Related
I've heard of several devices that are unable to access the android market. I was wondering if there is a way to simply have access to the APK files, essentially a market back door. I don't even know if this allowed because frankly, I don't understand how the market works. I'm focusing on the word, "open market".
Reason for the question: I may getting a Nook soon but I read that some of them can't access the market using honeycomb.
Thanks.
If it's a free app, that's fine. Many devs even make the apk available on their website. The market only serves as a convenient search engine and auto updater for free apps.
If it's a paid app, that's illegal and a violation of the forum rules - do not ask again. For paid apps, the market serves as a search engine, shopping cart / checkout, license validater, and auto updater.
In case you are asking about a paid app, i'll save you the effort... even if you did get your hands on the apk, most of them will fail to start or run b.c. the market will reject your phone when it tries to validate your copy of the app on app startup.
I thought I made it clear that I didn't know much about the market which is why I'm asking. I forgot that some apps are paid apps, simply an oversight. Your attempt to offer helpful advice was clouded by an unnecessary admonishment of my actions. I'm very well aware of the forum rules. Simply stated, you're making it sound like I'm trying to steal from developers, I'm not. I'm simply trying to find a way to get "free" apps that are listed as such on the market using a device that does not seem to have access to the market.
You could always grab the Amazon Appstore .apk and use that to search and download applications, too.
totalanonymity said:
You could always grab the Amazon Appstore .apk and use that to search and download applications, too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow... that didn't even occur to me--thanks!
market enabler is a neat app too. It lets you fool the market into thinking you have a different phone.
http://code.google.com/p/market-enabler/downloads/list
Has anyone figured out how to get an app to appear on the Fire TV home screen? Is it something programmed into the app, or is the Home screen somehow linked to the Appstore, thus only allowing apps in the Appstore to be listed on the Home screen?
elmerohueso said:
Has anyone figured out how to get an app to appear on the Fire TV home screen? Is it something programmed into the app, or is the Home screen somehow linked to the Appstore, thus only allowing apps in the Appstore to be listed on the Home screen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it has something to do with a link to the Amazon app store. I've sideloaded a bunch of apps and the only one that showed up on the home screen was Spotify (kindle fire version). When I installed the play version of Spotify it didn't show up on the home screen.
elmerohueso said:
Has anyone figured out how to get an app to appear on the Fire TV home screen? Is it something programmed into the app, or is the Home screen somehow linked to the Appstore, thus only allowing apps in the Appstore to be listed on the Home screen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would place bets that it has to be signed somehow by amazon in order for it to show up on the main screen. Or like the kindle fire they put an option in to allow unauthorized apps.
MrMichaelJames said:
I would place bets that it has to be signed somehow by amazon in order for it to show up on the main screen. Or like the kindle fire they put an option in to allow unauthorized apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Koying found this:
From https://developer.amazon.com/sdk/asb/faq.html#General , it appears Amazon checks if an app is sideloaded and doesn't show it on the main screen if it is. One of the way they could do so is to check from which application the apk was installed, which would return nothing when we sideload via adb.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MrMichaelJames said:
I would place bets that it has to be signed somehow by amazon in order for it to show up on the main screen. Or like the kindle fire they put an option in to allow unauthorized apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this was my thought too.
so I pulled a copy of spotify from google, and a copy from amazon store. the amazon version does not show up in my apps list like it did for dhayman11. but the only version I could get from amazon was "kindle tablet" whereas dhayman11 said his version was kindle fire.
so the next thing I did was go on the firetv and install pandora.
luckily, the firetv has the same package install method as any generic device with amazon app store: it downloads the apk into
/sdcard/android/data/com.amazon.venezia/files/apks
and then installs it.
and then deletes it lol.
even more luckily, I was able to gank a copy of the apk safely to /sdcard/ on the first try, before it was deleted.
the KF apk of spotify, and the AFTV/KFTV apk of pandora, both have 3 extra files that the google apks do not have. signatures indeed:
KF spotify
com.amazon.content.id.MC-S-2UIMENB7RPX86 2b9caef13142184773d485b1aca955b5
com.amazon.kiwi.version 647a47a71e371ae13642b26cb75c593f
kiwi 96ac1624b345483aa1b393fe52624ddd
KFTV pandora
com.amazon.content.id.MC-S-1UVY84RC4VBZ6 60e678411e0e696dee205591a51609b6
com.amazon.kiwi.version 647a47a71e371ae13642b26cb75c593f
kiwi 96ac1624b345483aa1b393fe52624ddd
so obviously 2 of the files can simply be copied and injected into target apk. but just as obviously, 1 file may have to be generated somehow.
but that 1 apk-specific file contains nothing special, just text (which happens to match the filename)
com.amazon.content.id.MC-S-2UIMENB7RPX86 --
MC-S-2UIMENB7RPX86
com.amazon.content.id.MC-S-1UVY84RC4VBZ6 --
MC-S-1UVY84RC4VBZ6
who knows, maybe it doesn't need to be generated, just referenced in the manifest xml somewhere (haven't gotten around to digging into those just yet...)
