it only covers the back. The only 2 issues with my modified Samsung Galaxy S2 case is ,first, that the speaker is blocked since it's difficult (and most likely ugly to cut open a hole for the speaker) and second, the volume buttons at the left side is not as easy to press as before but it's definitely doable. As an added bonus, now I can put my reload cards with my phone all the time.
----------------------------------------UPDATE (14/3/2013)-------------------------------------------
I've started tinkering with my i9400 by upgrading it with the new WIKO CINK SLIM V15 ROM and it is a success. The guide back at LowYat Forums showed how to do it but it wasn't accurate so I decided to make my own based on his.
Here's the original: http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=2672653&st=80&p=57671732&#entry57671732 by stupidomen
Here's my guide(from start to finish including backup)
- First of you need to download MTK Droid Root and Tools HERE and the WIKO CINK SLIM V15 ROM.
- Start backing up your current ROM in your smartphone. Run MTKdroidTools.exe with your phone connected to your computer.
- Turn on USB Debugging under Settings menu - Settings->System->Developer Options. This step is important so that MTK Droid Tools can detect your phone. If it works it just be something like this:
- Click the 'ROOT' button. Your phone will ask to enter recovery mode. Touch the restore button. If this dialog box appears, click NO.
- Go to root, backup, recovery tab in MTK Droid Tools. Beside the big 'Backup' button check the box that states 'Backup user data and cache' then click the Backup button.
- Let MTK Droid Tools do its thing. It will take some time - 5-10mins. 1 problem that can occur is something to do with lack of space on drive. The problem has to do with your SD card being almost full. Clear up some space. Not sure what's the minimum space required though. A dialog box will appear asking whether to pack the backup(i.e. archive it). Your choice. I rather choose YES cause the packed version is significantly smaller. For example, my latest backup is about 2.26GB unpacked. once packed it's only 951 MB.
- OKAY. Here's where it gets a little different from the original guide. Supposedly your backup is already done but it's currently not in the right format ready to be flashed to your phone (based on my understanding). To get it ready to flash to your phone, click the 'To prepare blocks for Flashtool' button. Choose the .md5 file(green correct sign) in your UNPACKED backup folder. This is where MTK Droid Tools will do its magic in making the backup ready to be flash to your phone.
- This step onwards is for flashing a ROM(or backup) to your phone. In the WIKO CINK SlIM folder should have a application called FlashTool. Run it. Make sure to install the driver that comes along with the FlashTool.
- Click 'Scatter-Loading' on the right. Look for a .txt file named 'MT6577_Android_scatter_emmc'. Then click on the Download button.FINALLY, take out your phone's battery for a few seconds and put it back in. DO NOT turn it on. Connect your phone to your computer. If everything goes right it should be like this:
 |
| This what happens if try to flash before using the MTK Droid Tools to prepare it. |
The guide by stupidomen mentioned this dialog box would appear after you click the Download button. It didn't happen to me but if it does to you, stupidomen says to click YES. THEN you plug in your phone(after taking out the battery)
Screenshots from new ROM:
As you can see, the Inter Storage increased by 1GB. Minused 1GB from the Internal SD Card/Phone Storage. For some reason my 32GB External SD Card became the new Internal SD Card(i.e. files are written automatically to it; screenshots, photo shots, Titanium Backup) which is a good thing. I'll observe for a few weeks to see the changes.
---------------------------------------(UPDATE ON 3/5/2013)-------------------------------------------
People these days keep complaining about their smartphone's battery keep running out so I've taken the initiative to do further testing on my phone's battery endurance over the past month, BUT, not how I did the months before. In this month or so, I've only charged my phone when it's totally run out of battery. To be precise: not enough energy to turn it on. To make sure my phone really has no energy left to power itself on I use it till it shutdown by itself. If you try to turn it on after after that(without charging), the phone will just vibrate.
