In just 24 sessions of one hour or less, learn how to build powerful apps for the world’s most popular mobile platform: Android 4.3. Using this book’s straightforward, step-by-step approach, you’ll build complete Android 4.3 apps from the ground up as you master the skills you need to design, develop, test, and publish powerful solutions. Extensively updated for Android’s newest features and tools, every lesson builds on what you’ve already learned, giving you a rock-solid foundation for real-world success!   Highlights of this new Third Edition include: Extensive new coverage: fragments, action bar, SQLite, content providers, Facebook SDK, and more Practical guidance on developing for multiple Android versions How to use open source projects to simplify Android development New topic-focused structure with at least one complete project in nearly every chapter Register your book at informit.com/register to gain access to the Bonus KitKat chapter online.   Learn how to… Quickly set up your development environment and create Android projects Use Android layouts and fragments  to create apps that look great on phones, tablets, and even TVs Develop intuitive user interfaces using Android controls Access the cloud and retrieve data using the Flickr API Create a full-blown app that parses JSON, stores metadata, and displays Flickr images Use a SQLite database and content providers to create responsive, data-driven apps Write social apps using the Facebook Android SDK Use contact and calendar data Build location-based apps using LocationManager APIs or the new Google Play Location Services Internationalize your apps Work with media and cameras Use open-source libraries to add “finishing touches” Package and publish apps to Google Play and other app stores

Table of Contents:
Preface    xiv New in the Third Edition    xiv Who This Book Is For    xv How This Book Is Organized    xv Part I: Getting Started HOUR 1: Getting Started: Creating a Simple App    3 Setting Up Your Development Environment    3 Instantly Creating a Simple App    6 Understanding the Java Code and XML Layout    10 Running the App    11 Personalizing the App    13 Summary    17 Q&A    17 Workshop    18 Exercise    18 HOUR 2: Understanding an Android Activity    19 Understanding an Activity    19 Starting an Activity    20 Passing Information Between Activities    28 Understanding Intents    34 Understanding the Activity Lifecycle    38 Summary    41 Q&A    41 Workshop    42 Exercises     42 HOUR 3: Exploring an Android Project and Resources    43 Exploring the Android Project Files    43 Understanding Common Resources    47 Summary    57 Q&A    57 Workshop    57 Exercises     58 HOUR 4: Not Just Smartphones: Supporting Tablets, TVs, and More    59 A Brief History of Android    59 Handling Device Display and Orientation    60 Device Features    67 Platform Versions and the Compatibility Package    68 Launching Apps on a Device    72 Summary    74 Q&A    74 Workshop    75 Exercises     75 Part II: User Interface HOUR 5: Using Layouts    79 Getting Started with Layouts    79 More Layout Basics with LinearLayout    84 Laying Out Child Views    86 FrameLayout    89 RelativeLayout    89 Summary    91 Q&A    92 Workshop    92 Exercises     93 HOUR 6: Working with Basic UI Controls    95 Setting Up the Demo App    95 Using Input Controls    98 Using Controls with Adapters    104 ProgressBars and SeekBars    107 ImageViews    110 Summary    111 Q&A    111 Workshop    112 Exercise    112 HOUR 7: ActionBar and Menu Navigation    113 Understanding the Options Menu    113 Using the Action Bar    120 Strategies for Using the ActionBar and Menus    124 Summary    125 Q&A    125 Workshop    126 Exercises    126 HOUR 8: Activities and Fragments    127 Using Fragments Across UIs    127 Creating and Displaying Fragments    128 Using Fragments for Navigation    132 Fragment and Activity Interaction    136 Summary    139 Q&A    139 Workshop    139 Exercises    140 HOUR 9: Alert! Working