Android Apps Now Unofficially Able To Run On Any Major Desktop OS

An anonymous reader writes A developer who goes by the handle Vladikoff has tweaked Google's App Runtime for Chrome (ARC) to allow any Android app to run on any major desktop operating system, not just the handful announced last week which were also limited to Chrome OS. His tweaked version of ARC is re-packaged as ARChon. The install isn't very straightforward, and you have to be in developer mode on Chrome. But there's a support forum on reddit. The extension will work on any OS running the desktop version of Chrome 37 and up as long as the user also installs chromeos-apk, which converts raw Android app packages (APKs) to a Chrome extension. Ars Technica reports that apps run this way are buggy, fast, and crash often but expresses optimism for when Google officially "opens the floodgates on the Play Store, putting 1.3 million Android apps onto nearly every platform."

Comments

But.... WHY?

[Anonymous Coward]

Why would I want that ad-laden, spyware infested, functionally crippled crap on my desktop?

Re:But.... WHY?

[Chas]

We keep telling you. Over and over again.

STOP USING WINDOWS!

But do you listen?

OH NOOOOO!

If this works, then Microsoft is doomed.

[Anonymous Coward]

If this technology matures to the point that it's stable on every desktop OS, then the OS is reduced is reduced to simply being a platform for the chrome browser to run on to run Android Apps. That means

1. Developers gear their software to run on Android since that's where all the software and market is.
2. Microsoft becomes irrelevant as the things consumers want are the Android Apps, not the OS.

I don't think that means Microsoft will die completely, but I do think it means they become just another small player as there is no longer any vendor lock-in to their platform.

Re:If this works, then Microsoft is doomed.

[BitZtream]

Hardly.

If this technology matures to the point that it's stable on every desktop OS, then the OS is reduced is reduced to simply being a platform for the chrome browser to run on to run Android Apps. That means

That means instead of the apps being written for the Win32/MFC/.NET runtime, they are written for the Android runtime ... how is that any different? Please explain how its different other than you're a fanboy for Chrome/Android rather than Microsoft.

1. Developers gear their software to run on Android since that's where all the software and market is.

Right, except no its not. If you want ad-ladened crap, Android is where its at. The 'market' is everywhere else. There may be a lot of apps there, but that doesn't mean anyone cares, which the stats have shown by the number of apps with exactly no downloads.

2. Microsoft becomes irrelevant as the things consumers want are the Android Apps, not the OS.

So basically, just like Windows now. People don't want 'windows' they want an environment they are used to and works well, and more importantly the apps they've been using for years. You've given no actual reason why people would want new android apps that work entirely differently over what they already have and are used to. On top of that, the end result for those people would be exactly the same as they already have, except now Google would be in Microsofts place.

Thats just stupid. With Microsoft, at least you are the customer and your data is yours. With Google, you're the product and your data is their data. The whole point is to push more advertising on you and manipulate you into spending more money. Awesome.

I don't think that means Microsoft will die completely, but I do think it means they become just another small player as there is no longer any vendor lock-in to their platform.

Awesome, so instead of being locked into desktop apps with 30 years of evolution and growing, we're locked into phone and tablet apps ... on the desktop ... which are still infants made mostly by random people who think installing Eclipse makes them a developer, awesome. Thats my favorite lock-in right there. Lock in and shitty apps made for tiny screens ... on my 27" inch displays.

There is nothing that magically makes this better than just using an OS and skipping the extra layer of crap added by running your tablet app on your desktop. Have you really thought about how silly this actually is? Turn off your fanboy for 15 minutes and think about it. Its a stupid idea that no one is actually going to use for anything other than some very rare instances.

Never before has someones OS runtime layer been a real product on someone elses OS. Java hasn't ruled the world, Android isn't going to magically make that so just because people use it on their phones. Adding another standard on top of existing standards never results in this magical silver bullet that revolutionizes the world and changes everything. Proper design from the bottom up does that.

Re:If this works, then Microsoft is doomed.

[swillden]

If this technology matures to the point that it's stable on every desktop OS, then the OS is reduced is reduced to simply being a platform

Java did that years ago. Notice how it destroyed Microsoft?

Re:If this works, then Microsoft is doomed.

