Chrome OS 80 to bring sideloading of Android apps to Chromebooks (updated)
At long last, Google is bringing the ability to sideload Android apps to Chromebooks. The feature is planned for Chrome OS 80, helping both developers and power users alike.
Developers
Setting up a Chromebook for web development? You’ll want to read this guide
Want to do web development on a Chromebook using Linux, NodeJS, NPM and XAMPP? One full stack developer created this great guide to making it happen.
Android Studio 3.5 arrives, bringing official Chrome OS support
After four months in a preview release, Android Studio arrives on Chromebooks with official support. There’s still no Android device emulator, but the USB debug feature of Chrome OS lets you install and test apps on your connected phone.
About the recent Atlas / Pixelbook 2 CPU benchmarks: Why I don’t buy them (Hint: Android Studio)
Recent Geekbench listings suggest the next Pixelbook, likely Atlas, will use the same chipsets as the Pixel Slate. That doesn’t make sense for a few reasons.
Don’t expect to sideload Android apps on a Chromebook until Chrome OS 76 or later
Originally planned for between Chrome OS 69 and 72, a recent Chromium developer comment suggests that the ability to sideload Android apps on a Chromebook isn’t even likely for Chrome OS 75.
Android Studio has an easier Chrome OS install and a recommended Chromebooks list
Chrome OS has mostly been a no-show so far at Google I/O, however the developer keynote highlighted a special Android Studio build and recommended Chromebooks to code Android apps.
Chrome OS 75 adds USB device support for Linux, including Android phone debugging
The newest version of Chrome OS 75 finally brings USB device support to Project Crostini. Using Linux on my Chromebook, I can even use ADB commands to a connected Android phone.
Reader question: How to get Microsoft Visual Code working in Linux on an ARM-based Chromebook
There’s a wide range of great Linux apps for Chromebooks, unless you have an ARM-powered device, that is. Luckily, Visual Code is available through a community build project.
Did Google drop a hint when Project Crostini and Linux apps on Chromebooks will get GPU acceleration?
No, there’s no official release date for GPU hardware acceleration in Project Crostini. But if Google is going to officially support Android Studio on Chromebooks in early 2019, that feature should arrive at the same time.