Android apps havearrived on Chrome OS . flop now they can be run onthree Chromebook example , a number that will increase during the rest of 2016 and into the start of 2017 ( Google has a full list ) . To salve you the wait , we got cargo area of an Asus Chromebook Flip to show you how the Android experience works on a Chromebook .
First , count on when you ’re doing this and which Chromebook you ’re using , you may have to put your Chromebook into developer or beta mode . To do this , go to About Chrome O in the configurations acid , then tick More info and Change channel . Pick the developer channel , the least stable .
After a warm restart you ’ll be quick to go . A new Play Store icon appear in the rocket launcher and on the bottom shelf next to all the usual web app shortcut , and after you substantiate you tally to Google ’s terms and contract in with your report you may start downloading apps .
browse and installing apps is much the same as it is on a telephone set , with clicks replace pat , unless you have a touchscreen Chromebook like the Flip . The common Chrome osmium apprisal legal community show which apps are installing and which ones require update . When an app is installed , it appear in the launcher like any of the regular WWW apps , and can be pinned to the shelf as well .
Most Android apps set in motion in a speech sound filmdom - sized window . you could maximize the windowpane if you care , but mickle of apps do n’t like this much and become more unstable as a result . Remember this is still former , beta test days for Android apps on Chrome OS . Many can only switch to tablet mode , while some apps have an extra menu button that lets you manually change between Portrait and Landscape manner .
We were able to getDots & CoandSnapchatup and hunt , though unfortunatelyApple Musicbrought up the message “ Your gadget is n’t compatible with this version . ” The same message appeared forInstagram . Spotify has a adequate web port but we installedthe Android appanyway , and set up it functioned perfectly well , even down to caching playlists for offline hearing .
While we wait for developers add all of the necessary tweak and edits to their apps , this is still a pretty buggy experience , with apps occasionally crash and just not work the right way . We comment a heap of apps crashed or hesitate when other apps ( or web site ) were load up alongside them .
In oecumenical , though , the apps run on the dot as they would on your sound , and even at this early microscope stage it ’s a moderately natural and intuitive experience . It ’s like having another Android phone to your name , with a full - sized keyboard and screen , and no cellular connection .
presentment look inline with other Chrome OS notifications , which turn well , and some ( likeHangouts ) even have the same interactional notification that are available on Android gimmick ( so you’re able to reply to a message without having to unfold up the app ) .
Meanwhile at the top left of every windowpane is a Back button that works exactly like the Back button on Android . plain the Home and Overview button are n’t needed .
In the Chrome bone configurations , there ’s a new connectedness for Android preferences that takes you to a limited version of the intimate Android configurations app ( it lists 6.0.1as the reading number ) . you’re able to change notification configurations , uninstall apps , check the available storage , and not much else .
It does make you believe about which apps this is going to work well for though : obviously for Facebook , Twitter , Google Docs and so on , the websites in Chrome OS are superior to the mobile apps . And for the apps built specifically for mobile — Snapchat , Instagram , Uber — the Chromebook experience is for the most part otiose .
What does that will ? Games , obviously , as well as productivity apps that can give your Chromebook more offline functionality . Plus any variety of messaging or word process app where a forcible keyboard is helpful ( and where a World Wide Web interface is n’t available ) .
Overall , even at this fledgling stage , the whole Android - on - Chrome - OS experience works rather well and better than we expected — the augury are good for when the feature rolls out for everyone later this year .
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