Android essentials

Available as a PDF Electronic Book or Print On Demand

Android Essentials
116
PAGES

Chris Haseman

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Android Essentials
Dear Reader,This book covers the essential information required to build an Android application. It will help any developer, amateur, professional, or dabbler who is interested in developing for Android. Over the course of the book, I cover the essentials you’ll need to get started with your own innovative application. I took on this project because, after five years of working in the mobile softwareindustry, it has become clear that we need help. With mobile devices becoming more ubiquitous, powerful, and, indeed, essential, fresh blood is necessary to overcome the stagnation that has plagued our business. As an industry, we need to graduate from making cookie-cutter ringtones, wallpaper, and e-mail applications. I hope, once you’ve finished this book, that you’ll be in a position to start thatkiller mobile product you’ve told all your friends you’re going to make. In Android Essentials, I cover the details of installing and using the Android SDK, making and rendering user interface tools, harnessing location tracking and Google Maps, and putting everything together with a little glue from XML parsers and networking clients. These tools and tricks should be enough to get you past yourempty editor, the daunting blank canvas of the developer world, and onto the path of your own innovative mobile app. Android potentially represents our best hope for a break from the constricted world of mobile development. Use it to make something amazing. I can’t wait to see what you create. Regards, Chris Haseman Lead software engineer at Gravity Mobile

Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction...............................................................1 What You Need to Know to Start............................................................ 1 How to Best Use This Book .................................................................... 2 Getting Started......................................................................................... 2
Installing Eclipse........................................................................................... 3 Getting the Android SDK.............................................................................. 3 Installing the Eclipse Plug-In ........................................................................ 4

The Android Project................................................................................ 5 Running,Debugging, and Causing General Mayhem.......................... 8 Chapter 2: The Application ..........................................................9 Getting Active .......................................................................................... 9
Getting Splashy ........................................................................................... 10

Creating the IntentReceiver................................................................. 19
Setting It Up ................................................................................................ 19 Seeing the Intent Receiver in Action........................................................... 23 Triggering the Activity................................................................................ 26

Who Do...