Hey anyone know why you can't view all the available Android Apps before you buy the phone? Is it a marketing scheme or are they embarrassed with the quality of apps. Blackberry and iPhone allow this!
There is a third party solution.
www.androlib.com
Also I doubt it has anything to do with marketing or a conspiracy. More likely they just have not got around to doing that yet. It's still early in the game for Android.
Yeah but you presented a nice false dilemma implying that there is some hidden agenda behind the lack of an official Android Market web interface.
Anyways consider this RIM, Apple, and Palm all control the hardware and software correct? Google doesn't. HTC, Motorola, and Samsung just to name a few all have devices (multiple devices too) released using Android. All these devices have different hardware builds, and different ROM footprints. Providing a web front end to this complex and ever changing ecosystem is probably a daunting task.
A good example. On another forum people are complaining how Bonsai Blast just disappeared for Droid users, seems there is some compatibility issues, however I can download it on my Sprint HTC Hero - but there is some paid apps that at the moment I can't download on my Hero that GSM Hero's can. There is some apps that I can't download on my Hero because it's only Android 1.5. Now add into that multiple countries!
the site has poor sorting, but it's essentially a list of everything on the marketplace, so you have to find the ones that are good, as just like every app store out there, there's a good amount of crappy apps.
the apps that are good are quite polished and nice.
but you go ahead and do what you want.
The app market is pretty rough around the edges, and the quality and utility of some (many?) of the apps is doubtful. (Thanks, but I don't need a fart generator.) At the same time, there are some excellent apps, many free or very inexpensive, and hanging out here is a good way to get tipped off to them.
I'm betting that in 6 months this situation will have improved dramatically.
The app market is pretty rough around the edges, and the quality and utility of some (many?) of the apps is doubtful. (Thanks, but I don't need a fart generator.) At the same time, there are some excellent apps, many free or very inexpensive, and hanging out here is a good way to get tipped off to them.
I'm betting that in 6 months this situation will have improved dramatically.
I was considering a Hero but now I may wait further to see what's next for the iPhone or Blackberry.
If your going to wait for better apps, then don't be waiting for the blackberry. App World is horrible. The Android market runs so much better, and has many better apps to run.