James Ramey
First of all, thank you to everyone that has written in asking to be part of the upcoming Technology Preview for CrossOver Android. Literally, thousands of people from around the globe have inquired about when this technology will be released and when they can start testing it for CodeWeavers. To that, I am very happy to announce that we have all intentions of releasing the Technology Preview of CrossOver Android before the end of August. While the actual release date is a surprise (to all of us), our developers have assured us that we’ll have *something* to give to our many Android enthusiasts before the end of this month. TO THAT POINT, I think I need to set some expectations for everyone that participates in our Technology Preview.
Ramey’s Rules for the Technology Preview:
1.) Be cool. First off, don’t be a jerk. Yes, this is harsh, but it is very true. It’s a Technology Preview, not a final product. It’s a utility for
running a very select number of Microsoft Windows applications (to start), not for running every Windows application. I know in this day and age of anonymous rage that it’s easy to be all hateful via e-mail and social media. Just remember, CrossOver Android is a Technology Preview that was provided to you for free. Keep this in mind when you test the software.
2.) Be realistic. Many users would like to run latest games and applications like Overwatch and/or Office 2016 on a Chromebook. But, let’s be realistic. First rule of thumb is that if the application is not supported in CrossOver Linux, it will not be supported (out of the box) on CrossOver Android. If you need to know what applications are supported in CrossOver Linux, you can find them here in our Compatibility Center.
3.) Be positive. This type of development is really, really, really hard. It’s taken us nearly three years to get to the point where we are today with CrossOver Android. I know that many users will be disappointed that our Technology Preview is not a finished product, but it takes time, effort, energy, and money to deliver a finished product. All the work you see in CrossOver Android has been self-funded by CodeWeavers. So, I would ask you to be positive about CrossOver Android and see the potential of where this technology *could* go in the future.
4.) Be patient. We may have several Technology Previews before the final product is released. To that point, we hope our testers will hang in there with us as we work to improve CrossOver Android. The product will continue to improve; and as it does, the end user experience (which is very important to us) will continue to get better and better and better. We also expect that more and more and more applications and games will be supported. Our goal is to get to a final product by the time ChromeOS fully supports Android applications on all Intel based Chromebooks.
5.) Be a tester. We expect your feedback on the product. Let us know what works. Let us know what isn't working. Let us know what you did to ‘break’ support for an application (so we can do the same thing and work to fix the problem). The more information you can provide the more we can go about fixing *your* application and/or game.
6.) Be social. If you like CrossOver Android, let the world know about it. Create YouTube videos, post Tweets, make Facebook posts, blog about it, show it to your friends, AND SHARE WITH US!!! You will have our total permission to share with the world. We absolutely want to know about any and all success you have with CrossOver Android. We also want to know the frustrations you feel when you test the Technology Preview. We’d prefer if you shared your frustrations only with us so as not to dampen the enthusiasm (remember, it’s just a Technology Preview); however, we will just ask you to be FAIR when reviewing and assessing CrossOver Android.
7.) Be rewarded. You want the software for free? You want some swag? The more you post on social media, and let our marketing department know, the better the chances are to earn to a bevy of rewards and prizes (including a free Lifetime license of CrossOver Android – for your personal use). We will also giving out work shirts and other swag ( you might even get you a ‘shout out’ from the entire CodeWeavers team posted to YouTube). And if you are good, like real good we will give you an exclusive invite to our Beta.
But wait, there is more. I also wanted to tease you with an ‘out of the box’ Windows games that just runs on CrossOver Android. This is a game that several people expressed an interest in running on their Chromebooks, and it’s a gem that nearly 40 million people play around the world. Best of all, it runs quite nicely on a Chromebook. We expect to find more games, like Wizard101, in the coming months that just work in CrossOver Android. And if these games run like Wizard101, the user experience will be incredible!
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Finally, we want to know a bit more about your expectations for CrossOver Android. Would you rather play Windows based games or run Windows based applications on your Chromebook? Cast your vote below! These types of surveys help us better understand our market and where we should put our development resources. SO PLEASE, take three seconds and let us know.Look for more information to come in the next couple of weeks. Thank you for your patience and your incredible response to our technology.
If you haven't already, sign up now to get an exclusive invite to the CrossOver Android technology preview.
About James B. Ramey
James B. Ramey is the CEO of CodeWeavers. His life long love of video gaming started at the tender age of six with an Atari 2600 and evolved over time to include Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Apple Mac IIc, Windows PC, and MacBook Pro. When not fiddling with technology, James enjoys cooking, travel, debating politics in the office, and spending time with his wife, daughter, and their two rescue dogs. For the past 20 years, James has worked with clients around the world in best implementing technology to maximize a return on their investment. He is a graduate of Moorhead State University and earned his MBA from the University of Phoenix. You can find James on Twitter at @jbramey.
