Android apps on a Surface

[Deleted member 10837]

I prefer Genymotion for Android virtualization. If I buy a full Windows machine, I would want the versatility for it to run any OS including Linux Android, Mac OS X, FreeBSD, etc.

 

[be77solo]

oh gawd here we go with the misconception of lack of apps lol no offence but that is an iPhone/android mentality and is no longer relevant any more as the MS store is way past 150,000 apps and has almost everything one needs

and as for pouncing on the OP I don't think anyone pounced on him per say and I find people nowadays so touchy when people are just speaking their minds and just speaking in general.... keeping it real sorta lol so stop being so touchy...

Now as for this android crap, it icks me to no ends when someone goes out and buys a windows device and then wants to put android stuff on it or apple stuff, why not just stick to android/apple devices if that's what you want? It isn't difficult! and as for MS store not having alot of apps is just no longer relevant as there is tons of stuff now, and like someone else has pointed out that android/apple has 3 years or more on the Surface so of course there isn't a million apps, but lets be honest HOW MANY BLOODY APPS DO YA NEED? lol when I had my android devices there were SOOO many bad apps it wasn't funny and not enjoyable... if there is apps that are needed and not available why not write the developer and ask to port it to windows device! I'm sure you probably won't be the only one if it is really a useful app others will probably be asking for it too! so give MS a chance to catch up and be patient :wink:

The OP asked a legitimate question about Bluestack, and IMHO you did "pounce" saying aren't there enough as is?! Obviously, there isn't the app he needs (nor in the example I gave for myself). Your answer wasn't addressing his questions and was more fanboy of the Store and RT, as is your reply here "HOW MANY BLOODY APPS DO YA NEED? lol". Obviously, this is a Microsoft Surface forum, we all like them around here and most of us own them. This was a new potential member asking a legit question, which I've looked into myself.

Lack of apps is still a relevant issue whether or not it is to you or not. I like Microsoft and hope the Store and RT apps succeed, but quite frankly, they have a long way to go yet.

 

[be77solo]

I prefer Genymotion for Android virtualization. If I buy a full Windows machine, I would want the versatility for it to run any OS including Linux Android, Mac OS X, FreeBSD, etc.

I'll have to check that out, thanks for the heads up!

 

[beman39]

The OP asked a legitimate question about Bluestack, and IMHO you did "pounce" saying aren't there enough as is?! Obviously, there isn't the app he needs (nor in the example I gave for myself). Your answer wasn't addressing his questions and was more fanboy of the Store and RT, as is your reply here "HOW MANY BLOODY APPS DO YA NEED? lol". Obviously, this is a Microsoft Surface forum, we all like them around here and most of us own them. This was a new potential member asking a legit question, which I've looked into myself.

Lack of apps is still a relevant issue whether or not it is to you or not. I like Microsoft and hope the Store and RT apps succeed, but quite frankly, they have a long way to go yet.

I luv how you take one part of my post and try to use it as an example but yet not too include my other part which asks which app are you looking for... nice try.. and yes this is a Microsoft surface forum like you just pointed out and not an android forum thank you!

and my question still stands and I made my point in regards to how many apps do you need as like I've said in my previous post the google app store is so convoluted with bad apps it's not enjoyable! and that was my point, but of course you try to twist what I was saying to suite your purpose not mine.... so ANYWAAAYS as for lack of apps like I said also in my previous post is the MS store is still new and the OP and YOU it seems isn't getting that and also your not getting that the store is growing faster than anroid/apple ever did when they first started but like you and other are to impatient and trying to stick a bandaid by installing a port/emulator of android on the Surface, and if you want android and all those apps so bad then stick with android is all I was saying...

 

[The Toy Man]

I keep trying Bluestacks and while it is getting better I find it is indeed a Beta product.

While I only have a few apps that I really care about on my Nexus 5 phone, they are not in the MS apps store.
Hmmm - maybe I better check again.

Toy Man

 

[ChemCat]

For me, I don't care that much about apps. Right now in my life, I'm all focused on my career and my metro LOB app. Android and iOS are toys. They're made for fun and games.

