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I have been using Appbrain to find and install new apps. However since putting in Froyo (which I LOVE otherwise) I am finding a lot of apps that are listed in appbrain but that aren't found in the market.
Is this just a version issue (ie the developer said it only works on specific versions) or is something else going on?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=687371
Just wondering how much searching you did before posting.
Quite a lot, actually, but since I'm not sure what it means for an app to be protected or whether the ones I'm not finding are protected, that thread didn't stand out to me. Frankly I still don't know if that will fix my problem, but I am certainly willing to try it.
Please keep in mind that there are those of us who are just learning, and sometimes we don't know all the ins and outs.
Oh, one other thing - if "protected" means "paid", those are not the ones I'm having trouble with. I am unable to see apps in the market that are free. Examples include:
NYTimes
Epicurious
Call Track
PAC-MAN
What kind of device do you have? And in which country are you?
A number of apps are not available for small-screen devices, or outside the USA. AppBrain shows all apps that are available for big screens in the US, so browsing it from a different device may sometimes let you find apps that the market won't allow you to download.
Is there an application that can password protect certain apps that I choose?
And please do not say Kids Corner as it does not do what I am asking.
It's probably possible (though far from easy), but I'd actually be more inclined to help if you hadn't opened a duplicate thread about this.
Only made second thread about this to attract some attention, 7 months passed since that guy opened his thread and nobody could give a good answer.
To me it's weird that nobody tried to make an app like this still, it would be very popular and help users very much.
Anyways, thank you for replying.
Really, just bumping the other thread was enough, but since we're here anyhow... my idea for how to approach it (and this would take a *lot* of hacking) goes something like this:
1. Create an app (call it X) that has the capability to launch other apps, and filesystem write access.
2. Have X take another app (call it Y) and encrypt its binaries. This prevents anybody from launching it by any means.
3. Tweak the app database to make it so that when you try to launch Y, it instead launches X and passes the id of Y as a parameter to the launcher.
4. X prompts the user for a password to Y. On getting the right one, it decrypts Y's binaries and writes them back to the correct location, then launches Y.
5. When the user (or OS) closes Y, a background process of X notes that Y is closed and re-encrypts it.
Currently we know how to do... well, some of #1, and we think the rest is possible. Given that, #2 isn't too hard. #3 is something I don't have the least notion how to do *right now* but I'm sure it's possible. #4 shouldn't be too hard given #1 and #2. #5 will be a trick - currently, apps have no way to know what other apps are running - but I'm sure it can be done.
It's a large engineering problem blocked by an even bigger research and hacking problem, though. Nothing we'll have soon. You'd never be able to publish it in the store, either, and it would only work for people with hacked phones. It's exactly the kind of *useful* thing that would be possible if Microsoft were willing to let up the restrictions on third-party developers a bit, of course, But for the time being, there are *reasons* nobody has done it yet.
Well the word that I actually was thinking after reading your post was "crap".
It seems only with time (and a whole [email protected]#$ing lot of it) will wp become a true competitor to android, but to be honest I don't think it will come to that.
Thanks for replying GoodDayToDie, I'm freakin' sad that there is no app that can suit my needs, I even tried with kids corner but the screen still needs the password entered like the normal one. Nothing really can make up for what I have in mind.
Cheers mate.
as soon as we can interop unlock all WP devices, it will be pretty easy... if you're able to provide the XAP (uncrypted of course )
i'll be able to "mod" this in for you... which app are we talking about?
@GoodDayToDie: i do'nt think he is looking for real data security here, so encrypting the whole thing shouldnt be required... i think it's more about preventing his gf to read his private messages or something like that
oh btw.: you would need a dev-unlock to deploy the modified XAP then...
tfBullet said:
as soon as we can interop unlock all WP devices, it will be pretty easy... if you're able to provide the XAP (uncrypted of course )
i'll be able to "mod" this in for you... which app are we talking about?
@GoodDayToDie: i do'nt think he is looking for real data security here, so encrypting the whole thing shouldnt be required... i think it's more about preventing his gf to read his private messages or something like that
oh btw.: you would need a dev-unlock to deploy the modified XAP then...
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Click to collapse
You're right tfBullet! I need it for whatsapp, photos, message and games app, mostly to prevent from friends but gf too.
