1. B Louang's Avatar
    How safe is it to use Android applications as some weren't designed to be used on blackberry? I'm particularly concerned about using cobalts "patching" process on android apps that wouldn't normally work on blackberry due to "Google services" not being supported such as Google maps. How secure is our information when the apps have to be "patched/hacked?"

    This is concerning as I have downloaded a "patched" version of Google play from cobalt. I hesitated when it came time to download the PayPal application........

    Posted via CB10
    Last edited by B Louang; 06-06-16 at 09:01 AM. Reason: title
    06-05-16 07:18 PM
  2. Polt's Avatar
    You have no reason to trust him, you don't know who he is, you don't know what he wants, that's why I don't use his patches, it's funny that while Chen and people keep yakking about BB10 being the most secure. They'd have to trust a complete stranger to get access to Google play.
    B Louang and DrBoomBotz like this.
    06-05-16 07:37 PM
  3. ams083's Avatar
    How safe is it to use Android applications as some weren't designed to be used on blackberry? I'm particularly concerned about using cobalts "patching" process on android apps that wouldn't normally work on blackberry due to "Google services" not being supported such as Google maps. How secure is our information when the apps have to be "patched/hacked?"

    This is concerning as I have downloaded a "patched" version of Google play from cobalt. I hesitated when it came time to download the PayPal application........

    Posted via CB10
    You shouldn't need google services to download PayPal

    BlackBerry PRIV STV100-1 6.0.1
    Classic SQC100-1/10.3.2.2876
    06-05-16 11:09 PM
  4. ams083's Avatar
    At least Cobalt is doing something about the 'app gap'. Plenty of people on here have used his patches, and at least he provides some support and troubleshooting. I haven't used any of his patches - mainly due to the fact that the apps I use are either available through BB World or Amazon. Any that aren't I get hold of the APK and go from there.

    Personally, I'm glad to see someone helping out others - its much better than reading all the posts about people complaining there are no apps available etc etc. If you want a phone packed with apps - get one.
    tollfeeder likes this.
    06-05-16 11:23 PM
  5. ALToronto's Avatar
    You have no reason to trust him, you don't know who he is, you don't know what he wants, that's why I don't use his patches, it's funny that while Chen and people keep yakking about BB10 being the most secure. They'd have to trust a complete stranger to get access to Google play.
    At first I thought you were being facetious, but now I think you're serious! Please, don't ever use Cobalt's patches, their negative energy will go right through that tin foil on your head.

    Cobalt has single-handedly prevented thousands of people from abandoning BB10. His patches give you access to the Google Play Store and some apps that require Play Services. The patches themselves don't affect the security of your phone, but the Android apps you download may not be secure.

    I use the Starbucks app to pay for my caffeine habit, and I haven't had any money disappear from it. I don't use the app to reload $ from my bank account because Starbucks has had a security breach where their customers' banking information became vulnerable. But it wasn't Cobalt's fault.

    Posted via CB10 from my awesome Passport
    ams083 and JG_Agustin like this.
    06-06-16 01:18 AM
  6. Cobalt232's Avatar
    You have no reason to trust him, you don't know who he is, you don't know what he wants, that's why I don't use his patches, it's funny that while Chen and people keep yakking about BB10 being the most secure. They'd have to trust a complete stranger to get access to Google play.
    How does someone earn your trust?
    06-06-16 02:31 AM
  7. Polt's Avatar
    At first I thought you were being facetious, but now I think you're serious! Please, don't ever use Cobalt's patches, their negative energy will go right through that tin foil on your head.

    Cobalt has single-handedly prevented thousands of people from abandoning BB10. His patches give you access to the Google Play Store and some apps that require Play Services. The patches themselves don't affect the security of your phone, but the Android apps you download may not be secure.

    I use the Starbucks app to pay for my caffeine habit, and I haven't had any money disappear from it. I don't use the app to reload $ from my bank account because Starbucks has had a security breach where their customers' banking information became vulnerable. But it wasn't Cobalt's fault.

