Android Application Development in 24 Hours, Sams Teach Yourself, 3rd Edition

About

Features

• Now fully updated: the easy, full-color step-by-step tutorial for everyone who wants to write apps for the newest Android phones and tablets
• Hands-on introduction to Android programming, fully updated for major platform changes, including the newest Android SDK
• Readers write their first app on "Day 1," then master each new concept through carefully-explained code
• Covers everything from user interfaces to location-based services, social networking, polishing applications, and publishing via Android Market

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Description

• Copyright 2014
• Edition: 3rd

• Book
• ISBN-10: 0-672-33444-5
• ISBN-13: 978-0-672-33444-3

In just 24 sessions of one hour or less, learn how to build powerful apps for the world’s most popular mobile platform: Android 4.3. Using this book’s straightforward, step-by-step approach, you’ll build complete Android 4.3 apps from the ground up as you master the skills you need to design, develop, test, and publish powerful solutions. Extensively updated for Android’s newest features and tools, every lesson builds on what you’ve already learned, giving you a rock-solid foundation for real-world success!

Highlights of this new Third Edition include:

• Extensive new coverage: fragments, action bar, SQLite, content providers, Facebook SDK, and more
• Practical guidance on developing for multiple Android versions
• How to use open source projects to simplify Android development
• New topic-focused structure with at least one complete project in nearly every chapter

Register your book at informit.com/register to gain access to the Bonus KitKat chapter online.

Learn how to…

• Quickly set up your development environment and create Android projects
• Use Android layouts and fragments  to create apps that look great on phones, tablets, and even TVs
• Develop intuitive user interfaces using Android controls
• Access the cloud and retrieve data using the Flickr API
• Create a full-blown app that parses JSON, stores metadata, and
  displays Flickr images
• Use a SQLite database and content providers to create responsive, data-driven apps
• Write social apps using the Facebook Android SDK
• Use contact and calendar data
• Build location-based apps using LocationManager APIs or the new Google Play Location Services
• Internationalize your apps
• Work with media and cameras
• Use open-source libraries to add “finishing touches”
• Package and publish apps to Google Play and other app stores

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Downloads

Downloads

Download free code files for Android Application Development in 24 Hours here

Please visit the blog associated with this title at http://www.talkingandroid.com

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Sample Content

Online Sample Chapter

Android Media Basics: Images, Audio, and Video

Sample Pages

Download the sample pages (includes Chapter 21 and Index)

