I FIRST STARTED PLAYING WITH THE ANDROID SDK before it was offi cially released as version 1.0.
Back then, the tools were unpolished, the APIs in the SDK were unstable, and the documentation
was sparse. Fast-forward three and a half years, Android is now a formidable mobile operating
system, with a following no less impressive than the iPhone. Having gone through all the growing
pains of Android, I think now is the best time to start learning about Android programming — the
APIs have stabilized, and the tools have improved. One challenge remains, however: Getting started
is still an elusive goal for many. What’s more, Google has recently released their latest version of
the Android SDK — 4.0, a unifi ed mobile OS for both smartphones and tablets. The Android 4.0
SDK includes several new features for tablet developers, and understanding all these new features
requires some effort on the part of beginners.
It was with this challenge in mind that I was motivated to write this book, one that could benefi t
beginning Android programmers and enable them to write progressively more sophisticated applications.
As a book written to help jump-start beginning Android developers, it covers the necessary topics
in a linear manner so that you can build on your knowledge without being overwhelmed by the
details. I adopt the philosophy that the best way to learn is by doing — hence, the numerous Try It
Out sections in each chapter, which fi rst show you how to build something and then explain how
everything works. I have also taken this opportunity to further improve the previous edition of this
book, addressing feedback from readers and adding additional topics that are important to beginning
Android developers.
Although Android programming is a huge topic, my aim for this book is threefold: to get you started
with the fundamentals, to help you understand the underlying architecture of the SDK, and to
appreciate why things are done in certain ways. It is beyond the scope of any book to cover everything
under the sun related to Android programming, but I am confi dent that after reading this book (and
doing the exercises), you will be well equipped to tackle your next Android programming challenge.
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