Android - An Introduction
Posted on December 7th, 2007 | by Timba |
Before the Android was unveiled, there was a rumor that Google was going to release a Gphone. I equally believed it and thought it was going to be the death of a number of phone manufacturers. I knew little that what Google had in mind was a destruction - total annihilation!
Introducing the Android - simply put, the Android is a fully integrated mobile “software stack” consisting of an operating system, middleware, a user-friendly interface and applications. Think of it as the next generation mobile software platform. This will not be possible except for the Open Handset Alliance consisting of thirty-four companies - handset manufacturers, service providers and software companies. Consumers are expected to see the first Android-powered phones as from the second-half of 2008.
What’s more interesting about Android is that the platform is readily available for developers to use in developing the next killer mobile application. You do not have to wait until the platform is available of mobile phones to begin developing applications. The platform comes with an emulator that gives you (nearly) all the functionality of a mobile phone with which to test your applications.
You’ll realize that the mobile phone has become rather ubiquitous. Mobile phone users globally approaches 3 billion. A common platform like the Android comes at an advantage to developers who go through the headache of having to develop several versions of a particular application in order to get them to work across several handsets and handset manufacturers. This subsequently increases the cost of development and one of the advantages of a platform like Android is that it eliminates this extra cost by having a common platform on which applications are built to run.
I’m so excited about this technology especially with the potential it brings for third-world countries. We get an opportunity to develop indigenous solutions to our problems. I can only wait to see the sort of applications developers are going to write.
Better still, Google’s giving away $10 million to the best applications that are built using this platform. Developers, arise! This is a chance to make a difference in the world!
You can download the SDK from http://code.google.com/android/
You can also learn more about the Android platform, get sample codes and interact with other developers on the discussion groups and the wiki.
One Response to “Android - An Introduction”
By Iman on Mar 7, 2008 | Reply
Android is going 2 revolution da mobile industry. what google is doing is really innovative, they are affecting peoples live in a positive way both developers and netizens. The ve given us da power 2 do more, cuz de know we are the furure and we drive change. so guys go start sumthings. lets show de world what we can do.Let sum smart dudes come 2gether and create sumthing, Who knows dey culd sweep da whole prize.