[Andrex]

[img]http://i43.************/nqu6nd.jpg[/img]

What is Android?

Developed by the Open Handset Alliance, Android brings Internet-style innovation and openness to mobile phones.

Android™ delivers a complete set of software for mobile devices: an operating system, middleware and key mobile applications. The Android Software Development Kit (SDK) is now available.

Open
Android was built from the ground-up to enable developers to create compelling mobile applications that take full advantage of all a handset has to offer. It was built to be truly open. For example, an application can call upon any of the phone's core functionality such as making calls, sending text messages, or using the camera, allowing developers to create richer and more cohesive experiences for users. Android is built on the open Linux Kernel. Furthermore, it utilizes a custom virtual machine that was designed to optimize memory and hardware resources in a mobile environment. Android is open source; it can be liberally extended to incorporate new cutting edge technologies as they emerge. The platform will continue to evolve as the developer community works together to build innovative mobile applications.

All applications are created equal
Android does not differentiate between the phone's core applications and third-party applications. They can all be built to have equal access to a phone's capabilities providing users with a broad spectrum of applications and services. With devices built on the Android Platform, users are able to fully tailor the phone to their interests. They can swap out the phone's homescreen, the style of the dialer, or any of the applications. They can even instruct their phones to use their favorite photo viewing application to handle the viewing of all photos.

Breaking down application boundaries
Android breaks down the barriers to building new and innovative applications. For example, a developer can combine information from the web with data on an individual's mobile phone -- such as the user's contacts, calendar, or geographic location -- to provide a more relevant user experience. With Android, a developer can build an application that enables users to view the location of their friends and be alerted when they are in the vicinity giving them a chance to connect.

Fast & easy application development
Android provides access to a wide range of useful libraries and tools that can be used to build rich applications. For example, Android enables developers to obtain the location of the device, and allows devices to communicate with one another enabling rich peer-to-peer social applications. In addition, Android includes a full set of tools that have been built from the ground up alongside the platform providing developers with high productivity and deep insight into their applications.

What is This Thread?

This thread is a place to come together and discuss development for one of the most incredible mobile platforms of all time. Since Android development is 100% open (and has been from the start), the entire SDK and documentation have been laid bare, allowing developers everywhere looking to get into mobile application creation their chance at the spotlight.

However, even with this great documentation open and available, some developers inevitably hit snags- that's where this thread comes in. Since NeoGAF is a very large website, I figured there would be at least a couple other Android developers here, and like myself I also figured they would be having some trouble putting their apps together. The Amateur Dev Chronicles thread over on the gaming side has been hugely beneficial, but mostly to XNA programmers. Since Android apps are not limited to just games, I have placed this thread here, on the off topic side, even though I myself will be focusing on utilizing Android to power my games.

The possibilities are truly endless with Android: embed a browser, embed Google Maps, use GPS, make your app's service available to other apps, make a homescreen widget, make a homescreen replacement- all for free! With multiple Android devices hitting this year (I personally believe the total number for Android handsets in the US will be around six or seven by the time the year is done), us Android developers must finally unite and aid one another in furthering one of the most extensible operating system of all time.

Get Started

1. Download Eclipse 3.4 (Ganymede).
2. Download the Android Development Tools (ADT) plugin
   1. Start Eclipse, then select Help > Software Updates....
   2. In the dialog that appears, click the Available Software tab.
   3. Click Add Site...
   4. Enter the Location: https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/ (Change https to http if it doesn't work.) Click OK.
   5. Back in the Available Software view, you should see the plugin listed by the URL, with "Developer Tools" nested within it. Select the checkbox next to Developer Tools and click Install...
   6. On the subsequent Install window, "Android DDMS" and "Android Development Tools" should both be checked. Click Next.
   7. Read and accept the license agreement, then click Finish.
   8. Restart Eclipse.
3. Download the latest Android SDK and unzip it
   1. Select Window > Preferences... to open the Preferences panel (Mac: Eclipse > Preferences).
   2. Select Android from the left panel.
   3. For the SDK Location in the main panel, click Browse... and locate your downloaded SDK directory.
   4. Click Apply, then OK.
4. Create an AVD
   To learn more about how to use AVDs and the options available to you, refer to the Android Virtual Devices document. Before you can launch the emulator, you must create an Android Virtual Device (AVD). An AVD defines the system image and device settings used by the emulator. To create an AVD, use the "android" tool provided in the Android SDK. Open a command prompt or terminal, navigate to the tools/ directory in the SDK package and execute:
   
