As part of Microsoft's recent launch of Visual Studio 2015, it has also included a separated emulator for Android development. This is a unique feature for Android developers since the emulator can be downloaded and used as a stand-alone app instead of being required as an integrated part of Android Studio or forcing the download of the Visual Studio suite.
The emulator allows developers to deploy, test and debug Android apps. New platforms are also integrated within the emulator including Jellybean 4.2 (API 17) and Lollipop 5.1 (API 22).
Additionally, it provides…
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A command line interface (located at: %programfiles(x86)%\Microsoft Emulator Manager\1.0\emulatorcmd.exe)
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Drag-and-drop zip libraries (drag and drop a flashable zip into the emulator and it automatically unzips and installs it)
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SD card simulation (push and pull data to and from an SD card)
The download is located here: Visual Studio Emulator for Android
You can operate the Android emulator for 30 days without a license, but after that you need to register for a free license by signing in to an Azure Active Directory or Microsoft Account.
