How to install an Android application on a real de

Question

How can I install an application without any developer tools (Eclipse, Android SDK tools)?

I've compiled and created an .apk file. Now I am gonna send this apk file to my friend.

He is not an Android developer; he doesn't know how to use Eclipse or the SDK. And I don't want to publish my application to android market.

Is there a way to launch the application on a real device without publishing it or having access to a machine with the SDK?

Answer 1

If doing from a windows based server with IIS 7.

Setup a website, with a page named default.asp

Add this line to the asp page;

Setup a mime with extension '.apk' and MIME type 'application/vnd.android.package-archive'

When you connect to the page http://yourUrl.co.uk, it will automatically start the download, and include it in the download manager so it can be selected from the drop down menu using default installer.

If the MIME isn't setup correctly then you will have to use a file explorer to open the apk with an installer.

Answer 2

Step-1 : Run Application in AVD First, then Close it.

Step-2 : See in bin/ folder contain AppNm.apk file.Just right click and copy it.

Step-3 : Now Connect Your Phone with Pc and Turn USB Storage on from your phone.

Step-4 : Now go to in your SD card Location and Paste it any location. just remember that location.

Step-5 : Eject/Remove Your phone from pc and check your file in SD card

Step-6 : Now click on it and install....

Answer 3

The way I usually do this is:

1. Plug in my USB cable to my PC and mount my SD card on my computer
2. Get the APK file somewhere on my SD card on the phone
3. Unmount the SD card on my PC, allowing the phone to see the SD card contents again
4. Use Astro File Manager or some similar app to browse to that file on the SD card and select it, which will prompt you if you want to install the app on your phone.

Answer 4

You should set Settings -> Application -> Unknown sources to allow installation from non-Market. Then, once your application is published somewhere, you can download it an install it.

Answer 5

what i usually do is: 1. Through mail: i send the .apk to their mail id. 2. do open his mail in his mobile. and download the attached .apk. 3. it will ask for installation and do run.

Answer 6

Also you can use 'adb install ' to install apk's to your device.

Though this approach requires you to have adb available on your computer and adb is part of the sdk.

Another, easier approach, is using DropBox. This enables you to save the apk in the dropbox/public folder, create a URI from there and supply this to your friend. Then have him download the apk. Android will notify him when it's done, so he only has to click the notification and Android will ask him whether or not he wants to install this software.