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I joined this forum after buying an Iconia Tab a500.
Like any device, this one has shortcomings but overall I really loved this device until this morning...
When I tried to install Dropbox the download went fine and it started installing. However, eventually I received a "install unsuccessful" error message. I tried another app, fail. Another app, fail.
I thought it might be a market problem so I grabbed my Galaxy Tab and successfully installed all three apps.
I did a little research and cleared my market cache, rebooted and no love.
So, time to look to Acer for support on my two day old tablet.
Long story short, they said installing third party apps is beyond the scope of my warranty and they would forward me to their third party support which I would have to pay for!
I informed him the that "Market" comes on the Iconia therefore is an application they supplied but he wasn't having any of it.
I told him that I was going to call Samsung this morning and tell them I had the same issue with the Galaxy and see if they would talk to me. If Samsung would support the same issue, I would return the Iconia. He simply said "Thank you sir have a nice day." and hung up. Nice.
So, as much as I love this device, I may be looking elsewhere for my 10" tablet needs.
So I solved my problem... I was baffled why even when copying a .apk to the device I could not install it.
So, using HD File manager I browsed to the System area and found an "app" folder. In here were all the already installed apks. I decided to try reinstalling one of them... FINALLY an actual information error message!
"Could not install, not enough space"
My device shows 1.2gigs free though?
For the hell of it I killed one movie and bingo, everything is installing now.
In response to the "not enough space" message:
/system/app is where all of the apps that came with that device are installed and it's likely in read-only mode. If you try and install one of those it'll try to overwrite it.
Apps that you install via the market / sideloading are placed in /data/app
Next time, run logcat. I'm sure it would've relayed you that info sooner and told you where the problem was.
atomicwedgie said:
I joined this forum after buying an Iconia Tab a500.
Like any device, this one has shortcomings but overall I really loved this device until this morning...
When I tried to install Dropbox the download went fine and it started installing. However, eventually I received a "install unsuccessful" error message. I tried another app, fail. Another app, fail.
I thought it might be a market problem so I grabbed my Galaxy Tab and successfully installed all three apps.
I did a little research and cleared my market cache, rebooted and no love.
So, time to look to Acer for support on my two day old tablet.
Long story short, they said installing third party apps is beyond the scope of my warranty and they would forward me to their third party support which I would have to pay for!
I informed him the that "Market" comes on the Iconia therefore is an application they supplied but he wasn't having any of it.
I told him that I was going to call Samsung this morning and tell them I had the same issue with the Galaxy and see if they would talk to me. If Samsung would support the same issue, I would return the Iconia. He simply said "Thank you sir have a nice day." and hung up. Nice.
So, as much as I love this device, I may be looking elsewhere for my 10" tablet needs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was getting seriously annoyed with this issue, but I found out a resolution: Try cleaning your market cache and data AND ensure you have at least 3GB free space. The market needs this amount of space to install apps. It was mentioned on a Xoom forum - so it seems it's a Honeycomb issue. I told Android's market team about this who said they will pass on the information
I've been collecting free apps from Amazon on my rooted NC for awhile now. At the time I got each of these apps, they were listed as "compatible" with my device.
Now suddenly a lot of them are not, and I am unable to go back and re-install the ones that I had removed.
Even worse, pretty much everything I've tried so far today to grab has come up as incompatible. Even really simple stuff that should have no problem running.
Oddly, at some point early on, Amazon listed my device as simply "Nook Color". Most of the apps are still showing as compatible with that device. Unfortunately, that's not what Amazon thinks my NC is anymore! I now have a second device on my list called "BarnesAndNoble NOOKcolor", which almost nothing is compatible with.
So then I wanted to check to see if Amazon was behind this, maybe to screw B&N fans. But nope! The Android Marketplace lists every game I've checked so far today as incompatible with my NC!!!
That's certainly news to me, considering some of the games I checked are currently installed on my NC and work perfectly.
I'm not sure what's going on here, but it's sort of scaring me. Who's locking down my rooted NC? If the official android marketplace says everything is incompatible... there aren't a lot of options for getting apps.
