Pro Android 4

Pro Android 4 shows you how to build real-world and fun mobile apps using the new Android SDK 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), which unifies Gingerbread for smartphones, Honeycomb for tablets and augments further with Google TV and more. This Android 4 book updates the best selling Pro Android 3 and covers everything from the fundamentals of building apps for embedded devices, smartphones, and tablets to advanced concepts such as custom 3D components, multi-tasking, sensors/augmented reality, better accessories support and much more. Using the tutorials and expert advice, you'll quickly be able to build cool mobile apps and run them on dozens of Android-based smartphones. You'll explore and use the Android APIs, including those for media and sensors. And you'll check out what's new with Android 4, including the improved user interface across all Android platforms, integration with services, and more. After reading this definitive tutorial and reference, you gain the knowledge and experience to create stunning, cutting-edge Android 4 apps that can make you money, while keeping you agile enough to respond to changes in the future. What you’ll learn How to use Android 4 to build Java-based mobile apps for Android smartphones and tablets How to build irresistible standard and custom User Interfaces and User Experiences (UI and UX) across Android devices How to populate your application with data from data sources, using Content Providers How to build multimedia and game apps using Android's media APIs How to use Android's location-based services, network-based services, and security How to use new Android features, such as Fragments and the ActionBar Who this book is for This book is for professional software engineers and programmers looking to move their ideas and applications into the mobile space with Android. It assumes a passable understanding of Java, including how to write classes and handle basic inheritance structures. Table of Contents Introducing the Android Computing Platform Setting up Your Development Environment Understanding Resources Understanding Content Providers Understanding Intents Building User Interfaces and Using Controls Adding Menus Fragments Dialogs: Regular and Fragment Action Bar Advanced Debugging and Analysis Responding to Configuration Changes Working with Preferences and Saving State Security and Permissions Working with Services Exploring Packages, Processes, and Library Projects Exploring Processes, Components, Threads, and Handlers Advanced Async Task Exploring Broadcast Receivers and Long Running Services Exploring the Alarm Manager Unveiling 2D Animation Exploring Maps and Location Services Using the Telephony APIs Understanding the Media Frameworks Home Screen Widgets Home Screen List Widgets Android Search User Experience Drag and Drop Using Sensors Understanding the Contacts API Deploying your Application: Android Market and Beyond