Screenshot results:
All are self-explanatory so there's nothing necessary for me to mention.
 |
| 9/4/2013 |
 |
| 19/4/2013 |
 |
| 28/4/2013 |
 | |
| 29/4/2013 |
Below are all from 29/4/2013
--------------------------------------------(UPDATE ON 23/5/2013)-----------------------------------------------------------
Jelly Bean Android kernel for the Ninetology i9400 has been release. Well to be exact, the Android OS update for the French model of the phone has been released. Tested it and it works perfectly! Here's how to install it:
IMPORTANT NOTE: The method to do all of this is exactly the same as I've mentioned above in UPDATE (14/3/2013) with just one extra step at the beginning.
First off , of course, is to download the Jelly Bean itself. LINK:http://www.wikomobile.com/maj.php
 |
| It's the one marked red. |
Next you must reinstall the USB driver for the phone just like you did it the first time when you flash the WIKO CINK SLIM ROM. If you to connect the phone straight away by USB, you will get an error stating the driver isn't properly installed(on Windows that is).
So got to your Device Manager and find the Wiko labelld device with an exclamation mark enclosed in a yellow triangle. Double click it then click 'Update Device Driver'. Then, click on 'Browse my Computer for driver software' followed by Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer'. There will be a list of devices shown afterwards. Double click 'Show all devices'. Now you should see a button 'Have disk' - click it and browse for this file show below:
Finally you are able to flash JellyBean 4.1.1 to your phone. Just use Flashtool. Your Flashtool should look something like this:
Then start the flashing process by clicking and "Download" and you're done. You'll be enjoying Android 4.1.1 in minutes.
But this isn't all, now your BP2 isn't rooted anymore but unfortunately I couldn't root my phone either. Using the same method to root using MTKdroid Tools, my phone keeps restarting whenever I tried to root it which is suppose happen during the process but it keeps doing it over and over. So rooting the phone will have to wait.
Here's a couple of screens from Android 4.1.1:
------------------------------------------------(UPDATE ON 2/6/2013)------------------------------------------------------
ALRIIIIIIGHT!!!
Rooting is now possible for Android 4.1.1 on Ninetology Black Pearl II !
Before this, what I (and most of you) have done is using MTKdroid Tools
to do it but just a few simple clicks but unfortunately it is now
obsolete after Android 4.0.4. Thanks to Anonymous(commenter)
dated May 29, 2013 at 5:38 PM for sharing his/her findings, he/she
pointed me to what I and the rest of us were missing. Here's the
lowdown:At its current state, the best you phone can be is having an UNROOTED Android 4.1.1 with other technical details as shown in the screenshot in my previous update. It is from THIS VERY STATE OF THE PHONE that you MUST take the next steps which WILL give you the well needed ROOT.
Source:A French Forum - Link Shared by an Anonymous Commenter - P.S. I translated it for easy viewing
FIRST: Get Scatter for Clork Work Mod(CWM) Custom Recovery (Direct Relink)
and Super User for WIKO CINK SLIM (Direct Relink)
SECOND: Flash Clock Work Mod Custom Recovery using Flashtool. (Method is exactly like for all previous steps involving Flashtool - Refer at top) and place the Super User(which comes downloaded as an archive) directly in your SD card of your phone. NOTE: Leave the Super User as it is. Don't extract it.
THIRD: Enter recovery mode for your phone: Press and hold volume buttons(up and down) + Power button until it enters a menu depending on whether your phone is ON or OFF. If ON, your phone will restart before entering the menu. If OFF, your phone should enter the menu quicker. It takes nearly 10 seconds of holding down the aforementioned buttons before the phone actually restarts so it's best to just turn it off first. After that It takes another 8 seconds before entering a menu. The menu should have 3 options:Recovery mode,Fast Boot mode and Normal Boot mode.
FOURTH: Now you should have entered Clock Work Mod Custom Recovery with it's respective logo on the screen. Select 'Install ZIP from SD card' and find the Super User ZIP file. Flashing begins and ends in about 10 seconds. Go back to root menu of Recovery,select reboot and DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOTE: If you tried to flash using the default Android Recovery, the thing will just abort.
