# Trick Apps Into Thinking They're Running On Honeycomb



## TenderloinShadow (Nov 4, 2011)

Ok, first of all, I know the CM team is busy with Alpha 3 and getting the ICS port off the ground, and I'm not trying to add to your workload. In fact, I would prefer if there was some other adventurous developer out there who would take up this task so you guys can keep up the work you're currently doing.

The reason I'm making this thread is, as we all know, apps designed to run exclusively on Honeycomb will not work on this Gingerbread port. That's to be expected. But... why can't we trick them? Why is there not some way to spoof the Honeycomb signature or whatever it is that these apps are looking for and therefore convince them to display in full tablet-optimized goodness.

So to all you awesome developers out there, two things:

1) If it's just straight up impossible to do this, for various technical reasons, please tell me so I'll accept that I just have to be patient and wait for ICS (grrr, patience).

2) If it is possible, just hasn't been tried yet, and you are an adventurous developer who wants to take up the project, please do so. It would be a huge boon to those of us not just with Touchpads but all Gingerbread tablets, and even Gingerbread phones who would then be able to use Honeycomb/ICS apps.

So, that's my idea. Let the comments begin.


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## BartJJ (Jun 15, 2011)

I don't think honeycomb apps will work even if the app is installed on gb simply because you will be missing the honeycomb framework. Someone more development oriented will probably chime in and give specifics or correct my dumbass lol but I think that's the main reason.


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## TenderloinShadow (Nov 4, 2011)

I know that there is something technical the apps are searching for to confirm that it's honeycomb in order to install and run. I've tried to install several honeycomb apps and they won't even install, most likely because they're trying to detect the framework or whatever. My only question is can we spoof the framework or whatever they're looking for to get it to run. Like you, Bart, I'm not optimistic that there is a solution, but just in case I want the request out there.


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## hashman (Oct 20, 2011)

They are not checking for a signature or version number. But using Api's that don't exist on gingerbread

Its like wanting to run Mac apps under a Unix based PC: eventhough the kernels are same, it wount work

Sent from my HP Touchpad using Tapatalk


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## Zaphod-Beeblebrox (Jun 21, 2011)

Each new version of Android introduces new API's. You can view the list here: http://developer.android.com/guide/appendix/api-levels.html

Every APK specifies which API it needs to run. Honeycomb introduced the 'Fragments API'. It is this interface by which most of the Tablet apps generate their screen views.

You could modify the APK of any given app to make it require a lower API level, and thus 'Trick' it into running on Gingerbread. However, the code will simply crash when it tries to execute code that doesn't exist.


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## Bounce (Aug 25, 2011)

Yep. Calls to libraries that don't exist or don't support the calls being made.


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## dalingrin (Aug 21, 2011)

tenderloinshadow:
as others have said, there are API incompatibilities between Gingerbread and Honeycomb/ICS. To see the effects of this, download the Gamefly app and see it force close. For some reason the developers of the Gamefly app assume we are running Honeycomb and start calling APIs that do not exist.


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## TenderloinShadow (Nov 4, 2011)

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. Especially dalingrin I know ur busy making this awesome software. I'm on my way to instal alpha 3 now thanks so much for the holiday gift


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