Android apps: How to try before you buy

After 15 minutes, any app you've paid for is yours forever. But until then, you can opt for a refund (i.e., you won't get charged for the app).

(Credit: Sebastian Anthony)

 

Buyer's remorse isn't limited to big-ticket items like cars and HDTVs. It can also strike after you shell out for a new app--even one that costs just a few bucks. If it wasn't what you thought it was, or just wasn't very good, you'll probably end up feeling the buyer's blues.

In the desktop world, many programs let you try before you buy, usually with a 14- or 30-day evaluation period. But when it comes to smartphone apps, there's no such thing.

Or is there? As CNET's Lance Whitney reported back in March, Amazon's Appstore for Android offers a "test drive" option for thousands of apps, meaning you can fiddle around with an app, right on your computer, before plunking down your hard-earned cash.

It's a pretty nifty solution, though obviously it requires you to be sitting at your PC, which is not always convenient. What's more, it's limited to folks who live in the U.S.

As it happens, however, Google's own Android Market offers a way to combat buyer's remorse: a 15-minute refund window.     Read More