Really dumb question: what is the deal with "Android Market"?!

Farhad · 02-22-2011, 08:20 PM

Hi,

I begin this post with an apology: I am really a newbie at this Android business and I am going to ask a really basic question. What the hell is the "Android Market"?! I cannot download any applications from it even though I have several Google accounts. I tried from my desktop and from my Android device (Pocket Book IQ 701). How do I get an Android device associated with my Goggle accounts? Why is it that some free (as in "gratis") applications are only found there?! What is the deal with this weir looking barcode for download and why can't I simply download a apk package to my desktop?

What if I don't want to deal with Google? Is there no repository where all free apk packages for Android (as in "beer" and/or as in "freedom") can be simply downloaded. If yes, could you pass me the URLs for it? If not - can you explain to me why not?!

Thanks for any pointers!

Farhad

Namekuseijin · 02-22-2011, 08:24 PM

Welcome, Stallman!

exscentric · 02-22-2011, 08:42 PM

Not aquainted with your unit but market has problems with units that are not phones, such as tablets. the manufacturer can put out fixes for the problem but not all do.

Yes there are many places online for apps. Just do a search for "free apk" and you will find them. Not all apps on android market are available elsewhere but there may be something similar.

.apk is the extension on the android program files.

steven522 · 02-23-2011, 09:46 AM

Try here:

http://www.freewarelovers.com/android

You can download the APK files to your PC and then copy them to your device (if it allows installing the APK file from a file browser or application installer on the device itself).

Graham · 02-23-2011, 09:52 AM

To be fair to Google, they've said many times that they don't believe the earlier versions of Android are fit for tablets, and that since the OS is designed for phones with a certain minimum set of capabilities they'd rather restrict the market to those phones for now. I'd expect this to change once the new v3 merges with the phone versions of Android - rumoured to be happening later this year.

However, as noted above, Google has got no problem with other vendors and sites providing apps for sideloading onto your device.

Graham

Farhad · 02-23-2011, 11:26 AM

Thanks to all for your replies!

Alas, I am still confused.

How is it that some pretty good applications seem to only exist on the Android Market? Take for example weather forecast applications like iMap Weather or Radar Now! - I have not found them anywhere besides AM.

How come?

Why has nobody made a full mirror of the free apps on AM and made them available as apk packages for download?

The one application which I miss most is the al-Jazeera live application which seems to only exist on AM.

But then, I don't know if it uses flash. If yes, then the version of Andoid my Pocket Book IQ 701 with Android 2.0 probably won't run it :-(

Graham · 02-23-2011, 11:30 AM

You might be answering your own question. IMap and Radar Now, for example, both require GPS. I'd guess (though I may be wrong) that most Android devices with GPS have access to the Android Market itself.

Graham

Graham · 02-23-2011, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farhad

The one application which I miss most is the al-Jazeera live application which seems to only exist on AM.

But then, I don't know if it uses flash. If yes, then the version of Andoid my Pocket Book IQ 701 with Android 2.0 probably won't run it :-(

It requires Android 2.2 so almost certainly is Flash-based.

Graham

tuskin · 02-23-2011, 11:45 AM

Hi,
On my Archos 10.1 tablet I could get the regular market (Archos has Appslib - you can probably use that too) by using an app called Arctools. I don't know if something similar is available for other Android tablets.

Appslib is at www.appslib.com

Farhad · 02-23-2011, 12:05 PM

Dear Graham and tuskin,

Thanks for these explanations and pointers. I really appreciate your pointers!!

