I install third-party apps from App stores like Amazon Appstore and Aptoide (nothing illegal). I recently read an article where it stated that it is very easy for users to download apps that contain keyloggers due to how easy it is to get a keylogger on an app. I'm guessing not all apps are clean even from Google Play, and they most definitely aren't from third-party app stores. Do I need an antivirus like Avast! to ensure everything I download/install are clean and safe?
Also, what's up with all the scary permissions that many apps (even popular ones from top developers) need in order for to be able to use them? For example, Pocket wants to read my contacts, Aptoide wants to read my phone status and identity, and Facebook wants to know everything about my phone. Should I be concerned?
Thanks.
P.S. Is there a way to automatically update third-party apps? Do all apps typically have their own self-updater, or am I required to manually check through Google whether there is a new version for that particular app?
This doesn't belong in general.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Where should I have posted this thread? Sorry, I'm new to XDA.
Regardless of where you put the thread, antivirus isn't really necessary (at least, in my humble opinion). If you are careful in downloading your third-party apps, you should be fine.
This thread does not belong in the 'General' section, it either goes in the 'Question and Answers' section the 'Security Discussion' section or the 'Android question and answers' section (assuming you are running Android) I would message a mod to either move the thread to one of the sections or have them lock it and then search xda, I know your question had been answered before in many threads. Just use the search button to find your answers or type your question with 'XDA' at the end on Google and search using that if you can't find it using the native XDA search feature.
Related
Let's say I have to do a reset and for some reason lost a backup. Can paid apps be downloaded and installed again?
It is my understanding that as long as you re-register your phone under the same account you can always redownload them in the downloaded section of the market
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
As long as you use the same Google Account yes.
Just go to Market, then Downloads, and all your purchased apps will already be listed there marked "Purchased" and you can re download them.
Great. Thanks.
Hmmmm.....there must be a sticky somewhere with all these basic questions answered. Problem is knowing which forum/thread to find them.
I'd like to spend an hour reading a tutorial or sticky thread for new users to Android. May prevent a lot of other simple questions like this.
I have bought some apps from the Android Market which I no longer want to use. Is there any way to remove them from my "Not Installed" list on Android Market?
This is not a Galaxy Note related problem but a general Android related one. So in the general Android forum you will get much easier and faster an answer.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk
'No, there isn't' would've been a much shorter reply
This is the one Android annoyance nobody seems to care about doing anything to fix.
There must be some leftover bits and pieces somewhere to remove from apps that get into Not Installed. On my phone the only apps that have gone there are four out of the many pre-installed apps I had no use for.
I've never had any other apps, sideloaded or market downloads, go to not installed after uninstalling with the built in app management.
Using other tools like SDX Stock App Remover can cause that to happen. For some of those, using SDX to put the apk back then using root explorer to remove it fixed the not installed entry.
Searching for a way to remove all trace of Sprint's NASCAR and football apps, TeleNav and Samsung MediaHub.
Titanium Backup shows there's some database files for two of them but does not show the full path to their location.
When someone with a lot of Android knowledge gets annoyed by that, then we'll see a fix. until then it looks like we're stuck with junk we do not want on our phones.
The history is held on Google's server. If you do a wipe-data+cache on the market app, that's all you can do on the phone end, beyond that it's just pulling data from Google.
Have a look at all the junk on your market account on the website.
The most important post in this article is your signature
I have seen a lot of people with the same issue I have. I download an app from the market, and it sucks so I uninstall... but now It's tied to my account forever.
When I flash, or get a new device, I like to use the web based market to re-install my apps. But I have pages and pages of apps I will never use again.
I proposed the following to Google to fix this.
If you agree that this is a good idea and would like to see this feature.. or if you have a better idea, please let Google know. They will only change this stuff if enough people request it to be changed.
I submitted a request here:
https://support.google.com/androidm...tact_type=market_phone_tablet_web&paginated=1
This was my request:
There needs to be a way to remove unused applications from our market accounts. I have many applications that I tried, dont like, and will never install again. Every time I get a new device or do a factory reset, I have to search through tons of unwanted applications just to find the apps I'd actually like to install. I understand giving the user the ability to delete apps that were paid for and the possibility of accidental deletions can become a support nightmare. To solve this I’d like to propose an “Archived Apps” section. Users can Archive applications they do not use. The application is then moved into a special Archive section where it can remain tied to the users account without being “In the Way”. Applications in the Archive section should have a “Restore” (button rather than install) that when pressed, would move it back to the users regular account and become active and installable again. When searching in the market mobile app, these apps will also show with the status Archived rather than purchased or installed. Selecting the app will give the option to “Restore” it to your active applications at which point it can be installed.
i actually have an open ticket with them regarding this problem
google tech support says it's a known issue, and they have no way to fix it yet.
AllGamer said:
i actually have an open ticket with them regarding this problem
google tech support says it's a known issue, and they have no way to fix it yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome!
It's a lot of work for them to fix, and my concern is that it wont be on the radar unless it's highly requested.
Same thing with Amazon's store. I chatted with a rep, and they said there was no way to remove them, but they are aware people are interested in doing this.
