What is Android?

Developed by the Open Handset Alliance, Android brings Internet-style innovation and openness to mobile phones.
Android™ delivers a complete set of software for mobile devices: an operating system, middleware and key mobile applications.

Open
Android was built from the ground-up to enable developers to create compelling mobile applications that take full advantage of all a handset has to offer. It was built to be truly open. For example, an application can call upon any of the phone's core functionality such as making calls, sending text messages, or using the camera, allowing developers to create richer and more cohesive experiences for users.

All applications are created equal

Android does not differentiate between the phone's core applications and third-party applications. They can all be built to have equal access to a phone's capabilities providing users with a broad spectrum of applications and services. With devices built on the Android Platform, users are able to fully tailor the phone to their interests. They can swap out the phone's homescreen, the style of the dialer, or any of the applications. They can even instruct their phones to use their favorite photo viewing application to handle the viewing of all photos.

Breaking down application boundaries

Android breaks down the barriers to building new and innovative applications. For example, a developer can combine information from the web with data on an individual's mobile phone -- such as the user's contacts, calendar, or geographic location -- to provide a more relevant user experience. With Android, a developer can build an application that enables users to view the location of their friends and be alerted when they are in the vicinity giving them a chance to connect.

Fast & easy application development

Android provides access to a wide range of useful libraries and tools that can be used to build rich applications. For example, Android enables developers to obtain the location of the device, and allows devices to communicate with one another enabling rich peer-to-peer social applications. In addition, Android includes a full set of tools that have been built from the ground up alongside the platform providing developers with high productivity and deep insight into their applications.

Source - http://www.android.com/about/

Ok, let's do this! I'm interested.

Seun:

Ok, let's do this! I'm interested.

Even Seun recognizes that the fact that google's operating system is next big thing to hit the Information Technology planet

5 Reasons Why Android Will Revolutionize The
Mobile Industry

1. It’s Time for a Change.
For years, mobile phone users have been stuck using phone carrier’s proprietary and ugly interfaces

2. Android Scales to Every Device
Android isn’t dependent on device hardware. Instead, it changes which features it offers. iPhone-like features would be reserved for individuals with pricier phones, but those with lesser-priced phones need not worry about lacking applications like mapping and address books.

3. It’s Supported by Dozens of Hardware Manufacturers.
Sure, the iPhone created a change throughout the mobile phone industry. Android finally allows individuals to get the features they want in the phone they want, without a ridiculously high premium

4. It’s Open Source
The average consumer doesn’t have to know what open source is to benefit from it. The participation of thousands of volunteer programmers means the interface will get the upgrades it needs without the corporate oversight it doesn’t.

5. Third Party Development is Encouraged
iPhone developers are renegades, constantly playing a cat-and-mouse game with Apple until the official SDK is released in February 2008. Android, meanwhile, is taking the opposite approach, relying on third-party developers to make the platform viable for consumers.

Over the next coming weeks - I will starting a tutorial class and laying out fundamentals on how get a foothold in this relative new technology.



Mobile Technology is next big thing now - Secure your future - at least for the next 10- 15 years

We r waitin, Let's do it

subscribing!

Ok - atleast some people are showing interest - will start next week

cheers

Count me in.
What language would we be using and what emulators are availlable or do we need to get an android device?
Cant wait a day longer for this.

blacksta:

5 Reasons Why Android Will Revolutionize The
Mobile Industry

1. It’s Time for a Change.
For years, mobile phone users have been stuck using phone carrier’s proprietary and ugly interfaces

2. Android Scales to Every Device
Android isn’t dependent on device hardware. Instead, it changes which features it offers. iPhone-like features would be reserved for individuals with pricier phones, but those with lesser-priced phones need not worry about lacking applications like mapping and address books.

3. It’s Supported by Dozens of Hardware Manufacturers.
Sure, the iPhone created a change throughout the mobile phone industry.  Android finally allows individuals to get the features they want in the phone they want, without a ridiculously high premium

4. It’s Open Source
The average consumer doesn’t have to know what open source is to benefit from it. The participation of thousands of volunteer programmers means the interface will get the upgrades it needs without the corporate oversight it doesn’t.

5. Third Party Development is Encouraged
iPhone developers are renegades, constantly playing a cat-and-mouse game with Apple until the official SDK is released in February 2008. Android, meanwhile, is taking the opposite approach, relying on third-party developers to make the platform viable for consumers.

Isn't it interesting that the rev2 article  (@ http://www.rev2.org/2007/11/13/5-reasons-why-android-will-revolutionize-the-mobile-industry/)  - which you essentially plagiarized in your post - was first published in 2007?! Three years is a very long time in "mobile tech" world. How has Android fared in that time?