I did try using ROM Manager Premium to do this. Just select the 'install from SD card' option. It seems to detect the Super User ZIP but without ROOT it's useless. I'm guessing this is how to Flash using ROM Manager.
------------------------------------------------(UPDATE ON 17/8/2013)------------------------------------------------------
I seemed to had accidentally 'bricked' my phone. Here's the full story: I forgot to charge my phone when it warned me of low battery levels. So it ended up running out of juice to even turn on. And on I go to charge it through my laptop's USB port. After a few minutes (when it had enough charge) , I attempted a reboot and found it to be reset to French! Not the language only, the entire phone setup turned up like it was when I first flash WIKO CINK SLIM JB. It was just the preliminary setups like asking which SIM card to use,etc. I thought it glitched and tried a reboot but it ended up bricked - not even able to BOOT!
My first thought was to reflash the entire ROM. But my Flashtool gave me an error:
[User] SOC verification fail!
I tried configuring the stuff to flash to the phone but none of it worked. So i tried getting a newer version of Flash Tool HERE(NEWER VERSION: 3.1248.0.sn96) and it worked without a hitch! The weird part is that I used the older version of Flash Tool(OLD VERSION:3.1220.01) for the previous flashes and not once did I see the error above.
----------------------------------UPDATE ON (17/11/2013) ----------------------------------------
Here's the download link for Ninetology's i9400 STOCK ROM:
Use MTKDroid Tools to do the job.
----------------------------------UPDATE ON (21/7/2013) ----------------------------------------
It's been quite a while since there's an update for the Ninetology Black Pearl 2. I assume this phone is no longer being supported by the manufacturer and developer. In accordance with that fact, I've also switched to a much newer phone, the Xiaomi MI3 which you can read more on my blog HERE. It was a good phone since it was my first smart one but I have to move on - it was starting to feel slow to me since I've become quite a power user. Alas, things do come to an end.
Sorry for accidentally removing your comment. Can't seem to restore them for some reason... Anyway, about you asking for my Facebook email, I'm currently in process of creating a proper channel for public input and feedbacks. So please be patient while I get it up and running. Thank you. You can find the details in my blogger profile when its ready.
DeleteAlright, it's ready. Here it is:
Deletezxyon.rhysivz@facebook.com
zxyon.rhysivz@gmail.com
hye, i wanna ask you, how to save the batery? i mean btry for ninetology black pearl2
ReplyDeleteKinda broad question don't u think? There are many ways out there to 'help' you save battery but the most important thing u can do is turn of WiFi and data when u r NOT using them. Also be careful with whatever apps u install. If u feel that it causes significant changes in your battery life then remove it. Gotta do a lot of testing to be sure based on what I've been through. Screen brightness is also a good thing to adjust since it will be one whenever u r using your phone so best to put it at the lowest brightness like what I've been doing.
DeleteDone installing new rom to my BPII. Now wait for the phone to start. :) Thanks bro!
ReplyDeleteLast week i updated my firmware to "i9400_PR_ninetology_F4_v17. so wic one is better? cink or this?
ReplyDeleteI've heart about Ninetology i9400's new v17 ROM but I never tried it and I don't think I need to, at least for the moment. The changes from v16 to v17, based on what I've found, is some battery improvements and most significant of all is the GPS now works according to user feed backs on the forums. If u compared CINK SLIM V15 and Ninetology i9400's V17, the difference is in the GPS. To date I still haven't manage to successfully use GPS using CINK SLIM V15. But I haven't had the need for GPS yet so I just hold on for now. Another reason for me to stick with CINK SLIM is there's rumours of an update to Jellybean 4.2.2 somewhere in April. I guess I have still have to wait.
DeleteBro, Any link to stock rom for this phone? THanks.
ReplyDeleteI only know the link for V17 of stock ROM(a.k.a. Ninetology i9400):
Deletehttps://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B-P0fQDduz0jc1pHbEt5YTM5MGc/edit?docId=0B-P0fQDduz0jd2pzdzZTamh4dGs
if i wan use this stock room, i can use your tutorial right?