---------- Post added at 05:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:31 PM ----------
of course, the other thing that only occurred to me this morning (which is dumb, because amazon has been talking lots of public talk about it for a while now)
is that repackaging apps with a new signature should be possible with their development tools. and they just happen to have the SDK and eclipse mumbo-gumbo for free download:
https://developer.amazon.com/public/resources/development-tools
(I'm guessing they make their money when you want your app in the amazon store, rather than charging for the sdk which was historically more usual)
tarvoke said:
this was my thought too.
so I pulled a copy of spotify from google, and a copy from amazon store. the amazon version does not show up in my apps list like it did for dhayman11. but the only version I could get from amazon was "kindle tablet" whereas dhayman11 said his version was kindle fire.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I just tried to replicate it and its not showing up in my "apps library" list now either. Must have been a glitch or something. It was likely the "Kindle tablet" version, rather than "Kindle fire" version, I just remember it said something about being the kindle version.
dhayman11 said:
Yeah I just tried to replicate it and its not showing up in my "apps library" list now either. Must have been a glitch or something. It was likely the "Kindle tablet" version, rather than "Kindle fire" version, I just remember it said something about being the kindle version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh ok
I figured it was just me doing something wrong.as usual
It probably has to do with the exact app name (com.amazon.bah.blah.blah). I sideloaded updated Plex app (paid app), since amazon store is behind, and it shows on the home screen.
So if it's on the amazon store, and available for Fire TV, and has the same name, then it will probably show regardless of where it came from, version, or if it was sideloaded.
Luxferro said:
It probably has to do with the exact app name (com.amazon.bah.blah.blah). I sideloaded updated Plex app (paid app), since amazon store is behind, and it shows on the home screen.
So if it's on the amazon store, and available for Fire TV, and has the same name, then it will probably show regardless of where it came from, version, or if it was sideloaded.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, it just needs to be signed by Amazon.
Remember, this is the Apple-era, where only losers sell hardware for a profit. The winners make a profit off everything you do with "your" hardware. Amazon didn't make Fire TV so you can have a cheap HTPC box to do as you please, they made it for you to consume content provided by Amazon. This is why you can't have you apps show up on the home screen, this is also why the Home button on the remote can not be rebound or overridden, and this is also why the voice search feature will only give you results from Amazon.
Check this out.. http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=191109&pid=1682194#pid1682194
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
sadboyzz said:
No, it just needs to be signed by Amazon.
Remember, this is the Apple-era, where only losers sell hardware for a profit. The winners make a profit off everything you do with "your" hardware. Amazon didn't make Fire TV so you can have a cheap HTPC box to do as you please, they made it for you to consume content provided by Amazon. This is why you can't have you apps show up on the home screen, this is also why the Home button on the remote can not be rebound or overridden, and this is also why the voice search feature will only give you results from Amazon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Explain how a sideloaded app taken from Google play shows on home page then? A version not available on amazon.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Luxferro said:
Explain how a sideloaded app taken from Google play shows on home page then? A version not available on amazon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the plex thing, who knows. it's a paid app so that's one major difference with everything else we've been playing with.
it's not the classname - amazon is using the same exact namespace as google and anyone else.
com.amazon.kindle
com.pandora.gtv
com.estrongs.android.taskmanager
etc...
because you don't go messing around with namespaces. no one does. for one thing, changing the classname is a licensing problem - quite likely breaking the law. and in practical terms, you could easily end up having 2 versions of the same app fighting over the same resource media/settings/etc. deadlock and threading issues, dirty reads abound.
if I sideload com.pandora.gtv taken from google, it stays in the kiddie menu.
if I sideload the pandora apk that I ganked from the amazon app store, it goes to the app menu.
but in both cases, running "adb shell pm list packages -f" reports that the firetv sees the app as: com.pandora.gtv
how does the firetv decide what happens when you sideload an app? I don't know. I have a moderately good guess.
there are:
- some extra indicator/tag files
- different RSA signatures/certs (check out META-INF)
- possibly non-trivial differences in the manifest xml
below is some info about some indicator files that are in the amazon apks. but not in non-amazon apks.
you can see that 2 of the files are identical between the 2 apks, but still generically saying hey this is some amazon apk not a regular one.
and then there is 1 file that is different. some sort of specific signature or hash.
