Anybody can start building simple apps for the Android platform, and this book will show you how! Recently updated to include Android Jelly Bean, Android Apps for Absolute Beginners, Second Edition takes you through the process of getting your first Android apps up and running using plain English and practical examples.

This book cuts through the fog of jargon and mystery that surrounds Android apps development, and gives you simple, step-by-step instructions to get you started.

Teaches Android application development in language anyone can understand, giving you the best possible start in Android development
Provides simple, step-by-step examples that make learning easy, allowing you to pick up the concepts without fuss
Offers clear code descriptions and layout so that you can get your apps running as soon as possible

This book is Android Jelly Bean compliant, but is backwards compatible to most of the previous Android releases.
What you’ll learn

Get yourself and your computer set up for Android apps development
Use the Eclipse programming environment to make your Android development efficient and straightforward
Follow steps in plain English to build simple apps and get them working immediately
Style your application so that it appeals to potential users
Make use of the Android’s touch screen
Use shortcuts and cheat sheets to create apps the easy way
Use the basics of Java and XML to move onto more advanced apps

Who this book is for

If you have a great idea for an Android app, but have never programmed before, then this book is for you. You don’t need to have any previous computer programming skills—as long as you have a desire to learn, and you know which end of the mouse is which, the world of Android apps development awaits!
Table of Contents

Preliminary Information: Before We Get Started
What’s Next? Our Road Ahead
Setting Up Your Android Development Environment
Introducing the Android Software Development Platform
Android Framework Overview
Screen Layout Design: Views and Layouts
UI Design: Buttons, Menus, and Dialogs
An Introduction to Graphics Resources in Android
Adding Interactivity: Handling UI Events
Understanding Content Providers
Understanding Intents and Intent Filters
Advanced Android Topics