    Posted via CB10 from my awesome Passport
    While I do have respect for him I still have no reason to trust him, he doesn't work for the officials and to me he's just a picture of a good-looking dude wearing bad-*** glasses.

    Plus op asked about security, installing apps and patches from a lone stranger definitely is a long way from security, at least in my book.
    B Louang likes this.
    06-07-16 05:50 AM
  8. Polt's Avatar
    How does someone earn your trust?
    Taking off those glasses would be a good start. :-)
    Do respect what you're doing for the community, BlackBerry's mess is a lot tidier thanks to you and other heartful devs, but to some of us it really isn't enough. Isn't nothing personal.
    06-07-16 06:08 AM
  9. Smokeaire's Avatar
    Polt,
    There are hundreds, if not thousands of Blackberry users, who incorporate Cobalt's apps to keep their Blackberrys relevant and useful. If there had been any unscrupulous actions by Cobalt taken toward any user of his apps (including Patcher) there would have been reports flooding Crackberry and his threads would have been taken down and he himself would be banned forever.
    I trust Cobalt so much that I even installed an app of his on my wife's Priv that helped Cobalt develop a method to to install Priv Blackberry apps on other Android phones.

    You can wallow in your self-created paranoia that isn't based on any facts or actual negative reports. That's up to you. Paranoia not based on facts is just an illusion, a fantasy world of your own creation and not justified.
    ams083 and JG_Agustin like this.
    06-07-16 06:46 AM
  10. TGIS's Avatar
    I use Cobalt's method and nothing bad has happened.

    Posted via Overheating Z10
    06-07-16 07:33 AM
  11. joeldf's Avatar
    No issues here using Cobalt's patched Google Play Store and patching any apps that need Google's services myself.

    But then, I don't use any banking or payment services on my phone. Not because of any trust issues with Cobalt. I simply have trust issues with mobile payment services in general.

    Posted via CB10
    06-07-16 09:49 AM
  12. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    I used Cobalts patches for BB10 and the Google Play Store. And I use his "hack" for the Priv's Android apps for my Droid.


    Trust.. I guess is based on his work and time here on CrackBerry. But I do understand why some would be hesitant. The thing is many of us used even less trustworthy options trying to get our BB10 devcies to meet their full potential. How trustworthy were some of those sites with BAR files on them? Or the online conversion sites that turned an APK into a BAR file? Then as we could install APK directly, how safe were those 3rd party Android Stores?

    But now if you are a smart person that is really security conscious... you'll stick to just not having the apps you might want.
    06-07-16 02:56 PM
  13. rbtg's Avatar
    i use banking credit card apps thanks to Cobalt for a long time and i never had any accts hacked,but Anthem Blue Cross info got hacked
    so far i have no reason not to trust Cobalt ,from here it's your call
    06-07-16 02:56 PM
  14. anon(9742832)'s Avatar
    How safe is it to use Android applications as some weren't designed to be used on blackberry? I'm particularly concerned about using cobalts "patching" process on android apps that wouldn't normally work on blackberry due to "Google services" not being supported such as Google maps. How secure is our information when the apps have to be "patched/hacked?"

    This is concerning as I have downloaded a "patched" version of Google play from cobalt. I hesitated when it came time to download the PayPal application........

    Posted via CB10
    Good question, you have no worries with Cobalt and his programming . Any questions I had he answered clear and honestly. I run with a Passport!

    Woof!
    06-07-16 03:39 PM
  15. keliew's Avatar
    Bringing negative energy is a form of (in)security.

    No wonder not many can trust, or be confident, with BlackBerry.

    BlackBerry Passport via CB10
    06-07-16 04:42 PM
  16. robertillo's Avatar
    If you choose BB because of security, don't do that. If you purchase a BB 10 to run android apps, why? Buy a android device.
    06-08-16 12:42 AM
  17. Polt's Avatar
    I used Cobalts patches for BB10 and the Google Play Store. And I use his "hack" for the Priv's Android apps for my Droid.


