What is Android?What is Android?Android is a software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middleware and key applications. This beta version of the Android SDK provides the tools and APIs necessary to begin developing applications on the Android platform using the Java programming languageThe information was taken from this website, please click here to start learning more about Android Language.
http://code.google.com/android/what-is-android.htmlAndroid is a software platform and operating system for mobile devices, based on the Linux kernel, developed by Google and later the Open Handset Alliance.[2] It allows developers to write managed code in the Java language, controlling the device via Google-developed Java libraries.[3] Applications written in C and other languages can be compiled to ARM native code and run, but this development path is not officially supported by Google.[4][5]
The unveiling of the Android platform on 5 November 2007 was announced with the founding of the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of 48 hardware, software, and telecom companies devoted to advancing open standards for mobile devices.[6][7] Google released most of the Android code under the Apache license, a free-software and open source license.[8]
Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 Open Handset Alliance founded
1.2 Open source
2 Features
3 Hardware products running Android
3.1 Released
3.1.1 HTC Dream
3.2 Forthcoming
3.3 Postponed
3.4 Aftermarket installations
4 Software development
4.1 Software development kit
4.2 Android Developer Challenge
4.3 Native code
4.3.1 Native code on the T-Mobile G1
4.4 Updates
5 Restrictions
[edit] History
Alternative logo.In July 2005, Google acquired Android, Inc., a small startup company based in Palo Alto, CA, USA.[9] Android's co-founders who went to work at Google included Andy Rubin (co-founder of Danger[10]), Rich Miner (co-founder of Wildfire Communications, Inc.[11]), Nick Sears (once VP at T-Mobile[12]), and Chris White (one of the first engineers at WebTV[citation needed]). At the time, little was known about the functions of Android, Inc. other than that they made software for mobile phones.[9] This began rumors that Google was planning to enter the mobile phone market, although it was unclear what function it might perform in that market.[citation needed]
At Google, the team, led by Rubin, developed a Linux-based mobile device OS which they marketed to handset makers and carriers on the premise of providing a flexible, upgradeable system.[citation needed] It was reported that Google had already lined up a series of hardware component and software partners and signaled to carriers that it was open to various degrees of cooperation on their part.[13][14][15]
Android at Googleplex.More speculation that Google would be entering the mobile-phone market came in December 2006.[16] Reports from the BBC and The Wall Street Journal noted that Google wanted its search and applications on mobile phones and it was working hard to deliver that. Print and online media outlets soon reported rumors that Google was developing a Google-branded handset.[17] More speculation followed reporting that as Google was defining technical specifications, it was showing prototypes to cell phone manufacturers and network operators. As many as 30 prototype phones were reported to be operating "in the wild."[18]
In September 2007, InformationWeek covered an Evalueserve study reporting that Google had filed several patent applications in the area of mobile telephony.[19][20]
[edit] Open Handset Alliance founded
Main article: Open Handset Alliance
"Today's announcement is more ambitious than any single 'Google Phone' that the press has been speculating about over the past few weeks. Our vision is that the powerful platform we're unveiling will power thousands of different phone models."
—-Eric Schmidt, Google Chairman/CEO[2]
On 5 November 2007, the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of several companies which include Google, HTC, Intel, Motorola, Qualcomm, T-Mobile, Sprint Nextel and NVIDIA, was unveiled with the goal to develop open standards for mobile devices.[2] Along with the formation of the Open Handset Alliance, the OHA also unveiled their first product, Android, a mobile device platform built on the Linux kernel version 2.6.[2]
On 9 December 2008, it was announced that 14 new members would be joining the Android project including: Sony Ericsson, Vodafone Group Plc, ARM Holdings Plc, Asustek Computer Inc, Toshiba Corp and Garmin Ltd.[21][22]
Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt took some time in the official press release to dispel all previous rumors and speculation about the existence of a stand-alone Google phone.[2]
[edit] Open source
Since 21 Oct 2008, Android has been available as open source. Google opened the entire source code (including network and telephony stacks[23]), which had previously been unavailable, under an Apache license.[24]
With Apache License, vendors are free to add proprietary extensions without submitting those back to the open source community. While Google's contributions to this platform are expected to remain open-sourced, the branches could explode using varieties of licenses.
Android had been criticized for not being all open-source software despite what was announced by Google. Parts of the SDK are proprietary and closed source and some believe this is so that Google can control the platform.[25][26][27][28] The Android Software Development Kit License Agreement[29] states that:
3.2 You agree that Google (or Google's licensors) own all legal right, title and interest in and to the SDK, including any intellectual property rights which subsist in the SDK. Use, reproduction and distribution of components of the SDK licensed under an open source software license are governed solely by the terms of that open source software license and not by this License Agreement. Until the SDK is released under an open source license, you may not extract the source code or create a derivative work of the SDK.
However, Google has since announced that all parts of the OS will be released under the Apache License where applicable and under the GPL elsewhere.[citation needed]
This section requires expansion with:
Is all that is needed to use the platform on a custom hardware open? Mention about DVM,HAL,...
[edit] Features
A possible home screen of Android.Current features and specifications:[30][31]
Handset layouts The platform is adaptable to larger, VGA, 2D graphics library, 3D graphics library based on OpenGL ES 1.0 specifications, and traditional smartphone layouts.