(each com.amazon.content.id.$FOO file simply contains "$FOO" - it's some sort of unique generated string but no idea what it relates to)
com.amazon.content.id.MC-S-2UIMENB7RPX86 2b9caef13142184773d485b1aca955b5
com.amazon.kiwi.version 647a47a71e371ae13642b26cb75c593f
kiwi 96ac1624b345483aa1b393fe52624ddd
com.amazon.content.id.MC-S-1UVY84RC4VBZ6 60e678411e0e696dee205591a51609b6
com.amazon.kiwi.version 647a47a71e371ae13642b26cb75c593f
kiwi 96ac1624b345483aa1b393fe52624ddd
between this stuff and the RSA certs, that's probably how the firetv is set up to decide how to sort out where to put things.
I imagine similar with OUYA or any platform where this kind of split-userspace thing is going on...
tarvoke said:
the plex thing, who knows. it's a paid app so that's one major difference with everything else we've been playing with.
it's not the classname - amazon is using the same exact namespace as google and anyone else.
com.amazon.kindle
com.pandora.gtv
com.estrongs.android.taskmanager
etc...
because you don't go messing around with namespaces. no one does. for one thing, changing the classname is a licensing problem - quite likely breaking the law. and in practical terms, you could easily end up having 2 versions of the same app fighting over the same resource media/settings/etc. deadlock and threading issues, dirty reads abound.
if I sideload com.pandora.gtv taken from google, it stays in the kiddie menu.
if I sideload the pandora apk that I ganked from the amazon app store, it goes to the app menu.
but in both cases, running "adb shell pm list packages -f" reports that the firetv sees the app as: com.pandora.gtv
how does the firetv decide what happens when you sideload an app? I don't know. I have a moderately good guess.
there are:
- some extra indicator/tag files
- different RSA signatures/certs (check out META-INF)
- possibly non-trivial differences in the manifest xml
below is some info about some indicator files that are in the amazon apks. but not in non-amazon apks.
you can see that 2 of the files are identical between the 2 apks, but still generically saying hey this is some amazon apk not a regular one.
and then there is 1 file that is different. some sort of specific signature or hash.
(each com.amazon.content.id.$FOO file simply contains "$FOO" - it's some sort of unique generated string but no idea what it relates to)
com.amazon.content.id.MC-S-2UIMENB7RPX86 2b9caef13142184773d485b1aca955b5
com.amazon.kiwi.version 647a47a71e371ae13642b26cb75c593f
kiwi 96ac1624b345483aa1b393fe52624ddd
com.amazon.content.id.MC-S-1UVY84RC4VBZ6 60e678411e0e696dee205591a51609b6
com.amazon.kiwi.version 647a47a71e371ae13642b26cb75c593f
kiwi 96ac1624b345483aa1b393fe52624ddd
between this stuff and the RSA certs, that's probably how the firetv is set up to decide how to sort out where to put things.
I imagine similar with OUYA or any platform where this kind of split-userspace thing is going on...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that stuff is kinda over my head (I guess I was wrong on that classname stuff). I was mostly pointing out that the latest version of paid Plex app, taken from google play store and sideloaded on Fire TV shows the app on the homescreen, even though the version from amazon is older and different.
Luxferro said:
Yeah, that stuff is kinda over my head (I guess I was wrong on that classname stuff). I was mostly pointing out that the latest version of paid Plex app, taken from google play store and sideloaded on Fire TV shows the app on the homescreen, even though the version from amazon is older and different.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah that really makes little to no sense I mean, I'm glad it works, and I'm sure plex-using-peoples of the world are very happy. but I have zero clue
right now I am still feeling way too lazy to download the free sdk and learn how to use it. but it does all the correct signing stuff i.e. any app you make with it should go into the grownup app menu on the home screen. and it might even be possible to use it to re-sign apk files from non-amazon sources.
tarvoke said:
the plex thing, who knows. it's a paid app so that's one major difference with everything else we've been playing with.
it's not the classname - amazon is using the same exact namespace as google and anyone else.
com.amazon.kindle
com.pandora.gtv
com.estrongs.android.taskmanager
etc...