[BarbaraHudson]

Come on, Android can change the layout of widgets, as well as the logic behind them, on everything from phones to HD TVs.

Just grab the "settings" app and see the difference in layout between a phone and a tablet. On the phone, selecting an item brings up an overlay screen of options for that selection. On a tablet, the selection list is displayed on the left, the options on the right.

You can make arbitrarily complex layouts to accommodate different needs on different displays. Same as Windows.

Re:Finally a universal binary standard

[Chas]

This is it; write once run anywhere has finally arrived.

Nononono. As always. "Write Once, Beta Everywhere".

Re: Please make this thing useful for development

[loufoque]

Just run Android for x86 if you don't want the overhead of emulating ARM...

Re:Finally a universal binary standard

[guises]

But why would you want to? The interface is completely different.

Re:Please make this thing useful for development

[ozmanjusri]

It is not designed for mouse so the result is a complete user frustration.

1. I've used Android apps with an external mouse on my Asus transformer, and found the experience reasonably sensible.
2. Don't forget the "nearly every platform" comment from TFA. Apps aren't currently designed for use with a mouse, but it doesn't have to stay that way. The Android app format is coming close to being the fabled "universal binary", finally giving developers the long-promised write once, run anywhere ability.
3. In light of 2. above, it isn't too hard to imagine a future UI toolkit that can sensibly switch between touch and pointer modes.

Re:Please make this thing useful for development

[segin]

It's worth noting that the Android API already provides methods and identifiers specifically for handling mice and styluses. see http://developer.android.com/r... and http://developer.android.com/r...

Re:Please make this thing useful for development

[SpzToid]

http://www.genymotion.com/

"Genymotion, the fastest Android emulator for app testing and presentation."

I used the free version just so I could see acertain app really work (www.flightradar24.com) and was impressed.

Re:Please make this thing useful for development

[obarthelemy]

Have you actually tried it ? I've got an Android **desktop**, and it's usable. Most apps understand mouse buttons and wheel; the lack of the usual sensors and touchscreen is only a problem in some games.
Things could be better: I miss keyboard shortcuts, right click for Back is silly, and zooming in/out seems to be up to the OEMs. But overall, it's more than usable.

Re: Please make this thing useful for development

[drinkypoo]

android-x86 is a bit of a dog's breakfast. They only kick out a release image every now and again, everything never works, lots of crashes. The latest 4.4 image is way less stable than the last 4.0 image they put out, and they stopped building nightlies and so did everyone else. It's really quite useless and always has been, because they never actually finish a release. Google kicks out a new version, they say "Ooh, shiny!" and they move on before they actually get the system working reliably or properly. Then you get to deal with all the apps that won't work right on x86 on top of that. It makes far more sense at this point to go ahead and run the emulator.

Candy Crush Saga on the desktop!!

[rjejr]

So I can finally play Candy Crush on my PC ;-) Kidding aside, I wouldnt mind Angry Birds Epic on my PC, and wouldnt this make loads more money for companies like Gung Ho who were raking it in w/ Puzzle and Dragons and now can code once but have everyone with a PC spending money on their games? Seems like win-win to me, IF IF IF it works properly.

Re: Please make this thing useful for development

[joemck]

Or if you're okay with it being x86 Android, just install it in VirtualBox or VMWare.

Re:Please make this thing useful for development

[Anonymous Coward]

How dare they blaspheme the name of the Holy Google. Giver of search results and maps and storage to all of mankind..Blessed be the Stock of the Holy One. Amen.

Really, though. Why do you automatically lash out at this person and accuse them of being an "other"? you sound like a religious zealot. He could very likely be a linux admin, neckbeard and all. Maybe he's an apple fan. Who cares? It's irrelevant to the discussion.

Re:Please make this thing useful for development

[phorm]

Indeed. Perhaps the OP has not noted that there are a *LOT* of Android TV/streamer devices out there. Most of those work with a keyboard/mouse (or, preferably, an "air mouse"). I've had no issues using the core Google Apps, Netflix, XBMC-android, etc. Perhaps "Angry Birds" might be a little annoying with a mouse but more of the media-centric stuff works very nicely. As it is I've pretty much migrated my former Linux media box to an Android box that runs Play, Netflix, XBMC, and a few other media apps.