I think not many people are aware that you can run at least several Android applications directly on the BlackBerry 10 OS, if you get your hands on the .APK files for those applications. Several websites, such as this one, provide APK files for you to download. Download an APK file like any other file to your BB10 phone, then check it for malware at VirusTotal and/or Jotti's malware scan. If it's all clean, run the file. BB10 will ask/caution you if you're sure about installing an application from a source other than BlackBerry World, and when you proceed, in at least many/most cases the application should both normally install and run.
And remember, these Android applications that you're able to run on your BB10 phone are in addition to the native applications available for BB10 over at BlackBerry World. Terrific!
Update [Feb'15]: A positive indirect effect of BB10's support for Android/APK is that in case you don't like an application in BlackBerry World, you [usually] have the option of ignoring it, and instead using the APK version of the same application. For example, the WSJ application for BB10 in BB World is kind of half-cooked and lame, so I removed it and instead installed the latest APK of WSJ. The latter is so much better [screenshot below]!
I've been using my BB Z3 for several weeks now, and all I can say is that I'm delighted! Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal apps were not available for BB10, so I downloaded and installed the latest APK files for these on my Z3, and all three worked properly!
ReplyDeleteInstalled ESET Mobile Security [paid/premium version] on my BB Z3, and it works properly. Lesson? Don't be worried if you can't find a good antimalware/antivirus application in BlackBerry World. Go to ESET's website, and it'll supply you the official APK.
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