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| Samsung GALAXY S2 |
The Samsung Galaxy Tab is the latest Android 2.2 Froyo-powered Internet Tablet. Offering a 7-inch screen with 1024x600 resolution, it is the answer to Apple’s iPad.
The Galaxy Tab provides a bevy of features such as support for Adobe Flash 10.1, Samsung’s Social Hub app and Media Hub content services. This cross-carrier device also opens new avenues for advertisers to carry out cross-channel ad campaigns across the Mobile Web.
With so many features, this device is the perfect one for developers to write apps for. Here is a how-to section on developing apps for the Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: A few days
Here's How:
Firstly, you have to run the AVD Manager on Eclipse IDE. Then, after selecting the required packages, proceed to install them. After this, you should remember to restart the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) or Eclipse.
Choose Samsung Galaxy as your target device. This way, you can create an emulator for the device.
This Android Tablet comes with built-in support to customize UI elements so as to work well on different screen sizes, pixel densities and so on.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab has a high-density screen. No single design will work well with all screen resolutions and density. Hence, you will have to customize the UIs with respect to screen size, resolution and density.
Note that you should use both landscape and portrait layouts. The Galaxy Tab has more real estate. This will let you create more elements on the screen.
Also create your screen layout accordingly, so as to fit the large size display screen.
Using lower resolution is not entirely wrong, but it may not always need to sharp image quality. Hence, use high density display or hdpi resources available in the application package.
Also remember to run your test on mobile platforms using the minSdkVersion APIs and the targetSdkVersion APIs.
In case you have developed apps that do not scale full screen, you could do well to download the “Spare Parts” app from the Android Market and then install it onto the Galaxy Tab.
You then launch Spare Parts, go to Compatibility Mode and then reboot the device. In case this does not work the very first time, a second try will most certainly let your apps be displayed in full screen.
Tips:
While working with bitmap images, consult the concerned ad vendor to know the exact dimensions of the image.
Use Density Independent Pixel or DPI instead of hard-coding for pixel values.
In case you should still experience trouble, Samsung now have their own Galaxy Tab Developer Forum, where you can ask for help and get tips from other Android developers.
What You Need:
Samsung Galaxy Tab
Android programming skills
Emulator
Patience, as always!