Hello Android

[HetalDP 947]

What is Android?

Android is a software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middleware and key applications. This early look at the Android SDK provides the tools and APIs necessary to begin developing applications on the Android platform using the Java programming language.

Features

• Application framework enabling reuse and replacement of components
  
• Dalvik virtual machine optimized for mobile devices
  
• Integrated browser based on the open source WebKit engine
  
• Optimized graphics powered by a custom 2D graphics library; 3D graphics based on the OpenGL ES 1.0 specification (hardware acceleration optional)
  
• SQLite for structured data storage
  
• Media support for common audio, video, and still image formats (MPEG4, H.264, MP3, AAC, AMR, JPG, PNG, GIF)
  
• GSM Telephony (hardware dependent)
  
• Bluetooth, EDGE, 3G, and WiFi (hardware dependent)
  
• Camera, GPS, compass, and accelerometer (hardware dependent)
  
• Rich development environment including a device emulator, tools for debugging, memory and performance profiling, and a plugin for the Eclipse IDE
  

http://code.google.com/android/intro/hello-android.html

The Alliance Web Site is

http://www.openhandsetalliance.com/oha_members.html

Edited March 10, 2008 by hetaldp

[Honest 836]

^^^

WOW, thats a great news my dear friends. It seems to be quite helpful for developers.

Regards.

[kshah 452]

Hope google break monopoly and make linux popular.

[HetalDP 947]

Still no Clear Support for CDMA i think as per the Website

in Few Week it will come with Android Platform 2 More Powerfull and Better UI then Previous one

[Sadikk 301]

Some news is expected from Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona.

Hope for the best.

[prakashkadam 1]

Hope google break monopoly and make linux popular.

whose monopoly? Nokia-Symbian ? I don't think anybody has monopoly in Mobile software atleast.

[kshah 452]

Monopoly of protected non open source OS.

[vishalkumar 0]

Has Google done any kind of tie ups with any Mobile manufacturing company for launching the Phone OS???

[prakashkadam 1]

Hope google break monopoly and make linux popular.

whose monopoly? Nokia-Symbian ? I don't think anybody has monopoly in Mobile software atleast.

[Arun 795]

Google Updates Android SDK

IDG News Service

Saturday, February 16, 2008 2:00 PM PST

Google has released an update to the SDK (software development kit) for Android, its mobile-phone operating system.

It's the first update since the SDK was released in November and includes changes requested by developers.

Google highlighted a couple of changes in the updated SDK, which was released midweek. It has a new user interface that the search giant said is still a work in progress.

In addition, developers can now support additional file formats in the Android media player. Also, applications can translate an address into a coordinate and the reverse, in location-based programs.

Developers haven't had much time to review the updates; few have posted reactions on the Android developers' blog.

Even though developers said that the first version of the SDK was thin, Android has managed to gain momentum. Four chip makers, including Qualcomm and Texas Instruments, showed off prototypes that support Android this week in Barcelona at the annual Mobile World Congress.

Still, Android faces competition from the established mobile operating systems as well as companies that have rallied behind LiMo, the consortium that is developing an open Linux mobile operating system. At the conference in Barcelona, LiMo announced 18 phones that comply with the operating-system specification that are either on the market already or will be.

[Honest 836]

Android and LiMo in Open Source Race

The race is on: A consortium of 32 companies has joined a classic battle for primacy with their demonstration of mobile phones to compete with devices that will run Google Inc.'s fledgling Android operating system.

The LiMo Foundation – which includes such software companies as McAfee Corp. and Purple Labs and telecommunications giants such as Samsung – showed off 18 handsets Wednesday at the World Mobile Conference in Barcelona. Some of the devices are ready for market.

Just two days earlier, also in Barcelona, chip makers Texas Instruments Inc. and Qualcomm Inc. began demonstrating prototypes of handsets based on Android – for which no one offered a launch date.

The promise of both operating systems is that – because they are based on open-source software – they will allow developers to quickly and freely add new applications. Anyone hoping to create new applications for competing proprietary programs from Microsoft Corp., Palm Inc., Research in Motion Ltd. or Nokia Corp.'s Symbian must pay licensing fees.

That openness could speed the drive to integrate the Internet into mobile phones. It's already drawing numerous handset manufacturers, mobile operators, software companies to chip makers.

