Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) Final, Updated SDK Tools For Yours To Download, Develop And Consume.

Android 3.0 Final, Updated SDK Tools Yours For Download, http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Android Developers announced today about the Final version of Android 3.0 and the updated Developer SDK tools have been released and available to download.
For more information on Android 3.0, if you have not already, could be found at Android 3.0 Platform highlights.
Of course with the new platform the newer and capable SDK Tools (r10) and ADT Plugin for Eclipse (10.0.0). Key features include:

• UI Builder improvements in the ADT Plugin:
• New Palette with categories and rendering previews. (details)
• More accurate rendering of layouts to more faithfully reflect how the layout will look on devices, including rendering status and title bars to more accurately reflect screen space actually available to applications.
• Selection-sensitive action bars to manipulate View properties.
• Zoom improvements (fit to view, persistent scale, keyboard access) (details).
• Improved support for layouts, as well as layouts with gesture overlays.
• Traceview integration for easier profiling from ADT. (details)
• Tools for using the Renderscript graphics engine: the SDK tools now compiles .rs files into Java Programming Language files and native bytecode.

There is also Android API Difference Report, (Between 9-10) and (Between 10-11) where we go to find the differences from version to version.

Hope you like the Honeycomb like we do!


Android Developers Blog: Final Android 3.0 Platform and Updated SDK Tools

Smart Smartphone Developers!

iPhone and Android Developers, The difference http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

I could not help but laugh when I saw this ad! The Android Developer Book is for Professionals and the iPhone Developer book was for Dummies, no offense, please.

Policing Android Apps With New Gingerbread API: StrictMode

#Gingerbread #Strictmode, #policedroid
Just like the article on ext4 on Gingerbread, Android developer blog is continuing the series of articles for the developer on Android 2.3, Gingerbread.
The latest is about improving performance by policy (ing) your app with the help of a new API introduced with Gingerbread, strictmode.
Since by default everything is allowed, developers are to set policy on thread what is not allowed to do on the particular thread. Some of the flags you can enable in the thread policy include:

• detect disk writes
• detect disk reads
• detect network usage
• on a violation: log
• on a violation: crash
• on a violation: dropbox
• on a violation: show an annoying dialog

There are also number of hooks that strictmode has, mostly in the places that hit the disk IO,
(yes you are still bound to disk, even on diskless Android phones. You can't depend on the fast flash or filesystem to take care of traffic management. The original article has better explanation of disks on the phones and two good links explaining the phenomena.)
On Android devices, the main thread (UI Thread) takes care of callbacks and lifecycle events making it easier on the developers. But at the same time we need to realize, a bunch of others are also using the main thread to do animations, scrolls, and also flings process their animations by callbacks on the main thread. That is a lot of traffic and certainly need policy (ing) the traffic.
The article tells us of 16ms window we have to react to events that occur on the main thread and if you do not respond in time, your app will stutter, like I do when too many inputs clobber my senses.
So things like network requests on the main thread is discouraged and actually will be prohibited with the upcoming Honeycomb release. So better start getting ready for Honeycomb SDK, or at least put a big yellow note on what ever you put yellow notes on.
The recommended way to utilize strictmode is to enable it during the development cycle, learn and address what ever the bottlenecks you encounter, and turn it off before you ship your app or the game.
There are more tips on how to use strictmode to your advantage, follow on to New Gingerbread API: StrictMode
Thanks Brad Fitzpatrick,I leaned a lot today.

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Galaxy Tab Emulator For Android Developers!

#GalaxyTab Enulator For #Android Developers! http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
If you are an Android developer and wanted to develop apps for Samsung Galaxy Tab, you do not have to wait for the $400-500-600 (Yes it seems Samsung and carriers want to push us towards Apple iPad).
Samsung just released an add on for the Android developer environment with customized emulator. If you have the Android Development Environment, you can add the Samsung Galaxy Tab add on via the AVD Manager on the Eclipse IDE.
You will need to add add on site "http://innovator.samsungmobile.com/android/repository/srepository.xml" letting you to download and install the development package and the emulator for the Galaxy Tab.
You can learn more at SamsungMobile.