because you don't go messing around with namespaces. no one does. for one thing, changing the classname is a licensing problem - quite likely breaking the law. and in practical terms, you could easily end up having 2 versions of the same app fighting over the same resource media/settings/etc. deadlock and threading issues, dirty reads abound.
if I sideload com.pandora.gtv taken from google, it stays in the kiddie menu.
if I sideload the pandora apk that I ganked from the amazon app store, it goes to the app menu.
but in both cases, running "adb shell pm list packages -f" reports that the firetv sees the app as: com.pandora.gtv
how does the firetv decide what happens when you sideload an app? I don't know. I have a moderately good guess.
there are:
- some extra indicator/tag files
- different RSA signatures/certs (check out META-INF)
- possibly non-trivial differences in the manifest xml
below is some info about some indicator files that are in the amazon apks. but not in non-amazon apks.
you can see that 2 of the files are identical between the 2 apks, but still generically saying hey this is some amazon apk not a regular one.
and then there is 1 file that is different. some sort of specific signature or hash.
(each com.amazon.content.id.$FOO file simply contains "$FOO" - it's some sort of unique generated string but no idea what it relates to)
com.amazon.content.id.MC-S-2UIMENB7RPX86 2b9caef13142184773d485b1aca955b5
com.amazon.kiwi.version 647a47a71e371ae13642b26cb75c593f
kiwi 96ac1624b345483aa1b393fe52624ddd
com.amazon.content.id.MC-S-1UVY84RC4VBZ6 60e678411e0e696dee205591a51609b6
com.amazon.kiwi.version 647a47a71e371ae13642b26cb75c593f
kiwi 96ac1624b345483aa1b393fe52624ddd
between this stuff and the RSA certs, that's probably how the firetv is set up to decide how to sort out where to put things.
I imagine similar with OUYA or any platform where this kind of split-userspace thing is going on...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On submission to the Amazon Appstore, Amazon signs all of your apps with a secure key for your account. The resulting hash code is unique to your app and different from any hash codes you may have for that app in different app stores. I wonder if someone can sign up for a dev account, get the hash keys and apply it locally to a sideloaded app and then load it into the fire tv.
Interesting..
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Use Llama to lunch XBMC or other Apps from FTV Home
I'm using Llama app to access XBMC from the FTV home page. I downloaded an app from Amazon app store that I was never going to use "Classic TV" and created an event in Llama to launch XBMC instead of the other app.
You can go to the XBMC wiki page for the whole instructions about sideloading to FTV. To get the Llama app go to the developer page and download app for sideloading: http://kebabapps.blogspot.com/.
From XBMC.org Wiki for FTV:
Launch XBMC from an Existing App on the FTV Home Screen
There is a alternative way to invoke XBMC from the FTV Home Screen using Llama. This method uses a “sacrificial” app that you have installed from Amazon that you will use to access XBMC. The app can be anything you have installed but don’t need to use; however, some apps behave better than others (some apps will enter a loop when exiting XBMC). One app that has been tested and works well for this purpose is “Classic TV”.
The advantage of this method is that using the sacrificial app you have Home Screen Access to XBMC and you can exit XBMC to the FTV Home Screen just as you would any other FTV app.
4.1 Prerequisites
Llama side loaded on your FTV.
The app called “Classic TV” from the Amazon app store.
One Llama Event (described below).
4.2 Procedure
Install / side-load Llama.
Install “Classic TV” app from Amazon app store.
Launch Llama (From FireTV - Settings > Applications > Llama > Launch Application).
Go to EVENTS on top menu and click '+' to add a NEW EVENT.
In your NEW EVENT select ADD CONDITION then, from the Menu select 'Active Application' and select 'Choose App’. Scroll through the list of apps until you find “Classic TV” and select this app. Doing this should return you to the Events Menu.
Next, select ADD ACTION and select 'Run Application' from the Menu list. From here, select whatever the name of your XBMC build is. That should create your event. At this point you can also name your event to distinguish it from others.
Now when you start the “Classic TV” app from the Home Screen, it should automatically open XBMC. Feel free to experiment with other apps from the FTV app store. Just be aware that some will loop back and re-start XBMC when you try and exit XBMC to get back to the FTV Home Screen.
gmicalzoma said:
I'm using Llama app to access XBMC from the FTV home page. I downloaded an app from Amazon app store that I was never going to use "Classic TV" and created an event in Llama to launch XBMC instead of the other app.
You can go to the XBMC wiki page for the whole instructions about sideloading to FTV. To get the Llama app go to the developer page and download app for sideloading: http://kebabapps.blogspot.com/.
