Got my SE x10 last week and trying to do your suggestions above. But i always seem to have problem downloading Task killer, or all other task Manager. Is it me? or is it my phone? i can dl mp3′s and wondering why this important app wont download… should i get the paid version?

Give me a break, we all knew about the capabilities of bar codes in the early ’70′s. Cell phones have been able to move contact info for quite a while with Bluetooth, hell, my old Palm III could move that same data with IR.

You’re not really addressing my questions.

An *.apk file is just a file and can be linked to, and downloaded like anything else. HTC Sync provides a simple installer.

There isn’t any real reason for a bar code reader to access your contact information, and browser history as a default unchangeable action.

There isn’t any real reason for an application developer to snuggle up to Google and only make their applications available through “the market”.

There are people, believe it or not, who don’t have a GMail account. Some people don’t really like Google’s infiltration any more than they do Facebook’s.

I’d like to see coverage of legit applications that area available without going to “the market” and giving up more personal information.

I’m sure you’ve seen the news by now:

Google’s Wi-fi snooping is a disgrace
http://www.thinq.co.uk/comment/2010/5/16/googles-wi-fi-snooping-is-a-disgrace/

You see bar code scanner apps do far more than scan and spit back a numerical value. QR Codes are capable of storing: Calendar events, Contact info, email addresses, geo-location data, phone numbers, SMS text messages, plain text and URLs. Did you know you can create a QR code of your own contact info for someone else to scan and save in their phone without typing a thing? That said, these types of apps are capable of sending the various data to those uncommon areas.

You see QR Codes on many Android sites as it was a solution we as a community of websites provided to ease the frustration from many users not being able to link to apps easily from the Web. Google still has not addressed this issue. Further more there is no direct link to APKs in Google’s official Android Market; as this is a way to control and monitor downloads and purchase plus somewhat curb piracy. However you can find APKs to download directly from app developers themselves.

Zxing’s Bar Code scanner wants to access the browser history, bookmarks read/write contact data-why? Where are all the tech privacy advocates on this-not a single article that I’ve seen.

Why do I only see QR bar code links [on all the Android app sites] that only point to Google’s Android Market, when they could simply provide a link to the apk?

Think about it, if you don’t want to give access to your history and contacts, you wouldn’t have the means to scan the QR code right?

Thanks.