Sell Your Android Apps In More Countries! Paid Apps Soon To Be Available In More Countries.

Paid Android Apps Soon To Be Available In More Countries. http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Currently only users in 9 countries listed below are allowed to purchase Android Apps from Android Market Place. Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom and United States are listed as locations where priced apps could be marketed.
Then Android developers received an email from the Android Market Team tell us that additional 5 countries will be added. The specific countries will be announced via an follow up email, in the very near future.
Only the developers in the same nine countries above are allowed to sell apps on the market. We are not sure if the developers from those new countries will be able to add paid apps.
The Email message from Android Market Team;

Hello,
We’re writing to inform you about some changes to Android Market that require your attention.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be adding paid apps support for additional countries.  If you have selected to publish your paid apps to all locations and intend to support all new locations as we expand the number of supported countries for paid apps, you don’t have to do anything.  If you have selected to publish your paid apps to all locations but intend to only target the currently supported 14 countries, please update your location selections to target these specific countries.
Please look for follow-up emails when we introduce paid apps support for specific additional countries in the coming weeks.  At that time, you’ll have the option to target these specific countries.
Thanks, and we look forward to continue working with you on Android
Market.
Sincerely,
The Android Market Team

Additional Screen Resolutions And Densities On Android 1.6

Examples of density independence on WVGA high density (left), HVGA medium density (center), and QVGA low density (right).

We all heard about the new Android 1.6's support for new screen sizes and the fact that it will run seemlessly on many devices, not just phones. There is a pretty big change from the HVGA (320X480) size suppored by T-Mobile G1 and Samsung i7500 or my Android Dev Phone.
There are three new resolution classes according to Android Dev Blog;

• small: devices with a screen size smaller than the T-Mobile G1 or Samsung I7500, for example the recently announced HTC Tattoo
• normal: devices with a screen size roughly the same as the G1 or I7500.
• large: devices with a screen size larger than the G1 or I7500 (such as a tablet-style device.)

Since any given device falls within above three classes, it will be easier for developers to tailor their applications to adapt to the the devices. Android Developper has only to utilize the new tools that have been introduced into Android Framework APIs and SDK. They are also described well in the documentation at the developer site The documentation also provides the developer with a quick check list to verify if the developers app will run on an Android device of any screen size.


Support for additional screen resolutions and densities in Android

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40 Business Models For Android Developers

Business Models for Android Developers
Android Guys have a series of articles that is very informative, named "40 Android Business Models"
In the beginning I thought it was just another run of the mill 40 things you could do with something or the other but after reading the part one, at leaset on was attractive to me;

Model #6: Make the App, Sell the App to Service Providers

Some apps are tailor-made for the same strategy as Model #5, but targeting service providers rather than content providers. A great example would be a SIP client. SIP is generally interoperable, but it frequently requires lots of finicky settings that are provider-specific. Rather than (or in addition to) creating a SIP client to sell to end users, make it brandable for a SIP provider, plus have the means of “baking in” various provider-specific settings at the same time. You license the tailored app to the SIP provider, who in turn distributes it to their customers (probably for free, banking on more SIP minutes sold). Once again, you can leverage a single app into multiple significant sales, rather than having to only deal with end users.

May be create it so that it is easier to connect with Free SIP Service / account Providers. Yep
So I continued to part two and ended up at part three. There were many good business models and a few suited what we do! If you are a Android Developer, (Any other developer for that matter,) it is a good read.
The link below is for 40 Android Business Models Part one, scroll down the article to find links to Part two and so forth.
Android Guys

Android Developers Hurry Up! Android Developer Challenge 2 Is Open For Submissions

Android Developer Challenge 2
If you are a developer, specially an Android developer, that time has come for you to join the Android Developer Challenge 2!
But in this rapid moving world of communications, you cannot take it easy on this as the deadline is fast approaching for the submission entry. You beed to submit by 11:59:59pm Pacific Time in the United States on August 31, 2009.
There are some guidlines such as that your apps only use published APIs.
You can find all the necessary information by visiting http://market.android.com/adc.
Good luck and we are looking forward for some great Apps.



