Android™ 3 SDK Programming For Dummies®

Android™ 3 SDK Programming For Dummies®

by Rajiv Ramnath
Released October 2011
Publisher(s): For Dummies
ISBN: 9781118008256

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Book description

Get quickly up to speed with the latest Android SDK

Aimed at object oriented programmers, this straightforward-but-fun book serves as the most efficient way to understand Android, update an existing Android application, port a mobile application from another environment, or simply learn the ins and outs of the latest Android SDK. Packed with all the code and modules featured throughout, this guide also includes tutorials, tests, and project ideas.

The authors forego the unnecessary repetition of material you already know and instead cut straight to the essentials such as interacting with hardware, getting familiar with the operating system, and networking. You'll walk through the process of designing, building, running, and debugging the application while you also learn Android best practices.

  • Demonstrates a wide variety of Android features, including user interface design, application management, data and content management, and incorporating external services

  • Organizes the many packages of the Android SDK by functionality and details which standards and features are appropriate for each level of the Android SDK

  • Explains the new features of the latest Android SDK with examples and snippets that demonstrate how to effectively incorporate the features into new or existing applications

  • Features all programming examples, including the sample application, on the companion web site

Android 3 SDK Programming For Dummies is written in clear, plain English to help you quickly understand and program the latest Android SDK.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. About the Authors
  5. Dedication
  6. Authors' Acknowledgments
  7. Publisher's Acknowledgments
  8. Contents at a Glance
  9. Table of Contents
  10. Introduction
    1. About This Book
    2. Conventions Used in This Book
    3. Foolish Assumptions
    4. How This Book Is Organized
    5. Icons Used in This Book
    6. Where to Go from Here
  11. Part I: Getting the Android SDK to Work
    1. Chapter 1: Taking a Quick Look at Mobile Applications on Android
      1. Writing Apps for a Mobile Platform
      2. Seeing What Android Has to Offer
      3. Doing the Sample Application Thing
      4. Understanding the Android System Architecture and the Android Application Model
      5. Understanding the Android Application Model
      6. Designing Android Applications
    2. Chapter 2: Setting Up an Android Development Environment
      1. Setting Up Java
      2. Setting Up Eclipse
      3. Setting Up Android Development Components
      4. Verifying the Development Environment
      5. Importing, Running, and Debugging Tic-Tac-Toe
    3. Chapter 3: Making Apps Using the Android SDK
      1. Walking Through the Eclipse Project for Tic-Tac-Toe
      2. Developing the Tic-Tac-Toe Application
      3. Understanding the Different Types of Android Programs
      4. Understanding Activities
      5. Implementing an Activity's User Interface
      6. Building Rich User Interfaces for Larger Screens Using Fragments
      7. Managing the Activity Life Cycle
      8. Implementing Services
      9. Managing Persistent Application Data
  12. Part II: Building the Core of an Android Application
    1. Chapter 4: Determining the Appropriate SDK for Your Application
      1. Exploring the Variety of Android Devices and SDKs
      2. Examining the Differences between SDK Versions
      3. Dealing with API Levels
    2. Chapter 5: Designing a User-Friendly Application
      1. Things to Know Before Creating a User Interface
      2. Sampling Some Android Layouts
      3. RelativeLayout: Flexibility du Jour
      4. Choosing the Right Layout
    3. Chapter 6: Enhancing Your Layout with Widgets, Styles, and Themes
      1. Beholding the Power of the Framework: Built-In Views
      2. Simplifying Attribute Settings with Styles
      3. Using Themes to Maintain a Consistent Style
    4. Chapter 7: Designing Your Application's Logic and Data
      1. Understanding Best Practices in Application Design
      2. Illustrating Android App Design by Using the Tic-Tac-Toe Example
  13. Part III: Making Your Applications Fit for the Enterprise
    1. Chapter 8: Making Your Application Fast and Responsive
      1. Becoming Familiar with Nonfunctional Requirements
      2. Designing Your App at Multiple Levels
      3. Optimizing Application Performance
      4. Using the Profiler for Code Optimization
      5. Maximizing Battery Life
      6. Ensuring Responsiveness in Your Apps
      7. Understanding the SDK Components Used in This Chapter
    2. Chapter 9: Making Your Application Safe and Secure
      1. Recognizing the Importance of Security
      2. Looking at Security Holistically
      3. Defining the Threat Model for an Android Application
      4. Understanding the Android Security Model
      5. Protecting SQLite Databases
      6. Minimizing the Security Footprint of Your App
      7. Going Beyond Permissions
  14. Part IV: Enhancing the Capabilities of Your Android Application
    1. Chapter 10: Channeling the Outside World through Your Android Device
      1. Launching a Browser from Your App
      2. Embedding a Browser in Your Android Application
      3. Providing Maps and Location-Based Services
      4. Building Them Right — Design Considerations for Web and Location-Based Apps
      5. Understanding the SDK Components Used in This Chapter
    2. Chapter 11: Harnessing the Capabilities of Your Android Device
      1. Integrating E-Mail, SMS, and Telephony into Your App
      2. Playing Audio and Video and Capturing Images
      3. Bringing In the Outside World by Using Sensors
      4. Understanding the SDK Components Used in This Chapter
  15. Part V: Effectively Developing, Testing, and Publishing Apps
    1. Chapter 12: Effectively Using Your Integrated Development Environment
      1. Eclipse and Android: A Beautiful Friendship
      2. Observing, Debugging, and Tracking an Android App Using Eclipse Perspectives
      3. Getting Serious about Testing — Using the Android Testing Framework
      4. Understanding the SDK Components Used in This Chapter
    2. Chapter 13: Selling Your Application on the Market
      1. Preparing Your App for the Market
      2. Publishing on the Android Market
      3. Taking Advantage of Other Marketplaces for Android Apps
      4. Becoming Successful in the Market
  16. Part VI: The Part of Tens
    1. Chapter 14: The Ten Best Developer Resources for Android
      1. Learning More About Android Development
      2. Taking Advantage of Android Resources On the Web
      3. Finding Android Development Help from Experts and Others Like You
      4. Pondering the Direction of Android Technology
      5. Looking for Help When You Don't Know Where to Start
    2. Chapter 15: The Ten Most Illustrative Applications for Android
      1. Angry Birds (Rovio Mobile Ltd.)
      2. Sudoku Free (Genina.com)
      3. Pandora (Pandora Internet Radio)
      4. Voice Recorder (Mamoru Tokashiki)
      5. AppAlarm LITE (episode6)
      6. Evernote (Evernote Corporation)
      7. Cardio Trainer (WorkSmart Labs, Inc.)
      8. RunKeeper (FitnessKeeper Inc.)
      9. Yelp (Yelp.com)
      10. Places (Google Inc.)
  17. Index

Product information

  • Title: Android™ 3 SDK Programming For Dummies®
  • Author(s): Rajiv Ramnath
  • Release date: October 2011
  • Publisher(s): For Dummies
  • ISBN: 9781118008256