[Akamali]

okay here is an update, the BlackBerry apps were patched by certain developers on XDA forums and the apps works with certain type of phones. Some people reported that the virtual keyboard is quite big, others letters were small, some issues with the HUB that requires you to root the device to work properly. Anyway fresh apks from BlackBerry doesn't work right off the bat on other Android phones unless they are cracked. I think BlackBerry has to work harder on securing the apps to work only with the PRIV.

Posted via CB10

[Tre Lawrence]

Although it's worth noting the way Samsung do things.

They theme and customise android to suit their own goals and create their own unique user experience complete with Samsung only apps, users then are more likely to buy another Samsung phone because they feel at home using it.

Obviously this is blackberry's first foray into the wilds android OS, but considering they have the development history of making their own apps and their own UI, I think that they could make the blackberry software a huge draw card.

Personally I'm excited to see how it all develops.

Very true. Samsung has had a lot of time to get this right, so much so that it's almost a fork itself.

I don't know that there is any one app that is exceptionally popular from Samsung.

Stuff like the Hub might be appreciated though. I doubt the keyboard will be as appreciated, just because of availability of other entrenched options.

Good point...

[cgk]

Do not know what people expect... this is Android afterall.... land of the hacks... unless you embed features directly into the OS which I believe you cannot under the Google licensing agreements... expect to have your apkls ripped off... as the old song goes... "yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me" .... the Android national anthem....

Within limits you can embed features into OS but bbry isn't going to that because it increases costs and if they want to package an experienced pack to sell they want them to be OEM agnostic.

[Tre Lawrence]

Within limits you can embed features into OS but bbry isn't going to that because it increases costs and if they want to package an experienced pack to sell they want them to be OEM agnostic.

I think this would be the smart route.

[ajgftw]

Very true. Samsung has had a lot of time to get this right, so much so that it's almost a fork itself.

I don't know that there is any one app that is exceptionally popular from Samsung.

Stuff like the Hub might be appreciated though. I doubt the keyboard will be as appreciated, just because of availability of other entrenched options.

Good point...

That's the beauty of what Samsung did, they didn't actually really make am of their own apps, they just tweaked the UI and added a few features here are there to improve the workflow and to make the UI really consistent. Throw in unique hard ware like the s-pen and you've got a very compelling package.

Let's say blackberry follow the same path, they already have the unique hardware attributes, they have the potential to replicate on android the workflow they created on their own OS....considering this is there first device in the arena....they are already ticking alot of the right boxes....


...Now....what was the point of this thread again.....?

[BCITMike]

Installing BBM on Android and iOs assigns the user's phone a BlackBerry PIN.
Maybe BlackBerry should be looking at distributing their software suite that way... where the VKB and Hub require a BlackBerry PIN to run.
That way they can police if the device downloaded it officially.
Just a suggestion..

Posted via CB10

Then the check is disabled by crack.

I think the issue is that code is not obfuscated on Android. Or at least I'm not aware of any, there probably is.

Posted via CB10

[Camelhmpz]

Oh come on... a bit too much read into this. It's gonna take a while for most of us old times to get with the switch. Jaydee is an angel who looks out for BB users.

How does "real Android" translate to snark anyway?

You answered your own question... duh

Posted via CB10

[Tre Lawrence]

You answered your own question... duh

I mostly expected to.

[evodevo69]

Wow got it working in my g3. One thing I'll say though is that it doesn't quite work as well as it did in BlackBerry 10.

Way too many word suggestions and they're huge in size making flicking the wrong word easy.

Also, I think BlackBerry needs to bring in the editing circle...the android handling of cursor and editing is so garbage.

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[Pdoody]

This might be a marketing ploy to expose more Google Android users to BlackBerry and over time enhanced features will only be available to BlackBerry Android users on a BlackBerry smartphone with others left with "the sampler pack."

Seems pretty smart to me. Great idea.

May help BBM popularity.

Posted via CB10

[bhoqeem]

Which is why I'm laughing so hard when I saw the video about it. BlackBerry--and all of priv shriners, should have realized that once stepping into analdroid land, this very thing is INEVITABLE! No use shutting it down, either. They'll always find a way.

Now the snowball effect.

God, I'm laughing again.

[Mecca EL]

In general Google Android users seem to be self-entitled, narcissistic thieves. BlackBerry users used to be highly ethical and principled though I fear we are witnessing the decline in this status since the introduction of BlackBerry Player for Android when BlackBerry OS 10 was released.

You haven't been here long. Blackberry Users CREATED this culture. BBOS...we hacked, slashed, tore, ripped, uploaded, downloaded, stole, sold and bought. Where are you people coming from with this higher standards BlackBerry User crap from? Loooooooooong before there was and Android OS, we hacked the phones. You weren't there, so of course you don't know this.

[Akamali]

If you don't want to pay for the PRIV for one reason or other, you will end up cracking stuff and trying to get things to work. It will never work as smooth as it will run on the PRIV. You won't get updates, and you will always live with a doubt that these apps are from untrusted source and only God knows if it contains key loggers, malware or something else. If you are okay with that then happy cracked apps for you just like my friend who jail broke his iPhone and was telling me that he can't do online banking on it because he is too scared something might be logged somewhere.

