Amazon App Store - Good for the Android Ecosystem?

[AndroidIsTheTruth]

All ATT Google phones are sideblocked.

... Except for one notable exception.:nexusx:

true but I don't consider the n1 an ATT phone.

[nickshertzer]

I just wish HTC and other device makers would see what is so right about selling an unlocked unsubsidized phone and keep doing it. At least I got to vote with my dollars.

[WERA689]

I was under the impression that the Captivate/GalaxyS phones could be sideloaded by the use of a program readily provided by Samsung...am I wrong? :confused:

[nickshertzer]

Confirmed: HTC Sync lets tethered AT&T Aria sideload apps -- Engadget

AT&T makes HTC remove the functionality, but that isn't any different than what any carrier is doing. Verizon has historically been the worst at locking down features just to sell them back to you. Droid X is a fantastic piece of hardware (Blur set aside). I mean, Motorolla let us talk to Aldrin and Armstrong on the moon. But they lockdown the bootloader just to keep grandma and aunt Lee from screwing with their phone, and paying for the privilege to have a wifi hotspot or MMS pics.