   

   android create avd --target 2 --name my_avd

   The tool now asks if you would like to create a custom hardware profile. For the time being, press Return to skip it ("no" is the default response). That's it. This configures an AVD named "my_avd" that uses the Android 1.5 platform. The AVD is now ready for use in the emulator.
   
   In the above command, the --target option is required and specifies the deployment target to run on the emulator. The --name option is also required and defines the name for the new AVD.
5. To do the above in Windows, go to Start > Run... (you can make this appear in Vista by right-clicking anywhere on the start menu, clicking Properties, then Customize, then checking "Run Command"). Enter CMD and hit Enter. Then enter the following:
   
   

   cd "C:\<ENTER SDK PATH HERE>\tools"

   Then hit enter. This puts the current location of the terminal at the tools directory, and you can carry out the above step. Also, note that you cannot Ctrl+V in the terminal, you have to right-click and then click Paste.
6. If you get a "Cannot find AVD" error when trying to compile, you need to add an environment variable to your computer. This is a safe process, but to get a feel for your situation, post here first and I or another thread member will help you out.

Hello, World

Open Eclipse, click the New Android Project Wizard (should be the fourth icon by default), or File > New > Project... > Android > Android Project. Then go through the steps to create an Android application. To get the following code to run correctly, Package name has to be com.android.helloandroid and Create Activity has to be HelloAndroid.

package com.android.helloandroid;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.widget.TextView;

public class HelloAndroid extends Activity {
   /** Called when the activity is first created. */
   @Override
   public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
       super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
       TextView tv = new TextView(this);
       tv.setText("Hello, Android");
       setContentView(tv);
   }
}

This is the complete code for a Hello World app. The first five lines declare the application and the libraries it uses, and the method onCreate is called when the app is created. The rest any novice Java programmer should be able to figure out. :)

Resources

Android Dev Guide
Overview of the Android SDK Tools
Overview of the Android Packages (Classes, Methods, etc.)

• Framework Topics
  • Application Fundamentals
  • User Interface
  • Resources and Assests
  • Intents and Intent Filters
  • Data Storage
  • Content Providers
  • Security and Permissions
  • The AndroidManifest.xml File
  • Graphics
  • Audio and Video
  • Location and Maps
  • AppWidgets
• Publishing
  • Signing Your Applications
  • Versioning Your Applications
  • Preparing to Publish
  • Publishing Your Applications
• Best Practices
  • UI Guidelines
    • Icon Design
    • Widget Design
    • Activity and Task Design
  • Designing for Performance
  • Designing for Responsiveness
  • Designing for Seamlessness
• Tutorials and Sample Code
  • Hello World
  • Hello Views
  • Notepad Tutorial
  • Sample Code
• Appendix
  • Android Icon Templates Pack (.zip containing .psd's)
  • Supported Media Formats
  • Intents List: Google Apps
  • Glossary
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Get Published

1. Read the Android Market Developer Distribution Agreement.
2. Register as a developer. It requires a one-time $25.00 fee paid via Google Checkout.
3. 1. Before you consider your application ready for release:
      1. Test your application extensively on an actual device
         It's important to test your application as extensively as possible, in as many areas as possible. To help you do that, Android provides a variety of testing classes and tools. You can use Instrumentation to run JUnit and other test cases, and you can use testing tools such as the UI/Application Exerciser Monkey.
         • To ensure that your application will run properly for users, you should make every effort to obtain one or more physical mobile device(s) of the type on which you expect the application to run. You should then test your application on the actual device, under realistic network conditions. Testing your application on a physical device is very important, because it enables you to verify that your user interface elements are sized correctly (especially for touch-screen UI) and that your application's performance and battery efficiency are acceptable.
         • If you can not obtain a mobile device of the type you are targeting for your application, you can use emulator options such as -dpi, -device, -scale, -netspeed, -netdelay, -cpu-delay and others to model the emulator's screen, network performance, and other attributes to match the target device to the greatest extent possible. You can then test your application's UI and performance. However, we strongly recommend that you test your application on an actual target device before publishing it.
         • If you are targeting the T-Mobile G1 device for your application, make sure that your UI handles screen orientation changes.
      2. Consider adding an End User License Agreement in your application
         To protect your person, organization, and intellectual property, you may want to provide an End User License Agreement (EULA) with your application.
      3. Specify an icon and label in the application's manifest
         The icon and label that you specify in an application's manifest are important because they are displayed to users as your application's icon and name. They are displayed on the device's Home screen, as well as in Manage Applications, My Downloads, and elsewhere. Additionally, publishing services may display the icon and label to users.
         
