Jar of Beans - latest Android emulator

Jar of Beans is the latest Android emulator. Unlike BlueStacks and Pokki, this emulator is developed by XDA member, unrealmanu.

One important thing to note is Jar of Beans is portable. Yeah, I always like portable software, because no installation needed as well as you will not mess up with the Windows.

Jar of Beans is emulator based on Jelly Bean (Android 4.1.1). And it is rooted, therefore you can mess with the emulator as much as possible.

You can choose the resolution which are being made into phone/tablet/phablet, such as:
->WVGA800
->WVGA854
->WXGA720
->HVGA
->QVGA
->WQVGA400
->WQVGA432
->WSVGA
->WXGA800

Or choose the resolution that suitable for your desktop or laptop:
800x480
1024x600
1280x768
1400x900
1920x1080

Full screen also supported.

Jar of Beans can access Google Play:

Jar of Beans running AnTuTu benchmarks:

Read more more detail at XDA:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1975675

You can also directly go to download it at code.google.com:
http://code.google.com/p/jar-of-beans/downloads/list

Enjoy!

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source: XDA
pix source: XDA

Pokki - review of another Android Emulator

Installation guide of Pokki is here:
Installation guide of Pokki

By right click on the Pokki icon on taskbar will give you some options. To launch Pokki, simply click on the icon.


Setting of Pokki:



Pokki Launch pad, can also do search on your computer, type your keyword on the box on the top of the launch pad.


Pokki comes without any apps, except the Pokki apps store. We will need to launch Pokki apps store to add additional apps.


The Pokki Apps Store. About hundreds apps only, very little compare to Google Play or Apple apps store. The apps store has the same feel like Google Play when I access it from web browser.


A few famous games, such as Plant vs Zombie, Cut the Rope.


Installing Cut the Rope now.


Cut the Rope is installed. New icon added to taskbar, luckily these icons will be gone after you completely exit Pokki.


Trying out Cut the Rope on Pokki.


Start playing Cut the Rope. It will pause automatically if Pokki is not in the focus.


Searching function on Pokki Apps store:


Pokki's memory usage. This is when playing Cut the Rope.




Pros:
1. Pokki consume less memory compare to BlueStacks.

Cons:
2. Compare to BlueStacks, we cannot install apk into Pokki at the moment, apps are limited. However it is just matter of time that member of XDA will come out with some tutorial or guide. :-)



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source: I wrote this!

Pokki - installation guide of another Android emulator

Beside the Android SDK, BlueStack is another popular Android emulator that runs on Windows and Mac.
One of advantages of BlueStacks is you can install apk on BlueStacks. This is the post that I wrote which is received more than 12k views:
How to install apk into bluestacks
Another post is how to enable Android Market on BlueStacks, which also with more than 12k views:
How to enable android market for BlueStacks

Recently another Android emulator come out, which is Pokki (which sounds like vulgar words in some dialects in South East Asia countries). Anyway, here is the installation guide of Pokki:

1. Go to Pokki's website to download the installer by click the "Download" button on top right. Don't worry, it is completely free:
http://www.pokki.com/

2. After the installer downloaded (which is very quick, following steps explain why), go to the folder that you keep it, double click to run it.

3. The setup file is actually less 1MB which will download 2nd setup file, that's why it is so small.


4. After download completed, now it is still not the real installation.


5. Third time of downloading, that's why step 4 is not the real installation.


6. Now, after download complete, now it is the real installation of Pokki.


7. After the real installation complete, you will have Pokki's icon added next to Start button. Right click to see more options:


That's all of this post on installation guide of Pokki. I will discuss the apps in follow up post.


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source: I wrote this!

More info on BlueStacks

Some nice people at XDA forum put up a comprehensive tutorial/tips/hacking for BlueStacks, in my previous posts I also refer to the same page at XDA. If you want to also change BlueStacks to windowed (not fullscreen), there is a part for it. If you want to change the SD card capacity, there is tools to do that, what you need to do is to go this link below and find out the detail:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1298332

http://outdatedpenanguncle.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-to-install-apk-into-bluestacks.html
http://outdatedpenanguncle.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-to-enable-android-market-for.html
http://outdatedpenanguncle.blogspot.com/2011/12/rearrange-apps-list-on-bluestacks.html

Have an adventure weekend. :)

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source: XDA
pix source: BlueStacks

How to enable Android Market for BlueStacks

In previous post, I have showed how to install apk directly into BlueStacks, however some prefer to install apps through Android Market. Even though there was cases where virus being distributed on Android Market (because Android Market is not as stringent as Apple AppStore), it is still better than downloading apk from unknown sources.