From XBMC.org Wiki for FTV:
Launch XBMC from an Existing App on the FTV Home Screen
There is a alternative way to invoke XBMC from the FTV Home Screen using Llama. This method uses a “sacrificial” app that you have installed from Amazon that you will use to access XBMC. The app can be anything you have installed but don’t need to use; however, some apps behave better than others (some apps will enter a loop when exiting XBMC). One app that has been tested and works well for this purpose is “Classic TV”.
The advantage of this method is that using the sacrificial app you have Home Screen Access to XBMC and you can exit XBMC to the FTV Home Screen just as you would any other FTV app.
4.1 Prerequisites
Llama side loaded on your FTV.
The app called “Classic TV” from the Amazon app store.
One Llama Event (described below).
4.2 Procedure
Install / side-load Llama.
Install “Classic TV” app from Amazon app store.
Launch Llama (From FireTV - Settings > Applications > Llama > Launch Application).
Go to EVENTS on top menu and click '+' to add a NEW EVENT.
In your NEW EVENT select ADD CONDITION then, from the Menu select 'Active Application' and select 'Choose App’. Scroll through the list of apps until you find “Classic TV” and select this app. Doing this should return you to the Events Menu.
Next, select ADD ACTION and select 'Run Application' from the Menu list. From here, select whatever the name of your XBMC build is. That should create your event. At this point you can also name your event to distinguish it from others.
Now when you start the “Classic TV” app from the Home Screen, it should automatically open XBMC. Feel free to experiment with other apps from the FTV app store. Just be aware that some will loop back and re-start XBMC when you try and exit XBMC to get back to the FTV Home Screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is this possible with any other app rather than kodi?
An easy way to get apps to loaded to your AFTV is to use an APK extractor. If an app is not available directly to your AFTV you can install it on your phone or tablet, extract the APK, and then transfer it to your AFTV. I use the one below as it allows it to be transferred to your cloud account, by email, WiFi, and many other ways. I usually opt for Google Drive then go to the AFTV, open Drive, and run the APK.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.asif.apkextractor
Disclaimer - Obviously not all apps will work/run properly on the AFTV but many will.
Not to make your way seem bad, cause it isn't, but there are so many backup tools to backup apk files that most people already know this. I backup my apk files with root browser, but there is no need to backup apps and transfer them. There are actually a couple easier ways to install apps without backing them up. My favorite way is by installing third party app stores. I have six differnt app stores installed on my fire tv and most every one of them have my updates the same day that gooogle play gets them. My next favorite way is by using the fire tv app that lets you pick what apps on your phone or tablet you wanna install on your fire tv and it sends the apk files from your phone to the fire tv without backing them up. Its called Fire Installer. Not sure if I'm allowed to name the app stores I have installed, but send me a message and I'll let you know.
Not sure what your point is. The app I mentioned is not backing anything up although it can be used for that purpose. It simply pulls the APK without you having to figure out what its unfriendly name is and where it is located and sends it by several different routes to where you want it. I looked at FireInstaller but is a single purpose app. The other day I wanted an app installed on my tablet but it was refused as incompatible. I then used APK Extractor to send it to Drive from my phone, opened drive on the tablet, and installed it. It runs fine on my tablet. The file I mentioned is simple and versatile.
Attached is a screenshot of some of the Send To options.
I use apk extractor that is how it's called looks very similar great way to transfer apps from play store
Hello,
First let me say sorry if this is the wrong forum for the question, or if it has been asked. I have searched myself into a headache looking for the answer as well as other information before I update my phone to be able to use Google Play.
My question is this... To install Google Play on the Fire Phone you need .apk files: Account Manager, Framework, Services, Store. Well I've seen quite a few places to get these files online. But where do those sites get them? I'm assuming it can't be downloaded via browser plugin (apk downloader, etc) from the PC Google Play store itself, since it's the app that installs other apps.
I'm paranoid and would like to get those four files myself, so I know its safe - if its possible. Any idea how/where?
The answer is probably staring me in the face, but I don't see it.
My guess is that some phones can capture the files as they download from Google updates and turn them into apk form. But I'm not sure... If there is a way to get them myself I'd like to know - if not, what is the safest place to get them?
Thanks!
gG
Well getting here would be a good start. If not like you said in your post go to Google Play store and use the APK plug in or one of the Web sites that do the same.
Sent from my SD4930UR using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Found another thread the other day and someone there was able to help me.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/fire-phone/general/fire-phone-how-to-install-google-play-t2977237
Just wanted to say again.