I was thinking it might be possible to mod an app and add password before it can be accessed, although I have no experience in this domain. Many apps in store have this function, like wallet or prive photo apps.
My phone is dev-unlocked as I started a few days ago to study and try to create a simple app for me and my friends.
Modding an app like that would actually be quite hard, because it would break the signature and prevent the app from running. The encryption thing really isn't too hard, although you could skip it anyhow too.
If there was a way to run a program in the background that monitors when certain apps are selected and then prompts when its activated would work, but it would need an unlocked phone. And even under home brew I don't know if its possible to run apps in the background. Yet.
Sent from my Nokia 521 using XDA Windows Phone 8 App
The encryption thing really isn't too hard
Yea, but that's a little extreme. If you can create that password program that runs in the background you could probably have it watch files, apps or pretty much anything. You'd have to password protect the cofig file. And maybe if you can't remember the password after so many attempts you can have the program email the passwords to your email. Just some ideas.
Sent from my Nokia 521 using XDA Windows Phone 8 App
Running software in the background is actually shockingly easy. The trick is getting it to run with better-than-app-sandbox privileges. We're still working on that one. In the meantime, apps can't even read, much less write, to the install location of other apps.
GoodDayToDie said:
Modding an app like that would actually be quite hard, because it would break the signature and prevent the app from running.
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Click to collapse
@GoodDayToDie: actually these .NET apps are pretty easy to decompile, if you're willing to fix the bugs that the decompiler leaves you with...
so there is not really a need for a valid signature, if you're able to compile & sideload the app yourself
the only thing is: you need the decrypted XAP, as far as i know these get decrypted while installation and can be pulled from a interop unlocked device?!
It would be nice to get my fingers on some OEM (Nokia etc..) XAPs, to see if we can find any exploit in them
I know better than probably 95% of this forum what it takes to decompile managed code; I have reverse engineered huge numbers of apps. However, you are missing several important points.
1) Modifications like you suggest are very complicated to automate. It's certainly possible, but it's not simple.
2) Re-installing the app would be a pain. You would really want to do this as an in-place modification, and that means (for store apps) that it would still be signature-checked.
3) Not all apps are managed code; WP8 supports purely native code.
4) Even with managed code, obfuscation can make tinkering with the binary nigh-impossible.
It's just so incredibly stupid that WP is so limited. I know it's under Android big time, but I think even iOS more customizable, right?
Also, is there a message app in the store that has pass option? I searched but found nothing...
I don't believe iOS is any more customizable, no. It has some feature that WP lacks (it ought to; it's been out for years longer and Apple completely controls the hardware it runs on) but it's also missing some features that WP8 offers. In any case, this isn't the thread to have that discussion in.
GoodDayToDie said:
I don't believe iOS is any more customizable, no. It has some feature that WP lacks (it ought to; it's been out for years longer and Apple completely controls the hardware it runs on) but it's also missing some features that WP8 offers. In any case, this isn't the thread to have that discussion in.
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But with the jailbreak and MobileSubstrate, iOS is extremely customizable, and there are tons of tweaks, that's where Apple gets its new features from
Back to topic, I think the OP would be happy with a solution that locks the "normal" user of his phone out of some apps, so it wouldn't be necessary to modify anything of it, just making the standard launcher (I don't know how it's called, but I mean when you launch the app via home screen or with a toast) ask for a password should be enough.
Hello - I am doing a pen test for a customer. They are not giving me the xap files like they did last time. Is there a way to pull the xap file off the phone and on to your PC? I have a dev unlocked phone which I can sideload apps using power tools. I have done some research and it doesn't sound like this option is available, but I wanted to ask.
Thanks in advance.
First of all, the phone doesn't store the XAP files (PLEASE search before posting! This question gets asked a lot). I assume all you really care about is the app binaries and manifest file, though. (You can rebuild an installable XAP from these if needed.)
There's a complicated series of hacks for doing it on 8.1 via the ability to install apps to the SD card. If you don't have 8.1, don't have an SD card, can't install the relevant versions of specific apps, or if the app is marked to not allow installation to SD, then that method won't work for you.