BlueStacks don't offer Android Market apk, but we can find the apk from XDA forum. Download the zip file from this link:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=18336028&postcount=7

After unzip apk files from the zip file, install the apk in the following order using the method showed here:
http://outdatedpenanguncle.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-to-install-apk-into-bluestacks.html

1. GoogleServicesFramework.apk
2. OneTimeInitializer.apk
3. SetupWizard.apk
4. Talk.apk
5. Vending.apk
6. Gmail.apk
7. Maps.apk

If you don't have any google account, you can use normal method (web browser on PC) to create one new account.
If you already have google account, you can use the same user name and password to login to Android Apps.



After login, it is just like browsing Android Market on Android phone. Find your apps and install and launch it. Do note that apps that installed through Android Market has to be launch from Android Market. I cannot find the apps appear on launcher of BlueStacks.
Android Market also require internet access no matter to launch the apps that already install. So there might be a problem if you are offline (not connected to internet all the time).

I also installed Amazon AppStore on BlueStacks, however the apps that I installed through Amazon AppStore seems like taking forever to load (a.k.a not running). Probably it is because the apps or Amazon AppStore, I have to check again.

Because of limitation of Android Market and Amazon AppStore, I still think installing apk directly is the best method.

Update (Jan 19, 2012): If you are plan to upgrade BlueStacks and if you want to preserve the icon arrangement after you edit the apps.json, make sure you back up the file before you run the upgrade.

Update (Mar 31, 2012): Thank you for visiting this blog. If you are coming from (fake)outdatedpenanguncle dot blogspot dot in, please do not visit it again. That blog is copying this blog (OutdatedPenangUncle.blogspot.com) exactly. Please support this blog (OutdatedPenangUncle.blogspot.com) by g+ or like.


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source: XDA

Rearrange apps list on BlueStacks

After installing apk on BlueStacks, I found out that the app list is following the installation order. The last installed apps will be added into last icon in the gadget/launcher. At beginning it was okay since I have a few apps only, but later when I install more apps, finding apps become difficult. And I have a few apps that I always use, so I would want to move the icons to the first page of launcher.
However BlueStack does not allow moving icon of apps interactively like on iOS (iPhone/iPad/iPod touch). Fortunately, there is a way to do it, it is by hacking a BlueStacks' file.

Edit this file: %localappdata%\bluestacks\gadget\apps.json

1. To access this path quickly, put in the following path (without double quote) into the run box [the "Search programs and files box"] and hit Enter.
"%localappdata%\bluestacks\gadget\"

A new Windows Explorer windows will open at that location.

2. Back up apps.json first.

3. Edit apps.json with text editor (Notepad, Textpad or PSPad).

4. The file is in one single line only. Each icon is represent by a pair of curly bracket {xxx}.

5. For example, I want to move ASTRO file manager to be first one. I will move the following code to be first one and separate it from the currently first one with a comma.
{"name": "ASTRO", "img": "com.metago.astro.png", "package": "com.metago.astro", "activity": "com.metago.astro.SplashActivity", "system": "0"}

6. I can also change the name of the apps. Example, Dolphin Browser HD that I installed is a Chinese version. The name for this apps become some funny characters after installation. So I edit it to Dolphin Browser HD.
{"name": "Dolphin Browser HD", "img": "com.dolphin.browser.cn.png", "package": "com.dolphin.browser.cn", "activity".......

7. For those apps that I removed using ASTRO, the icon still remain there, so I can use this method to remove the icon as well. Example, I want to remove TextFree apps, I will remove this code from apps.json.
{"name": "Textfree", "img": "com.pinger.textfree.png", "package": "com.pinger.textfree", "activity": "com.pinger.textfree.activities.TFSplash", "system": "0"}

Now I can access ASTRO, Android Market, Amazon AppStore and Talking Tom 2 FREE at first page:


Update (Jan 19, 2012): If you plan to upgrade BlueStacks, please backup the apps.json that you edited before running the update. Otherwise it will be overwrite by the update and all the edit will be gone.


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source: some from XDA (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=18333866&postcount=5)

How to install apk into BlueStacks

In previous post, I wrote about BlueStacks and how to install additional apps that provided by BlueStacks. But how to install additional apps? Either wait for BlueStacks to add into their database, or sync from your android phone using BlueStacks' cloud connect. However if we already own Android phone, there is no use to sync to PC right? And for those that do not own an Android phone, how to get more apps on BlueStacks?

