What an APK is
An APK is the package format used by the Android operating system to distribute and install apps. Most apps are downloaded from the official store, but some apps are also published as APK files on the publisher's own website. The reading-room desk's note is that an APK from the publisher's own website is generally as safe as an APK from the official store; an APK from a third-party site is generally not.
This page describes the things an adult reader checks before installing an APK and the questions worth asking the publisher. The reader who has read this note has read the most useful APK note.
Where to find a verified APK
The most useful place to find a verified APK is the publisher's own website. The reading-room desk recommends the reader type the publisher's URL directly rather than following a link from an email or a chat message. A reader who has read the publisher's URL has read the most useful first check.
Three things to check on the publisher's site
- The publisher's name matches the name on the official store
- The publisher's published hash matches the hash of the downloaded file
- The publisher's published terms match the terms on the official store
The reading-room reader who has checked all three has read the most useful verification list.
Permissions worth reading
An APK that asks for more permissions than the equivalent store app is a warning sign. The reading-room desk's note is that a rummy app usually needs network access and storage; an APK that also asks for SMS access, contacts access or device-admin access is asking for more than it needs.
Two permissions to think twice about
- SMS access: most apps do not need it
- Device-admin access: most apps do not need it
The reading-room reader who has read this list has read the most useful permissions note.
The first sign-in on an APK
The first sign-in on an APK is the same as the first sign-in on the store app. The reading-room desk recommends the same slow first sign-in: read the rules, set the timer, set the deposit ceiling, and file the three standard KYC documents. The reader who has done all four has read the most useful first APK sign-in.
What to read next
The routes that pair well with this one are the reviews, the safety explainer and the responsible-play guide. The reading-room reader who has read all four has read the full APK spine.
Why the publisher's website is the most useful source
The publisher's website is the most useful source for a verified APK. The reading-room desk's note is that the publisher's own website is generally as safe as the official store, while a third-party site is generally not. A reader who has typed the publisher's URL directly has read the most useful first check.
The desk's read is that the publisher's website is also the most useful source for the hash, the permissions and the version note. The reader who has read all three has read the most useful verification list.
Three things to read on the publisher's website
- The publisher's URL matches the name on the official store
- The published hash matches the hash of the downloaded file
- The published terms match the terms on the official store
What does not change between store and APK
The rules do not change. The KYC requirements do not change. The responsible-play tools do not change. The reader who has read the rules guide has read the rules that apply to both the store app and the APK.
What to read next
The routes that pair well with this one are the reviews, the safety explainer and the responsible-play guide. The reading-room reader who has read all four has read the full APK spine.
What does not change between store and APK
The rules do not change between the official store and the APK. The KYC requirements do not change. The responsible-play tools do not change. The reading-room desk's note is that the install route is a delivery mechanism, not a content change. The reader who has read this note has read the most useful description of what does not change between store and APK.
The desk's read is that the verification flow also does not change between store and APK. The reader who has filed the three standard documents during the first sign-in has read the most useful verification note, regardless of the install route.
- The rules do not change between store and APK
- The KYC requirements do not change between store and APK
- The responsible-play tools do not change between store and APK
- The verification flow does not change between store and APK
The reading-room reader who has read this list has read the most useful description of what does not change between store and APK.
What the reader does after the install
After the install, the reader opens the app and walks through the first sign-in. The desk recommends a slow first sign-in: read the rules, set the timer, set the deposit ceiling, and file the three standard KYC documents. The reader who has done all four has read the most useful first sign-in.
What to read next
The routes that pair well with this one are the reviews, the safety explainer and the responsible-play guide. The reading-room reader who has read all four has read the full APK spine.
A short reading-room reading list
The reading-room routes that pair well with the APK note are the reviews, the safety explainer and the responsible-play guide. The reader who reads all four has read the full APK spine. The APK reader who has not visited the reviews is the reader who has skipped the foundation.
The desk's read is that the APK reader revisits the APK note when the first install is to be repeated. The reader who has done both has read the most useful version of both.
Three reading habits worth practising
- Re-read the APK note before the first install
- Re-read the safety explainer once a month
- Re-read the responsible-play guide once a quarter
What to read next
The routes that pair well with this one are the reviews, the safety explainer and the responsible-play guide. The reading-room reader who has read all four has read the full APK spine.
What the desk reads when it revisits this note
When the desk revisits this note on the quarterly review cycle, the desk reads the page against the source and against the reader's likely intent. The reading-room note is that the page is more useful when it has been read at least once by the reader before the revision; the reader who has read a page once has read the most useful baseline. The reader who revisits a page after a quarter has read the most useful updated version.
The desk's read is that the quarterly review also creates a small archive of dated revisions. The reader who has revisited a page after several quarters has read the most useful arc of the page. The desk publishes a dated note at the foot of every page when a revision has changed the content. The reader who has read the editorial standards page has read the most useful description of how the desk handles revisions.
The desk reads every page against the same three criteria. First, accuracy against the source. Second, plain-language writing without jargon. Third, adult-reader framing, no promotional language. A page that meets all three criteria on the quarterly review has read the most useful test. A page that fails one of the three has read the most useful reason for a revision.
What the desk does not revise
- The desk does not revise the URL of a page once it has been published
- The desk does not revise the publication date of a page without noting the revision
- The desk does not revise the editorial voice of a page without noting the revision
- The desk does not revise the page structure without noting the revision
The reading-room reader who has read this list has read the most useful description of what the desk does not revise.
How the desk handles reader feedback
The desk reads every message sent to the contact page. The desk replies within a week to messages that include a name, a return address and a clear subject. The desk publishes a dated correction note at the foot of a page when a verified error has been reported. The desk's read is that a feedback message with a dated source is more useful than a feedback message without one; the reader who has included the source has read the most useful feedback format.
The desk also reads the messages for patterns. A pattern the desk has noticed in reader feedback is the request for more practical examples; the desk responds by adding more examples in the next quarterly review. The reading-room reader who has written a feedback message with a specific example has read the most useful contribution to the next quarterly review.
Three kinds of useful feedback
- A correction with a dated source
- A practical example that illustrates the page's content
- A suggestion that links the page to a related page in the room
The reading-room reader who has included one of these three has read the most useful feedback format.
What the reader should expect on the next quarterly review
The reader should expect a small update to the page's content. The desk publishes a dated note at the foot of the page when the update has changed the content. The reader who has revisited the page after the quarterly review has read the most useful updated version. The reader who has read the editorial standards page has read the most useful description of how the desk handles updates.
The desk's read is that the quarterly review is also a useful opportunity for the reader to revisit related pages. The reader who has revisited the related pages has read the most useful full route. The reader who has read all three related pages has read the most useful reading-room spine for this route.
What to read next
The routes that pair well with this one are the reviews note, the safety note and the responsible play note. The reading-room reader who has read all four has read the full APK download spine.