diff --git a/spec/altRoot/findelements_spec.js b/spec/altRoot/findelements_spec.js
index 0c2717ef9..94501705a 100644
--- a/spec/altRoot/findelements_spec.js
+++ b/spec/altRoot/findelements_spec.js
@@ -1,24 +1,22 @@
 var util = require('util');
 
 describe('finding elements when ng-app is nested', function() {
-  var ptor;
 
   describe('in forms', function() {
-    ptor = protractor.getInstance();
 
     beforeEach(function() {
-      ptor.get('app/alt_root_index.html#/form');
+      browser.get('app/alt_root_index.html#/form');
     });
 
     it('should find an element by binding', function() {
-      var greeting = ptor.findElement(protractor.By.binding('{{greeting}}'));
+      var greeting = element(by.binding('{{greeting}}'));
 
       expect(greeting.getText()).toEqual('Hiya');
     });
 
     it('should find elements outside of angular', function() {
-      var outside = ptor.findElement(protractor.By.id('outside-ng'));
-      var inside = ptor.findElement(protractor.By.id('inside-ng'));
+      var outside = element(by.id('outside-ng'));
+      var inside = element(by.id('inside-ng'));
 
       expect(outside.getText()).toEqual('{{1 + 2}}');
       expect(inside.getText()).toEqual('3');
diff --git a/spec/login/viaConfigConf.js b/spec/login/viaConfigConf.js
index a6c49cc7e..1fc7e2804 100644
--- a/spec/login/viaConfigConf.js
+++ b/spec/login/viaConfigConf.js
@@ -15,18 +15,17 @@ exports.config = {
   },
 
   onPrepare: function() {
-    var ptor = protractor.getInstance();
-    ptor.driver.get('http://localhost:8000/app/login.html');
+    browser.driver.get('http://localhost:8000/app/login.html');
 
-    ptor.driver.findElement(protractor.By.id('username')).sendKeys('Jane');
-    ptor.driver.findElement(protractor.By.id('password')).sendKeys('1234');
-    ptor.driver.findElement(protractor.By.id('clickme')).click();
+    browser.driver.findElement(by.id('username')).sendKeys('Jane');
+    browser.driver.findElement(by.id('password')).sendKeys('1234');
+    browser.driver.findElement(by.id('clickme')).click();
 
     // Login takes some time, so wait until it's done.
     // For the test app's login, we know it's done when it redirects to
     // index.html.
-    ptor.wait(function() {
-      return ptor.driver.getCurrentUrl().then(function(url) {
+    browser.driver.wait(function() {
+      return browser.driver.getCurrentUrl().then(function(url) {
         return /index/.test(url);
       });
     });
diff --git a/spec/login/viaConfigSpec.js b/spec/login/viaConfigSpec.js
index 999702611..8f96b7eb4 100644
--- a/spec/login/viaConfigSpec.js
+++ b/spec/login/viaConfigSpec.js
@@ -1,18 +1,12 @@
 describe('pages with login', function() {
-  var ptor;
-
-  beforeEach(function() {
-    ptor = protractor.getInstance();
-  })
-
   it('should log in with a non-Angular page', function() {
-    ptor.get('http://localhost:8000/app/index.html');
+    browser.get('http://localhost:8000/app/index.html');
 
-    var angularElement = ptor.findElement(protractor.By.input('url'));
+    var angularElement = element(by.input('url'));
     expect(angularElement.getAttribute('value')).toEqual('/fastcall');
 
     // Make sure the cookie is still set.
-    ptor.manage().getCookie('testcookie').then(function(cookie) {
+    browser.manage().getCookie('testcookie').then(function(cookie) {
       expect(cookie.value).toEqual('Jane-1234');
     });
   });
diff --git a/spec/login/viaTestSpec.js b/spec/login/viaTestSpec.js
index 2a2718198..e418bc0fa 100644
--- a/spec/login/viaTestSpec.js
+++ b/spec/login/viaTestSpec.js
@@ -1,39 +1,33 @@
 describe('pages with login', function() {
-  var ptor;
-
-  beforeEach(function() {
-    ptor = protractor.getInstance();
-  })
-
   it('should log in with a non-Angular page', function() {
-    ptor.driver.get('http://localhost:8000/app/login.html');
+    browser.driver.get('http://localhost:8000/app/login.html');
 
