[Bold_until_Hybrid_Comes]

Heh-heh... As I'm a Playbook owner, you'll understand that top of my list of things that will never happen is:

1. Alec Saunders giving a clear and unambiguous answer to a direct question.

In this instance, Alec knows the lawyers are listening and, as a BB Executive, if he deviates from the line: "Sideloading (and now direct loading) is for Devs to test their own Apps. It's not a tool intended for ordinary consumers. Piracy of Apps is bad, M'Kay" ... the legal sky will fall.

Hence the double-talk.

EDIT: Upon reflection, I'd add another item to my list of things that will never happen:

2. BB and Google hold a joint press conference to announce official availability of Google Play on BB devices.

But, truly?, I could actually see that happening. If BB were to dump BB10 and put a full Android OS onto the phones with a BB10 skin (to keep the BB faithful happy), then there would be no legal or technical obstacle to access to Google Play, or any Android appstore.

I saw someone on twitter the other day asking Alec where he got his APK file but he wouldn't give a direct answer

[lnichols]

Well I just looked over something at Amazon App Store and found the following:

https://developer.amazon.com/post/Tx...t-Program.html

For your mobile or HTML5 web app to qualify for the program, it must meet the following requirements:

Device Support: Apps must be compatible with designated Amazon devices. The current list of designated devices include the Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Fire HD 8.9", and Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G. Effective January 1st, 2014, we will also require apps to be compatible with the recently announced (in September 2013) tablets — Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Fire HDX and Kindle Fire HDX 8.9". In addition, the app must be available for sale on our U.S. store for non-Amazon devices.

HD Optimization: Apps must render natively in high definition (HD) at the highest resolution possible on each of the designated devices, use the entire screen without distortion, pixilation, or stretching. You must also include high definition screenshots (1280x720 pixels or greater) of your apps that can be displayed on the product detail page.

Amazon Services Adoption: Apps must exclusively use the Amazon In-App Purchasing (IAP) API (if your app enables in-app purchasing of supported digital products) and use on a non-exclusive basis) Amazon Mobile Ads API (if your app presents ads). Games must integrate with GameCircle, including WhisperSync for Games and at least one of Leaderboards or Achievements.

Bolded section is the interesting one. Perhaps BlackBerry and Amazon have already made a deal, or Amazon doesn't care who they sell apps to. I still think this solution isn't good for the sale of BlackBerry devices, and more than likely just a way to keep existing users happier till they move completely away from hardware and onto SAAS and only supporting other devices. Sorry but I can't see a niche or prosumer angle working in a highly competitive, highly commoditized market like smartphones.

[omar_q10]

Wow....

BB fanatics: BB is THE most secure platform.

Joe Public: It hasn't got Instagram.

BB fanatics: No problem. Here, go to this site and pirate off software and load it to your device.

Joe Public: Is that secure?

*****crickets******

BB fanatics: It closes the app gap so get it. Here. Use these links.

Joe Public: Are they safe? I bought BB for security.

****crickets****

BB fanatic: Why do you care? Android is loaded with malware. BB is safer.

Joe Public: Yea that's why I'm thinking BB. But if I want Instagram I have to go to some third party App Store and load Android apps

BB fanatic: STOP TROLLING!!!! WHO'S PAYING YOU?!?!!! YOU WORK FOR GOOGLE!!!!!




Sent from whichever BBM carrying device I happen to grab, via Tapatalk

Hahahahahaha, the best post ever in this thread. It pretty much sums it all up.

Posted via CB10

[kenicolo]

Apps are easier, faster and more efficient than the browser counterpart.

Widgets a more powerful than live tiles and active frames

Customisation is what makes a system evolve rapidly and suit the majority why staying flexible

Virtual keyboard can be replicated

OS ergonomy is the most underrated part imo

Posted via CB10

[missing_K-W]

Apps placed on a free and open market are up for grabs to consumers.

Some people can't accept this. This isn't piracy. Where legally permitted

Posted via CB10

[Poirots Progeny]

Apps are easier, faster and more efficient than the browser counterpart.

Widgets a more powerful than live tiles and active frames

Customisation is what makes a system evolve rapidly and suit the majority why staying flexible

Virtual keyboard can be replicated

OS ergonomy is the most underrated part imo

Posted via CB10

I think you may have just described android..?

Posted via CB10

[Undbiter65]

No the app gap isn't closed for everybody(mostly just us Crackberry users who were willing to install a leak). As the leak isn't available for the general public yet. But, I think we might be heading there. If they were to make the installing of Apks directly less of hit and miss, and a deal with an Android app store(am not too informed on legalities so won't pretend to say what they can or can not do legally) , I think they might very well close it.

As of now, I have all the apps I had been wanting on my Z10. Hopefully BlackBerry can strike a deal with an Android app store. Release an OS which handles the installation of Apks much smoother and release it to everyone, maybe even preloaded with an Android app store. And then the app gap will be closed.

I do think this latest leak show lots of promise and potential. Hopefully it pans out.

"We are truly alone, the scars on your heart are yours to atone" (BBM#18)

[bekkay]

Apps placed on a free and open market are up for grabs to consumers.

Yeah, try grabbing a couple of free artwork/pictures from a company that holds copyright and post them on your website (especially, if you are a business) without any permission.

We'll see how that goes.

[missing_K-W]

Yeah, try grabbing a couple of free artwork/pictures from a company that holds copyright and post them on your website (especially, if you are a business) without any permission.

We'll see how that goes.

I didn't realize we were discussing art work.

Posted via CB10

[sinsin07]

Hahahahahaha, the best post ever in this thread. It pretty much sums it all up.

Posted via CB10

You are correct.

[sinsin07]

I didn't realize we were discussing art work.

Posted via CB10

Based on your previous comment this is understandable.