         To specify an icon and label, you define the attributes android:icon and android:label in the <application> element of the manifest.
         
         As regards the design of your icon, you should try to make it match as much as possible the style used by the built-in Android applications.
      4. Turn off logging and debugging and clean up data/files
         For release, you should make sure that debug facilities are turned off and that debug and other unnecessary data/files are removed from your application project.
         • Remove the android:debuggable="true" attribute from the <application> element of the manifest.
         • Remove log files, backup files, and other unnecessary files from the application project.
         • Check for private or proprietary data and remove it as necessary.
         • Deactivate any calls to Log methods in the source code.
   2. Before you do the final compile of your application:
      1. Version your application
         Before you compile your application, you must make sure that you have defined a version number for your application, specifying an appropriate value for both the android:versionCode and android:versionName attributes of the <manifest> element in the application's manifest file. Carefully consider your version numbering plans in the context of your overall application upgrade strategy.
         
         If you have previously released a version of your application, you must make sure to increment the version number of the current application. You must increment both the android:versionCode and android:versionName attributes of the <manifest> element in the application's manifest file, using appropriate values.
         
         For detailed information about how to define version information for your application, see Versioning Your Applications.
         
      2. Obtain a suitable cryptographic key
         If you have read and followed all of the preparation steps up to this point, your application is compiled and ready for signing. Inside the .apk, the application is properly versioned, and you've cleaned out extra files and private data, as described above.
         
         Before you sign your application, you need to make sure that you have a suitable private key. For complete information about how to obtain (or generate) a private key, see Obtaining a Suitable Private Key.
         
         Once you have obtained (or generated) a suitable private key, you will use it to:
         • Register for a Maps API Key (see below), if your application uses MapView elements.
         • Sign your application for release, later in the preparation process
      3. Register for a Maps API Key, if your application is using MapView elements
         For complete information about getting a Maps API Key, see Obtaining a Maps API Key.
         
         If your application uses one or more Mapview elements, you will need to register your application with the Google Maps service and obtain a Maps API Key, before your MapView(s) will be able to retrieve data from Google Maps. To do so, you supply an MD5 fingerprint of your signer certificate to the Maps service.
         
         During development, you can get a temporary Maps API Key by registering the debug key generated by the SDK tools. However, before publishing your application, you must register for a new Maps API Key that is based on your private key.
         
         If your application uses MapView elements, the important points to understand are:
         1. You must obtain the Maps API Key before you compile your application for release, because you must add the Key to a special attribute in each MapView element — android:apiKey — in your application's layout files. If you are instantiating MapView objects directly from code, you must pass the Maps API Key as a parameter in the constructor.
         2. The Maps API Key referenced by your application's MapView elements must be registered (in Google Maps) to the certificate used to sign the application. This is particularly important when publishing your application — your MapView elements must reference a Key that is registered to the release certificate that you will use to sign your application.
         3. If you previously got a temporary Maps API Key by registering the debug certificate generated by the SDK tools, you must remember to obtain a new Maps API Key by registering your release certificate. You must then remember to change the MapView elements to reference the new Key, rather than the Key associated with the debug certificate. If you do not do so, your MapView elements will not have permission to download Maps data.
         4. If you change the private key that you will use to sign your application, you must remember to obtain a new Maps API Key from the Google Maps service. If you do not get a new Maps API Key and apply it to all MapView elements, any MapView elements referencing the old Key will not have permission to download Maps data.
         
