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They are not asking to avoid Android altogether, just the market.

Most Android devices are locked down so that users cannot install apps outside the Android Market (aka "sideloading").

Of course those of us who know about xda-developers.com and are handy with adb can easily bypass this in most cases. But we're in the minority. The average joe, the vast majority of the user base is either incapable or unwilling to do these things.

Unless you've got a rooted & bootloader-unlocked device running an AOSP-derived ROM, Google's dream of an open mobile device OS only applies to the carriers.

"Most Android devices are locked down so that users cannot install apps outside the Android Market (aka "sideloading")."

This is new to me. Got any proof?

As far as I know in the US it's just AT&T.

My phone is stock, not rooted, it has a checkbox to install non-market apps and that works fine. Not sure what they're on about.

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