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Chromeos-apk – Run Android APKs on Chrome OS, OS X, Linux and Windows

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Re: Chromeos-apk – Run Android APKs on Chrome OS, OS X, Linux and Windows

#81

Post by on_and_off »

byuu wrote: post #4

Can anyone explain how this differs from using an Android emulator? ( http://developer.android.com/tools/help/emulator.html ) Is it a matter of features, speed, or convenience? Obviously, all of those can be overcome, be it as a fork of the official emulator or as a third-party emulator. For instance, this new Chrome extension must be the same thing under the hood: a Dalvik runtime, possibly an ARM->Intel recompiler…

An emulator is a dev tool that recreates the whole OS. It is very useful for devs since that way you can test your app on multiple architectures or Android versions. You can even use it to run automatic tests after each commits (or each day) in order to control your app quality.

On the other hand, what we have in ChromeOS (and soon Chrome) is a reproduction of the Dalvik/ART runtime. As a runtime, its only job is to allow Android apps to run.

It probably was an huge amount of work for the Chrome team (apparently, they have been working on it for quite some time but now that it is here, it means that with it installed you can run Android apps on your desktop computer.

so, it is both a matter of features, speed and convenience. I am an Android dev. In the startup I work for, we have mobile apps (Android, iOS and even Windows Phone), a website and are even working on desktop versions of our product. I don't know what this will mean for us though. Sure, we can use this new runtime to make our Android app run on the desktop but it has been thought out for mobile UX so a huge amount of work would be necessary to make it work nicely with the mouse+keyboard combo. It is very nice that we now have that option though, especially with Material Design looming in the corner.

Re: Chromeos-apk – Run Android APKs on Chrome OS, OS X, Linux and Windows

#82

Post by andor »

0x0 wrote: post #54
tokenizerrr wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The last time I worked on Android (which was about 6-12 months ago) I tried to get the x86 image working on my laptop, but it apparently requires an intel processor[1]. Do you happen to be aware of any speedups for AMD processors? [1]: https://developer.android.com/tools/devices/emulator.html#vm...

It looks like they are using KVM to accelerate in the linux sdk, maybe that will work on amd?

Yes, KVM acceleration works fine with AMD processors.

Re: Chromeos-apk – Run Android APKs on Chrome OS, OS X, Linux and Windows

#83

Post by cwyers »

vertex-four wrote: post #63
cwyers wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except Google is selling Chromebooks at car dealerships and calling them cars.

What adverts are you looking at? All the Chromebook marketing stuff I can find is pretty clear that they're about browsing the web and not much more.

From Google's official Chrome page[1]:

"Introducing the Chromebook Pixel A laptop that brings together the best in hardware, software, and design."

"HP Chromebook 11. Made with Google. Everything you need in one laptop. For $279."

"A new type of computer designed to help you get things done faster and easier."

One click from there is the features page[2]:

"Meet Chromebook A new type of computer with everything built-in. For everyone. Starting at $199."

"Gets everyday things done Your favorite apps are built-in and one click away. Find thousands more in the Chrome Web Store."

"Meet the family Chromebooks are fast, easy to use, and great for everyone in your life who could use a computer."

Laptop. Computer. Everything built in. Thousands of apps in the Chrome Web Store. "For everyone in your life who could use a computer."

Google is absolutely, positively claiming these are computers for everyone.

1) https://www.google.com/chrome/devices/index.html

2) https://www.google.com/chrome/devices/features/

Re: Chromeos-apk – Run Android APKs on Chrome OS, OS X, Linux and Windows

#84

Post by AlexeyBrin »

mattfrommars wrote: post #78

How is this really good? Android apps are really good but they are designed for touch interface on mobile devices, not desktop.

A lot of new laptops of today have touch screens displays, this trend will only grow in the future.

Re: Chromeos-apk – Run Android APKs on Chrome OS, OS X, Linux and Windows

#85

Post by vladikoff »

cryptoz wrote: post #2

This is amazing. There's a long reddit thread and some additional instructions here: http://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/2gv035/you_can_now_... From the README: > Soundcloud - Works, crashes when playing sound Funny definition of 'works'.

