After 3 years of iOS app development, this week I shall be venturing into the dark art of Android development! I'm not gonna lie that I'm not scared but I am! I have allocated myself 3 days to learn it through BT and get a duplicate of an app out. Will I do it in that time?! Any help along the way will be most appreciated. I'll try and keep it to a minimum! Happy Sunday - It is sooo warm here today :) BBQQQQQQQ !!!!

Well, granted when I work on one I tend to forget what's going on in the other, but for the most part, it sort of reminds me of spanish and italian; they're close, but not close enough. With a heavy google/stack overflow regimen you should be just fine. :) Cheers! -- Smug

>Will I do it in that time?! Yes, if the plugins you are using for iOS have their counterparts for Android.

I took this leap last fall. The worst part was installing Eclipse. The development part wasn't bad. Check out Fred@mySkylla. His tutorials helped me work through it: http://www.myskylla.com. Good luck!

I agree.. Eclipse and even updating is the worst :/ Good luck with your venture!

Are you going to use Android Studio or Eclipse? Jake

Thanks all, appreciate the interest. I remember when I first saw xcode and in particular its certificate signing and app ids, etc which, without this place, I found a tricky step! Countless certificate signings later I wonder what I found the difficulty in. From what youve all said eclipse seems the same awkward beast but once tamed will be a breeze i'm sure! :? @jake, i have only actually heard of eclipse, what would you advise? Thanks again all.

I advise Eclipse, although I have both. I tinker in Android Studio, getting used to it. But Eclipse has all the BT Tutorials, so I go the path of least resistance. Mark (GoNorthWest) has more than a few good tips in his videos about this on his Youtube channel. Cheers! -- Smug

Some things are easier on Android....no provisioning! But the emulators don't work we'll so find a device to test with.

Thanks Smug, I've made a good start with Marks Work. Susan, i'd swap provisioning for my anticipated issues any day!

She has a point with Devices; it won't matter *how* good you are in Java/Android; the simulator stinks. I have more trouble with the simulator than I do my code. That's scary ;) You'll most certainly want to obtain a device if you want to test without learning new and interesting ways to curse. I nabbed a Samsung Galaxy 7" tablet, and steal the wifes phone from time to time. Cheers! -- Smug

Thats annoying! Hopefully I can get the sim working ok and have folk here test for me if willing? I posted another thread but you maybe able to help here. If I create an app to fit a phone ca§n it be downloaded on a tablet? What is the best sim to work to, ie screen size? Do images downscale? Thanks!

>Hopefully I can get the sim working ok No, you really can't and don't count on it. Apple holds tight reins over both its hardware and software, while Google can't and won't. Have a look at this link to see why: <a href="https://www.buzztouch.com/files/howtos/android-device-sizes.pdf" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.buzztouch.com/files/howtos/android-device-sizes.pdf</a> >If I create an app to fit a phone ca§n it be downloaded on a tablet? Yes, of course, but the app may look awful on one size and may look OK on another size of the device. >Do images downscale? You may want to use this page: <a href="http://www.gieson.com/Library/projects/utilities/icon_slayer/#.UdrknqwlE1d" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.gieson.com/Library/projects/utilities/icon_slayer/#.UdrknqwlE1d</a> to get a grasp on the problems that the multitude of screen sizes and dots per inch bring to the poor Android developer's table. The good news is that you do not have to pay attention to all this and that you can relatively easily have your app or apps in the Play store. And oh, not to mention that the Play store is not the only Android app store that exists. This is also in stark contrast to the ways of Apple.

One other important point is that David Book is revising and updating the Buzztouch core software right now. So there will be a better Buzztouch Android soon.

Cheers Dusko I can hardly contain my excitement for android development!! I'll make a proper fist of it in the morning. Putting it off maybe...?!!

If it isn't urgent, you may want to put it off for a few weeks, to see what the new Android looks like. I think it may be a valid reason to delay a bit.

Im sure it is Susan but this needs to go out yesterday! I'll give it a good go and see what happens. :)

>this needs to go out yesterday Just outsource it, then.

I had thought about doing that but need to learn Android so not sure. What sort of cost am I looking at?! :)

>What sort of cost am I looking at?! :) Difficult to say in advance. My price would start at $99 and then it would increase depending on the volume of the project, what kind of material do you already have (videos, music, PDF, HTML pages ect.) The price would also increase if some programming would have to be done if there is no Android counterpart for the plugins that you already use for the iOS.