Is it possible to use a smart phone for running apps but without a phone account?

[Orionaut]

As above really.

I do not want a smart phone as a phone, but there are an increasing number of "Apps" that I would quite like to use.

See also, can these apps run on a tablet rather than a smart phone?

Sorry if these might seem dumb questions, But these are technologies that I do not , as yet, use. (A smart phone, as a phone, would be nothing more than an expensive liability in my operational environment)

 

[wedrum]

yes you dont even need a sim in it, just a google account and wifi.

 

[Whitewater]

iPod touch?

 

[pastymuncher]

Pick up a cheap android tablet. If a app works on a phone then generally it will work on a tablet. You basically want to use a phone as a tablet anyway.

 

[Deleted member 66701]

You don't need a phone/tablet to run Android apps.

http://www.leapdroid.com/

 

[Glaucus]

There's also bluestack for windows, which allows you yo run a fair few android apps
http://www.bluestacks.com/

 

[Deleted member 651465]

iPod nano with Nike+ running app.

/thread

 

[Orionaut]

Pick up a cheap android tablet. If a app works on a phone then generally it will work on a tablet. You basically want to use a phone as a tablet anyway.

Sounds good,

Now, Do you need to have a google account?

 

[semi-pro waster]

Sounds good,

Now, Do you need to have a google account?

If you want to download apps from the Google Play Store then yes. There are apps you can download and install which don't come through the Play Store but it is probably a bit riskier than from a known source.

 

[TheVoice]

You need to create an account of some kind yes, but you can use any email address, it doesn't need to be a Gmail one.

 

[Salsa]

iPod nano with Nike+ running app.

/thread

This... quite why people are suggesting you use a tablet or even emulate a running app in Windows I'm not sure. I don't know about you but in don't much fancy running with a tablet or PC strapped to me.

/Salsa

 

[TheVoice]

Probably because he's talking about running apps on a device, not apps for running.

 

[cheesyboy]

Lol. Running apps, meaning running the program, not apps for running

Or was that a troll

 

[Salsa]

Probably because he's talking about running apps, not apps for running.

That might be it! I'm just back from a run... so that's my excuse!

/Salsa

 

[jsmoke]

I use Bluestacks on the PC, can be a bit heavy though.

 

[TheVoice]

That might be it! I'm just back from a run... so that's my excuse!

/Salsa

I do confess to reading back over the thread twice to check I didn't miss the OP saying anything about exercise-specific apps!

 

[joeyjojo]

Now, Do you need to have a google account?

I think so for Android, as it's the first thing a factory-reset phone will ask for. Not sure if this step can be bypassed though, been a while.

If you don't want this (I find it troubling from a privacy perspective) you have to replace Android with an alternative ROM, popular ones being cyanogenmod and replicant.

For apps you can then use fdroid.

I'll soon be investigating this further as I want to turn an old Moto E into a dedicated satnav/music player.