The other approach, which in my experience is standard in the pentesting world (which is my field as well), is to use a hacked/jailbroken/unlocked phone. Samsung (unless it has the very newest firmware versions) and Huawei phones can be unlocked by flashing modified ROMs. The unlock lets you sideload apps with vastly more privileges, such as the ability to read and write the install directory of any app. Using that, it's pretty easy to get the files you want. Such unlocks are also possible with some Nokia phones via JTAG, and possibly some other models too, but the Samsung unlock (which I and -W_O_L_F- found) and the ability to flash customized ROMs for Huawei are the easiest approaches.
On the offhand chance you're part of NCC group, PM me and I'll send you my work email address. If you're with one of our competitors... well, I actually don't mind helping a competitor that much either; some Deja Vu folks gave me a good tip lately though, and I've got friends at SI as well.
GoodDayToDie said:
First of all, the phone doesn't store the XAP files (PLEASE search before posting! This question gets asked a lot). I assume all you really care about is the app binaries and manifest file, though. (You can rebuild an installable XAP from these if needed.)
There's a complicated series of hacks for doing it on 8.1 via the ability to install apps to the SD card. If you don't have 8.1, don't have an SD card, can't install the relevant versions of specific apps, or if the app is marked to not allow installation to SD, then that method won't work for you.
The other approach, which in my experience is standard in the pentesting world (which is my field as well), is to use a hacked/jailbroken/unlocked phone. Samsung (unless it has the very newest firmware versions) and Huawei phones can be unlocked by flashing modified ROMs. The unlock lets you sideload apps with vastly more privileges, such as the ability to read and write the install directory of any app. Using that, it's pretty easy to get the files you want. Such unlocks are also possible with some Nokia phones via JTAG, and possibly some other models too, but the Samsung unlock (which I and -W_O_L_F- found) and the ability to flash customized ROMs for Huawei are the easiest approaches.
On the offhand chance you're part of NCC group, PM me and I'll send you my work email address. If you're with one of our competitors... well, I actually don't mind helping a competitor that much either; some Deja Vu folks gave me a good tip lately though, and I've got friends at SI as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks again for all your help. So my situation is this: I am doing pen testing for a client (and I'm sure we are competitors some what). The have provided me a Nokia Lumia phone running 8.0 and another Lumia running 8.1. The app is installed by their dev team (app is not avail from the store). They are reluctant to provide my the XAP file as they consider it proprietary info. I have done a dev unlock on the phone, but my primary goal is to view the isolated storage/dlls for the app to make sure they are not storing sensitive data. I am using the standard tools for viewing the isolated storage, but for these to work (best of my knowledge) they require you to sideload the application which I cannot due (not XAP file). I am proxying the traffic, but without looking at the file system there is not much I can do. As an aside, they are using MDM with jailbreak detection.
Whoa, somebody actually got around to writing jailbreak detection for WP8? Crazy. I wish I could see that; I'm sure it's trivial to bypass (at least for interop-unlock, the difference between locked and unlocked is changing a registry value and it would be easily possible to re-lock it, launch the app while keeping the editor app open in the background, switch back to the editor, and unlock/jailbreak again) but I'm amused that anybody even bothered trying. Also, the APIs you would need to do the detection aren't even available on 8.0, officially; you're in violation of the store rules if you use them. Then again, maybe this is an internal, "Enterprise" app; those have permissions to do stuff that typical third-party apps do not. Are you sure they don't just mean they have jailbreak detection for iOS? I see something about Office365 MDM offering JB detection, but while I suppose they could have written something for WP8.x as well I feel like I probably would have heard of it?
If the app was sideloaded by the dev team, then you can see its isostore using the official tools or using Windows Phone Power Tools. If it's an enterprise app and the app was installed that way, then things get more difficult (especially if the phone they gave you doesn't have an SD slot). Not giving a pentester access to the binary they're testing is silly on a number of levels; if you succeed in breaking in then you'll get it anyhow, and an attacker will have a lot more than a week or two to poke at it so they're wasting your presumably-paid-by-the-hour time if they want you to see how good their security is without actually examining the app. I bet they used obfuscation, too... Some people just don't get it. "Security" by obscurity... isn't. Sorry, end of mini-rant. Anyhow, there's a guy on the forum who claims to have a non-JTAG unlock for Lumias, but no idea when or if it'll see the light of day.
