I agree with the opposition to this change to Android, and do not feel that Google's 24 hour cooling off period is enough of a solution. However, this website is so heavy on fear mongering and using persuasive language that I find myself instinctively mistrusting it.
There's a certain irony because the fearmongering that the website is using is pretty much the same tactic I feel like Google is using for side loading lol.
I'm an Android developer for my job and I think it's a good idea to lock out side loading for most people for 24 hours, but I kinda wish there was a more elegant solution. But honestly in a technological world where some people really don't know how to use their phones, I think it's pretty good mitigating scammers that use urgency. I do wonder what scammers would do to circumnavigate this though.
Making an entire website postulating that "your phone will stop being yours" and that "android will stop being free" is a lot of the same fearmongering they accuse Google of doing by providing the officially sanctioned alternative.
And for what it's worth, on android, this might absolutely be about security. It's not, I get that, but the Play Store's security screenings don't do shit, and there's plenty of malware already on the Play Store. If there's ever a platform that would meaningfully benefit from even marginal improvements to the security landscape, holy hell is it ever android.
Oh, also, very transparent AI slop website, I can't be bothered to check Pangram but all the website copy text makes my AI senses tingle. I could be wrong, but I'm not. If you demand human attention, demonstrate human effort.
Eh, if it was about security they'd crack down on bad actors, implement App Review a la Apple, tighten permissions, fix API holes, patch systems like Device Administrator Apps and so on. This seems to me that they want to prevent another Epic Games from happening. You remember, when they added non-Play-Store payments to Fortnite and Google and Apple threw a hissy fit over not getting their cut?
I make some Android games for my elderly mum to play on an unlogged in Lenovo tablet. Free from monetisation, and other scammy behaviour from play store apps. Because there is a lot of scummy behaviour in these so called “verified” applications.
I can only get physical access to the device infrequently, so the 24 hours thing will be a ball ache. I have remote access but that’s sporadic I find. Internet issues at mums.
But I will do that I suppose. What other choice do I have at this point?
She can barely use my highly locked down easy launcher setup.
In the final case, perhaps I can get Linux on to some tablet device or other but man, that’s going to be rough to use, even if I can manage it.
As it currently stands, you'd only be doing the steps once with only one 24hr cooldown, then free to install your games without issue :) it is still worrying for the future with what they could opt to do, it'd be good to see the phone OS duopoly broken.
What have you made for her? That's sweet and cool you've done that.
She likes to play bingo, so I produced a bingo game, with AI players for her to play against. You can imagine the state of 'bingo' apps on the play store. Ad ridden money grabbing things they are.
Also a Jigsaw game I can upload new family photos to.
I'm going to make a threes clone at some point, and a suduko. All built with no monetisation or ads, and suitable for an 80+ year old with poorly hands and poor-ish motor control.
She managed to escape my launcher though, and ended up on the Lenovo stock desktop in multi window mode :(
I tried for half an hour to replicate that and couldn't. It's amazing what happens to technology and software when you give it to other people!
That's sweet! I bet those apps would be appreciated by many if you felt like sharing. I could see my grandma being interested in the jigsaw one in particular. Does it connect to a server you host or do you update the app?
Did you make the launcher too, or "just" customize another? I'm ceaselessly impressed by what less technologically-inclined folks can do and how they interact with tech. We've got systems knowledge, but folks that haven't built that up just look at it differently, like how someone that hasn't learned algebra would approach solving an equation.
Wes | 5 hours ago
I agree with the opposition to this change to Android, and do not feel that Google's 24 hour cooling off period is enough of a solution. However, this website is so heavy on fear mongering and using persuasive language that I find myself instinctively mistrusting it.
phoenixrises | 4 hours ago
There's a certain irony because the fearmongering that the website is using is pretty much the same tactic I feel like Google is using for side loading lol.
I'm an Android developer for my job and I think it's a good idea to lock out side loading for most people for 24 hours, but I kinda wish there was a more elegant solution. But honestly in a technological world where some people really don't know how to use their phones, I think it's pretty good mitigating scammers that use urgency. I do wonder what scammers would do to circumnavigate this though.
delphi | 4 hours ago
Making an entire website postulating that "your phone will stop being yours" and that "android will stop being free" is a lot of the same fearmongering they accuse Google of doing by providing the officially sanctioned alternative.
And for what it's worth, on android, this might absolutely be about security. It's not, I get that, but the Play Store's security screenings don't do shit, and there's plenty of malware already on the Play Store. If there's ever a platform that would meaningfully benefit from even marginal improvements to the security landscape, holy hell is it ever android.
Oh, also, very transparent AI slop website, I can't be bothered to check Pangram but all the website copy text makes my AI senses tingle. I could be wrong, but I'm not. If you demand human attention, demonstrate human effort.
skybrian | 4 hours ago
What do you mean it's not about security? People say that all the time but do they know anything?
delphi | 4 hours ago
Eh, if it was about security they'd crack down on bad actors, implement App Review a la Apple, tighten permissions, fix API holes, patch systems like Device Administrator Apps and so on. This seems to me that they want to prevent another Epic Games from happening. You remember, when they added non-Play-Store payments to Fortnite and Google and Apple threw a hissy fit over not getting their cut?
skybrian | 3 hours ago
Seems like Google is doing these things to some extent? It’s harder to post an app to the Play Store it used to be.
The developer registration thing is the one that gets more attention.
trim | 3 hours ago
I make some Android games for my elderly mum to play on an unlogged in Lenovo tablet. Free from monetisation, and other scammy behaviour from play store apps. Because there is a lot of scummy behaviour in these so called “verified” applications.
I can only get physical access to the device infrequently, so the 24 hours thing will be a ball ache. I have remote access but that’s sporadic I find. Internet issues at mums.
But I will do that I suppose. What other choice do I have at this point?
She can barely use my highly locked down easy launcher setup.
In the final case, perhaps I can get Linux on to some tablet device or other but man, that’s going to be rough to use, even if I can manage it.
Carrow | 3 hours ago
As it currently stands, you'd only be doing the steps once with only one 24hr cooldown, then free to install your games without issue :) it is still worrying for the future with what they could opt to do, it'd be good to see the phone OS duopoly broken.
What have you made for her? That's sweet and cool you've done that.
trim | an hour ago
She likes to play bingo, so I produced a bingo game, with AI players for her to play against. You can imagine the state of 'bingo' apps on the play store. Ad ridden money grabbing things they are.
Also a Jigsaw game I can upload new family photos to.
I'm going to make a threes clone at some point, and a suduko. All built with no monetisation or ads, and suitable for an 80+ year old with poorly hands and poor-ish motor control.
She managed to escape my launcher though, and ended up on the Lenovo stock desktop in multi window mode :(
I tried for half an hour to replicate that and couldn't. It's amazing what happens to technology and software when you give it to other people!
Carrow | 25 minutes ago
That's sweet! I bet those apps would be appreciated by many if you felt like sharing. I could see my grandma being interested in the jigsaw one in particular. Does it connect to a server you host or do you update the app?
Did you make the launcher too, or "just" customize another? I'm ceaselessly impressed by what less technologically-inclined folks can do and how they interact with tech. We've got systems knowledge, but folks that haven't built that up just look at it differently, like how someone that hasn't learned algebra would approach solving an equation.