New Android SDK gallery

Here it is folks, the latest and greatest that Google has to offer -- the new Android SDK. As you can see, they've made some major cosmetic changes, as well as added some functionality. Why tell you about when we can show you, though? Take a look at the gallery below and see it all for yourself.

Gallery: New Android SDK gallery

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[George McFly @ Feb 13th 2008 4:12PM]

Is that picture trying to be actual size?

[fahnboi @ Feb 13th 2008 4:16PM]

getcher damn hands off of her, mcfly! she's mine!

[Nathan @ Feb 13th 2008 5:03PM]

McFly, you bojo! Those SDKs don't work on water!

[Tony C @ Feb 13th 2008 5:04PM]

What are you looking at you Irish bug!

[Mark @ Feb 13th 2008 5:04PM]

Wow. This thing is ugly.

I guess it fits google though, function over form, just the basics for design.

[Andir3.0 @ Feb 13th 2008 5:10PM]

Yeah, I want flowers and pink ruffles on my phone... It's more important that it looks like it's pretty rather than work.

[cbellman @ Feb 13th 2008 4:14PM]

nice.

[martin @ Feb 13th 2008 4:16PM]

oooo rounded edges (maybe)

[Zach @ Feb 13th 2008 4:15PM]

Here's a question I've been trying to answer for a while. Will android be configured to be installed on several different current phones (such as the iPhone or current windows mobile phones), or will it be uniquely a Factory install phone OS?

I assume since it's open source it will be hacked quite a bit by the community out there, however, I'm really curious on this. I'm thinking about getting an iPhone, but I'm really hoping for the flexibility of Android and freedom of android.

[Fred @ Feb 13th 2008 4:32PM]

I would think this would be a pre-installed thing. I don't know that there are that many people savvy enough to be running self-installed OSes on their mobile phones.

[Nathan @ Feb 13th 2008 5:13PM]

I'm not sure if you are implying that you will be installing Android on the iPhone, but given its lack of modern hardware (save the touch screen) it would seem its biggest selling point IS its interface.

Also, I would assume that Android would be provider / manufacturer installed; the majority of consumers don't want to have to / learn to install an OS on their phone.

[Elliot @ Feb 16th 2008 9:11AM]

the big disadvantage to installing it on existing devices is that you'll instantly loose all support from your carrier
if anything goes wrong or you need a replacement (and you cant put the original OS back on) then they'll smack you in the face for even asking when it's 'obviously' you that's broken your phone by installing a 'stupid' OS on it
That's what i imagine that carriers here in the UK would say

[Scribbins @ Feb 13th 2008 4:19PM]

I get it, you do maps.

I think the whole android concept embraces the "map" too much. The location screen w/ businesses even cannibalizes their/apple's work on the iPhone, in a less elegant way.

Besides the map-based apps, the rest of the phone's concepts seem weak... nav (os not gps), contacts, dialer

[Razor1973 @ Feb 13th 2008 5:39PM]

I've been thinking the same thing since the first shots came out. What's the big deal with Maps and why do half of the shots are of this application and how everything else integrates into it. Who cares? I don't want to use Maps on my phone, period. Does that mean Android is not for me? Give Maps a freaking break already!

[Craig @ Feb 13th 2008 11:58PM]

I'm sorry you don't see the value in having maps on your phone. If you turned off your Xbox once in a while, left your parents' basement, and went outside, you might.

[jim killer @ Feb 14th 2008 6:22AM]

Craig i think what he meant was ..what else can it do besides map? And thats what they should post instead of a gallery consisting of all maps. Iphone does maps and internet.. so show the consumers what else it has to offer. Just my take on it.

[Brentt @ Feb 13th 2008 4:21PM]

mmmmmm. is it just me, or does this look a lot fuglier than previous screen shots??

[Fernando @ Feb 13th 2008 6:35PM]

I know, the uglyfied the icons

[rektide @ Feb 13th 2008 4:19PM]

this is only the new DEFAULT this has been available for quite some time.

[farfisa @ Feb 13th 2008 4:26PM]

POS only gets two bars?
Seriously though, can't you scrounge up something blurrier so we can argue over whether it's fake or not?

[Joe @ Feb 13th 2008 4:43PM]

I was going to call shenanigans, but I'm no photoshop expert.

[Nathan @ Feb 13th 2008 5:07PM]

I believe that the phone in this gallery is just a digital mock up they use to give the developers an idea what their apps will look like on a real phone screen.

I would bet it's just for scaling and proportioning purposes.

