Developing Applications for Android - Lecture#1

Developing Applications for Android

Muhammad Usman ChaudhrySZABIST CS4615

Lecture # 1

Today

● Course Introduction ● What will you learn?● Why learn android?● Prerequisites ● What I expect from you?● Grading ● Project & Other Requirements ● Book & Reference material● Android History, Overview & Evolution● Platform Architecture● Example Applications● Growth Comparison of Android with iOS & Other Mobile

Platforms

Muhammad Usman Chaudhry CS4615 SZABIST

Course Introduction

● 2 + 1 Credit Hours● 1 Class per week (Every Friday)● Highly Interactive


What will you learn?

● Understand the complete android development architecture.

● Engineer beautiful, sleek & awesome android apps.

● Real life applications of Object Oriented Programming.

● Some wonderful design patterns● Many computer science concepts like,

Databases, Multimedia, Multithreading, Graphics, etc. applied in your apps.


What will you learn?

● Create better applications with lower resources available (unlike desktop, web systems).

● Industry oriented Java standards, clean coding tips, etc.


Why Learn Android?

● Run your applications on 59% of the smartphones worldwide equalling 331 million devices. (Jul - 2012)

● Join in 600,000 applications for android. (Jun - 2012)

● 20 billion app downloads so far● High average with around 500 downloads

per app. ● Not just smartphone, Android OS is being

used in, TVs, Microwaves, Car Tapes, etc.Muhammad Usman Chaudhry CS4615 SZABIST

Why Learn Android?

● High job success rates.● Don't want a job? Create app sell to market.

You maybe the next best startup.● Easy to show to your friend, take your

android out of your pocket and bam! You don't need computer now.


Prerequisites

● Object-oriented programming. (Important)● You must understand terms like:

○ Class○ Instance○ Method○ Context○ Superclass/Subclass○ Interface/Protocols○ Delegates

● Basic understanding of design patterns


Prerequisites

● If you haven't already written any programs where you had to create handful of classes then you'll need to work doubly hard to keep up the pace.


What I Expect From You

● High punctuality● Focus & interest in class● On time assignments● Continuous feedback


Grading System

● Assignments x 10● Quizzes x 15● Project x 20● Midterm x 20● Final x 35


Project

● Can be pre-cursor to FYP● High grade points (more value)● 2 students per group● Emphasis will be over quality of product● Deliverable will be posted to Google Play

Store for public viewing with SZABIST account


Other Requirements

● Join Google Group: ○ SZABIST-FALL2012-ANDROID

● Installation of Eclipse IDE & Android SDK Tools. (Before coming week).

● Install all SDKs preferably (2.1, 2.2 & 4).● An android device. (Optional but highly

recommended)


Books

Textbook:● Beginning Android 4 by Grant Allen (Apress)

Reference:● http://developer.android.com/


Android Overview & Evolution

1. Android history2. Basic technical specification3. Supported platforms for development


1. Android History

● Started by Android Inc. in 2005, which had been financed by Google, though initial developer wasn't part of Google.

● In 2007 Google bought Android Inc. & also formed OHA (Open Handset Alliance).

● Android beta was released in Nov 2007.● Android v1.0 was released in Sep 2008.● HTC Dream had been first commercial

android device.● Current android version is 4.1 (Jellybeans).


What is Open Handset Alliance?

● A consortium of 84 hardware, software and telecommunication companies.

● Devoted to advancing open standards for mobile devices.

● Include top names, ○ Acer, Dell, Fujitsu, HTC, LG, Motorola, Samsung, Toshiba, Sony, NEC, Asus, Lenovo,

Sharp, Huawei, ZTE and many more in handset manufacturers.

○ Intel, ARM, NVIDIA, MIPS, Texas Instruments and many other in semiconductors.

○ NTT Docomo, Sprint, T-mobile, Vodafone, Telus, China Mobile and others in mobile operators.

○ Google, eBay, SVOX, NXP, Access and others in software companies.

○ Accenture, Teleca, Wipro and many others in marketing or commercialization.


2. Basic Technical Specs

● Linux based kernel● Open source model under Apache 2

liscence.● Supports ARM, MIPS & x86 architectures● Monolithic kernel● Programmed in C, C++, Python, Java.


What is monolithic kernel?


3. Development Platforms

● Supported OS for Android Development:○ Windows XP(32-bit), Vista or 7(32 or 64-bit)○ MacOSX 10.5.8 or later (x86 only)○ Linux (Ubuntu, Lucid Lynx)

■ glibc 2.7■ 32-bit■ In case of ubuntu version must be greater than

8.04● IDEs

○ Eclipse IDE with JDT (Highly recommended)○ Netbeans IDE (Via Android plugin)○ IntelliJ IDEA (Still in early preview stage)


Android Architecture

● Android Ecosystem is composed of following 4 items:○ Linux Kernel○ Libraries○ Applications Framework○ Applications

● Pictorial representation in next slide will clear it up more.