If you want to get the .APK files to install the Google Play store 100% safe ask a buddy to use ES File Manager to back them up for you. Just go into system files and find them, and select backup. Or if you are like me and have an old android phone, back them up yourself - worked like a charm - no issues.
Thanks again.
I installed Google play on my daughter's kf and now I'm trying to set up my Google family link. The problem is that I can't figure out how to add her Google account to the kid, since she is under 13. Her child account is limited to what apps she can use, and all the apps I can think of where I might be able to add her (like Gmail), she doesn't have the permission to add herself.
Is there any way to add a Google child (under 13) user account?
Aoibhell said:
I installed Google play on my daughter's kf and now I'm trying to set up my Google family link. The problem is that I can't figure out how to add her Google account to the kid, since she is under 13. Her child account is limited to what apps she can use, and all the apps I can think of where I might be able to add her (like Gmail), she doesn't have the permission to add herself.
Is there any way to add a Google child (under 13) user account?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What would you have them using to device for?
rjmxtech said:
What would you have them using to device for?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just some school & game apps, youtube, etc. I want it mainly so I can better control what they see on youtube...
you have to create the account from the parent's Family Link app on your phone.
Were you able to figure this out? I'm having the same problems. At first it wouldn't install on the Kindle Fire because it was connecting to her father's g-mail account so I reset to factory settings. Now it's saying I can't install using her gmail address and password.
We're you able to figure this out? I am stuck because I believe it needs the Google settings app rather than the fire version. I am getting the error "this profile manager is required for kids under 13". Rather annoyed by every aspect of the fire tablet and this seems to be the final straw.
Curious to know
I ma curious to know if you ever figured this out? I just jumped down the rabbit hole of the Google Family Link account for my twins but can't seem to figure out how to use it with the Kindles.... Any help you can provide would be so appreciated.
Aoibhell said:
I installed Google play on my daughter's kf and now I'm trying to set up my Google family link. The problem is that I can't figure out how to add her Google account to the kid, since she is under 13. Her child account is limited to what apps she can use, and all the apps I can think of where I might be able to add her (like Gmail), she doesn't have the permission to add herself.
Is there any way to add a Google child (under 13) user account?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm working on this one as well. Keep getting stuck in a loop, I try to log in my sons account, it wants to install Family Link Manager, installed Family Link apk, it leads into the same thing, saying it needs to install itself..I'm just looking to do a custom rom at this point I guess. Should probably just let him use the Freeplay thing from Amazon but paying for the whole damn Google Play Premium One whatever family plan...
I have been playing with this and got a little farther. I have an old SGS5 and got my kid set up there. Then I extracted the Family Link Manager APK (different than the Family Link APK).
Then:
Installed the four APKs needed to install Google Play Store: https://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire/general/how-to-install-google-play-store-fire-t3486603
Installed the Family Link Manager APK. I posted it here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eVmTXa1KqvZ_MV9tmYaZYYsd-2E1351C
Launched Google Play Store
Signed in as my child
It asks which parent is setting up the device. I choose myself.
Got a warning about Android 5 and not be able to control an apps permissions after approving.
Then, a message that Family Link Manager needs to be installed. I already installed it at this point.
Checking Info...
It asks for a name for the Device
Asks which installed apps should be blocked
Then I get a screen that says, "Next, you'll activate Family Link Manager, which helps parents..."
After clicking next, I get a screen that says, "This profile manager is required for Google Accounts managed with Family Link." The only option is to click, "GOT IT." I then end up on the previous, "Next, you'll activate..." screen. If I click NEXT there, I see the same, "This profile manager is required..." screen. The process is now stuck in this loop. Does anyone have any idea what may be preventing the process from accessing the profile manager? Is it talking about the default Android profile manager? Has Amazon replaced that with their own?
One other thing: I cannot install the Family Link APK. It looks like it is going to, but then says "App not installed". Does anyone know if this is my whole problem? I have four kids, each with a Fire tablet. I am going to try this process on another one and see if I get closer.
Found a workaround for anyone interested. Create a new gmail account with a date of birth older than 13 (if in the UK, may need to be older for other countries). Invite this new account to join your 'family'. Install Google Play on the Kindle Fire (which can be done without root), install Google Play Music, add the new account to the Music app and job done! [EDIT just noticed the post above has links for installing the Play services]
Only downside I've found is that if more than 1 child then they are 'sharing' the account and any playlists they create are also shared.