Currently have a ONEPLUS 3T running Resurrection Remix ROM, which is great.
I guess the P30 hasn't had any development in this area? I was reading in the rom section and it seems even unlocking the bootloader is tricky, let alone loading a custom rom.
Is this something that will come later?
It's my first time thinking about buying a relatively new phone so not sure of the time line of things like this.
Cheers!
anotherxdauser said:
Is this something that will come later?
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Click to collapse
Huawei stopped giving official bootloader unlock codes, which means no TWRP or custom ROM/ Kernels. There are unofficial unlock codes, but they are pricey, may not be available all the time, etc.
But if you're looking to buy a P30 Pro, it shouldn't be for its custom ROM scene or mod capabilities. It should be for its camera. Period. There is a very good reason it's being held so high in all reviews for its camera prowess, you won't be getting tried of admiring what the camera can do, and the built-in image editor can enhance on - be it night, wide or zoom.
To its credit, EMUI does have a few features like very good theme support, a Network speed indicator, the gesture navigation and floating navigation dock are nifty, etc. You can install Netguard for firewall and Ad blocking through hosts, disable or uninstall system apps (bloatware) through ADB, try out custom launchers if you do not like EMUI launcher, and so on - in other words, its not too bad that the phone cannot be officially unlocked.
But if custom ROM/ recovery are more important, you should look at One Plus 7/ Pro, maybe. You'll not have similar kind of a development for this phone. Look up the custom section for, say, Mate 20 Pro to understand the kind of progress you can expect
Thanks
Have been thinking yesterday whether I need root or not.
I don't understand ADB, so try and avoid using it.
This is where a custom recovery excells - I can just load the zip and flash it on to the phone from the phone. But a lot of the time, this is to do with custom roms.
I have AdAway, but don't think that needs root.
I have Solid Explorer, which has a root mode, but I rarely use this and it's more for finding files around the phone than anything else.
I do use Greenify but not sure whether it actually does anything, or if it needs root access.
Nova Launcher is one that may require root, but I can't see anything blindingly obvious as to why. It also hides system apps so I don't bother uninstalling them.
Titanium Backup - but I only use this when upgrading the ROM.
Bouncer is another app I have recently installed. It does have a root mode, but is optional.
I can still sideload apps without root, so don't need it there either.
So it doesn't look like I need root.
Perhaps I only had it to install a custom ROM, but I'm not one of those people who installs a new one every week. I barely update the one I have because it's a fair bit of hassle! I think the only thing I am worried about is after Android 9 and whether there will be a timely update to 10. But then the changes I have seen since abut 3 or 4 versions of Android have been very minimal at best.
Can things run systemlessly without root?
Sorry for all the questions.
Does worry me a little that Huawei don't allow people to fully control their phones - the cynic in me makes me think it's because they're spying, so don't want people to run any other software but theirs! Ha ha.
I may have an opportunity to buy the phone for about £400 less than what Amazon are selling it (Amazon: £899, eBay: ~£500, one I was looking at on ebay: £500 with best offer).
Be careful with ebay. Cheapest isn't always best.
anotherxdauser said:
I have AdAway, but don't think that needs root.
I do use Greenify but not sure whether it actually does anything, or if it needs root access.
Nova Launcher is one that may require root, but I can't see anything blindingly obvious as to why. It also hides system apps so I don't bother uninstalling them.
Can things run systemlessly without root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AdAway will need root (or magisk) - so that won't work. What you can do is use netguard and import the latest hosts created by AdAway (in another, rooted device). Read up about netguard, it's pretty good at what it does
Greenify has a non-root mode, but then the battery life in this phone is monstrous - I get about 2.5 days with 7 hrs of screen time and 1.5 hours of calling - my usage is pretty light though
Nova launcher does not need root for its primary functions - I haven't used it in a while so not sure what else it does that needs root
Nope - systemless/ magisk et all need bootloader unlocking, which ain't straightforward with this device...
Some good thoughts here.
If I can import a hosts file (link to tutorial?) that would be great.
Funny as I only use AdAway to block a banking app contacting its servers to report I'm rooted so I can still use the banking app. However, if I'm not rooted, I may not really require it any more.