Yeah Soundcloud is failing :( But Angry Birds works :)

Re: Chromeos-apk – Run Android APKs on Chrome OS, OS X, Linux and Windows

#86

Post by q_revert »

thegeomaster wrote: post #74
cryptoz wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's been a few years since I dared run the official emulator, and I used to have an underpowered computer for development, but last time it took about 10 minutes to boot Android and another 2-3 minutes to open an app. I presume it's been improved since then and runs nicer on better hardware, but my first impulse is that speed is a huge concern in Android emulation. Convenience only matters if speed is solved, but th…

This is why I loved developing for Firefox OS. Their simulator is really just Gecko inside a smaller window and with simulated touch events. You could do some amazing things, such as live-inspect DOM on a connected device and treat it as if it were a local webpage. And now the WebIDE built into Firefox seems to be even more pleasant. I even used to sometimes test the app in my Firefox browser, without bothering to co…

Another vote for firefox OS here, I definitely think they're making a better effort than most in this space. The fact that firefox is targeting entry level devices in a serious way is another positive for me. I've been using a ZTE open as my primary device, and although the hardware is absolutely awful, I've managed to get by, mostly just because of a sentimental attachment to firefox.

I agree it's somewhat unlikely to be too successful, but I definitely think they're at least aiming in the right direction.

Re: Chromeos-apk – Run Android APKs on Chrome OS, OS X, Linux and Windows

#87

Post by king_magic »

passfree wrote: post #22
AdmiralAsshat wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The fact that Google is starting to roll out the ability for Android apps to run as Chrome apps suggests that they are aware of the limitations of being "web only". It also stands to reason that if they're going to soon allow Android apps to run under ChromeOS, you should be able to develop them too, no? To boot, the Pixel's relatively decent hardware, high-res display, and touchscreen just seem like it would be idea…

There are no limitations of what you can do via a web browser. My company personally developed and delivered projects otherwise thought not possible in browser environments. With the help of extensions and solid JS and HTML, everything is possible. Of course super low level stuff are out of the picture but this is not normal users will be concerned about.

Sorry, but this is ignorant at best and dishonest at worst. There are huge, massive practical limitations to what you can do via a web browser.

Re: Chromeos-apk – Run Android APKs on Chrome OS, OS X, Linux and Windows

#88

Post by ecspike »

srcmap wrote: post #66
vamur wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The official emulator is so slow it's a joke. Genymotion or Intel HAXM are a bit better but the whole process is clunky. Once Google introduces Android runtime to Chrome, developing for Android should become much easier.

Are you talking about ChromeOS? I think ChromeOS is not good enough as dev machine. Almost all of them have very limit amount of ram and disk. Dev system needs at lease able to run eclipse or android studio + emulator + adb at the same time.

A Chromebook Pixel is. It's doable if you are ok with command-line and building/deploying to a device using gradle.

Admittedly there are few on the market.

Re: Chromeos-apk – Run Android APKs on Chrome OS, OS X, Linux and Windows

#89

Post by hrktb »

benjamincburns wrote: post #67
cryptoz wrote: post #2

This is amazing. There's a long reddit thread and some additional instructions here: http://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/2gv035/you_can_now_... From the README: > Soundcloud - Works, crashes when playing sound Funny definition of 'works'.

I experience the same thing with devs and 'done' all the time. "It's done ; it just has some bugs that need fixing." To be fair, I've said this sentence myself in earnest several times.

OTOH, software that has no bugs in need of fixing is usually not a realistic goal.

You can say it will probably never be done, or you update your definition of "done" to "it has no bugs stopping a release". Personally I prefer the latter.

Re: Chromeos-apk – Run Android APKs on Chrome OS, OS X, Linux and Windows

#90

Post by pigeons »

hristov wrote: post #47
ryanmarsh wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It was more like, "hey wait I'm not attacking Linux, just read the full comment". Didn't work.

I read the whole comment. It is still an off topic plug.

And a ridiculous one
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