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Amazon App Store Thread - Daily Free Apps

Today's is a hidden object clicky game called "Hidden Garden Fantasy". Unfortunately, several reviewers report that the most notable hidden object is the spyware it contains - found by their AV software.
 
Some good ones today... seems like a listing of past ones that are free again. If I'm late to the party, forgive me... :)

Calengoo (how did I miss this the first time?), Angry Birds, Swiftkey, World of Goo, etc.

Plus, the actual FAOTD is Cut the Rope: Cheese Box.
 
11/11- Taking Connect 4 to a whole new dimension

4 IN A 3D ROW
by NEONFIVE STUDIO
Platform: Android Rated: All Ages
4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
List Price: $2.99
Price: $0.00
You Save: $2.99 (100%)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Available instantly for your Android device
 
Can any one explain why so many of these FAOTD offerings require access to you wi-fi and network connections?
 
my guess...

amazon's way of get back some of the cost to make them free... they watch what items you search for.. so the can send you specials on those types of items.
 
if you uninstall the amazon appstore app.

all the apps you installed from the amazon appstore.. stop working. it tells you.. you have to install the app and log back on.

what exactly is it doing? and how much does it know about me?

I got rid of the appstore.. not sure if I want it back.
 
If you don't want Google, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, and everyone else to know everything about you... you have the wrong phone. That ship has already sailed.

That said, I would assume the Amazon store is just doing a license check. That's what prevents piracy. You could get a bootleg .apk file from your favorite warez site and install it - but if it calls home and hears back "Nope, you're an unlicensed copy", it will terminate.

I'm pretty sure the same thing is happening with Google Play Store apps. If you rooted your phone and got rid of Google Play, I wonder if everything you purchased from there would stop working too?

BTW, the FAOTD today is "Draw a Stickman: EPIC", which has few permissions and many good reviews. I'm gonna snag it.
 
That doesn't make sense seeing that they are your apps. You bought them, whether it was $0 or not. Their FAOTD seem to be overrun with permissions most of the time. Interesting idea to uninstall Appstore altogether.
 
The concept of "ownership" is kind of slippery in the digital world, and the Android platform dips the concept in butter for good measure. Yummy sweet butter, but more slippery than ever.

In return for the convenience the platform provides, you give up control of an awful lot. I think I recall that Google can even reach out and delete apps that you got through its Play Store - say if one was actually malware. Not to mention devices in a corporate context that can be remotely locked, wiped, and bricked by your company.

At least it's better than an iThing. With Android, you could load a custom ROM and omit the Orwellian app stores entirely - only loading apps that really are "yours". That's assuming you have an unlockable phone, of course. You wouldn't have as much variety in apps, but you'd still have a pretty awesome pocket-sized computer that also makes phone calls (that the NSA is tracking, of course).
 
I understand .. open source google.. and I give them permission to do what I "think" is ok and necessary.

do I want other companies doing it too? giving them more access than they should have? an online shopping site..
if they would be upfront.. tell me what they need .. and what info they are getting ONLY.

most of the apps they give for free are crap..
or I can buy them from the playstore for $1...
I think I am leaning towards.. forgetting the appstore!
 
Today's FAOTD is a $5.99 app called "Distant Suns", an astronomy app that describes itself as a "hand-held planetarium". It's got good reviews, so I'm gonna grab it.
 
My wife downloaded it, but she never checks out her apps right away, so I have no idea if she likes it or not. One reviewer said it required a wi-fi connection.
 
Today's app is "Munch Time", a 99c game where you're a chameleon trying to eat lunch. Reviews describe it as a "Cut The Rope" variant. Nice feature: its *only* permission is "Network Sockets" (because I guess every chameleon wants to phone home sometimes). I'm not going to bother with it myself (18MB isn't so bad these days, but I'm a bit overloaded), but I might recommend it for my wife's tablet.
 
Today's FAOTD seems pretty darn good. Flashcard Machine ($2.99) works with the FlashcardMachine.com website to either use your own or others' flashcards to learn anything.
 
We may have a winner!

Atomus HD is a "kinetic interactive visualizer but it is also a work of art". That makes it similar to Gravilux, which has been a favorite of mine since it was the FAOTD a couple of years ago. Also similar: No permissions! Except for preventing the phone from sleeping - a feature I wish Gravilux had.

I haven't tried it out because it does have one unfortunate feature: it starts making sounds as soon as it starts. I prefer my art to be silent - I'm sure there's a setting, but I'm wasting time at work and would rather not call attention to that fact. ;) One other thing - it asked me if I wanted to check out the dev's other apps when I shut it down. I'm guessing it would send me to a store app if I'd said yes. But without Sockets permission, it can't do more than ask nicely.
 
I got the free Atomus HD and its so cool i bought the live wallpaper which is identical but without the music option.
Really nice man :)
 
dan330 said:
I understand .. open source google.. and I give them permission to do what I "think" is ok and necessary.

do I want other companies doing it too? giving them more access than they should have? an online shopping site..
if they would be upfront.. tell me what they need .. and what info they are getting ONLY.

most of the apps they give for free are crap..
or I can buy them from the playstore for $1...
I think I am leaning towards.. forgetting the appstore!
Click to expand...

Your right. Most are games. Most are crappy. But, everyone is different. Some people enjoy the heck out of them. They would disagree with me. I have found that every once in a while. They add a app that is worthwhile. So, I keep the app store. I have a few games I have downloaded that I play sometimes. In the meantime. The amazon store is frozen with TB. When I see a game I would like. Or when I want to play one I have. I simply unfreeze and download and\or play the game. Then its back to freeze. Yes, you have to root to do this. Its one of the advantages of rooting. You can have it both ways...or to say..your way I guess.
 
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