Portable Electronics Ltd // Technology you can carry.

Android SDK Release History

You can find the timeline of Android evolution by androidacademy here.

Android softwares & hardware

At the time of writing (December 2009), there are up to 20,000 applications on Android Market, 62.3% free and 37.7% paid, as reported by AndroidLib. Though Google officials says there are only 16,000 around. Not an easy task to filter out the junk and pick the best.

Those Android applications and games listed in here are what we think are the top/great free applications you should consider using, divided in different categories unless you want a game of serious poker. Click the link in there for the respective application's information, review, author's site before you go and install them via Android market.

If you have not purchased any Android device yet, you can easily compare the specifications of the various Android device in (or coming to) the market on this Android hardware comparison chart.

Android Application/Game Stores

Well, there are many Android application stores other than the Official Android Market installed on Google Experience Handsets such as HTC Dream G1 and HTC Magic G2.

Reasons for their existance

• Android market has many limitations, such as limited payment option (google checkout only), does not support paid apk in all countries (affects both consumer/developer), "7 Complaints About Android Market", "7 Steps to Fix The Android Market", "What’s wrong with Android Market?"
• Android market is generally not available to OEMs/manufacturers, especially for small companies who are not members of Open Handset Alliance or had not sign contracts (may involve license fees) for the proprietary google applications (See the 3 Flavors of Android)

Some of these complains will be addressed in Android Market for Android 1.6 as Google have announced....but there is the need for 3rd party app stores remains.

• Android Guys Store
• OnlyAndroid.com by MobiHand
• AndAppStore (recommended)
• talkandroid
• SlideME (recommended)
• Handango
• GetJar
• Aproov
• YAAM - A open source market where developers receive 100% of application price
• Amazon - offers a different paid app for free everyday

Official Android Market web-based PC interface

Until February, 2011, when Google finally revealed the official Android market web site, one major problem for developers and users is the lack of internet based interface to browse the Official Android market using a computer instead of an Android handset. Since the Android Market application is proprietary not available outside Google Experience Handset, it is not even possbile for prospective users or developers to install it on the Android emulator and browse it there. The only way to look at the Official Android market is to use a Google Experience Handset such as HTC Dream G1 or HTC Magic.

Fortunately, for those without the handset, there are great people out there who had setup web sites which mirrors the Official Android market and allows you to browse the market on your computer. With the increasing number of Android applications and games, currently in the thousands, the web interface is going to be of increasing importance because the small screen on the handset makes it difficult to browse quickly and efficiently.

Here are the unofficial web based mirrors for the Official Android market

• Cyrket
• Android Touch Market
• AndroLib (not live nor complete but the best so far, recommended)
• Appbrain (one of the best, also able to install and manage your apps directly from the web browser)

With the Official Google Market web site available,which also allow users to select and install applications directly to their Android phone, it remians to be seen whether these unofficial Android market mirror will have any future.

Android Application and Games ranking

To save you some time to read through and try the thousands of Android applications out there, you can check out the rankings for different applications/games in the sites below.

• AndroidStats
• atrackdog

Android Application/Games review sites

You can also check out reviews of Android application or games in the web sites listd below. Or you can check out our aggregrated reviews and comments of the latest Android apks here.

• Android App Review Source
• Android And Me
• Android Tapp (recommended)
• droidandroidgames

Android news/information sites

Well, the aggregrated Android news on this site are collected from multiple sources and can be considered as one of the most comprehensive and up-to-date around. You can view it here but we would encourage you to check out other places as well ;)

• Android Central
• Android Authority
• Androinica
• Android And Me (recommended)
• Android Community
• AndroidGuys (recommended)
• AndroidGals
  
• Android-DLS
• phandroid
• Code Android

Android FAQ/Wiki

Find everything you want to know about Android in the wiki below.

• Android-DLS Wiki (recommended)
• Android wiki
• Wikipedia
• The Open Mob for Android(TM): Android Development Wiki
• Force Close (recommended)

Android Developer Challenge (ADC)

This is an event organized by Google to promote the mighty Android platform. Developers code applications for Android and submit it for judging. The winners get a prize, a considerable amount of cash and frame.

ADC1 was closed on 14th April 2008 and the Top 50 applications were announced on 28th August 2008. "Out of 50 teams of finalists, 10 teams received a US$275,000 award each and 10 teams received a US$100,000 award each. Each of the top 50 finalists also received a US$25,000 award."

ADC2 was closed on 31th August 2009 and the Winners were announced on 30th Novermber 2009. There is a total to 10 categories, where the 1st prize is US$100,000, 2nd prize is US$50,000 and 3rd prize is US$25,000. There is also an additional prize for the overall winner across all category where the 1st prize is US$150,000, 2nd prize is US$50,000 and 3rd prize is US$25,000.

ADC Sub-Saharan Africa was announced on 15th April 2011, eligible only for developers who live in Sub Saharan Africa. There is a total of 3 categories, where those who entered the semi-final round will win an Android mobile phone and those who made it to the final will receive USD$25,000 as well as the chance to attend a Google developer event.

For more information, visit The Official Google Android developer blog for Android Developer Challenge - it contains all the official information posted about Android developer Challenge.

Want to get your relevant site or apk named above? Let us know by e-mail or through our forum.