-    ptor.driver.findElement(protractor.By.id('username')).sendKeys('Jane');
-    ptor.driver.findElement(protractor.By.id('password')).sendKeys('1234');
-    ptor.driver.findElement(protractor.By.id('clickme')).click();
+    browser.driver.findElement(by.id('username')).sendKeys('Jane');
+    browser.driver.findElement(by.id('password')).sendKeys('1234');
+    browser.driver.findElement(by.id('clickme')).click();
 
     // Login takes some time, so wait until it's done.
     // For the test app's login, we know it's done when it redirects to
     // index.html.
-    ptor.wait(function() {
-      return ptor.driver.getCurrentUrl().then(function(url) {
+    browser.wait(function() {
+      return browser.driver.getCurrentUrl().then(function(url) {
         return /index/.test(url);
       });
     });
 
     // The login should have set a cookie. Make sure it's there.
-    ptor.manage().getCookie('testcookie').then(function(cookie) {
+    browser.manage().getCookie('testcookie').then(function(cookie) {
       expect(cookie.value).toEqual('Jane-1234');
     });
 
 
-    ptor.get('http://localhost:8000/app/index.html');
+    browser.get('http://localhost:8000/app/index.html');
 
-    var angularElement = ptor.findElement(protractor.By.input('url'));
+    var angularElement = element(by.input('url'));
     expect(angularElement.getAttribute('value')).toEqual('/fastcall');
 
     // Make sure the cookie is still set.
-    ptor.manage().getCookie('testcookie').then(function(cookie) {
+    browser.manage().getCookie('testcookie').then(function(cookie) {
       expect(cookie.value).toEqual('Jane-1234');
     });
   });
diff --git a/spec/onPrepare/onPrepare_spec.js b/spec/onPrepare/onPrepare_spec.js
index 39cb31b86..64df791a9 100644
--- a/spec/onPrepare/onPrepare_spec.js
+++ b/spec/onPrepare/onPrepare_spec.js
@@ -1,18 +1,6 @@
-describe('tests that use the shortcuts set by the onPrepare in the config',
+describe('onPrepare function in the config',
     function() {
-  beforeEach(function() {
-    // ptor is in the globals thanks to the onPrepare callback function in the
-    // config.
-    ptor.get('app/index.html#/form');
-  });
-
-  it('should find an element using elem instead of findElement', function() {
-    var greeting = ptor.elem(protractor.By.binding('{{greeting}}'));
-    expect(greeting.getText()).toEqual('Hiya');
-  });
-
-  it('should find an element using the global by function', function() {
-    var greeting = ptor.elem(by.binding('{{greeting}}'));
-    expect(greeting.getText()).toEqual('Hiya');
+  it('should have a special variable set in onPrepare', function() {
+    expect(browser.params.password).toEqual('12345');
   });
 });
diff --git a/spec/onPrepare/startup.js b/spec/onPrepare/startup.js
index a91b9a061..560f52a0f 100644
--- a/spec/onPrepare/startup.js
+++ b/spec/onPrepare/startup.js
@@ -1,5 +1 @@
-var ptor = protractor.getInstance();
-ptor.elem = ptor.findElement;
-ptor.elems = ptor.findElements;
-global.by = protractor.By;
-global.ptor = ptor;
+browser.params.password = '12345';
diff --git a/spec/onPrepareConf.js b/spec/onPrepareConf.js
index 55f11c7e6..c3695c367 100644
--- a/spec/onPrepareConf.js
+++ b/spec/onPrepareConf.js
@@ -17,10 +17,6 @@ exports.config = {
   baseUrl: 'http://localhost:8000',
   
   onPrepare: function() {
-    var ptor = protractor.getInstance();
-    ptor.elem = ptor.findElement;
-    ptor.elems = ptor.findElements;
-    global.by = protractor.By;
-    global.ptor = ptor;
+    browser.params.password = '12345';
   }
 };