Installing the same apps to multiple handset for different users

[dancingbear84]

Hi everyone,
Apologies if this has been asked before, I have had a quick look but couldn't see an answer.
I work for a large company that has started to roll out android devices to allow users access to mail and internet access on the road. We have aplan with our network provider that gives us 500mb of data, which for the most part is sufficient.
We have had a couple of issues with users significantly exceeding this allowance and our network provider is unable to offer any help to block data over a certain threshold.
My plan is to install 3g watchdog and juice defender to allow the end users to monitor their 3g usage easily and then configure the apps to shut off data when 99% of the allowance has been used. This coupled with educating users should prevent further instances of the problem.
The trouble I have is that we will need to be installing these apps onto a lot of handsets over the next few months, I wondered if either of the following were possible:
1. Obtaining the APK's and side-loading them onto the handsets. As the apps are free I assume I am not breaking any agreement clauses. Any ideas of how/where to obtain the APK's please?
2. Is it possible to configure the devices with a generic account that I can use to access the market, install the apps then remove the google account from the phone. I seem to think this is not possible.

The devices will not be rooted and I don't want to be creating google accounts for each end user as they may already have one etc.

Thanks in advance for any help people are able to give.

 

[Moscow Desire]

Re: Installing the same apps to multiple handset for different us

I see the reasoning you're using. It seems the 2 apps work in conjunction with each other, however, I'm not sure wether the free versions will allow this. Seems the info I read on the 3g watchdog, was the same info for both versions which is a little odd. May want to run a test first with the free versions.

The problem with your scenario, is that a user needs probably only dump the 3g watchdog program cache to reset the counter through the phones application manager. At least it's a high probability.

As with free versions, it really doesn't matter how many diff phones you install it on. Free is free, however, one might feel a little guilty?

As with the method, there are a couple of options.
1. Contact the author and explain the situation. Maybe he can mail you the apk. Or even easier, have a friend with a backup/file manager program, download through their ph, then just give you the apks. Copy to sd, run a free installer program.

2. Install the programs on 1 phone, then use a file manager/back-up to backup the apks to sd after you've already configured them. . I believe there are a couple file managers that do not require root access to do this. This would probably work if all phones were identicle and used the exact same OS (in theory). Never tried this in actual practice, but then on each phone, after copying to sd, you run the same file manager/backup program to restore, hopefully keeping all the settings.

Alternate method, would be to run an installer app on each phone to install the apks, then configure the apps settings.

3. Create a generic google market /gmail account, and just download and install from there on each phone. Considering free apps are not kept in records, only paid ones. This method would probably be the easiest.

I think configuring to sideload, would be way too much hassle.

1 thing I do know, some poor IT person is going to be busy soon

Just my thoughts on things... I'm sure maybe some of our more advanced users will chime in with some other methods.

 

[PvilleComp]

Re: Installing the same apps to multiple handset for different us

Moscow is correct, it will have to be loaded on each handset. Probably just as easy to download from the market on each one than sideloading. downloading does not take any time, they are small and if you connect to WiFi it won't use any data.

As a long term solution for the overage charges, I would suggest that for Android devices your company look at a larger data plan (at least 2gb). I assume your employees will be checking e-mail and also Gmail will sync. I'm also sure that they will use the web to look up information as well as GPS Nav if they are on the road. Many devices also have built in Weather widgets which will also sync data. All of this uses data and way more than 500mb, and that is before they start downloading apps.

 

[dancingbear84]

Thanks for the help guys, trouble is the 500mb is only ?5 the next step up is 5gb at ?25. When you have over 100 smartphone users that is a massive price difference. For the most part we don't have a problem but i think a few users may have been video streaming. And yes i will be busy over the next few weeks.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[NoSpin]

What you want to do is an enterprise feature that Google desperately needs to implement into android.

Right now though, it has to be done individually.

Sent from my T-mobile G2 using Tapatalk

 

[valorian]

Re: Installing the same apps to multiple handset for different us

Android is very lacking in the Enterprise department. You will need to look into BlackBerry if you want complete control over the employee's phones.