Book excerpt: The Android Developer’s Collection includes two highly successful Android application development eBooks: The Android Developer's Cookbook: Building Applications with the Android SDK Android Wireless Application Development, Second Edition This collection is an indispensable resource for every member of the Android development team: software developers with all levels of mobile experience, team leaders and project managers, testers and QA specialists, software architects, and even marketers. Completely up-to-date to reflect the newest and most widely used Android SDKs, The Android Developer’s Cookbook is the essential resource for developers building apps for any Android device, from phones to tablets. Proven, modular recipes take you from the absolute basics to advanced location-based services, security techniques, and performance optimization. You’ll learn how to write apps from scratch, ensure interoperability, choose the best solutions for common problems, and avoid development pitfalls. Android Wireless Application Development, Second Edition, delivers all the up-to-date information, tested code, and best practices you need to create and market successful mobile apps with the latest versions of Android. Drawing on their extensive experience with mobile and wireless development, Lauren Darcey and Shane Conder cover every step: concept, design, coding, testing, packaging, and delivery. Every chapter of this edition has been updated for the newest Android SDKs, tools, utilities, and hardware. All sample code has been overhauled and tested on leading devices from multiple companies, including HTC, Motorola, and ARCHOS. Many new examples have been added, including complete new applications. In this collection, coverage includes Implementing threads, services, receivers, and other background tasks Providing user alerts Organizing user interface layouts and views Managing user-initiated events such as touches and gestures Recording and playing audio and video Using hardware APIs available on Android devices Interacting with other devices via SMS, Web browsing, and social networking Storing data efficiently with SQLite and its alternatives Accessing location data via GPS Using location-related services such as the Google Maps API Building faster applications with native code Providing backup and restore with the Android Backup Manager Testing and debugging apps throughout the development cycle Using Web APIs, using the Android NDK, extending application reach, managing users, synchronizing data, managing backups, and handling advanced user input Editing Android manifest files, registering content providers, and designing and testing apps Working with Bluetooth, voice recognition, App Widgets, live folders, live wallpapers, and global search Programming 3D graphics with OpenGL ES 2.0 Ensuring cross-device compatibility, from designing for the smallest phones to the big tablets Designing, developing, and testing applications for different devices