Posted via CB10

[Xaiux]

I'm the one who started the XDA thread. I'm typing this using the Blackberry keyboard on my Nexus 7 2013. I'm tired of seeing blackberry fanboys (yes, they exist) fail to understand how android works. If you take the time to research a bit, or even just go skim the XDA threads, you'll see just how little grabbing the apps means for the Priv's security reputation.All the guys who worked on it had to do was get the file from someone with a Priv, decompile it, change about one or two lines, and then recompile the apk. Discussion about rooting is barely starting, but it is agreed that rooting will be not impossible, but really really hard. However, unlocking the bootloader and installing other ROMs is considered likely not happening. Before your go and say the Priv has no security compared to other Android devices, do your research.

[Akamali]

Shawn bowman if that is your real name, you are such a dumb guy to post your first and last name because you just violated BlackBerry terms and conditions and you may be sued by BlackBerry.

Posted via CB10

[Mecca EL]

Piracy issue aside, answer this: do you REALLY want to install and use a software keyboard from unknown sources? Perfect entry point for a keylogger.

I like this question, because that covers the ENTIRE app ecosystem across ALL operating systems. I installed apps on my 9810, Z10, and Q10 from devs I've known for YEARS. I beta tested for them, assisted in development, had drinks with them. But the average user does not know, without doubt, WHAT dev to trust. I don't care if there's a Built For BlackBerry sticker on it, do you actually KNOW the person who developed that app?

Short answer: No.

So installing an app is a crap shoot, and we are ALL gambling.

[Granehill]

I also can not find them in the play store.

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

They will hopefully not come

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[bluetroll]

I'm the one who started the XDA thread. I'm typing this using the Blackberry keyboard on my Nexus 7 2013. I'm tired of seeing blackberry fanboys (yes, they exist) fail to understand how android works. If you take the time to research a bit, or even just go skim the XDA threads, you'll see just how little grabbing the apps means for the Priv's security reputation.All the guys who worked on it had to do was get the file from someone with a Priv, decompile it, change about one or two lines, and then recompile the apk. Discussion about rooting is barely starting, but it is agreed that rooting will be not impossible, but really really hard. However, unlocking the bootloader and installing other ROMs is considered likely not happening. Before your go and say the Priv has no security compared to other Android devices, do your research.

I don't see the big problem with people hacking this stuff.

It just further strengthens the need for BlackBerry to sell the suite of apps in Google Play. Sell a subscription service that includes the hub, keyboard and other BlackBerry goodies.

Posted via CB10

[Mecca EL]

okay here is an update, the BlackBerry apps were patched by certain developers on XDA forums and the apps works with certain type of phones. Some people reported that the virtual keyboard is quite big, others letters were small, some issues with the HUB that requires you to root the device to work properly. Anyway fresh apks from BlackBerry doesn't work right off the bat on other Android phones unless they are cracked. I think BlackBerry has to work harder on securing the apps to work only with the PRIV.

Posted via CB10

You have no idea what you are talking about.

[Xaiux]

Shawn bowman if that is your real name, you are such a dumb guy to post your first and last name because you just violated BlackBerry terms and conditions and you may be sued by BlackBerry.

Posted via CB10

Explain? I never signed anything or agreed to anything to use these apps. What terms and conditions could I have violated if I never agreed to any? I have been considering a name change for other reasons though.

[Tre Lawrence]

Shawn bowman if that is your real name, you are such a dumb guy to post your first and last name because you just violated BlackBerry terms and conditions and you may be sued by BlackBerry.

LOL.

Y'all are freakin' hilarious.

[Camelhmpz]

LOL.

Y'all are freakin' hilarious.

^this. Lmao



Posted via CB10

[ToniCipriani]

I like this question, because that covers the ENTIRE app ecosystem across ALL operating systems. I installed apps on my 9810, Z10, and Q10 from devs I've known for YEARS. I beta tested for them, assisted in development, had drinks with them. But the average user does not know, without doubt, WHAT dev to trust. I don't care if there's a Built For BlackBerry sticker on it, do you actually KNOW the person who developed that app?

Short answer: No.

So installing an app is a crap shoot, and we are ALL gambling.

Yes but that's not my point. You know them, that's the key difference, then of course is a different story. I know there have been instances where apps come from trusted sources were still dodgy, but at least it's a first line of defense for average users, that was my point. Simple question of a "patched" APK sitting on Mega versus something from an app store, where there are some people still doing crappy reviews.

But then this goes for average users probably don't care about security nor piracy issues.

[werkregen]

Wow that's actually the most devastating news I have ever heard. The phone has not been shipped out yet and people managed to steal the app files and install them. I was always told that it would be impossible to install them on non BlackBerry devices but I guess you can. Such a shame, maybe it's time to get the HTC phone the one looks like the iPhone and copy the apks on it and use it. LOL that would be nice

Posted via CB10

I don't remember bbry reps saying that the apps won't work on non-blackberry devices. These were just assumptions.

Anyway it's better like this. They held on to BBM so long it became irrelevant. People can have a taste of BlackBerry apps and bb can charge some money on them. They did say that software is their new direction so it makes sense to allow people to use it.

Posted via CB10

[darkehawke]

In general Google Android users seem to be self-entitled, narcissistic thieves. BlackBerry users used to be highly ethical and principled though I fear we are witnessing the decline in this status since the introduction of BlackBerry Player for Android when BlackBerry OS 10 was released.

lol big words considering the practice of pirating and distributing OS releases was rife here.

The vast majority of Android users will always pay for official apps, if Blackberry makes it available, they will reap the benefits