Table of Contents

Preface    xiv

New in the Third Edition    xiv

Who This Book Is For    xv

How This Book Is Organized    xv

Part I: Getting Started

HOUR 1: Getting Started: Creating a Simple App    3

Setting Up Your Development Environment    3

Instantly Creating a Simple App    6

Understanding the Java Code and XML Layout    10

Running the App    11

Personalizing the App    13

Summary    17

Q&A    17

Workshop    18

Exercise    18

HOUR 2: Understanding an Android Activity    19

Understanding an Activity    19

Starting an Activity    20

Passing Information Between Activities    28

Understanding Intents    34

Understanding the Activity Lifecycle    38

Summary    41

Q&A    41

Workshop    42

Exercises     42

HOUR 3: Exploring an Android Project and Resources    43

Exploring the Android Project Files    43

Understanding Common Resources    47

Summary    57

Q&A    57

Workshop    57

Exercises     58

HOUR 4: Not Just Smartphones: Supporting Tablets, TVs, and More    59

A Brief History of Android    59

Handling Device Display and Orientation    60

Device Features    67

Platform Versions and the Compatibility Package    68

Launching Apps on a Device    72

Summary    74

Q&A    74

Workshop    75

Exercises     75

Part II: User Interface

HOUR 5: Using Layouts    79

Getting Started with Layouts    79

More Layout Basics with LinearLayout    84

Laying Out Child Views    86

FrameLayout    89

RelativeLayout    89

Summary    91

Q&A    92

Workshop    92

Exercises     93

HOUR 6: Working with Basic UI Controls    95

Setting Up the Demo App    95

Using Input Controls    98

Using Controls with Adapters    104

ProgressBars and SeekBars    107

ImageViews    110

Summary    111

Q&A    111

Workshop    112

Exercise    112

HOUR 7: ActionBar and Menu Navigation    113

Understanding the Options Menu    113

Using the Action Bar    120

Strategies for Using the ActionBar and Menus    124

Summary    125

Q&A    125

Workshop    126

Exercises    126

HOUR 8: Activities and Fragments    127

Using Fragments Across UIs    127

Creating and Displaying Fragments    128

Using Fragments for Navigation    132

Fragment and Activity Interaction    136

Summary    139

Q&A    139

Workshop    139

Exercises    140

HOUR 9: Alert! Working with Dialogs    141

Understanding a Dialog Fragment    141

Dialogs for Picking Date and Time    145

Using Alert Dialogs    151

Summary    155

Q&A    156

Workshop    156

Exercise    156

HOUR 10: Lists, Grids, Galleries, and Flippers    157

ListFragments    157

Grids and Galleries    162

Using an AdapterViewFlipper    166

Options for Paging Controls    167

Summary    168

Q&A    169

Workshop    169

Exercise    169

HOUR 11: App Setting: Managing Preferences    171

Using SharedPreferences    171

Setting User Preferences    174

Summary    185

Q&A    185

Workshop    186

Exercise    186

Part III: Data Access and Use

HOUR 12: Accessing the Cloud: Working with a Remote API    189

Fetching Remote Data    190

Using and Parsing JSON-Formatted Data    194

Putting the Pieces Together    197

Checking Connectivity    202

Summary    203

Q&A    203

Workshop    203

Exercise    204

HOUR 13: Using SQLite and File Storage    205

Organizing a Database with Tables    205

Managing Data with SQLiteOpenHelper    206

Adding, Updating, and Deleting Data    209

Querying Data and Using Cursors    212

Using a Database in the App    215

Saving an Image File    218

Summary    224

Q&A    224

Workshop    225

Exercises    225

HOUR 14: Creating a Content Provider    227

Using a URI for Data Retrieval    227

Building a Content Provider    228

Using FlickrPhotoProvider in the App    236

Requesting a File from a Content Provider    237

Summary    242

Q&A    242

Workshop    243

Exercises    243

HOUR 15: Loaders, CursorLoaders, and CustomAdapters    245

How Loaders Work    245

Loader Classes    246

Understanding Loader States    246

Creating Custom Adapters    253

Summary    257

Q&A    257

Workshop    258

Exercise    258

HOUR 16: Developing a Complete App    259

Determining App Functionality    259

Developing the App    263

Summary    278

Q&A    278

Workshop    278

Exercise    279

Part IV: Special Topics

HOUR 17: Contacts and Calendar: Accessing Device Data    283

All About the Calendar    283

Understanding Contacts    294

Summary    297

Q&A    297

Workshop    298

Exercise    298

HOUR 18: Where Are We? Working with Location-Based Services    299

Determining Location    299

Using Geocoding Services    306

Using the Geo Intent    309

Additional Location Features    311

Using Google Play Services    312

Summary    315

Q&A    316

Workshop    316

Exercise    316

HOUR 19: Bonjour, World! Localizing Your Apps    317

General Internationalization Principles    317

Working with Localization with Android    318

Handling Locales with Android    319

Using Applications to Handle Locales    320

Android Internationalization Strategies    323

Using Localization Utilities    326

Summary    327

Q&A    327

Workshop    327

Exercises    328

HOUR 20: Say Cheese! Working with Cameras    329

Capturing Media    329

Using Intents to Take Photos and Videos    332

Developing a Camera App    338

Summary    345

Q&A    346

Workshop    346

Exercise    346

HOUR 21: Media Basics: Images, Audio, and Video    347

Examining the ImageView Control    347

Bitmaps and Canvas    353

Using VideoViews    357

Playing Audio with MediaPlayer    361

Exploring More Media Options    362

Summary    362

Q&A    362

Workshop    363

Exercise    363

HOUR 22: Using the Facebook SDK    365

About Facebook    365

Setting Up for Facebook Development    366

Using the Facebook SDK in a Project    370

Developing a Facebook Photo Upload App    373

Facebook SDK Features    378

Creating Libraries for Your Own Projects    379

Summary    379

Q&A    380

Workshop    380

Exercise    380

Part V: Wrapping Up

HOUR 23: Pro Tips, Finishing Touches, and Next Steps    383

Responsive Apps: Using IntentService    383

Adding Animation    388

Using Open Source    391

Digging Deeper into Android    392

Summary    397

Q&A    397

Workshop    397

Exercise    398

HOUR 24: Publishing Your Apps 399

Preparing for Release    399

Publishing Your App    405

Monetizing Your App    409

Summary    410

Q&A    410

Workshop    410

Exercise    411

Index 413

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