Quick Google Search

Android Software development kit and Applications Inventor.

Android Software Features:

Handset layoutsThe platform is adaptable to larger, VGA, 2D graphics library, 3D graphics library based on OpenGL ES 2.0 specifications, and traditional smartphone layouts.
StorageSQLite, a lightweight relational database, is used for data storage purposes
ConnectivityAndroid supports connectivity technologies including GSM/EDGE, IDEN, CDMA, EV-DO, UMTS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and WiMAX.
MessagingSMS and MMS are available forms of messaging, including threaded text messagingand now Android Cloud to Device Messaging Framework(C2DM) is also a part of Android Push Messaging service.
Web browserThe web browser available in Android is based on the open-source WebKit layout engine, coupled with Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine. The browser scores a 93/100 on the Acid3 Test.
Java supportWhile Android applications are written in Java, there's no Java Virtual Machine in the platform and Java byte code is not executed. Java classes get recompiled into Dalvik executable and run on Dalvik virtual machine. Dalvik is a specialized virtual machine designed specifically for Android and optimized for battery-powered mobile devices with limited memory and CPU. Android does not support J2ME, like some other mobile operating systems.
Media supportAndroid supports the following audio/video/still media formats: H.263, H.264 (in 3GP orMP4 container), MPEG-4 SP, AMR, AMR-WB (in 3GP container), AAC, HE-AAC (in MP4 or 3GP container), MP3, MIDI, Ogg Vorbis, WAV, JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP.<ref name="mediaformats" />
Additional hardware supportAndroid can use video/still cameras, touchscreens, GPS, accelerometers,magnetometers, accelerated 2D bit blits (with hardware orientation, scaling, pixel format conversion) and accelerated 3D graphics.
Development environmentIncludes a device emulator, tools for debugging, memory and performance profiling, and a plugin for the Eclipse IDE.
MarketLike many phone-based application stores, the Android Market is a catalog of applications that can be downloaded and installed to target hardware over-the-air, without the use of a PC. Originally only free applications were supported. Paid-for applications have been available on the Android Market in the United States since 19 February 2009.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Android Market has been expanding rapidly. As of April 30, 2010, it had over 50,000 Android applications for download.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Multi-touchAndroid has native support for multi-touch which was initially made available in handsets such as the HTC Hero. The feature was originally disabled at the kernel level (possibly to avoid infringing Apple's patents on touch-screen technology).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Google has since released an update for the Nexus One and the Motorola Droid which enables multi-touch natively.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
BluetoothSupport for A2DP and AVRCP were added in version 1.5;<ref name="cupcake-highlights"/> sending files (OPP) and accessing the phone book (PBAP) were added in version 2.0;<ref name="eclair-highlights"/> and voice dialing and sending contacts between phones were added in version 2.2.<ref name="froyo-highlights"/>
VideocallingNot supported by default but as seen with the HTC Evo 4G, handset manufacturers can build front-facing cameras into their phones, so Qik, a software from the Android Market can use it for video-calling. Template:Citation needed
MultitaskingMultitasking of applications is available.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Current features and specifications:<ref name="WhatIsAndroid">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="EnSDK">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="mediaformats">Template:Cite web</ref>

Hardware running Android



Template:Main The first phone to run the Android operating system was the HTC Dream, released on 22 October 2008.<ref name=HTC>Template:Cite news AT&T's first device to run the Android OS was the Motorola Backflip.</ref>

Software development

Early Android device.
The early feedback on developing applications for the Android platform was mixed.<ref name="MixedFeedback">Template:Cite web</ref> Issues cited include bugs, lack of documentation, inadequate QA infrastructure, and no public issue-tracking system. (Google announced an issue tracker on 18 January 2008.)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In December 2007, MergeLab mobile startup founder Adam MacBeth stated, "Functionality is not there, is poorly documented or just doesn't work... It's clearly not ready for prime time."<ref name="Bugs">Template:Cite web</ref> Despite this, Android-targeted applications began to appear the week after the platform was announced. The first publicly available application was the Snake game.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Snake">Template:Cite web</ref> The Android Dev Phone is a SIM-unlocked and hardware-unlocked device that is designed for advanced developers. While developers can use regular consumer devices purchased at retail to test and use their applications, some developers may choose not to use a retail device, preferring an unlocked or no-contract device.