DeleteShould be the same as flashing WIKO CINK SLIM or the older v16 Ninetology i9400 ROM. So it's a yes.
Deletesorry.. the link is empty.. please, i need to download the stock rom..
DeleteHuh...it really is empty. Can't blame the uploader or me. It's his/her choice to take it down. I'll try to remember to upload my stock ROM - the one it came with the phone when I first got it.
Deletei had erased phone storage with no back up at all..now its hang all the time and did not start as usual...don know what to do anymore...plezz somebody give a hand...
ReplyDeleteKind a weird that this happened to you. The makers of Android wouldn't make a 'Erase Phone Storage Button' in settings if it causes this kind of problem. I think u can try Recovery Mode although I never tried it myself cause I never needed to. Here's some instructions taken from the forum:
Deleteturn off your phone. then hold volume up+down+power button until it show (2 sentences, apparently in small font)
recovery mode:volume up
factory mode:volume down
press vol up.
then select wipe data/factory reset
mcm mana nak tukar storage file camera dari phone memory -> sd card lps tukar rom WCS ni??
ReplyDeleteSaya dah nyatakan dalam post saya di atas. Selepas tukar rom ke WCS, phone saya terus guna SD card tambahan saya sebagai storage camera. SD card tu dah masuk sebelum saya tukar rom.
Deletehow to change the internet notification sound eh??
ReplyDeleteInternet notification sound? There's only 2 types of sound available in my phone with its current Android version 4.0.4 - ringtone and notifications. I think u meant default notifications which applies to messages from various communications apps including Whatsapp. Anything else would require special apps.
Deletehi, I've upgraded to cink slim v15 rom. the problem is I can't root my phone. is it normal?
ReplyDeleteI managed to root my phone AFTER the CINK SLIM V15 flash. Maybe u did something wrong in the rooting step. Give it another go.
DeleteTold ya...hehe...anyway, do you found anyway to root the wcs rom? after i flash my bp2 and i try to root the device, it keep restarting and nothing happened.
Delete-lensa mata
To date: NO. So far no news about Jelly Bean for the phone too. The forums also seems cold now. Not sure why.
ReplyDeleteI cant seem to download music from my computer to my phone [Alps I9400]. Any ideas how to. Tried to download directly to SD card, no success
ReplyDeleteThe process should be as easy as transferring files to a pendrive. But for a smartphone (specifically an Android one), you must activate the phone's 'Storage Mode" or something like that. To do so, go to your notifications and click the notification that says something like "To copy files, click this...'. There u should see an Android icon and a button below it. That button toggles your phone between storage or SD card mode and normal. After that your SD card will appear like a storage device in your computer.
Deletehow to install cwm on bp2?n how to find custom rom for bp2
ReplyDeleteClockwork Mod? Never used it, never needed to so it's a dunno. Just use the Flashtool that I've mentioned above. As for custom ROM for BP2, hmmm, don't know any available at the moment cause the phone is still fairly new. There has been some discussion on custom ROMs in the forums. That's all I know.
DeleteYa. I thought of something like that too but I haven't had an urgent need for GPS since I got the phone. People did mention messing with the GPS config file but I don't want to break it. I'm hoping the new Jelly Bean might solve this issue. Once I've managed to get the GPS working I'll update the post.
ReplyDeletedo you know bp2 is based on what model?..i heard it was zte but cant seem to find the model...
ReplyDeleteI don't know any but that got me curios so a quick Google search got me to:
Deletehttps://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2607692
So it is a ZTE. But which model? Well that's harder to find it seems. The easiest one I could find is this:
http://www.gsmarena.com/zte_v889m-5136.php
It's really hard to search for a phone with this kind of details. If u can find the release date then the search would be a breeze.
i check web service client wiko, have update jelly bean...have u try?
ReplyDeleteOh!!! Nice. Thanks for the info. I've checked it's manual and it says is Wiko Cink Slim Jelly Bean version 4.1.1. Haven't tried using it yet cause it'll take quite some time for me to download it. I"ll update when it's done.
