Android Wireless Application Development Volume I: Android Essentials, 3rd Edition

Android Wireless Application Development has earned a reputation as the most useful real-world guide to building robust, commercial-grade Android apps. Now, authors Lauren Darcey and Shane Conder have systematically revised and updated this guide for the latest Android SDK 4.0. To accommodate their extensive new coverage, they’ve split the book into two volumes. Volume I focuses on Android essentials, including setting up your development environment, understanding the application lifecycle, designing effective user interfaces, developing for diverse devices, and optimizing your mobile app development process–from design through publishing. Every chapter has been thoroughly updated for the newest APIs, tools, utilities, and hardware. All sample code has been overhauled and tested on leading devices from multiple companies, and many new examples have been added. Drawing on decades of in-the-trenches experience as professional mobile developers, Darcey and Conder provide valuable new best practices–including powerful techniques for constructing more portable apps. This new edition contains full chapters on Android manifest files, content providers, effective app design, and testing; an all-new chapter on tackling compatibility issues; coverage of today’s most valuable new Android tools and utilities; and even more exclusive tips and tricks. An indispensable resource for every Android development team member.

Table of Contents

PART I: AN OVERVIEW OF THE ANDROID PLATFORM
Chapter 1. Introducing Android
Chapter 2. Setting Up Your Android Development Environment
Chapter 3. Writing Your First Android Application
Chapter 4. Mastering the Android Development Tools

PART II: ANDROID APPLICATION BASICS
Chapter 5. Understanding the Anatomy of an Android Application
Chapter 6. Defining Your Application Using the Android Manifest File
Chapter 7. Managing Application Resources

PART III: ANDROID USER INTERFACE DESIGN ESSENTIALS
Chapter 8. Exploring User Interface Screen Elements
Chapter 9. Designing User Interfaces with Layouts
Chapter 10. Working with Fragments
Chapter 11. Working with Dialogs

PART IV: ANDROID APPLICATION DESIGN ESSENTIALS
Chapter 12. Using Android Preferences
Chapter 13. Working with Files and Directories
Chapter 14. Using Content Providers
Chapter 15. Designing Compatible Applications

PART V: PUBLISHING AND DISTRIBUTING ANDROID APPLICATIONS
Chapter 16. The Android Software Development Process
Chapter 17. Designing and Developing Bulletproof Android Applications
Chapter 18. Testing Android Applications
Chapter 19. Publishing Your Android Application

PART VI: APPENDIXES
Appendix A. The Android Emulator Quick-Start Guide
Appendix B. The Android DDMS Quick-Start Guide
Appendix C. Eclipse IDE Tips and Tricks