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Is anti virus a waste or is it worth having it run on your phone?
waste......
MrGibbage said:
waste......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why is that?
its a waste, when was the lest time u heard of someone getting a phone virus? lol, plus what are you downloading and running on your phone that might even pose a threat
I vote waste too, for current AV solutions. Like another poster said -- There really aren't any threats at the moment. It's real likely there will be at some point, but I see no reason to believe the current AV providers have any clue what these future hypothetical virii will look like. I'll trust an AV once it is written by a security researcher who has studied live Android virii. Until then they're just wasting resources.
I don't run AV software on my home computers or my phones. I am careful with the email that I open, and when I DL software, I try to be aware of where it is coming from. I am never the guy that that downloads something the day it comes out. If it is nefarious, I'll hear about it. Maybe I'm lucky, but I just don't see the need.
SMS Trojan for Android - http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1727325/android-virus-spotted
They do exist just not on a Windows level lol. I'm sure they will jump in numbers as the popularity of the platform continues to explode. Currently, Lookout is one of the top rated AV apps, and its free.
BTW when you install the "SMS Trojan" it asks for permission to send text messages that may cost money.
TOTAL Waste.
Just read the permissions requests when installing apps.
Or go read up on how Android's app sandboxing works. Either way, nothing can harm your phone unless you explicitly allow it to. And if you allow a photo app to read all of your data, and send text messages and connect to the internet, you deserve what you get.
reuthermonkey said:
TOTAL Waste.
Just read the permissions requests when installing apps.
Or go read up on how Android's app sandboxing works. Either way, nothing can harm your phone unless you explicitly allow it to. And if you allow a photo app to read all of your data, and send text messages and connect to the internet, you deserve what you get.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aint that the truth. Idiots need to pay attention to the Android Permissions screen and ask themselves "Why does this flashlight app need to read my contacts, google account and access my dialer, data connection and send SMS??"
Like others have mentioned, threat levels right now are so low that it doesn't warrant the use of money or system resources.
Some apps in the market that are labeled as such are just spam btw.
And also, we are far from a mass infection ala PCs. Just be very careful with what you download. Pay close attention to the permissions and use your very good judgement. If a music player asks permission to read/send/receive text messages and make phone calls, it's probably some type of malware.
jblade1000 said:
SMS Trojan for Android - http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1727325/android-virus-spotted
They do exist just not on a Windows level lol. I'm sure they will jump in numbers as the popularity of the platform continues to explode. Currently, Lookout is one of the top rated AV apps, and its free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WASTE ,..,.., hands down......
A virus that has to be manually installed by the user or creator on the host device ????? , and this is after all the warnings to the user before you press ok .,.,.,.,., never mind all the warnings telling you NOT TO DOWNLOAD outside of the market,unless you know what you are doing , download AT YOUR OWN RISK..... Not to mention the anti virus companies CREATING the need for you to install their app ... ever read some of the comments in the market about these "AV" apps ? > 'this app works great, protects my phone'<<<<<? protects it ? from what ???? WTF..
So yes I think it's a waste.....
People make viruses for a living so pretty soon someone will come out with a major one cause it being a phone means nothing its based off of linux and I know linux doesn't have any killer viruses but they do have some just not on a windows level. So ask it takes is one overseas a hole to create one just so he can get famous and then we will need an
Worth installing virus app.
O yea most people only read the permission when installing apps when they are new to android most people don't look at them.especially for apps they regularly use like handcent. Who know what they do with our info?
Sent from my Samsung Vibrant
hmmm lets see, would an app be able to slide in a permission without a warning? as in read contacts after installed but it never showed on the permission screen.
creglenn said:
People make viruses for a living so pretty soon someone will come out with a major one cause it being a phone means nothing its based off of linux and I know linux doesn't have any killer viruses but they do have some just not on a windows level. So ask it takes is one overseas a hole to create one just so he can get famous and then we will need an
Worth installing virus app.
O yea most people only read the permission when installing apps when they are new to android most people don't look at them.especially for apps they regularly use like handcent. Who know what they do with our info?
Sent from my Samsung Vibrant
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None of that supports a need for an Anti-Virus. Android sandboxes each and every application on the system. It's not like any other Linux distro in how it handles security. It's MORE secure than linux. You can hack individual apps (and thus use their permissions - ie the browser), but that's quickly patched.
