Sideloading and App Management via Google Chrome / Firefox

**soul2k** · 05-06-2012, 04:23 PM

I came across this Chrome extension today that will enable you to manage applications on your PlayBook via the browser. Firefox is also supported but a more complicated setup.

Playbook App Manager

Looks like a good alternative to command line and/or DDPB.

**nappp** · 05-06-2012, 04:42 PM

have you tested it yet?

**SifJar** · 05-06-2012, 04:49 PM

The dev posted a thread about it here: http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...anager-721904/

I have tried it, works well from my testing, much slicker to drag a downloaded .BAR from the download shelf up to the drop area on the extension than to load up BBH-Tool or DDPB. Only issue I have so far is that it can't be easily launched as far as I can see. No button or anything, you have to go into Chrome's extensions menu and click the "Options" link for the extension to access it.

EDIT: Actually, you can just enter https:// and then the IP address of the PB to access it. That works nicely. Got it bookmarked now so I do sort of have a button for it.

**soul2k** · 05-06-2012, 04:52 PM

Sorry didn't see the original thread from the author, not usually in the OS forum.

As for launching I just bookmarked the main page of the extension.

**Yankee495** · 05-06-2012, 05:03 PM

just put the network ID of your PB....appears to work wireless.

Trying it now.

Uninstalled wireless! Woohoo!

**xACiD** · 05-06-2012, 07:01 PM

Is this done wirelessly?? I'm not at home right now to test this out, and the website linked in the other thread is blocked..

**soul2k** · 05-06-2012, 09:25 PM

Yes. The PlayBook dev tools/commands (which the extensions and ddpb use) allow for wireless or wired installation.

**Yankee495** · 05-07-2012, 12:45 AM

OK then.

I'm very happy to report that this WORKS IN LINUX.

I'm running Mandriva Linux 2010.2 and had to update Chrome. I haven't had to do much to it since I set it up two years ago so it took a minute.

The catch:

You cannot use the Playbook network ID. You must use the PB IP address.

Don't know why, but it just don't work.

Us Linux guys always get left out when something cool comes along, but not this time.

Google Chrome or Chromium and the word linux to find an update in you need to.

**Guyzer** · 10-01-2012, 09:20 PM

well something weird happend to me just now after installing this app into chrome. i also use the chrome google voice extension so Im always logged in. after installed this extension I got a random call from some weird number, denied it, and blocked it, but I am wondering if this has anything to do with this app

actually more weirdness after unstalling it i had random apps opening up on my playbook. mainly the one thats my rdp app so Im wondering now truly how safe is this extension?

**russnash** · 10-05-2012, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by Yankee495

OK then.

I'm very happy to report that this WORKS IN LINUX.

I'm running Mandriva Linux 2010.2 and had to update Chrome. I haven't had to do much to it since I set it up two years ago so it took a minute.

The catch:

You cannot use the Playbook network ID. You must use the PB IP address.

Don't know why, but it just don't work.

Us Linux guys always get left out when something cool comes along, but not this time.

Google Chrome or Chromium and the word linux to find an update in you need to.

I've used this successfully in Chromium on Ubuntu 12.04... I love it!

When you say that you *must* use the IP address and not the PB name, are you saying that you cannot use an assigned TCP/IP hostname? I run my own DNS server at home and have my PB / DA entered with appropriate hostnames so I can refer to them by name in this extension. You can do the same simply by adding them to /etc/hosts.

**LimeTripBlog** · 10-05-2012, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by Guyzer

well something weird happend to me just now after installing this app into chrome. i also use the chrome google voice extension so Im always logged in. after installed this extension I got a random call from some weird number, denied it, and blocked it, but I am wondering if this has anything to do with this app

actually more weirdness after unstalling it i had random apps opening up on my playbook. mainly the one thats my rdp app so Im wondering now truly how safe is this extension?

Even I've got the same question "How Safe Is It?"
The developer of the app is Gridbook try visiting this website.

