RaspAnd Marshmallow Build 160717 is an Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow system which can run on Raspberry Pi 3 and Pi 2. I have finally managed to include Google Play Store and other GAPPS. This version of RaspAnd is faster and more responsive than RaspAnd Lollipop Build 150924/160315.

NEWS 160828 re. RaspAnd Build 160717 and some tips

Today I started up RaspAnd for the first time in four weeks. I then “had to” update 11 apps. I did it using Aptoide App Manager and Google Play Store. This screenshot shows my installed apps today. As you can see there is one app called SnapTube. It is very useful since you can download videos from (for example) YouTube. Even if the videos can’t be watched in RaspAnd the video quality is perfect. Using Rotation Control Pro you’ll have to change settings now and then to keep the landscape mode. That can be a bit annoying. If you want a more permanent fix you can install an app called Rotation version 6.0.8 via Aptoide.

NEWS 160717 about RaspAnd Marshmallow

Build 160717 of RaspAnd Marshmallow replaces my first version from 160625 and my second build from 160711. The screen problems in build 160625 was corrected in my second build from 160711. In this third build from 160717 also YouTube works as expected.

More about the news in Build 160717

1. Build 160717 uses a new kernel – 4.4.15-exton.

2. Google Play Services has been upgraded from version 8.4.87 to 9.2.56. The latest version by 160717. No more error messages!

3. YouTube has been upgraded to version 1.3.11. The latest version by 160717. The video performance is far better in RaspAnd Marshmallow Build 3 than in previous versions. You can watch almost all movies in YouTube with acceptable quality.

4. Clash of Clans works even better in Build 3.

5. The sound quality is excellent in Build 3. Especially is you connect loudspeakers to your Rpi. Maybe because of the new kernel…

6. Bluetooth works as expected.

7. Most important: With Google Play Services in latest version (9.2.56) you are not dependent on Google Play Store. You can install almost all GAPPS and other apps via Aptoide App Manager.

Wifi and Bluetooth support

This new version of RaspAnd has support for Wifi and Bluetooth (on Raspberry Pi 3). RaspAnd runs very well on the new Raspberry Pi 3 computer. The system runs also on the “old” Raspberry Pi 2 computer.

Installed apps

The following useful apps are pre-installed in RaspAnd Marshmallow: Google Play Services 9.2.56, Google Play Store 6.0.2, Aptoide App Manager (as an alternative to Google Play Store), Terminal Emulator, Aida64, WinZip, ES File Explorer, Rotation Control Pro, Opera 36.2.2126, Spotify 5.6.0.674, Bluetooth File Transfer, YouTube 1.3.11 and the popular (?) game Clash of Clans 8.332.14.

What is Raspberry Pi?

The Raspberry Pi is a low cost, credit-card sized computer that plugs into a computer monitor or TV, and uses a standard keyboard and mouse. It is a capable little device that enables people of all ages to explore computing, and to learn how to program in languages like Scratch and Python. It’s capable of doing everything you’d expect a desktop computer to do, from browsing the internet and playing high-definition video, to making spreadsheets, word-processing, and playing games.

Read more about Raspberry Pi…



Raspberry Pi 3 model B made in February 2016. It has a 1.2GHz 64-bit quad-core ARMv8 CPU and 1GB RAM. Read more…

Kernel

Kernel 4.4.15-exton-v7+ is used in RaspAnd Marshmallow Build 160717.

My sources

My work/build is the outcome of the Community Open Source Project.



How do I install RaspAnd?

Almost like any other Raspberry Pi system. The installation has to take place in Linux though. (From hard drive or while running a live Linux system from cd or a USB stick). Follow this instruction. The whole thing has to be done as root and exactly like this.

1. Unpack the downloaded zip-file (raspand-marshmallow-6.0.1-gapps-v3-500mb-160717.zip). You will get the folder raspand-marshmallow-6.0.1-gapps-v3-160717 with the folder boot and the system file system.img

2. Create four partitions of/on your Micro SD Card with Fdisk or GParted.

a) Part 1 for BOOT of 512 MB ; format as fat32 ; flag as boot

b) Part 2 for /system of 1024 MB; any filesystem

c) Part 3 for /cache of 512 MB ; format as ext4

d) Part 4 for /data; size the remain; format as ext4

When you are done with partitioning it shall look like this.



3. Now open up a terminal as root and run this command (make sure which name your SD card was given when you inserted it (/dev/sdb2 or /dev/sdc2 or as in the example here /dev/sdd2):

dd if=system.img of=/dev/sdd2 bs=1M

(Note: When you run the above command you’ll have to stand in the folder raspand-marshmallow-6.0.1-gapps-v3-160717)

4. Then just copy every file in raspand-marshmallow-6.0.1-gapps-v3-160717/boot (10 files) to /dev/sdd1. If not mounted already you can mount it with mkdir /mnt/sdd1 followed by mount /dev/sdd1 /mnt/sdd1

Note: You shall not do anything with /dev/sdd3 and /dev/sdd4. I. e.: Do not create folder /cache or /data. Watch this screenshot of the file structure on all four partitions when the installation is done.

Different boot parameters in boot/config.txt

As you can see there is a file called config.txt in the folder boot. Check out this overview explaining the different parameters in config.txt. Some changes to config.txt could (possibly) help if you have screen problems (which I don’t think you will have when running RaspAnd Marshmallow Build 160717).

Startup of RaspAnd Marshmallow

The first thing you will see on the screen is the text ANDROID. If you don’t see this text you haven’t installed RaspAnd correctly on the SD card. Try again and do EXACTLY as I write above. After several minutes (the first time you startup RaspAnd) you will see a message saying that RaspAnd is optimizing all installed apps. After a while you will see this first screen. Next startup will be faster (but not really fast).



