Do you own an Android device? If so, perhaps you are still searching for great apps for your device. The quickest way to fill your device with apps is to download free applications via Android Market.
Android Market is owned by Google, and it’s a marketplace filled with all sorts of interesting apps – themes, useful utilities like calculators, and of course, there are games for download. Most of these applications are free. Some require you to upgrade by paying a small fee if you wish to get access to more advanced features. So what do you have to do to get files from the Market?
Unlike conventional software, you don’t need to download files and then install the apps on your device. Simply open a Google account, and you will be able to access Android Market. You can access the Market via a web browser, or you can use the Android Market app. What is the difference? The Market app. helps you to organize all your applications. Downloads are faster too.
Unfortunately, not everyone can access Android Market. For instance, some smart phones do not come pre-installed with the Market app. So users are unable to access the Market via an application. Others may want to install an older version of a working app, but they can’t find it in the Market any more. In such cases, they will need to download APK files.
APK files work in a similar fashion as EXE files. If you own a Windows computer, you will be familiar with EXE (Executable) files. Usually, it’s used to launch the installer of a software. The APK file works the same way. When you want to install software on an Android device, you launch the APK file via a file browser. Of course, make sure that you enable UNKNOWN SOURCES in your settings.
Due to security reasons, you aren’t allowed to install APK files, as such files can cause the device to malfunction. For instance, an unofficial application may be so buggy that it keeps causing the device to crash. You don’t want this to happen. So please ensure that you download files only from trusted sources. Alternatively, you can wait for others to try out the APK file on their devices before you try installing. There are developers out there who are always willing to test the installations. They will then post their results in forums or blogs.
You can also download APK files on your desktop computer. Just download the files like an ordinary file and save it on your local hard drive. Then connect your Android device to your PC, and transfer the APK files to your SD card. Next, use your file manager (such as ASTRO) to locate and open the APK files. jojoy