         For more information about signing and your private key, see Signing Your Applications.
   3. Compile your application:
      • When you've prepared your application as described in the previous sections, you can compile your application for release.
   4. After compiling your application:
      1. Sign your application
         Sign your application using your private key. Signing your application correctly is critically important. Please see Signing Your Applications for complete information.
      2. Test your compiled and signed application
         Before you release your compiled application, you should thoroughly test it on the target mobile device (and target network, if possible). In particular, you should make sure that any MapView elements in your UI are receiving maps data properly. If they are not, go back to Register for a Maps API Key and correct the problem. You should also ensure that the application works correctly with any server-side services and data that you are providing or are relying on and that the application handles any authentication requirements correctly.
   5. You should now be able to upload your final application version to the Android Market!

Links

Official Android Site
Official Android Development Site
Official Android Development Blog
Official Android Open Source Project
Official Android Market Site
Browse the Android Market Online

[Andrex]

NeoGAF Android Threads

• NeoGAF Android Trilogy:

• Android Development Thread - Open Development Ftw
  The official thread of programming apps and games for Android using Java and the free, open-source Android SDK.

• Android Hardware Thread - 2009 Edition
  The single, all-encompassing thread for Android hardware announcements and speculation, for all devices and all carriers.

• Android Software Thread - Tasty Desserts, Tastier Apps
  Apps, updates, rooting and more are covered and discussed in-depth in this thread for the Android operating system.

• Individual Device Threads

• Meet The T-Mobile G1 (Reviews are in!)
  The official thread for the unveiling and subsequent launch of the T-Mobile G1/HTC Dream, the first handset ever released to run Android.

• Meet the HTC Magic (Reviews are in!)
  The official thread of the second released Android handset, the T-Mobile MyTouch 3G/HTC Magic, which is the first such to have no hard keyboard.

• Meet the HTC Hero
  The official thread for the unveiling of HTC's third Android device, the HTC Hero which debuts HTC's custom Android interface, "Sense" - including multitouch, Adobe Flash, and a slick customized user interface.

• Meet the Motorola Cliq
  The official thread of the first US Android device not made by HTC, the Motorola Cliq, which includes the company's custom Android interface, "Motoblur" - streaming all your social networking lives into a single device.

• Meet the Motorola Droid
  The official thread of the first Android device to include Android 2.0, free Google Maps Navigation, and a gorgeous WVGA screen, the Motorola Droid.

• Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X10
  The official thread for Sony-Ericsson's stunning first Android device, the XPERIA X10, which includes a sleek profile, ridiculously high-end specs, and their custom interface "Nexus UX" - transforming Android into an elegant work of art as only Sony-Ericsson can do.

• Meet the Google Nexus One
  The official thread for the real, actual, in-the-flesh Google Phone: the Nexus One, boasting an AMOLED WVGA screen, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, and the beautiful Android 2.1. Sold by Google itself, with no other branding, this handset can be bought either unlocked or with contract from a US GSM provider.

• Meet the Droid Incredible
  Self-described by HTC and Google as the Nexus One's cousin, this powerful Verizon-exclusive touch-screen Droid counterpart actually exceeds Google's own phone certain specs.

• Other Threads:

• The cool and fresh Android Market Thread
  Ludi's Android Market-focused thread for app recommendations.

[digita1alchemy]

I'm developing something for Android at work right now, and I like it so far. When I finish my Xbox Community Game I am considering porting it over to Android. The Android Market is like a wasteland compared to the App Store right now so it might actually fare well.

[SnakeswithLasers]

This thread is rad.

Socially Awkward Penguin is going to be banned soon, which is a bummer, because it's kind of funny when people DON'T USE IT FOR STUPID SHIT.

[Banana Kid]

I love my G1 to death, and continue to be disappointed when people rave about iPhone apps/games and never bother porting them over. It's the price I pay for sticking with the second option.