Navigation in RaspAnd Marshmallow

Normally you use the Esc key to get back or end an app running. To end a game in Clash of Clans you’ll have to use the Ctrl Alt F1 or F2 keys simultaneously.

Aptoide App Manager

To be able to install apps using Aptoide you’ll have to allow installations from “Unknown sources”. Go to Settings/Security.

YouTube performance

YouTube works alright in RaspAnd Marshmallow Build 3. You can watch almost all videos. I.e. normally you will hear the sound very well, but some the movies won’t play or play very slow with strange colors.

Upgrade Google Play Services

While running RaspAnd (Build 160625 and 160711) you can get error messages (pop ups) saying that “Google Services has Stopped”. Nevertheless all GAPPS work all the time. You can for example run Gmail and YouTube without problems. If you, however, want to get rid of the error messages you shall/must upgrade Google Play Services from version 8.4.87 to 9.2.56. Use Aptoide App Manager for that. NOTE: In RaspAnd Marshmallow Build 160717 version 9.2.56 of Google Play Services is pre-installed. The first time you start up the system you can nevertheless get the above mentioned pop ups. The error messages (pop ups) will disappear after about 30 seconds though. You will never see them again.

About Google Play Store

Google Play Store come pre-installed in version 6.0.2-leanback. Whatever you do, don’t upgrade to a newer version than version 6.7.13-E-All! It won’t work. You may perhaps have to go back to version 6.0.2-leanback. To prevent updates you should turn off Auto updates in Google Play Store settings. If Google Play Store nevertheless gets updated to version 6.8.22 you have to downgrade to version 6.7.13 (or 6.0.2). Use Aptoide for that. I.e. start Aptoide App Manager and search for Google Play Store. Then click on Uninstall. You will then be asked if you want to go back to the Factory version. Do that and Google Play Store will work again!



Spotify

Spotify works very well in RaspAnd Marshmallow. Just log in and play your favorite music!

Screen rotation

Use Rotation Control Pro to set the screen to always be in Landscape mode. Maybe you’ll have to change this to suite your needs depending on which app you are running.

Different Micro SD Cards

For best performance you should use SD Cards of good quality. I can recommend Samsung MicroSD Pro Plus 32GB Class 10. Write speed up to 95 MB/s. Also Samsung MicroSD EVO 16GB Class 10. Write speed up to 48 MB/s. Price 47 $ respectively 10 $ (in Sweden).

Updates

Not all apps (but quite a few) can be installed via Google Play Store. Luckily Aptoide App Manager can be used to install some Google apps and other apps, for instance the popular (?) Clash of Clans (already installed in RaspAnd Marshmallow Build 160717). All included GAPPS are up to date, which this screenshot shows. Most important: With Google Play Services pre-installed in latest version (9.2.56) you are not dependent on Google Play Store. You can install almost all GAPPS and other apps via Aptoide App Manager.

Error message “Google Play Services stopped working”

It can happen that you will get error messages about Google Play Services. Don’t worry. Just ignore the messages. Everything will work. NOTE: In Build 160717 with Google Play Services in latest version (9.2.56) you won’t get any error messages.

Screenshots

Screenshot 1 – Google Play Store running

Screenshot 2 – RaspAnd’s Desktop

Screenshot 3 – AIDA64 showing the system

Screenshot 4 – Clash of Clans running (very well)



Screenshot 5 – Wifi connection

Screenshot 6 – Bluetooth connection

Screenshot 7 – Setting permissions for Google Play Services

Screenshot 8 – Using ES File Explorer

Screenshot 9 – Using Opera Web Browser

Screenshot 10 – Using a big TV (55″) as monitor – Home screen

Screenshot 11 – Using a big TV (55″) as monitor – Running Spotify

Screenshot 12 – Installing the app TuneIn Radio via Google Play Store

Screenshot 13 – Installing VLC 2.0.3 via Google Play Store

NOTE/WARNING – 1

Not all apps (but quite a few) can be installed via Google Play Store. Luckily Aptoide App Manager can be used to install some Google apps and other apps, for instance the popular (?) Clash of Clans (already installed in RaspAnd Marshmallow Build 160717). All included GAPPS are up to date, which this screenshot shows.

NOTE/WARNING – 2 – re. Raspberry Pi 2

Wifi and Bluetooth can’t be used running RaspAnd Marshmallow on Raspberry Pi 2. You’ll have to have and use a wired connection. Using a Raspberry Pi 3 Wifi and Bluetooth work very well in RaspAnd Marshmallow Build 160717.

NOTE/WARNING – 3

Running Android Marshmallow on a Raspberry Pi 3/2 can sometimes be perceived as very sluggish. If you find it so, I recommend that you restart the system a couple of times, then everything will run faster! I.e. not really fast, but faster.

Compatibility :: February 2017

Unfortunately not all systems made for Raspberry Pi 2 will run on the new Pi 3. They need to be upgraded with a new kernel. I therefore have to upgrade the systems I distribute. I.e. RaspEX, RaspEX with OpenCPN, RaspAnd Lollipop, RaspAnd Marshmallow, RaspAnd Nougat and RaspArch. I have now (170208) upgraded all systems. Read about the new Raspberry Pi 3…

DOWNLOAD raspand-marshmallow-6.0.1-gapps-v3-500mb-160717.zip for 9 $

md5sum

NOTE: There is a newer version (160915) of RaspAnd Marshmallow, which can be installed in Windows using Win32 Disk Imager – Read more…

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Raspberry Pi is a trademark of Raspberry Pi Foundation