Android-x86 4.4 stable released: Now Run Android on your x86 PC

[calguyhunk]

Android-x86 4.4 stable released: Run Android on your PC

These days you can find a growing number of Android tablets that feature Intel processors. But what if you want to install Android on your existing notebook, tablet, or desktop PC which has an Intel or AMD processor?

There are a few different ways to do it… but one of the best is to use Android-x86. It’s a modified version of Android Open Source Project (AOSP) code designed to run on devices with AMD or Intel chips and the team has just released the first stable build based on Android 4.4 KitKat.

You can install it on a PC much the same way you would install Ubuntu or another Linux-based operating system … and you can also try it without installing anything by using the LiveCD.

You can visit the Android-x86 download site to find the latest version of the software, which is Android-x86 4.4-r1 at the moment.

Along with the move to Android 4.4.2 KitKat, the latest version also includes support for HD and full HD video playback in apps thanks to ffmpeg and stagefright plugins, OpenGL ES hardware acceleration for devices with Intel or AMD Radeon graphics, and a KitKat-style app launcher (which is the Trebuchet launcher developed by the folks at CyanogenMod).

:view: Original Article - Liliputing.com

[software182]

Key Features

The 4.4-r1 release is based on the Android 4.4.2 (KitKat-MR1 release). We have fixed and added x86 specified code to let the system runs smoothly on x86 platforms, especially for tablets and netbooks. The key features contain

• Integrate the ffmpeg as the stagefright-plugins to support much more multimedia files. Now we can play HD and full HD videos in apps.
  
• Use the latest longterm stable kernel 3.10.52 with more drivers enabled. Most netbooks can run Android-x86 in the native resolution.


• OpenGL ES hardware acceleration for AMD Radeon and Intel chipsets (PowerVR chips are NOT supported).


• Enhance the installer to support upgrade from previous versions (since ics-x86). The text based GUI installer supports ext3/ext2/ntfs/fat32 filesystems.


• KitKat style lanucher (Trebuchet).


• Support Multi-touch, Wifi, Audio, Bluetooth, G-sensor and Camera.


• Support Huawei 3G modem.


• Simulate sdcard by internal storage.


• External usb drive and sdcard are auto mounted to /storage/usbX on plugging. Support filesystem vfat/ntfs/exfat/ext4.


• Support hybrid mode of iso images.


• Multi-user support (max 8).


• Support Ethernet (DHCP only).


• Support 5-point touch calibration on some devices.


• Support VM like Qemu and VMware.

[geeteam]

Interesting; at least better than the so called BlueStacks :p

[exodius]

How to install this? Just instal like intall windows?

[iih1]

All version - Latest Version

http://www.android-x86.org/download

[iih1]

How to install this? Just instal like intall windows?

Yep, like Bluestacks...

[calguyhunk]

How to install this? Just instal like intall windows?

You may if you want to, but you don't really need to, if you're going to be using it only for testing purposes. There are multiple ways of running it on your PC without installation.

1. Virtual Machine like VMware (Player or Workstation) or Oracle's VirtualBox.

2. Live CD just like most Linux distros and unlike Windows. (Download, burn and boot straight from CD without needing to install) or

3. USB stick (pen-drive) provided your motherboard can boot from USB.

[Rok]

How to install this? Just instal like intall windows?

All you need is a VM installed on your PC/notebook, then download and install Android-x86 of your choice as you would any other OS on a VM.

[DKT27]

Might sound foolish, but I have long believed that Google should release an official Android OS for the desktop. While keeping the Chrome OS as it is, Android can be offered as an full powered alternative to it.

Even if it does not come near Windows, it might increase both user and developer interest in Android.

[Matsilagi]

Looks really nice, hopefully some of my friends (and me too, altrough i have a nice device running L, so i dont think i will need much) will be able to run a stable Android machine on PC.

Only thing that keeps me from using it its the not supported OpenGL ES for the nVidia Graphics. It would be cool to run some Android games on PC.

[software182]

Might sound foolish, but I have long believed that Google should release an official Android OS for the desktop. While keeping the Chrome OS as it is, Android can be offered as an full powered alternative to it.

Even if it does not come near Windows, it might increase both user and developer interest in Android.

Agreed, Chrome OS is totally a joke :)

[exodius]

How to install this? Just instal like intall windows?

Yep, like Bluestacks...

Ok, bro.

How to install this? Just instal like intall windows?

You may if you want to, but you don't really need to, if you're going to be using it only for testing purposes. There are multiple ways of running it on your PC without installation.

1. Virtual Machine like VMware (Player or Workstation) or Oracle's VirtualBox.

2. Live CD just like most Linux distros and unlike Windows. (Download, burn and boot straight from CD without needing to install) or

3. USB stick (pen-drive) provided your motherboard can boot from USB.

Great... :)

How to install this? Just instal like intall windows?

All you need is a VM installed on your PC/notebook, then download and install Android-x86 of your choice as you would any other OS on a VM.

I think I cant, my pc doesnt support VM. I have old pc. :D

[iih1]

How old your pc? eg Pentium dual Core @2.5Ghz,,, or Intel Core2 duo @2.9GHz
or earlier Pentium series?.

[info999]

Can I play PvZ 2 on this thing ?

[software182]

Can I play PvZ 2 on this thing ?

yes

[QHu91_IT]

I have Windows 7 x64, VitualBox 4.3.10 x64.

Install Android 4.4.rc1 in Other linux 32bit, but I can see my mouse when move into android window (mouse is working, but I cannot see the cursor.) and it very unfavorable, how fix it.

I have apk file and extensive file (obb), how I install (drag and drop or other else) into android?

[VileTouch]

how does it deal with apps that use ARM-specific routines, such as BBM?

[DKT27]

As far as I know, most or all the Android apps should work on x86 processor. Take Intel mobile processors for an example.

[VileTouch]

here's a link to the open issues in the repo.

https://code.google.com/p/android-x86/issues/list

bear in mind that there are a.lot. :blink:

[calguyhunk]

how does it deal with apps that use ARM-specific routines, such as BBM?

As far as I know, most or all the Android apps should work on x86 processor. Take Intel mobile processors for an example.

Not all Android apps are compatible with Intel x86. Most Android apps - over 90% - use the Android SDK and run on the Dalvik virtual machine or optionally, Android Run Time (ART) with Kit-Kat. So all of those apps will be compatible with both ARM and x86. However, a few apps - less than 10% - that use the Android NDK to use native ARM-specific code won’t run on Intel x86 or x64-based devices.

But there are no specific well-known apps that I know of, that don't run on Intel (x86-64) based processors. As for the ones that don't, you need Libhoudini. It traps ARM-specific instructions, allowing an X86 CPU to run most software on the various Android marketplaces. A few programs still won't run, but they are unknown games for the most part.

[CODYQX4]

It would be nice, given the power of Desktops vs Android devices, to just wrap the whole thing inside a seamless ARM Emulator (hypervisor), and be able to run the OS and apps just like that.

Either way drivers are going to be a pain, but I'd guess emulation would have better app compatibility.

Since x86 is more powerful than ARM, running ARM under emulation would work way better than the other way. Precisely why the people claiming Apple will make all their PCs ARM are out of their minds.