Kind regards,

Farhad

02-22-2011, 08:20 PM	#1
Farhad Zealot Posts: 139 Karma: 1248 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Florida Device: N800/Nokia 5230/PB IQ701/PB 360	Really dumb question: what is the deal with "Android Market"?! Hi, I begin this post with an apology: I am really a newbie at this Android business and I am going to ask a really basic question. What the hell is the "Android Market"?! I cannot download any applications from it even though I have several Google accounts. I tried from my desktop and from my Android device (Pocket Book IQ 701). How do I get an Android device associated with my Goggle accounts? Why is it that some free (as in "gratis") applications are only found there?! What is the deal with this weir looking barcode for download and why can't I simply download a apk package to my desktop? What if I don't want to deal with Google? Is there no repository where all free apk packages for Android (as in "beer" and/or as in "freedom") can be simply downloaded. If yes, could you pass me the URLs for it? If not - can you explain to me why not?! Thanks for any pointers! Farhad

02-23-2011, 11:45 AM	#9
tuskin Enthusiast Posts: 44 Karma: 3486210 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Jyväskylä, Finland Device: Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, Surface 3	Arctools Hi, On my Archos 10.1 tablet I could get the regular market (Archos has Appslib - you can probably use that too) by using an app called Arctools. I don't know if something similar is available for other Android tablets. Appslib is at www.appslib.com

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02-22-2011, 08:24 PM	#2
Namekuseijin affordable chipmunk Posts: 1,290 Karma: 9863855 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Brazil Device: Sony XPeria ZL, Kindle Paperwhite	Welcome, Stallman!

02-22-2011, 08:42 PM	#3
exscentric Addict Posts: 379 Karma: 1033424 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: WY Device: Kindle keyboard	Not aquainted with your unit but market has problems with units that are not phones, such as tablets. the manufacturer can put out fixes for the problem but not all do. Yes there are many places online for apps. Just do a search for "free apk" and you will find them. Not all apps on android market are available elsewhere but there may be something similar. .apk is the extension on the android program files.

02-23-2011, 09:46 AM	#4
steven522 binomial: homo legentem Posts: 1,061 Karma: 25222222 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Alabama, USA Device: iriver Story HD; Archos 80 G9	Try here: http://www.freewarelovers.com/android You can download the APK files to your PC and then copy them to your device (if it allows installing the APK file from a file browser or application installer on the device itself).

02-23-2011, 09:52 AM	#5
Graham Wizard Posts: 2,742 Karma: 32912427 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: North Yorkshire, UK Device: Kobo H20, Pixel 2, Samsung Chromebook Plus	To be fair to Google, they've said many times that they don't believe the earlier versions of Android are fit for tablets, and that since the OS is designed for phones with a certain minimum set of capabilities they'd rather restrict the market to those phones for now. I'd expect this to change once the new v3 merges with the phone versions of Android - rumoured to be happening later this year. However, as noted above, Google has got no problem with other vendors and sites providing apps for sideloading onto your device. Graham

02-23-2011, 11:26 AM	#6
Farhad Zealot Posts: 139 Karma: 1248 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Florida Device: N800/Nokia 5230/PB IQ701/PB 360	Thanks to all for your replies! Alas, I am still confused. How is it that some pretty good applications seem to only exist on the Android Market? Take for example weather forecast applications like iMap Weather or Radar Now! - I have not found them anywhere besides AM. How come? Why has nobody made a full mirror of the free apps on AM and made them available as apk packages for download? The one application which I miss most is the al-Jazeera live application which seems to only exist on AM. But then, I don't know if it uses flash. If yes, then the version of Andoid my Pocket Book IQ 701 with Android 2.0 probably won't run it :-(

02-23-2011, 11:30 AM	#7
Graham Wizard Posts: 2,742 Karma: 32912427 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: North Yorkshire, UK Device: Kobo H20, Pixel 2, Samsung Chromebook Plus	You might be answering your own question. IMap and Radar Now, for example, both require GPS. I'd guess (though I may be wrong) that most Android devices with GPS have access to the Android Market itself. Graham

02-23-2011, 12:05 PM	#10
Farhad Zealot Posts: 139 Karma: 1248 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Florida Device: N800/Nokia 5230/PB IQ701/PB 360	Dear Graham and tuskin, Thanks for these explanations and pointers. I really appreciate your pointers!! Kind regards, Farhad

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