Android Developers Blog: Android Developer Challenge 2 open for submissions

Tags: Android Developer Challenge 2, Android Developers

Android 1.5, Are You Ready? Cupcake Is Baked, Almost!

Android 1.5
Android 1.5, based on the Android cupcake, that we spoke about the cupcake upgrade, wrote and captured early cupcake screens, has been released for developers to take a taste. The new Android version introduces APIs for features such as soft keyboards, home screen widgets, live folders, and speech recognition.
You can download the download the developer early adaption Android 1.5 SDK, from the developer site.
There are also information on upgrading current development platform and introduction to what's new, also ready anyone interested.
As far as User interface is concerned there are many additions and improvments like system wide refinement of all core UI elements, animated window transitions which are off by default and provisions for accelerometer-based application rotations are prominent.

The System also get s a new Linux kernel, 2.6.27 and general system performance impovments like faster GPS aquisition and speedier camera setup and image capture which is also related to Video recording and playback features.
But the most interesting part is for developers, to whom this release is intended for. The Android developer tools and the structure of the SDK, themselves have under gone changes but for better. To quote Android Blog, (Find the link below) "Future Android SDK releases will include multiple versions of the Android platform. For example, this early-look includes Android platform versions 1.1 and 1.5. One benefit of this change is that developers can target different Android platform versions from within a single SDK installation. Another is that it enables developers to install Android SDK add-ons to access extended functionality that might be provided by OEMs, carriers, or other providers. We at Google are using this feature ourselves: this early-look SDK includes an add-on for the Google APIs. This add-on provides support for the Google Maps API, which was previously embedded in the "core" SDK."
While all developers are encouraged to use, test and get familier with the new early look, it is reminded that Android 1.5 APIs have not been finalised.
Hope all will become happy Androids, and creative developers!


Android Developers Blog: Getting ready for Android 1.5

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Tags: Android Cupcake, Android Developers, Android SDK, Android 1.5

Android Eyes-Free Project, Mobile Phoning For Visually Impared.

Android For The Blind
The Android eyes-free project has released the code to public and also released a few applications based on the Eyes-Free Shell fro Android based devices with a touch screen. I liked the stroke dialer for the touch keypad! Ingeneous!
The best I saw (video below) was the touch based dialing without needing see the screen of an Android phone. This could easily apply to a blind person or visually impaired person like me without my spectacles (reading glasses).
The ever so simple method developped by Google research scientist T.V.Ramen, Engineer Charles Chen and the team makes you think why didn't I think of that before. Rather than writing about it, I think it is better to see the application in action. Follow the link after the video, to read about other applications by the team, like Knowing your location, device status, date and time, all without eyes. Also you will find the links to google code project site where you could look at the code if you are so inclined. The Eyes-Free Android Project is also home to the Text-To-Speech (TTS) Library for Android. Do not forget to see the related videos.

Google Open Source Blog: Announcing Eyes-Free Shell For Android

Tags: stroke dialer for the touch keypad, Eyes-Free Android Project, Text-To-Speech, android apps, android for the blind

Android Dev Phone 1.1 Fixes Developer woos.

We were more than appy when Android Developer Device 1 was released in December last year. One of us already was playing with the real thing, T-Mobile G1, or Android G1. And the rest were busy with the Android Emulator and procrastinating about getting one ADP1 Android Developer Phone, when the developer revolt broke out! The lack of capacity to run Android Apps from Android Market was widely spoken about and we were wondering if it was a good idea to pocket out $400 and the $25 (actually we have already done that part) to get a partially operational phone.
Todays news from Android Developer blog, (link below) cleared up some of out doubts. Now the Android Developer Phone 1, ADP1 with the new system image seem to have been cured of all the trouble but some issues regarding copy-protected applications. The application with forward locking copy protection will not be available on the ADP1 through the Android Market.
Upgrading to System image 1.1 is highly recomended and incase if you are not happy with it, you will be able to roll back to version 1.0 as the image 1.0 also available.
Follow the link for more information and the link to HTC's release of tje software. Now I hope Diordna will get me a ADP1
Android Developers Blog: Software Update Available for the Android Developer Phone

