Dell Aero won’t allow unsigned Android apps

David Gonzales  By on 24 Mar 10

For those of you who have been waiting to get their hands on the Dell Aero smartphone as it goes on sale from AT&T, I have a bit of bad news: it won’t allow the installation of unsigned Android applications.

This is according to Dell itself, speaking to PhoneNews.com. It appears the company isn’t the one who is imposing this restriction, but the exclusive carrier AT&T, which has done the same thing to other phones like the Motorola Backflip, for example.

This restriction regarding unsigned Android applications will no doubt spark a bit of an outrage for potential customers. Fortunately, there are other alternatives to the Dell Aero. Unless, of course, something can be done about AT&T’s business decisions.

Via Phone News

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  • alreadysigned

    Android apps are signed anyway…

  • Research Better

    No Android device allows unsigned apps – this story is complete BS!

  • vkelman

    So, AT&T is doing it again. One more crippled phone which should not actually bear Android name. Unless you're willing to buy unsubsidized Nexus One for AT&T directly from Google (I bought one; it's excellent), go away to other carriers for real Android experience.
    AT&T is determined to ruin Android experience for its owner's (guess, who?) request.

    So, there is again no way to install apps not from Android market, no way to uninstall AT&T 's own bloatware, Yahoo! Search instead of Google Search, right?

    Vladimir Kelman
    http://webofandroids.blogspot.com/

  • James W

    totally agreee, at&t and Apple= the super evil empire

  • http://www.davidvgonzales.com David Gonzales

    No Android device allows unsigned apps

    Well, sure, and you have to sign your applications yourself or set your Android device to be able to install non-marketplace apps (which include what I have been referring to as unsigned) to do this, but I'm guessing AT&T disallows even that.

    We haven't had a chance to try out the Dell Aero for ourselves (the one displayed at CTIA was unfortunately turned off — and it was AT&T's decision), but if Phone News's report holds any truth to it and the Aero's case is similar to the Moto Backflip, then AT&T will have disabled the capability to install non-marketplace apps with the phone's custom Android build.

    Read

  • alreadysigned

    Android apps are signed anyway…

  • Research Better

    No Android device allows unsigned apps – this story is complete BS!

  • http://vkelman-blog.blogspot.com/ vkelman

    So, AT&T is doing it again. One more crippled phone which should not actually bear Android name. Unless you're willing to buy unsubsidized Nexus One for AT&T directly from Google (I bought one; it's excellent), go away to other carriers for real Android experience.
    AT&T is determined to ruin Android experience for its owner's (guess, who?) request.

    So, there is again no way to install apps from outside of Android market (what they wrongly called 'unsigned apps' ), no way to uninstall AT&T 's own bloatware, Yahoo! Search instead of Google Search, right?

    Vladimir Kelman
    http://webofandroids.blogspot.com/

  • James W

    totally agreee, at&t and Apple= the super evil empire

  • http://www.davidvgonzales.com David Gonzales

    No Android device allows unsigned apps

    Well, sure, and you have to sign your applications yourself or set your Android device to be able to install non-marketplace apps (which include what I have been referring to as unsigned) to do this, but I'm guessing AT&T disallows even that.

    We haven't had a chance to try out the Dell Aero for ourselves (the one displayed at CTIA was unfortunately turned off — and it was AT&T's decision), but if Phone News's report holds any truth to it and the Aero's case is similar to the Moto Backflip, then AT&T will have disabled the capability to install non-marketplace apps with the phone's custom Android build.

    Read

  • mastermind777

    In normal Android phones, there is an option to allow the installation of non-Market apps. AT&T has removed that option from the settings.

    …Apparently AT&T doesn't understand Android.

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