Do search with "Market" keyword, you will see about 10 threads with many responses and instructions how to fix this.
votinh said:
Do search with "Market" keyword, you will see about 10 threads with many responses and instructions how to fix this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are quite a few threads found that way, but none of the ones I read helped. I did the "stop/restart Framework/Google and reload" and nothing changed. Most of the others seem to be related to problems with the new market, which was working perfectly for me up until today, or problems run into right after rooting. I've been rooted for about 5 months with no market problems of any kind, and I haven't changed anything on my NC for over a month.
I also tried clearing the settings for the Amazon market and also deregistered the device from my amazon account, forcing it to re-register. Still no luck.
Anyone else seeing this, or have another suggestion?
My old market and new market were working fine too, just like yours, until a few days ago. If you try the 160 dpi/reboot/clear-data-from-market procedure below and that doesn't work, then you may have a totally unique problem that just happens to have the same variety of symptoms everyone else is having. (I'm doubtful.) This procedure seems to be fixing the problem for almost everyone else. Did you try it? It fixed mine.
1) set dpi to 160 in build.prop
2) reboot
3) clear market app data (force close first may help?)
4) restart market, accept terms, let it rebuild data at 160 dpi
5) profit
the above we all seem to agree on now. Next steps are more speculative
6) set dpi back to 161 (or whatever you had)
7) reboot
8) profit indefinitely (unknown how long this lasts; I rebooted >5 times including flashing a nightly w/o issue)
9) do NOT clear data again as this rebuilds data at the wrong dpi again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I had tried the first half, but not the second. I used manual nooter, so my dpi entries originally looked like:
ro.sf.lcd_density.xdpi=169.3333
ro.sf.lcd_density.ydpi=169.3333
I don't know if that makes a difference.
Anyway, I just tried the second half of the above process but I'm still showing as incompatible. I wonder if I need to re-noot.
Everyone trying to be helpful here seems to miss the poster's dilemma. He is talking about the Amazon Market, not the Android Market. Hopefully someone familiar with the workings of the Amazon Market will chime in with some suggestions.
My original problem was with Amazon's market, but it looks like that's just a symptom of the bigger problem that I noticed first because I use it every day, as opposed to much less frequent use of the android market.
But the Android market suffers the same problem and from what I've read online it sounds like the problem was started with changes by Google that Amazon also adopted.
Interestingly I noticed this for the first time last night on the Android market and this morning with the Amazon market. Ebook downloads presently are unaffected to my rooted NC. Amazon recognizes my device as an Android but when I tried to make an app purchase this morning it suddenly tried to download it to a BN Nook. Amazon emailed me this morning saying that unless I have their market preloaded by the manufacturer they do not support it. Collusion?
I got the "not compatible" message after installing the most recent update from the Amazon App Store. Fortunately, I have the very first app store apk. I uninstalled the updated app store, then installed the old apk, logged in and then updated it and for some reason that worked for me. You might try not updating also to see if that works. I am not using CM7 though and I'm not manualnootered. I'm minirooted meaning I can side load apps and have superuser access, but no Android Market access and some other things.
I have attached the apk I used. I hope it works for you.
unibroker said:
Interestingly I noticed this for the first time last night on the Android market and this morning with the Amazon market. Ebook downloads presently are unaffected to my rooted NC. Amazon recognizes my device as an Android but when I tried to make an app purchase this morning it suddenly tried to download it to a BN Nook. Amazon emailed me this morning saying that unless I have their market preloaded by the manufacturer they do not support it. Collusion?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A better question would be is Amazon trying to bork the Nook Color with their app?
Anyone else have a suggestion for getting the Android Market working again for me?
thanks for the APK, I'll try it when I have a chance... But since the Android market from Google doesn't work either I'm hoping for a fix to that.
If you make the change in your build.prop “ro.product.manufacturer=BarnesAndNoble” to “ro.product.manufacturer=samsung” then reboot the device. This seems to fix most of the device compatibility problems in the Amazon appstore. I went down the top 100 paid and free app list, and the only apps that came up with the compatibility problems after doing this are,
Soundhound
Peggle
Thumb keyboard
Trainz simulator THD
Chuzzle
Talking Tom Cat
flexT9
GrooVe IP
Ultra Voice Changer
TV.com
Compass
Also attached is the amazon appstore v.1.14, it has the double click buying fix, but does not give all the compatibility issues. With installing this version does fix the compatibility problem, but you will be constantly hounded with the update reminder.
