Android operating system: Difference between revisions

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== Introduction ==


{{quotation|Android is Google's operating system for mobile devices based on ARM architecture. It is a competitor to the Symbian platform, Apple's iOS for the iPhone and Microsoft's Windows Mobile and Windows Phone for mobile devices all based on ARM architecture. Technologically, Android includes middleware and key applications, and uses a modified version of the Linux kernel}} ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_%28operating_system%29 Wikipedia]).
{{quotation|Android is Google's operating system for mobile devices based on ARM architecture. It is a competitor to the Symbian platform, Apple's iOS for the iPhone and Microsoft's Windows Mobile and Windows Phone for mobile devices all based on ARM architecture. Technologically, Android includes middleware and key applications, and uses a modified version of the Linux kernel}} ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_%28operating_system%29 Wikipedia]).
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Version 2.1 includes
Version 2.1 includes


* WIFI support
* WIFI and WiMaX support
* Be able to turn data download off when roaming, vendors typically only offer free data download schemes for the resident country :(
* Be able to turn data download off when roaming, vendors typically only offer free data download schemes for the resident country :(
* USB PC connectivity
* USB PC connectivity
Line 33: Line 35:


Android does have a central applications store like the iPhone, i.e. the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_Market Android Market], but you may install anything you like by your own.
Android does have a central applications store like the iPhone, i.e. the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_Market Android Market], but you may install anything you like by your own.
There are


=== Useful must-have applications ===
To promote Android, Google initiated the [http://code.google.com/android/adc/adc_gallery/ Android Developer Challenge]
 
=== The AndrGIAP  genèveoid Market ===
 
An Android mobile includes an Android client. It has some deficiencies:
* The category system isn't good enough (about 18 categories)
* Search doesn't offer completion
* you only can see comments from "your" market
* It's a pain to enter credit card information with google checkout. There ought to be some paypal-like facility.
 
The [http://www.android.com/ official web site] is also fairly useless for finding and evaluating software, e.g. user comments are not included and there is no search facility.
 
There I suggest goin through other web sites, see [ below].
 
=== Useful applications ===
(not complete at all, does not include standard stuff like default browser, e-mail client, MP3 manager, etc.)
 
=== Phone management ===
 
; Advanced Task Killer
 
=== Office ===
 
* Astrid - Todo list manager
* [http://weloveastrid.com/ home page]
 
=== Maps and GPS ===
 
; Google Earth
 
; Maverick
* GPS and location sharing tool
 
; Share Your Board
* capturing, processing and sharing whiteboard data
* works under good lightning conditions
 
; Trip Journal
* (not tested)
 
; Google Sky Map
 
==== E-books ====
 
; FBReader
* Free e-pub reader (best Linux program)
* tested, works fine.
 
==== Finding information about ====
 
(old style and/or using camera or voice input)
 
; WikiMobile Encyclopedia
* Based on wikipedia, reduces download (network data) a lot
 
; Shazam
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shazam_(service) Shazam (service)] (Wikipedia)
 
; Celeste
* Identify stuff in the sky by pointer the camera
 
==== Edutainment ====
 
; Word Puzzle
 
; SongDNA
* The light version is ok


; Solo
* Pocket guitar (play and chord diagrams for most important chords)


; Rhythm Guitar




== In education ==
== In education ==


We didn't find any interesting application that targets the education market (but didn't do any exhaustive search)
We didn't find any interesting application that targets the education market and that do not fall in the category '''edutainment''', '''reference''' and '''quizzing''' (but didn't do any exhaustive search). See for example [http://101bestandroidapps.com/category/education/ 101 Best Android Apps in Education]


However:
However:
* There are many games that are somewhat educational
* There are many games that are somewhat educational (so-called edutainment)
* Many applications (e.g. google earth, office programs, communication programes, interfaces to popular webservices) that can be used in educational scenarios).
* Many applications (e.g. google earth, office programs, communication programs, interfaces to popular webservices and reference) that can be used in educational scenarios).
 