Deleteexcited to upgrade jb..hehe
DeleteHi there, my black pearl 2 just hanged at start up with the 9 on the screen. When i did a battery pull to restart the phone it just wont turn on anymore. I tried plugging it to the charger but there is no indicator light on nor the charging sign. I hope you can help me out here. Thank you
ReplyDeleteI never experience your problem before, but I think the ROM might be corrupted. Try flashing a backup(if you have one) or maybe a new ROM or even a new kernel altogether since JellyBean kernal version 4.1.1 has been released.
DeleteHello. The service client wiko webpage is all in French. I couldnt really understand what it says. I have only one question. Is it all the ROMs for example CINK SLIM V15 and CINK SLIM JB that I download from service client wiko can be used on bp2 i9400? The custom ROM you all using is directly download from there or it need some changes in the system file to make it compatible with i9400? Because as what I know, flashing ROM for different model will cause phone bricked. Somebody can answer me please thank you very much.
ReplyDeleteNinetology i9400 Black Pearl II and the Wiko CINK SLIM and the same phone (at least according to specs and user input at the forums - heck even the phone design itself is exactly the same). That's why there shouldn't be a problem. No other changes to the system files are necessary or even needed to be mentioned it the first place.
DeleteThe Ninetology Black Pearl II and the Wiko CINK SLIM are identical twins. Both are from the same manufacturer OEM to other distribution companies around the world, similar to the the business model HTC uses for the HTC Droid DNA in the US and the HTC Butterfly in Asia (they are not using the same SoC though). BP2 and CINK SLIM are originally from ZTE in China. The hardware is the same and only differs in the version of operating system that it runs. Thus allowing the software to interchange for both devices. Please do note that if you do decide to take the plunge, you will need to go through the tutorial above by the author word for word. Upon successfull upgrade, you will lose the root access to the device and there are no method of rooting at the moment as the vulnerabilities found in 4.0.4 ICS has been patched in 4.1.1 JB.
DeleteGood luck.
Flashed the latest Wiko Cink Slim Jelly Bean update on a friend's BPII i9400 and the results were gratifying. Improvements can be seen all around compared to the Ninetology v17 firmware especially the battery life. Scrolling is smoother and snappier with Project Butter. Installed Nova Launcher and it feels just like my Nexus 4.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the tutorial.
Hello sir. I had downloaded the v17 stock ROM which stated (CWM version). Which means I can flash this ROM directly through cwm right? Or I still have to go through the tutorial you posted above? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteNot sure about that. Never used CWM before.
DeleteDear BPII owners, I have good news for you:
ReplyDelete1. You can now install CWM or TWRP custom recovery (CWM recommended)
2. You can now root your device regardless if you are on 4.0.4 ICS or 4.1.1 Jelly Bean
3. You can now install custom roms (StockRomLite JB recommended)
Head to the link below (it is in French so you might want to use Google Translate):
http://forum.frandroid.com/topic/130038-250313recap-tous-les-liens-utiles-au-cink-slim/
Please bear in mind that the StockRomLite JB custom rom comes with Aroma Installer (IN FRENCH) but it is not hard at all to understand.
Precation A:
I strongly suggest that you upgrade your BPII to WIKO CINK SLIM JB as written by the author above before taking the next step. If you have been reading the the tutorial from the author and managed to get everything right, you will have no problems with the tutorial in the link.
Precaution B:
Install the CWM custom recovery on your device and flash away! :)
Good luck to all of you.
Thank You!!! This is the most helpful comment thus far. :)
Deletehow to clear internet history in my ninetology?
ReplyDeleteNot 100% sure myself. There's isn't an option for the mobile version of browsers it seems. Try SD Maid
DeleteIt depends on which browser you are using.
DeleteIf you are using the default browser (blue globe icon with the word Internet written below):
1. Open Browser
2. Press the Menu Key
3. Select Settings
4. Go to Privacy
5. Inside there are several options for your to clear, just clear everything.
If you are using Chrome:
1. Open Chrome
2. Press the Menu Key
3. Select Settings
4. Go to Privacy
5. Press Clear Browsing Data on the bottom of the screen.
If you want to browse websites anonymously because you do not want anyone to find out what websites you have been on, I suggest using Incognito Mode in Chrome.