The LiMo Foundation, which draws its name from Linux and mobile phones, was launched last February in an effort to build a mobile phone platform that would allow more devices to work together. Google also began working on Android last year with industry partners, in the Open Handset Alliance.

The initiatives overlap in many ways, which is reflected in the number of companies participating in both, including LG Electronics, Motorola and Samsung as well as chipmaker Texas Instruments. In all, LiMo has 32 members to Open Handset's 34. And the numbers in both are growing.

So far, however, there are no signs they will pool their efforts.

"These companies are united in a deep philosophical way around an operating system, with a group of industry leaders who are sharing technology to create a new operating system for handsets," Morgan Gillis, executive director of the LiMo Foundation, said of that collaborative. "LiMo is real technology making a real platform that goes straight to handsets."

A key difference between LiMo and Android is that Google is presenting Android to its partners as a completed operating system, whereas the partners in LiMo have incorporated components from the various member companies and are finishing it together, said John Rizzo, a LiMo board member who is vice president for research and development strategy for the U.S. branch of Japan's Aplix Corp.

"The platform is made up of existing, proven components," Rizzo said. "Part of the effort is to provide a cost-effective platform for everyone involved."

The LiMo-equipped handsets shown Wednesday in Barcelona include models from Motorola Inc., NEC Corp., Panasonic Mobile Communications and Samsung. Each contains just some pieces of the still-evolving platform.

Consultant John Strand of Strand Consulting in Copenhagen, Denmark, was skeptical that either initiative would have much impact on the mobile market because primacy depends on getting onto a majority of devices, which is tough in a fragmented market.

A formidable obstacle looms in the form of Nokia, which controls 40 percent of the handset market and relies on Symbian, a proprietary operating system it partially owns.

"LiMo is just a group of people trying to create an alternative to Symbian and Microsoft. But Microsoft gets out to more phones and has a bigger development community," said Strand.

Antivirus software maker McAfee is eager to be on the ground floor of an operating system with LiMo, never having done that with a computer platform.

"This is a unique opportunity for us to be involved from day one. We've been half a step behind the bad guys, now we can be half a step ahead," said Victor Kouznetsov, senior vice president for McAfee's mobile security solutions.

Data protection is increasingly important on mobile phones as Internet applications become more prominent, and the trend has already taken off in Asia, Kouznetsov said.

Martin Cooper, the CEO of wireless company ArrayComm Inc. and an early developer of mobile phone technology, agreed that collaboratives will help developers create more new applications. But he said barriers remain to the digital revolution – chiefly the cost of data transmission.

"Digital was supposed to change our lives. It hasn't happened yet," Cooper said. "I'm here to say that the revolution has started. It will take a long time. Believe it or not, revolution takes about a generation. This generation has started now."

[Sadikk 301]

I dont like to see new OSs coming to the market, but from google its always welcome.

As older OS are getting more advance, and most important supporting maximum third party softwares.

Lets see what google will offer.

[HetalDP 947]

New Features and Videos Available

http://code.google.com/android

[kshah 452]

google will surely try to break monopoly of MS. MacOS with its stupid initial policy probably will not survive longer.

http://www.openhandsetalliance.com/oha_members.html shows that sony and nokia are not there means it will pitch itself against Symbian too.

Edited March 9, 2008 by kshah

[HetalDP 947]

Nokia have never tried for Windows or anyother OS Except Symbian

Sony have Tried Generic JAVA, Symbian and Windows The Latest Xerpia is on Windows with Wide VGA Format and Revolutionary Touch screen software.

Anyway that dont stop the World from Moving Ahead Samsung, LG and Motorla were Batting on Linux Core but was not that Suceffull but After android, Open Market Software across the Models and Manufacture will be upper hand for such Manufacturer in fact All Chineese Handset Company will benefit most from Android as it is free and anybody can use it, We can see 4 to 5 Flavor of Android runnning and all Major Manufacture will also add Goodies and Some addon Utilities to suit the Consumer. Nokia and SE is not Member but they can join any time.

No Bother I have Full trust on Google and this is be a Hit !!!

[kshah 452]

I think nokia and SE will keep on pushing symbian as symbian too is open source.

But might of google more than a might it is fear of google is bigger.

Moto could not succeed in Linux coz it tried to make it like non open source and had lot many bugs.

