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Comment by jlgosse | Hacker News Reader

Based on my experience using the iTunes App Store, it is quite usable and looks a lot better than none at all.

Some things that make it instantly better than purchasing iPhone apps from your computer:

1. This web interface is lightning fast, iTunes is horribly slow. 2. You get to use the standard browser controls over the random clutter of controls in iTunes. 3. Pressing "install" installs to your phone without having to plug it in, or sync, or worry about losing your shit.

I think it's a great first iteration, and it's definitely something that has been a long time coming.

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You get to use the standard browser controls over the random clutter of controls in iTunes.

This is an important point. Every time I have to use the iTunes store I'm annoyed at how sluggish it is, how poor the search is, how odd the navigation seems to be, and how much I miss having tabs.

iTunes is like that charlie brown xmas tree that has so many ornaments hung on it that it's fallen over.

> Pressing "install" installs to your phone without having to plug it in, or sync, or worry about losing your shit.

From your desktop web browser?

Yes (and it works, just tested it).

That is an absolutely fantastic feature.

Its good but doesn't work on the corporate wifi wonder what port they use for this?

I have a feeling it only works with 2.2+ (Chrome-to-phone styles), but regardless, it is badass.

I can report that it doesn't seem to work on my 2.1 Sammy Captivate. It complains about content filter settings, yet I haven't set any content filter, can't seem to find where to set it, and regardless of all that it was just a newsreader app (Pulse).

Works on my 2.1 HTC Hero. It surprised me, didn't think it would be so simple. I'm a bit concerned over the privacy and security implications of this feature though. How is it guaranteed that only Google can trigger app installations? What else can Google trigger on my phone?

They can trigger remote uninstallations as well. I can't find a link, but when the apps which were sending private data to some server in China were discovered about 6 months back, Google remotely uninstalled the app from users' phones. It's my least favourite feature of Android.

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