[Elliot @ Feb 16th 2008 9:11AM]

the phone image has artefacts of being scanned in on a flatbed scanner
the little scratches on the top bit look exactly what comes up when i put my phone in a flatbed

[okayokay @ Feb 13th 2008 4:54PM]

Once, it was enough just to have a portable phone.........

[Nathan @ Feb 13th 2008 5:08PM]

Yeah, they called that the 90's.

[Josh @ Feb 13th 2008 5:20PM]

Psh. So last decade.

I embrace the years when phones are actually capable of doing all of the things they spew off about these days accurately, which is what the next decade is looking to be. Right now, however, is something of a monstrosity between the two...

[okayokay @ Feb 15th 2008 11:19AM]

The same with "predictable weather".........

[wireless.nemo @ Feb 13th 2008 4:47PM]

cue:

omg they stole the iphone intarface!

[fahnboi @ Feb 13th 2008 4:50PM]

the proper term is ZOMG

[Nathan @ Feb 13th 2008 5:10PM]

Correction: ZOMGWTFBBQ!!!one!

[Vonster @ Feb 13th 2008 6:36PM]

The GUI is crap just like their logo so that's par for the course.

My question is will the phone be able to show animated gifs or flash content in the browser both of which fail to work on the iPhone which is ironic since it sells itself as a web 2.0 device yet it can't display web 1.0 technology.

I am still waiting for notes syncing on the iPhone too.

[Johan S @ Feb 13th 2008 5:03PM]

Does the SDK support WVGA? By the time Android devices come out, most of the high end phones will be moving to WVGA. (phones like the Toshiba G900 and Experia X1 etc. are already there).

[Andir3.0 @ Feb 13th 2008 5:12PM]

I'm going to go out on a limb here... yes.

[Nathan @ Feb 13th 2008 5:16PM]

It will support higher resolutions, but since its Linux based you will have to open terminal and change xconfig to support it. Also you'll have to use restricted drivers that don't come with android and must be installed through command line entry.

Man, I just remembered why I prefer Vista / OSX over Ubuntu

[Andir3.0 @ Feb 13th 2008 5:23PM]

Don't confuse things here

There is a page on how to setup your DisplayMetrics here:
http://code.google.com/android/reference/android/util/DisplayMetrics.html

You don't have to do any of that crap.

[Andir3.0 @ Feb 13th 2008 5:25PM]

And BTW, Ubuntu detects display resolutions just fine. You select them from a settings menu.

Quit spreading lies.

[Nathan @ Feb 13th 2008 5:27PM]

I wasn't being serious Andir, just taking a break from work to poke fun at Linux. And yes, I like Linux when I don't need to get anything done, it's a really fun hobby, tinkering with it and what not.

[Scott @ Feb 13th 2008 5:41PM]

Android isn't going to be for boutique phones only. This thing is looking to go mainstream all the way.

[danny @ Feb 13th 2008 5:13PM]

Looks great. I'm linking over to this article on my site if that is okay. I'm sure my users will be delighted.

-D
http://www.androidboards.com

[zebcarlson2007 @ Feb 13th 2008 5:15PM]

Awewsome!

[Nathan @ Feb 13th 2008 5:24PM]

Opposum!

[Tony C @ Feb 13th 2008 5:19PM]

So... Tell me again why the Android SDK gallery had to be posted twice, by the same person, only two entries apart?

[Nathan @ Feb 13th 2008 5:23PM]

Because its Engadget, not Tony C's Gadget Blog so they aren't bound to your methodology of publishing information.

[Matt Baron @ Feb 13th 2008 5:20PM]

Some of the UI, such as the in call menus, are heavily "borrowed" from the iPhone. I was really hoping to see something more innovative.

Google still could be successful by marketing android as a platform where Apple is going for a proprietary hardware-bound solution, but I was still hoping they would shake thinks up a little in their interface.

[fahnboi @ Feb 13th 2008 5:22PM]

because it's double your pleasure. double your fun. it's carcinogen-sweetener gum!

[To: Hell @ Feb 13th 2008 5:31PM]

Wow fahnboi you really aren't funny...... and you can't seem to figure out how to post, either.

[fahnboi @ Feb 13th 2008 5:34PM]

hey to:hell, go away stalker. just because you're tadghostal and i decimated you on the OSX update thread doesn't mean you have to constantly shadow me. what a douchebag. honestly.

[Kao @ Feb 13th 2008 5:35PM]

what does the keyboard look like?

[Elliot @ Feb 16th 2008 9:11AM]

yeah
i noticed that these pics never actually showed an OSK (on screen keyboard) or Keypad or anything

[Razor1973 @ Feb 13th 2008 5:42PM]

LOL :)