Android 1.5 gets official SDK for native development

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Java-based development within a specialized, optimized virtual
machine is one of the founding principles of the platform that
makes Android
what it is -- but sometimes, you need a little more oomph and
you've got to bend the rules to make that happen. Google's totally
cool with that, it turns out, and today they've released the
Android 1.5 Native Development Kit (NDK) that allows developers to
generate C and C++ libraries that run directly on the platform
rather than being routed through Dalvik. The android team pulls no
punches that devs should be careful when going native, saying "your
application will be more complicated, have reduced compatibility,
have no access to framework APIs, and be harder to debug" -- but as
they note, there'll be times when the improved performance and
deeper access to hardware will be a boon. As with
HTC's Sense, it'll be interesting to see how this affects the
platform going forward.


[ Via: Engadgetmobile ]

• HTC Hero approved by Global Certification Forum, rocking GSM and HSPA

HTC Hero approved by Global Certification Forum, rocking GSM and HSPA

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We're unfortunately light on details here, but The Unwired
is reporting that HTC's Hero has
been approved by the Global Certification Forum, listed here as
"HERO100," with support for quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE and dualband
UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA at 1800/2100 MHz. With the company's touted London
event just around the corner --
this Wednesday, to be exact -- we wouldn't be surprised to see
the phone and its oft-rumored "Rosie" Android
UI take center stage, in
possibly two variations. Other than frequency bands and the
associative name, the GCF isn't giving us anything else to work
with, so for now just sit back and hope this uncertainty is cleared
up sooner rather than later.


[ Via: Engadgetmobile ]

Google updates Maps through the Android Market

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Google has updated its Maps app for Android
-- perhaps the most vital, central app in the platform outside of
the dialer itself -- and fortunately for G1, Dream, and Magic users
around the world, they've made the update available through the
Android Market. That's a really big deal and a major departure from
basically every other mobile platform, because it means that folks
won't be waiting for carriers and manufacturers to get off their
rumps and release firmware updates -- instead, integrated
components of the operating system can be pushed out through the
Market just like any other app you'd install. The new version's a
doozy, too, featuring voice search, more comprehensive support for
Latitude,
detailed business information, and pedestrian / mass transit
navigation, arguably making the Android version of Maps the most
robust on any phone. Seeing how Android is Google's own, seems
fitting, doesn't it?



[Thanks, href="http://www.myspace.com/justinhub2003">Justin]


[ Via: Engadgetmobile ]