Android providing new mobile platform

Android is a mobile operating system running on the Linux V2.6 Kernel. It allows third party developers to write managed codes in the Java language controlling the device via Google-developed Java libraries.

Most of the Android code is released by Google under Apache license, freeware software and an open source license. Anyone can download an Android software development kit (SDK) from Google and can write an application for Android. Android SDK provides the tools and APIs necessary to begin developing application on the Android platform using Java as the only programming language.

An Android application can be classified as:

• Activities

An application that has a visible UI implemented with an activity. Whenever an application is
selected from home screen or application launcher by a user, an activity is started.

• Services

A service used for any application that is required to persist for a long time like
network monitor or update-checking application.

• Content providers

Content providers can be considered as database servers. Job of content provider is to manage access to persisted data like SQLite database. If the application is simple, there is no need to create a content provider. If a larger application is build, content provider is the means of accessing data.

• Broadcast Receivers

To process an element of data or respond to an event like reception of a text message, an
Android application can be launched.

Google has participated in the Android market by offering several applications for its services. These applications include Google Voice, Scoreboard for following sports, Sky Map for watching stars, Finance for their finance service, Maps Editor for their MyMaps service, Places Directory for their Local Search, Secrets for safely storing passwords and My Tracks, a jogging application.

As per the concerns of web compatibility or technology support, some of the users feel that Android has outperformed Symbian, Windows Mobile OS and many other Mobile Operating Systems. This is the reason that there are hundreds of Android apps developed by third party developers and many more waiting in the queue to enter in Android Market.