[DadDoes]

Dan- First, I loved watching your video. You seem very up-beat and personable, and that's also how you come across here on CrackBerry as well.

Second, I think the fact that you joined in on the conversation speaks volumes! This community is used to being ignored and ridiculed by the press & bloggers (largely due to ignorance, we believe), so we appreciate your honest assessment & support!

Finally, welcome to the community! Now that I've discovered you, I've viewed some of your other helpful reviews. I love technology & gadgets, so I'll follow closely.

Again, welcome!
Keith

Keith H. Posted by CB10 from my Z10.

Hey Keith,

Thanks very much for the kind words. My bad on taking the bait and responding to why I am here - just feeds things getting off topic and places divisions where none need to be. I'm trying not to be distracted by shiny objects and staying focused now...

You guys are all deep into the BlackBerry world, follow each OS update and really know your stuff...which is of course wonderful. As an outsider to this world (confession - never visited Crackberry before this challenge...I will give you all a moment now to gasp in horror and think less of me) it really was interesting to see what BlackBerry still has to offer. If you read the press, the only real discussion seems to be about who will buy BlackBerry and will they even make it.

So, as an outsider, it really has been interesting to learn that the Z30 and BB OS have a lot to offer. Is it enough to overcome the App Gap? Will 10.2.1 remove the app gap? Will the push of Android apps to BlackBerry make BlackBerry phones just a "subset" of Android phones? Will Verizon ever push the 10.2.1 update? All questions well above my pay grade, but great to see a group of passionate users who are actively discussing it. The one thing we have found - be it toys, gadgets, food - where there is passion, cool things happen!

Thanks,
Dan

[MikeLip]

So, as an outsider, it really has been interesting to learn that the Z30 and BB OS have a lot to offer. Is it enough to overcome the App Gap? Will 10.2.1 remove the app gap? Will the push of Android apps to BlackBerry make BlackBerry phones just a "subset" of Android phones? Will Verizon ever push the 10.2.1 update? All questions well above my pay grade, but great to see a group of passionate users who are actively discussing it. The one thing we have found - be it toys, gadgets, food - where there is passion, cool things happen!

Thanks,
Dan

Sounds like someone should be making book on this. Maybe BB could do that and use the proceeds to start a group to pump out good apps.

[Delil]

there's absolutely no sign of this happening. It's OS/2 all over again. Noe that the Android apps (somewhat) work, the development of new native apps has completely died.

I think there are examples of android ports which went native after there were enough BlackBerry owners using it. Forgot the names.
But definitely more devices need to be out there and I think the Z3 and the ridiculous low prices of the current BB10 devices will achieve just that.

Posted via CB10

[iN8ter]

there's absolutely no sign of this happening. It's OS/2 all over again. Now that the Android apps (somewhat) work, the development of new native apps has completely died.

That's the issue many of us seen with the Android player before it ever launched.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 3 using Tapatalk

[jhanks64]

I wanted to let you in on one of the best kept secrets of BlackBerry phones that until BBM went cross-platform was available only to us CrackBerrians. Since you have a family and I'm sure not everyone has a BlackBerry, I'd recommend everyone in your family install BBM on their phones. Then create a BBM Group (you can call It Dad's Family) and invite everyone into it. Here are some of the best features:

1. Instantly everyone in your Group has a shared calendar on their device that when one person enters an event (i.e. "Soccer match at 11:00 AM"; "BBQ at grandma's on Saturday 12:00") everyone's phone is automatically updated with that event, including customizable notificatons that everyone gets. This prevents double-booking and has saved our family untold hours of teeth gnashing.

2. Send just one BBM message to the Group and everyone gets it (i.e. "Hey guys - dinner is at 6:00 tonight - get your rears home").

3. You can post photos that eveyone can see

4. You can create multiple lists for "to do" chores and shopping lists. The tasks can also be assigned to anyone in the Group with due dates when they need to be done.

BBM Groups is an invaluable organization tool that isn't very well advertised by BlackBerry. I'd guess a fair percentage of people reading this that have had a BlackBerry for years don't even know the power of this feature.

I love my little family BBM Group! One thing is super great, if I switch to a different BB10 device and switch BBM, all my other chats are lost, but the BBM Group comes over.

The main thing I miss is Delivery and Read notifications in groups.

[DadDoes]

Well, Verizon has finally provided 10.2.1 for Z30 owners in the USA. Excited to test out the new features and see if the app gap does indeed go away...or shrink. My kids will definitely be happy if the Z30 has Netflix!