The biggest security threat to Android is the same as the biggest security threat for EVERY OS: Lazy users.
reuthermonkey said:
None of that supports a need for an Anti-Virus. Android sandboxes each and every application on the system. It's not like any other Linux distro in how it handles security. It's MORE secure than linux. You can hack individual apps (and thus use their permissions - ie the browser), but that's quickly patched.
The biggest security threat to Android is the same as the biggest security threat for EVERY OS: Lazy users.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats so true but im speaking on the basic users who dont need a dumbphone instead of a smartphone cause when/if a virus does come out those are the people who ill be flooding the forums. While we sit back and laugh.
everyone is talking **** about anti-virus for taking up resources, but i've found Lookout to be very unobtrusive. Also, besides virus scan, it will locate your phone, send a siren to your device, backup your info, all at schedules you determine.
jamesey10 said:
everyone is talking **** about anti-virus for taking up resources, but i've found Lookout to be very unobtrusive. Also, besides virus scan, it will locate your phone, send a siren to your device, backup your info, all at schedules you determine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, those are a few reasons to keep Lookout installed. But I don't need it scanning all my files for threats that don't exist yet and it probably wouldn't recognize anyway. Fortunately, the AV component is optional.
i need a app for my daughters phone edited because she is pretty savvy with the android operating system, the app is the covert install for accutracking.com tracking agent when it installs it shows up in the apliocation manager as atapp, not real knotisable but she i think she would uninstall it just cuz she doesnt know what it is, there is no icon in the drawer and lookout doesnt find it, what i need it to do is most importantly install as com.google.android.contacts.sync or something of the sort that looks like a system file, and secondly if possible i would like it to install in the system partition like the amazon mp3 app, so it is hard to remove this second request is not must just a idea i'll pay $20 paypal as soon its done the original file is here let me know if your starting on this project so there isnt a bunch of people trying to compleate this for me, i will post in this thread when the project is started so not to waste peoples time
thanks
Dave
Id love to help, but I don't have the knowledge to, and if she's saavy, then she's probably rooted, and might actually browse these forums. She'll also likely turn off location services to conserve battery, like I bet most people do. If its not open source, im pretty sure it'd be against this forum's rules.
Sent from my Liberated Droid 2
it is rooted but thats only because i nrooted it for her and i did ask for permision to alter the app
Modifying closed source apk are usually frown upon. Using apps to track other people unknowingly can be illegal on some places. For those reason I decided to close this thread.
Cheers
I posted this in another forum but I want to know what you guys here think about android security.
How worried are you all about security on the android platform? Don't you find it a little unnerving that anybody could upload and app to the android market and there is no verification of the app like on IOS platform. Anybody could write an app that looks legit but does devious things. All this along with there are very very few security applications and they are in the infant state. Don't you find it very dangerous? How do you try to maintain security on your android device? Don't download apps? Only download from known publishers? Or do you roll the dice and download anything? If you use a security app which one?
the_main_app said:
I posted this in another forum but I want to know what you guys here think about android security.
How worried are you all about security on the android platform? Don't you find it a little unnerving that anybody could upload and app to the android market and there is no verification of the app like on IOS platform. Anybody could write an app that looks legit but does devious things. All this along with there are very very few security applications and they are in the infant state. Don't you find it very dangerous? How do you try to maintain security on your android device? Don't download apps? Only download from known publishers? Or do you roll the dice and download anything? If you use a security app which one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are viruses for Android.....right ?
Besides , if you're smart enough you can check whether an app needs such permissions when installing , through the Mart or an .apk .
I don't like the way iOS works , they give too limited functionality .
Forever living in my Galaxy Ace using XDA App
the_main_app said:
I posted this in another forum but I want to know what you guys here think about android security.
