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Get the Android 2.3 keyboard, launcher and live wallpaper on your phone without rooting

If you want to get the look and feel of Android 2.3/Gingerbread but can’t wait for the update, or don’t want to root your phone for fear of bricking it, then you’re in luck.

Developer Steven Lin has uploaded the Android 2.3 keyboard, launcher and live wallpaper to the Android Market, for easy download and install yourself action.

If you were hoping that Google has killed the nefarious smiley key from the latest edition of the stock Android keyboard you’re going to be disappointed; it’s still there.

But if you want to get to grips with it’s other finer points, like one-touch word selection for copy/paste and the improved word suggestions, dive right in.

To get the keyboard working on your Android phone, simply head into Settings > Language & keyboard and check the relevant tick boxes, just as if you were installing SwiftKey or Swype.

Then when you load up the text message or email app like normal, long press on the text field and select ‘Gingerbread keyboard’ from the options.

The launcher and wallpaper obviously don’t do as much other than look pretty, but it’s nice to have them all the same.

If you want the Android 2.3 launcher to be the permanent launcher, make sure you check the tick box which pops up. If it looks like all of your apps and widgets have gone missing, don’t worry they haven’t – you’ll just need to put them back up on to the new launcher. Admittedly a bit time consuming and pointless just for the sake of looking nice.

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