Storage The Database Software SQLite is used for data storage purposes
Connectivity Android supports connectivity technologies including GSM/EDGE, CDMA, EV-DO, UMTS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.
Messaging SMS and MMS are available forms of messaging including threaded text messaging.
Web browser Main article: WebKit
The web browser available in Android is based on the open-source WebKit application framework.
Dalvik virtual machine Software written in Java can be compiled into Dalvik bytecodes and executed in the Dalvik virtual machine, which is a specialized VM implementation designed for mobile device use, although not technically a standard Java Virtual Machine.
Media support Android supports the following audio/video/still media formats: MPEG-4, H.264, MP3, AAC, OGG, AMR, JPEG, PNG, GIF.
Additional hardware support Android can utilize video/still cameras, touchscreens, GPS, accelerometers, and accelerated 3D graphics.
Development environment Includes a device emulator, tools for debugging, memory and performance profiling, a plugin for the Eclipse IDE.
Market Main article: Android Market
Similar to the App Store on the iPhone, The Android Market is a catalog of applications that can be downloaded and installed to target hardware over-the-air, without the use of a PC. Originally only freeware applications were supported. Paid-for apps have been available on Android Market since 19 February 2009.[32]
Multi-touch Android has native support for multi-touch but the feature is disabled (possibly to avoid infringing Apple patents on touch-screen technology[33]). An unofficial mod has been developed that enables multi-touch.[34]
[edit] Hardware products running Android
Several manufacturers have expressed interest in implementing the Android platform.
[edit] Released
[edit] HTC Dream
Main article: HTC Dream
HTC Dream (T-Mobile G1)The HTC Dream (also marketed as T-Mobile G1, Era G1 in Poland) is the first phone to the market that uses the Android platform.[35][36] The phone is part of an open standards effort of the Open Handset Alliance.[37] It was released in the US on October 22, 2008, in the UK on October 30, 2008,[38] in the Netherlands and the Czech Republic on January 31, 2009,[39], Poland on February 23, 2009 and will be available in other countries including Singapore, Australia, France and Germany in early 2009.[40][41][42][43]
[edit] Forthcoming
In September 2008, Motorola confirmed that it was working on hardware products that would run Android.[44]
Huawei plans to release the a phone that would run Android on T-Mobile. This date however is not set until after June of 2009.[45]
Archos is planning to launch a new device, which would combine significant media capabilities with an Android operating system.[46]
Lenovo is working on an Android-based mobile phone that supports the Chinese 3G TD-SCDMA standard.[47]
HTC is planning a "portfolio" of Android based phones to be released summer of 2009,[48] including the HTC Magic, unveiled on 17 February 2009 at the 2009 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The HTC Magic will be released with the "Cupcake" build[49] with a debut on May 1.[50]
Sony Ericsson is planning to release an Android based handset in the summer of 2009.[51]
Samsung plans to release a phone based on Google's Android operating system in June of 2009 with several more to come in the following months.[52]
GiiNii Movit Mini is a Internet device based on Google's Android operating system.[53]
Acer is rumored to be releasing phones called the L1, C1, E1, F1, and A1(unconfirmed) late in 2009.[54]
[edit] Postponed
Kogan Technologies, an Australian technology manufacturer, has announced Android-compatible handsets: the Kogan Agora and Kogan Agora Pro. These handsets were scheduled to be released on 29 January 2009. In mid-January 2009, Kogan announced that the release of the Agora handsets has been delayed indefinitely.[55]
[edit] Aftermarket installations
Some users have been able (with some amount of hacking, and with limited functionality) to install Android on mobile devices shipped with other OSes:
The Openmoko phones (Neo FreeRunner and Neo 1973) have limited support since Google's release of the Android source code on 21 October 2008.[56] As of 4 November 2008 (2008 -11-04)[update], the whole source stack compiles, with the kernel, user interface and most applications working, but telephony, SMS, suspend/resume and wifi, which rely on lower level hardware features, are not fully working.[57][58] In early 2009 Cupcake images were demonstrated and available as flashable images.[59]
Motorola A1200 Ming[60]
HTC Vogue[61]
HTC Touch Diamond: not all functions work (including Wifi)[62][citation needed]
HTC Touch Pro[citation needed]
Nokia N810[63][64]
Nokia 770[65]
Asus EEEPC 701[66]
Asus EEEPC 1000H[67]
Touch Book from Always Innovating[68]
Dell Axim x51v [69]
[edit] Software development
Early Android device.The early feedback on developing applications for the Android platform was mixed.[70] Issues cited include bugs, lack of documentation, inadequate QA infrastructure, and no public issue-tracking system. (Google announced an issue tracker on 18 January 2008.)[71] In December 2007, MergeLab mobile startup founder Adam MacBeth stated, "Functionality is not there, is poorly documented or just doesn't work... It's clearly not ready for prime time."[72] Despite this, Android-targeted applications began to appear already the week after the platform was announced. The first publicly available application was the Snake game.[73][74] The Android Dev Phone is a SIM-unlocked and hardware-unlocked device that is designed for advanced developers. While developers can use regular consumer devices purchased at retail to test and use their apps, some developers may choose not to use a retail device, preferring an unlocked or no-contract device.[75]
Source: Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_android
