One of Android’s biggest advantages over the competition is its large selection of apps. The Android Market is famously developer friendly, foregoing a drawn out approval process like Apple’s Appstore with the goal of cultivating a wider and more diverse landscape of applications. Even so, certain apps just aren’t available through the Android Market. Fortunately, unlike iPhone, Android is an open platform, allowing users to install apps through 3rd parties without additional customization or risk of breaking warranty. Here’s a quick beginners guide to non-market apps.
What Kind of Apps Are Not on the Market?
There are a variety of reasons why an app might not make it to the official market. Many developers test their brand new apps on tech-savvy Android forum users before going big time in the market. Some apps get pulled off of the market because they conflict with the Android Market’s terms and conditions (this doesn’t mean they are illegal). Some developers prefer not to deal with the Market and sell their app directly through alternative app stores or their own websites. Here’s just a short list of cool and useful apps that you won’t find in the market:
Swype: This app provides an alternate way of using your phone’s keyboard. Instead of tapping with your fingers, Swype lets you slide your fingers from key to key, using auto-completion technology to guess what word you want. Fans of Swype claim that this method allows for much faster typing and texting. Although Swype comes prepackaged on many phones, those that don’t have it will have to venture beyond the market to find it.
Rjdj: This is a cool one. Rjdj is an innovative music app that uses your phone’s microphone to craft “sonic experiences” that react to the natural noises and sounds around you. Walk through a quiet park and the soundscape will be mellow. Walk through a crowded street and the generated sounds will become more chaotic and complex. The effect of these interactive soundscapes is supposed to be meditative.
Bacon Reader: This is a mobile version of the popular social book marking site reddit.com, aka “the front page of the Internet.” It hasn’t made it to the Android Market because it’s technically still in the testing phase. It might never make it there due to stalls in its funding and development. Despite the setbacks, Bacon Reader has established a dedicated following among active Reddit users who appreciate its clean, user-friendly interface.
SpoofApp: This somewhat controversial app single-handedly revolutionized prank calling in the mobile era. SpoofApp allows you to disguise your number when it appears on someone else’s caller ID, change the tone of your voice, and record the call, ingredients which lead to maximum prank potential. This app was pulled from the Android Market for undisclosed reasons, but remains perfectly legal and can be downloaded directly from SpoofApp’s website.
How Do I Install an App Without the Android Market?
Installing non-market apps takes a very slight amount of technical know-how. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to get you through.
- First, find the applications setting menu on your phone. You should see a tab that allows you to enable unknown sources. Your phone will now allow you to install non-market apps.
- Next, you’ll need to briefly head to the Android Market and install an app installer app (a little redundant, I know). Some good ones are Easy Installer and AppInstaller. These apps will assist you in installing .apk files (the type of file Android Apps are housed in).Download your chosen app’s .apk file onto your computer and then transfer it onto your Android’s memory card.
- Download your chosen app’s .apk file onto your computer and then transfer it onto your Android’s memory card.
- Insert your memory card back into your phone and then open up your installation app. The .apk file should be easily identifiable on a menu. Just highlight it and hit “install” and it should start loading like any other app.
If you’re a true app fanatic, and want to get the most out of your Android, it’s worth it to look into non-market apps. You just might find something cool. An added bonus from discovering an amazing non-Market app is watching your friends go crazy trying to find how to download it. Enjoy!
