So tonight I had a break through: I found out how to get protected apps as a 3rd party install!

Before we begin, this is simply to educate you on how the market is seriously bugged, and if you get busted for actually doing this, you're on your own. I'm not taking responsibility for any of your actions, so if the feds come-a-knocking, too bad for you, because I am not condoning ANYONE to actually do this. There are protected free apps on the market, and I used those for testing so I expect you to use the same. I am providing the steps simply to show you how easy it actually is to bypass the protection.

Let's begin.

It's much simpler than you think but it requires a few things.

NOTE: I will not be providing support on this, so you're on your own after I post this thread!

Things you'll need:
Android 1.1 SDK ([Only registered and activated users can see links])
A rooted G1 (Tutorial: [Only registered and activated users can see links])

Now that you have those things, let me explain how this works. Just because the developer sets his applications with copy protection doesn't mean that it will actually be a protected file. It just marks the file to go into an area which the normal user cannot access. Simple enough? That's why your phone must be rooted.

Step 1: Download the protected app you wish to test with.
Step 2: Open up 'Terminal Emulator'
Step 3: Type 'su'
Step 4: Type 'cd /data'
Step 5: The app will either be in the 'app' folder or the 'app-private' folder, so 'cd' to either one of those and look for it. (Ex: 'cd app-private')
Step 6: To find the file, type 'ls' then type 'cp [name of file you wish to test with] /sdcard/[any name here but it must end in .apk]' (Ex: 'cp protectedapp.apk /sdcard/butt.apk')
Step 7: Plug in your USB cable and mount the SD card.
Step 8: Copy the .apk from your SD card into the Android SDK folder
Step 9: Open your command prompt to the SDK folder and type 'adb install [name of app.apk]'
Step 10: Enjoy your new app!

You will definitely know if you are buying an app because it will ask for your credit card, so be careful what you get! Remember, ONLY TEST WITH FREE APPS! Google knows when to flag an account for doing this too much, so please be careful otherwise your service may end up suspended.

Remember, be careful what you do with this otherwise:
:criminal:

You copied this or what? This method was found 1 day after paid apps came out. So if you found out yourself then I say well done but next time use google to see if it ain't done be4 yet

No, I made this myself, unfortunately. Apparently I'm a little late.

Why don't you post the apps you've done this for? =)

I believe this is why Google stopped the Dev phone from being able to access paid apps, and also why Google didnt design the system to allow files to install to the SD card.

HOWEVER, that just shows how short sighted they were, since with the type of open source platform it is, and the community behind it, normal phones are rooted to give them Dev phone capabilities, and people have found ways to install everything onto the SD card, and everyone knows about this little hidden folder, and so there are ways to pirate paid apps.

WHICH is why a lot of people are of the opinion that google will give everyone a way of installing files on their SD cards, once they figure out / implement a way to encrypt / protect apps so WHEREVER they are installed they cannot be pirated.

Well, I cannot wait until google officially gives us a way to install apps on SD cards, and here's to them failing to make apps non-piratable :partyman: