Bad news from Leaf: no Android Market EVER

D

duncan1a

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Just spoke to Leaf: we are NEVER getting the Android Market. They say it's because of "security issues", because we're "co.za", and because "HTC don't allow it outside the US"

Crap crap crap! How can they get away with this?

Google say it's no problem for us to at least get the free apps and that it's the provider that's decided to exclude us. Typical South African Bull$h17

If I buy a BMW and find that it's deliberately hobbled to 2 gears, I would get my money back, why not with my hobbled HTC Magic???

Please explain Vodacom (I bought the phone from you)
 
Did you ask if Leaf can offer secure apps?
So I take it that MTNs magic wont be fully supported as well?
 
You can install aps you've downloaded, but you have to find them and many (including Google) developers only distribute through the market. So, no new Google Maps, voice search etc...

The security thing is bs, the rest of the world have at least the free aps in the Market. What security issues? It's as pathetic as the "we're co.za" excuse...
 
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Could it be because of "potential" software issues with phones?
Leaf is HTCs official repair centre, maybe they dont want to be stuck with "user problem broken" handsets...

Still a sad excuse though...
Defeats the purpose of the whole phone...:rolleyes:
 
I'm not sure who's at fault here. i spoke to one of the Leaf Developers and he's keen for the market, and they (the developers) will put it in tomorrow if they're allowed to.

He's putting me in contact with someone at Google SA who can hopefully clear things up a bit.

I've writing a review of the Magic and Android, so I need some straight answers
 
That is pretty crazy if you ask me, whats the poing of putting these dam phones on the market when one of the key features is not made available to you? I mean wtf?
 
Surely providing access to Android Market is not Leaf's business. What about other brands (like Samsung) bringing out Android phones (not distrubuted/supported by Leaf)?

Surely Google themselves must provide this across phone brands and networks?
 
If it a 'google phone' then it's google. Otherwise, as with our phones, it's up to the providers (in this case leaf) and Google. Paid for apps are an issue because of the legal stuff, but Google say they would love us to have the Market and we need to pressure our providers (LEAF). They say its would be easy to provide at lease the free apps if our providers allowed it.

I'm waiting for a call from Google SA, but at the moment it looks like it's all Leaf, or possible HTC, but that doesn't make a lot of sense - why would HTC exclude us and not other countries?
 
Samsung (and others) will be bringing Android phones to SA in due course. What then?
 
Vodacom and MTN should step in and make Android Market happen. They're offering Android products and must give their clients what they want and deserve. Why should clients pay in full for a crippled device? VC and MTN can tell Leaf to get their firmware in shape, or take a hike.

Vodacom, MTN, what's your stance on this?
 
BeVonk! said:
Vodacom and MTN should step in and make Android Market happen. They're offering Android products and must give their clients what they want and deserve. Why should clients pay in full for a crippled device? VC and MTN can tell Leaf to get their firmware in shape, or take a hike.

Vodacom, MTN, what's your stance on this?
Click to expand...

precisely. I bought it from Vodacom. They didn't tell me it was crippled. It's their problem. They should take things up with Leaf
 
Call me paranoid, but I'd be willing to bet that it's more along the lines of the local providers/resellers don't want to be left out of the revenue stream. I mean how would vodafone live be affected by the Android Market? If so, makes me wonder what exactly will be available with later Android phones in SA.
 
well, i dont give a crap about the providers, we not waiting for them, going to Hack ROM the HTC Android so it gives access to MarketPlace....hahahaha
 
What bollocks

I have an HTC Dream that I bought in Singapore and which I now use on MTN. I was wondering how much of a curse being stuck with Singtel system images was going to turn out to be but it looks like it's turned out to be a blessing. The Android Market works fine for me although I can only see free apps. I understand that paid apps have only been made available in the U.S. and U.K.so far.

http://slideme.org seems to have quite a few apps for the unlucky Leaf handset owners. Otherwise it's time to become root :-)
 
Well while all the political BS is going on, here seems a great site with full detail instructions and steps:

http://www.arbitraryuser.com/blog/2...-south-africa-to-get-android-market-and-more/

Rooting a Vodacom HTC Magic and upgrading the firmware in South Africa to get Android Market and more.

If you’re in South Africa and you own an HTC Magic Android phone you’ll soon realise that it’s missing Android Market, which to be honest, is pretty much what makes Android so damn amazing in the first place. In its place is the Leaf Open Market. Leaf are the South African HTC importers. Open Market is about as awesome as getting stabbed in the eye with a pencil, repeatedly. The application works okay, but the selection of applications is incredibly dismal.

Anyway, the primary reason I love Android is because it’s hackable. Commence hacking. Warning: Yes, this probably will void your warranty. Yes, it’s possible that the real Android Market will eventually be released in SA, but I’m not holding my breath.

Basically what we’re doing here is updating the phone’s firmware to the version HTC originally intended the Magic to ship with… There are stacks of other firmwares (called ROM’s in the ‘community’) floating around, I’m just pointing to one that definitely works. Using the wrong ROM can put your phone in a state where it refuses to boot… Never fear, see below ‘Recovering from a bricked Magic‘.
Click to expand...
 
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