Amazon Launches New Android Appstore, Promptly Sued by Apple

Some would say it’s a crazy move to try and sell apps for the Android smartphone market outside of Google’s own Android Market which seems to do a relatively commendable job of making apps available and easy to download. But that’s precisely what Amazon has decided to do.

You’d also think it was painfully obvious that naming your new Android marketplace “Amazon Appstore” would result in an instant lawsuit from Apple, but again Bezo’s company seems to be pitching caution to the wind with their latest move. And predictably enough, Apple has filed suit against Amazon for trademark infringement.

Despite all dangers, the new Amazon Appstore for Android has indeed launched and the company is bribing folks to give it a try.

Up for grabs? A full copy (no ad-supported nonsense here) of Angry Birds Rio, the latest version of the popular game from Rovio. Pretty sweet, right? And you know what else is free right now? World Series Of Poker: Hold’em by Glu.

Not so fast! First you have to download the Amazon app, which seems easy at first, but becomes increasingly more difficult than you can possibly imagine. It failed miserably on my first attempt to install it. More recently, it managed to download and install much more smoothly, so it seems like you may have an easier experience than I.

Once you’ve got things up and running, it makes browsing and buying apps for Android quite a bit easier. It’s a definite plus to be browsing on your desktop or laptop instead of your small-screened Android. And when you find an app you might like, you can grab it, then download on your smartphone later. Definitely a nice touch.

So hey, you’re getting Angry Birds Rio for $0 instead of $0.99. And they promise a new free app every day. And sometimes, a bargain is a bargain. I’m off to fling some exploding birds at a few pigs. How about you? Remember, it’s only free for a limited time.