So the last (?) PlayStore access app for Android 2.1 bites the dust, apparently. The Search function died sometime last month and now log-in is impossible. The most recent version, 0.46, was done at the beginning of 2019. Word has it that the developer has abandoned the project.
Is there an alternative?
---------- Post added at 10:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:40 PM ----------
nmyshkin said:
So the last (?) PlayStore access app for Android 2.1 bites the dust, apparently. The Search function died sometime last month and now log-in is impossible. The most recent version, 0.46, was done at the beginning of 2019. Word has it that the developer has abandoned the project.
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Click to collapse
I just installed Yalp Store fork from F-Droid.
Even ist says it's. Not compatible with my device, the app works perfect with yalp store built-in credentials.
XtraWater said:
Is there an alternative?
---------- Post added at 10:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:40 PM ----------
I just installed Yalp Store fork from F-Droid.
Even ist says it's. Not compatible with my device, the app works perfect with yalp store built-in credentials.
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Click to collapse
Assuming this is what you are referring to: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.github.kiliakin.yalpstore/
I cannot at this time confirm your experience. I have been unable to successfully log in with this new forked version.
nmyshkin said:
Assuming this is what you are referring to: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.github.kiliakin.yalpstore/
I cannot at this time confirm your experience. I have been unable to successfully log in with this new forked version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Choose another device.
XtraWater said:
Choose another device.
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Click to collapse
Mmm...you might have saved me some time by telling me which one worked for you. I eventually found that choosing HTC Desire would allow a log-in, but this raises other issues. Originally the Yalp Store would filter out apps that were not for Eclair (or at least list them as "incompatible"). This does not happen if you are spoofing another device that is running who knows what version of Android.
Also, Search is broken. It reverts to a search of the device (Library and Shops) rather than the PlayStore. Not helpful.
Finally, although you can use the "category" option to look at apps (with no idea which might actually be compatible...), you cannot download anything. At least I couldn't. I got an error each time I tried.
So....a lot of work for the new developer to make this functional for the NST. For a lark I installed the last version of the original Yalp Store on my Tablet running 8.1 and was surprised to see that it actually worked without any funny business. So whatever happened to it seems to have affected legacy devices, but not more current OSes.
nmyshkin said:
Mmm...you might have saved me some time by telling me which one worked for you. I eventually found that choosing HTC Desire would allow a log-in, but this raises other issues. Originally the Yalp Store would filter out apps that were not for Eclair (or at least list them as "incompatible"). This does not happen if you are spoofing another device that is running who knows what version of Android.
Also, Search is broken. It reverts to a search of the device (Library and Shops) rather than the PlayStore. Not helpful.
Finally, although you can use the "category" option to look at apps (with no idea which might actually be compatible...), you cannot download anything. At least I couldn't. I got an error each time I tried.
So....a lot of work for the new developer to make this functional for the NST. For a lark I installed the last version of the original Yalp Store on my Tablet running 8.1 and was surprised to see that it actually worked without any funny business. So whatever happened to it seems to have affected legacy devices, but not more current OSes.
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Click to collapse
I used galaxy 7 edge. However, can't login anymore today at all.
Including Aurora store not able to log in.
I guess this is a war against Huawei that might eventually lead to the death of aosp at least for gapps people. Imagine gapps flashing on top of clean aosp becoming useless as none of these apps would not be able to log in etc
darfri said:
Including Aurora store not able to log in.
I guess this is a war against Huawei that might eventually lead to the death of aosp at least for gapps people. Imagine gapps flashing on top of clean aosp becoming useless as none of these apps would not be able to log in etc
Click to expand...
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I don't want to speak out of turn because I could not do the sort of programming required for these efforts. However, I do run the 8 gb version of the Nook Tablet using the microG project components. It works very well including maps, and uses so few resources you can even use the actual Playstore app instead of one of the other apps which seem to be either abandoned or in need of repair. Unfortunately, KitKat is the lower limit for microG, but it sure makes a difference, especially on a device struggling with memory issues.