    Trust.. I guess is based on his work and time here on CrackBerry. But I do understand why some would be hesitant. The thing is many of us used even less trustworthy options trying to get our BB10 devcies to meet their full potential. How trustworthy were some of those sites with BAR files on them? Or the online conversion sites that turned an APK into a BAR file? Then as we could install APK directly, how safe were those 3rd party Android Stores?

    But now if you are a smart person that is really security conscious... you'll stick to just not having the apps you might want.

    Most of the converter sites just have an bar stored in their server, it reads the apk's name and provides the closest matching bar. So yea, it's pretty risky too. That's why organized appstores are so important.
    06-08-16 05:28 AM
  18. B Louang's Avatar
    Exactly makes the point to my question. Many of the official apps that we use are at least backed up by highly reputable source such as Amazon app store and BlackBerry world. Cobalt is asking how do we gain his trust and ill agree to one of the replies here : take your shades off! Lol

    In all seriousness and excuse my paranoia but since cobalt isn't affiliated with anyone reputable, whose to say that he could be offered x amount of dollars to sell our info, let alone pump up some his android apps to spread malware onto our devices?

    Because I'll tell you one thing, ever since I installed his Google proceses and apps , my phone has been filled with adware/malware from Adchoices. Like literally I can't escape a single screen that's pumped with Adchoices which are ads trying to sell you on your past searches! I'll Google "eddys pizza" next thing you know I'm getting ads for eddys pizza in all my websites and applications? Whats next? My PayPal and banking info?Whatsup with that lol? How close are we to being the next victims like what happened to the folks at Sony.

    Apple is probably laughing at us due to our reliance on android apps, let alone some that are patched/hacked by a stranger just to get ahead of the game.



    Posted via CB10
    Last edited by B Louang; 06-08-16 at 06:06 PM.
    06-08-16 09:50 AM
  19. panven1's Avatar
    Have had Cobalt's apps for a while now and so far nothing bad has happened. Many thanks to Cobalt and his work.

    Posted via CB10
    anon(9742832) likes this.
    06-08-16 10:03 AM
  20. joeldf's Avatar
    I've been running Cobolt's Google services, Google ID for BlackBerry, patched Play store and all for the better part of the past year. I have 31 apps from the Play store, according to the Play store list. And 2 from Amazon.

    I don't have any such adware/malware/whatever. There are ads within some apps - particularly the free ones. That's part of the thing you get with free apps. But they stay only within the app. That's the developer of that app doing that - or, more accurately, allowing it. Not Cobalt.

    Ads in websites? Again, nothing to do with Cobalt, just the nature of web browsing in the 21st century. Everybody gets that no matter what.

    Posted via CB10
    Uzi and anon(9742832) like this.
    06-08-16 10:08 AM
  21. rbtg's Avatar
    yeah i guess it's normal to be suspicious with all criminal minds out there but on the other hand you've got to realize that there is people like Cobalt that is only is asking for a donation and don't need to sell your info even if that's not too hard
    and i think everybody that is happy with his work should donate something
    06-08-16 10:40 AM
  22. anon(5241333)'s Avatar
    If you choose BB because of security, don't do that. If you purchase a BB 10 to run android apps, why? Buy a android device.
    Physical keyboard.
    B Louang likes this.
    06-08-16 11:36 AM
  23. Kean Seng Yap's Avatar
    I seriously think that 'guy' has some serious issues!

    Posted via the everMosT poweRFul ReD paSSporT
    06-09-16 10:22 AM
  24. ChapiNaples's Avatar
    No good deed goes unpunished. I hope Cobalt ignores these quacks, and keeps up the good work he's doing.
    ALToronto likes this.
    06-11-16 12:31 PM

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