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Recently, I went to install the Amazon Kindle app onto my new phone. From the Google Play store. It all looked good, except for the strangeness of an individu

Recently, I went to install the Amazon Kindle app onto my new phone. From the Google Play store. It all looked good, except for the strangeness of an individual's name listed as the name for the street address and contact information for the app. That was something I did not recall from previous visits to the app in the Google app store. So, the Kindle app's not on my new phone. Because the validation portion of curation is, ultimately, left up to the individual. And I didn't have time to go chasing around the Web making sure I was hitting the correct/official app store page. I probably was. But I've been well-trained to "pause and check" on such details. P.S. I now recall, causing further hesitation, the "other apps" sections of the search results and/or Kindle app page, included an Amazon Video app. And that app had the same name listed in its details. Now, the last I recall, Amazon Video was specifically NOT available in the Google app store. Forcing people on non-Amazon devices who wanted to use it, to have to add the Amazon app store and adjust permissions to allow installing apps from it. At least, temporarily; once you had that or whatever app you wanted from Amazon, you could then adjust your devices settings back to their defaults. Unless/until you wanted to pull an update to such an app -- then, rinse and repeat. So... I see a weird bit of contact information. And I see it also for an app that prior experience taught me was not available in the Google app store... And, with repeated stories like the OP, I can't trust the Google app store to be well-curated. What else can I say? Meh...

kuschku 9y ago
That’s interesting. All of them have "Suhail Mirza, 500 9th Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98109" listed as author. But they are the real apps: https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Amazon+Mobile+LLC https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Amazon+Mobil... That person’s LinkedIn profile claims "I own Engineering for Amazon's Mobile Shopping iOS, Android and Windows Mobile Teams. I am looking for developers globally. Reach out if you are interested."
hesarenu 9y ago
Amazon prime video is available on play store.
- pasbesoin 9y ago
  It appears to be, now. It did not used to be. The Kindle listing I was looking at shared details with the Video listing. Despite a fair amount of news browsing, apparently I missed the information that the Video app had made its way into the Play store. Actually, I seem to recall some news of same but also follow-up news that it had been pulled, again, within a few days. (The eternal Google/Amazon competition/strife/"user, you are the product" situation.) This would have been months ago. So, I'm left uncertain whether I'm looking at the real thing, or an imposter. I'm fairly certain I'm not. But "fairly certain" is not "secure". At the time, I didn't have a lot of time to delve into this. And I only had my phone in hand, making such an investigation more cumbersome. I didn't install the Kindle app, then. The moment and immediate need passed, and following up on this dropped down my list of priorities.
  - patja 9y ago
    When I see an app has over 100 million installs, half a million 5 star reviews, and a support email address ending in @amazon.com it seems pretty sure to be the real deal.
    - pasbesoin 9y ago
      After some more checking, when I had a bit of time, I installed it. Those are also things I look for. Still seems to be in line with my basic point: On Google Play, it's up to the user to assess the item's legitimacy. At least, so far, Google continues to provide these data points to the user; as long as the Play Store itself isn't compromised. Keep in mind, some of the items recently in question in the news are reported to have had a million plus installs. Separately, fairly recent news stories have described ways in which third parties have managed to glom onto prominent domains -- particularly those providing extensive user services -- to gain the addressing of that major domain for their own functionality.

kuschku 9y ago

That’s interesting. All of them have "Suhail Mirza, 500 9th Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98109" listed as author. But they are the real apps: https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Amazon+Mobile+LLC https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Amazon+Mobil... That person’s LinkedIn profile claims "I own Engineering for Amazon's Mobile Shopping iOS, Android and Windows Mobile Teams. I am looking for developers globally. Reach out if you are interested."

hesarenu 9y ago

Amazon prime video is available on play store.

pasbesoin 9y ago
It appears to be, now. It did not used to be. The Kindle listing I was looking at shared details with the Video listing. Despite a fair amount of news browsing, apparently I missed the information that the Video app had made its way into the Play store. Actually, I seem to recall some news of same but also follow-up news that it had been pulled, again, within a few days. (The eternal Google/Amazon competition/strife/"user, you are the product" situation.) This would have been months ago. So, I'm left uncertain whether I'm looking at the real thing, or an imposter. I'm fairly certain I'm not. But "fairly certain" is not "secure". At the time, I didn't have a lot of time to delve into this. And I only had my phone in hand, making such an investigation more cumbersome. I didn't install the Kindle app, then. The moment and immediate need passed, and following up on this dropped down my list of priorities.
- patja 9y ago
  When I see an app has over 100 million installs, half a million 5 star reviews, and a support email address ending in @amazon.com it seems pretty sure to be the real deal.
  - pasbesoin 9y ago
    After some more checking, when I had a bit of time, I installed it. Those are also things I look for. Still seems to be in line with my basic point: On Google Play, it's up to the user to assess the item's legitimacy. At least, so far, Google continues to provide these data points to the user; as long as the Play Store itself isn't compromised. Keep in mind, some of the items recently in question in the news are reported to have had a million plus installs. Separately, fairly recent news stories have described ways in which third parties have managed to glom onto prominent domains -- particularly those providing extensive user services -- to gain the addressing of that major domain for their own functionality.