Live data from Hacker News

This Is What Developing For Android Looks Like

techcrunch.com

41–50 of 94 posts

Re: This Is What Developing For Android Looks Like

#41

I'm not an android developer, but I am curious. Why is it that testing on dozens/hundreds of platforms is considered essential for cell phones, but not for PCs? Is android just that much worse at abstracting hardware than traditional OS'es?

For graphics-heavy apps, a common problem is that the OpenGL hardware and drivers on many Android devices are crappy, so some graphics problems or crashes might only happen on a specific combination of device and OS version.

Re: This Is What Developing For Android Looks Like

#42
post #33
post #2

> You know how all Android developers complain about fragmentation? Yeah, this is what fragmentation looks like. This is some of the most insulting garbage out there. I'm an Android developer. I don't complain about fragmentation. Ever. Don't you dare lump me into a group of people you hear complaining loudly. I'm not one of them! I know it can be hard to get apps to work across all phones. The variety of available h…

I don't know I you're being intellectually dishonest or are bad at reading comprehension, but the author said "many developers," not "all developers."

The article has been updated since that comment was posted.

Re: This Is What Developing For Android Looks Like

#43
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why a web-based emulator? Just use the one that's included with the Android SDK. You can simulate any combination of memory, screen size, screen resolution, and various hardware characteristics. Sure it can be slow, but it's getting better and is actually emulating the system you're developing for.

Is the emulator in the SDK usable now? Last time I tried Android programming it was slow as hell. Unusable even for a simple Phonegap app.

If you use the Android x86 system image it's not bad at all. ARM emulation is still slow as molasses.

Re: This Is What Developing For Android Looks Like

#44
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure either, but I think screen size/resolution/aspect ratio and different hardware "tools" (ie cameras with different resolutions, does it have one led or 2 for flash, etc) have potential to be problems. I'd like to hear more on this issue though.

Because all PCs have the same screen size, resolution, and aspect ratio? Please.

Almost all PC screens are big enough that you can do a reasonable application design that works well on small and large screens, at least for most applications.

Re: This Is What Developing For Android Looks Like

#45
Some of the comments here have gotten me thinking about access to test devices. I've never worked on android, so I don't know if installation of lots of unfinished software would be logistically sane, but what about meetup groups where local devs could test out each other's beta apps on their phones and tablets?

Re: This Is What Developing For Android Looks Like

#46
post #2

> You know how all Android developers complain about fragmentation? Yeah, this is what fragmentation looks like. This is some of the most insulting garbage out there. I'm an Android developer. I don't complain about fragmentation. Ever. Don't you dare lump me into a group of people you hear complaining loudly. I'm not one of them! I know it can be hard to get apps to work across all phones. The variety of available h…

Hey, I'm the author of the article and I don't really have an agenda in the Android/iOS platform debate. Both are necessary platforms to build on at this point. Yat also wasn't really complaining about the state of affairs on Android at all. He's happy to QA test with 400 devices and he thinks it's why his company performs well relative to other game developers who don't do as comprehensive a job. I just thought it w…

Then why not frame the article as "this is a hilarious photo that shows the length that one Android developer is going to in order to ensure maximum compatibility", rather than "this is what it's like if you want to make an Android app"?

Re: This Is What Developing For Android Looks Like

#47
Someone needs to take a picture of all the desktop PCs, laptop PCs, tablet PCs, netbook PCs and then say

"This is what developing for Windows looks like".

I'm sure it would be an order of magnitude bigger, maybe 2 or 3 depending on how far back you decide to go.

Or even add up all the mac models from the last 5 years. Heck, I have friends still using power PC macs.

Re: This Is What Developing For Android Looks Like

#48
post #36
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is the emulator in the SDK usable now? Last time I tried Android programming it was slow as hell. Unusable even for a simple Phonegap app.

It's still slow because it literally emulates the phone running on an ARM CPU rather than simulate ala the iPhone simulator which runs an x86 version of IOS.

Unless you use the x86 emulator image.

Re: This Is What Developing For Android Looks Like

#50
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey, I'm the author of the article and I don't really have an agenda in the Android/iOS platform debate. Both are necessary platforms to build on at this point. Yat also wasn't really complaining about the state of affairs on Android at all. He's happy to QA test with 400 devices and he thinks it's why his company performs well relative to other game developers who don't do as comprehensive a job. I just thought it w…

Then why not frame the article as "this is a hilarious photo that shows the length that one Android developer is going to in order to ensure maximum compatibility", rather than "this is what it's like if you want to make an Android app"?

You are not a blogger and that is not a viral headline. :) Joke.

No but seriously, I talk to a lot of the top free and top grossing developers and taking QA seriously is a big deal. It matters. Not everyone takes it seriously and it affects your user reviews. At least that is Animoca's thesis and that's why they use 400 devices.

Post reply on HN