Android apps running on Windows and Linux...

We highlighted recently improved x86 native support for the Android SDK, better integrating the emulator with Windows PCs. Well, here are reports of Android integration going a step further...

Agam Shah, of IDG News, reports that  a software company called Bluestacks is "trying to close the gap between Microsoft's Windows and Google's Android OS with its App Player application". This was released in beta on Tuesday.

He writes:

App Player is an emulator that allows Android applications to run on Windows 7, Vista and XP OSes. Users can install the software in Windows and then run around 450,000 Android applications, including Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja, the company said in a statement.

Read the full article >>

Same integration, different platform - also check out this story on Datamation.com - Android Apps in Linux Changes Everything

We reported recently that Android support was back in the Linux Kernel, and in a recent post Matt Hartley considers "how Android compatibility might affect the desktop Linux and what we might see happening in the near future as well"...

"When the news of Android compatibility was announced, I immediately heard from Android developers who saw this as an opportunity for their applications to run on the Linux desktop.

Obviously, there's going to be plenty of applications designed for Android that won't run on Linux because of the X window system. In the long run, however, I think that there'll be plenty of cool Android applications that will run on Linux without much tweaking at all."

Read the full article >>

Are we all agreed that this is the inevitable future - Android apps running on a variety of platforms, keen to make the most of available application functionality? The concept of Widgets on the desktop is already here, so this could be the logical development.

Why not iOS apps, too, you may ask? Well, this would be where the open nature of Android comes into play, with Apple's equivalent app pool always likely to remain proprietarily closed to an Apple world.
This post originally appeared on Electronics Weekly.

How to Get Your Mobile App Approved for the Apple App Store

One of the biggest worries of App Developers is that an app intended for the Apple App Store will be rejected. The App Store is the largest repository of mobile apps in the world, and it’s the quickest path to app success – but only if you do everything right. While it’s the most populous App Store in the marketplace, it also holds the reputation as one of the most difficult markets to get into and recognized.
Here are some tips you need to keep in mind if you want your app to sail through the Apple App Store approval process:

• Be error-free. The most common reason for an app to be rejected by the Apple App Store is that Apple runs the app and finds some form of technical error or problem. This can come from any number of sources, from developer carelessness, human error, or even mis-keying of the app’s version number. Make sure whoever is developing your Mobile App not only is diligent about dealing with potential errors in the software, make sure that you have a decent testing process in place before the app ever heads off to the App Store.
• Provide Apple with all of the required details. You need to make sure you’re giving all of that identifying information that Apple wants. Include information about which APIs are used, and a short description of exactly how they are being used in your app. Note which images and icons are being used, and how they are used in your app and others.
• Make it basic. Start out with the simplest possible version of your mobile app. Hold off on implementing all of the extra bells and whistles. It’s that initial app approval for the App Store that’s going to take the longest. You can always add features and functionality later on. That doesn’t mean, of course, that you should present some kind of beta or test version of your app to the App store; just hold off on the more advanced features of the app until it’s been accepted into the App Store.
• Follow Apple’s rules. Apple has some very rigid rules. That’s their prerogative; if you’re not willing to play by Apple’s rules, they you shouldn’t be developing on that platform. Follow rules exactly as they are stated. Be meticulous about this; even rules that don’t seem all that significant still have to be followed. You can’t use violent naming conventions, for example. You can’t misspell technical jargon. You can’t use APIs that aren’t yet published.
• Read up on Apple’s previous denials. Dig around to find out some information from other developers. Ask others about their apps, and about what apps were rejected and why. By getting a handle on some real case histories of these rejections, you’ll have a better understanding of how Apple approaches the app store.
• Be creative. There are hundreds of thousands of apps out there. Yours needs to stand out. Not only does it need to stand out to your potential customers, of course, it also needs to stand out to Apple. Try to identify a niche that already very saturated. Find new and exciting ways for your target audience to use the app, or for them to engage with the app. If your app doesn’t seem unique, it’s not going to make it through approval.
• Be professional. The app store gets hundreds – sometimes thousands – of app submissions every week. It’s up to you to handle the entire process in a professional manner. Be polite in all of your correspondence. Be clear in all of your language. When you create your cover letter, make sure it’s approach is entirely professional and gives them everything that they have asked for.
• Be patient. The typical length of time that you can expect approval to take in the app store is about 1-4 weeks. That being said, it can often take longer. There are no guarantees about how long approval is going to take.
• Be prepared to be rejected. Even with your best efforts, it’s possible that you’re going to face a rejection. Understand that it’s not personal, and that it doesn’t mean the end of the world. Apple is great about being specific as to why apps are rejected, and you can count on a thorough response. Make the kinds of changes that they ask for, and try again.

While following these tips won’t guarantee approval of your app, if you carefully implement all of them there is a good chance you’ll be able to get your app in within the first one to three attempts.

This post originally appeared on Socialjitney.