Meet the Android Chapter 1 Lesson goals

1. 
   Understand the market for Android applications.
   
2. 
   State the role of the Android device in the mobile market.
   
3. 
   Describe the features of the Android Phone.
   
4. 
   Identify which languages are used in Android development.
   
5. 
   Describe the role of the Android Market in the mobile marketplace.
   
6. 
   Create an Android project using Eclipse.
   
7. 
   Explain the role of the Package Explorer.
   
8. 
   Specify the use of layout and widget controls in the user interface
   
9. 
   Execute an Android application on an Emulator.
   
10. 
    Open a saved Android project in Eclipse.
    

Mobile computing has become the most popular way to make a personal connection to the Internet. Mobile phones and tablets lead the way in technology growth. Smart phones are becoming the most popular way for users to access the Internet whether for social sites like Facebook, e-mails, games, GPS, videos or music. There are many different mobile operating systems, including iOS for the iPhone, Google Android, Microsoft Phone 7, and BlackBerry OS. The Android market is exploding with more than 50 million Android phones now being used worldwide. Nearly one-half of the world’s devices run on the Android Platform.

More than 25% of all US households have canceled their landlines so they only receive one phone bill.

Creating mobile applications, called apps, for the Android phone market is an exciting new job opportunity. The Android marketplace provides a new means to earn income.

The Android phone platform is built on a free operating system primarily created by a company called Android, Inc. In 2005, Google acquired Android to enter the phone market. Google made the Android platform open source which permits anyone to download for free. Android is the first open-source technology platform for mobile devices. Open Source means no one defines the features or direction of the development. Open Source also means manufactures does not have to pay license fees and royalties.

One of the key features that make Android phones so attractive for consumers is the openness of the Android OS. Android has a large community of developers writing apps that extend the functionality of the devices. There are over 250,000 apps available in the Android marketplace, many of which are free.

ANDROID PHONE DEVICE

Android phone is sold by a variety of companies under names you may recognize, such as EVO, Droid X, Galaxy, Echo, Optimus, XPeria, Cliq, Inspire, Thunderbolt, Atrix, Desire, Nexus, Infuse, Pyramid, and Revolution.

Android has ventured into the television market as well. Google TV integrates Google’s Android operating system and the Linux version of the Google Chrome browser to create an interactive Internet television.

Android devices come in many shapes and sizes. The Android OS powers all type of mobile devices, including smartphones, tablets, netbooks, e-readers, MP4 players, and Internet TVs. As you develop an Android app, you can test the results on an emulator, which duplicates how the app looks and feels on a particular device. You can change the Android emulators to simulate the layout of a smartphone with a 3.5 inch screen or a tablet with a larger screen, both with high-density graphics. Android automatically scales content to the screen size of the device you choose, but if you use low-quality graphics in an app, the result is often a poorly pixilated display. As a developer you need to continually update your app as the market shifts.

As a developer, you must understand a phone’s capabilities. The Android offers a wide variety of features that apps can use. Some features vary by models. Most Android phones provide the following features listed below.

1. 
   Flash Support –Flash video plays within the Android Web Browser (iPhone does not support Flash)
   
2. 
   Power Management – Android identifies programs running in the background using memory and processor resources. You can close those apps to free up the phone’s processor memory, extending the battery power.
   
3. 
   Optimized Gaming – Android supports the use of gyroscope, gravity, barometric sensors, linear acceleration, and rotation vector, which provide game developers with highly sensitive and responsive.
   
4. 
   Onsrceen Keyboard – The onscreen keyboard offers suggestions for spelling corrections as well as options for completing words you start typing. The onscreen keyboard also supports a voice-input mode.
   
5. 
   Wi-Fi Internet tethering – Android supports tethering, which allows a phone to be used as a wireless or word hot spot that other devices can use to connect to the Internet.
   
6. 
   Multiple Language Support – Android supports multiple human languages.
   
7. 
   Front and rear-facing camera –Android phones can use either a front or rear-facing camera, allowing developers to create applications involving video calling.
   
8. 
   Voice-based recognition – Android recognizes voice actions for calling, texting and navigating with the phone.
   
9. 
   3D Graphics – The interface can support 3D graphics for a 3D interactive game experience or 3D image rendering.
   
10. 
    Facial Recognition – Android provides this high-level feature for automatically identifying or verifying a person’s face from a digital image or a video frame.
    

Android apps are written in Java programming language. Java is OOP (Object Oriented Program). Java allows for code to be reused. Eclipse (IDE) allows us to write Java. Another language called XML (Extensible Markup Language) is used to assist in the layout of the Android emulator.

*** NOTE Eclipse can be used to develop applications in many programming languages, including Java, C, C++, COBOL, Ada, and Python.

ANDROID EMULATOR

The Android emulator lets you design, develop. Prototype, and test Android applications without using a physical device. You can use the mouse to simulate touching the screen of the device. The emulator mimics almost every feature of a real Android handset except for making a phone call. A running emulator can play video and audio, render gaming animation, and store information. Multiple emulators are available within the Android SDK to target various devices and versions. Developer should check their apps on several versions to confirm the stability of a particular platform.

After the first version, dessert names have been assigned in alphabetical order.

Version Name Release Date

1.0 First version Sept. 2008

1.5 Cupcake April 2009

1.6 Donut Sept. 2009

2.0 Éclair Oct. 2009

2.2 Froyo (Frozen Yogurt) May 2010

2.3 Gingerbread Dec. 2010

3.0 Honeycomb Feb. 2011

4.0 Ice cream sandwich May 2011

4.1 Jelly Beans 2012

The Android platform consists of the Android OS (Operating System). After you write and test a program, you compile the app into an Android package file with the filename extension .apk.

Programs written for Android platform are sold and deployed through an online store called the Android Market (http://market.android.com), which provides registration services and certifies that the program meets minimum standards of reliability, efficiency, and performance. The Android Market requires that you sign an agreement and pay a one-time registration fee (currently $25). After registration, you can publish your app on the Android Market, provided the app meets minimum standards. You can also release updates as needed for your app. If your app is free, the Android Market publishes your app at no cost. If you want to charge for your app, the standard split is 70% for developer and 30% for the wireless carrier. So for a $1.99 app, the developer would get $1.39 for each app sold.

***Note: Apple iTunes App Store charges a $99 yearly registration fee to publish an app and have much more rigorous standards approval process.