How to use Android Emulator to test Custom ROM

You might have a smart phone , more precisely android smart phone and you want to install a fancy customized ROM right?

Well,  before flashing any custom ROM directly on smartphone you can try it on Android virtual device.

Requirement :

Android sdk -tool should be installed on pc/laptop to create AVD (android virtual device)

system image of custom ROM

Follow the steps given below

Step 1: Open Command prompt (run > cmd  hit enter).

Step 2: change path to "tools" folder of your android sdk

it is something like  ..\Android\android-sdk\tools

[Note : if you have set your path variable for Android Sdk then skip this step   ]

Step 3: enter the command : android list target

This command will give you list of available Android targets with ID of perticular target.

Note down the Id number of target for your custom rom

for example if your custom ROM is for ICS then choose ID number of 4.0 like wise

Example Outout :

Available Android targets:

----------

id: 3 or "android-7"

     Name: Android 2.1

     Type: Platform

     API level: 7

     Revision: 3

     Skins: HVGA, QVGA, WQVGA400, WQVGA432, WVGA800 (default), WVGA854

     ABIs : armeabi

----------

id: 5 or "android-8"

     Name: Android 2.2

     Type: Platform

     API level: 8

     Revision: 3

     Skins: HVGA, QVGA, WQVGA400, WQVGA432, WVGA800 (default), WVGA854

     ABIs : armeabi

----------

id: 15 or "android-15"

     Name: Android 4.0.3

     Type: Platform

     API level: 15

     Revision: 3

     Skins: HVGA, QVGA, WQVGA400, WQVGA432, WSVGA, WVGA800 (default), WVGA854,

     XGA720, WXGA800

     ABIs : armeabi-v7a, x86

Here for ICS we can chose ID- 15

Created AVD 'abc' based on Android 4.0.3, ARM (armeabi-v7a) processor,

with the following hardware config:

hw.lcd.density=240

vm.heapSize=48

hw.ramSize=512

Step 4 : now we will create avd for our target sdk
command : android create avd -n NameOfEmualtor -t TargetID
hit enter ,If you receive error message : Error: This platform has more than one ABI.

Please specify one using --abi. find out abi for your target from previous "android list target" command output and now run

command: android create avd -n Name_Of_Emulator -t TargetID --abi AbiType

Example: android create avd -n myemulator -t 15 --abi armeabi-v7a

Now it will prompt : Do you wish to create a custom hardware profile [no] :

if you dont want to create custom hardware then simply give enter, It will chose default settings. and will give you following output

Step 5:

now you can see that folder named after you avd will be created in

"C:\Users\your_user_name\.android\avd" folder

copy your all Images like user image, data image, system image to this folder.

Step 6: now you can start emulator with your custom ROM by following

command : emulator -avd Name_Of_Emulator

For the first time it may take several minutes to start your AVD.

Done !

your comments, questions and suggestions are always welcome.

Use Whatsapp from your Laptop Using BlueStacks App Player

BlueStacks App Player lets you run apps from your phone fast and full screen on Mac and Windows.

Over 5 million people around the world use top apps like Angry Birds Space, Kik Messenger, Where's My Water and more on their laptops with BlueStacks. It took 10 engineers two years to build the complex "LayerCake" technology that enables this to happen – but you get to experience it free while in beta. 

I Googled  about some way to use whatsapp on pc and  I found some blogs showing how to Use whatsapp using BlueStacks App player. Those (See references below) are really Nice blogs/posts, But it doesn't mean that I should not write blog about same topic ri8? :)

So here it is...

Requirements : You should have a Mobile No.(This should be real because you will get verification message on that number).  This number should not  be associated to whatsapp in any other device. This means you can not use same whatsapp account on your smartphone and on your laptops/other devices

So, to use Whatsapp on your laptop, go through following steps :

1) Download BlueStacks App Player. Link : Click Here

2) Install the software.  next->next-> I agree-> ok thing... :p

3) There is search button on home screen of Bluestack app player,
     Search for  Whatsapp.

     You will find link to play shop page. Click on that

     (You may be asked to setup google play account. Do it)
    Alternatively you can use 1Mobile Market also it is similar to Play shop

4) Download whatsapp and Install it , Just like you do in smartphone

5) Launch Whatsapp

6) you will be asked to give mobile number now.

7) Then a verification code will be send to your  number via message.

8) whatsapp application will try to automatically verify that code, but certainly it will be failed. After the timer is completed, you will be able to manually enter the verification code.

 Done !!!


Now you can just add your friends contacts and add them in whatsapp,,, 
Njoy :) :)



Wait...,
This Blog was basically written to show you that how you can use whatsapp on your pc/laptop.But the scope of BlueStack App player is not limited to this app only...

you can run any Android application,game from play shop on this app player !!!
this is same as smartphone in your laptop.

I Hope this is helpful.
Your comments are always welcome. 


References :
1)  Screenshots from

     Julian Xhokaxhiu's Blog : Click Here

2) Nerds Magazine's post