Tag Archives: Android

For some time now, Jean-Baptiste Quéru (JBQ), technical lead of the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) at Google, have been working to get the AOSP running on Xperia™ S. Today, we are moving the AOSP on Xperia S project from the main branch of the AOSP to a Sony git on GitHub. This is because while JBQ considers the Xperia™ S AOSP experiment a success, from Jelly Bean MR1 Xperia™ S will not be kept as a target device on the main AOSP branch. However, as we can see a great interest from the community we will continue the work on a Sony git and keep it open for external partners and developers to contribute. Read on as Björn Andersson and Johan Redestig, software engineers at Sony, explain more!

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We’re excited to announce a new promotion channel for game developers called Xperia exclusive, which will be visible on the majority of all Xperia™ smartphones and tablets. This channel will promote games and game developers who are willing to go the extra mile and create unique in-game content exclusive to Xperia™ smartphones. It could for example be special Xperia™-car, or the option to play as a new character. These games will also include a link from the main menu of the Xperia™ exclusive list (for the best discoverability of new games), and they will be fully optimised for Xperia™ smartphones. Are you a game developer who wants to be part of this? Learn more after the jump.

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On Developer World, we recently made available the Sony Add-on SDK, which lets you support our Small App feature on the new Xperia Tablet S. If you want to enable your existing app to also function as a Small App, you simply have to add some simple code to your app. From a developer’s perspective, adding Small App support is very similar to how you add widget support. And by extending your app with a Small App, you can gain visibility for your app along with the added functionality. Read on for instructions!

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*** UPDATE: This campaign has now ended. ***

App developer? Today we’re kicking off a campaign in search of great Small Apps, and in return we will hand out an Xperia™ Tablet S for free to the developer of the app we like the most. Small Apps is a new multi-tasking functionality available on the new Xperia Tablet S, and a Small App can run on top of any other activity or be minimised to the edge for quick access.  This enables true multi-tasking! And by using the Sony Add-on SDK and the Small Apps code example and documentation, you can easily extend your app to include the Small App functionality, which will help you gain visibility for your app. Read on for the details on how to get the chance to receive a free Xperia™ Tablet S!

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If you’re gearing up to attend Droidcon UK next week, don’t miss the opportunity to attend Erik Hellman’s session Fast, user friendly, and effective network communication on Android on Day 2. Erik, a research engineer here at Sony and a regular speaker at Droidcon events, sat down with the DroidCon organisers to discuss his Droidcon experiences, Android development, and how developers can make their applications better. Read the Erik Hellman interview on Droidcon News for the inside scoop.

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If you’re hungry for some meaty developer sessions, then you might want to check out the Big Android BBQ. This preeminent mobile technology conference for Android developers and enthusiasts takes place in Hurst, Texas, USA, from October 19-21. We will be there running a number of interesting and useful speaker sessions, such as a session on how to work with a dynamic sensor HAL. You will also be able to visit our booth to check out our latest products, an opportunity to talk with some of our engineering experts, and maybe pitch us an app idea for a SmartWatch app extension.  Learn more about the event and all the Sony activities after the jump.

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Ahoy ahoy developers! Here’s a short note for you – there are some parameters in class android.os.Build which are manufacturer and brand dependent, and as of now we are changing our manufacturer ID from “Sony Ericsson” to “Sony” in the parameter called android.os.Build.MANUFACTURER. Read on for more information on how to handle this.

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We recently announced the Xperia Tablet S, which includes a new, unique functionality called Small Apps. Small Apps are special miniature apps that run on top of other applications, to enable true multi-tasking. And now you can create your own Small Apps for the Xperia™ Tablet S by using the Sony Add-on SDK and Small App code example and documentation.  By doing so, you can gain more visibility since your app will be listed in predefined searches, which will be easily accessible for Xperia™ Tablet S users. Learn more after the jump!

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App developers, do you want to enhance the user experience, and reduce the power consumption & improve the network efficiency of your app?  We are happy to share our knowledge in the area, and one way to do this is by continuously contributing to initiatives like the guide called Smarter Apps for Smarter Phones. Published by the GSM Association (GSMA) earlier this year, this is the perfect guide for app developers interested in increasing the efficiency of their apps while enhancing the user experience.

In this tutorial, Håkan Jonsson from our Technology office has picked out some of the areas from the guide that he thinks are most important for increasing power efficiency and network usage in mobile devices. You will find useful and hands-on tips, as well as some brand new code examples that will help you improve your app. Read more after the jump!

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