[Phoenix]

I'm developing something for Android at work right now, and I like it so far. When I finish my Xbox Community Game I am considering porting it over to Android. The Android Market is like a wasteland compared to the App Store right now so it might actually fare well.

The market is worse than a wasteland, its like a wasteland after the zombies and disease have killed off most of the survivors.

[rhfb]

Tried to get into doing this, but I just can't stand Eclipse. Couldn't get it to really work with my fav Java ide so I just kinda gave up :lol

[Tashi]

I like this thread already

Am I wrong or was the SDK unavailable for Windows until recently?

[Phoenix]

Tried to get into doing this, but I just can't stand Eclipse. Couldn't get it to really work with my fav Java ide so I just kinda gave up :lol

I loathe Eclipse, but I was able to get things working in IntelliJ (if that's your IDE of choice).

[wayward archer]

I'm developing something for Android at work right now, and I like it so far. When I finish my Xbox Community Game I am considering porting it over to Android. The Android Market is like a wasteland compared to the App Store right now so it might actually fare well.

By the end of the year there might actually be a decent android phone. Save the original code too because it'll probably be extremely easy to port it to Windows Mobile 7 as well.

[Costanza]

wtf

[Raistlin]

Interesting. I may just mess around with this.

Too bad I don't have an Android phone.


Any recommended models for the fall? I'm looking for a new phone then. I figure iPhone, the new Palm, or an Android will be the likely choice.

I give up on Windows Mobile.

[Phoenix]

Interesting. I may just mess around with this. Too bad I don't have an Android phone. Any recommended models for the fall? I'm looking for a new phone then. I figure iPhone, the new Palm, or an Android will be the likely choice. I give up on Windows Mobile.

If you don't get an iPhone, at the moment I'm inclined to give you this break down:

1) If you want a phone thats easy to use while having some of the lighter more "original" types of functionality that the iPhone had while allowing 3rd party background applications - get the Pre.

2) If you want a phone that's really bleeding edge in hardware but not together on the software front but if it ever gets there will be nirvana - get the G1/G2/whatever Android phone.

The Android platform is actually more compelling than the Pre platform, but the Pre is easier to build for if you are a web guy (the NeoGAF web application could be done in hours - literally). The Android devices and OS are simply more capable in terms of features and functions, but the Pre is just much easier to deal with. The Pre is more of a 'users' device whereas the droids are more 'Techie' devices.

The iPhone is actually a great compromise of the two extremes (note I didn't say best of both worlds).

I think one of the biggest problems with Android development is the awfulness that is the Eclipse development mindset. If you compare the workflows between the iPhone, the Pre, and the Android platform - the Android platform comes off as being a 'micromanagement nightmare', the Pre comes off as - 'wow.. that DID work like I expected', and the iPhone comes off as - 'cool... damn why isn't it deploying to the device THIS time'.

[Andrex]

I love my G1 to death, and continue to be disappointed when people rave about iPhone apps/games and never bother porting them over. It's the price I pay for sticking with the second option.

iPhone will never get... the metal detector though!!

I think it'll catch up soon, by 2010 I think the Android Market will be at least 3/4 as full as the App Store (already at 1/7 right now), and it'll definitely become a major player for the big software houses.

As far as the mutant wasteland thing... lots of devs want Google to make finding new and good apps in the Market easier. When they do, I think it'll spur at least a temporary influx of new developers.

I like this thread already Am I wrong or was the SDK unavailable for Windows until recently?

The Android SDK has been available for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X since the first release (m3 something) in November 2007. :)

Interesting. I may just mess around with this. Too bad I don't have an Android phone. Any recommended models for the fall? I'm looking for a new phone then. I figure iPhone, the new Palm, or an Android will be the likely choice. I give up on Windows Mobile.