Good luck.
admin, u can join this group http://www.facebook.com/groups/NinetologyUserMALAYSIA to find tutorial root bp2 wiko jb
ReplyDeleteThanks but no thanks. It's a closed group which makes it time-consuming just to enter. It's pointless to make such a group since there's other more public sources to go to.
Deleteif u hve fb account, juz request..all admin are helpful n the grup full of tutorial all ninetology product
DeleteDear all,
ReplyDeleteBased on the author's post - UPDATE ON 2/6/2012 and since your device is already rooted with CWM installed, it is not necessary to use ROM Manager anymore.
To install a custom rom, here are the basic (and failproof) steps:
1. Download a custom rom (the file is usually a .zip file) and put it in the external SD card.
2. Boot into CWM Recovery
3. Select "wipe data/factory reset"
4. Select "wipe cache partition"
5. Go to "advance"
6. Select "wipe dalvik cache"
7. Select "wipe battery stats"
8. Then select "+++++Go Back++++"
9. Select "install zip from sdcard"
10. Select "choose zip from sdcard"
11. Find the .zip custom rom file which you added to the external SD Card and select it
12. Once successful, choose "+++++Go Back++++" and "reboot system now"
If the steps above are followed accordingly, you should be booting into the new custom rom. Since you are already on 4.1.1 I recommend the StockRomLite JB, the link below (again it is in French so translation may be required):
http://forum.frandroid.com/topic/144896-rom-wcs-stockromlite-ics-v3c-jb-v1c-28042013/#entry2388641
This rom is based on CINK SLIM JB rom but it is a stripped down version without all the unrequired bloatware which in turn makes your phone faster, smoother and more importantly more RAM availability (about 230mb). You can always choose what you want and do not want to install in the Aroma Installer (you will boot into the Aroma Installer once you select the .zip from the SD Card in CWM Recovery).
Comments above dated below are by yours truly:
1. May 27, 2013 at 1:26 PM
2. May 28, 2013 at 11:30 AM
3. May 29, 2013 at 5:38 PM
If you have further enquiries, please post on the comments section and above all please make sure you read all the author's posts before asking.
Oh, and for those who are more adventurous, you may try to install this custom rom.
ReplyDeletehttp://forum.frandroid.com/topic/148875-xperia-rom-jb-final-pour-wcs/
It is in French so translation may be required.
This is based on the Xperia Z rom. Ultra stable and very smooth. In the link, if you scroll down a little you can find the file to install the Xperia Z lockscreen as well. Just flash it using CWM Recovery.
Good luck! :)
bos..boleh bagi emel..? saya newbie..masih blur pasal upgrade2 ni..:)
ReplyDeleteEmails are at the top. I don't think I can help you anymore since these steps are as simple as I can make them. Try to ask who's familiar Androids and get them to help you. Unless, of course, I'm missing something significant in my article.
DeleteIf you want to just root your device as well as install CWM custom recovery, read:
Delete- UPDATE ON 2/6/2012
If you want to install a custom rom, read:
- Anonymous June 3, 2013 at 1:11 PM
The instructions from the author as well as from the commentor are simple enough. If you have difficulties comprehending, try to use Google Translate and translate those instructions to Bahasa Melayu.
For those of you who have difficulty understanding the tutorials above in English:
ReplyDeletehttp://gnum-x.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=4888fac618f89f1e09720227169dff6f&board=4.0
Good Luck.
i have to ask..can i just flash the wiko cink jb update or i have to flash the ics n then update to jb?
ReplyDeleteThe last update should be fine. Just make sure you update to Jelly Bean first before flashing Clock Work Mod.
Deleteif im using MTK flash tool..do i have to packed it first n then prepare block or i prepare it in its unpacked state n after i prepare the block i packed it
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing you're trying to flash a backup? Then you MUST prepare it first using MTK Droid Tools before flashing to the your phone. Make sure MTK Droid Tools creates a folder which is named 'Files to Flash' or something like that then that's the one you will be using.