Previous comment:

Apps placed on a free and open market are up for grabs to consumers.
Some people can't accept this. This isn't piracy.

[Pete The Penguin]

I think with Android it really depends on the device and the amount of time the manufacturer/programmer takes to optimize it for the device. If you look at the Nexus 4 which was quad core and 2 GB of RAM, well the Z10 performed faster than it in pretty much everything it did. So you have a much more capable Android device over your Xperia Ray (in terms of specs) performing slower than the Z10 which you are saying is slower than the Xperia Ray.

Even looking at the Nexus 7 (2012) which also was a quad core was pretty laggy compared to the Nexus 4 (though its clock speed wasn't as fast). And now the Nexus 7 (2013) is pretty decent for performance (since it uses the same processor as the N4).

And now I have a Nexus 5 which is quad core and while I don't think the clock speed is that much faster than the N4, it performs much faster than the N4 ever did. Now whether that is just due to the newer processor or KitKat, I don't know.

All this to say is that if anything specs really don't tell the story with Android as you can't use it as a baseline for performance since it can simply vary too much from device to device. On the plus side, due to the fact that you have a huge community behind Android, if you have at least a somewhat popular device, you can probably get it updated to more recent versions even after the manufacturer stops to support the phone.

But it still makes you wonder what is it with Android that it can be customized to have it run on lower spec'd devices (which is a good thing) and why it can perform poorly or worse on higher spec'd devices (which is a bad thing). My take is that manufacturers just aren't taking the time to customize it and that stock/non-polished Android isn't all that efficient so they throw resources at it to compensate (i.e. Nexus devices and maybe Samsung if they are throwing octa core processors now which are performing less than quad cores..). Maybe KitKat improves things... unfortunately, I can't test it on my N4 since I sold it.

The reason most Android devices (especially Nexii) become slower with age is simple. Until Android 4.3, Trim support wasn't enabled; now it is.

http://m.pocketnow.com/2013/08/06/android-trim-support



Geeks United C00122408

[missing_K-W]

Based on your previous comment this is understandable.

Previous comment:

Enlighten me.

Posted via CB10

[geoffsdad]

What's interesting is that people complain about apps for Android being of lesser quality than say their iOS counterparts. Now since we can load these Android apps on BlackBerries, this is looked at as narrowing the app gap? The beauty of the app ecosystem is generally that the apps are meant to be used with that ecosystem or nah? The fact remains these apps aren't native aka "Built for BlackBerry 10" apps. So now we have apps that work good enough, huh? Whatever. I feel like several people who load these apps may be the same ones crying later because things aren't working as they should on the device...

Posted via CB10

I believe a lot of people here would like to see 100% BB10 native apps and say to h3ll with Android apps. Unfortunately, that is not possible and the Android runtime is a necessary evil. I for one an not crying over functionality of Android apps. What really makes me cry is the endless threads we used to have on where is Instagram. Thank you Android Runtime

Posted via CB10(BBM#22) on my Z10 featuring BBM Channel C0002FE04

[Pete The Penguin]

I saw someone on twitter the other day asking Alec where he got his APK file but he wouldn't give a direct answer

I wonder why...

Geeks United C00122408

[Undbiter65]

I believe a lot of people here would like to see 100% BB10 native apps and say to h3ll with Android apps. Unfortunately, that is not possible and the Android runtime is a necessary evil. I for one an not crying over functionality of Android apps. What really makes me cry is the endless threads we used to have on where is Instagram. Thank you Android Runtime

Posted via CB10(BBM#22) on my Z10 featuring BBM Channel C0002FE04

My exact sentiments.

"We are truly alone, the scars on your heart are yours to atone" (BBM#18)

[grover5]

I doubt developers mind the extra sales. Regardless if the money is coming from BlackBerry 10 device owners or not. As a side note my S3 dreams of the day it runs as smooth as my Z10. Same specs but BlackBerry built the better OS. It's not even close.

Posted via CB10

[missing_K-W]

Based on your previous comment this is understandable.

Previous comment:

I forgot to add where legally permitted. I edited my post.

Posted via CB10

[bekkay]

I didn't realize we were discussing art work.

Posted via CB10

We are discussing copyright, are we not?

[missing_K-W]

We are discussing copyright, are we not?

I edited my post to say where legally permitted. I am not a copyright expert.

Reason for editing was because I forgot to add that

Posted via CB10

[playbookster]

I emailed amazon to ask whether it's okay I downloaded their appstore onto my z30. I wonder what they will say, or if they say anything at all.

Sent from my Z30

[missing_K-W]

I doubt developers mind the extra sales. Regardless if the money is coming from BlackBerry 10 device owners or not. As a side note my S3 dreams of the day it runs as smooth as my Z10. Same specs but BlackBerry built the better OS. It's not even close.

Posted via CB10

I have had some frustrating Android experiences. Definitely not as smooth as the z10. Smooth as butter is my z10

Posted via CB10

[missing_K-W]

I emailed amazon to ask whether it's okay I downloaded their appstore onto my z30. I wonder what they will say, or if they say anything at all.

Sent from my Z30

Atta boy

Posted via CB10

[bekkay]

I emailed amazon to ask whether it's okay I downloaded their appstore onto my z30. I wonder what they will say, or if they say anything at all.

Sent from my Z30

Did you specifically refer to their ToS that say you can only install apps on a device running the Android platform?

This would draw their attention better as the person responding will definitely forward your email to the legal dept.

[playbookster]

Did you specifically refer to their ToS that says you can only use it on a device running the Android platform?

This would draw their attention better as the person responding will definitely forward your email to the legal dept.

I asked if it is Ok I download their appstore on my BlackBerry z30 to buy and download apps

Sent from my Z30