1. iDoWell4's Avatar
    At the CES, they hadn't said much about the android support. Is there any information about android apps being brought over, or was the hype about android apps being brought over just in a hopeful manner?

    Regardless, apps keep flowing in, and I keep loving my PB more every day. However, andoid apps would definitely be a plus!
    01-12-12 07:52 PM
  2. kbz1960's Avatar
    People on the beta OS say there are android apps in app world all ready. You can only see them on the beta though.
    01-12-12 08:04 PM
  3. aloon69's Avatar
    01-12-12 08:10 PM
  4. iDoWell4's Avatar
    FYI :

    Handster to Lend a Hand to Developers, Bringing Android Apps to the RIM PlayBook

    Handster Loads 210+ Android Apps & Games for PlayBook in App World - BerryReview[/url]
    That's great. Thanks for the information.
    01-12-12 08:16 PM
  5. TheScionicMan's Avatar
    As several of the Suggested Threads that probably came up when you started this one have mentioned, they might be made by an Android developer, but once they put them through the process to bring them into App World, they will merely be called Apps. There's quite a few in AppWorld if you are on the OS2 beta, but they rarely distinguish themselves as "Android Apps", just like they don't separate AIR apps, Flash or Native apps.
    iDoWell4 likes this.
    01-12-12 08:17 PM
  6. jeffreytoronto's Avatar
    android apps are in app world... have even purchased some already. You really cant tell them apart unless vendor says in app profile.

    Note this is replied using android tapatalk




    Sent from my BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps using Tapatalk
    01-12-12 08:41 PM
  7. aloon69's Avatar
    Sorry for the double link. Still figuring out PB copy/paste ...

    Google - handster android apps playbook - for more info.

    In several demo videos from RIM you see android player running and lists of android apps inside it , have they backed off that now and "hidden" the player to make it appear that the apps are just like your PB apps ?

    I thought I had this figured out and now I'm confused ...

    Will there be an actual android player in 2.0 , or just .apk files converted to .bar ?
    01-12-12 08:55 PM
  8. kbz1960's Avatar
    Sorry for the double link. Still figuring out PB copy/paste ...

    Google - handster android apps playbook - for more info.

    In several demo videos from RIM you see android player running and lists of android apps inside it , have they backed off that now and "hidden" the player to make it appear that the apps are just like your PB apps ?

    I thought I had this figured out and now I'm confused ...

    Will there be an actual android player in 2.0 , or just .apk files converted to .bar ?
    It will have to have the player and yes it will be built in. Devs will have to submit their apps to app world and be approved.
    01-12-12 08:57 PM
  9. aloon69's Avatar
    Will sideloading of android apps still be possible under official 2.0 upgrade ?

    Hope so...
    01-12-12 09:00 PM
  10. kbz1960's Avatar
    Not sure about that one.
    01-12-12 09:02 PM
  11. Bla1ze's Avatar
    There is tons of Android apps already in App World.. not that all them are great.. realistically, it's the worst of what Android has to offer that is available -- crap you don't even really want. And quite honestly, the lack of info abt the Android player from CES is kind of expected, RIM really shouldn't be putting focus on that.

    They've already displayed what can be done natively and it's great -- the whole Android app thing is something that in hindsight, I'm sure RIM wishes they could take back and never have mentioned.
    01-12-12 09:11 PM
  12. iDoWell4's Avatar

    They've already displayed what can be done natively and it's great -- the whole Android app thing is something that in hindsight, I'm sure RIM wishes they could take back and never have mentioned.
    I agree, it sure got my hopes up. Haha.
    01-12-12 09:24 PM
  13. barskin's Avatar
    Ah, well I see this subject is back again, and, if I may be allowed to interject just now.....

    AAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!

