Sneaky Play Store Update

[lookimback]

I've been trying to get my play store to work for the past hour and kept timing out. I have been using version 3.10.14 because I have apps which won't work with 4.0.25. I have automatic updates disabled. Now all of a sudden my AV app pops up saying scanning new software. I check and it says Play Store updated. I checked in app manager and its now 4.0.26. Thing is that 1) I didn't want the update. 2) I had automatic updates disabled. And 3) I didn't even know it was downloading. There was no arrow indicating that I was downloading something. Now that I got the new version I like it but still need 3.10.14. Is there a way I can have both?

 

[jefboyardee]

I had automatic updates disabled.

I think Google puts itself above the third-party apps it

 

[lookimback]

Part that really bothers me is that it eats up my data plan. 10 mb for the update and probably about the same if I download 3.10.14 again. I have all my apps, system and user, backed up on a flash drive but its a real pain because I have no computer and have to go to library to access them.

 

[lookimback]

So is there a way I could have both versions and switch between them without having to uninstall. I thought about keeping one frozen until I need it and then freezing the other and unfreezing the one I want but don't think it will work because they have the same name and signature.

 

[jefboyardee]

On mine, I can tap Uninstall Updates and it reverts back to the Android Market, like a time machine. But it nags me to death if I do.

 

[lookimback]

That did it. Y didn't I think of that. Thanks.

 

[nickdalzell]

Uninstalling updates will only revert it back until you launch it again and are once again in Play. It forces the update and the only workaround I'm aware of is installing an alternative app store like 1Mobile Market which carries most of Play's apps

 

[lookimback]

1Mobile Market is good but I've found that it doesn't always have the most recent versions of apps. As for Play, I just keep a copy of the 3.10.14 apk in a separate folder and uninstall the update and install the older version when necessary.

 

[argedion]

Uninstalling updates will only revert it back until you launch it again and are once again in Play. It forces the update and the only workaround I'm aware of is installing an alternative app store like 1Mobile Market which carries most of Play's apps

1Mobile is chinese and its not a great source for play store alternative. People using it will subject themselves to malware and other vicious virus's and trojan horses. Best to stay away from sites like that.

 

[nickdalzell]

Works fine for me, plus was sick of Play Store's issues and the unnecessary amount of steps required to download apps. 1Mobile also doesn't have to run in background chewing up your internal storage. Play has eaten up as much as 30mb on my Merit, and clearing cache only solved it for a few minutes. I don't like apps doing things without my permission and Play did just that.

 

[mikedt]

1Mobile is chinese and its not a great source for play store alternative. People using it will subject themselves to malware and other vicious virus's and trojan horses. Best to stay away from sites like that.

Totally agreed, one can never be too careful.

1Mobile Market alias Kunlun Wanwei Keji Gufen Youxian Gongsi/昆仑玩味科技股份有限公司. I'd be very wary about downloading any apps from this. You just might find the apps doing some rather undesirable things without your permission.

I'd suggest the Amazon App Store as a good Play alternative myself. Plus there's GetJar, AppBrain and SlideMe. All are safe and NOT Chinese AFAIK.

 

[ScandaLeX]

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
You both provided great advice and alternatives.

 

[lookimback]

Thank u. I stopped using 1Mobile when I tried to install newer versions of apps I already had and the signatures didn't match.

 

[nickdalzell]

Mike none of those other stores have even 1/3 of what Play even has. And thr signature doesn't match error comes up when you attempt to update an app you downloaded from Play with a version from another app store. Amazon does it, too. Try updating Pinball Arcade downloaded from Amazon with a version from Google Play same error comes up

Play does undesirable things without my permission, such as constantly running in the background building up a massive cache. 1Mobile can be closed and stays closed. With Android I cannot stand apps running when they shouldn't and when I bought my new tab I decided never to use those types of apps, including Google Play. It is disabled

 

[mikedt]

Mike none of those other stores have even 1/3 of what Play even has. And thr signature doesn't match error comes up when you attempt to update an app you downloaded from Play with a version from another app store. Amazon does it, too. Try updating Pinball Arcade downloaded from Amazon with a version from Google Play same error comes up

Play does undesirable things without my permission, such as constantly running in the background building up a massive cache. 1Mobile can be closed and stays closed. With Android I cannot stand apps running when they shouldn't and when I bought my new tab I decided never to use those types of apps, including Google Play. It is disabled

There's no problem with the 1Mobile Market app itself, that does stay closed. It's what it's downloading is what I'd very concerned about. China has a very serious Android malware problem, because of high software piracy and un-curated app stores, like 1Mobile Market. I don't install stuff from Chinese app stores.

http://www.zdnet.com/new-android-malware-infects-100000-chinese-smartphones-7000000497/
http://www.scmagazineuk.com/china-accused-of-spreading-android-malware/article/287105/

If you start getting yellow stars and ads for Chinese dating and soft porn apps in your notifications, or all your contacts, passwords and other private data is uploaded and phoned home to god knows where, or your phone is suddenly sending $2 text messages all by itself, and that's a lot more undesirable than something running in the background. You might want to think again about 1Mobile, and installing stuff from untrusted sources.