At least F-droid have in descriptions of application requirements that state minimal version of Android it can be run from on my tablet it is so. I hope that is also the case with f-droid run from NST. If I had to choose device name for spoofing purposes on that YALP application my bet would be some of the phones running Eclair. Last were some Motorola phones from 2015 as far as I recall. Since on my NST social and even shop stopped working properly I am more and more leaning to go through the road taken by many and ditch original software and start tweaking and tinkering with the device. Eclair is so old that I do not know is there many application left to work with but in case this thread escaped attention I will leave link here. https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=698851
SJT75 said:
At least F-droid have in descriptions of application requirements that state minimal version of Android it can be run from on my tablet it is so. I hope that is also the case with f-droid run from NST. If I had to choose device name for spoofing purposes on that YALP application my bet would be some of the phones running Eclair. Last were some Motorola phones from 2015 as far as I recall. Since on my NST social and even shop stopped working properly I am more and more leaning to go through the road taken by many and ditch original software and start tweaking and tinkering with the device. Eclair is so old that I do not know is there many application left to work with but in case this thread escaped attention I will leave link here. https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=698851
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Run" and "work" are not always the same thing. The original Yalp Store stopped working in the mid 0.4x series. It could not log in, even with your Google account, probably due to SSL issues. The fork of the Yalp Store can log in but search is broken and download does not work. Search defaults to a device search rather than a search of the PlayStore and attempts to download an app from the Categories results in a crash. I've sent results to the developer but there does not seem to be a lot of change going on there (the app does work on the NST CM 11 ROM). It's pretty moot as there is not a lot in the Market any longer that will work on the NST. It's "easier" in the long run to do your homework and then search for the app you think will work using Apkpure or similar.
If Social and Shop have stopped working on your device you probably have not updated to 1.2.2.
nmyshkin said:
"Run" and "work" are not always the same thing. The original Yalp Store stopped working in the mid 0.4x series. It could not log in, even with your Google account, probably due to SSL issues. The fork of the Yalp Store can log in but search is broken and download does not work. Search defaults to a device search rather than a search of the PlayStore and attempts to download an app from the Categories results in a crash. I've sent results to the developer but there does not seem to be a lot of change going on there (the app does work on the NST CM 11 ROM). It's pretty moot as there is not a lot in the Market any longer that will work on the NST. It's "easier" in the long run to do your homework and then search for the app you think will work using Apkpure or similar.
If Social and Shop have stopped working on your device you probably have not updated to 1.2.2.
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Click to collapse
True about that. Should and will are two different verbs meaning. Interesting info about that app is still working but under different ROM. Just for the sake of making things clear all custom made things here on the forum are still based on Eclair and there were not any Android upgrades through custom ROM to preserve compatibility with B&N software?
About your Nook page say that I have version 1.2.2 of software. Remember that I have NST in untouched never modified condition that has active over the air active update as designed by B&N. So it might be that something gone wrong during update and I need to do it again manually from SD card or through computer. Shop behaves odd. It allows me to search for a book but does not allow me to download. Social do not connect at all.
I am just sifting through different apps looking for those that might be possible to use on NST. I have seen in F-droid repository two YALP stores. One from the original author that is not updated for over a year and second one labeled fork which is not updated for over nine months period. To add to confusion OP mentioned version 0.46 which is not the latest version original author placed in repository (his latest version is 0.45). Still forked version with that number exist sort of labeled 0.46-legacy IIRC. So what is exactly version up used that stopped working? Even an info about non-working app is good sometime to avoid loosing time on very much likely fruitless effort.
SJT75 said:
I am just sifting through different apps looking for those that might be possible to use on NST. I have seen in F-droid repository two YALP stores. One from the original author that is not updated for over a year and second one labeled fork which is not updated for over nine months period. To add to confusion OP mentioned version 0.46 which is not the latest version original author placed in repository (his latest version is 0.45). Still forked version with that number exist sort of labeled 0.46-legacy IIRC. So what is exactly version up used that stopped working? Even an info about non-working app is good sometime to avoid loosing time on very much likely fruitless effort.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it's a mess over there. You have to go to the github to access older versions of the original Yalp Store. So you can see there that the developer of the "fork" just picked up with version 0.45 and carried on. The "legacy" refers to a simpler UI such as can run on Android 2.1, for example, as even the original developer started branching out, eventually releasing two versions of the app each time. Actually it was after the app tried to become a little more fancy that it began to have trouble on the NST (surprise). It's been quite awhile since I ran the app on the NST but I suppose somewhere in my original post about the Yalp Store the version is mentioned (probably started with 0.39, if memory serves, and then moved along as login failed when Google changed things; at one time I think I got as far as 0.43)
One issue with the "fork" (besides the fact that "fork" is in the screen display name...) on the NST is that Search is broken. It defaults to a device search rather than a PlayStore search. Not sure if this was ever a problem with the original. I'll have to download a few versions and see. Also, even if you wade through the categories and select an app that way, it crashes when you try to download.