This extension can access:
Your data on all websites
Your tabs and browsing activity

**Agentblk** · 10-12-2012, 02:57 PM

i have a small problem i can get into my development mode. i place a pass code that i would remember and nothing. I have just 10 try left. So any question to get the work!

**ma678** · 10-12-2012, 06:42 PM

I tried to install Google Maps today via this today, and luckily it loaded first time.

I was never able to load it successfully after being installed via DDPB.

**andrewmcwhirter** · 10-23-2012, 10:51 AM

This is great. I just loaded 3 apps with no problems. Couldn't be easier!

**vserghi** · 11-26-2012, 07:38 PM

I've tried this but I am getting knowhere. I tried the 192.168... address as well as the 169.254... address with no luck. I enter the password of my playbook but it does not like it. I've done five attempts whereupon the playbook asks me to type in "Blackberry", so it is seeing the attempts. I see the certificate error as well, so it is making a connection.

I don't know what other password i'm suposed to use, any help?

Running Chromium v25 on Linux, and the latest Playbook OS.

Vas

F2 · 11-26-2012, 09:01 PM

vserghi:

Did you enable Development Mode in The pb's Security settings?

I use the ip address of my pb.

**travisredpath** · 11-27-2012, 12:48 AM

Originally Posted by F2

Did you enable Development Mode in The pb's Security settings?

If you did there should be the top of a little man in the top bar of the Playbook that if you click on him, he will tell you your IP address.

About the Chrome extension, I've found it to be somewhat unreliable. When it works it works great but quite frequently it won't log in. When it won't log in DDPB still works fine, so I'm not sure whether there are issues with more recent versions of Chrome (I have the latest Chrome Canary build) or if the plugin itself is just flakey. DDPB is still the best way to install apps, even if it lacks some of the features of the Chrome extension.

**SifJar** · 11-27-2012, 04:47 AM

I've never had an issues connecting to my PB with the extension (provided I get the IP right; I use different WiFi connections at different times and sometimes get mixed up, but that's not the fault of the extension), I use Chrome on Beta channel (i.e. "between" Canary build and Stable release).

**vserghi** · 11-27-2012, 05:59 AM

F2: Yes it is enabled, hence the 169.254... address I tried
travisredpath: yes I saw the little man at the top

Could it be the version of Chromium I am using?

**SCrid2000** · 11-27-2012, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by vserghi

F2: Yes it is enabled, hence the 169.254... address I tried
travisredpath: yes I saw the little man at the top

Could it be the version of Chromium I am using?

Very unlikely. Are you using https instead of http?

**travisredpath** · 11-27-2012, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by SCrid2000

Are you using https instead of http?

You have to use https.

**vserghi** · 11-28-2012, 05:52 AM

That could be the problem then. Chromium goes to http instead of https. How can I force the https option?

I get the warning about an unutrusted certificate screen. I pressed the proceed button as suggested on the extension website, then the browser shows a red crossed out https.

**diegonei** · 11-28-2012, 10:11 AM

HAHA! Guys, thanks for this! I have successfully removed ALL languages I will never use from myu PlayBook!

**lcgoldman** · 11-28-2012, 11:13 AM

OMG, that could NOT have been easier!!! (I'm on a Mac, so this is a real time saver)

Thank you for creating this!!

I just installed Words for Friends (ver 4.73)... it's telling me that there's an update available and it sent me to Appworld. Where can I get the latest version so that the program is happy and I can be happy! I can't wait to try other programs... this just opened up a whole new world for me!

**lcgoldman** · 11-28-2012, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by lcgoldman

OMG, that could NOT have been easier!!!

Thank you for creating this!!

I just installed Words for Friends (ver 4.73)... it's telling me that there's an update available and it sent me to Appworld. Where can I get the latest version so that the program is happy and I can be happy! I can't wait to try other programs... this just opened up a whole new world for me!

For anyone looking, I found 4.82 here: Words With Friends 4.82 - Downloads - BlackBerryOS.com

Loaded and it's working.

YAYAY for this extension. Three thumbs up!!