Ensure perfect app functionality across real devices & browsers
Optimize app front end performance in real world conditions with AI insights
Catch & fix issues before users with 24/7 AI monitoring
Run manual & automated tests at scale over real devices on cloud
Validate apps across every browser-OS combination
Create and maintain end to end tests without coding
AI Agents throughout the entire testing lifecycle
Gen AI Powered Agent for End to End Testing
Transform your Own Devices into a Test Lab for On Premise Testing
In the age of mobile apps, a typical developer’s cubicle can be imagined as place where a series of mobile devices are connected with several long USB cables that run into computers. While some developers furiously keep debugging their apps on their computers, there will be others who frequently keep plugging USB cables in and out of the mobile devices to test their apps on various devices.
That makes some of us wonder, doesn’t it? What’s the connection between mobile app developers and USB cables?
Well, when a developer connects a device to a computer, he will instinctively enable the ‘USB Debugging mode’. When the ‘USB Debugging Mode’ is enabled on an Android device, it opens up a bridge between the Android device and the computer. This bridge grants him a level of access from your computer to your device. What kind of access? This level of access that USB Debugging Mode grants is important when he needs system-level clearance, such as when coding or debugging an app. This mode, also called the Developer Mode, allows newly programmed apps to be copied via USB to the device for testing. Depending on the OS version and the installed utilities, the mode must be turned on to let developers gain access of the device. One such common utility is ADB.
One of the most commonly used abbreviations in Android blogs and forums is “adb”. So, what is “adb”?
ADB, Android Debug Bridge, is a command-line utility included with Google’s Android SDK. It provides a wide variety of functions for managing your device. As stated in the Android developer site — “Android Debug Bridge (adb) is a versatile tool that lets you manage the state of an emulator instance or Android-powered device.” In simple words, ‘adb’ is a “bridge” through which developers can connect to an Android emulator or a device from a computer to resolve bugs in their applications. The bridge can be accessed via a command line interface from a computer, where the Android SDK is installed. This is done by connecting a device that runs the software through a PC, and feeding it terminal commands. ADB lets you modify your device (or device’s software) via a PC command line.
A simple client-server setup using your USB cable will help you establish an adb connection from a computer to an android device. Once this connection is established, you can send adb commands from your computer via USB to control your android device. Using ADB commands you can move content to and from your phone, install an uninstall apps, back-up and restore your software, run shell commands, run automation scripts and more.
But, it certainly raises questions like these:
Well, the answer is you can establish adb connection with cloud-based devices as well, and it is a much easier process compared to connecting your devices locally.
pCloudy has introduced Device Tunnel, a new add-on to our real mobile device cloud. With Device Tunnel, you can connect and take full control of any Android device using Android Debug Bridge. It provides access to the cloud-based devices through the Android Studio or Eclipse IDE and the command-line tool that’s installed on your computer. What’s more? Many test automation frameworks and developer tools used for evaluation of the app and debugging can hold on to cloud-based devices as if locally connected by USB. For such tools, Device Tunnel acts as a “USB cable” connecting cloud-based device(s) to a local laptop or server. From the point of view of such tools, a cloud-based device appears physically attached. In reality, the Device Tunnel communicates with pCloudy’s servers over Ethernet (LAN or WAN) to reach the cloud-based device.
The Device Tunnel allows developers to gain more control over any cloud-based android device. Once a connection is established, the developers can perform the following actions:
This comes with the added advantage of accessing and performing these actions on any Android device among of hundreds that are hosted on our Cloud. This ability will also help developers to debug apps and determine the causes behind issues or bugs that are device specific.
On the whole, the Device Tunnel will aid developers and testers who need quick access to diverse devices for brisk evaluation of app and debugging. It enables developers and testers to instantly connect to any device hosted on cloud and easily identify problems by running interactive debug sessions.
To know more on how to connect any device on pCloudy using Device Tunnel click here
Comments closed
Multi-location device access
Continuing with our endeavor to provide you a better experience, we are excited to announce our next big step.
Now, you will be able to access Mobile devices and Mobile networks from across different geographies. In the first phase, we are providing devices and mobile network from India, US and Philippines. We will add more locations very soon.
You can continue to use your existing credentials with the URL device.pcloudy.com to access all the devices from different locations.
Here are some of the changes you will notice –
Device Location filter in the Devices Tab
You can now select devices from different locations using the Device Location filter.
Device Location filter in the My App/Data Tab
NOTE: The My App/Data folder is specific to a device location. If you plan to use devices from different locations, make sure your app is uploaded in all Device locations.
Device Location filter in the Reports Tab
NOTE: The Storage folder is specific to a device location. If you’ve used devices from different locations, please select the corresponding location to view it’s reports.
Device Location filter in the Settings page
You also see a few changes once you access a device
NOTE: Since My App/Data is specific to a device location, ensure that the installation file is uploaded to the respective location of the device.
pCloudy is happy to announce several exciting features as part of it’s latest release.
More filter options to select devices on device search page. Device page options have been categorized for ease of access. Please check this video to see the changes.
Now users can view the automation runs live on devices. Please check this video to see the changes.
Click Here to check our Previous Release.
SSL Secured | GDPR Compliant | No Spam
By submitting this form, you agree to our Privacy Policy.
Your 30 minutes demo includes: