To bolster the software library of Chrome OS, Google made App Runtime for Chrome (ARC), which allows Android apps to run on the lightweight operating system. Software developer Vlad Filippov aka Vladikoff went beyond what Google intended and modified ARC to make it work with the Chrome browser. In other words, Vlad made it so Android apps can run on desktop operating systems, by way of Google’s browser.
Vlad calls his ARC mod ARChon. To use it, you need to run Chrome 37 or higher in Developer mode. You’ll then install ARChon on Chrome as an extension; same goes for Android apps.
Here’s a guide on installing ARChon by YouTuber FuturGamerX. It’s in Spanish, but you can still follow what he’s doing.
You can download ARChon for free from Vlad’s GitHub page. You should also check the APK Exchange thread on Reddit for more information on testing ARChon. It’s still in its infancy and is thus very buggy, so don’t expect a straightforward or consistent experience. It’s also important to note that as of now, some apps can’t run on ARChon because they need other software to work. For example, Ars Technica found that the Twitter app was unusable on ARChon because it needed Google Play Services.
[via Ars Technica]
Earlier this year we featured a project from Netflix’ Hack Day; it automatically paused the service’s video player if it detected that you fell asleep. The company recently held another Hack Day, and one of the experiments from the event could lead to humanity’s downfall. Its creators call it NetflixMini, a Chrome extension that lets you access the streaming service through a small window within the browser.
Made by Adam Butterworth, Paul Anastasopoulos and Art Burov, NetflixMini lets you resume the shows that you’ve started as well as play videos from the categories in the Netflix homepage. It doesn’t seem to have the search function built in, which is probably for the best.
I bet that document stays blank and untitled for years. Seriously though this is the least gimmicky project that I’ve seen out of Netflix’s Hack Day, and I’m sure that subscribers would love to have this feature.