[MikeLip]

There is no native Netflix. But you can run the Android version by installing Snap and getting it from the android app store. Works fine.

[rickkel]

There is no native Netflix. But you can run the Android version by installing Snap and getting it from the android app store. Works fine.

Dad, I just wanted to make sure you know that you cannot download Snap from BlackBerry World. Unfortunately the only way you can do this is via what is called sideloading or via the much easier Sachesi installer. I know you had a rule that you'd only alter the phone the way any consumer off the street can. Although Snap is by far superior and more polished, you can download the Amazon Appstore app directly from Amazon (like any other consumer would). Just search in your browser for it. It has most of the apps from the Google Play catalog, but some of them aren't as up-to-date. It does have Netflix and it works just fine on the Z30.

[skynny70]

Well, Verizon has finally provided 10.2.1 for Z30 owners in the USA. Excited to test out the new features and see if the app gap does indeed go away...or shrink. My kids will definitely be happy if the Z30 has Netflix!

You can download the Amazon App Store to get Netflix. It works great on my Z10. Also can get Spotify and many other "Big Name " apps.



Posted via CB10

[DadDoes]

Dad, I just wanted to make sure you know that you cannot download Snap from BlackBerry World. Unfortunately the only way you can do this is via what is called sideloading or via the much easier Sachesi installer. I know you had a rule that you'd only alter the phone the way any consumer off the street can. Although Snap is by far superior and more polished, you can download the Amazon Appstore app directly from Amazon (like any other consumer would). Just search in your browser for it. It has most of the apps from the Google Play catalog, but some of them aren't as up-to-date. It does have Netflix and it works just fine on the Z30.

Hey Rickkel, MikeLip and Skynny70

Thanks for the info. Yes, I really did not want to go through a complicated procedure to get the 10.2.1 until my carrier officially offered it, because I did not think "regular" users would do it. Verizon finally pushed it today, so that problem is gone. Now, I do need to figure out - would a "regular" user side-load? I did just install Snap via the procedure described here on CB and it was fairly easy. Is it for everyone? Honestly, probably not. I did have to add my IP address to the Google Chrome Extension and that would be enough to throw off some casual users. In any case, need to figure this out and maybe see how Amazon App Store compares to Snap.

Quick question - looking for some honest feedback on success rates when installing Android apps. I installed Netflix via Snap and it seems to work fine. I then saw some game called "SmashHit" as a top free game - so decided to install. It just crashed when I try to play it. Obviously, not a very big sample size - but I am at a 50% success rate.

To you power users who have installed or attempted to install a large amount of Android apps, what are you finding for a success rate?

Thanks for your help as always,
Dan

[trinipoco]

I use mobile1 which doesn't need to be sideloaded and I'm getting a 60% ratio of working vs non working apps

Posted via CB10

[Peevish]

All of the apps I have tried have worked.

As for the complicated procedure to get snap, you can also download amazon market, fairly easily, just go to their site and in your phone and download the apk for the store.

Posted via CB10

[Peevish]

Although I will say I would take a native third party app 100% of the time over an android part.

Posted via CB10

[jhanks64]

I'm not sure why you used Chrome to sideload Snap. Using Sachesi is two files to download and one drag and drop process.

Hard to get easier than that.

I'm telling people to expect 80% of Android apps will probably work, but maybe 60% is a better number.

From what I've read over time, many Android Apps don't work on Android phones half of the time either.

Posted via CB10 on my Verizon Z30

[jic999]

Dad, I just wanted to make sure you know that you cannot download Snap from BlackBerry World. Unfortunately the only way you can do this is via what is called sideloading or via the much easier Sachesi installer. I know you had a rule that you'd only alter the phone the way any consumer off the street can. Although Snap is by far superior and more polished, you can download the Amazon Appstore app directly from Amazon (like any other consumer would). Just search in your browser for it. It has most of the apps from the Google Play catalog, but some of them aren't as up-to-date. It does have Netflix and it works just fine on the Z30.

What is the much easier Sachesi installer.? Where do you find the this

Z30 : posted via CB10 app

[Tre Lawrence]

From what I've read over time, many Android Apps don't work on Android phones half of the time either.

LOL.

I highly doubt BBRY will use that line, so you shouldn't either.

