BlueStacks is a cloud application, meaning that you can easily move your apps from Google Play Store directly to your PC, and use them from there. This is a new generation app that looks forward to making certain that the barriers between mobile and PC interfaces do not prevent you from experiencing the combined power of your computing devices. Here is an interesting video from BlueStaks on their journey till date:
How BlueStacks works BlueStacks is an Android app that usually uses the cloud to directly import your Android apps to your Windows 7 PC. However, it is very important to note from the outset that you need to have a physical Android device with you in order for this app to work. Once these apps have been moved to your Windows PC, you can then start using them as if they were on an Android platform. This is a great idea because you will be able to take full advantage of the greater computing power of the PC in running your Android apps. Installing BlueStacks on your Windows PC should not be a big challenge; however, you need to get a PC with modest specifications since you will find that this app will fail to install in older PCs due to hardware limitations. Once you get the appropriate PC, then the installation of this app should run smoothly. You can download this app from the website of its manufacturers, or even from Google Play Store. In order to get the full experience of BlueStacks, you also have to download the Cloud Connect app also on Google Play Store. This will in essence allow you to be able to directly send your apps from the cloud to your Windows PC. Setting up BlueStacks Once the installation of BlueStacks is complete, you will be able to configure it to suit your needs. When the installation is finished, you will be able to see a BlueStacks icon on the Desktop of the PC. This will allow you to click on the icon and launch the program. Please make sure that you do not delete this icon, since it is the only way to run this program. Once you have clicked on the icon, you will be presented with an interface that will then make it possible for you to run your Android apps. However, you will notice that the apps will open in full-screen, and this may not be such a good option if you are using a large screen display. If you also prefer running minimized windows, then this program will most definitely disappoint you. But the good thing with this program is that it will run smoothly on your PC. You can then launch an app by simply clicking on it, and this should happen without any hiccup. If you are wondering how you will be able to navigate through the apps if you do not have a touch screen PC, then worry not. This is because you will be able to use the keyboard and mouse to navigate through the apps easily, and they will be as responsive as if you are using touch. Challenges of using BlueStacks Just like many other software products, BlueStacks has some technical challenges that undermine its performance. First, not all Android apps will always run on the platform; this is usually worse when you are unable to run your favourite Android apps on your PC. Some of the apps will not even run, and this may be very frustrating; others may require you to run them on BlueStacks Pro version, which is the paid version of this platform. This therefore means that you have to spend money to get some of your apps to work. Also, you will be able to get more Android apps using BlueStacks. This may sound like good news, but there are some inherent pitfalls for people who prize their internet security. When you click the ‘Get More Apps’ link on the BlueStacks interface, it will directly take you to the Cloud Connect web site. The problem is that this website will require you to authorize it to access your Facebook account; this is an issue that is not welcome to people who value their online privacy. You will also face challenges with running BlueStacks on your computer if it has poor graphics configurations. This is very important since BlueStacks per so does not require modest graphics in order to run; some of the apps running on BlueStacks, such as games, may require greater graphics rendering. Thus, in order to play games on your BlueStacks on your Windows PC, you must make certain that the graphics configurations meet the minimum threshold required to run the apps. You also have to make sure that your PC battery is in a good state if you are to make successfully install BlueStacks. This is because the software will assume that you have a weak graphics card that will make it impossible to run the software. The easy workaround to this issue is to make certain that, if your laptop has a weak battery, then you should connect it to its charger before attempting to install BlueStacks. Also, some programs on your PC, such as RockDock, may conflict with BlueStacks; if this is the case, then you have to install them first, restart your PC, and then install BlueStacks. All in all, this is great software that you should try out.