I’ve written about BlueStacks before as the program that lets you run 400,000 Android apps in Windows. Well, the list of Google Play apps is still growing and as of February 2012 there are 450,000 Google Play apps already. BlueStacks Beta 1 is now available and its compatibility with Google Play apps greatly improved. That is all that matters, really.

Yesterday I downloaded the 1st beta release of BlueStacks App Player and I was able to test it on my desktop computer. I was impressed because it has big improvements from the alpha version.

BlueStacks Beta New Features

You can download apps using one of the 3 app stores included namely 1Mobile, Amazon Appstore and Getjar. Before, you have to do it with the BlueStacks Cloud Connect app only. The compatibility of apps also increased tremendously. The applications that I could not use in the alpha before are not fully functional.

BlueStacks is the world’s fastest Android gaming platform for PC, preferred by over 400M gamers globally. From App Player to Android Gaming Platform The founding members of BlueStacks started the development of the idea in 2009, the seeds of which were sown during the time they spent playing video games with their kids. The latest versions of BlueStacks 4 (Android 64bit, Nougat 7.1): BlueStacks 4.2 Download; The latest versions of BlueStacks 4 Hyper-V (Android 64bit, Nougat 7.1): BlueStacks 4.2 Download; The latest versions of BlueStacks 3N (Android 32bit, Nougat 7.1): BlueStacks 4.1.

SEE POST 3 FOR ROOT GUIDE Below you will find the neccesary steps needed to get Google Play to run on BlueStacks Beta 1. Install Root Explore (can be downloaded for free using bluestacks and typing in the app name) 2.

There is now a home screen with all the apps that you downloaded on your machine an app search engine. Whatever you searched and clicked using the app search engine will be installed. It’s a bit odd because it doesn’t ask you for any permission before installation.

The new BlueStacks beta included a new top dock for My Apps, the apps that you downladed; Popular Downloads, the apps that are most downloaded by BlueStacks users; Apps stores, the three default app stores that comes with the BlueStacks package; Lastly, Cloud Connect, the BlueStacks service that syncs your BlueStacks installation from your phone based whatever application you want to be installed from your phone to BlueStacks.

The dock is a welcome addition but it’s kind of annoying because you can’t drag where you want it. It’s not even customizable. You can hide it and it will be minimized as a smaller icon hovering somewhere at the top.

Notice that there is an ”open folder” icon at the screenshot above? That is a new feature too. Your apps installed in BlueStacks can be opened directly from shortcuts just like a normal Windows application. It’s a very neat feature and it works seemlessly with the Windows paradigm. The only problem that I see here is the icons are not smooth as they are not optimized for Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8. I am not sure why it it appears smooth in Android though.

Bluestacks 1 Beta Download

Games Compatibility and Performance

Angry Birds is working out of the box, even the latest version Angry Birds Space. Some of my favorite games like Lane Splitter is now working too. Check the screenshot to see how you can control the tilting of device using the arrow keys.

I tried using the current hottest game Draw Something (free version) but it is not working, unfortunately.

Out of curiosity I ran benchmark tools within BlueStacks beta 1 and I find the results interesting.

I know that there are more benchmark tools for Android but these are the two benchmarks that I am interested in. I used an Intel Core i5 2500 CPU at 3.30 GHz without a dedicated video card for the tests above. It’s a relatively fast CPU and it’s an unfair match even to the most powerful Android tablets out in the market today.

My goal here is to show that Bluestacks is has a very usable Android experience and it is a great alternative to try Android on Windows first before jumping on the Android bandwagon.

Conclusion

While BlueStacks is free now I believe that it will be a paid product after the beta period is over because if you check the task bar system tray options, BlueStacks explicitly mentioned ”Free during beta” so it could only mean that after beta it is not free anymore.

I tested BlueStacks beta1, version 0.6.3.0686. I am sure that there are more features coming in. Beginning beta 1, it is starting to look like a finished product.

I was not able to test BlueStacks on a computer with touch screen so I could not rate how responsive it is to touch gestures and commands but overall, even if using a mouse to drag around the screen on an emulated tablet computer, BlueStacks is a very decent Android installation on top of Windows.

If you ask me whether it will be better than Windows 8 with Metro UI, I cannot answer that yet. What I know is that you can install BlueStacks on your Windows tablet computer and decide for yourself which is better. As long as BlueStacks can offer great compatibility with more than 450,000 apps it will be an unfair advantage for Android.

Bluestscks N Beta

New Year calls for newer innovations in the market. Despite the endless technology advancements, one can’t still easily run Android applications on their respective PCs. There is no denying the fact that individuals do have access to operating their Android applications on their PCs, but the word here is “easily.” It is quite a tedious task when it comes to running applications on desktops. In a difficult time like this, a platform like BlueStacks really comes handy. The developers of BlueStacks have launched a brand new Bluestacks N beta version of its application.

