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BlueStacks Allows You to Run Android Apps on a Mac

This thread makes me feel old! I remember paying for magazines just to get a cover floppy with a handful of Mac apps on it, but now there are so many Mac apps out there we don't need any more? Wow.

Maybe we're iNstitutionalised. We just can't handle choice any more. ;)

ghettochris said:
This I could care less about, but is there any reason apple can't make ios apps run in osx? there is the simulator for developers, and even if it's cpu intensive emulation, the computer should be able to handle it.

Not that I'd use it too often, but it just seems stupid you can't double click on an app in itunes and open it.
Click to expand...

I believe the iOS apps are built for Intel architecture when running in the simulator; it doesn't run ARM executables. So you wouldn't be able to download an app from the App Store and run it on the simulator. Still, it's something that could be written.
 
Winni said:
And if Apple allowed you to run your iOS apps on OS X, the iOS users here would quickly shut up and instead try to find uses for that feature, too.
Click to expand...

If Apple did, as an iOS user that said this Android stuff is useless, you'd know what I'd say ? I'd say it was equally as useless. Aside from games, there is no real value in running smartphone/tablet "apps" on a full desktop that has more full featured software already available for it natively or through web applications.

Don't generalize please.

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Dave00 said:
Now, if an iOS emulator came to Android
Click to expand...

You technically wouldn't need an emulator to run ARM iOS code on ARM Android. Emulation comes into the game when you need to translate the machine code from one architecture to another.

Technically, what Android would need is an implementation of the Objective-C runtime in order to launch bundles and an implementation of the Foundation (already exists, it is known as GNUStep. It also includes much of Cocoa, though not 100% OS X/iOS compatible) and UIKit frameworks.

Just like the iOS simulator does not emulate any ARM machine, when you build an iOS application on a Mac and run it on the simulator, you're running a x86 built binary, linked to the OS X frameworks.

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whooleytoo said:
I believe the iOS apps are built for Intel architecture when running in the simulator; it doesn't run ARM executables. So you wouldn't be able to download an app from the App Store and run it on the simulator. Still, it's something that could be written.
Click to expand...

Yep, that's how it is. The simulator "simulates" an iOS environnement on x86 and using OS X's frameworks.

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Datalinks said:
I would very much like to run iOS apps on my mac instead...
Click to expand...

What for ? Which app is missing on OS X that is available on iOS ? :confused:
 
Figured it out myself, hahahaha.

You need the Android SDK beforehand.

Open Terminal

adb install PATH-TO-APK

Done.

No rooting or hacking required really. Some things aren't installing though. Amazon App Store gave me [INSTALL_FAILED_CPU_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE].

Here's Flipboard for laughs.

flipboard.tiff


:rolleyes:
 
Does this mean i can finally watch flash webistes on the ipad without puffin or photon?
 
I'll go out on a limb here and point out the obvious to those not trapped in the bubble...

Maybe there are Mac owners who use Android phones? :eek:

If I recall, it isn't a requirement for those who own a Mac to have to own an iPhone, and it isn't a requirement of Android phone users to own a PC. To those that own a Mac & use an Android product it might be nice to have a desktop version of a particular app. Example; Whatsapp available on your desktop when you are home or the office and want to use your keyboard to text instead of the phone.

I'm guessing that is one possibility.
 
JayMysterio said:
I'll go out on a limb here and point out the obvious to those not trapped in the bubble...

Maybe there are Mac owners who use Android phones? :eek:

If I recall, it isn't a requirement for those who own a Mac to have to own an iPhone, and it isn't a requirement of Android phone users to own a PC. To those that own a Mac & use an Android product it might be nice to have a desktop version of a particular app. Example; Whatsapp available on your desktop when you are home or the office and want to use your keyboard to text instead of the phone.

I'm guessing that is one possibility.
Click to expand...
I'm one of those Mac users that opted for an Android phone over an iPhone.

I'd say your PC choice shouldn't dictate your choice of mobile platform. :)

Anyway, concerning the app, why would you want to run phone apps (except for dev purposes) on a computer? I have a phone for that and would probably run them better too. I wouldn't mind WhatsApp though.

