Gosh darnit AT&T. Just when we thought you were starting to get Android you had to go and pull this stuff again. Like the Motorola Backflip, the just-announced HTC Aria will not allow for users to download apps from outside of the Android Market. Say farewell to beta testing and direct-to-consumer downloads. While you are at it, you can also kiss goodbye to market alternatives like OnlyAndroid and SlideMe. AndroidCentral is reporting that the screen on the left is what the HTC Aria shows under the applications settings while the right side is a Nexus One.
