Reading CNET this morning, they have a snippet on the new HTC Android phone that may be launched later this year, they call it the Lancaster.
Like the HTC Dream, this model comes with a slide-out keyboard, though the front looks similar to the design of the newer HTC Magic.
According to the specifications, it will come with HSDPA connectivity, Bluetooth, and a 3-megapixel camera, though rumour is that the display functionality is lacking, I hope this is not the case, as it would put it further behind the Iphone
Also, for those who have seen any details around the HTC Hero device, this phone hopes to have some of the social media capability.
I am sure we will see many more Android devices this year, which will hopefully boost Android as an OS for mobile devices.
After seeing a twitter post come up on my screen about google mapping the universe, I had to click and see what the fuss was about.
I was extremely impressed to find that google had used their Android mobile platform and the use of the compass, level, and GPS to create a program called Skymap (search for it on the android app market)
This lets you point your phone at the sky and using the data of location, level, and bearing it will tell you what constellations you are looking at…Now everyone can be an astronomer!
Check out the vid below or goto the blog site here
Android is a software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middleware and key applications. It is was devloped by Google to compete in the Mobile market along site Apple and Windows Mobile
As with many software applications for Mobile devices, Android provides a Software Development Kit (SDK) which provides the tools and APIs to develop applications to run on the Android platform.
The development language of choice for Android development is Java
Some Main 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
Andoird Architecture
Below is a diagram showing some of the main components that make up the Android operating system
Application Framework
Developers have full access to the same framework APIs used by the core applications which give Android I have found a unique openness in software development. The application architecture is designed to simplify the reuse of components; any application can publish its capabilities and any other application may then make use of those capabilities. This same mechanism allows components to be replaced by the user.
Underlying all applications is a set of services and systems, including:
A rich and extensible set of Views that can be used to build an application, including lists, grids, text boxes, buttons, and even an embeddable web browser
Content Providers that enable applications to access data from other applications (such as Contacts), or to share their own data
A Resource Manager, providing access to non-code resources such as localized strings, graphics, and layout files
A Notification Manager that enables all applications to display custom alerts in the status bar
An Activity Manager that manages the lifecycle of applications and provides a common navigation backstack
Most of the information on this page came from the Android Development site…a rich set of tools to set you on your way I strongly advise visiting it - Click Here
A great forum with some helpful tips and downloads can be found here, it also links very well to other sites – Click here
One more is a blog by someone called Jeffrey Sharkey (rumour has it now works for Google), he developed one of the top applications on the Android platform, and has some interesting tutorials and tips -Click Here
Microsoft Vs Google can be tiresome, the company I work for has Microsoft Exchange servers and I got myself a G1, do you think they built in an application to sync with Exchange servers….oh no!
They left it for 3rd party developes, blatantly waiting to see who produces the best product and then buying them out
Anyway enough ranting….My solution….
There are a few good clients out there, the main one currently (and is free) is MoxierMail, this does have some limitations, especially around secure Mail servers.
The one I am currently using and works really well is Touchdown by Nitrodesk
Touchdown
The only thing in the full version is around $30, but with the demo you can just recieve, you can’t send out, which is all I ever needed it for.
Coming soon though is the much anticipated Aardvark for Android, due later this year.
