Android 2.3 Platform Multimedia Enhancements

Android 2.3 multimedia capabilities play a crucial role in the ever-increasing popularity of Android-powered devices and Android mobile applications. The new multimedia enhancements provide a rich multimedia experience to the users and, on the other hand, provide Android developers support in developing apps rich in multimedia features. Listed below are the multimedia highlights of Gingerbread.

Audio Mixing

The audio effects API allow Android developers to construct a rich audio environment using audio equalization, bass boost, headphone virtualization, etc. Audio effects mixing are possible within a local track or globally across tracks. Android developers can now configure their apps to let the user experience a holistic audio fidelity.

New Media Formats Support

Android 2.3 platform incorporates AAC encoding, AMR wideband encoding, VP8 open video compression format, and WebM open container formats. This compatibility provides interruption-free multimedia delivery on Android-powered devices. These formats support are likely to set the standards for high definition video playback.

Usage Of Multiple Cameras

Android 2.3 Camera API adds the ability to use multiple cameras installed on a device. The Android mobile applications can query the API regarding the various cameras available and their characteristics and then open a suitable camera suiting the app's objective. For example, a photo shooting app can choose to use the back-facing camera that has a higher resolution, whereas a video conferencing app can use the front-facing camera that has a lower resolution.

New Media Framework

The new media framework in Android 2.3 platform

• replaces the OpenCore whilst maintaining all the older codec/container support for encoding and decoding
• provides some amount of support for extra large display devices like tablets and TVs
• supports video chat, when installed with relevant software add-ons
• allows users to run simultaneous multimedia sessions

Posted by +Sandeep Patekar on 21:49 in android developer, Android Development, android mobile applications, game development

Google APIs Gives Outsource Android Development

Android is basically a collection of great software's specially enhanced and suited for mobile phones and comprises of middleware, operating system and different types of key applications.  You can now create and manage your very own android application and become an android developer yourself with the help of libraries and tools provided by Android SDK. Your applications will be able to run on every Android powered device.

Google APIs gives outsource android development as well as offshore android development a boost as it offers all possible android development help to future and present android developers. If you have it in you to create Android applications, or are just interested in learning then; Google APIs will surely be a feather in your hat.

Google APIs have introduced an Add -On system which works like a part and parcel of the Android SDK development itself.  This lets Android developers create their very own applications for various devices including Google's own applications, devices, libraries and services.  Best of all these features is that Android developers can now add excellent mapping features to Android application with the help of the add-on Maps external library.

With the help of the add-on compatible Android Emulator you can now check you're newly built application - debug it, check its profile and check whether it runs as needed before you publish it to the users.  The maps library along with the customized system components will be needed for applications like Maps library, etc and these are available with Google.  Once your feel your application is up to the mark and is ready to be published you can do so by deploying it to any of the many Android-powered devices that function with a similar version of the Android platform; and the system you choose should also possess Google services, components and libraries.

Some of the features of the Google API:

    A USB Open accessory Library
    The external library belonging to maps to help in the addition of mapping
    A fully functional Android system image
    There is also a MapsDemo which is an example of Android development application to help you out.
    Also available is a package of full maps library documentation.

Posted by +Sandeep Patekar on 22:13 in android application, Android Applications, android developer, Android Development, android sdk development, offshore android development, outsource android development

Webservice - KSOAP2 By The Android Development

The Webservice KSOAP2 is a project undertaken by the android development team and provides us with an efficient SOAP library that is built for the entire Android platform. It is a branch of the KSOAP2 library which has specifically been tried and tested keeping Android as the basis. It's packed with features and the android application development team often releases enhancements to help fix any bugs that may creep up.

KSOAP2 has been completely improved compared to KSOAP1 and all this is done especially for the android developers both outsource android development as well as offshore android development.   Major changes that have taken place are:

• The overall structure has been made less compact and is now easily accessed.
• Now you get the best support system for literal encoding.
• The SOAP serialization support which was always present is now not mandatory and you can obtain it from a separate package. 
• There is an addition of various classes that have been combined into this class namely - SoapSerializationEnvelope which provides you with SOAP support and lots more
• A newly introduced dotNet flag can be used so as to switch over to the namespace handling from SoapSeriaizationEnverlope.

Creating your very own Android Project

You can now quickly and easily create your own Android project using the ADT plugin's new Project Wizard.  Easy steps to get your Android project up and running:

1.    Go to Android and select android Project and once in click next to proceed to the important steps.
2.    You will now need to select content for the project:

• Enter AndoridWSAccess as this is the name of the folder where your project will be based. 
• Now you need to go to the contents option and select Create a new project in workspace, once there choose the location you wish to store it in.
• Once you've entered the target section you now have to decide and choose a particular Android target to use as the build target (To specify the android development platform you need your application built on)
• Now go to properties and complete the tasks as directed.

3.    Now that's it lick finish and you've created your very own android project and can call yourself an android developer - thanks to the help of the webservice KSOAP2.

Posted by +Sandeep Patekar on 23:25 in Android application development, android developer, Android Development, offshore android development