Android, No-cost Development Platform

The last post on my current project already teasered the next step: taking it mobile. Considering the fact that I was programming the algorithm in Java, you might have concluded that it was going to be an Android application. If you did, you’re right.

It could have been a Java ME application, but developing Java ME applications is like opening a big can of worms. It’s not pretty. The standard is so diverted and the proprietary extensions are so different, it has become terrible to create and support a Java ME app. So Android it is.

There are a few things why you might want to get started with Android

1. It’s backed up by Google. You might like or dislike their (almost) search monopoly, but this means they have loads of cash and knowledge to put behind this platform.
2. It’s Java. You’re either going to love or hate this one.
3. And the big one for me: It’s completely free. The development kit is free and the documentation is free. Furthermore, the documentation is fairly comprehensive and clear. So you won’t need to buy yet another book that will be dated in a month. Unless you really don’t want to screenread.

The main drawback: It’s only available on a limited number of phones and there’s a lot to read and understand to get started. Not everything seems intuitive or the right choice (XML layout and the resource management) but there’s probably a pretty good reason for all of those.

In conclusion, if you know Java, Android is probably the way to go if you want to create mobile applications. Keeping in mind that the platform still has to prove itself.

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