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Editor Update: The Scan Android application has been renamed to CompareEverywhere.
Android Scan is an application that returns product and pricing information on just about anything with a barcode. Use it on a DVD, for example, and it will return reviews from Amazon.com. Scan a book, and it searches libraries in your area to see if they are available — very cool if you’re looking to save a few bucks (and who isn’t these days?).
Google open sourced their Android mobile platform yesterday, and despite the stock market tanking yet again today, the mobile world is abuzz over Android. So, if you haven’t gotten around to writing that mobile multi-player action game for the Android platform just yet, get your feet wet first by checking out Google’s Android resources we’ve collected below.
(Did you notice how many different Android sites Google itself is hosting? Would you believe it’s 100??)
Well, it’s not quite 100 - yet. But here are the first several they have started:
Android SDK Site
This Google site provides educational information about the mobile operating system, including plenty of videos, and links to FAQs, documentation, and of course, the SDK itself.
There are two important sections within this site to point out. First, this Android overview is a great starting place to understand the platform. The second section of note is the one covering the Android emulator. A solid, working emulator is critical to Android application development and testing.
Android Market
Just Open today! With roughly 50 Android applications currently available, that number is expected to skyrocket next week when Google starts allowing developers to upload their applications. There will be a one-time charge of $25 per person, which will provide clear ownership regarding of the submitted applications. Once that fee is paid, those individuals can upload as many applications as they want.
Android - The Open Source Project
Download the source code, read the docs, subscribe to mailing lists, contribute code, participate, and chug the Android Kool Aid.
T-Mobile announced the G-1 mobile phone today, the first mobile phone to run on the Google Android mobile platform. While customers can pre-order today, availability in the U.S will begin October 22. The T-Mobile G-1 phone will cost $179 with a 2 year voice and data plan from T-Mobile.
In case you missed it, Google announced the final results of their first Android Developer Challenge last week. Out of 50 team finalists, ten teams won $275,000 each, and another ten won $100,000.
To get a glimpse of the types of apps we’ll be seeing on the Android phones later this year, go take a look at their gallery of finalists. And if you’ve been thinking about creating an app yourself, this will be sure to get your creative juices flowing. There’s a 95% chance you will only think about it and never carry it through, so be that other 5% this time and write one - even a simple one. The first one won’t be your best anyway, and you’ll be way ahead of the curve.
We will no doubt be covering these creative and exciting apps in more detail here on MobileMammoth, so stay tuned.
As anticipated, the FCC has officially approved the first mobile phone to run on the Google Android platform. As we anticipated back in March, the Dream from Korean handset manufacturer HTC was just recently approved, and could be released by November 10, or possibly earlier. Wireless carrier T-Mobile will be the carrier for the phone in the U.S.
It will be very interesting to see how much momentum this first Android phone builds. There will be a good surge of early adopters for the holiday season, but it will take a bit of time before more Android apps become available and the platform is more stable. At that point though, watch out iPhone.