    And, might I add that apps that were heretofore available on Android devices that will be now available to PlayBooks users will be PlayBook (or QNX, if you will) apps.
    BuzzStarField likes this.
    01-12-12 09:42 PM
  14. CDM76's Avatar

    They've already displayed what can be done natively and it's great -- the whole Android app thing is something that in hindsight, I'm sure RIM wishes they could take back and never have mentioned.
    Really ? So now developers can build for TWO platforms at same time. Also, RIM reps have stated (RIM Drops More Hints About PlayBook 2.0, BlackBerry 10 | News & Opinion | PCMag.com) more than once that apps available for PlayBook will be AUTOMATICALLY usable on new BB10 phones without any need for developer to change anything. Thats huge ! Now developers can develop Android apps and also submit to RIM to have it available on PB and BB10 phones. I see this as huge benifit. No more worries about form factors !!! It will take a year or so for developers to catch up but it will be great.

    Also, just speculating but I am thinking RIM is delaying release of some bigger named (Android) apps until official release of OS2.0

    I expected better from you Bla1ze.
    01-12-12 09:55 PM
  15. BuzzStarField's Avatar
    Sorry for the double link. Still figuring out PB copy/paste ...

    Google - handster android apps playbook - for more info.

    In several demo videos from RIM you see android player running and lists of android apps inside it , have they backed off that now and "hidden" the player to make it appear that the apps are just like your PB apps ?

    I thought I had this figured out and now I'm confused ...

    Will there be an actual android player in 2.0 , or just .apk files converted to .bar ?
    I have uploaded a picture of my desktop using OS2 Beta with the Android player running (minimized) and an air app (also running minimized).There are two Android apps showing on the player's desktop. You will notice that the Android player is a virtual Android tablet that has its own desktop with a status bar containing a back button, a help icon and icons for all the running apps.

    You can make the status bar disappear. When you do that an app runs in full screen and looks identical to any other PB apps. But is really running in it's separate space with all the open android apps.
    aloon69 likes this.
    01-12-12 10:04 PM
  16. BuzzStarField's Avatar
    Ah, well I see this subject is back again, and, if I may be allowed to interject just now.....

    AAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!

    And, might I add that apps that were heretofore available on Android devices that will be now available to PlayBooks users will be PlayBook (or QNX, if you will) apps.
    This was worth repeating and so I am repeating it.

    In any event, I finally got around to checking this plyer thing out and it's really quite nicely implemented. When an Android app is running full screen, you can't tell it from a "real "native" app.

    I really don't see what the big deal is. If Android devs take this seriously, they will be able to get their apps into another market with next to no work. If they don't go for it, they are making an error in judgement IMHO. Whether the current crop of Android apps in app world are "crap" or "the best thing since sliced bread" is absolutely immaterial. The platform has been built and they (thousands of new and useful apps) will come (if not now then eventually).
    01-12-12 10:17 PM
  17. aloon69's Avatar
    Thanks buzz ...

    Will there still be a developers mode in 2.0 , allowing you to sideload apps ? Just curious ...
    01-12-12 10:20 PM
  18. BuzzStarField's Avatar
    Thanks buzz ...

    Will there still be a developers mode in 2.0 , allowing you to sideload apps ? Just curious ...
    Well I certainly hope so because I need it to do my work!

    I "sideload" my app about 341 times a day while I'm testing incremental changes to my code-base. It sure beats the simulator that I had prior to launch - and even then you had had to turn on development mode before testing in the sim.

    Developers mode is essential and will not be taken away notwithstanding some other peoples' less honourable designs for the facility. Speaking of possible piracy - I don't think it will be a problem because consumers, for the most part, will prefer the virus-free safety and convenience of App World.

    And I can't be sure, but from the reading that I've been doing. I think that a lot of Android developers will enjoy having a safe haven, in app world, from the rampant wild-west-style piracy that plagues the Android market place.
    Last edited by BuzzStarField; 01-12-12 at 10:50 PM.
    01-12-12 10:46 PM
  19. BB_Bmore's Avatar
    Soon you wont have to worry if "Android" apps will be on Playbook.Rim is showing devs that it is a serious platform and that they are here to stay.As mentioned above,apps on the playbook will also work on bb10 devices so why would devs not want to thier apps on BlackBerry? The whole os has changed with qnx and bb10.It is more dev friendly if you will and Rim has done a good job getting some of the bigger devs to come to the platform and so more will follow.It is all falling in place and not long from now the blackberry platform and its lack of apps will be a thing of the past.I love were Rim is going and im glad i stuck it out through the dark times because it is getting very good very quick like and i am excited and all smiles.
    01-12-12 11:40 PM
  20. aloon69's Avatar
    Buzz , thanks. Still fresh from the PB womb here and catching up with the program. My question was meant to ask if .bar files that were apps not available from berry-store , but converted from .apk and working could continue to sideloaded under official 2.0.