All that said, those are definitely NST issues since the most recent version of the "fork" runs fine on the CM 11 sdcard-ROM for the NST (including Search and download)
nmyshkin said:
Yeah, it's a mess over there. You have to go to the github to access older versions of the original Yalp Store. So you can see there that the developer of the "fork" just picked up with version 0.45 and carried on. The "legacy" refers to a simpler UI such as can run on Android 2.1, for example, as even the original developer started branching out, eventually releasing two versions of the app each time. Actually it was after the app tried to become a little more fancy that it began to have trouble on the NST (surprise). It's been quite awhile since I ran the app on the NST but I suppose somewhere in my original post about the Yalp Store the version is mentioned (probably started with 0.39, if memory serves, and then moved along as login failed when Google changed things; at one time I think I got as far as 0.43)
One issue with the "fork" (besides the fact that "fork" is in the screen display name...) on the NST is that Search is broken. It defaults to a device search rather than a PlayStore search. Not sure if this was ever a problem with the original. I'll have to download a few versions and see. Also, even if you wade through the categories and select an app that way, it crashes when you try to download.
All that said, those are definitely NST issues since the most recent version of the "fork" runs fine on the CM 11 sdcard-ROM for the NST (including Search and download)
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Thanks for reply with all quality info there! Does github work on NST or have done cloning/compiling elsewhere and sideload app to NST? Interesting issue with search on NST. It looks to me like B&N manage to pull another fast one on us like they did with "nonexistent" browser. I believe that somehow they screwed search through basically invoking any search attempt to link to their search library/shop application instead. Probably author in early versions used his search function but later decided to exploit some inbuilt Android/Google option that B&N screwed with. That might be the reason why on running the app through CM11 ROM from flashcard everything works as author intended/expected to work had NST be ordinary Android device. Now question remains...is that search function still there on NST but "hidden" and can it be somehow re-enabled or some heavier work lies on that road?
SJT75 said:
Thanks for reply with all quality info there! Does github work on NST or have done cloning/compiling elsewhere and sideload app to NST? Interesting issue with search on NST. It looks to me like B&N manage to pull another fast one on us like they did with "nonexistent" browser. I believe that somehow they screwed search through basically invoking any search attempt to link to their search library/shop application instead. Probably author in early versions used his search function but later decided to exploit some inbuilt Android/Google option that B&N screwed with. That might be the reason why on running the app through CM11 ROM from flashcard everything works as author intended/expected to work had NST be ordinary Android device. Now question remains...is that search function still there on NST but "hidden" and can it be somehow re-enabled or some heavier work lies on that road?
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So here's a run-down of what still "works" on the stock NST:
Only one version of the original Yalp Store passes every test but one. Version 0.35 succeeds in log-in (with your own Google account--no version successfully logs in with a generic Yalp Store account), Categories successfully brings up lists of apps and you can download/install from these lists. Search shows in light grey within the field "applications" and an initial search string brings up a number of more specific items, but no matter which you select it always returns "no apps".
As to the "fork", you can log in with a Google account, but Categories is blank, and Search shows in light grey within the field "Search NOOK(R)" and will dutifully check the Library, Shops, Social, etc. Totally useless.
So it seems the most nearly working is 0.35 of the original app series. Presumably the API for getting search information from the PlayStore is no longer correct. However, it may be possible for someone clever (more clever than I) to reverse engineer or cross engineer versions. Since we know the "fork" versions work on a non-NST ROM, it seems the API or whatever for Search is currently valid in them. Why they default to device search remains a mystery.
