DummyMaker works around App Catalog carrier, geo, and version restrictions for free apps 14
Fri, 22 Apr 2011 6:50 pm EDT 
If you happen to live outside of the United States, chances are you’re still wondering when you’re going to get better access to the App Catalog, if at all. While we keep hearing from the people at HP that they’re working on it (and we have little doubt they are), if you’re the impatient type then we have a solution for you. It’s a new app called DummyMaker, built by PreCentral forum member Michael Schumacker, works around restrictions of all types for free webOS apps.
DummyMaker works around a loophole in the App Catalog system by creating a “dummy” app on the phone that actually doesn’t do anything but tell the update checker that you have an older version of that app and need to download the newer version from the App Catalog. By having the app already “installed,” at least as far as the App Catalog is concerned, you’re able to download the new version, regardless of any restrictions you might encounter due to your carrier, geographic location, or version of webOS you happen to be running.
There is a little bit of finger-work involved with DummyMaker: you have to know the app ID (e.g. com.palm.app.facebook or com.weather.palm) to create the dummy IPK on the phone, but getting that is a simple matter of looking up the app you want to download in Preware or WebOS Quick Install.
Of course, DummyMaker only works with free apps, but that’s a good portion of what’s available in the App Catalog. A desktop counterpart to DummyMaker – IPK Fetcher – has been around for a little over a year and has access to the Palm app feeds to automate the dummy creation, but this is the first time we’ve seen this update-to-download workaround applied in an on-device setting. Until HP gets around to improving their international App Catalog availability, this might be your best solution for getting a better taste at what’s available.
Source: PreCentral Forums
14 Comments
About time! I hope H/P has used its resources to come out with a way to buy any app in any country. Man we are living in a digital world.
They can sell computers in every corner of the world, but when it comes to apps they can only sell those in less then a dozen countries. Now that is what I call WTF.
I look at it look this. HP doesn't consider webOS "theirs" until they launch a webOS product that has their name on it. The Pre 2 has the Palm name so the next device would be the HP Veer. I believe HP will put more work into the app catalog once their products are out because they fully represent their name.
i was downloading the amazon mp3 and the sfr apps but i keep getting the same "com.mgschu.dummy.srv is not running" on my pixi and i am in the UK is it just me or something is wrong?
It's a 2.x app only, I believe
I've received the same error yesterday on my TouchPad (webOS 3.0.4). Also in the forum thread there are several users reporting this problem, but no solution is available so far.
oh damn,thanks j-rob
Does this only replicate the functionality of IPK Fetcher? If I have 1.4.5, but I want to download a 2.0 app, will DummyMaker let me download the 2.0 app, as long as it works on 1.4.5?
It's an an on-device alternative to IPK Fetcher. You don't need a computer for it anymore, however you'll need the app ID and it's webOS 2.0 and above.
Use whatever is working and more convenient for you, IPK Fetcher doesn't care about the webOS version on your device, so yes it would let you download those 2.0 apps.
Impostah from webOS Internals (in the testing feeds) does the same thing, but you don't have to go into the update section, it installs automatically.
I am trying to get the amazon mp3 app on my uk based pre 2. Dose anyone know what the ID is as I can't find it. This app is brilliant I now have the hotspot app that I couldn't get before. Top marks.
Finally a shadow of a valuable solution for international customers! And one more nail in the self centric coffin of the formerly so admired prime companys of the US of A. There is a whole world out there, you know. A world of customers, waiting for years and years now ...
Hi all,
This is so cool, not just b/c of what it does but also because Home Brewer's created it!
Take care,
Jay
Hope this happens soon, I can not believe in these times that I can not purchase an application for my Pre2. As I am unable to purchase a paid application from New Zealand approached chapura direct to be told they had an agreement with HP not to sell direct to me.