Software development kit

The Android SDK includes a comprehensive set of development tools.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> These include a debugger, libraries, a handset emulator (based on QEMU), documentation, sample code, and tutorials. Currently supported development platforms include x86-architecture computers running Linux (any modern desktop Linux distribution), Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later, Windows XP or Vista. Requirements also include Java Development Kit, Apache Ant, and Python 2.2 or later. The officially supported integrated development environment (IDE) isEclipse (3.2 or later) using the Android Development Tools (ADT) Plugin, though developers may use any text editor to edit Java and XML files then use command line tools to create, build and debug Android applications as well as control attached Android devices (e.g., triggering a reboot, installing software package(s) remotely).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
A preview release of the Android software development kit (SDK) was released on 12 November 2007. On 15 July 2008, the Android Developer Challenge Team accidentally sent an email to all entrants in the Android Developer Challenge announcing that a new release of the SDK was available in a "private" download area. The email was intended for winners of the first round of the Android Developer Challenge. The revelation that Google was supplying new SDK releases to some developers and not others (and keeping this arrangement private) has led to widely reported frustration within the Android developer community.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On 18 August 2008 the Android 0.9 SDK beta was released. This release provided an updated and extended API, improved development tools and an updated design for the home screen. Detailed instructions for upgrading are available to those already working with an earlier release.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref> On 23 September 2008 the Android 1.0 SDK (Release 1) was released.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> According to the release notes, it included "mainly bug fixes, although some smaller features were added". It also included several API changes from the 0.9 version.
On 9 March 2009, Google released version 1.1 for the Android dev phone. While there are a few aesthetic updates, a few crucial updates include support for "search by voice, priced applications, alarm clock fixes, sending gmail freeze fix, fixes mail notifications and refreshing intervals, and now the maps show business reviews". Another important update is that Dev phones can now access paid applications and developers can now see them on the Android Market.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In the middle of May 2009, Google released version 1.5 (Cupcake) of the Android OS and SDK. This update included many new features including video recording, support for the stereo bluetooth profile, a customizable onscreen keyboard system and voice recognition. This release also opened up the AppWidget framework to third party developers allowing anyone to create their own home screen widgets.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In September 2009 the "Donut" version (1.6) was released which featured better search, battery usage indicator and VPN control applet. New platform technologies included Text to Speech engine (not available on all phones), Gestures & Accessibility framework.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Android Applications are packaged in .apk format and stored under /data/app folder on the Android OS. The user can run the command adb root to access this folder as only the root has permissions to access this folder.

App Inventor for Android

On July 12, 2010 Google announced the availability of App Inventor for Android, a Web-based visual development environment for novice programmers, based on MIT's Open Blocks Java library and providing access to Android devices' GPS, accelerometer and orientation data, phone functions, text messaging, speech-to-text conversion, contact data, persistent storage, and Web services, initially including Amazon and Twitter. <ref>Template:Cite news</ref> "We could only have done this because Android’s architecture is so open," said the project director, MIT's Hal Abelson.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Under development for over a year<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>, the block-editing tool has been taught to non-majors in computer science at Harvard, MIT, Wellsley, and the University of San Francisco, where professor David Wolber developed an introductory computer science course and tutorial book for non-computer science students based on App Inventor for Android.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Android Developer Challenge

The Android Developer Challenge was a competition for the most innovative application for Android. Google offered prizes totaling 10 millionUS dollars, distributed between ADC I and ADC II. ADC I accepted submissions from 2 January to 14 April 2008. The 50 most promising entries, announced on 12 May 2008, each received a $25,000 award to fund further development.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It ended in early September with the announcement of ten teams that received $275,000 each, and ten teams that received $100,000 each.<ref name=ADC>Template:Cite web</ref> ADC II was announced on 27 May 2009.<ref name="Challenge">Template:Cite web</ref> The first round of the ADC II closed on 6 October 2009.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The first-round winners of ADC II comprising the top 200 applications were announced on 5 November 2009. Voting for the second round also opened on the same day and ended on November 25. Google announced the top winners of ADC II on November 30, with SweetDreams, What the Doodle!? and WaveSecure being nominated the overall winners of the challenge.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Google applications

Google has also participated in the Android Market by offering several applications for its services. These applications include Google Voicefor the Google Voice service, Sky Map for watching stars, Finance for their finance service, Maps Editor for their MyMaps service, Places Directory for their Local Search, Google Goggles that searches by image, Google Translate, Google Shopper, Listen for podcasts and My Tracks, a jogging application.

