Do you need to be rooted......

[Andras]

to use an APK file? Like for Google Now.

 

[anon(94115)]

no you just check "install from unknown sources" in the settings menu, load the apk to your phone and install it.

 

[eXplicit815]

no you just check "install from unknown sources" in the settings menu, load the apk to your phone and install it.

Correction... Most applications can be installed and run just by installing the APK file. As for Google Now, you do need to be rooted because it has to write to /system to work.

 

[anon(94115)]

you right, I forgot about that need

 

[Andras]

Well I found some zip files from XDA with a one click install. It mentions backing up stock Google Search or renaming it but I can't find the files on my device.

 

[Va1ha11a]

You still need to be rooted to use google now. You cannot flash that without a custom recovery, and to get that you need an unlocked bootloader (and most likely root access)