Cydia-like Android store? Can't download some apps on Android Market due to location.

[fuzzybabybunny]

So I lost my Nexus in China. I bought a new phone yesterday (a white Nexus) and now there are a lot of programs that I can't re-download anymore simply because I'm located in China and the Play Store restricts me from downloading these apps. Even on a VPN showing me as coming from San Jose, CA and with location services turned off, I can't find these programs for download in the store and I can't push these programs to my phone from my laptop (Play Store shows as unable to install due to my device being in this country).

Is there another store that I can use that doesn't have these restrictions?

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Google the apk and download and install



Anandtech doesn't condone piracy, non-infringing methods only please.
Moderator PM

 

[dlock13]

I'm not sure if this is illegal, if it is, please mods let me know and I'll completely delete this or you can.

Anyway, I know you're able to download the APK directly from the Play Store using some work arounds such as this: http://tutorialfor-android.blogspot.com/2012/07/how-to-download-apk-from-google-play-to.html

I don't know if that still works to this day or not as the article is from July.

I'll try and think of another way.. I know that let's say a user here can download all of the APKs for you and then back them up to their Google Drive and then host them for you, but that would be quite a hassle if it were a lot of apps especially if they were purchased.

EDIT:

Something like this might work: http://apps.evozi.com/apk-downloader/

 

[pm]

Looks ok to me, dlock13. It's just an alternative way to get to the store.

 

[dlock13]

Looks ok to me, dlock13. It's just an alternative way to get to the store.

Just checking. I know with Cydia there's easy ways to circumvent the store and get paid apps easily. I haven't done what I suggested, but I knew about it which is why I suggested it.

I hope he gets that to work for him!

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I tried APK Downloader and it still doesn't work. I can't find Cerberus or Stick Tennis, for instance. I can find other programs.

I think it has to do with my device ID, which is not an American device ID since I bought it in China (APK Downloader requires this).

Could someone perhaps give me their US device ID?

Open dial pad, call *#*#8255#*#* ( 8255 = TALK ). If it opens “GTalk Service Monitor”, find lines that begin with JID and Device ID. Your email is JID, and your device id is a string that after android- prefix

For example: if it shows android-1234567890abcdef , then your device ID is 1234567890abcdef

 

[dlock13]

Check your PMs in a second.

 

[s44]

Google the apk and download and install

If you mean stealing, that's a great way to get malware on your phone.

Do you have the Android ID of your original phone?

 

[Fox5]

There's a few 3rd party app stores:
Amazon App Store
AppBrain
GetJar
SlideME

There's also a store called fireplace that compares itself to Cydia. Also, Handmark and Handango.

 

[Necrolezbeast]

I think that if you pull the SIM and use the VPN you may be able to download these apps. I haven't tried it since I first bought my phone, but THERE WERE definitely some apps that I downloaded when I got my phone and loaded before I put my China Mobile SIM in that I haven't been able to retrieve since I rooted and loaded custom ROMs