Introduction#

Android is pretty cool because:

• it's based on Linux, sqlite, freetype, OpenGL etc.
• the Java-like VM and libraries are Open Source
• great phones, tablets and others are coming out with Android
• the framework has declarative syntax for GUI and animation
• the framework as a nice inter-process communication (Intents)
• people are porting it to all kinds of devices (netbooks, other phones etc.)
• it's designed to cope with limited hardware (e.g. no mouse, keyboard, small screen, little storage etc.)

Documentation#

The main Android doc lives there

Apparently Netbeans can be used to develop for Android although Eclipse is the official environment.

Interoperability#

Conversion to other platforms#

• http://www.xmlvm.org/android/

Conversion from other platforms#

• Cuby offers Java ME compatibility for Android (so it's a bit like J2ME library)

Hardware support#

Hardware requirements#

In 2008 Rubin said in an interview that smaller machines were targeted too and listed the following requirements:

• 32MB RAM
• 32MB Flash Memory
• 200MHz Online Processor

Alternative hardware#

The following have been used to run Android:

• Asus EEEPC 701 (android-x86)

The following might be able to do it:

• Zaurus SL5500
• Leapfrog DIDJ (runs Linux)

New hardware to run Android#

There are a lot of phones running Android but many tablets are coming out too.

Software development#

Small drawing app#

I am writing a small Android drawing app based on the one in ApiDemos. New features include partial redraws, use of a layout, zoom.