Chinese who cares? do they pay royalty to MS? There are many unknown WM6 manufacturer who never pays any fees to any one.

[Honest 836]

Android Ahoy!

Yesterday, Google introduced the world to Android capabilities at the Google I/O Conference held in San Francisco. For those who don't know, Android is the Open Handset Alliance's mobile software platform.

At the conference, an Android-enabled device featuring touch-screen functionality, advanced graphical capabilities, as well as Internet access was demonstrated. Undoubtedly, the mentioned features sound very similar to those of the iPhone... However, with Android, the company is seeking to extend the browser to hand-held devices; a feature that currently only the iPhone offers.

The audience at the conference was shown a view of a street from an Android system as also a demonstration of the Pac-Man video game. Google also demonstrated Android's zooming capabilities, a compass mode, site navigation, and access to Google Maps.

Since Google sells Internet-based ads, applications, appliances, and license fees; it will be able to do the same by bringing the Internet to hand-held devices. With an Android SDK (software development kit) already available, the first Android systems are expected in the latter half of this year.

[Honest 836]

Android Developers Upset With Google

The third-party software developer community for Google's Linux-based Android seems to be very upset with the Internet giant over the absence of public software development kit (SDK) updates. The reason behind this not just the regular lack of update but also lack of transparency.

In fact, Nicolas Gramlich, the operator of AndDev.org - an online Android developer forum has gone ahead and filed a petition on Google's official Android discussion platform complaining about the lack of updates, lack of communication and unresolved bugs. "I'm starting this petition, to express my personal frustration about the release cycles and the information policy of the Android SDK. Before m5 we were waiting about 2 months, now we are waiting almost 4 months! Partially the SDK is buggy (i.e.: the MediaPlayer) and features like built-in Geocoding are not working," wrote Gramlich.

This petition has received support from various other third-party developers expressing similar frustration and concern over the SDK updates.

Just to add to this problem, now there are reports saying that Google is making the new versions of the SDK secretly available to the Android Developer Challenge (ADC) finalists under a non-disclosure agreement.

This news was leaked when David McLaughlin, an employee at Google accidentally sent a notification of a new SDK release to a public Android mailing list. The message, which was intended only for ADC Round Two entrants, says that SDK build 84853 is available through the private ADC download site. A detailed report on the same is available on Ars Technica.

Amidst this avalanche of unofficial communication comes a defiant note from Jean-Baptiste Queru, an Android engineer at Google. Queru has said, "We (the Google Android team) are very much focusing on playing our part in getting an Android device on the shelves as soon as we possibly can, and that focus comes at the expense of other tasks, like getting an SDK out.

Courtesy : Techtree

[vishalsheth 19]

Nokia have never tried for Windows or anyother OS Except Symbian

Sony have Tried Generic JAVA, Symbian and Windows The Latest Xerpia is on Windows with Wide VGA Format and Revolutionary Touch screen software.

Anyway that dont stop the World from Moving Ahead Samsung, LG and Motorla were Batting on Linux Core but was not that Suceffull but After android, Open Market Software across the Models and Manufacture will be upper hand for such Manufacturer in fact All Chineese Handset Company will benefit most from Android as it is free and anybody can use it, We can see 4 to 5 Flavor of Android runnning and all Major Manufacture will also add Goodies and Some addon Utilities to suit the Consumer. Nokia and SE is not Member but they can join any time.

No Bother I have Full trust on Google and this is be a Hit !!!

Nokia was thinking of getting palm os, but later they fropped the idea.

[vishalsheth 19]

I think nokia and SE will keep on pushing symbian as symbian too is open source.

But might of google more than a might it is fear of google is bigger.

Moto could not succeed in Linux coz it tried to make it like non open source and had lot many bugs.

Chinese who cares? do they pay royalty to MS? There are many unknown WM6 manufacturer who never pays any fees to any one.

I hear that Nokia has bought over Symbian.

[vishalsheth 19]

Is anyone from here is going or making something on Android? A few suggestions.

Let the OS be sturdy like palm os.

Contact options like ppc. when synced with outlook, a 12 fields are available on phone from the telephone field plus email fields and im fields.

sms options like nokia communicator. it has the option to send sms immi, at a particular date and time(sms schedular).

It should be able run WM5/6 files, Palm OS files.

These are my ideas. I don't know how far they would come true.