iPad

[Dan Ritter]

On Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 08:22:10AM -0500, Derek Martin wrote:
> FWIW, my understanding (which may be partially wrong) is that if you
> download and develop with Android's SDK (available for all 3 major
> desktop OSes), it makes it possible to upload applications to your
> phone directly and test/use them. Whereas with Apple, things are more
> complicated, platform-dependent, and may even cost you a yearly
> subscription fee.

If you tell your Android phone to flip a particular
configuration bit ("Allow software installation from unknown
sources") then you can install an .apk package which has not
been signed, from any source. Copy it to a card, download it
over HTTP, no problems.

AT&T has chosen to ship the Backflip with this configuration
bit inaccessible. Only Android Market apps can be installed.
Also, AT&T ships apps on the device which cannot be removed.

I believe it is currently the only Android phone with these
misfeatures.

The config bit, however, can be worked around in the way Derek
says:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=643866

install the USB debugger, and run "adb install application.apk"
to bypass the signature check.

-dsr-


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