with Dialogs    141 Understanding a Dialog Fragment    141 Dialogs for Picking Date and Time    145 Using Alert Dialogs    151 Summary    155 Q&A    156 Workshop    156 Exercise    156 HOUR 10: Lists, Grids, Galleries, and Flippers    157 ListFragments    157 Grids and Galleries    162 Using an AdapterViewFlipper    166 Options for Paging Controls    167 Summary    168 Q&A    169 Workshop    169 Exercise    169 HOUR 11: App Setting: Managing Preferences    171 Using SharedPreferences    171 Setting User Preferences    174 Summary    185 Q&A    185 Workshop    186 Exercise    186 Part III: Data Access and Use HOUR 12: Accessing the Cloud: Working with a Remote API    189 Fetching Remote Data    190 Using and Parsing JSON-Formatted Data    194 Putting the Pieces Together    197 Checking Connectivity    202 Summary    203 Q&A    203 Workshop    203 Exercise    204 HOUR 13: Using SQLite and File Storage    205 Organizing a Database with Tables    205 Managing Data with SQLiteOpenHelper    206 Adding, Updating, and Deleting Data    209 Querying Data and Using Cursors    212 Using a Database in the App    215 Saving an Image File    218 Summary    224 Q&A    224 Workshop    225 Exercises    225 HOUR 14: Creating a Content Provider    227 Using a URI for Data Retrieval    227 Building a Content Provider    228 Using FlickrPhotoProvider in the App    236 Requesting a File from a Content Provider    237 Summary    242 Q&A    242 Workshop    243 Exercises    243 HOUR 15: Loaders, CursorLoaders, and CustomAdapters    245 How Loaders Work    245 Loader Classes    246 Understanding Loader States    246 Creating Custom Adapters    253 Summary    257 Q&A    257 Workshop    258 Exercise    258 HOUR 16: Developing a Complete App    259 Determining App Functionality    259 Developing the App    263 Summary    278 Q&A    278 Workshop    278 Exercise    279 Part IV: Special Topics HOUR 17: Contacts and Calendar: Accessing Device Data    283 All About the Calendar    283 Understanding Contacts    294 Summary    297 Q&A    297 Workshop    298 Exercise    298 HOUR 18: Where Are We? Working with Location-Based Services    299 Determining Location    299 Using Geocoding Services    306 Using the Geo Intent    309 Additional Location Features    311 Using Google Play Services    312 Summary    315 Q&A    316 Workshop    316 Exercise    316 HOUR 19: Bonjour, World! Localizing Your Apps    317 General Internationalization Principles    317 Working with Localization with Android    318 Handling Locales with Android    319 Using Applications to Handle Locales    320 Android Internationalization Strategies    323 Using Localization Utilities    326 Summary    327 Q&A    327 Workshop    327 Exercises    328 HOUR 20: Say Cheese! Working with Cameras    329 Capturing Media    329 Using Intents to Take Photos and Videos    332 Developing a Camera App    338 Summary    345 Q&A    346 Workshop    346 Exercise    346 HOUR 21: Media Basics: Images, Audio, and Video    347 Examining the ImageView Control    347 Bitmaps and Canvas    353 Using VideoViews    357 Playing Audio with MediaPlayer    361 Exploring More Media Options    362 Summary    362 Q&A    362 Workshop    363 Exercise    363 HOUR 22: Using the Facebook SDK    365 About Facebook    365 Setting Up for Facebook Development    366 Using the Facebook SDK in a Project    370 Developing a Facebook Photo Upload App    373 Facebook SDK Features    378 Creating Libraries for Your Own Projects    379 Summary    379 Q&A    380 Workshop    380 Exercise    380 Part V: Wrapping Up HOUR 23: Pro Tips, Finishing Touches, and Next Steps    383 Responsive Apps: Using IntentService    383 Adding Animation    388 Using Open Source    391 Digging Deeper into Android    392 Summary    397 Q&A    397 Workshop    397 Exercise    398 HOUR 24: Publishing Your Apps 399 Preparing for Release    399 Publishing Your App    405 Monetizing Your App    409 Summary    410 Q&A    410 Workshop    410 Exercise    411 Index 413