    I just wasn't clear on that one point.
    Last edited by aloon69; 01-12-12 at 11:58 PM.
    01-12-12 11:55 PM
  21. BuzzStarField's Avatar
    Buzz , thanks. Still fresh from the PB womb here and catching up with the program. My question was meant to ask if .bar files that were apps not available from berryworld but converted from .apk and working could continue to sideloaded under official 2.0.

    I just wasn't clear on that one point.
    The short answer is yes. Apps that work on the final release of the beta will also work on the official OS2. You may have to reinstall them though because a security wipe may be advisable before updating the OS.

    The rest of this post is just a bunch of stuff that crossed my mind as I was writing the short answer:

    I would hope that you are asking the authors of the your "unofficial" apps if you can use their apps in the way that you are. I am asking this because, as a developer, I wouldn't want somebody to be deciding for me where my app is being distributed. Even if the app is free now I may not want it to be free after i convert to a bar and submit it to app world.

    The current android market is fraught with piracy and while I may not be popular for saying this, I think that people (not you) who want to escape paying the asking price for apps are doing irreparable damage to our ability to make a living.

    Only 3 percent of apps downloaded from Android market are paid apps and I think this is one very good reason why developers might want to monetize their apps by submitting them to app world instead. This new generation of developers will have an excellent incentive to stick around and continue to create great apps for consumers.
    01-13-12 12:26 AM
  22. Bla1ze's Avatar
    Really ? So now developers can build for TWO platforms at same time. Also, RIM reps have stated (RIM Drops More Hints About PlayBook 2.0, BlackBerry 10 | News & Opinion | PCMag.com) more than once that apps available for PlayBook will be AUTOMATICALLY usable on new BB10 phones without any need for developer to change anything. Thats huge ! Now developers can develop Android apps and also submit to RIM to have it available on PB and BB10 phones. I see this as huge benifit. No more worries about form factors !!! It will take a year or so for developers to catch up but it will be great.

    Also, just speculating but I am thinking RIM is delaying release of some bigger named (Android) apps until official release of OS2.0

    I expected better from you Bla1ze.
    Lol, you expected better from me? The Android app thing was a mistake and now RIM has to go through with it, even Kevin has said this on multiple occasions on CrackBerry podcasts.

    It's a great concept but it's flawed, and the Android apps in there are all terrible and if you think RIM is holding back apps, you're wrong -- they're not. Truth is, they don't have any Android developers wanting to put their apps in there..that's the reality of the situation.

    All the big players are aligning now and they ARE NOT doing it with Android, they are doing it natively. Cut the Rope, Angry Birds, Plants vs. Zombies.. EA Games.. all done without waiting for the Android player, which is RIM's real intentions.

    It's obtuse to think that RIM really wants you porting Android apps to their platform -- it's a stepping stone in an effort to get Android devs in there, see what money can be made and eventually get them off of the Android app player and building native apps.

    I'm sure you'll once again disagree with me and that's fine by me.. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I'm just trying to keep it real with ya. Sounds great when people talk about it but it's not all gum drops and lollipops.
    01-13-12 04:01 AM
  23. ody360's Avatar
    ive got a bunch of android apps sideloaded since 2.0 beta... probably more than native apps. its great to have them and they made my pb so much more useful, by my problem with itis thati lose my multitasking ability... i only have 1 instance of appplayer running so with multiple android apps, i cant switch between them
    01-13-12 04:17 AM
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