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Archive for category: Android
First draft of Unlocking Android 2.0 is complete
Posted by: Frank Ableson in General Business, Software Development, Technology, Android, Unlocking Android on September 06, 2010
Unlocking Android, Second Edition, is under review. A bunch of edits to take care of over the next week or so, then on to the copy-editing process that is exciting for the editors but challenging for the authors... and then on to the printer before too long. The book should be on shelves sometime in November or December of this year.
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Drive your Lego Mindstorm NXT Robot with Android
Posted by: Frank Ableson in Fun, Software Development, Technology, Android, Unlocking Android on September 02, 2010
We have just published a free demonstration application to the Android Market named SenseBot. This application was written as a demonstration for the Unlocking Android Second Edition title soon to be published. The application demonstrates the use of the Bluetooth and Orientation Sensor functionality of the Android platform.
The application connects via Bluetooth to a Lego Mindstorm NXT robot in a "stock" configuration: two motors connected to the B and C ports of the robot.
Once the application is connected to the Robot (which must be named NXT) you simply tilt the phone to drive the robot. Tilt forward, back, left and right. Even though it is arguably not the most attractive or best performing remote control -- it is a bit addictive and fun.
Search the Android market for "Lego Mindstorm" or "SenseBot".
The application requires a minimum level of Android 2.0 as that is when the Bluetooth data functionality was made accessible to third party developers.
MSI Services provides consulting and software development for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and on occassion Palm WebOS.
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Monitoring Android Events
Posted by: Frank Ableson in Linux Magazine, Software Development, Technology, Android, Unlocking Android on August 31, 2010
This week's Linux Magazine Upward Mobility column demonstrates the use of a BroadcastReceiver. OK, so what is that you ask? A BroadcastReceiver is a coding mechanism within the Android operating system permitting you to avoid polling -- in other words, it is your friend. The article demonstrates listening for power connection events.
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Hybrid Android applications article @ IBM Developerworks
Posted by: Frank Ableson in IBM, Software Development, Technology, Android on August 25, 2010
A new article written by MSI's President, Frank Ableson, presents strategies for developing Hybrid applications for Android.
A "hybrid" application uses an embedded WebKit user interface control to permit sophisticated user interfaces and programmatic interactions. You can read the article here. The article demonstrates extending the browser's JavaScript environment with custom application code available to be run by an underlying Android application. The popular Phonegap open source project uses a similar approach to bring cross-platform development capabilities to Android, iPhone and recently, BlackBerry.
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Handling user interface clicks with Android Buttons
Posted by: Frank Ableson in Linux Magazine, Software Development, Technology, Android, Unlocking Android on August 24, 2010
There are a number of "right" ways to perform certain programming practices. In fact, the whole topic of which way to write code is closer to religion than science. In this week's Linux Magazine Upward Mobility column we review three different techniques for setting up Buttons in an Android Activity.
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Launching Android Applications
Posted by: Frank Ableson in Linux Magazine, Software Development, Technology, Android, Unlocking Android on August 11, 2010
One of the strengths of the Android platform is the ease with which one application may launch another. The latest installment of Upward Mobility @ Linux Magazine demonstrates techniques for expanding the reach of your Android application.
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Mobile is changing the way we think about software
Posted by: Frank Ableson in Linux Magazine, Software Development, Technology, Android, Blackberry, iPhone on July 28, 2010
The mobile application experience is changing the way we think about, value and purchase software. The days of bloatware are slipping and being replaced with more collaborative software experiences. Read more in this week's Upward Mobility column @ Linux Magazine.
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FITC Android presentations
Posted by: Frank Ableson in Software Development, Technology, Android, Unlocking Android on July 26, 2010
Frank Ableson, President of MSI Services, Inc. will be making two presentations at the FITC Mobile conference taking place in Toronto in September. On the first day of the event, Frank will lead an all-day hands-on Android programming workshop. Participants will create an RSS reader with Twitter sharing features. During the normal speaking series, Frank will make a presentation covering the Native Development Kit (NDK) for Android which permits writing C code to augment the Java based Android SDK. All materials will be posted to this blog entry after the event is conducted in September.
MSI Services is a full service Information Technology firm, offering Managed Services, Application Hosting, Web and Mobile development services.
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Using XML and JSON with Android
Posted by: Frank Ableson in IBM, Social Media, Social Networking, Software Development, Technology, Android on July 22, 2010
This IBM Developerworks article explores the use of XML and JSON for Android programmers. The example demonstrates the consumption of Twitter feed data using both popular data formats. The article was written by Frank Ableson, President of MSI. Frank is a regular contributor to IBM Developerworks.
For more information, please contact MSI Services @ info@msiservices.com.
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Exploring the AppWidget
Posted by: Frank Ableson in Linux Magazine, Software Development, Technology, Android, Unlocking Android on July 19, 2010
One of the features that sets Android apart from the crowd of smart phones is the ability to write interactive code for the hone screen. The latest installment of the Upward Mobility column @ Linux Magazine demonstrates a simple debugging utility for Android applications in the form of an AppWidget.
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