How worried are you all about security on the android platform? Don't you find it a little unnerving that anybody could upload and app to the android market and there is no verification of the app like on IOS platform. Anybody could write an app that looks legit but does devious things. All this along with there are very very few security applications and they are in the infant state. Don't you find it very dangerous? How do you try to maintain security on your android device? Don't download apps? Only download from known publishers? Or do you roll the dice and download anything? If you use a security app which one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i dont use a security app, i use common sense.
a game doesn't need access to my contacts...
notepad app doesn't need access to my private information...
this is why android phones are for the power users and shouldn't be used by soccer moms and grandmas - because they have no clue what they are doing with these phones except for when a phone call or text message comes in... let them have the iphones.
but if you are tech savvy, and want to squeeze every bit of user capability out of your phone, a high end android phone is for you.
the people that are tech savvy also have the awareness because they treat their phone like a computer, and not a phone.
just my thoughts.
I think the best thing would be if android embraced that the user can choose which permissions to give to apps. I mean, an app may want to know your location, you denies it, and the app continnues happily without using that functionality, or quits saying its essantial.
cobraboy85 said:
i dont use a security app, i use common sense.
a game doesn't need access to my contacts...
notepad app doesn't need access to my private information...
this is why android phones are for the power users and shouldn't be used by soccer moms and grandmas - because they have no clue what they are doing with these phones except for when a phone call or text message comes in... let them have the iphones.
but if you are tech savvy, and want to squeeze every bit of user capability out of your phone, a high end android phone is for you.
the people that are tech savvy also have the awareness because they treat their phone like a computer, and not a phone.
just my thoughts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
very well put, unfortunately most dont think like this..
It is always a good habit to check the permissions an app needs before installation.I personally think that a system should be implemented in android market where all apps are erquested to give informaation on "Why they need certain permissions?".Certain apps do that.
An antivirus program is also useful in my opinion.I use Lookout antivirus,as i find it simple to use and does not slow down my phone.I tried avg but it slowed down my phone terribly.
hiitti said:
I think the best thing would be if android embraced that the user can choose which permissions to give to apps. I mean, an app may want to know your location, you denies it, and the app continnues happily without using that functionality, or quits saying its essantial.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But, as a matter of degree, this just what we wish. The fact may be far beyond our imagination. Sometimes, malware still run certain functionalities even you cancel it. It's worse that some apps run secretly in system. I'm a little scared about security issue based on my PC.
cobraboy85 said:
i dont use a security app, i use common sense.
a game doesn't need access to my contacts...
notepad app doesn't need access to my private information...
this is why android phones are for the power users and shouldn't be used by soccer moms and grandmas - because they have no clue what they are doing with these phones except for when a phone call or text message comes in... let them have the iphones.
but if you are tech savvy, and want to squeeze every bit of user capability out of your phone, a high end android phone is for you.
the people that are tech savvy also have the awareness because they treat their phone like a computer, and not a phone.
just my thoughts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But a game might ask for internet/network permissions which you would probably accept. How do you guard against this? How can you prevent a malicious app that asks for relavent permissions but abuses them?
I never take the time to study the permissions required when I download an app from the market.
I tend to avoid the low number of d'load apps..... partly as there is less feedback to judge.... and partly as any app thats worth the download will have high stars and many d'loads.
Works for me so far.
Netquins running in the background just in case...... but whose to say they dont upload my contacts for spamming?
Prof Peach said:
I never take the time to study the permissions required when I download an app from the market.
I tend to avoid the low number of d'load apps..... partly as there is less feedback to judge.... and partly as any app thats worth the download will have high stars and many d'loads.
Works for me so far.
Netquins running in the background just in case...... but whose to say they dont upload my contacts for spamming?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But what about new apps that may be legit? They won't have any reviews yet or stars. If everybody did the same as you it would never get reviews or stars? There's got to be a better way, don't you agree?
the_main_app said:
But a game might ask for internet/network permissions which you would probably accept. How do you guard against this? How can you prevent a malicious app that asks for relavent permissions but abuses them?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the only question above that can't be answered by LBE Privacy Guard.
Someone mentioned a game that wants access to your contacts. What if you really want the game? You just don't allow it access to your contacts and then play it anyway.
Most apps ask for access to your IMEI (you'd be surprised how many!) With LBE they don't get it.
Antivirus software is all well and good, but it's not the same as on a PC where pattern matching can be used. AV software on Android basically opens the apk file and has a look round to see if anything looks suspicious. Other than that, there's nothing it can do to stop a clever developer bypassing it.