== Links ==
 
=== Android OS and hardware ===
 
; Android OS
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_(operating_system) Android (operating system)] (Wikipedia)
* [http://developer.android.com/index.html Android developers]
 
; Hardware
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_smartphones Comparison of smartphones] (Wikipedia)
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Android_devices List of Android devices] (Wikipedia)
 
=== Indexes of applications ===
(there are dozens of such .... the ones below were '''randomly chosen''')
 
* [http://101bestandroidapps.com/ Best Android Apps]
** [http://101bestandroidapps.com/category/education/16 est Android Apps in Education]
* [http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,2806,2341003,00.asp Android apps] (PC Magazine)
** [http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2356307,00.asp Top 20 Free Google Android Apps]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Open_Source_Android_Applications List of Open Source Android Applications] (Wikipedia, not very complete nor up-to-date as of July 2010)
* [http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Android OpenStreetMap clients] (openstreetmap wiki).
* [http://code.google.com/android/adc/gallery_winners.html Google ADC winners] ([http://code.google.com/android/ Google Projects for Android])
* [http://www.honeytechblog.com/30-free-google-android-applications/ 30 Free Google Android Applications]
* [http://www.pocketpicks.co.uk/index.php/category/app-review/android-app-review/ Pocket Picks (Android) UK.

Revision as of 17:47, 9 July 2010

Draft

This article or section is currently under construction

In principle, someone is working on it and there should be a better version in a not so distant future.
If you want to modify this page, please discuss it with the person working on it (see the "history")

Introduction

“Android is Google's operating system for mobile devices based on ARM architecture. It is a competitor to the Symbian platform, Apple's iOS for the iPhone and Microsoft's Windows Mobile and Windows Phone for mobile devices all based on ARM architecture. Technologically, Android includes middleware and key applications, and uses a modified version of the Linux kernel” (Wikipedia).

Why use Android as opposed to an iPhone:

  • Apple controls the applications through a single market place
  • Apple excludes certain technologies (e.g. banned the "save as iPhone" functionality in Adobe CS5).
  • Connectivity is restricted, i.e. you can't tether and iPhone to an Ipad (at least in some places)

As general principle, people in education always should support totally or at least relatively open technology since that way you improved chances to be able to move contents to other infrastructures in the present and the future ....

(Some) technical information

tip: Upgrade the OS whenever a new version is available for your phone

Version 2.1 includes

  • WIFI and WiMaX support
  • Be able to turn data download off when roaming, vendors typically only offer free data download schemes for the resident country :(
  • USB PC connectivity
  • USB tethering (i.e. you can use the mobile as a modem for your PC laptop on vacation), may not be available in some countries like the US.
  • Good support for google applications (Calendar, google world, etc.)
  • Support for 3D capable GPUs, i.e. OpenGL ES
  • Default webbrowser: Based on WebKit + the Chrome JavaScript engine
  • Applications are programed in Java, but compile to Dalvik (so there is no Java J2ME VM currently)
  • Support for typical smartphone features, like GPS, multi-touchscreen, acclerometers, magnetometers.
  • Multitasking

Version 2.2 (not available on many phones as of June 2009) will include several improvements, e.g. Flash 10.1

Applications

Android does have a central applications store like the iPhone, i.e. the Android Market, but you may install anything you like by your own.

To promote Android, Google initiated the Android Developer Challenge

The AndrGIAP genèveoid Market

An Android mobile includes an Android client. It has some deficiencies:

  • The category system isn't good enough (about 18 categories)
  • Search doesn't offer completion
  • you only can see comments from "your" market
  • It's a pain to enter credit card information with google checkout. There ought to be some paypal-like facility.

The official web site is also fairly useless for finding and evaluating software, e.g. user comments are not included and there is no search facility.

There I suggest goin through other web sites, see [ below].

Useful applications

(not complete at all, does not include standard stuff like default browser, e-mail client, MP3 manager, etc.)

Phone management

Advanced Task Killer

Office

Maps and GPS

Google Earth
Maverick
  • GPS and location sharing tool
Share Your Board
  • capturing, processing and sharing whiteboard data
  • works under good lightning conditions
Trip Journal
  • (not tested)
Google Sky Map

E-books

FBReader
  • Free e-pub reader (best Linux program)
  • tested, works fine.

Finding information about

(old style and/or using camera or voice input)

WikiMobile Encyclopedia
  • Based on wikipedia, reduces download (network data) a lot
Shazam
Celeste
  • Identify stuff in the sky by pointer the camera

Edutainment

Word Puzzle
SongDNA
  • The light version is ok
Solo
  • Pocket guitar (play and chord diagrams for most important chords)
Rhythm Guitar


In education

We didn't find any interesting application that targets the education market and that do not fall in the category edutainment, reference and quizzing (but didn't do any exhaustive search). See for example 101 Best Android Apps in Education

However:

  • There are many games that are somewhat educational (so-called edutainment)
  • Many applications (e.g. google earth, office programs, communication programs, interfaces to popular webservices and reference) that can be used in educational scenarios).

Links

Android OS and hardware

Android OS
Hardware

Indexes of applications

(there are dozens of such .... the ones below were randomly chosen)

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