Pro Android 3

Pro Android 3 shows you how to build real-world and fun mobile applications using the new Android 3.0 SDK. It covers everything from the fundamentals of building apps for embedded devices, phones, and tablets to advanced concepts such as custom 3D components and multi-tasking. Using the tutorials and expert advice, you'll quickly be able to build cool mobile apps and run them on dozens of Android-based smartphones. You'll explore and use the Android APIs, including those for media and sensors. And you'll check out what's new with Android 3.0, including the improved UI across all Android platforms, integration with services, and more, giving you the knowledge to create stunning, cutting-edge apps, while keeping you agile enough to respond to changes in the future. What you'll learn How to use Android to build Java-based mobile applications for Google phones with a touch screen or keyboard How to design and implement irresistible user interfaces for touchscreens with Views and layouts How to populate your application with data from data sources, using Content Providers How to create 3D graphics with OpenGL and custom components How to build multimedia and game apps using Android's Media APIs and OpenGL How to use Android's location-based services, network-based services, and security How to use new Android 3.0 features, such as Fragments and the ActionBar Who this book is for This book is for professional software engineers/programmers looking to move their ideas and applications into the mobile space with Android. It assumes a passable understanding of Java, including how to write classes and handle basic inheritance structures. Table of Contents Introducing the Android Computing Platform Setting up your Development Environment Understanding Resources Understanding Content Providers Understanding Intents Building User Interfaces and Using Controls Adding Menus Implementing Dialogs Working with Preferences and Saving State Security and Permissions Working with Services Exploring Packages, Processes, and Library Projects Exploring Processes, Components, Threads, and Handlers Exploring Broadcast Receivers and Long Running Services Exploring the Alarm Manager Unveiling 2D Animation Exploring Maps and Location Services Using the Telephony APIs Understanding the Media Frameworks Programming 3D Graphics with OpenGL Exploring Live Folders Home Screen Widgets and Live Wallpaper Android Search Exploring Text to Speech and the Google Translate API Touchscreens Using Sensors Understanding the Contact API Deploying your Application: Android Market and Beyond Fragments Action Bar Selected Topics in Android 3.0

Pro Android 3 starts with the basics, giving you a firm foundation in Android development. It then builds on this foundation to teach you how to build real-world and fun mobile applications using the new Android 3.0 SDK. This book covers advanced concepts in detail including maps, geocoding, services, live folders, drag and drop, touchscreens, and the new Android 3.0 features: fragments and ActionBar. Pro Android 3 is uniquely comprehensive: it covers sensors, text to speech, OpenGL, live widgets, search, and the audio and video APIs.

Using the code-heavy tutorials and expert advice, you’ll quickly be able to build cool mobile apps and run them on dozens of Android-based smartphones. You’ll explore and use the Android APIs, including those for media, sensors, and long-running services. And you’ll check out what’s new with Android 3.0, including the improved UI across all Android platforms, drag and drop, fragment dialogs, and more, giving you the knowledge to create stunning, cutting-edge apps, while keeping you agile enough to respond to changes in the future.

What you’ll learn

• How to use Android to build Java-based mobile applications for Google phones with a touch screen or keyboard
• How to design and implement irresistible user interfaces for touch screens with Views and layouts
• How to populate your application with data from data sources, using Content Providers
• How Android works on the inside, so you better understand how to design great mobile apps
• How to create 3D graphics with OpenGL and custom components
• How to build multimedia apps using Android’s Media APIs
• How to use Android’s location-based services, network-based services, and security
• How to use new Android 3.0 features, such as fragments and the ActionBar

Who this book is for

This book is for professional software engineers/programmers looking to move their ideas and applications into the mobile space with Android. It assumes a passable understanding of Java, including how to write classes and handle basic inheritance structures.

Table of Contents

1. Introducing the Android Computing Platform
2. Setting up your Development Environment
3. Understanding Resources
4. Understanding Content Providers
5. Understanding Intents
6. Building User Interfaces and Using Controls
7. Adding Menus
8. Implementing Dialogs
9. Working with Preferences and Saving State
10. Security and Permissions
11. Working with Services
12. Exploring Packages, Processes, and Library Projects
13. Exploring Processes, Components, Threads, and Handlers
14. Exploring Broadcast Receivers and Long Running Services
15. Exploring the Alarm Manager
16. Unveiling 2D Animation
17. Exploring Maps and Location Services
18. Using the Telephony APIs
19. Understanding the Media Frameworks
20. Programming 3D Graphics with OpenGL
21. Exploring Live Folders
22. Home Screen Widgets and Live Wallpaper
23. Android Search
24. Exploring Text to Speech and the Google Translate API
25. Touchscreens
26. Using Sensors
27. Understanding the Contact API
28. Deploying your Application: Android Market and Beyond
29. Fragments
30. Action Bar
31. Selected Topics in Android 3.0

Provides information on using Android 3 to build mobile applications, covering such topics as creating user interfaces, working with menus, using the media framework, programming 3D graphics, managing preferences, using widgets, and working with Android Market.