Android Magazine UK - Issue No. 49

With ARChon Packager running, select
the app you wish to convert and specify whether
it should be in Phone or Tablet mode and be
converted to display in Portrait or Landscape
mode. Tap Finish to complete and save the ZIP
fi le to cloud storage or copy to your PC.

Convert Android apps

4

You might have a particular requirement for
running an Android app in your browser – for
example, you may have lost your phone or be
temporarily parted from it. Downloaded APK files
can be loaded into ARChron which rules out the
need for an Android device.

Find APK files

6

There can be an element of trial and error
when converting APKs to run in Chrome with
ARChon – you might prefer to take a back seat and
let other people do the hard work. Peer-approved
APKs can be found in the Chrome APK subreddit
(www.reddit.com/r/chromeapks).

Find APKs

8

Import an APK file stored on your computer

into Chrome with the twerk app from the Chrome

WebStore.Runtheextensionfromchrome://apps

and drag the APK from your file browser to the

twerk window. Convert in the preferred mode and

orientation, then run it in chrome://extensions.

Convertwithtwerk

7

Unzip the file on your computer and switch

back to the Chrome browser. Once again in the

chrome://extensions view, select ‘Load unpacked

extensions’ and browse to the unzipped folder.

Click Launch to open the app in the desktop

Chrome browser and start using it as normal.

Unzip the app

5

Remember that if you haven’t converted

the files yourself, there’s no guarantee that APKs

downloaded from a third party are safe. Stick to

ones that have been verifi ed by other users before

proceeding. If you don’t, your Chrome browser

could leak your personal details.

Converted APK safety

9

Five more ways you can run Android apps

1 On a Blackberry phone

Many Android apps can be run on

modern Blackberry handsets, so

they’re not totally useless.

2 On your PC with BlueStacks

Run Android apps on your PC with

the free Bluestacks app player

from http://www.bluestacks.com.

3 Remote Android

You can easily ‘run’ apps on your PC

by remote connecting it to your

Android device.

4 On the Chromebook

Chromebook computers can

run Android apps thanks to the

chromeos-apk tool.

5 With Android as desktop OS

Run apps in Android as a desktop

OS for computers and even the

tips Raspberry Pi.

Can I run apps in

any other browser?

At present it isn’t possible to

runanAndroidappinanyother

browser, only Google Chrome.

Giventhatitistheworld’smost

popular web browser, there

shouldn’t be any problem for

you to use Chrome. Even if

you’re opposed to its use on

privacygrounds,itisstillworth

having it installed.

WherecanIfind

APK files legally?

APK files can be found in

various places online. The most

obvious is Google Play, but you

will need a tool like the APK

Downloader browser extension

to get the APK file saved

directly to your computer.

Several trustworthy alternatives

to Google Play exist, most of

which enable you to download

the APK file directly to your

computer first.Slideme.orgis a

good choice, with a strong

community of users and is

relied upon by AOSP users.

Ask your own

question online at

littlegreenrobot.co.uk

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