Android in Practice

Summary

Android in Practice is a treasure trove of Android goodness, with over 90 tested, ready-to-use techniques including complete end-to-end example applications and practical tips for real world mobile application developers. Written by real world Android developers, this book addresses the trickiest questions raised in forums and mailing lists. Using an easy-to-follow problem/solution/discussion format, it dives into important topics not covered in other Android books, like advanced drawing and graphics, testing and instrumentation, building and deploying applications, and using alternative languages.

It's not hard to find the information you need to build your first Android app. Then what? If you want to build real apps, you will need some how-to advice, and that's what this book is about.

Android in Practice is a rich source of Android tips, tricks, and best practices, covering over 90 clever and useful techniques that will make you a more effective Android developer. Techniques are presented in an easy-to-read problem/solution/discussion format. The book dives into important topics like multitasking and services, testing and instrumentation, building and deploying applications, and using alternative languages.

Purchase of the print book comes with an offer of a free PDF, ePub, and Kindle eBook from Manning. Also available is all code from the book.

• Techniques covering Android 1.x to 3.x
• Android for tablets
• Working with threads and concurrency
• Testing and building
• Using location awareness and GPS
• Styles and themes

And much more!

This book requires a working knowledge of Java, but no prior experience with Android is assumed.

Source Code can be found at https://code.google.com/p/android-in-?practice/

PART 1 BACKGROUND AND FUNDAMENTALS

1. Introducing Android


2. Android application fundamentals


3. Managing lifecycle and state

PART 2 REAL WORLD RECIPES

4. Getting the pixels perfect
5. Managing background tasks with Services
6. Threads and concurrency
7. Storing data locally
8. Sharing data between apps
9. HTTP networking and web services
10. Location is everything
11. Appeal to the senses using multimedia
12. 2D and 3D drawing

PART 3 BEYOND STANDARD DEVELOPMENT

13. Testing and instrumentation
14. Build management
15. Developing for Android tablets

Charlie Collins is a mobile and web developer at MOVL, a contributor to several open source projects, and a coauthor of GWT in Practice and Unlocking Android.

Michael Galpin is a developer at Bump Technologies and worked on two of the most downloaded apps on the Android Market, Bump, and eBay Mobile.

Matthias Kaeppler is an Android and API engineer at Qype, and he created or maintains the Android open source projects Signpost, Droid-Fu, and Calculon.