Anybody can start building simple apps for the Android platform, and this book will show you how! Recently updated to include Android Kit Kat, Android Apps for Absolute Beginners, Second Edition takes you through the process of getting your first Android apps up and running using plain English and practical examples.
This book cuts through the fog of jargon and mystery that surrounds Android apps development, and gives you simple, step-by-step instructions to get you started.
Teaches Android application development in language anyone can understand, giving you the best possible start in Android development
Provides simple, step-by-step examples that make learning easy, allowing you to pick up the concepts without fuss
Offers clear code descriptions and layout so that you can get your apps running as soon as possible
This book is Android Kit Kat compliant, but is backwards compatible to most of the previous Android releases.
What you’ll learn
- Get yourself and your computer set up for Android apps development
- Use the Eclipse programming environment to make your Android development efficient and straightforward
- Follow steps in plain English to build simple apps and get them working immediately
- Style your application so that it appeals to potential users
- Make use of the Android’s touch screen
- Use shortcuts and cheat sheets to create apps the easy way
- Use the basics of Java and XML to move onto more advanced apps
Who this book is for
If you have a great idea for an Android app, but have never programmed before, then this book is for you. You don’t need to have any previous computer programming skills—as long as you have a desire to learn, and you know which end of the mouse is which, the world of Android apps development awaits!
Table of Contents
1. Setting Up Your Android App Development System
2. Configuring Your Android App Development System
3. An Introduction to the Android Application Development Platform
4. Introduction to XML: Defining an Android App, its Design, and Constants
5. Introduction to Java: Objects, Methods, Classes and Interfaces
6. Android Screen Design: Writing to the Display using Activity and View
7. Making Apps Interactive: Intents, Event Handling and Menus
8: Android UI Design: Using ViewGroup Layout Containers
9: Android Graphics Design: Making Your UI Designs Visual
10: Android Animation: Making Your UI Designs Animated
11: Digital Video: Streaming Video, MediaPlayer, MediaController class
12: Digital Audio: Providing Aural Feedback for UI Designs & SoundPool
13: Services and Threads: Background Processin
14: Content Providers: Providing Data to Application
15: Developing for Android Wearable Devices
16: Developing for Android Appliances
17: The Future of Android: 64-bit Android 5.0
18: Appendix A: Audio Concepts, Terminology, and Codecs