In addition to Phoenix's post, here are the models confirmed to come out this year:

Confirmed:

HTC Magic

• HSDPA/WCDMA (900/2100 MHz)
• GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
• Processor: Qualcomm® MSM7200A™, 528 MHz
• RAM: 288MB
• Display: 3.2" HVGA (320x480) LCD
• Camera: 3.2 MP Camera (Auto Focus)
• Video: MP4, 3GP
• Audio: AAC, AAC+, AMR-NB, MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC-LC, MIDI, OGG
• Bluetooth® 2.0, WiFi, MicroUSB, ExtUSB, GPS
• Internal memory: 512MB
• External memory: Micro SD (SD 2.0 Compatible)
• Battery: 1340 mAh
• Size: 113 x 55.56 x 13.65 mm ( 4.45 x 2.19 x 0.54 inches)
• Other: HTC Sync, Microsoft Exchange, Device Control Trackball with Enter button

Huawei's Untitled Phone

• The first of two Huawei Android phones this year
• Confirmed for Q3 2009

Samsung i7500

• HSDPA 7.2Mbps / HSUPA 5.76Mbps (900 / 1700/ 2100MHz)
• EDGE / GPRS (850/ 900/1800/1900)
• Display: 3.2" HVGA (320x480) AMOLED
• Camera: 5 MP Camera (Auto Focus), Power LED
• Video: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV
• Audio: MP3, AAC, AAC+, e-AAC+, WMA, RA
• Bluetooth® 2.0, USB 2.0, WiFi, MicroUSB, 3.5mm ear jack
• Internal memory: 8GB
• External memory: Micro SD (Up to 32GB)
• Battery: 1500 mAh
• Size: 115 x 56 x 11.9mm

Rumored:

HTC Hero

• Possibly coming in October

HTC Memphis

• Essentially, the HTC Magic with a slide-out keyboard

Motorola Calgary

• Motorola's first Android device
• "Focus on social-networking"

Motorola Ironman

• "Screamin’ CPU"
• "Pretty much every feature under the sun"
• Wi-Fi
• 3G
• High resolution camera
• "Etc."

Lenovo OPhone (for non-Asia countries)

• TD SCDMA (China's proprietary 3G network)
• Camera: 5 MP Camera (Auto Focus), Power LED
• External memory: Micro SD
• Bluetooth® 2.0, possibly Exchange support
• Standard Android interface has been replaced with one more like the iPhone's

Hope that helps. :)

[Raistlin]

some interesting stuff hitting this year.


I look forward to the reviews, and some more mature OS features/apps.


Fall looks like a good time to be getting a new phone.

[Andrex]

Yeah, and hopefully Android 2.0 will hit this fall. With Palm and Microsoft both pushing multitouch devices, I hope Google will let up a bit for it. Heck I hope it gets brought up at the antitrust talks.

[diunxx]

You are killing me Andrex!

[DMPrince]

The Lenovo looks pretty damn sexy!

[speculawyer]

Yeah, and hopefully Android 2.0 will hit this fall. With Palm and Microsoft both pushing multitouch devices, I hope Google will let up a bit for it. Heck I hope it gets brought up at the antitrust talks.

Yeah holy smokes there are too many smartphone platforms. I've always been a Palm guy (disclosure: I was involved in some of the Palm and Treo work.) so I'm a bit pre-disposed to move to the Palm Pre stuff . . . but there is now Android, iPhone, Palm Pre, Microsoft, Nokia, etc. . . . I need to get a new phone soon . . . how to I pick one?

[Phoenix]

Yeah holy smokes there are too many smartphone platforms. I've always been a Palm guy (disclosure: I was involved in some of the Palm and Treo work.) so I'm a bit pre-disposed to move to the Palm Pre stuff . . . but there is now Android, iPhone, Palm Pre, Microsoft, Nokia, etc. . . . I need to get a new phone soon . . . how to I pick one?

At the moment I would actually ignore anything running Symbian and Windows Mobile as the developer momentum has definitely swung in favor of the others.

[neptunes]

it's pathetic that there isn't an android phone in Canada yet

[santouras]

At the moment I would actually ignore anything running Symbian and Windows Mobile as the developer momentum has definitely swung in favor of the others.

but I want nokia n97.... :(

doesnt really bother me, as long as the phone does what I want it to do out of the box I don't think I really care too much for additional apps.

[iapetus]

2) If you want a phone that's really bleeding edge in hardware but not together on the software front but if it ever gets there will be nirvana - get the G1/G2/whatever Android phone.