I don't use Facebook, but I was able to find, install and open the Facebook app with the new market. Do the density change using 240. Its more stable than 160 for whatever reason.
GMPOWER said:
If you make the change in your build.prop “ro.product.manufacturer=BarnesAndNoble” to “ro.product.manufacturer=samsung” then reboot the device. This seems to fix most of the device compatibility problems in the Amazon appstore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately it had no effect. The first four apps i tried not on your list all came up incompatible, as did stuff on the google market.
I'll try your attachment to see if it helps. Thx!
kayak and tripit does not install
Running MN4.5 on NC. Kayak and Tripit are visible in Market and downloads - but I get a window that just says "error".
Any suggestions?
GMPOWER said:
Also attached is the amazon appstore v.1.14, it has the double click buying fix, but does not give all the compatibility issues. With installing this version does fix the compatibility problem, but you will be constantly hounded with the update reminder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The old version of the market is working! I was able to install a number of apps that didn't previously work.
Now if I could just get the Google market to work!
Thanks for that link!
I was having the same problem with the AMAZON appstore (but not the android marketplace, for some reason) but I couldn't find the old amazon appstore apk. Going back to it totally fixed the problem. But you're right, the constant reminders to update the apk are a pain in the whatsus.
Also try going into application management and goto market and tap uninstall updates. Also use titanium backup or similar program to freeze market updater.
By what I read, I bet amazon is trying to block the competition because they are fixing to come out with their own tablets and by horning something like the nook you might be enticed to buy their tablet.
I voided my warranty and your mum.
My markets all seem to do whatever the f*ck they want the moment i need an application that was perfectly available minutes before. What i've done to get around the issue if neither the market or the amazon store have what i'm looking for is: (i know its tedious but hey it works)
1) install astro
2) using your android phone assuming you have one, download the applications you want regardless of them being compatible with the nook color according to the android market.
3) once your files are installed on your phone use astro to create a backup of the .apk files you want (open astro > menu > tools > application manager/backup)
4) i then take my sd card out of my phone and pop it into my nook color and install my apps through w.e file manager it is i have on the nook color
all the games that i cant normally download onto my nook through the official methods i've been able to install and play through the method i've been using. not ALL apps will allow you to back them up though =/
OK, I know that this is a pretty common problem...but over the course of a week I've tried every piece of advice I can find on the Internet. But some apps just will not show up in the Google Play Store for me, including ones I've paid for.
Things I've tried:
Read through every post on GMPOWERs impressive thread at least twice and tried every suggestion at least 3 times
Tried both the regular manualnooter zip and the apps2sd one
Tried this post
Since it's fixed almost everybody's problem: I've tried every permutation possible of stopping and clearing data + cache for both Google Play and Google Services framework
Tried restoring Nook to stock and re-rooting with a different SD Card twice
Uninstalled the Google Play updates so that it goes back to being the old-style Market
I'm just about at my wits end - nothing I've tried as fixed the likes of Facebook or Flash Video Browser (what I'm really looking for) not showing up in the Google Play store. Does anyone have any other advice to fix this?
same problem here...
I have three NC. One was rooted in Feb and had full market visibility. The last two NC was rooted last week using the SAME SD card and CWM and with the same procedure. Indeed trying all the fix without success. There was a post indicating that installing MN apps2sd would work ... tried that too without success.
There may be something going on with market/playstore.
Could you give me some more examples of apps that you are having problems with, this will help me out significantly. You should not have a problem seeing facebook in Google Play. You will have a problem with Flash Video Browser, because the description for it in the store says “Requires Android 2.3+.” Since the stock firmware Froyo 2.2.1, the store will not show you the app. A number of people are currently having an issue with the Play Store not listing apps that they have purchased, LINK.
You can try changing your build.prop ro.build.fingerprint to verizon/voles/sholes/sholes:2.2.1/FRG83D/75603:user/release-keys
If you change the build.prop, you will need to reboot the device, then perform the Market has limited visibility found in the ManualNooter 5.02.19 post. If the play store stops working after performing the steps, simply open manage applications and uninstall updates for the Play Store.