DeleteI just flash to Cink Slim JB.
ReplyDeleteBut have some problem.
1) When battery drop to 10%, the phone will turn off.
2) There is no Caller ID on incoming call. Only show number. I notice this problem only happen to my contact with country code. For example +65 XXXX XXXX
The phone turning off by itself is normal. Usually the battery % indicator is very inaccurate especially so during it's last actual 20% or so of the battery remaining. Mine for example was at about 10-15% in one morning. Then, after lunch I saw it drop to 5% then almost immediately to 3 then 2 then 1 then off. So following that battery indicator is really undependable. My phone usually lasts about 1 week now on standby besides a few calls and checking messages.
DeleteAs for your no called ID problem, I never had issues with it. Maybe you must be specific on assigning your contact ID to the respective number. So maybe, if you want to assign say 'Person A' to number 1234 5678, you must do something like +65 1234 5678
hye..i have problem connecting my wink sli jb to pc..i need help on this..coz i need to root my phone..following ur quide..tq
ReplyDeleteSooooo... what's the problem exactly?
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteCan i flash the Xperia rom directly without upgrading it to android 4.1.1?
Don't think there will be any issues. Go ahead. Just make sure the phone meets the hardware requirements for the ROM.
DeleteHello there.
ReplyDeleteThere is a couple of things i want to ask,
1) Do you have any experience of lag in one of the custom roms? I've been jumping around between custom roms for my BP2, but it all comes to the lack of free ram space. Worst is 35MB of ram i could use.
2) Is it possible to restore back to the default stock rom, without backing it up earlier before flashing to any roms?
3) If i can't restore, could you recommend me some custom roms for the BP2 which have a lot of free ram usage?
4) Do you have any idea/tips/guide on how to overcome the extremely low ram space usage?
Hope you will reply this. Thank you in advance :D
Oh yeah btw this is the Custom rom I'm using now ( I'm telling some of the things it says in about phone )
Model Phone
- CINK SLIM
Android Version
- 4.1.1
Build Number
- ALPS.JB.MP.V1
Custom build version
- WCS JB v03 StockRomLite v4c
Once again, if you could reply this, i really appreciate it.
Thanks again for your time to read this and help me out :D
-Peace
Alright! But there's more than A COUPLE of things there btw. :P
Delete1)I don't have that much experience with custom ROMs as I only used the one I mentioned in my article. My current ROM is the one that comes with Jelly Bean OS. It says here in my phone that my phone's Custom Build Version is WIKO CINK SLIM JellyBean V03 which is the only thing that's different than your phone's description. Free RAM in my phone ranges around 70-80MB usually. All in all, my phone runs smoothly as intended.
2)Your question here is kind of ambiguous. But I think u meant whether it's possible to restore to stock ROM BEFORE any changes in ROM and without a backup? Yes. Although I never tried it, u can try factory reset. If that fails, download a clean ROM from the Ninetology Black Pearl II forums at LowYat.
3)Since I don't have much experience with many other ROMs, I can't really recommend one for u.
4)Uninstall/Freeze unnecessary apps. Some apps I've seen still run in the background even though it doesn't need to. This feature usually requires Root. You could also try a new app I found called Greenify which you can find at Googleplay.
Thanks for replying!!
ReplyDelete- Well, I've been looking for custom roms that uses less RAM. I found one Custom Rom ( Gave me free RAM space ranged 220-280 , But the downside of it you can't use your second sim. ) from one of the Chinese forums on the internet. I freaked out a little at the moment because i thought it affected my second sim card. So i switched to this Custom rom. I thought i might help out and gives better performance. Buuuttt... it turn out to be like the previous rom i used.
To be honest, I'm more to the "Fluid" performance on my phone, so.. 70-80MB is way to low for me :/
- Reguarding to your (2) reply, Factory reset??? Should i used the method like the article above? or there is another way? I did download a clean Rom from LowYat forum, i tried everything to restore/flash it back, but nothing seems to work.
