brs´ (b)logbuch

google android platform -> reinventing the wheel?

google just presented some developer information about their new android platform. at youtube there are several videos about architecture, API s, etc.
I’ve jst installed the beta of the android sdk combined with the adt eclipse plugin. so there is a plugin for eclipse available you get the point:
android applications base on the java technology. google just delivers there own runtime called Dalvik virtual machine, which do not work nativly with class files, but
convertes them into so called .dex files. sounds just a bit more complex than java me. not least it will be a question of the sdk which platform will have a future.
using the eclipse plugin makes the developing of your first own android application very very easy. i found some issues when running the android application out of eclipse, but the sdk is beta so it’s okay.
you can see my first demo and ideas for an android application in the as a screenshot here:

i work in the defence industry. developing java me here is innately critical. But I’me sure it will be much harder to argue for google android platform here. (because of issues on privacy. no costumer is interested in having backup his critical data on google server in the us or linking them in orkut. in my opinion scepticism is always advisable when you use google technology.
For that I’m also interested in tailoring the android platform for my needs. in the given videocasts on youtube it looks like android has gmail and maps applications out of the box.
the possibility of stripping android down to the moduls i need, would be very nice in my opinion.
I’m not that happy with the new google android platform. the chance to reuse code you already have written (maybe for java me) seems to be very small i guess.
In the last few weeks i fall in love with the concepts of OSGi , which increases so much in popularity the last weeks. at the moment there are so much discussions and movements
on packaging, modularising, and bundling java components and/or modules (see , osgi). it’s a pity that google doesn’t use the benefits of these long time experiences.

I’m looking forward to the first cellphones and pda s with android. maybe an updated iphone?

regards,
rene

android platform
eclipse plugin
google
java me
OSGi
sdk