GMPOWER said:
Could you give me some more examples of apps that you are having problems with, this will help me out significantly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All the NC had 5GB partitions. I did a wipe data/cache before installing BN1.4.1 (didn't bother to upgrade to 1.4.2).
Followed instructions and installed MN apps2SD on one and non-apps on the other. Flashed OC kernel to both. After rooting, did a search for ES File explorer and only File Expert came up on both NC. Installed File expert then the remaining apks. This may be important. The NC were signed into different gmail accounts (not mine).
Though not related to NC, google moving to Play store seem to have messed up visibility on Nook Touch http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=24288916&postcount=285
Thanks for all your efforts - don't spend too much time on this.
On top of clearing the cache and data for the google play store, did you clear it for google framework services?
fpga_guy said:
All the NC had 5GB partitions. I did a wipe data/cache before installing BN1.4.1 (didn't bother to upgrade to 1.4.2).
Followed instructions and installed MN apps2SD on one and non-apps on the other. Flashed OC kernel to both. After rooting, did a search for ES File explorer and only File Expert came up on both NC. Installed File expert then the remaining apks. This may be important. The NC were signed into different gmail accounts (not mine).
Though not related to NC, google moving to Play store seem to have messed up visibility on Nook Touch http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=24288916&postcount=285
Thanks for all your efforts - don't spend too much time on this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for giving me that information. It is hard to get accurate information when some people don’t report back. I get some people that complain of limited visibility when it really is limited market access, they can’t find certain apps in the market that they want because it is not compatible with the device. What you described is exactly what I would describe as limited visibility.
I went through that same problem two days ago after a fresh install. I first did a search for Astro, it said 556 apps, but when I clicked on it, only 5 apps showed up, none of them were Astro. I then tried ES File Explorer, and had the same results as you. After I cleared the play store data and google services framework data, and then rebooted the device, it went back to normal. I have had the full market access since then.
I do agree with you that the Play Store has had a lot of problems since being released, not only on the NC, but wide spread. If this continues to be a problem on new installations, I might try updating the vending.apk in the MN package to the current release to see if it would help in anyway.
On a side note, I looked into that google voice issue some more. Using the build.prop that I posted allowed me to download google voice from the play store, but still have the error downloading the voicemail. You can see the voicemail files in /data/data/com.google.android.apps.googlevoice/files, but I could not get them to play. It is still on my list of items to look into more.
Man I'm sorry I can't help you. But I have to say this is one the best written questions I've seen in a while. You stated the problem, said what you did to fix it and let people know you are willing to help yourself. And look who you got helping you out mate. It is nice to see threads like this. Thanks.
- this sig is just so I don't have to write 10char when on my phone -
Possibly stupid suggestion on my part, but what is the LCD density you have now? I had no luck at all using several of the roms until I started changing the LCD density to at least 160-200 until I did that most of the apps I wanted to find wouldn't even show up. Not saying this is the answer for sure, but it may be worth checking out, right?
Never had the problem, but you mentioned the verizon spoof, I thought that would work. What about going to the market on chrome and logging in and selecting you device, I have done that with the nook running cyanogenmod. How about the Amazon app store and sideloading google specific market apps. At least you could have some selection of paid/free apps. Can you install from the uSD card to get by?
---------- Post added at 06:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:50 PM ----------
Never had the problem, but you mentioned the verizon spoof, I thought that would work. What about going to the market on chrome and logging in and selecting you device, I have done that with the nook running cyanogenmod. How about the Amazon app store and sideloading google specific market apps. At least you could have some selection of paid/free apps. Can you install from the uSD card to get by?
manage applications has no options in it
GMPOWER said:
Could you give me some more examples of apps that you are having problems with, this will help me out significantly. You should not have a problem seeing facebook in Google Play. You will have a problem with Flash Video Browser, because the description for it in the store says “Requires Android 2.3+.” Since the stock firmware Froyo 2.2.1, the store will not show you the app. A number of people are currently having an issue with the Play Store not listi...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a similar problem as the one qouted above however, when I go into settings, manage applications I don't have an option to uninstall updates or the ability to uncheck or check on device-install. any suggestions?
GMPOWER said:
You will have a problem with Flash Video Browser, because the description for it in the store says “Requires Android 2.3+.” Since the stock firmware Froyo 2.2.1, the store will not show you the app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but stock 1.3, 1.4.1, 1.4.2 are gingerbread already?
