Important Announcement: Handango Android Catalog

[Handango]

Handango, the original multi-platform app store, will be launching one of the industry’s first Android catalogs in November. Handango has served millions of customers since 1999 and has become the trusted and agnostic source for smartphone content. Handango's legacy is with the early adopters and, in fact, Handango has supported Linux applications for many years. Content providers building Android applications and looking for distribution are encouraged to contact Will Pinnell (will@handango.com or +1.972.894.0467) for priority in the promotion of the content within the catalog.

Beginning October 1st, content providers will be able to add Android applications directly to developer accounts and choose to distribute them to customers in three ways:

1) Give them away for free
2) Sell them for a one-time purchase fee
3) Set them up as a monthly, quarterly, or yearly subscription fee (subscription APIs provided at no cost)

Content providers are encouraged to jump on this opportunity as soon as possible in order to maximize distribution and revenue as soon as the first Android phone is in the market. If you’re an existing Handango content partner, simply add the new Android content to your account. If you’re not yet working with Handango, you can apply to become a software partner at http://developer.handango.com and your application will be accepted within 24 hours. Depending on volume, content providers keep 50-70% of the suggest retail price that they provide, less any transaction costs that might occur.

[New World]

I was under the assumption that every Android app must go through the Android Market?

As was I

[Cricketman]

Yes, I do believe that the Android Market is where the applications will be downloaded from, although I could be mistaken. I doubt Google/T-Mobile would block this sort of thing from happening (with this whole open theme they're going after here) but you never know.

[newarkdanny]

I was under the assumption that every Android app must go through the Android Market?

FYI to members of Android Community, our Android Market catalog already exist and developers are presently able to do a lot of what Handango plans on offering in their Android catalog in November.

i like the setup of the android market catalog here too......

so will we be able to download things, straight from a usb to the g1?

[androidmaddy]

Well, I thought that Android Market would just make App distribution easier and safer (with a common platform for devs to show-off their apps) but there will be other ways to put apps on the phone.

Most straightforward could be download the app and copying it to the phone, just like WinMo today.
Other option could be devs hosting the app on their website and then installing that app directly from there, similar to installing Firefox extensions.
And third is what's Handango is doing, providing an alternative to Android Market.

[hawtseks]

More proof that android is all about giving consumers choices and forcing companies to compete with one another for business.

[short/y]

Be a little careful if you're gonna buy something through Handango. I've bought a TON of WinMo stuff through them without a hitch but, about 18 months ago I bought CorePlayer through them. The Core folks have only managed to get me ONE free update in all this time and THAT was over a year ago. I'm pretty sure the problem with with the Core folks because I've never had a problem at Handango before but that single experience has caused me to always look elsewhere first if I want to buy something.

And, YES, I'm not at all happy with the folks over at Core!

[snoslicer8]

I quote this from page 68 of the user manual:

Download Web files and applications
Before you download any files or applications using the Browser, note the following:
• Before you can download Web applications, you must explicitly “allow” downloading from the
Home > Settings screen:
1 Press HOME, then press MENU and select Settings.
2 Select Applications, then on the Application settings screen, select the Unknown sources
check box.
• All items downloaded form the Web are stored on your SD card, so be sure you have a card
installed in your phone before you download from the Browser. (Read more in “SD card slot” on
page11.)
• The Browser will only allow you to download items that are supported by an application
installed on the phone.
Warning! Applications downloaded from the Web can be from unknown sources. To protect your
phone and personal data, only download applications from sources you trust, such as Android
Market.

This seems to me like Android is by default locked to the Android Market distribution model, but since this is an open source platform, they allow you to download from other sources once they warn you that it could be dangerous.

[heyitsnan]

I just want to make sure that I don't download some *crap* app from an idiot that likes to create adware/spyware/viruses and crashes my phone or loads it up with junk. Then I'd be pissed!

[NetCom]

It is very simple - why go somewhere else if Android Market is right here and the easiest ever ... However, will there be all possible apps on Android Market? I am assuming it will be - unless some developers decide to charge customers some money and have handango take care of that... Well, I will still be using android market

PS. It almost reminded me of some websites for WinMo wher handango would charge for apps and other websites would have alternatives to the same apps and offer them for free...