BlackBerry® PlayBook™

[wvafan]

I went out today and bought a Playbook. The reason I chose it was because it would end up having everything I need after I can run Android apps. I loaded 2.0 and was expecting some icon to pop up to allow me to run Android apps. But then I found out you have to get the Android APP Player. Herein lies the problem. How on earth do you get the Android APP Player? I can't find it anywhere! Anybody??? Help please! Thanks.

[superdirt]

Hi wvafan,

The Android app player is installed behind the scenes in the PlayBook OS. When an Android app is executed, the player starts automatically. The Android apps that are available for the PlayBook appear in App World like any other PlayBook app.

Scott

[wvafan · Accepted solution]

Yes, thank you. I figured that out after I posted the question.

So, part two of my issue then is the fact that we can only get what;s on Appworld. There lots of apps there, but the ones I need are not/and never will be because they are specialty apps for what I do, but they are on Android Marketplace.

So, I guess I should've bought an Android tab, I just didn't know how it all worked before I delved into it.

The problem is, I love this Playbook! It runs smooth and clean. I like it better than any Android based tab I looked at, and I was able to get a 64gig Playbook for $300 due to BB's fire sale.

But here is the thing, I don't mind paying for apps, even the ones that are free for Android users. I would bet that there are a whole bunch of us BB users that feel the same way. It is my opinion that Google should make these apps available on an open market basis with no guarantee of compatibility. They should release them, let us pay $10 bucks each for an app and let us have a shot at using them.

I could take this PB back. I have a 14 day test drive. But I don't want to, and I don't want to exchange it for an Android, if for no other reason, than the sake of principle.

I think we BB users should band together and start bugging the hell out of Google until they relent and give us access to their little club. I think most of us are smart enough to understand that there won't be any free apps for us, but we should have the opportunity to get them. They could even charge us a membership fee or something.

There are a whole heckofalotta Playbook users out there, Google is missing out on an untapped market for them. It only makes sense (dollars and cents) for them to take advantage of this potential market.  

I am ready to start hammering Google, but I don't want to be the only "kook" out there doing it.

[knottyrope]

over 6000 develops signed up recently and more android apps are coming to app world.

it wont change over night but more stuff is coming

[bsesos]

I'm not sure wvafan that the problem is with google - it may also be with the way that andoid apps are integrated into BB appworld.  the android app developer has to submit the app to BB before it can be included in Appworld. the app apparently has to be "ported" over for use on the Playbook (I put "ported" in quotes because i don't know what this actually entails in a technical sense.)  I don't know if BB are going thru this process for security reasons or in order to ensure functionality of the apps on the PB or what.  But from what I understand, BB is definitely playing the role of gatekeeper vis-a-vis Android Apps, at least for the time being.  

[gwinegarden]

Perhaps, RIM does not believe that we need 800 Soliaire Apps like on the Android Market.

[wvafan]

I understand that. I don't need 800 solitaire games either. I don't even have Angry Birds.

I am just saying that with an Android emulator built into the PB, I feel restricted in using it under the current situation.

There are specific apps on Android Market that I need for what I do. 99% of the rest of you will not need these apps, so they will never be available on App World. But I would suspect that there are others that could use some apps specific for what they do as well that the other 99 %, me included would never need, which are on Mareketplace as well. For example: very few of us are hematologists. I would bet that at least half of us don't even know what a hematologist does. I am not a hematologist, but I know what they do. There could be an app on Marketplace that could be very useful to a hematologist, but he has no access to it if he is a Playbook user.

It is for situations like that, we need open access.

I was unware though that RIM is likely the culprit. Sounds like they are trying to remain in control.

I did the tutorial on converting APK files to BAR files. I don't even mind doing that, but evidentally, I won't be able to do it for the files I need.

[knottyrope]

RIM just tweeted that many androids apps are in app world now.

[bsesos]

I agree with you - there will be apps with relatively small audiences that may not make it to the PB because of the controlled process.  Here's a suggestion - if you can get in touch with the developer(s) of the apps you need, you should ask him/them to submit the app to BB for inclusion in Appworld.  I am not sure how much time and expense is involved, but they may not be interested in doing this unless they perceive that this is what their customers want and that there is a market for it.  The good news it that, as far as I know, BB is still giving away free playbooks to developers who submit apps for inclusion in Appworld.  This little incentive might help.  BB is obviously trying to attract apps so now may be a good time to pass along this info to the relevant developer/s and see if it encourages them.

Good luck!

[superdirt]

I agree, if you really want to see an Android or iOS app on the PB, a good way to get it over is to email the developer. I wouldn't bother emailing Google.

RIM is not a culprit in trying to keep control. The unchangeable fact is Android apps need to be tweeked, usually slightly, for them to be able to run on PB OS. PB has its own security model and way of doing things, so some changes need to be made to the application.

Scott