1Mobile has a huge selection of apps and games, however many of them are distributed without the dev's permissions, just like all the other Chinese app stores, i.e. they're illegal and infringing copyright. Of course in China no one really cares about things like that. No one pays for any Android apps or games here.

 

[nickdalzell]

I am familiar with Airpush, and Play isnt immune to it, either. Also, I only download apps I know about such as Pandora or Netflix. When I use Android dont expect restrictions, or things protecting me from myself. I also dont like Play telling me crap like that it 'cannot download due to an error' or 'insufficient storage available' (1mobile has a built-in installer that bypasses the Android package manager so that last bit of storage can still be used to install apps long after Play says no. Besides, 1mobile bypasses Play's uber annoying 'not compatible with your device' bug too

 

[mikedt]

Nick if you want to open yourself to all kinds of risks and possible problems, don't say we didn't try warning you.

You know I'm in China, and I do NOT use or trust Chinese app stores, end of.

EDIT:

http://androidforums.com/android-lounge/712587-new-android-malware.html
"Folks, please don't download app apk's from untrusted sources... it is an invitation to disaster.
Download from trusted sites ONLY and even then: be careful!"

 

[sdrawkcab25]

I am familiar with Airpush, and Play isnt immune to it, either. Also, I only download apps I know about such as Pandora or Netflix. When I use Android dont expect restrictions, or things protecting me from myself. I also dont like Play telling me crap like that it 'cannot download due to an error' or 'insufficient storage available' (1mobile has a built-in installer that bypasses the Android package manager so that last bit of storage can still be used to install apps long after Play says no. Besides, 1mobile bypasses Play's uber annoying 'not compatible with your device' bug too

I think that is mike's point. That "app market" bypasses android's security restrictions. Just because you are downloading known apps, doesn't mean they haven't been altered and may now contain malware. It is basically like going to a file sharing site and downloading the .apk file. So what may have been an innocuous permission from a trusted app from the play store, such as reading contacts or access to SMS, with an altered app, those permissions can be used nefariously. China loves data mining and will use any avenue it can. (Not that Google doesn't data mine, but they are much more trustworthy than the Chinese gov't.

 

[nickdalzell]

Well to each their own. I am not going to let apps run in background when I am not using them or tell me they cannot install for some odd reason. Currently, no other Play Stoe alternative exists which carries most of the same apps. Also, since Android is meant to be all about what its user wants, then what works for me may not necessarily work for everyone. I have a very picky policy when it comes to Android and I hack the pieces I don't like out of it.

Rooting also carries risks, but no one seems to advocate against it for some odd reason, either. While I normally root every Android product I own, I still believe a hard-bricked tablet or phone is far, far worse than a malware infection that can be solved by a factory reset

 

[mikedt]

Well to each their own. I am not going to let apps run in background when I am not using them or tell me they cannot install for some odd reason. Currently, no other Play Stoe alternative exists which carries most of the same apps. Also, since Android is meant to be all about what its user wants, then what works for me may not necessarily work for everyone. I have a very picky policy when it comes to Android and I hack the pieces I don't like out of it.

Because they're infringing copyright and breaking the law. And discussion of this is actually against forum rules. We don't advocate getting APKs from Chinese app stores just as we don't advocate getting them from illegal file sharing sites either.

Rooting also carries risks, but no one seems to advocate against it for some odd reason, either. While I normally root every Android product I own, I still believe a hard-bricked tablet or phone is far, far worse than a malware infection that can be solved by a factory reset

Thing is rooting is NOT illegal and has many benefits, and is no more than having admin permissions to the OS on your PC. However a $1000 phone bill can be difficult to solve, because that whatever free APK was sending expensive premium rate SMSs without your permission. Just saying.

 

[ScandaLeX]

Mods, guides, and forum members only care about you doing what's safe and legal Nick.
THAT'S the least we can do but as you said, to each their own and nothing a factory reset cant fix......although I don't know of any factory reset that can fix an expensive phone bill.

Anyway, best of luck to you.

 

[mikedt]

Mods, guides, and forum members only care about you doing what's safe and legal Nick.
THAT'S the least we can do but as you said, to each their own and nothing a factory reset cant fix......although I don't know of any factory reset that can fix an expensive phone bill.

Anyway, best of luck to you.

A factory reset won't help much if all of your on-line accounts are compromised and hacked as well, because there was a malicious key-logger in that dubious copy of Angry Birds or whatever.

To me, downloading apps from Chinese app stores is very much the same as getting them from The Pirate Bay.

 

[unifoner]

I had Getjar but every time I went to use it, something slid over the face of it which prevented me from getting aps, saying I had to get my aps from google which I Don't want. Is that normal?