There is a lot of free apps available in Android market or Amazon apps or can be directly download. For direct download, you just need to google for it. :)

So how to install the apk (that is the setup file for Android apps) into BlueStacks?

1. Right-click on the .apk file and click on "Open with..."
2. Click on "Browse..."
3. Navigate to "C:\Program Files\BlueStacks" or for 64-bit computers, "C:\Program Files (x86)\BlueStacks"
4. Double-click on "HD-ApkHandler.exe"
5. Click on "Ok" [Check on "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file" if you wish to associate apk with BlueStacks. I use this method, so now every time I just need to double click on apk to install new apps to my BlueStacks ;) ]
The .apk file will be install into Bluestacks and notify you when its done. You should able to see new icon to the apps that you just install on BlueStacks.



If you getting error msg "INSTALL_FAILED_CPU_ABI_INCOMPATIBLE" during apk installation, too bad that now still don't have workaround yet. This is because BlueStacks currently doesn't support binary translation. More info here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=18376033&postcount=15

Even though there is a warning from XDA forum that apps installed this way CANNOT be removed directly. I found out I can use Astro File Manager to uninstall apps from BlueStacks. Astro File Manager is available freely from the internet.
http://www.freewarelovers.com/android/app/astro-file-manager
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.metago.astro&hl=en

update:
see also how to rearrange the apps list on BlueStacks after you install apk
http://outdatedpenanguncle.blogspot.com/2011/12/rearrange-apps-list-on-bluestacks.html
see also how to enable Android Market using method mentioned in this post
http://outdatedpenanguncle.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-to-enable-android-market-for.html


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source: XDA forum

Running Android apps on Windows with BlueStacks

What have been Outdated Penang Uncle up to lately? I have been trying out Android apps on my laptop using BlueStacks.

Before BlueStacks, there is only Android SDK that has the emulator to try out Android apps on Windows. To do that you have to install Android SDK, install bla bla bla and then do bla bla bla and finally try to the Android apps on Windows.

Thanks to BlueStacks, now I can skip a lot of steps and just double-click to install the Android apps into BlueStacks. Sounds like installing software on Windows right? I will show you how in following post, do stay tune or subscribe to rss of this blog.

To download, go to BlueStacks website and then go to download page to download BlueStacks App Player.
http://bluestacks.com

For Windows 7, make sure you install BlueStacks using administrator permission so avoid any installation problem. If I remember correctly, BlueStacks runs only on Windows 7, too bad for older version of Windows. Update: BlueStacks now runs on Windows XP as well! [I was using version Alpha v2007 when I write this post, latest version is 0.6.2.0563_REL]

Most of users will find the BlueStacks icon (gadget to be exact) appear on desktop after installation success. Launching Android apps on BlueStack is actually through Windows Gadget of BlueStacks.
If you don't find the BlueStacks icon, minimize all windows (Start button + m) and then right-click on any place of desktop, select "Gadget". The Gadget windows will come up, you should able to see BlueStacks Gadget. Left click and hold on the gadget, then drag it to any place at desktop that you prefer.

BlueStacks' default installation already come with some Android apps, such as Bloomberg, Pulse, Kids Learn to Read FREE, and Talking Tom 2 FREE.



If you want to more apps from BlueStacks, you can go to BlueStacks website by click on the "Get More Apps" button.

It will open your default web browser and asking you to login with facebook account. That is the only login that BlueStacks provide. After login, there are total of 31 apps that available for you to install.

BlueStacks also allow Android phone owner to send apps from Android phone to BlueStacks on PC. I am not sure the motive of this feature, if you already have Android phone, why would you want to use the apps on PC? Example, if you send Angry Birds from your phone to PC via BlueStacks' Cloud Connect, the progress or level completed on Angry Birds cannot be sync between phone and PC. So there is not really a benefit right? Anyway, I will show you how to install apps through Android market, Amazon apps, and install apk directly. So stay tune ya.

Thing to note: Do not install apps that need sensor to play, because laptop don't have accelerometer sensor. Would not able to play the game anyway. However if your tablet have the sensor, you might able to make use of the sensor to play apps that need sensor to play. :)


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source: I learned the tricks from XDA forum :)
pix source: BlueStack pix from BlueStacks