Google made the formal announcement that its SDK (Software Development Kit) – currently supports Android 1.6 – will now support its newest mobile OS, Android 2.0 (Eclair). Veteran and new Android developers will benefit on some API improvements and interfaces Google implemented such as:
- Accounts, contacts and sync – account manager UI that allows developers to store confidential information on their projects, quick reference to their contacts and easy data synchronization of data to any back-end devices.
- Quick Contact – access your contacts in various methods such as email and instant messaging.
- Bluetooth API – allows quick communication and data exchange between proximity devices
- Supports various screen sizes – the new Android support various screen sizes so application developers don’t have to worry on painstaking task of adjusting to different mobile devices.
For API developers, Here are some reference links you can use if you’re planning on creating software APIs for the Android platform.
- Adding SDK Components – for veteran Android developers who are currently working on 1.6 platform, you can update your SDK components by following instructions found in this page.
- Download SDK starter package – for new Android developers who wish to create new mobile software in this new platform. Android supports Windows, Mac OS X and Linux systems. You can view additional information for installation and troubleshooting on the same page.
- SDK Tools – provides information on tools for debugging your Android API projects.
- ADT Plugin for Eclipse – Android developers who are using Eclipse can use this Android Development Tools (ADT) plugin for setting up new project, debugging, creating application UI and more. Current version is 0.9.4
As part of the Android 2.0 campaign, Google produced an educational video focusing on improvements made on the Android OS. It highlights the benefits Android software developers can get on using the current mobile platform.
Wrap up
We advise budding Android developers to visit Developer.Android site. You can find tons of information such as guides, videos and can chat with same minded “geeks” to aid you in your project. We can see that Google is taking advantage of the market by having a wide-range of supported O.S. platforms. Unlike apple which solely monopolized its apps development (on Mac OS). In addition, this is good opportunity for some iPhone apps developers who find the app store simply “too crowded”.
The latest mobile phone that features Android 2.0 now is only Motorola Droid. We might as well think that this could be the start of a new frontier in mobile software development. Several people believe that Google can push this venture forward to new levels. And knowing Google, Android could really be the “next big thing”.
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Tags: Android 2.0, Android API developers, google, Google Android for mobile phones, Mobile API developers, New Android 2.0 SDK, sofware development kit for Android
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