Internet-based services are expected soon to be accessed more often through mobile devices, such as smart phones, than through more traditional devices, such as desktop and laptop PCs. The popularity of the iPhone and the Windows Mobile devices already provide sufficient support for this point of view. Further support is provided by statistics around desktop, laptop and mobile computing users. These statistics report that worldwide, by 2007, there were on the order of 1.5 Billion PC-based internet users, compared to around 3.25 Billion mobile phone users.
Google spent the last few years paving the way for its own entry in this segment. Interestingly, they did it through an alliance of software developers, handset manufacturers and telecommunication service providers. This is the Open Handset Alliance, which lists as its members companies like Texas Instruments, Intel, T-Mobile, and Sprint Nextel.
Furthermore, for the software stack of this initiative, the Android framework, they chose the open source route. Specifically, the kernel of the operating system, at the base of Android, is a variant of Linux, its application development language is Java, and its eminent adopted development environment is Eclipse.
For corporate IT leaders and planners, this all boils down to a new platform where existing and new corporate applications may need to have touch points. This seminar is meant to brief these leaders and planners on what the Android framework is, its components, and its main features. It also gives them a glimpse into what these new application touch points would look like, and what is involved in developing them.
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