Android Architecture

Linux Kernel

● Its customized linux kernel with a lot more android specific code to support devices.

● Driver written for one version of android (like 2.3.5 for instance) won't necessarily work with other versions (4.0 for instance).

● One of the kernel's main function is to control hardware.


Linux Kernel

● You could re-compile the android kernel if you want to.

● Advantage of tweaking the kernel can result in higher optimized speeds or optimized battery power, depending upon which governor you select, you must exactly know what you're doing.

● Tweaking android kernel is something you could do in your spare time and see how amazingly you can manipulate hardware.


Libraries


Libraries

● C/C++ Libraries (Bionic libc):○ Derivation of standard C library○ Specifically targeted for Android○ Much smaller than libc & uClibc○ High speed as its designed for low clock-cycle

oriented CPUs○ Lacks many features of original libc (eg. Exception

handling etc.)○ Can be directly extended or accessed using Android

NDK (Native Development Kit).


Libraries

● LibWebCore:○ Modern web browser engine used in both webview

as well as native browser.○ Support CSS, Javascript, DOM, Ajax etc.

● Media framework:○ PacketVideo, openCORE platform.○ Support Audio, Video, Still-frame formats.

● SQLite:○ Self-contained○ Serverless○ Zero-configuration○ SQL Database


Libraries

● OpenGL|ES(openGL for Embedded Systems):○ Standard specification for 2D/3D graphics○ Can simulate physics○ Complex 3D scenes can be drawn○ Used in:

■ Virtual reality■ Augmented reality■ Game programming■ Scientific visualization■ Flight simulation


Libraries

● Surface Manager:○ Manages access to display subsystem○ Seamlessly composites graphic layers 2D/3D layers

from different applications● SGL (Skia graphic library):

○ An underlying 2D graphics engine○ Used to draw text, geometries & images

● SSL (Secure Sockets Layer):○ Cryptographic protocol to provide information

security over internet.


Libraries

● FreeType:○ Bitmap and vector font rendering.


Android Runtime


Dalvik Virtual Machine

● Custom implementation of virtual machine for android:○ Provides application portability and runtime

consistency.○ Runs optimized file format (.dex) and Dalvik

bytecode.○ Java .class/.jar files are converted to .dex at build

time.


Dalvik Vs Java Virtual Machine

Dalvik VM Java VMIt is a register machine. It is a stack machine.

More closely resembles actual hardware design.

Rely on excessive copying of values and larger instruction set.

Produces Dalvik Executable. Produces Java Bytecode.

Owned & maintaned by Google Inc.

Maintained by Oracle.


Core Libraries

● Core APIs for Java language, yet simple and familiar development platforms○ Data structures○ File Access○ Graphics○ Network Access○ Utilities

● All major APIs available under J2SE are available under android plus its own libraries.


Applications Framework


Application Framework

● Activity Manager:○ Interact with overall activities running in the system.○ Manage lifecycle of activities.○ Manage stacking of activities.

● Window Manager:○ Dispatch input events to clients.○ Transition animation.○ Create layout/surfaces (using SurfaceManager).

● Content Providers:○ Manage access to structured access of data.○ Mainly used for data sharing purposes.



● View System:○ Basic building block for UI components.○ Can be extended to build custom UI components.

● Package Manager:○ Provides methods for querying and manipulating

installed packages.● Telephony Manager:

○ Provides access to telephony services on android.○ Can monitor telephone state changes.



● Location Manager:○ Provide access to system location services.○ Able to track location periodically or one-time.

● Resource Manager:○ Link external resources to native app at build time.○ Resources may include XML Layouts, Bitmaps, raw

files etc.● Notification Manager:

○ Notify users about events.


Applications


Example Applications

● Following applications are to show you what sort of applications can be made for android and how you can utilize features of this platform to create innovative and powerful applications.


Augmented Reality - Live

● Let's have a look at live example of Augmented reality application.


Android Vs Other Platforms

Option Android iPhone WMNFC (Near Field Communication) YES NO NO

ADK (Accessory Development Kit) YES YES (iOS5+) NO

Multitasking YES YES (iOS4+) YES

Call Control YES YES (Jailbreak only) NO

High Performance Computing YES YES NO

Interface Customization YES NO NO

Firmware Upgrade YES YES YES


Detailed Insights


Detailed Insights


Conclusion

● Android is a strong platform to develop on with growth rate expected to reach peaks this year.

● More than half of the smartphone market is covered by Android making it more than 25% of the total mobile phone market share holder.


Next Class

● Complete Java Review will revisit OOP concepts.● Design patterns which will be used in android

development.


Questions

● Any Questions?


Technology

Developing Applications for Android - Lecture#1