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Comment by AdmiralAsshat | Hacker News Reader

Neat proof of concept.

I hope Google gets us something official sooner rather than later. It's a little disheartening that I own a Chromebook Pixel and yet I can't use Google's own hardware to design or test Android apps without installing Eclipse on a sideloaded Linux chroot via Crouton.

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If you're a developer you'll want a real Linux environment anyways so I would just go the crouton route. I've been really happy with my C720 and crouton running Ubuntu.

You can go the full-installation route as well on C720:

* Xubuntu https://www.distroshare.com/distros/get/14/

* Ubuntu https://www.distroshare.com/distros/get/12/

How is that disheartening? The whole point of the Chromebook is to only use the web.

The fact that Google is starting to roll out the ability for Android apps to run as Chrome apps suggests that they are aware of the limitations of being "web only". It also stands to reason that if they're going to soon allow Android apps to run under ChromeOS, you should be able to develop them too, no?

To boot, the Pixel's relatively decent hardware, high-res display, and touchscreen just seem like it would be ideal for testing Android apps if it could be done natively.

I doubt it will ever be as simple as I would like. But I can dream.

>It also stands to reason that if they're going to soon allow Android apps to run under ChromeOS, you should be able to develop them too, no?

Why? Can you develop Android apps on your phone?

AIDE lets you develop Android apps on Android devices.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aide.ui&hl...

There are no limitations of what you can do via a web browser. My company personally developed and delivered projects otherwise thought not possible in browser environments. With the help of extensions and solid JS and HTML, everything is possible. Of course super low level stuff are out of the picture but this is not normal users will be concerned about.

> "There are no limitations of what you can do via a web browser" [...] "Of course super low level stuff are out of the picture"

...so what you're saying is there are limitations around what you can do with a browser.

> There are no limitations of what you can do via a web browser.

So when do we see Crysis or HPC in HTML 5?

Sorry, but this is ignorant at best and dishonest at worst. There are huge, massive practical limitations to what you can do via a web browser.

If they're going this roundabout way about bringing native apps to a browser-OS platform, I wonder they they couldn't just use the already native Android platform, which...already had the Chrome browser.

If Chromebooks can't be used to develop Android apps, then Google developers aren't using Chromebooks. Eating your own dogfood is important.

Only if you're making food intended to be usable by foodmakers? This is like expecting a father of 5 to only use a motorcycle because he works at a motorcycle factory.

Except Google is selling Chromebooks at car dealerships and calling them cars.

What adverts are you looking at? All the Chromebook marketing stuff I can find is pretty clear that they're about browsing the web and not much more.

From Google's official Chrome page[1]:

"Introducing the Chromebook Pixel A laptop that brings together the best in hardware, software, and design."

"HP Chromebook 11. Made with Google. Everything you need in one laptop. For $279."

"A new type of computer designed to help you get things done faster and easier."

One click from there is the features page[2]:

"Meet Chromebook A new type of computer with everything built-in. For everyone. Starting at $199."

"Gets everyday things done Your favorite apps are built-in and one click away. Find thousands more in the Chrome Web Store."

"Meet the family Chromebooks are fast, easy to use, and great for everyone in your life who could use a computer."

Laptop. Computer. Everything built in. Thousands of apps in the Chrome Web Store. "For everyone in your life who could use a computer."

Google is absolutely, positively claiming these are computers for everyone.

1) https://www.google.com/chrome/devices/index.html

2) https://www.google.com/chrome/devices/features/

Developing Android apps isn't an intended use case of the Chromebook. As such, Chrome OS devs can still "eat their own dogfood" without developing Android apps on a Chromebook.

I work for a navigation company. We deploy navigation software on 3rd party, purpose built hardware following model analagous to Chrome OS and the "Chromebook" moniker. Even though I use our devices in my car, would you say that I'm not "eating my own dog food" because I'm not writing software on the device in my car?

only if the device in your car is supposed to be usable as a general purpose computer

Wouldn't that make Android much less useful?

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