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Tags: Android emulator, Android Developers, ADP1, Android Phone, Android G1, forward locking, Android Apps, Android Market

Android Dev Phone 1 (Unlocked G1?) Is Ready For Developers.

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Google has announced a unlocked and truly open android handset fro developer under the moniker "Android Dev Phone 1". As I read more, it seem to be wide open for developers. (You have to be a registered developer to be able to obtain one. follow the details later in the post.) You will be able to flash the device with your own customized Android OS, The bootloader does not check for signatures before an image is allowed to flash. This should also accommodate developers living outside the T-Mobile network. (Now I can stop saying Google Phone Coming Soon!)
Here is the information from Google;

"To purchase an Android Dev Phone 1 device, you must first register as an Android developer on the Android Market site, if you haven't done so already. Once you've logged into your developer account on Android Market, you can purchase the device by clicking the "Purchase" link. To accommodate demand, there is a limit of 1 device per developer account, for now.

The device currently costs $399 (USD) (including free shipping in the US), and will be available for purchase in 18 international markets, including the US, UK, Germany, Japan, India, Canada, France, Taiwan, Spain, Australia, Singapore, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Poland, and Hungary. We will continue to expand this program into new geographies over time. Check this page for updated information.

Note that Android Dev Phone 1 devices are not intended for non-developer end users. Since the devices can be configured with system software not provided by or supported by Google or any other company, end users operate these devices at their own risk.

For more information about obtaining an Android Dev Phone 1 device, see the Android Market site."

Initial source;Android Developers Blog: New Resources for Developers

Tags: android, Android Developers, Android Dev Phone 1, Google Phone

Android Market is open to all Android Developers!

All the androids are walking into the Android Market now as the Android Market is open to all Android application developers. If you have not registered registered, then register yourself. Also keep in mind there is a token fee to register as a developer. But once through these minor details, developers have complete control over when and how they make their applications available to users.

With the Android Market, Android developers can easily manage their application portfolio where they can view information about downloads, ratings and comments. 

How about the updates and new versions of the application(s)? Yes, developers can also manage their updates and new versions of their apps.
You can learn more about how to use Android Market at the Android Market help center. But you better visit the following article as it brings you more information.

Android Developers Blog: The stories behind the apps
Tags: android, T-Mobile G1, RC29 update on T-Mobile G1,Android Developers, open handset alliance, OHA, Google phone,Android blog

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Android Developers Challenge I Winners!

As we have written a lot about the Android, the open handset alliance project (we are fans! our Google phone coming soon was a DIGG item.), we could not miss writing about developer challenge one, as well. But those lucky winners who got six figure prize money had to be little more than lucky. There were many competitors, each with brilliant ideas and tough judges, seven of them.
According to the Android blog, each judge reviewed all 50 selected Android Challenge applications collaboratively and gave initial scores. Then all judges met together to debate and support their ideas and scoring over conference calls. And that is how these judges came to consensus on which applications should receive $275,000 and which should receive $100,000.
And the winners are,
Ten $275,000 winners, from Cab4me to wertego and another ten, Breadcrumbz to Teradesk, $100,000 winners.
We don't really agree with Android judges (somebody even said lets get what they were smoking!, so we can judge ourselves), we respect their choices. We are good football (soccer) players we always respect the referee!.
But instead of listening to these personal ideas, you can visit the ADC gallery of winners and finalists. I think you will see why it is so hard to choose, they are all good ideas.

Android Developers Blog: Presenting the Winners of the Android Developer Challenge I

Tags: Android Developers, open handset alliance, OHA, Google phone, Android blog