No. Current Android devices are far from bleeding edge in hardware. If that's what you want, then you're better off looking elsewhere. Higher-end devices will come, though - I'm planning on upgrading my Sony Ericsson C905 to whatever the best Android device is at the time once my current contract comes to an end.

I'm also developing professionally for Android, and it's a nice platform to work with, if a little idiosyncratic at times. Some of the 1.5 features are really quite neat too.

[dejan]

Fantastic OP Andrex. Thread bookmarked.

[Batongen]

No. Current Android devices are far from bleeding edge in hardware. If that's what you want, then you're better off looking elsewhere. Higher-end devices will come, though - I'm planning on upgrading my Sony Ericsson C905 to whatever the best Android device is at the time once my current contract comes to an end. I'm also developing professionally for Android, and it's a nice platform to work with, if a little idiosyncratic at times. Some of the 1.5 features are really quite neat too.

Don't worry, there will be great Android phones :D

[iapetus]

Don't worry, there will be great Android phones :D

Oh, I know there will, and I'm looking forward to them. :D

[Andrex]

it's pathetic that there isn't an android phone in Canada yet

http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/07/r...rst-look-at-a/



You guys get both HTC phones (Dream and Magic) June 2nd. US doesn't even have a Magic launch date yet.

Fantastic OP Andrex. Thread bookmarked.

Thanks. :)

[Cheeto]

Amazing thread. I want an Android phone so bad, but unfortunately, I'm stuck on Verzion :(

Although it seems that an Android phone is on the way from Motorola? Any idea when that'll be out?

[Mr. Durden]

I really don't get the Android love it gets from devs. Seriously, even Windows mobile looks A LOT BETTER, and I don't even like Windows mobile. Every mobile phone os that has been released the last few years is trying to adapt to mobile phone use, and not just creating a windows rip-off on a phone. Then comes Android which looks like a normal Windows rip-off on a mobile phone. And it's getting so much love from everyone. While companies like Palm are developing an actual innovative mobile based OS which doesn't look like some Windows rip-off.

[iapetus]

I really don't get the Android love it gets from devs. Seriously, even Windows mobile looks A LOT BETTER, and I don't even like Windows mobile. Every mobile phone os that has been released the last few years is trying to adapt to mobile phone use, and not just creating a windows rip-off on a phone. Then comes Android which looks like a normal Windows rip-off on a mobile phone. And it's getting so much love from everyone. While companies like Palm are developing an actual innovative mobile based OS which doesn't look like some Windows rip-off.

So what you're saying is that you've never used Android, am I right?

[Mr. Durden]

So what you're saying is that you've never used Android, am I right?

Actually yes I have used it, otherwise it would be hard to form an opinion now wouldn't it.

[iapetus]

Actually yes I have, otherwise it would be hard to form an opinion now wouldn't it.

You'd think so, but I'd also think it would be hard to form an opinion that Android was a 'Windows rip-off' if you'd actually used it, hence the confusion.

[Mr. Durden]

You'd think so, but I'd also think it would be hard to form an opinion that Android was a 'Windows rip-off' if you'd actually used it, hence the confusion.

I just don't like it as a mobile OS. To me it feels like an OS introduced with early smartphones, not the type of OS we're gradually going to. Symbian OS, the new Palm OS, that is in my eyes the type of OS everyone should be focussed on.

[scorcho]

Not sure how it's a WM rip-off. Because it shares the 'desktop' paradigm with icons and widgets? Because you can install apps outside its marketplace? If so that's only a superficial resemblance.

Android doesn't use drop down menus, is geared towards finger-touch use and not stylus, and looks less like ass than WM.

[Cheeto]

Is it normal for the Android emulator to take awhile to boot up? I'm running within a VM, so that might have something to do with it, but it's taking a good 4-5 minutes to boot it.

[iapetus]

Is it normal for the Android emulator to take awhile to boot up? I'm running within a VM, so that might have something to do with it, but it's taking a good 4-5 minutes to boot it.

Yeah, I've found it takes longer than I'd like to boot up too.