Current B&N version is 1.4.2 which is Android 2.3 Gingerbread
B&N 1.3 is Android 2.3 Gingerbread
B&N 1.2 is Android 2.2 Froyo
B&N 1.1 and 1.0 are Android 2.1 Eclair
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When attempting to update installed apps or install new apps, Play Storee app just gets stuck at the animated download bar. It doesn't actually download anything. No progress is indicated. No data size xxMB/xxMB is displayed. It just sits there with that stupid animated download bar.
I have tried the following, to no avail:
-Rebooted
-Cleared cache thru Recovery Console
-Cleared cache and data for Play Store and Download Manager apps
-Cleared all apps' cache thru Titanium Backup
-Removed and re-added my Google account
Does anybody have any other ideas? I've been trying to avoid a factory reset, as I hate having to redo my apps and homescreens.
FYI - This is an 1838-25U 32GB w/0089US
TIA
Same here?!?!?
Any ideas??
I had the same issue.
I downloaded SD Maid , ran all the "cleanup" utilities available in the free version and it got better
I have this problem too. How do we get sd maid from the app store if we can't download apps?
Jonnydark said:
I have this problem too. How do we get sd maid from the app store if we can't download apps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After updating to ICS, normal Play Store functionality has returned.
how do i update to ICS?
mmmm Ice cream....
Just the standard "check for updates" in the settings/about menu.
If you're rooted, you'll wanna first temporarily unroot using Voodoo OTA Rootkeeper, and restore root after update.
I flash from 86 to 89.. the market was stuck downloading.
I re-flashed the gapps to a slightly older version of the market. Once booted back into Android, this forced the PlayStore update from google and corrected the stuck download error.
okay thank you i upgraded and it works fine now.
:good::good::good:*RELIEF* :good::good::good:
I was really surprised to come back to the Thinkpad xda forum for this issue after hunting all around the nets for a solution. I wasn't looking for TPT. Hmmmm.
I didn't get stuck until after my ICS upgrade. I've even tried v3.7.11 & 13 of Play, and still no go.
Here's a list of suggestions I've tried and none worked for me:
Rebooting, pretty much between/in the middle of the following (of course)
Clearing Play cache & data
Clearing Download manager cache & data
Launching Market 1.1.0 (that flopped entirely)
Unfreezing Market and Market Updater in Titanium Backup
Three newest versions of Play
Double checking that I can download other stuff from other sources
Enabling (& disabling & re-enabling) background data
Enabling (& disabling & re-enabling) USB Debugging
Downloading apps via wifi on my phones to make sure it wasn't my router, login or somesuch
(Re)Signing in to GTalk
Disabling Avast Firewall
Enabling & disabling Unkown Sources
Clearing out some fairly useless, space-hogging games
And Mercury isn't even retrograde yet.
About 15 minutes ago I contacted Google Play support.
**********************
Addendum: OK, it's 24 hours or so, and I haven't heard from Google. Last night I, too, bit the bullet, by doing a factory reset. I noticed that the Play store version (which I had uninstalled prior to the reset) was 3.7.13 after the reset (with the perfunctory online updating the tablet does). It worked, anyway.
It almost seemed to me like the download process couldn't access something it needed, like a symlink or something was missing and there wasn't any error handling for it, it just kept looking.
It startled me how useless the gadget seemed (I know it wasn't) without being to get my favorite app's crucial updates, most of which require root access for one reason or another. Tech head games. I was definitely more frustrated than the situation warranted.
I started to have this issue on Thursday evening when trying to update all my apps before I even considered the upgrade to ICS. I wanted to get everything straight, test it out and then decide if I wanted to upgrade or wait to see the reports. But, once I tried to update about 12 apps, I got the dreaded "Downloading" issue. I tried all the suggestions listed and even downloaded the version of Play for Jelly Bean, but stopped short of using it. Google support was very nice and tried everything for me at 10:30 P.M. In the end, I just bit the bullet and upgraded to ICS and that solved the trouble. The odd thing for me was we tried to remove Play through the normal channels so I would revert back to Market and then upgrade again. That hosed things nicely. I had market on the device, it was running, but no icon would display. In all, this forced me to upgraded to ICS sooner than I wanted, but as it all worked out well I am not complaining.
