Same with palm pre, except it's ipk files. You can also use a free application hosting version of their "app store", where palm hosts a link to your app, no approval processes/money necessary. It doesn't appear in the catalog this way although.

and mentioning android in the app description is in which way malware? i see the point in verifying apps that need security (banking mostly). but that doesnt account for 99.99% of apps. Plus, mostly what you hear about which apps where banned, it's not about security. It's about bookreaders that can show the kamasutra (which the browser can, too). It's about software that "replicates" apples functionality. You will never have alternative browsers or mail programs and be tied to apples mercy. I have the choice. Let's face it, the appstore is apples way to have control over its customers.

Although this approach creates an opportunity for much easier piracy of applications, too.