Third party applications

With the growing number of Android handsets, there has also been an increased interest by third party developers to port their applications to the Android operating system. Famous applications that have been converted to the Android operating system include Shazam, Backgrounds, and WeatherBug.
The Android operating system has also been considered important enoughTemplate:Weasel-inline by a lot of the most popular internet sites and services to create native applications. These include MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter.
As of 15th July 2010, the Android Marketplace had over 70,000 applications, with over 1 billion downloads.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Native code

Libraries written in C and other languages can be compiled to ARM native code and installed using the Android Native Development Kit. Native classes can be called from Java code running under the Dalvik VM using the System.loadLibrary call, which is part of the standard Android Java classes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Complete applications can be compiled and installed using traditional development tools.<ref name="benno">Template:Cite web</ref> The ADB debugger gives a root shell under the Android Emulator which allows native ARM code to be uploaded and executed. ARM code can be compiled using GCC on a standard PC.<ref name="benno"/> Running native code is complicated by the fact that Android uses a non-standard C library (known as Bionic). The underlying graphics device is available as a framebuffer at /dev/graphics/fb0.<ref>Template:Cite mailing list</ref> The graphics library that Android uses to arbitrate and control access to this device is called the Skia Graphics Library(SGL), and it has been released under an open source license.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Skia has backends for both win32 and Unix, allowing the development of cross-platform applications, and it is the graphics engine underlying the Google Chrome web browser.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Community-based firmware

There is a community of open-source enthusiasts that build and share Android-based firmware with a number of customizations and additional features, such as FLAC lossless audio support and the ability to store downloaded applications on the microSD card.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This usually involves rooting the device. Rooting lets users load modified firmwares allowing users of older phones to use applications available only on newer releases.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Those firmware packages are updated frequently, incorporate elements of Android functionality that haven't yet been officially released within a carrier-sanctioned firmware, and tend to have fewer limitations. CyanogenMod is one such firmware.
On 24 September 2009, Google issued a cease and desist letter<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> to the modder Cyanogen, citing issues with the re-distribution of Google's closed-source applications<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> within the custom firmware. Even though Android OS is open source, phones come packaged with closed-source Google applications for functionality such as the application store and GPS navigation. Google has asserted that these applications can only be provided through approved distribution channels by licensed distributors. Cyanogen has complied with Google's wishes and is continuing to distribute this mod without the proprietary software. He has provided a method to back up licensed Google applications during the mod's install process and restore them when it is complete.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Marketing

.

Logos

Android uses the Droid font family made by Ascender Corporation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Android Green is the color of the Android Robot that represents the Android operating system. The print color is PMS 376C and the online hex color is #A4C639, as specified by the Android Brand Guidelines.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Typeface

.
The custom typeface of Android is called Norad, only used in the text logo.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Market share

Research company Canalys estimates that by Q2 2009, Android had a 2.8% share of the worldwidesmartphone market.<ref name=Insider_1>Template:Cite news</ref> By the following quarter (Q3 2009), Android's market share had grown to 3.5%.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In February 2010 ComScore ranked the Android platform as obtaining a 9.0% of the smartphone platform marketshare. This figure was up from an earlier estimate of 5.2% stated in November 2009.<ref name="ComScore Feb 2010">Template:Cite news</ref> In July 2010ComScore revised Android's share for 3 months March/April/May 2010 to 13.0%, an increase of 4 percentage points, 0.2 percentage points behind Microsoft whose share had dropped 1.9%.<ref>http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2010/7/comScore_Reports_May_2010_U.S._Mobile_Subscriber_Market_Share</ref>
In October 2009, Gartner Inc. predicted that by 2012, Android would become the world's second most popular smartphone platform, behindNokia's Symbian OS, which is very popular outside the US. Meanwhile, BlackBerry would fall from 2nd to 5th place, iPhone would remain in 3rd place, and Microsoft's Windows Mobile would remain in 4th place.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Analytics firm Flurry estimates that 250,000 Motorola Droid phones were sold in the United States during the phone's first week in stores.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In May 2010, Android's first quarter US sales surpassed that of the rival iPhone platform. According to a report by the NPD group, Android achieved 28% smartphone sales in the US market, up 8% from the December quarter. The iPhone's sales were flat at 21% over the same reporting period.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
According to an interview with Eric Schmidt in The Guardian, Android is getting 160,000 new users per day (end June 2010) up from 100,000 per day in May 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Restrictions and issues

