Android in Action [Paperback]

Frank Ableson (Author), Robi Sen (Author), Chris King (Author), C. Enrique Ortiz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 17, 2011 | ISBN-10: 1617290505 | ISBN-13: 978-1617290503 | Edition: Third Edition

Summary

Android in Action, Third Edition is a comprehensive tutorial for Android developers. This fast-paced book puts you in the driver's seat -- you'll master the SDK, build WebKit apps using HTML 5, and even learn to extend or replace Android's built-in features by building useful and intriguing examples.

About the Technology

When it comes to mobile apps, Android can do almost anything, and with this book, so can you! Android, Google's popular mobile operating system and SDK for tablets and smart phones, is the broadest mobile platform available. It is Java-based, HTML5-aware, and loaded with the features today's mobile users demand.

About this Book

Android in Action, Third Edition takes you far beyond "Hello Android." You'll master the SDK, build WebKit apps using HTML 5, and even learn to extend or replace Android's built-in features. You'll find interesting examples on every page as you explore cross-platform graphics with RenderScript, the updated notification system, and the Native Development Kit. This book also introduces important tablet concepts like drag-and-drop, fragments, and the Action Bar, all new in Android 3.

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.

What's Inside

• Covers Android 3.x
• SDK and WebKit development from the ground up
• Driving a robot with Bluetooth and sensors
• Image processing with Native C code

This book is written for hobbyists and developers. A background in Java is helpful. No prior experience with Android is assumed.

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Table of Contents

PART 1 WHAT IS ANDROID? THE BIG PICTURE

1. Introducing Android
2. Android's development environment

PART 2 EXERCISING THE ANDROID SDK

3. User interfaces
4. Intents and Services
5. Storing and retrieving data
6. Networking and web services
7. Telephony
8. Notifications and alarms
9. Graphics and animation
10. Multimedia
11. 1Location, location, location

PART 3 ANDROID APPLICATIONS

12. Putting Android to work in a field service application
13. Building Android applications in C

PART 4 THE MATURING PLATFORM

14. Bluetooth and sensors
15. Integration
16. Android web development
17. AppWidgets
18. Localization
19. Android Native Development Kit
20. Activity fragments
21. Android 3.0 action bar
22. Drag-and-drop

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Frank Ableson is active in the mobile software marketplace, working with leading mobile companies including Handango, Airtime Management, and UnwiredTools.

Robi Sen is a Managing Partner at Twin Technologies LLC, where he spends most of his time helping deliver next-generation Rich Internet Applications to Twin Technologies customers.

Chris King is a senior mobile engineer.

C. Enrique Ortiz is a long-time mobile technologist, developer, and author.

Product Details

• Paperback: 664 pages
• Publisher: Manning Publications; Third Edition edition (November 17, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1617290505
• ISBN-13: 978-1617290503
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 1.3 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #578,511 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a co-founder of Velos Mobile and have worked on mobile platforms for almost my entire career. Over the years I've written a variety of embedded and downloadable apps, including text and MMS messaging software, lifestyle apps, an app store, music-streaming apps, a video-exploration app, and other fun projects. I've developed on most mobile platforms at one time or another, but these days I focus on Android. When I'm not programming or writing, I enjoy reading, baking, cycling, and hiking around the San Francisco Bay Area.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars disappointed ... May 16, 2013

By Rer

Format:Paperback

Manning's action series had many good/classics, but this is not one of them, even this is the 3rd editions now. Here is why.

- android development is bounded, similar to servlet. Each piece needs to fit the lifecycle. So the presentation of the material needs to make clear the "web" of the connections. The rigid presentation and code segment make it difficult to see how the pieces are connected. This book often mention concept without clear explanations, or it referes it far back, reads more like an afterthought.

- missing code: the chapter talks about SQLite, without actual sample code distributed. I saw a message in so-called and much touted Author's forum asking for it, but there is no reply whatsoever for couple of months. what good is it for author forum if the author(s) don't read it nor respond to it?

- write a subject without teaching - Multimedia is such a chapter: it suppose to teach you how to control the camera/audio/video and make a app out of it. There are a variety of important concept to understand such as SurfaceView, holder etc. to understand it. That chapter didn't provide ANY explanation for it. It give you a few segments of code, dotted with a few typical manning's 1,2,3 comments, that is it. There is absolutely no way to grasp it by reading it. I understand you can't be a master of every subjects. But by reading this chapter, I actually suspect if the authors really studied this particular component or whatnot.

All in all, I think most readers will get a better handle on the development by following along Google's online training and developer guide.

2.0 out of 5 stars Not for the beginner! July 27, 2012

By V. Jordan

Format:Paperback

I'm new to Android and I found this book to be convoluted and difficult. Maybe it's just me, or maybe Android is just very complex, but I'm looking for a book written for newbies now.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good September 6, 2012

By Dom Lima

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

It's a good book, but not well diagrammed. The code is not easy to understand because it is not endeed properly.
On the other hand, this is not a book for beginners. It assumes you have some knowledge.