If you own a new Surface Pro or other Windows 8 tablets or laptops and are looking for more touch-enabled apps, then you might be looking in the wrong place. Sure, you can download Metro-style software from Microsoft’s own store, but the pickings might be a little slim yet. Why not look at a catalog of more than 750,000 Android apps?
That’s exactly what Bluestacks is hoping you’ll do. The company announced a Windows 8 version of its software on Tuesday as a free download at http://www.GetYourAppsBack.com
I see Bluestacks as a far better app solution now than I did in the past, for two reasons. First is that there’s a lack of depth to Microsoft app store for Metro-style apps. Second: Touch is a much bigger part of Windows — both in terms of hardware and software — than before. Prior to Microsoft truly embracing touch, using Android apps in the Bluestacks player could be frustrating because the software wasn’t optimized for mouse and keyboard input.
A perfect example to using Bluestacks is the lack of an official Facebook client for the Windows 8 Metro-style interface. That’s a key app that many Windows 8 buyers are sure to look for and be disappointed not to find in Microsoft’s store. While one could use the browser for Facebook access, why not use a Facebook app that’s optimized for touch and likely more familiar looking?
Bluestacks launched in 2009 and brings Android apps to Windows device. The company recently surpassed 5 million downloads of its software and has partnerships with several laptop makers to pre-install its software on devices.
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