[Andrex]

I really don't get the Android love it gets from devs. Seriously, even Windows mobile looks A LOT BETTER, and I don't even like Windows mobile. Every mobile phone os that has been released the last few years is trying to adapt to mobile phone use, and not just creating a windows rip-off on a phone. Then comes Android which looks like a normal Windows rip-off on a mobile phone. And it's getting so much love from everyone. While companies like Palm are developing an actual innovative mobile based OS which doesn't look like some Windows rip-off.

Just because it has a desktop with icons and widgets (something all modern GUI-based desktop OS's have), does not mean it's a Windows Mobile ripoff. And Android gets love from developers because it runs better than Windows Mobile, and their apps run better too.

I don't get the webOS loving to be honest, the only thing that caught my eye was the card multitasking system, but when you get down to it, its just eye-candy. And I'm all for eye-candy, but not as a defining feature.

Is it normal for the Android emulator to take awhile to boot up? I'm running within a VM, so that might have something to do with it, but it's taking a good 4-5 minutes to boot it.

Yeah, it does take a few minutes to get your app going. I wish there was a way to quick-compile apps so that you didn't have to restart the emulator, or that there was an interpretor for quick/small changes you wanted to see right then and there.

I also hope the emulator ditches the hard keyboard soon, 1.5 has the soft keyboard in the OS, and anyone developing for Android already has a keyboard anyways. They'll probably keep it around for 1.0/1.1 AVD compatibility though. :/

[Andrex]

...though I am noticing that Debug As works a bit quicker than Run As.

[Macam]

I just came in to reiterate the loathing for Eclipse. Horrible IDE.

[bggrthnjsus]

i <3 my G1

that new samsung phone and that huawei phone both look pretty awesome

[claviertekky]

I'm on T-Mobile Prepaid, and I doubt T-Mobile has plans to include this customer group to the Android phones.

Still waiting on a new phone that can kinda use my prepaid services. I just want one that has a keyboard and a somewhat OK camera with a flashlight.

[Andrex]

i <3 my G1 that new samsung phone and that huawei phone both look pretty awesome

I was thinking today about just getting a G1. They're only $98 now at certain places, they have the 1.5 update, they have a hard keyboard and great specs. Even though I'm somewhat vain (love the Magic <3), I think I might just bite the bullet. Plus it would help a bit with developing my game.

I just came in to reiterate the loathing for Eclipse. Horrible IDE.

What don't you like about it? Even coming from Visual Studio myself, it didn't take that long to get used to it.

I'm on T-Mobile Prepaid, and I doubt T-Mobile has plans to include this customer group to the Android phones. Still waiting on a new phone that can kinda use my prepaid services. I just want one that has a keyboard and a somewhat OK camera with a flashlight.

A prepaid Android phone would definitely seal the deal for me.

[Andrex]

Can anyone give me some tips on how to use android.os.Handler? I'm using a project similar to LunarLander.

[trinest]

I wanted to make something for Android ages ago- then I relised I don't know Java :/

[Struct09]

I just came in to reiterate the loathing for Eclipse. Horrible IDE.

I freaking love Eclipse. I use it for work and wouldn't have it any other way. I didn't know there were people out there who hated it :P

[Blimblim]

I freaking love Eclipse. I use it for work and wouldn't have it any other way. I didn't know there were people out there who hated it :P

Eclipse is a pig when it comes to memory consumption. When I try to make him open the code base at work, about 600.000 lines of code, it takes 2 GB of RAM and keeps growing afterwards...

[Phoenix]

No. Current Android devices are far from bleeding edge in hardware.

Who said anything about CURRENT Android devices :P

[Phoenix]

I just came in to reiterate the loathing for Eclipse. Horrible IDE.

Ditto. I loathe and despise Eclipse. If not for the Intellij Android plugin I wouldn't write any applications for Android at all.

[iapetus]

Eclipse isn't that bad at all - I just find it hard to go back to using it after the awesomeness that is IntelliJ IDEA. IntelliJ ruin developers for any other IDE.

[OGuru]

I have both an iPhone and G1. I love that a lot of the webapps still work on the G1. I use dbelement ebook reader webapp on my G1 and it works perfectly.

It's actually nice to have the same books/bookmarks on both systems.

Edit: thank you for this post, these resources are really convenient.