private List<App> loadInstalledApps(boolean includeSysApps) {
  List<App> apps = new ArrayList<App>();

  // the package manager contains the information about all installed apps
  PackageManager packageManager = getPackageManager();

  List<PackageInfo> packs = packageManager.getInstalledPackages(0); //PackageManager.GET_META_DATA

  for(int i=0; i < packs.size(); i++) {
     PackageInfo p = packs.get(i);
     ApplicationInfo a = p.applicationInfo;

     App app = new App();
     app.setTitle(p.applicationInfo.loadLabel(packageManager).toString());
     app.setPackageName(p.packageName);
     app.setVersionName(p.versionName);
     app.setVersionCode(p.versionCode);
     CharSequence description = p.applicationInfo.loadDescription(packageManager);
     app.setDescription(description != null ? description.toString() : "");
     apps.add(app);
  }
  return apps;
  }