Workaround for AT&T not allowing sideloading?

**whitenack** · 06-17-2010, 01:17 PM

Now that the Galaxy S has officially been announced as coming to AT&T, this issue has just gotten a lot more important to me. I was getting ready to just get a N1 and not worry about it.

How is the best way to work around the restrictions AT&T puts on android, like sideloading? Is it fixed by rooting the device, or by ROMS or what?

**berdinkerdickle** · 06-18-2010, 01:03 AM

Sounds like you and I are exactly at the same crossroad, wondering the same exact things.

**maerlim** · 06-18-2010, 08:55 AM

There are work-arounds for sideloading on the Backflip. The "no sideloading apps" thing is somewhat of a pain, but it won't stop even a mildly determined user. It's there to stop the average AT&T user (AKA morons) from blowing up their phones.

Scenario 1: App exists on the Android Market, but AT&T has "blocked" it.
Solution: Remove AT&T SIM card, connect via WiFi. The app should be available in the Market now.

Scenario 2: App does not exist on the Android Market.
Solution: Download the application's .apk file (Google search for it) to your computer. Download and install Android SDK from developer.google.com. Turn on USB Debugging option on phone. Connect phone to computer via USB. Use adb included in SDK to install app to phone.

There is a side-affect to both of these scenarios in that you will not be automatically notified of updates to those apps. To install any updates, you will have to repeat the procedure given.

**quetzalcoatl** · 06-18-2010, 09:24 PM

Need Scenario 3 there.
Root the phone so that AT&T has no say and just download it as you would on any other android phone.
Just sad that on AT&T that has to be a reason to root the phone.

**jhnstn00** · 06-21-2010, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by quetzalcoatl

Need Scenario 3 there.
Root the phone so that AT&T has no say and just download it as you would on any other android phone.
Just sad that on AT&T that has to be a reason to root the phone.

If you build it, they will come... If you root it, so will we...

**whitenack** · 06-22-2010, 10:42 AM

Article says it isn't crippled like other AT&T Androids, but doesn't come right out and say sideloading is enabled. They also say the phone is s..l...o....w. Hopefully they are right in suspecting they got an early build.

So, maybe there is still hope?

**Joeybear23** · 06-22-2010, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by whitenack

Article says it isn't crippled like other AT&T Androids, but doesn't come right out and say sideloading is enabled. They also say the phone is s..l...o....w. Hopefully they are right in suspecting they got an early build.

So, maybe there is still hope?

Later in teh article it says it was confirmed that it was a "few months old" and running their 800MHz processor instead of the 1GHz that will be on the production model.

**whitenack** · 06-22-2010, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by Joeybear23

Later in teh article it says it was confirmed that it was a "few months old" and running their 800MHz processor instead of the 1GHz that will be on the production model.

That's what I meant when I said they suspect they got an early build.

**Joeybear23** · 06-22-2010, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by whitenack

That's what I meant when I said they suspect they got an early build.

Yep, I was just trying to let you know they confirmed your hopes.

**whitenack** · 06-22-2010, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by Joeybear23

Yep, I was just trying to let you know they confirmed your hopes.

What I meant was that I hope they are correct in their assumption that it is an early build, and not that it really is the final build.

**nox** · 07-17-2010, 08:12 PM

You users just wait, trust me

- Jorge

**Jerry Hildenbrand** · 07-17-2010, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by JorgeOlivera

You users just wait, trust me

- Jorge

Or help test

http://forum.androidcentral.com/andr...r-machine.html

**nox** · 07-17-2010, 09:44 PM

Haha there you go people :P

- Jorge

**alias3800** · 07-17-2010, 11:25 PM

Thanks for the different methods on how to side-load apps anyways; I'm fairly new to Android and had no idea as to what the implications of "no side-loading" were, other than it sounding ****ty, and debilitating.

I'm definitely going to be enjoying this phone tomorrow morning.

**CBPilu** · 07-18-2010, 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by gbhil

Or help test

http://forum.androidcentral.com/andr...r-machine.html

How does one get to test it?

**santanzchild** · 07-18-2010, 10:46 AM

You don't want to know the favors he wants before he lets you test its disturbing

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using Tapatalk

**Jerry Hildenbrand** · 07-18-2010, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by p4ranoid4ndroid

How does one get to test it?

Read the thread linked. If you fit the description, just holler.

Only trying to keep things small in case there are any issues. Once a few people let me know everything works as expected, anyone can use it and we'll post it for download.

**alphadog** · 07-18-2010, 05:57 PM

Very easy way to side load apps:

Phone -> turn on USB debugging and connect
On PC install Android 2.1 SDK - just unzip to a directory
Go into iphone SDK directory/tools via command prompt
copy the APK file to same tools directory
At cmd prompt type: "adb install application.apk" without quotes and name of your apk file

Viola! app is installed without needing to root

**Kyle Gibb** · 07-18-2010, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by gbhil

Or help test

http://forum.androidcentral.com/andr...r-machine.html

And there was much rejoicing

**alias3800** · 07-19-2010, 09:43 AM

I've given it a shot and still haven't really been able to figure it out.

Using adb on Mac, I haven't been able to really figure out how to install the apk file on the phone (gameloft game in this case). Can anyone help?

I downloaded the SDK, but I'm not sure how to get the adb to work..

**alphadog** · 07-19-2010, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by alias3800

I've given it a shot and still haven't really been able to figure it out.

Using adb on Mac, I haven't been able to really figure out how to install the apk file on the phone (gameloft game in this case). Can anyone help?

I downloaded the SDK, but I'm not sure how to get the adb to work..

Not sure about a mac, but on windows if you download the SDK, you unzip it and get a bunch of directories. One directory is tools and it has a probram adb.exe - mac should also have the adb program.

Open a terminal window, change directories to get to this SDK and then then the tools subdirectoy - you need to know basic cd and ls commands.

When you are in the directory, typing adb and hitting enter should give you all the usage commands.

Typing adb install "Filename.apk" without quotes will install the app.

**alias3800** · 07-19-2010, 01:21 PM

Alright awesome got it.. I had an N900 up until a month ago, so I had to deal with cmd/terminal in order to get the goods out of the phone. I still suck at it, but I was able NOVA into the phone.

Certain words you said helped me a lot, so it was easier to follow than some of the convoluted guides I'd seen for Windows. Thanks dude.

**alphadog** · 07-19-2010, 02:24 PM

Glad to help. My next step will be to root the phone and change the setting so i can just add the apps without all this mess. Pretty good guides at the top, but they all depend on ADB.

**dmnall** · 07-19-2010, 05:41 PM

Rooting the Phone and changing the setting took literally under 10 minuets to do. I did mine and I am not looking back.

Cheers,
Charlie

**Luisgb** · 07-19-2010, 09:51 PM

tried the above steps and got to where i type adb install yada yada, but it says my device isnt found. i have it plugged in and debug mode on, any help would be appreciated (windows 7)