Seriously, if you have concerns then get LBE and start restricting permissions access on an app-by-app basis.
johncmolyneux said:
That's the only question above that can't be answered by LBE Privacy Guard.
Someone mentioned a game that wants access to your contacts. What if you really want the game? You just don't allow it access to your contacts and then play it anyway.
Most apps ask for access to your IMEI (you'd be surprised how many!) With LBE they don't get it.
Antivirus software is all well and good, but it's not the same as on a PC where pattern matching can be used. AV software on Android basically opens the apk file and has a look round to see if anything looks suspicious. Other than that, there's nothing it can do to stop a clever developer bypassing it.
Seriously, if you have concerns then get LBE and start restricting permissions access on an app-by-app basis.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this.
i was JUST about to say the same thing about the android "anti-virus" scam... not really a scam, but a false sense of security. as you said, not the same at ALL. people need to get out of the PC mindset with these phones. this is not windows, it's linux.
and i'm going to give LBE a shot. seems pretty legit.
for all of those running antivirus "software" on your phone, how many of you have actually run a virus scan and had it give a detailed description of a malicious "virus"....
Liking lookout
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
ummm, anyone ever heard of antiviruses (Kapersky, maybe?)? Or at least look up the app's access to things... If it accesses something you don't want it to access (or think the app doesn't need to access it), don't install it!
I know out-of-the-box Androids aren't so vunerable to viruses, compared to rooted ones... So...?
First look up the developer of the app, then if you trust him, install, if you never heard of him, google it (or look at the comments at where you're downloading from), and if you had experience with the developer before (and if the experience is bad, like trojans, etc.), don't install!
(I don't understand half of what I'm typing XD...Don't blame me for misspellings, please )
Cant say I can rave or not when it comes to the anti virus apps.
Have used Lookout in the past and currently using netquin.... neither of which ever flagged up a virus, malware or whatever.
Its nice to think its running in the background but dont know whether it will do anything if its needed.
I was tempted to download a load of apps in a zip file but 20 secs in my Avast siad there was a virus. I'd like to think the market would have its own precautions but having searched the site, cant see any mention of its security for the apps we download.
Its a different thing altogether but we cant take the fact that its the market and relax...... the worst virus my laptop ever had came in an update from Microsoft...... and another directly from google tools.
Kapersky for Android then? You can pick up free full non-trial versions on the web...
About the Market - yes, that's true. You'd expect them to check if apps are infected or at least leave a bot to do it...
Sorta lame...
The best security is the brain.akp just like brain.exe is on windows - best thing it's free, godgiven and everyone got a copy
Zeze21 said:
The best security is the brain.akp just like brain.exe is on windows - best thing it's free, godgiven and everyone got a copy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah but not everyone got the full version. A few of my friends got a corrupted exe and then this girl I know got the 30 day trial
not that good
Prawesome said:
It is always a good habit to check the permissions an app needs before installation.I personally think that a system should be implemented in android market where all apps are erquested to give informaation on "Why they need certain permissions?".Certain apps do that.
An antivirus program is also useful in my opinion.I use Lookout antivirus,as i find it simple to use and does not slow down my phone.I tried avg but it slowed down my phone terribly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have both Lookout and AVG, neither has stopped my phone from getting up to 10 junk downloads, you have won an ipad, iphone etc., a day, not sms or email, I have to have every form of external contact turned off, the moment I get wifi or mobile access it starts downloading spam.
If anyone knows of a way to stop it I would appreciate the feedback
Moved to proper section
Well, I’m sure that it isn’t a secret for anyone, CM7 has been and still is my favorite rom for my Defy(s). I’ve been using it since the day Quarx’s brought IP Tables support to it – hence allowing me to use Droidwall as an Android firewall. I could then selectively allow/deny internet access to any installed app [having internet access permission that is…]. This is a first and important security step, but like anything, this has limitations; apps that do ‘really’ need internet access are then free to send (and receive) whatever their Android permissions allow them to get a hand on. For that, CM7 has a neet feature called ‘permissions management’ that allows you to control each app’s permissions individually. This option works fine BUT the problem is that the apps that you control that way often lose functionalities, stop working altogether or even throw you an error message telling you that the app’s permissions have been altered and that you will not be able to use it unless you reset them.