Still, it would be nice to know how wide-spread this issue might be and what caused it. I want to think the download of the ICS upgrade was the cause, but I don't have any proof.
Same Result I have Tried Different Devices on MTNL Network
I am using these devices for several months. and all things are fine until this august.
I have tested different devives Like galaxy r, galaxy s2 and galaxy y. All are getting stuck on downloading sometimes. during this i can do surfing, browse other apps and games in play store etc etc. But the downloading still stuck at downloading.
When I tried different internet like mobile 2g and 3g and other network except MTNL. The results are good.
I Think Play Store is blocking my ip address.
If any one has solution please help or someone tell google about this please...
Thank you..
I had the issue.
What solved it for me was running a program called SD Maid.
I ran the one test specific to my SD Card's files, and it worked fine for me after that.
This was on HoneyComb.
Reflashing shd work
Reflashing Google apps should work.
Google apps for all versions of Android here: http://wiki.rootzwiki.com/Google_Apps
Thanks for the link.
Janis said:
I was really surprised to come back to the Thinkpad xda forum for this issue after hunting all around the nets for a solution. I wasn't looking for TPT. Hmmmm.
I didn't get stuck until after my ICS upgrade. I've even tried v3.7.11 & of Play, and still no go.
Here's a list of suggestions I've tried and none worked for me:
Rebooting, pretty much between/in the middle of the following (of course)
Clearing Play cache & data
Clearing Download manager cache & data
Launching Market 1.1.0 (that flopped entirely)
Unfreezing Market and Market Updater in Titanium Backup
Three newest versions of Play
Double checking that I can download other stuff from other sources
Enabling (& disabling & re-enabling) background data
Enabling (& disabling & re-enabling) USB Debugging
Downloading apps via wifi on my phones to make sure it wasn't my router, login or somesuch
(Re)Signing in to GTalk
Disabling Avast Firewall
Enabling & disabling Unkown Sources
Clearing out some fairly useless, space-hogging games
And Mercury isn't even retrograde yet.
About 15 minutes ago I contacted Google Play support.
**********************
Addendum: OK, it's 24 hours or so, and I haven't heard from Google. Last night I, too, bit the bullet, by doing a factory reset. I noticed that the Play store version (which I had uninstalled prior to the reset) was 3.7.13 after the reset (with the perfunctory online updating the tablet does). It worked, anyway.
It almost seemed to me like the download process couldn't access something it needed, like a symlink or something was missing and there wasn't any error handling for it, it just kept looking.
It startled me how useless the gadget seemed (I know it wasn't) without being to get my favorite app's crucial updates, most of which require root access for one reason or another. Tech head games. I was definitely more frustrated than the situation warranted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried to install Google Play Store 4.2.3 It worked.. I tried all the ways listed above.. But not a single one worked
A few hours ago I've bought Minecraft from the play store via my phone so that my nephew could play.
Now I've opened the play store on my Fire Toolboxed HD 10 plus but Minecraft does not show up as owned. Instead of all gives me the price of 6,99€ to be able to install it.
Is Minecraft the first App on the play store that needs to be payed for multiple times depending on how many devices you want to install it on?
Just these days I've bought two tool apps on the play store via my phone and was instantly able to install them in the tablet as well.
If anyone has a clue what's going on and could help me out, that would be great.
Edit:
As an update for anyone reading... When I went to "My Apps & Games" on the play store and there to "Library" it was displayed as the first of 15 apps under recommended and I could simply install it from there.
Even though the issue is basically solved, I'd still be curious about what's up with that.
Sounds like amazon just making it harder and harder for world domination. I just realised how many amazon things I've now got. Scary
mojospur said:
Sounds like amazon just making it harder and harder for world domination. I just realised how many amazon things I've now got. Scary
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In retrospect I want to believe that the play store just needed a 'little' more time to update things...
The HD tablet is the only Amazon device I own and with it toolboxed, it doesn't even phone home. I also don't use any other assistants and cortana on PC is switched off as well. And finally I use script blocker extensions in my pc browser, so that's that. I get why they want the data they can get, but no reason to help them by using devices that are not really necessary. Widgets on the phone and e.g. tasker can do the same (for those who can't do without)