Not really sure where I should post this, but I have an iOS app that my client wants converted to Android. I can supply the BT Android source code plus all files used in the project. Just need someone to pop it all together in an androidy fashion and produce something I can upload to the android marketplace that looks as close to the iPhone version as possible. Question: when both the iPhone and android apps are live, if I change anything on the BT site, will it update on the Android app in the same way it does on the iPhone app? Here's the app: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/dutyfree/id482152137?mt=8 Anyone into that?

Question: when both the iPhone and android apps are live, if I change anything on the BT site, will it update on the Android app in the same way it does on the iPhone app? Yes

Hi @basement, I'm into that kind of punishment! Feel free to send me the files, I'll compile it and see what sort of issues you're facing. The concept of creating a single project in buzztouch and getting apps for two different platforms is a good one, but in execution, there have been issues. The way the app looks in iOS doesn't always translate well to Android, and file naming convention can be problematic as well. In any event, send it over to MrkFleming at gmail dot com, and I'll check it out! Mark

Mark, I know you do way too much already and I hesitate to ask, but it would be very useful to document any problems you find and what you do to fix them, if only to let people know what to expect if they attempt the same. Or some notes on BTUGwiki that people can add to with their own solutions. Completely understand if you don't!

Sounds like the basis for a good tutorial! I've done a few of these now, and there are some things that could be avoided with proper planning. I'll get something written up! Mark

Fantastic! Sorry Mark :/

Nothing to be sorry about! Anything that helps the community, and helps people realize the full power of buzztouch, is something I'm willing to do. Mark

I would suggest making seperate apps. Check out this guide- http://coding.smashingmagazine.com/2011/06/30/designing-for-android/ This quote right here just changed my whole thought process on a 'universal' app on BT. I was trying and got close. But then I read this and now I'm having much more fun playing with Android apps now. "Clients often ask whether they can use their iPhone app design for Android. If you’re looking for shortcuts, building an app for mobile Web browsers using something like Webkit and HTML5 is perhaps a better choice. But to produce a native Android app, the answer is no. Why? Because Android’s UI conventions are different from iPhone’s." and the BTM Advanced Menu on Android, she's a tricky one... no luck here yet, got close but that is what led me to that article and different design ideas.

That's a very interesting and informative article! My general thought is to make separate apps as well. Mark

I just made an app for both Android and iOS and it turned out great! I am waiting to announce it because Apple hasn't approved it yet. The app was in 1.5, and to make it all work I did all of the work at the same time. I had both Xcode and Eclipse open as I worked, would add something, and then make sure it worked in both. The app is live on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hopkinslive&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5ob3BraW5zbGl2ZSJd If you look at the header images, they all look small on Android. I made them to fit the iPhone, and they fully display on Android but do not stretch across the entire screen. Where I had to make decisions on which app to make look better I generally favored the iPhone. I also dragged slightly different files into Eclipse that were modified to make the Android look better. (This wouldn't work with the url, of course.) I also had to forgo the quiz I wanted to do because the quiz doesn't work in 1.5 for Android. (It does work in 2.0, so I will likely use 2.0 from now on.) Just my two cents. It really depends on the app--if there is a lot of content, it makes sense to do it as one app. If not, then it makes sense to customize each one.

@basement I am curious how you were able to get the buttons on the first page (at least it was the first Screen Shot in the description in iTunes) to look as symmetric as they do. Did you just set them as a "grid" and played with the sizing until it was perfect? The app looks GREAT btw!!!! @Mark thank you for the insite and @ATRAIN thank you for that quote. As @Mark can confim I was led down that yellow brick road only to have Android dash all my hopes and dreams....I want a SUPER (iPad, iPhone, Android) universal app....the old adage seem fitting here, "If it seems to be good to be true....it usually is!" NOW I create an separate iPhone & iPad version (most of the time)...then create an Android version. PS: When compiling for Android HOW do we as developers know what Android devices will work and what devices won't because of Androids fragmentation. Isn't there like 60 Android handsets...something freaking crazy like that? Thank you

http://techcrunch.com/2012/05/11/this-is-what-developing-for-android-looks-like/ Aminoca says they test on 400 out of the 600 devices. But I say test on a few screen sizes and don't worry about it. My observation is that most are not even testing on tablets. Fred

Thank you @Fred

@Isills81, if you have the time or inclination you could submit your Android app to the Samsung marketplace. Unlike Google Play, they have an extensive manual review and certification process for a range of different screen sizes from 3" mobile to 10" tablet. If your app can pass their reviews it's pretty certain that your app will at minimum be compatible with the most popular device makes and screen sizes, as well as being on the fastest growing marketplace. Plus, through Samsung, you might get interested in building Television Apps. Mobile apps are soooo last month!

WOW!!!!! I just fell out of my chair.....That is an amazing idea. HOW THE HECK would I get started in building Samsung TV Apps?? I assume they have some Android based SDK like an Eclipse but for your TV? PS: Didn't even know there was 2 android app stores....damn, Android even has fragmentation within their App stores. :(

hehe! Have to confess, I haven't tried any tv apps yet, but Samsung have their own development platform (and maybe an sdk plugin for eclipse, not sure). It's something I keep coming across when submitting apps to Samsung, keep telling myself to look deeper into it but never find time. I now always submit to Samsung first, they're so extensive they record videos of them testing the app and pointing to errors! They even give code change suggestions. There's a lot of satisfaction when an app passes! There are a lot of Android stores, some better than others, some plain dodgy, I've found, I think, around 50. The ones I can safely recommend for a good amount of installs are Amazon, Getjar, Samsung, Slideme and Mikandi (predominantly 'adult' apps).

@raveyd Please keep us posted! 50 stores....christ. Two words for all those 50 stores....@Fred Tutorial Thank you

There's a semi-ongoing thread SOMEwhere haha!

Go to MySkylla and enter app store in the search. Fred

I should have known....ty

Developing for Android is an absolute nightmare. Here's a real world example. I've been working with another member in the forum on their app for Android. We got it all working (it was originally an iOS app that he then got the Android source for), and it looked good on my device, which is an HTC HD2, which has a resolution of 480 x 800. The app is a quiz app, and the only issue was that on some of the longer questions, the text got cut off. The guy I'm working with has an Asus ee Transformer tablet, which has a resolution of 1280x800. The quiz got totally stretched, and basically just didn't look good. There was still the issue of text getting cut off. I'm sure we could have tweaked the images a bit to make them better, but overall the effect was not good. So, the developer went and got a Huawei Ascend II, which has a screen resolution of 320 x 480. In this instance, the last answer of the quiz was below the bottom of the screen, and it could not be moved so the user could see it. Three different devices, three different results, none of them all that good. No doubt there are all sorts of code changes that could be made to accommodate the various devices (and probably Android features), but that is more work that most people are willing to put in. Android, in my experience so far, developing for both using standard buzztouch screens and no code modifications, is BY FAR the most quirky and problematic. Just my two cents from actual experience. Mark

@lsills81 I made the buttons as png's with extra clear space around them - the two bottom buttons are the same size as the ones above them, but part of them is hidden by the bottom row of icons, so I just made the info in them higher so it wasn't obscured. It was pretty much trial and error, but that's how I do all my icons: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/scuseme/id450751665?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/amazing/id438735841?mt=8 The clear space isn't necessarily equal on all sides either, I play around until everything looks right

@basement thank you...I will play with this also!