Re: Paid apps

VanguardLH wrote on Tue, 1 Oct 2024 02:06:37 -0500 :

Talented Apps ParKing ($6.98) - abandonware for a couple years now
Network Cell Info & Wifi ($2.14)
GPS Status Pro ($2.14) - they now want $13.99
Torque Pro ($5.32) - use with OBD2 in my car for diagnostics

I had already written up this note below for Andy, waiting for him to
respond but looking at Vanguard's nice list, I simply note we've discussed
some of those apps before & they all have free or open source alternatives.
Last time I mentioned that, Vanguard got into a fit of discomfort, trying
to say who copied whom in terms of source code so I will leave it at that.
However, one of those apps is on the list I was gonna send Andy, but it
assumes Andy works on his car (which we don't have any knowledge he does).
Here's what I wrote after I had posted my first response, which was waiting
for Andy to respond - but I'll post it here to help Andy out if I can.
Andrew wrote on Mon, 30 Sep 2024 20:17:35 -0000 (UTC) :

Let me "think" of any other app I'd want to pay for (not that I can pay for
an app, since I turned off the Google Billing System)... as there are
plenty of payware apps (such as OSMAnd+) which are free on F-Droid.

Looking at my APK test log, there are second-phone-line apps that cost
money. For example Sideline apparently uses your carrier to give you a
second number somehow...(by magic?) without an Internet connection.
 <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sideline.phone.number> Looking at my log, the last time I tried chatgpt, it cost money to speak.
 <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ai.chat.gpt.app>
Of course, there's PhoNews Pro but I think there's a free build somewhere.
 <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cmgapps.android.phonewspro>
But between you, me and everyone else, we know Android newsreaders suck.
Looking through my logs for "failed" APKs due to money, I find this one
 *Torque Pro (OBD 2 & Car)* by Ian Hawkins, $5 payware
 $5,noads,req gsf,rated 4.1star in 76.4K reviews w/ 1M+Downloads
 <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque>
It's the canonical OBDII reader that almost everyone uses for their cars, but of course, I use only the free version so I don't know pro features.
 *Torque Lite (OBD2 & Car)* by Ian Hawkins, Contains ads
  free,has ads,req gsf,rated 3.6star in 50.5K reviews w/ 10M+Downloads
  <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torquescan>
Unfortunately I don't usually log the failures, and a failure is anything
that asks for money to work, so I must have just accidentally noted those
apps that I tested needed money to work as advertised (without ads).
Given I've never in my life paid for an Android or iOS app, it will be
interesting to see what apps people recommend that must be paid for, since
it's my current assessment that almost everything you want, will be free.
You just have to be intelligent about finding it (which I'm sure you are).