I don't know about anyone else here, but I used to use the feature where under My Apps there used to be a sub section for "Purchased Apps". Now I format my phone and tablet often and I used that feature a lot but it has been removed. Honestly I purchase so many apps I have forgotten what some of them were!!! If you agree and would like this feature returned contact google and tell them. If enough people do im sure they will return the feature. Activity on this thread may help as well because if there is enough supporters I may be able to forward the thread to google and show them we really want this important feature returned. I don't understand why it was removed in the first place. Thanks in advance for all your help.
Sent from my MB855 using XDA
Slide to the right, 'All Apps', has your purchased apps included.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2
I understand that but when you have multiple devices on one gmail (phone, tablet, tv for me) that menu list builds up fast. I shouldn't have to scroll until I see a "purchased" and then decide whether or not i want that app, and then keep scrolling til i see another "purchased". It seems like a downgrade to remove the purchased apps category and it was something i used often.
Sent from my MB855 using XDA
I miss that feature too. But in order to find a workaround, in the bottom of the Page there's a link to "My Orders and Devices" which shows all your orders in a list instead of the usual google play style, so that it's a lot easier to see the purchased apps. I still want to get rid off the free installed apps, but at least I see the purchased ones clearer.
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Closed, please read the rules and post in proper section
Moderators PLEASE READ THIS THREAD BEFORE DELETING IT LIKE YOU DID THE LAST ONE
I did a couple of different searches on this board, looking for an alternative to gapps aka google apps. What viable alternatives to the google play store are there? google hangouts and google mail? I came across a thread discussion nogapps and the blank store that comes with it, but i'm not overly convinced that it lacks google's data mining processes.
I am not asking for sites that provide "pirated software" as I already know where to get that. I am asking for a "store" where I can search various phrases, and get a good return without those apps being relinked to google play store.
Have you tried the Amazon App Store? (Yes, they have Android apps)
Am I correct in assuming you are looking for a market that is completely separate from Google's servers? If privacy is your concern, you should know that all services that are provided for "free" employ some sort of data mining, because that is how they can afford to keep those services running. Since Google Play is the largest repository for Android apps, you would be hard pressed to find another service that hosts all of the same .apks, as that would seem redundant.
There simply is no viable alternative to the Play Store.
You can get alternatives, but they won't be nearly as good.
As for the rest of the gapps there are plenty of alternatives that are just fine or better.
Why are you so against gapps though? Washington doesn't care what apps you use.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using xda premium
Even if the app doesn't mine your data, your ISP still does ...
plenty
well there are plenty stores available on internet. if you are on android 4.1 and rooted then you can install NOKIA app store. well its tricky to use, you can find a apk on xda. when you install it just install aptitode market from there, though aptitode can be installed alone too. you can find almost all apps. but still google holds android that will mean they will have the maximum apps and secure and most updated apps. even developers always put latest updated apps on play store first. well i used wildfire which has no gpu so cpu has to do work for most of operations which makes slow and to overcome the low space on that phone i sometime skip the gapps. it depends if you want surveillance free android then go for other market apps.:silly:..google even know when you are walking. i read this on xda somewhere.:laugh:
choice is yours.
100s of stores are available nowadays...
Gmail alternate is aosp email
Maps run without email account...
What else u need?
doctor_droid said:
What else u need?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A way to synchronize (not backup/restore) my contacts and calendars on the Internet (Mega, Dropbox, whatever...) to be shared among other devices. This is bare minimum.
Then, if I could also synchronize (again, not backup/restore)some system stuff like WiFi passwords, call logs, SMS/MMS, instant messaging stuff and some application settings, this would be an extra great feature.
Can you do it without GApps? If you know how to, please share!
I don't know if this idea will benefit the app devs. Getting rid of the play store is like taking away one of their BIGGEST market place. What do you think?
People wouldnt feel the need to seek alternatives if Google wasnt so hardcore with it
Like dam, is it really even reasonable to keep location tracking in the background 24/7 and 15 different types of loggers at once? You'd think those morons would understand how large of a percentage of their would-be-users would actually use more of their services if they didnt chose to make it an all or nothing affair. I literally use only the playstore, and because of whats needed for that I go ahead and utilize the sync. I would definitely be open to gmail, g+, etc. if they werent so retarted with it. Rant over.
carlfinity said:
don't know if this idea will benefit the app devs. Getting rid of the play store is like taking away one of their BIGGEST market place. What do you think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think more about my privacy than the app business.
I wish in could use something like CM with some synchronizing mechanism.
Unluckily for me I have a non-dumb-phone, a netbook and a desktop PC.
I use all three for work and would need some synchonization mechanism for calls, SMS and other stuff.
Do you have a suggestion in this direction?
I have read the opening post. So please remember that.
However, this kind of question will always lead to warez sites.... As it already has. And will continue to. And another thread asking same thing will lead to warez app responses yet again.
Google play store and Amazon are really the only ones that are legit and most other sites offer cracked versions of paid apps.
Obviously a website dedicated to Development and developers will not approve of most of the recommendations here, which I have deleted.
Please don't open another one of these threads. There's been enough answers provided already. So this thread is closed.
Thanks for understanding,
Darth
Forum Moderator