The "revolution" in the mobile industry started long before Android. Someone told me it (the revolution) started in 2003. I'd say even much earlier! As of today, it is not just Android vs iPhone. Symbian (which still has a lion share of the smart phone market) is now open source (how about that?). J2ME  (which is the most widely deployed platform, with billions of handsets in use as we speak) apps can now offer truely astonishing UI's (thanks to open, standards complaint libraries like LWUIT and SVG support) - I wont even mention "THE KILLER" (MIDP 3.0). Then there's Nokia, with Meego/Maemo, opening up and tooling Qt/C++ developers too. I can go on and on . . . . I can even take each of the 5 reasons you posted above and make them look like a huge joke, I won't bother.

My point is, its not just an Android party, at least, not from where I stand. It would be great if you can include a balanced view of the options out there as you preach your Android sermon to what seems eager Nairaland  congregants.


Kip on rockin!

While folks eagrly await your promised tutorial, allow me discuss your points above.

blacksta:

2. Android Scales to Every Device
Android isn’t dependent on device hardware. Instead, it changes which features it offers. iPhone-like features would be reserved for individuals with pricier phones, but those with lesser-priced phones need not worry about lacking applications like mapping and address books.

That Android is Linux based makes this correct, in theory. But theory != practice. I am waiting for the first Android phone on a low end device. All we hear of are HTC Hero and G1's et al. For f^cks sake, the Hero is powered by a 528 MHz Qualcomm® MSM7200A™ CPU with over 200 MB of RAM! This is more than quadruple the spec of my first computer could offer

blacksta:

5 Reasons Why Android Will Revolutionize The
Mobile Industry

1. It’s Time for a Change.
For years, mobile phone users have been stuck using phone carrier’s proprietary and ugly interfaces

2. Android Scales to Every Device
Android isn’t dependent on device hardware. Instead, it changes which features it offers. iPhone-like features would be reserved for individuals with pricier phones, but those with lesser-priced phones need not worry about lacking applications like mapping and address books.

3. It’s Supported by Dozens of Hardware Manufacturers.
Sure, the iPhone created a change throughout the mobile phone industry. Android finally allows individuals to get the features they want in the phone they want, without a ridiculously high premium

4. It’s Open Source
The average consumer doesn’t have to know what open source is to benefit from it. The participation of thousands of volunteer programmers means the interface will get the upgrades it needs without the corporate oversight it doesn’t.

5. Third Party Development is Encouraged
iPhone developers are renegades, constantly playing a cat-and-mouse game with Apple until the official SDK is released in February 2008. Android, meanwhile, is taking the opposite approach, relying on third-party developers to make the platform viable for consumers.

Ok, But I think symbian is more widespread especially in Nigeria here. I wonder how many Android phones are available here. How about going symbian cos its has a larger market I suppose.

lets get started

X-2-X:


Isn't it interesting that the rev2 article  (@ http://www.rev2.org/2007/11/13/5-reasons-why-android-will-revolutionize-the-mobile-industry/)  - which you essentially plagiarized in your post - was first published in 2007?! Three years is a very long time in "mobile tech" world. How has Android fared in that time?


The "revolution" in the mobile industry started long before Android. Someone told me it (the revolution) started in 2003. I'd say even much earlier! As of today, it is not just Android vs iPhone. Symbian (which still has a lion share of the smart phone market) is now open source (how about that?). J2ME  (which is the most widely deployed platform, with billions of handsets in use as we speak) apps can now offer truely astonishing UI's (thanks to open, standards complaint libraries like LWUIT and SVG support) - I wont even mention "THE KILLER" (MIDP 3.0). Then there's Nokia, with Meego/Maemo, opening up and tooling Qt/C++ developers too. I can go on and on . . . . I can even take each of the 5 reasons you posted above and make them look like a huge joke, I won't bother.

My point is, its not just an Android party, at least, not from where I stand. It would be great if you can include a balanced view of the options out there as you preach your Android sermon to what seems eager Nairaland  congregants.


Kip on rockin!

Absolutely no need of ego display -  Please share knowlegde or move on - Will deal with your points later when i get home.

i am down as long as i finish in depth java knowledge.Actually Andriod will soon gain more ground than Nokia and Apple,here's my take Nokia for now has a good market share but has a bad reputation for opening to major changes,The Symbian Os has not reached the point where it will run smoothly on a devie and also lets face it they are losing to apple everyday.Now Apple is the Slice everyone wants but due to personal control of the owner it has made the Android more popular lets face it.Android took advantage of the situation as Steve Jobs refused to gives customers the choice of having Flash on their device.Android not only gave Flash but a full blown one which even Nokia doesn't have Nokia uses Flash Lite stripped down version of flash for mobile phones,and Apple SDK restricts developers to certain aspect of the Phone while Android leaves everything for u to some point.truly am scared of Android because it will eventually dominate the market but now now.

Now unto Android Development i have been reading on it cause i usually read into mobile development of platform even if i wont create an app.The android is built with its own IDE from Eclipse and weirdly it doesn't run pure Java codes.

so Here is a link to start i hope someone here motivates me too.

http://mobile.tutsplus.com/tutorials/android/introduction-to-android-development/