Android. Programming applications for mobile devices. Edition II

When Google published Android in 2008, the mobile phone market was a bit shaky, but nobody expected that this platform would seriously threaten such giants of mobile operating systems as iOS Apple, Windows Mobile, Symbian or RIM BlackBerry. Since then, every new Android device has had more and more opportunities and was even more exciting than its predecessors. It was only three years since the first Android phone appeared on the market - the T-Mobile G1, created by HTC - and this system has already been hailed as the fastest selling platform for mobile phones. This, of course, is not without an echo: more and more people are specializing in programming applications for this fascinating, free and open mobile platform.

This is a complete guide that contains everything you need to create, deploy, and sell apps for mobile devices that run under the latest versions of Android. The authors - based on their many years of experience in creating mobile applications - will introduce you to all stages of the process: idea, design, code writing, testing, packaging and application distribution. You will get to know the specifications of the Android platform perfectly, the basic principles of effective designing of applications designed for it, and the best practices related to the creation of convenient user interfaces. You will also find comprehensive descriptions of all key programming interfaces: to support data storage, network communication, telephone calls, location services, multimedia, 3D graphics and optional hardware components. In addition, the book has been supplemented with practical tricks that will save you a lot of valuable time and avoid many unnecessary traps!

In addition, you will find here:

• a few chapters describing the API for handling WWW-related technologies, as well as Android NDK, expanding the scope of applications, managing users, data synchronization, creating backup copies, advanced methods of data entry
• comprehensive information about manifest files, content providers, design and application testing
• presentation of the most current and interesting issues, such as Bluetooth and gesture communication support, speech recognition, widgets, Live Folders, Live Wallpapers and global search
• current information on 3D graphics generation using OpenGL ES 2.0
• issues related to ensuring compatibility between different devices