If you’re an Apple fan kicking off this read with skepticism, wipe that smile off your face! The tablet ecosystem isn’t all about iOS, even though Apple’s solution does seem superior to Android on multiple levels.
The looks
The software is admittedly in alpha, and its poor performance acts as clear evidence of that (more on this below), but its arrival has been most welcome in OS X circles.
Thanks to a straightforward interface, Android App Player makes it a breeze to launch a title and have a go at it to see what the other camp is babbling on about.
You can either launch the App Player itself, click on any of the included apps in the specially-set folder in your Dock, or you can even access the titles from Launchpad, OS X Lion’s own application launcher.
Any time you want to go back to the home screen, just hit the BlueStacks button below. The simple back-and-forth UI makes it feel as if Android App Player is somewhat of a built-in application with your Mac OS, though you’ll soon discover that’s not exactly so.
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The works
Just as if you were using a Droid, the interface lets you browse through your included apps in a clean home screen, with the option to drag down the Notifications pane to see if there’s any change with the likes of WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, or Pulse News.
When you launch an app, you go full screen with the mouse turning into your finger, ready for some emulated touch. Careful scrolling up and down, though. BlueStacks App Player records those actions as taps, for one reason or another.
Some games, such as Drag Racing, are visibly unfit for the mouse & keyboard combo. However, the emulator does a great job at giving you an idea of what this game would be on a tablet device where both your hands are free to touch the display.
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Simpler titles, like Zebra Paint (screenshot below), make for a good test subject if you’re considering to get your kid a Droid. After all, if the purpose is education, and there’s no money to spare, no one will blame you for choosing function over sparkle (i.e. Apple iPad).
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The application has a double purpose. On one side, it enables developers to put their Android applications into the hands of broader audiences, perhaps even convincing some to get a Droid for the full experience. From the BlueStacks App Player FAQ for developers:
What are we getting from giving you guys permission to feature us?
Discovery and distribution. Even if only 50,000 of our users download and use your app, that’s 50,000 more than zero. If BlueStacks continues to grow as fast as it is, that number could be a lot higher.
At the other end of the spectrum, it lets you - the regular user - see what you’ve been missing, or what you haven’t been missing, in case you’re left with the same bitter taste as before. Either way, it can’t hurt knowing what the weather’s like on the other side of the fence, right?
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The Good
Android App Player does a splendid job at showing you the advantages, as well as the kinks of rocking in an Android environment. Even though your clicks may result in unexpected commands at times, keep in mind that everything in there was made with touch in mind. The App Player is also alpha, so don’t tax it too much for trying to do its job in this ruthless world of ours.
The bad
A bug causing App Player to interpret upward scrolls as taps (action) makes for a lousy experience. BlueStacks should take care of this annoyance soon, if anyone is ever going to make it through a complete test of any app.
The truth
With a few more hardware optimizations here and there, a couple of bug fixes and a broader selection of titles, future versions of Android App Player will really make a difference in the Mac ecosystem where the cult is strong enough to cause “temporary blindness.” BlueStacks’ solution acts like a much needed medicine for those who won’t hear anything about anything unless it has an Apple logo on it.
Via: Play Android Games on OS X with BlueStacks App Player
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