This is what I've done for now as well, just was hoping to take advantage of the schmancy new parental controls and such via the family link thing. Hope it works for Chromebooks now that they are the new Android tablets
iain2510 said:
Found a workaround for anyone interested. Create a new gmail account with a date of birth older than 13 (if in the UK, may need to be older for other countries). Invite this new account to join your 'family'. Install Google Play on the Kindle Fire (which can be done without root), install Google Play Music, add the new account to the Music app and job done! [EDIT just noticed the post above has links for installing the Play services]
Only downside I've found is that if more than 1 child then they are 'sharing' the account and any playlists they create are also shared.
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Xeroid said:
After clicking next, I get a screen that says, "This profile manager is required for Google Accounts managed with Family Link." The only option is to click, "GOT IT." I then end up on the previous, "Next, you'll activate..." screen. If I click NEXT there, I see the same, "This profile manager is required..." screen. The process is now stuck in this loop. Does anyone have any idea what may be preventing the process from accessing the profile manager? Is it talking about the default Android profile manager? Has Amazon replaced that with their own?
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Click to collapse
exactly the same problem with Mi Pad 4 - Oreo 8.1...
unable to proceed & get past that screen...
do you find the solution?
I'm in the exact same loop. Did you ever figure it out?
Xeroid said:
I have been playing with this and got a little farther. I have an old SGS5 and got my kid set up there. Then I extracted the Family Link Manager APK (different than the Family Link APK).
Then:
Installed the four APKs needed to install Google Play Store: https://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire/general/how-to-install-google-play-store-fire-t3486603
Installed the Family Link Manager APK. I posted it here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eVmTXa1KqvZ_MV9tmYaZYYsd-2E1351C
Launched Google Play Store
Signed in as my child
It asks which parent is setting up the device. I choose myself.
Got a warning about Android 5 and not be able to control an apps permissions after approving.
Then, a message that Family Link Manager needs to be installed. I already installed it at this point.
Checking Info...
It asks for a name for the Device
Asks which installed apps should be blocked
Then I get a screen that says, "Next, you'll activate Family Link Manager, which helps parents..."
After clicking next, I get a screen that says, "This profile manager is required for Google Accounts managed with Family Link." The only option is to click, "GOT IT." I then end up on the previous, "Next, you'll activate..." screen. If I click NEXT there, I see the same, "This profile manager is required..." screen. The process is now stuck in this loop. Does anyone have any idea what may be preventing the process from accessing the profile manager? Is it talking about the default Android profile manager? Has Amazon replaced that with their own?
One other thing: I cannot install the Family Link APK. It looks like it is going to, but then says "App not installed". Does anyone know if this is my whole problem? I have four kids, each with a Fire tablet. I am going to try this process on another one and see if I get closer.
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Click to collapse
---------- Post added at 12:50 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:47 AM ----------
I'm in the exact same loop.. Did you ever figure it out??
Xeroid said:
I have been playing with this and got a little farther. I have an old SGS5 and got my kid set up there. Then I extracted the Family Link Manager APK (different than the Family Link APK).
Then:
Installed the four APKs needed to install Google Play Store: https://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire/general/how-to-install-google-play-store-fire-t3486603
Installed the Family Link Manager APK. I posted it here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eVmTXa1KqvZ_MV9tmYaZYYsd-2E1351C
Launched Google Play Store
Signed in as my child
It asks which parent is setting up the device. I choose myself.
Got a warning about Android 5 and not be able to control an apps permissions after approving.
Then, a message that Family Link Manager needs to be installed. I already installed it at this point.
Checking Info...
It asks for a name for the Device
Asks which installed apps should be blocked
Then I get a screen that says, "Next, you'll activate Family Link Manager, which helps parents..."
After clicking next, I get a screen that says, "This profile manager is required for Google Accounts managed with Family Link." The only option is to click, "GOT IT." I then end up on the previous, "Next, you'll activate..." screen. If I click NEXT there, I see the same, "This profile manager is required..." screen. The process is now stuck in this loop. Does anyone have any idea what may be preventing the process from accessing the profile manager? Is it talking about the default Android profile manager? Has Amazon replaced that with their own?
