Professional Android Open Accessory Programming with Arduino

Chapter 1

Introduction to Android Open Accessory

WHAT’S IN THIS CHAPTER?

• Introduction to the Android Open Accessory standard
• Getting to know the Arduino project
• Understanding the Open Hardware culture

If you ask your colleagues what Android really is, you will probably hear something about Linux, Java Virtual Machines (JVMs), or various devices; you might even hear some statistical reports on market shares of Android in comparison to other mobile operating systems.

We would rather introduce Android as a way to explore the world of connected devices. This is, in essence, what Android Open Accessory (AOA) is all about — making your Android phone connect to, and communicate with, any other device around it!

In this chapter you get a background and overview of the Android project, the Android Open Accessory framework, and the electronics platform called Arduino. All of these technologies are used throughout this book.

I, ANDROID

Technically, there is a lot to know about the Android system and all of its layers and components. But, because several books are already available that thoroughly discuss all the technical aspects of the Android system inside and out, you won’t get too much technical information in this chapter. You will, however, become a bit more familiar with the sparks that brought Android to life.

If you want to get deeper into the technical workings of Android, we recommend Beginning Android 4 Application Development by Wei Meng-Lee published by Wiley in 2012 if you ...