- Uninstall, freezing, force stop... tried it all, sometimes it gives worse result than before. But recently i found an app Called Ram Manager Pro. So far i managed to get 150-110 RAM space. Works like a charm ( I think ) , I will gonna give it a go for a couple of days see whats the result.
If you could teach me how to reset it back, I REEALLLYY appreciate your help :D been dying for days looking for a solution to restore it back to the old stock rom.
Thanks again for your reply and thank you in advance.
- Peace
It seems that RAM isn't your problem. Most likely one or more of your apps is the culprit. I tried one app before that said it could underclock the processor to save battery but it made the phone really laggy. As for factory reset, refer to my comment at April 14, 2013 at 9:58 PM.
DeleteSo should we pick Recovery mode,Fast Boot mode and Normal Boot mode? I tried installed but it failed.
ReplyDeleteI assuming you're referring to installing the Jelly Bean 4.1.1? Then it would be Recovery Mode BUT not the default one that comes factory-made. Install Clock Work Mod like I've instructed above.
DeleteHi all,
ReplyDeleteI just buy nito i9400...after 2 weeks ..my phone lock to many pattern attempts...
Pls.. how can i release this lock.
jusri
I never bothered to use that feature as a lock before cause my phone is pretty much with me always. The only thing I know that you can try is to reflash the ROM or do a factory reset through recovery mode. As for your personal data being lost, sorry, can't help with that :(
Deletelogin wif ur google account
DeleteWhat is the current best rom for this phone?
ReplyDeleteI can't really say a 'best' ROM for the phone cause I didn't experiment with many. I only take the stable ones. From the same French website, 4.1.1 Jelly Bean is still the latest. You can check here: http://fr.wikomobile.com/maj.php?telephone=6
DeleteDear sir, my phone coudln't download whtaspp. Do i have to root it first?
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming it's the free version of Whatsapp. NO, you do not need root for this app. It is most likely a weak internet connection issue.
Deletehello i have a problem in downloading files via browser or playstore.. its keep downloading but never started.. im using wiko cink slim v03.. please help :) thanks in advance
ReplyDeleteSame as the previous commenter. This is very likely an internet connection issue. Your case is more specific at least. I actually experienced your problem before. Just make sure your internet connection is good then restart the download process for the app you want.
Deletei accidently formatted whole flash and bootlader and NVRAM. what sholud i do now..pls help me ..tqvm~
ReplyDeleteOookaay... I have no idea how u did that and this is the first time I've heard about NVRAM too. I don't know to what extent this problem has caused - I'm guessing the phone can't boot? I can't do anything about NVRAM cause I've never touched it before. If your 'flash' means ROM or the 'state' of the phone then just reflash with the JB one and as for bootloader, use Clock Work Mod(CWM) - which is straightforward if you flash the JB ROM. Links to have already been provided in the older parts of my article.
DeleteHi, I flashed to the WIKO Cink Slim successfully (I had to use format + download due to the PMT error), but I couldn't figure out how to revert back to my initial stock ROM that had all my data. I thought I just had to select the scatter file inside the MTK Droid Tool backup folder. Am I wrong in this?
ReplyDeleteThere's actually 2 steps to restore your backed up ROM. From MTK Droid Tools, go to root, backup, recovery tab and click on the 'To prepare blocks for Flash Tool' button. Locate your MD5 checksum file and select it. Let it finish what it's suppose to do and then your files will be ready to flash. Finally, just do the rest with the scatter.
ReplyDeleteHi there, I have bp2 for around 4 years and i've use as main phone till i get Note 3, still today i still use it.. Right now the questions are i can't download the wiko cink slim rom,.. the link given just show the main page of the webs.. And i've google many times and blogs and don't know how long ........
ReplyDeleteso want to know if you still have the ROM or cwm-backup of the rom ???
Have tried other custom ROM but not interested..
Fortunately for you, I still have it. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l60de7a0ggj78rb/AIMEH9aKCG
DeleteIt's actually in my blog post in the second last entry.