With this, smartphone users are now a step closer to bridging the divide that exists between experiencing the Android smartphone journey on Windows or Apple Mac computers. However, due to Android’s open nature, there is no one way of establishing compatibility between the operating system and the desktop device. Each year, Android receives an upgrade, which comes with a whole new range of functionality. This can end up causing a lot of problems for Android emulators like BlueStacks.

BlueStacks KitKat vs BlueStacks N

The original BlueStacks version was based on Android 4.4.4 KitKat. In other words, users could not gain access to the latest applications and games through this operating system. They would only be able to use the standard content that was provided through Android 4.4.4 back then. The developers made a good decision by bringing about the latest BlueStacks Android N version to the forefront. With this, the developers have been able to open up a whole new world of Android content that individuals can experience at the comfort of their home desktops and laptops.

The beta version comes with a range of new updates, including BlueStack’s latest HyperG Graphics System. This, in turn, makes the functionality of games run smoother as well as faster. In addition to this, there is a range of new improvements brought by the Android N version itself.

BlueStacks Android N: What’s New?

Interested individuals are requested to note that the BlueStacks Android N version is made available through the beta version. An official public roll-out of the final version is expected to be made available in the span of next couple of weeks. The BlueStacks N comes free of any particular price. However, the software does include some hidden costs in terms of system requirements. Following given are the main features of BlueStacks N:

#1. Processor

Whatsapp For Bluestacks Beta 1 Download

The developers of BlueStacks have kept one thing in mind, i.e. not to build a platform that is heavily dependent upon the processor’s power, in order to deliver several performances. In other words, you don’t necessarily require the assistance of a powerful processor. However, you will still be dependent upon the latest version of Intel or either AMD.

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#2. Storage

Even though, the software itself does not take up a lot of space within the processor. There is still a requirement for the processor to at least depend on a processor that features 4GB to 6GB of RAM. This ensures a stable performance for the processor. Moreover, the more Android applications that you add, the more space you will be required to use.

#3. Can run any Android apps

The original BlueStacks version was based on Android 4.4.4 KitKat. In other words, users could not gain access to the latest applications and games through this operating system. They would only be able to use the standard content that was provided through Android 4.4.4 back then. The developers made a good decision by bringing about the latest BlueStacks Android N version to the forefront. With this, the developers have been able to open up a whole new world of Android content.

Bluestacks Beta 1 Offline Installer

#4. Core focus

In theory, BlueStacks N supports all types of Android applications. The main focus for BlueStacks is to run Android games on PCs. However, it does go beyond this. It even goes beyond simply running games by integrating with live streaming platforms such as Twitch and Facebook Live. The hype around Android emulators for PCs have consistently died down. This is because of the lack of development and updates around this concept. However, a platform like BlueStacks N could definitely be good news, especially for the niche gaming market.

BlueStacks N Beta Download

Things to keep in mind before you download BluestacksN Beta version:

1. The BlueStacks N is only available in beta version.
2. The platform currently runs on Android Nougat OS.
3. The version is purportedly made faster to perform.
4. This version requires your computer to meet certain performance requirements since it is the beta version.
5. If upgrading from a previous version, you might lose the existing data. Please backup your data before proceeding.

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Minimum System Requirements for Bluestacks Nougat Version

Bluestacks Beta 4

1. OS: Windows
2. Processor: Intel/AMD Processor with virtualization extensions (VT/SVM) enabled in the BIOS.
3. RAM: 4GB RAM
4. HDD: 4GB Disk Space
5. You must be an Administrator on your PC.
6. Up to date graphics drivers from Microsoft or the chipset vendor.

BlueStacks N Beta will work on systems that fulfill the minimum systems requirements. However, for a superior gameplay experience, Recommended System Requirements are mentioned below.

Bluestacks Beta

Recommended System Requirements

Bluestacks Beta Download

1. OS: Windows 10
2. Processor: Intel Core i5-680 (PassMark 3500) or higher processor with virtualization extensions enabled in the BIOS
3. Graphics: Intel HD 5200 (PassMark 750) or higher
4. Memory: 6GB or higher
5. HDD: SSD (or fusion)
6. Internet: Broadband connection to access games, accounts and related content

Where to Download Bluestacks N Beta?

You will find a link to download BlueStacks N on the official website which is bluestacks.com and if you want to download the older version of Bluestacks, you can check it here! The instructions for the same will be provided on the official website. Download Bluestacks N Beta version here. Make sure that you read the guidelines before you install Bluestacks Android N on your Windows 10 PC. Because if your system doesn’t meet recommended requirements, you may face problems while installing it or using it.

Conclusion of Bluestacks N

The hype around Android emulators for PCs have consistently died down. This is because of the lack of development and updates around this concept. However, a platform like BlueStacks N could definitely be good news, especially for the niche gaming market.