So how to solve this potentially very critical security flaw without losing apps functionality? ==> PDroid.
Thanks to xda user measel, I’ve just recently discovered this wonderful piece of software and I don’t think that my Defy will ever live without it from now on. The app itself is not really a new one and I’ve decided to create this thread to spread to word around and in the hope that it will be helpful to other Defy owners conscious about their data privacy.
WHAT IT DOES:
• More than just blocking apps Android permissions, it lets you control each individual app’s access to private information (user + system);
• It allows you to block and, in some cases, let you either use random or custom private data;
• It will also (if desired) warn you on any root or privacy info access, all that with an easy to figure out and use user interface [see pics];
• And best of all, applications will not crash when their access to private data is blocked unlike with Permission Denied (using LBE Privacy or alike or with CM7).
Disclaimer: I’m only the messenger and I take no credit or responsibility for anything that you’ll do with your phone from here on.
HOW TO:
Original thread by the dev [go have a read and give your thanks to svyat]
Pre-requisites:
- Make sure that you did not use Titanium Backup to integrate sys Dalvik into the rom [if you don’t know what that means, chances are that you didn’t; ignore it];
- a PC running Windows;
- a CM7-jordan/Jordan-plus build;
- PDroid patcher v1.31 (v1.27 also work but the latest version (v1.32) from the link above doesn’t work for the Defy. So I’m attaching v1.31 here which I’ve found with a little digging through that thread;
- the PDroid.apk itself [Market link] or [Dropbox link from the dev];
=> If you don’t have access to a PC running Windows or just don’t want to go through the trouble of patching process described below, you can head over to measel’s CM7 nightlys | info collection thread and locate the build you are using; he was kind enough to provide us with patches for most of recent Jordan builds. So go and grab your applicable patches and give thanks to him.
=> If you’re running CM9 or CM10, this patcher will not work for you, but there are alternatives - namely: the ‘auto-patcher’ or even the PDroid v2 [I’ll give links to those later]. Just go read the last few pages of the original thread, there are quite a few mentions/redirections to those over there. [please don’t ask me about questions about those as I did not try them just yet]
Note: PDroid is an ongoing but currently ‘on hold’ project [because, like someone said before: devs sometimes have a life outside Android...] which works perfectly fine as it is if you follow the next few steps below.
Zero off: Make a nandroid backup of your current phone setup.
First off: Create the patch for your rom:
To work, PDroid first needs you to mod 3 framework files and push them onto your phone. To do so, all you need to do is to execute the PDroidPatcher.exe. file [extract it from the zip attached] and point it to the CM7 build you are using. Let it do its thing and it will create a CWM recovery flashable zip and an undo (RESTORE) one.
Second: Flash the patch:
Just boot into recovery, wipe cache and dalvik and install the patch and boot up.
Third: Install the apk
That’s it!, you’re now ready to go your list of installed apps and start controlling your privacy accesses.
Warning: again, go read the original thread for a how to on how to backup your PDroid settings and/or use TB to do so.
HOW TO USE:
Well, it’s all pretty obvious and with a bit of common sense, you will easily figure out how and what to set up. By default, nothing is blocked and apps are free to access data. So you’ll have to go through your list of installed apps and set up each individual data access and then try them out. For example, logic would tell us not to block the ‘GPS/Network Location’ data to maps related apps nor block ‘Accounts credentials’ to apps dealing with user IDs and passwords like Email or social apps.
I can’t give you detailed instructions here (it’s not the point of this thread anyway), but if like me you already use Droidwall, you can first leave alone all the apps that you’ve black listed for internet access [pic 2] since they won’t do anything with your private data if they can’t send it back home… There is also an option within the app to ‘hide all the safe apps’ [which do not have an internet permission]; check it to reduce the size of your list of apps to configure.
From experience, I’d also suggest you to keep an eye on the apps requiring a password to run since blocking Device or Subscriber ID might mean that you’ll have to always enter passwords each time you run the app that would otherwise be remembered by those apps. As a rule of thumb, I pretty much choose the ‘use random’ option whenever it is available (just to minimize problems with the app on blocking completely – I’m not even sure this is a valid argument here…) or block everything else when it’s not and finally, I leave ‘Network Info’ allowed since it basically only lets apps know if you connected to internet or not [who cares if they get your wifi’s SSID or not…].
