Running Android apps on a Mac or PC with Google Chrome

3. April 2015 13:23 by Chris in   //  Tags:   //   Comments (0)

There is one App I wish I had on my Windows hardware (phone, PC, laptop, tablet) and that is Ap Geiriaduron (http://www.bangor.ac.uk/canolfanbedwyr/ap_geiriaduron.php.en). That's the one I can think of offhand anyway. There might be others.

You may have come across Bluestacks (http://www.bluestacks.com/) before. This is an android emulator that runs on the PC. I tried it. It worked. It was clunky but it worked.

A tweet came in yesterday pointing me to another solution: http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/3/8339197/android-apps-on-windows-mac-linux-chrome-os. This actually isn't the best article if you are not au fait with all the technologies and concepts, as I wasn't, and I work in IT. So here is a slightly better step through (IMO):

  1. Make sure you have a recent version of the Google Chrome web browser.
  2. Go to https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/arc-welder/emfinbmielocnlhgmfkkmkngdoccbadn and install the ARC Welder App.
  3. Obtain the ID of the 'APK' (application package file) from Google Play, e.g. for https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cysgliad.android.apGeiriaduron it is 'com.cysgliad.android.apGeiriaduron'
  4. Go to a site like Evozi's APK Downloader and 'generate download link' for yout desired App's Google Play URL 
  5. Use this link to download the .apk file for your chosen App
  6. You can then 'add your APK' from ARC Welder, specify the orientation, etc. for the App and you are away.

There are variations of the above (see links) but I think this is the simplest way.

The problem this does not solve is how to run Android Apps on my Windows Phone, but it is a step in the right direction.

References

http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/3/8339197/android-apps-on-windows-mac-linux-chrome-os

https://developer.chrome.com/apps/getstarted_arc

http://www.androidpit.com/how-to-download-apk-file-from-google-play

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About the author

I am Dr Christopher Sully (MCPD, MCSD) and I am a Cardiff, UK based IT Consultant/ Developer and have been involved in the industry since 1996 though I started programming considerably earlier than that. During the intervening period I've worked mainly on web application projects utilising Microsoft products and technologies: principally ASP.NET and SQL Server and working on all phases of the project lifecycle. If you might like to utilise some of the aforementioned experience I would strongly recommend that you contact me. I am also trying to improve my Welsh so am likely to blog about this as well as IT matters.

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