WindowsAndroid Allows You to Run Android 4.0 Apps on Your PC

Want or need to run Android 4.0 apps on your PC? Chinese start-up SocketeQ has got you covered with its just-released "WindowsAndroid" - perhaps not the most creative name out there, but it's fitting. Given what it's capable of, WindowsAndroid directly competes with BlueStacks, however it goes a step further. What you'll be running is in effect the entire Android OS, not just apps. An example of this can be seen below:

The software as it stands today is in all regards a "beta", but the company states that it's readily improving. Still, don't go loading it up expecting even a reasonable Android 4.0 experience, because there are still some stability issues and features missing. OpenGL ES, for example, has not yet made it in, so that rules out advanced gaming. Still, for its first release, this has potential. When "final", it could prove to be a major boon to both app developer and user alike.

Features the software does support at the moment includes Ethernet, I/O devices (keyboard, mouse), any typical display resolution you can throw at it, windowed or full-screen mode and also the ability to take advantage of certain Windows software, including Flash and Windows Media Player.

I hoped to be able to download the software and take it for a spin before talking about it, but the site seems to be getting hammered at the moment. The first attempt at a download chugged along at 6.6KB/s, and ended up simply halting altogether. You might not be able to snag it now, but you should be able to later in the day. Unfortunately, a quick form to fill out is required, but that's not so bad for free software - especially when it doesn't require truly sensitive information.