Windroy - Android running natively in Windows!

[that_taco_guy]

Have you ever wanted to experience the amazingness of Android, but are too poor to buy one of those fancy newfangled smartphone thingamabobs? Well, have I got the answer for youuuuuuuuu!

Windroy, formerly called WindowsAndroid, "is a full porting of Android to MS Windows, with the goal to extend Android’s application scope. Here is a snapshot of Android’s home screen,
when running as a Windows’ native application. "[1]

(That is Chrome on the right and the application itself on the left. See? It's cool!)

I'm not sure how it works or whatnot, but it sure isn't a scam; I'm using it right now. Only problem is that you can't access the Play Store, so you'll have to sideload all of your apps.

The directory to sideload apps is:

{installation directory}\Windroy\windroy_root\data\app

Just throw your nifty apks in there. I suggest getting Aptoide.

Also, it automagically lets you browse the internet and do stuff off the bat! It's nice. I like it. Do you?

DISCUSS.

AND TALK ABOUT HOW COOL THIS THING IS, SERIOUSLY.

 

[NewspaperCrane]

Aside from not needing the rest of the Android SDK (which is stupidly easy to download these days)... how is this different from just an android emulator that comes with Android Studio (or the older Android Developer Kit extension for Eclipse)?

 

[that_taco_guy]

Aside from not needing the rest of the Android SDK (which is stupidly easy to download these days)... how is this different from just an android emulator that comes with Android Studio (or the older Android Developer Kit extension for Eclipse)?

It's more user friendly and isn't a 300~ MB package; just the essentials to run and fiddle around with ICS. It's nice for me, because I don't wanna do all of the hassle for the Android Studio, setting everything up...

I'unno, I like it.

 

[DaGamer12345]

Well, you could get Jellybean and run it in a virtual machine with Android x86. They might even be working on a port for KitKat.

 

[that_taco_guy]

Well, you could get Jellybean and run it in a virtual machine with Android x86. They might even be working on a port for KitKat.

This, not-so-surprisingly, is MUCH easier to setup than a virtual machine. >_>

 

[DaGamer12345]

This, not-so-surprisingly, is MUCH easier to setup than a virtual machine. >_>

Except it's outdated - Easy-to-setup Android 4.0/1 or not-so-easy-but-has-tutorials Android 4.3? I would pick the more up-to-date one. You can also root the x86 port. Sadly, not all the apps are compatible with the x86 port, but you could side-load them.

 

[NewspaperCrane]

This, not-so-surprisingly, is MUCH easier to setup than a virtual machine. >_>

Heave you set up a virtual machine lately? It's pretty simple. This just seems. I know you're excited about it... but what's the point of this if you're not using it for development? So you can do all of the things that you computer can already do... but in a smaller window with a weird interface?

 

[that_taco_guy]

Heave you set up a virtual machine lately? It's pretty simple. This just seems. I know you're excited about it... but what's the point of this if you're not using it for development? So you can do all of the things that you computer can already do... but in a smaller window with a weird interface?

I tried Virtual Machines last time I wanted to emulate Android, and it didn't turn out too well. Not sure what went wrong.

There are... kinda no real applications to the thing, but I think it's fun to fiddle around in Android and play sideloaded apps for shits and giggles.

 

[NewspaperCrane]

I mean... android is great. Huge fan... I love my GS3, and nexus 7... but I just feel like emulating android on a PC is kind of pointless. Android is great for what it does... and for a mobile operating system, it's great, but you can do everything better on windows. I get android emulators for development... but when you mess around on this thing... what do you do? This thing just seems to be the answer to a question that doesn't exist.