I should add that I did not try device spoofing in any of my tests. Too many variables for my brain. It may be that changing the apparent device ID would bring up apps in Categories which is otherwise blank. But using Categories to select apps is painful. A working Search is essential or the app is pretty useless.
nmyshkin said:
So here's a run-down of what still "works" on the stock NST:
Only one version of the original Yalp Store passes every test but one. Version 0.35 succeeds in log-in (with your own Google account--no version successfully logs in with a generic Yalp Store account), Categories successfully brings up lists of apps and you can download/install from these lists. Search shows in light grey within the field "applications" and an initial search string brings up a number of more specific items, but no matter which you select it always returns "no apps".
As to the "fork", you can log in with a Google account, but Categories is blank, and Search shows in light grey within the field "Search NOOK(R)" and will dutifully check the Library, Shops, Social, etc. Totally useless.
So it seems the most nearly working is 0.35 of the original app series. Presumably the API for getting search information from the PlayStore is no longer correct. However, it may be possible for someone clever (more clever than I) to reverse engineer or cross engineer versions. Since we know the "fork" versions work on a non-NST ROM, it seems the API or whatever for Search is currently valid in them. Why they default to device search remains a mystery.
I should add that I did not try device spoofing in any of my tests. Too many variables for my brain. It may be that changing the apparent device ID would bring up apps in Categories which is otherwise blank. But using Categories to select apps is painful. A working Search is essential or the app is pretty useless.
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Hmmm...well nice to know what is working. Interesting that YALP spoofing does not work but you can login using your credentials. I was under impression that nothing in the line of Gapps works now on NST due to changes implemented by big G..gle. Since other methods like G-droid, Aurora store etc.are out of option due to their android version incompatibility it seems that sideloading through SD card and PC is only option left viable. That present another problem of search for a right app on web through PC but it seems like a topic for another thread. I believe that we also opened here another rabbit hole of messed up search on NST which is if I remember well been observed in several situation/application. On my side I think that two things I found. First apparently working search in B&N Shop does not have to mean anything as it seems that it simply goes through internally downloaded DB of their Shop. My request for download never delivers anything and it seems that internet connection to B&N servers is down. Interestingly later I received e-mail from B&N claiming that my books are ready for delivery. I will investigate this and report back about outcome but it seems that there is someone on the other end of my request sending listening and filing the intent but from some reason unbeknownst to me they do not send the requested file. Maybe they opted for another method of delivery in case of such outdated devices due to possible security problem/flaw? We will see.
While researching about Opera browser something came to my attention and I have to ask about it and this look as good place as any. I remember that people here managed to use Amazon app to download applications to NST that I have no information is it still working. However I stumbled upon an info about something called Opera store. Since Opera is still working on NST if the ancient version allows using Opera Store that might be interesting option? Has someone checked that out?
SJT75 said:
While researching about Opera browser something came to my attention and I have to ask about it and this look as good place as any. I remember that people here managed to use Amazon app to download applications to NST that I have no information is it still working. However I stumbled upon an info about something called Opera store. Since Opera is still working on NST if the ancient version allows using Opera Store that might be interesting option? Has someone checked that out?
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I had always thought the Opera Store was for Opera extensions and addons, but you made me take a look.
Supposedly the URL is apps.opera.com, but this redirects to something called the "Bemobi Mobile Store" (using the Opera logo). The site loads fine in Opera Mini on the NST, probably Opera Mobile as well, although I did not try.
I looked at a few apps just to see what would happen. There didn't seem to be any check on the Android version. In each case I tried, tapping on the "Download" button took me to the Android Market agreement (i.e., the PlayStore entry) so whatever is going on there, it doesn't seem to be an actual "store" as much as a listing of apps with referral to the PlayStore (where, of course, the NST cannot go). There may be exceptions. Obviously I didn't try everything.
In the long run, there is very little point in some kind of Market access for the NST. If you want to try something you need to track it down. There are all kinds of sites like Apkpure, etc., that can be sources for old versions of apps. The other day I came across a huge listing of Android 2.1 apps (by an XDA member, as it happens) and most of them had dead PlayStore links. But with a version number and a little searching I had little trouble finding the few that sounded interesting.
I had hope that Opera tried to make their version of store like Amazon did or at least manage to make their online browser based version of Aurora which considering what they do with Opera Mobile wouldn't be that hard to achieve. Nevermind sideloading for the win it is!