Also, this thread shows how uninformed some Mac users of the other side of the fence. Not all Android apps are riddled with malware. :rolleyes:
 
KnightWRX said:
What for ? Which app is missing on OS X that is available on iOS ? :confused:
Click to expand...

Given that there are maybe 500,000 iOS apps, I'd guess there are a LOT of iOS apps that don't have OS X equivalents. ;) Admittedly, many wouldn't work (no gyroscope, GPS, back facing camera, 'flashlight' etc.) or would have limited utility; and there's a limit to how many fart apps we need on OSX.

Still, if you could - say - play iOS/Android games on a bigger screen (maybe with Mountain Lion Airplay to a ATV), and all the while multi-tasking with other apps or OSX applications, I'd find that quite useful & entertaining.

p.s. Now all we need is a Mac emulator for the iPad, and the circle is nearly complete!
 
KnightWRX said:
What for ? Which app is missing on OS X that is available on iOS ? :confused:
Click to expand...

Thought of one and only one that people might use if the Mac had an iOS emulator.

iBooks.

But I'm not one to read books on my computer anyway. But that's one App on the iPhone/iPad that has no counter on the Mac because iBooks are proprietary to iOS.
 
a0me said:
Google apps for Android have many features that the iOS version don't have... which is perhaps to be expected.
As for jailbreaking, in my opinion the security/privacy concerns outweighs the added functionality.
Click to expand...


Um, I think I"m missing something, but maybe I'm wrong. You are on a Mac with a fully functional browser capable of connecting to the web-based Google Apps. Why do you need or want to use a mobile version on your Mac when you can use the "real thing" in a browser? I am not sure, but I doubt the mobile version has features that the web-based version doesn't. True?
 
dedalus said:
Does this mean i can finally watch flash webistes on the ipad without puffin or photon?
Click to expand...

The iPad isn't a Mac.

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samcraig said:
Thought of one and only one that people might use if the Mac had an iOS emulator.

iBooks.

But I'm not one to read books on my computer anyway. But that's one App on the iPhone/iPad that has no counter on the Mac because iBooks are proprietary to iOS.
Click to expand...

Which is the number reason to not use iBooks at all if you ask me. ;)

Kindle is so much more ubiquitous.
 
Technically interesting, I suppose (presumably they used the necessary parts of the Android codebase). But bloated, unstable, ad-supported and generally naff phone apps isn't something I feel my Mac is missing.

Having said that, my Android phone is such a piece of junk, it may be intriguing to actually see those apps running on a platform that doesn't suck.
 
whooleytoo said:
Given that there are maybe 500,000 iOS apps, I'd guess there are a LOT of iOS apps that don't have OS X equivalents. ;) Admittedly, many wouldn't work (no gyroscope, GPS, back facing camera, 'flashlight' etc.) or would have limited utility; and there's a limit to how many fart apps we need on OSX.
Click to expand...

That's the point though, what apps are missing from OS X. 500,000 iOS apps that offer all unique functionality not found on a Mac already ?

whooleytoo said:
Still, if you could - say - play iOS/Android games
Click to expand...

And I covered that. I did say games would be the only reason really, and even that, just games that are Android/iOS exclusives.
 
Initially I thought I could have a "desktop" version of Whatsapp, then I realized that you can't have 2 devices (with the same number) verified at the same time -_-
 
This is the dumbest thing I've ever seen. Why in the world would I want to run Android apps on my Mac? Maybe if I'm a developer for Android apps - along with iOS apps - then maybe. But other than that, I can't see a Mac user playing with Android apps on their Mac.
It seems like sometimes people create things just to say they can do it without any rhyme-or-reason as to what purpose it would serve.
 
EEXOOO said:
Initially I thought I could have a "desktop" version of Whatsapp, then I realized that you can't have 2 devices (with the same number) verified at the same time -_-
Click to expand...

Well further - unless you do some workaround - you can't use WhatsApp without a phone number associated with it to route the messages. So how would that work on a computer (easily) ?
 
Siggen said:
Cross platform gaming, and access to Android only apps for your Mac. There are many apps for android I just wish I had on my Mac, and I have an Android phone, an iPhone, an iPad, a Mac and a PC.

TBH I almost only use my Mac/iPad/Android Phone, and next to never use my iPhone and my PC.
Click to expand...

Name five.
 
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