Do you have an Android device? If so, maybe you are still looking for great apps for your device. The fastest way to fill your device with apps is to download free apps through the Android Market.
Android Market is owned by Google and is a market full of all kinds of interesting applications: themes, useful utilities like calculators and of course there are games to download. Most of these apps are free. Some require you to upgrade for a small fee if you want 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. Just open a Google account and you can access the Android Market. You can access the Market through a web browser or you can use the Android Market application. What is the difference? The Market app. helps you organize all your apps. Downloads are also faster.
Unfortunately, not everyone can access the Android Market. For example, some smartphones do not come pre-installed with the Market application. Therefore, users cannot access the Marketplace through an app. Others may want to install an older version of a working app, but can no longer find it in the Market. In such cases, they will need to download APK files.
APK files work in a similar way to EXE files. If you own a Windows computer, you’re familiar with EXE (executable) files. Typically used to launch a software installer. The APK file works the same way. When you want to install software on an Android device, launch the APK file through a file browser. Of course, make sure you enable UNKNOWN SOURCES in your settings.
For security reasons, you are not allowed to install APK files as such files may cause the device to malfunction. For example, an unofficial app may have so many bugs that it causes the device to crash. You don’t want this to happen. Therefore, make sure that you download files only from trusted sources. Alternatively, you can wait for others to test the APK file on their devices before trying to install it. There are developers who are always willing to test installations. They will then post their results on forums or blogs.
You can also download APK files on your desktop computer. Just download the files like a regular file and save it to your local hard drive. Then connect your Android device to your PC and transfer the APK files to your SD card. Then use your file manager (such as ASTRO) to locate and open the APK files.