Programming for Smart Phones and Tablets

[ainsoph9]

I am interested in a learning how to program for smart phones (Android and iPhone primarily) and for all of the reader tablets and the like out there. Would anybody here have any tips for getting started? Thanks!

[rpapo]

I haven't worked on either (my bread and butter is Windoze), but I would hazard a guess that doing anything for the iPhone would require a fair amount of initial hurdles, given how Apple guards their turf. You play their way, or it's the highway.

[ainsoph9]

Yeah, I saw that Apple charges $99 just for the SDK, and that is before you learn anything about the programming language or if it is what you want. I am not really a programmer by any means, but I would like to look into the feasibility and difficulty of programming with these SDKs. I have done some C, C++, BASIC, and assembly language, but I have never worked with the languages that these devices use. My initial investigation shows that they use variations on Java and Objective-C for the most part. Would anyone have any good sources for actually learning them without having to pay a large sum of money to learn them?

[ben1234]

You'll want java for Android/Windows Mobile and objective-C for iOS

You might want to read this for Android

[rpapo]

You'll want java for Android/Windows Mobile and objective-C for iOS

You might want to read this for Android

If you want to do stuff for Windows Mobile (and I haven't heard that you do), it is also possible to use Microsoft Visual Studio. That ain't cheap, though. I use it because my company pays for it, but I haven't experimented with writing anything for my PDA, which runs Windows Mobile 6.5.

[ainsoph9]

I am open to Windows Mobile as well. It is just that there are so many languages and devices right now that it is kind of insane.

[rpapo]

I am open to Windows Mobile as well. It is just that there are so many languages and devices right now that it is kind of insane.

Well, lemme see...

Windows Mobile: Use the Microsoft Visual Studio development environment with the language C# for generating .NET applications.

Android: Use the Eclipse development environment with the language Java.

Apple: Use Objective C. I have no idea what their development environment is.

Of course, there are probably other ways to do things. These are simply the most prevalent ones for professionals.

[ainsoph9]

Ok. That is good for starters. Now, what about those tablets?

[rpapo]

Ok. That is good for starters. Now, what about those tablets?

The tablet market is changing. Most tablets run Android at this point (except the iPad, of course), but Micro$oft has been trying hard to break into that market, and supposedly Windows 8 (due out in the fall) will be able to run nicely on those tablets that use the ARM chip set.

Of course, Microsoft doesn't have the best track record at breaking into new markets, so their attempts may yet come to nothing.

[ben1234]

Programming wise, I don't think a lot would change aside from the difference in screen size and resolution

[rpapo]

Programming wise, I don't think a lot would change aside from the difference in screen size and resolution

That really depends on the general way the applications are put together. If you use Java on both machines, then indeed, screen size and resolution are the main differences. But ( C# <> Java ) <!!!> ObjectiveC. They are fairly different programming environments, especially ObjectiveC.

[ainsoph9]

I did a little reading on Objective-C, and it seems to have some really "interesting" and "odd" syntax compared with the languages I know more or less and the ones I have seen. While it looked like it was efficient, I just kept getting this feeling that it was somehow clunky and awkward. That was just my first impression, and I am probably VERY wrong.

[rpapo]

I did a little reading on Objective-C, and it seems to have some really "interesting" and "odd" syntax compared with the languages I know more or less and the ones I have seen. While it looked like it was efficient, I just kept getting this feeling that it was somehow clunky and awkward. That was just my first impression, and I am probably VERY wrong.

Both C++ and Objective C were evolutions from the language C for the sake of object orientation in application design, providing data encapsulation and the definition of object classes in terms of other object classes. ObjectiveC was an earlier take on the problem (mid 1980s), while C++ solidified later (early 1990s), and is in fact still evolving as an ANSI standard.

[ainsoph9]

That explains why Objective-C somehow feels not as clean as C++.

I wonder if there are any easy books for the programming "illiterate" such as myself out there. My problem with a lot of the programming books out there is that typically try the "immersion" method, which I found out does not work for me back in college. I really need something more example-driven with all of the principles broken down that allows for me to slowly build onto things.

(The funny thing though is that I am okay with writing simple programs for my TI-89, but it seems to go downhill after that. )

[hobogunner]

I'm actually in a java class right now, and assuming you're using eclipse, this book (there's a bigger one) does pretty good with examples and explaining the main concepts. If you don't feel like buying the book, the website for it at least covers in brief what the book talks on. (I've only seen one or two of the "review documents".) Now, there are also powerpoints along with the chapters, however, I only have them as my teacher releases them, although, I could ask for them all. The powerpoints (if you feel like sitting and reading) certainly have some good examples and setups. I'm not going to link to the powerpoint download, as that reveals almost my exact location, if you want to look it over, P.M. me for it. (Chapter 1 is all basics [from any programming/computer knowledge], so I'll send you chapter 2.)