 

[ctitanic]

"lack of applications" is a very vague concept used mostly by those who don't know the platform or are clearly against the platform. After a year, windows stores have almost everything needed to please 90% of users. There are few areas that have not been covered yet and there are either because technically the Surface doesn't support them, like GPS relative apps and 3rd party relative Apps (the ones depending of Cisco technology is the strongest example).

You can't talk about lack of GPS apps when the Surface does not have GPS support.

For the rest there is always a way around.

About the topic of this thread. Bluestack works like an Android VM. The references that I have point to a very demanding VM which may run in Surface PRO 2 but performance is not going to be the best even a good point. That said, ARM is not an i5 processor so I don't believe that there is a any possibility of seen Androids apps running in RT using a shell application of any kind.

 

[ctitanic]

I keep trying Bluestacks and while it is getting better I find it is indeed a Beta product.

While I only have a few apps that I really care about on my Nexus 5 phone, they are not in the MS apps store.
Hmmm - maybe I better check again.

Toy Man

Developers are always open to new markets if there is money to make on them. So, ask those developers to port them to Windows RT. They may not listen to you but they will eventually listen if many requests like yours are received. And that does not mean that you have to run and create an online petition. What I mean that we should all make a habit to ask developers to port their apps to Windows RT. Making that a habit is the best way to make this platform successful.

 

[Talontsi90]

And then theres RDP for everything you DONT have on the RT. Is almost everyone that uses this that thick headed? I got mine FOR that purpose. Lumia 810 ->internet share->RT running RDP = Everything i need mobile wise.

 

[oion]

And then theres RDP for everything you DONT have on the RT. Is almost everyone that uses this that thick headed? I got mine FOR that purpose. Lumia 810 ->internet share->RT running RDP = Everything i need mobile wise.

Remote Desktop is definitely a feature not called out much at all in pundit reviews, and I suspect few users would use it.

For one, the Surface RT line is a bit weird for corporate use due to some limitations like no domain join and I have no idea how good the VPN support is now, which means the real target user base is home consumer side. Then consider that the average user's other Windows devices are probably not going to be the Pro/enterprise version that allows Remote Desktop.

There are TeamViewer and SplashTop options, but those can run into bandwidth issues.

 

[ChemCat]

And then theres RDP for everything you DONT have on the RT. Is almost everyone that uses this that thick headed? I got mine FOR that purpose. Lumia 810 ->internet share->RT running RDP = Everything i need mobile wise.

Um... did you copy my setup? I also got a lumia 810 to share internet with my rt.

 

[acemd]

I am new here, and I say this with the utmost respect as I mean no harm to anyone. But in my humble opinion

1) It seems as if he/she (the original poster) was in the research phase of purchasing a tablet and wanted to know about the possibility / or the lack there of of being able to run android apps on the surface line of tablets.

2)The original poster assumption about the lack of apps (or the lack of quality apps) in the windows store/ on the windows platform is correct. The truth off the matter is that the windows store is woefully (maybe a little strong) lacking apps/ quality apps (as compared to other eco systems).

3) I am assuming that there are possible many potential surface/windows 8 tablet customers who may share the same concerns as the original poster. A concern of if their choice of apps is available or are of the same quality on windows 8 as it is on other competing platforms.

Those things being said, it does no good to the surface/windows 8 tablet community to chastise those who maybe interested (but may have some reservation) in purchasing a windows 8 tablet, as it may end in the results of pushing away potential windows tablet user and giving them a possible flawed or incorrect viewpoint of my/our chosen eco system.

The only way to grow our user base is not only to highlight the capabilities of the surface/win 8 tablets, but to also help with possible solutions or work arounds to issues (real or perceived) of those who ask of it.
That being said, the poster question is important to me as I was in the process of evaluating something similar (even going so far as to consider the possibility in owning an iPad mini or an equivalent android device to partner with my surface pro). Which is why, I decided to open this post and add my voice to the op of those who are looking for possible solutions or work arounds to this app situation.