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Fullpower Technologies’ popular MotionX-GPS Drive iPhone app normally sells for 99 cents. But today, and only today, you can get it for free courtesy of OfferedApp. This new service offers a new freebie every day–not just for iOS, but also for Android and BlackBerry.
What’s the catch? I wish I could tell you there isn’t one, but OfferedApp relies on an advertiser-supported model. To claim your freebie, you must complete one of several available “special offers.”
Today’s Android app, for example, is PBA Bowling 2, which normally sells for $2.99. To get it gratis, you can do any of the following: play a pair of trivia games, complete a survey, or install a free Nielsen app. The options are pretty much the same for the BlackBerry and iPhone apps.
All of these “offers” require you to sign up for one service or another–in other words, to pony up some personal information. And maybe sit through a video, install a toolbar, or play a game.
Thanks, but no thanks. Much as I’m a fan of free stuff, I’d rather just pay the buck or two. What’s more, there are countless other sources for free apps, none of which force you to jump through marketing hoops.
For example, AppGiveaway and Promo Dispenser offer free, no-strings-attached iOS app codes. FreeAppAlert catalogs paid iOS apps that just became free. There’s even a Twitter feed that notifies you of newly free apps. And don’t forget the ever-popular Free App A Day, which serves up loads of temporarily free goodies (mostly games) for both iOS and Android.
I suppose if OfferedApp were offering a pricier app I really wanted–say, EA’s $9.99 NBA Jam for iPad–I’d be willing to invest a little time and energy. But the whole “special offers” thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth, so I suspect I’ll mostly steer clear.
What about you? Are you willing to accept a little forced marketing in exchange for free apps?