[Apollo_IV]

Hey Rickkel, MikeLip and Skynny70

Thanks for the info. Yes, I really did not want to go through a complicated procedure to get the 10.2.1 until my carrier officially offered it, because I did not think "regular" users would do it. Verizon finally pushed it today, so that problem is gone. Now, I do need to figure out - would a "regular" user side-load? I did just install Snap via the procedure described here on CB and it was fairly easy. Is it for everyone? Honestly, probably not. I did have to add my IP address to the Google Chrome Extension and that would be enough to throw off some casual users. In any case, need to figure this out and maybe see how Amazon App Store compares to Snap.

Quick question - looking for some honest feedback on success rates when installing Android apps. I installed Netflix via Snap and it seems to work fine. I then saw some game called "SmashHit" as a top free game - so decided to install. It just crashed when I try to play it. Obviously, not a very big sample size - but I am at a 50% success rate.

To you power users who have installed or attempted to install a large amount of Android apps, what are you finding for a success rate?

Thanks for your help as always,
Dan

Smash Hit will run perfectly fine if you install Google Play Services & Google Play Store. I had the same problem before and it was driving me crazy.

You're most likely never going to use either but in order for the game to run it must be present.

[Admorris]

Smash Hit will run perfectly fine if you install Google Play Services & Google Play Store. I had the same problem before and it was driving me crazy.

You're most likely never going to use either but in order for the game to run it must be present.

How do you install google play services?

Posted via CB10

[FunktasticLucky]

The one thing I didn't like about amazon app store is that it opens any time you open an app you downloaded from it. Every time I would enable or disable blue tooth my amazon app store as well as Skype would start up in the background.

Also, when I used Songza from amazon it would sometimes tell me that amazon services couldn't be reached, to check my Internet connection then close Songza. So they have out ties into the apps from their store. I don't know what they are gathering from my stuff but I didn't feel comfortable with it. So I just deleted the store and whatever apps I downloaded from it.

It's snap and BlackBerry World for me

Posted via CB10

[Apollo_IV]

How do you install google play services?

Posted via CB10

Download the file I posted in my thread in the APK section onto your phone and install.

[Delil]

I'm eagerly waiting for your updated review of the Z30 with the new OS.

Posted with my dirty thirty!

[rickkel]

Download the file I posted in my thread in the APK section onto your phone and install.

This is good to know. I thought it wasn't possible. I really want my Good Sam auto club app to work but it crashes and says I need Google Services to work.

Posted via CB10

[rickkel]

To you power users who have installed or attempted to install a large amount of Android apps, what are you finding for a success rate?

My track record has been pretty good. I have downloaded Netflix, HBOGO, two bank apps, American Airlines mobile, Sirius XM app, YouMail Voicemail, and Amazon mobile and all of them work flawlessly. Words with Friends and Scrabble both work, but crash on a regular basis, but not bad enough to not enjoy them. Good Sam Auto Club won't work at all. Overall a good track record for me.

Posted via CB10

[medic22003]

I've got strelok, Hulu, Netflix, my banking app and had Pandora just to see if it worked. Medscape worked but crashed too much. Amazon shopping app works but I took it off simply because the browser works better. Amazon mp3 works, just lags loading a little. Ems field guide didnt do so hot, didnt try the paid version. I paid for the puffin browser when I used android. I'll go try it and let you know if it works.


The paid puffin browser works just fine.

Posted via CB10

[kimoi]

Hey Rickkel, MikeLip and Skynny70

Thanks for the info. Yes, I really did not want to go through a complicated procedure to get the 10.2.1 until my carrier officially offered it, because I did not think "regular" users would do it. Verizon finally pushed it today, so that problem is gone. Now, I do need to figure out - would a "regular" user side-load? I did just install Snap via the procedure described here on CB and it was fairly easy. Is it for everyone? Honestly, probably not. I did have to add my IP address to the Google Chrome Extension and that would be enough to throw off some casual users. In any case, need to figure this out and maybe see how Amazon App Store compares to Snap.

Quick question - looking for some honest feedback on success rates when installing Android apps. I installed Netflix via Snap and it seems to work fine. I then saw some game called "SmashHit" as a top free game - so decided to install. It just crashed when I try to play it. Obviously, not a very big sample size - but I am at a 50% success rate.

To you power users who have installed or attempted to install a large amount of Android apps, what are you finding for a success rate?

Thanks for your help as always,
Dan

Maybe, just maybe you shouldn't underestimate what 'casual users' would (be able to) do. People who have their phone for a couple of weeks tend to know more about it then they ever thought they would. And they don't even notice how much they know until someone not familiar with that phone asks questions about it.

Posted with my Z10 via CB10