One other thing: I cannot install the Family Link APK. It looks like it is going to, but then says "App not installed". Does anyone know if this is my whole problem? I have four kids, each with a Fire tablet. I am going to try this process on another one and see if I get closer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so close...
i found a few useful nuggets with `adb logcat` . Unfortunately, they exited my scroll back buffer before i could write them down.
the initial loop (downloading the app)
it doesn't have permission to write to storage; looks like its downloading and discarding
... it should be like "[email protected]%# where'd my download go?"
thanks for the apk - sideloading gets us moving on
the next loop (activate manager) ... more permission issues
this time like "denied granting because this is not a system app".
i thought its trying to become a device admin -- so i manually enabled it in the settings > device admin ... no change
would someone (smarter than i) please point out which permissions & how to grant them, or tell me if i'm way off base ? alternately, with root - we can make this a system app, so it is not blocked from what it needs ?
FWIW: i also managed to use my sons account for ~7min ... opened the store - accepted T&Cs -- updated installed apps, grabbed a few from the family library & request a few new apps ... then i got a notification (on parent and child devices) "the account was removed because setup was incomplete"
I have been trying to get this working as well. From the looks of it, it is down to a missing settings page. I guess we could sideload the settings.apk from a AOSP device and see if that gives us access to the required pages to enable access for the app? Would that work?
leaskovski said:
I have been trying to get this working as well. From the looks of it, it is down to a missing settings page. I guess we could sideload the settings.apk from a AOSP device and see if that gives us access to the required pages to enable access for the app? Would that work?
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I tried installing a settings.apk from apk-mirror but the name conflict with the one already installed
Stuck at the same place
Hi, did you managed to figure this out because I'm stuck at the same place as you!
Xeroid said:
I have been playing with this and got a little farther. I have an old SGS5 and got my kid set up there. Then I extracted the Family Link Manager APK (different than the Family Link APK).
Then:
Installed the four APKs needed to install Google Play Store: https://forum.xda-developers.com/amazon-fire/general/how-to-install-google-play-store-fire-t3486603
Installed the Family Link Manager APK. I posted it here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eVmTXa1KqvZ_MV9tmYaZYYsd-2E1351C
Launched Google Play Store
Signed in as my child
It asks which parent is setting up the device. I choose myself.
Got a warning about Android 5 and not be able to control an apps permissions after approving.
Then, a message that Family Link Manager needs to be installed. I already installed it at this point.
Checking Info...
It asks for a name for the Device
Asks which installed apps should be blocked
Then I get a screen that says, "Next, you'll activate Family Link Manager, which helps parents..."
After clicking next, I get a screen that says, "This profile manager is required for Google Accounts managed with Family Link." The only option is to click, "GOT IT." I then end up on the previous, "Next, you'll activate..." screen. If I click NEXT there, I see the same, "This profile manager is required..." screen. The process is now stuck in this loop. Does anyone have any idea what may be preventing the process from accessing the profile manager? Is it talking about the default Android profile manager? Has Amazon replaced that with their own?
One other thing: I cannot install the Family Link APK. It looks like it is going to, but then says "App not installed". Does anyone know if this is my whole problem? I have four kids, each with a Fire tablet. I am going to try this process on another one and see if I get closer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I went through the process of installing on a android VM, and it looks like this might be down to profiles. It looks like there are multiple profiles on the device after setup.
It seems to work until some timeout triggers and the account gets removed, but I'm able to install apps and have the approval come through to my device.
I haven't been able to break out of the loop. If I manually installed Family Link then it would prompt for which account to add. Selecting the child's account would stay in the loop. Adding my own would break out of it and I'd be able to access to Play Store but only as myself. The top left selector allowed my to choose the child account but would just put me back into the loop. Eventually I cleared away the Family Link stuff in the hope that a fresh attempt would work but once I was the sole account in the Play Store, I found it impossible to break out of that situation, even after deleting data from the various Google apps. I reckon removing either the Android user or the Google account record from the "Users & accounts" section in Settings would allow me to proceed but bloody FireOS hides this in favour of their own hobbled multi-user stuff.
I have made a discovery though. I found that the Humble Bundle app is also broken and despite the problem being very different, I believe the cause is the same as you get the exact same Download Provider permissions error in logcat. This post explains that it is down to an incompatible difference in FireOS compared to stock. I tried to replace DownloadProvider and DownloadProviderUi with APKs from LineageOS 12.1 but got INSTALL_FAILED_UPDATE_INCOMPATIBLE. I then "uninstalled" the existing apps using the same trick that the debloater does but then I got into a real mess as the earlier error remained and I wasn't able to restore the old apps either, even with the APKs, as they have separate ODEX files. The app isn't even really uninstalled as it is a system app and I do not have root but it seems sufficiently broken that I will have to wipe and start again. I still wonder if this is the right direction for solving this problem though. Any bright ideas?