Wiley Amazing Android Apps For Dummies 978-0-470-93629-0 ユーザーズマニュアル
製品コード
978-0-470-93629-0
1
Understanding Android
In mobile device terms, the word Android can refer to either an
Android device or to the Android operating system. In very simple
terms, an Android device is any device that runs the Android operat-
ing system. You might also encounter androids from science fiction
films and books, which are robots that resemble people, but that’s not
the type of Android I discuss in this book.
Android device or to the Android operating system. In very simple
terms, an Android device is any device that runs the Android operat-
ing system. You might also encounter androids from science fiction
films and books, which are robots that resemble people, but that’s not
the type of Android I discuss in this book.
You don’t need to understand what Android is or how it works to use
it. You can simply turn your device on and start pressing buttons and
tapping icons and you’ll probably get along just fine. That approach
worked just fine for my 3-year-old daughter; she figured it out pretty
quickly, much to my dismay. But in case you want a small peek behind
the Android curtain, this chapter is for you . . .
it. You can simply turn your device on and start pressing buttons and
tapping icons and you’ll probably get along just fine. That approach
worked just fine for my 3-year-old daughter; she figured it out pretty
quickly, much to my dismay. But in case you want a small peek behind
the Android curtain, this chapter is for you . . .
Introducing the Android
Operating System
Android is the operating system that powers all Android devices.
Much like how the Windows operating system powers laptop and
desktop computers, or Apple’s iOS (formerly known as the iPhone OS)
powers iPhones and iPads. Think of it as the underlying software that
instructs your device what to do. When you install an Android app
onto an Android device, you are installing an app that was written spe-
cifically for the Android operating system. You can’t install a Windows
app on an Android device, and you can’t install an Android app onto a
Windows computer.
Much like how the Windows operating system powers laptop and
desktop computers, or Apple’s iOS (formerly known as the iPhone OS)
powers iPhones and iPads. Think of it as the underlying software that
instructs your device what to do. When you install an Android app
onto an Android device, you are installing an app that was written spe-
cifically for the Android operating system. You can’t install a Windows
app on an Android device, and you can’t install an Android app onto a
Windows computer.
Actually, that last part isn’t exactly true. You actually can install
Android apps onto a Windows computer — and even on Macs and
Linux PCs, for that matter — but only if the computer is running a
special piece of software called an Android emulator, which creates a
virtual Android device on your computer. Developers frequently use
such emulators to test their apps.
Android apps onto a Windows computer — and even on Macs and
Linux PCs, for that matter — but only if the computer is running a
special piece of software called an Android emulator, which creates a
virtual Android device on your computer. Developers frequently use
such emulators to test their apps.
Speaking of Linux, the Android operating system is actually an offshoot
of the Linux operating system. Since its inception, however, Android
has developed into a robust, independent operating system designed
for mobile devices, and it’s not actually directly compatible with Linux.
of the Linux operating system. Since its inception, however, Android
has developed into a robust, independent operating system designed
for mobile devices, and it’s not actually directly compatible with Linux.
Android is an open source operating system, which means that a large
community of companies and developers maintain it and contribute
toward developing newer versions of it. This all takes place under the
auspices of Google, which bought the company (Android, Inc.) that
community of companies and developers maintain it and contribute
toward developing newer versions of it. This all takes place under the
auspices of Google, which bought the company (Android, Inc.) that
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