Unlike closed-source mobile platforms like Apple's iOS, Google tracks issues and feature requests publicly at Google Code's site.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Linux compatibility

Networking issues

Issues concerning application development

  • Android does not use established Java standards, i.e. Java SE and ME. This prevents compatibility among Java applications written for those platforms and those for the Android platform. Android only reuses the Java language syntax, but does not provide the full-class libraries and APIs bundled with Java SE or ME.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, the Myriad Group claim that their new J2Android tool can convert Java MIDlets into Android applications.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Developers have reported that it is difficult to maintain applications on multiple versions of Android, owing to compatibility issues between versions 1.5 and 1.6,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> especially the different resolution ratios in use among various Android phones.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Such problems were poignantly brought into focus as they were encountered during the ADC2 contest.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • The rapid growth in the number of Android-based phone models with differing hardware capabilities also makes it difficult to develop applications that work on all Android-based phones.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of June 2010, 50% of Android phones run the 2.1 version, and 24.6% still run the 1.5 version<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Older versions of Android do not readily support Bluetooth file exchange,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> although it may still be achieved with some hacking.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Bluetooth is supported by more recent phones.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • Android does not support video calls as do other mobile operating systems, such as Symbian OS and Windows Mobile, although third-party, applications like Qik allow video calling on some models, and video broadcasting on others.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Time zones

Using the native Google Calendar functionality for Android phones, an Android device user runs into the same limitations that exist in the Calendar application. The most noticeable defect is the lack of proper time zone support: it is not possible to set the time zone for start/end times of events.<ref>Community-powered support for Google</ref><ref>Android Guys, Fix Google Calendar!</ref><ref>Washington Post, Google Calendar's time zone weakness</ref> Because of this issue, users experience difficulty while traveling with Android devices.<ref>http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=5892 Android Code issue 5892</ref>

Root access and Rooting

Normal users which bought a device running Android do not have root access to their Android system. They have only limited privileges to work with the system. This restriction can be broken by exploiting bugs or vulnerablilities of the Android system. This might be necessary to do work that needs to be done with higher privileges than that the normal user has got. This is some kind of privilege escalation. In this case it is done by the owner of the device. In other contexts it is done by attackers to gain control over a targeted system. The extact procedure to get root access varies from device to device. For the user this can be simplified and unified by applications performing the privilege escalation automatically.

Ubuntu for Android

Canonical (the company behind Ubunutu) has announced that they are working on "Ubuntu for Android". It is something like a hybrid out of Android and Desktop Ubuntu. Users can use Android on their smartphone in ordinary fashion, but when they plug the device into a docking station (or maybe other connections to desktop monitors and input devices) they get an common and full blown Ubuntu desktop. This way users can carry something like a PC with them. This kind of device might also reduce the need to store personal data into the cloud (where it possibly can be accessed by providers or others), because all data might be stored on one device, which is a smarthphone and desktop at the same time.
The technical approach might be more efficent than running Linux on top of Android because the Ubuntu Desktop and Android share the same kernel.Template:Citation needed Ubuntu integrates deeply with Android in that way that Android can be used normaly while using the desktop at the same time. Additionally smartphone functionality will be integrated into the Ubuntu desktop, too. For example incoming calls can be seen from the desktop.
Canonical is negotiating corporation with mobile device manufacturers. No devices with "Ubuntu for Android" have been released, yet, but there have been live demonstrations what it looks like with real devices:
Maybe "Ubuntu for Android" will be released as open source and can be integrated into Android or CyanogenMod someday:
are-to-ship-ubuntu-for-android/
Devices announced to be released with "Ubuntu for Android" functionality (please add if you additional devices):
Labels: , , , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Popular Posts