But again, you’ll have to fine tune the whole thing for each and every app and run them to check for full functionalities – but at least they won’t crash on you… Finally, you can pinpoint potential problems/solutions by turning off the general PDroid notifications option and by turning on a specific app’s ones [pic 3].
Happy privacy enhancement!
/AL
As usual!
Quality guides from lovely []AL[]
I don't want a tapatalk sig!
nogoodusername said:
As usual!
Quality guides for lovely []AL[]
Why not move to Android Apps forums?
I don't want a tapatalk sig!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"lovely AL" wow! you surely are the first person to tell me anything like this here on xda.
..not sure if I should be flattered or run away by homophobia - hehehe! :laugh:
Well, I didn't mean to make it a guide when I started writing it, but like always I had things
to say and the post got longer and longer.. so I guess that we can call it a sort of guide...
But I truly like the app and believe that along with Droidwall, that should be installed on every phone.
In fact, Google should look at this and incorporate something similar into Android.
OK, I'll go reply to your PM now... cheers!
Edit for your question: because like I wrote in the OP, I'm just the messenger and not the dev of the app.
The app also works mostly for on phones running CM7 and even not all the phones support it either.
So I wouldn't publish this widely without at least asking permission to the dev. But here for Defy owners fellows,
I know it works fine and again, I think that it is pretty much an essential app to have.
9 downloads/1 thank;
Leeches, I see leeches everywhere!
Shhhiiiiii- You got me excited! I thought I'd find a patch for the Quarx rom! So far auto-patcher can't patch Quarx's CM10 roms. Nor do I understand why that's so but that's why I'm not a dev.
Excellent app
Arch Linux User ..
KicknGuitar said:
Shhhiiiiii- You got me excited! I thought I'd find a patch for the Quarx rom! So far auto-patcher can't patch Quarx's CM10 roms. Nor do I understand why that's so but that's why I'm not a dev.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well... sorry to hear that; I had no clue that it doesn't work with Quarx CM10. It seems to work for some other JB builds/phones... But like I wrote on the OP, I haven't tried any of this on CM9/JB yet. So again, too bad that this thing is a no go for now. I hear that Quarx is very busy outside Android's world as of lately so it might not be a good time to ask him about this - might also be low on his priority...but who knows, someone might read this and find an answer for you.
ps: quite an avatar you got there :silly:
an thanks for the link to the auto-patcher thread; it might be useful to others and it'll save me the search when I update the OP with it and your comment eventually...
juan296 said:
Excellent app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well thanks but again, just I'm just a messenger here and not the dev... :highfive:
Actually, I use DroidWall , so.. can uninstall this app? And right now, JUST USE pdroid! Right?
Arch Linux User ..
juan296 said:
Actually, I use DroidWall , so.. can uninstall this app? And right now, JUST USE pdroid! Right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I still use both...they are quite different apps and don't do the same at all. Droidwall is a firewall that let you control if an app has access to internet or not; PDroid controls what private information each app can access.
Like I wrote on the OP, any app that is blocked by Droidwall doesn't need a PDroid setup, but apps that need internet connection could be free to get private information from your phone if you don't use PDroid...
Basically, PDroid has no way of blocking all internet access; it only blocks apps from reading private info (or scrambles it by returning info like random network location or sim ID#...)
whenever I try to download an app I get this message "your device isn't compatible with this version"
please take into consideration that this is my first android tablet
and I have very little technical expertise
also I don't know the technical jargon or terms used on this site
when I posted my Problem before I was shut down and redirected to another forum
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2398788
which I gathered from the thread that apps in google playstore are not always accessible due to various countries terms and laws
I have used the search engine extensively, read every thread related to my issue and it confused me even more
the apps I need are vital it is life are death
they are Vlingo and Robin
how do I Work around this issue?
Maybe the message is true and the apps are really not compatible with your device
Anyway, there is a plugin for google chrome called apk downloader: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2100617 I'm not sure whether it allows you to download apk files that aren't compatible with your device but it may be worth a try. But if the apps crash or just don't work, don't be surprised!