[AshleyDRisen]

Hi everyone,

After returning to a Blackberry after a few years, I have come to love a few apps that are on my android phone. I was told I could "side load" them. I was fist told to go through amazon but they are not listed there except to add to a which list. then I was told there was another program I could install then go to the google play store. IF this is correct what is the way to do that.

Any advice would be helpful

Thanks

[BigBadWulf]

Snap - Download Apps from Google Play Directly to your BlackBerry 10.2.1+

[oldsoul123]

If you are running 10.2.1, then you don't have to side load them, you can install them directly. If you're running an earlier version, then update it.

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[AshleyDRisen]

I am sorry I don't understand. I download them from where? I can't just install the google play store to get my apps. I have managed to get some of them through a program called 1mobile. What i really want is my Showbox. I had the APK on a sd card but the but it shows no install file.

Now someone told me in January there will be an update and then it will be all good.

[Vampiro]

I am sorry I don't understand. I download them from where? I can't just install the google play store to get my apps. I have managed to get some of them through a program called 1mobile. What i really want is my Showbox. I had the APK on a sd card but the but it shows no install file.

Now someone told me in January there will be an update and then it will be all good.

Please use the search function: keywords are "snap" "side-loading" "apk"

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[molson0]

I am sorry I don't understand. I download them from where? I can't just install the google play store to get my apps. I have managed to get some of them through a program called 1mobile. What i really want is my Showbox. I had the APK on a sd card but the but it shows no install file.

Now someone told me in January there will be an update and then it will be all good.

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[oldsoul123]

Search online for Mobogenie app. It's a good third party android app store that you can install directly to your device without side loading.

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[joeldf]

There are many android app stores that can be initially accessed from your web browser. They all have links that let you download the android app of the store from the site - just like downloading anything else. Once downloaded, you look for it in your file manager and run it. The apk installer built into the OS will come up with the "install" button near the upper right corner.

Now, this only works if you have the OS set to allow app installs from other sources. Be sure to check by going into "Settings" > "App Manager" > "Installing Apps" > be sure "Allow Apps from Other Sources to be Installed" is turned on.

The Snap app that everyone mentions is a native BB10 bar file and must be sideloaded. It's a Google Play client app that accesses the Google Play store - but only if you already have a Google account. Snap has to be installed either through the Chrome browser extension (and phone in developer mode), or using the Sachesi app on your PC where you can directly install such apps to your phone without being in developer mode.

Once any of those apps are loaded - Snap or any of the many third party android stores - it's easy to look up apps and install. Doing so downloads the app, then it automatically evokes the android app installer where you hit that "install" button again and you have the app.

All these apps keep track of what you have and can let you know if an update is available. Snap can save your downloaded apk files in a directory of your choosing. If you update an app, it merely adds an sequential number after the filename so you'll always have the previous version available.

The Amazon App Store comes in 10.3. But you can install it in 10.2.1 as well. With it, you need an Amazon account to access the apps. Paid apps are easier to get through the Amazon app store since you pay for them through your account as you would anything else at the Amazon. Getting paid apps through Snap is trickier. You have to access the Google Play Store on your browser, find and pay for the app there, then it's available to download in Snap. There is no payment method built into Snap... yet. It may come in an update, but we don't know for sure.

BTW, the Amazon App Store app does not save the file it downloads in a separate user accessible location the way Snap does. It has its own way of keeping track of your apps. And you must be logged into your account to use the apps that came from Amazon. Most other app stores, however, will save a copy like Snap does.

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