1. _BA[ MOBILE
'A'Is for
'Android'
"Android is a software stack for mobile devices that
includes an operating system, middleware and key
applications that use a modified version of the Linux
kernel. It was initially developed by Android Inc.,
a firm later purchased by Google, and lately by the Open
Handset Alliance" [http://www.openhandsetalliance.com].
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android-(operating-system)
W ile G(oogle's Nexus One [http:/ /www.google.com/phone]
may be the most well-known of the Android phones, the
IIT(C l)ream lhttp://www.htc.com/www/product/dream/over
view.htmlh, released in late October 2008, was the first phone to
run the Android operating system. The Nexus One is manufac-
tured for Google by the IITC Corp. (Taiwan) and became avail-
able in early January 2010.
As of mid-April 2010, nearly 50 makes and models ofAndroid
phones were available, forthcoming, or anticipated. Android-
based phone manufacturers include BlackBerry, Dell, HTC.LG,
Motorola, Nokia, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sharpe, and Sony
Ericsson. The top- ranked phones include Google Nexus One,
Motorola DROID A855, HTC DROID Eris, Samsung Moment
M900, FIT(' liero, Motorola CLIQ, Samsung Behold II t939, T-
Mobile G1, myTouch 3G, and the Motorola Devour A555.
In addition to smartphones, the Android operating system
has been, or will be, installed on tablet computers, e-readers,
and other devices.
Market Share
In October 2009, Gartner Inc. predicted that by 2012, Android
would become the world's second most popular smartphone
Gerald McKiernan
Associate Professor/Science and Technology Librarian
Iowa State University Library
platform. In its "Predictions 2010: Enterprise Mobility Acceler-
ates Again" report issued in mid-December 2009 thttp://tiny
url.com/yaxb6p2j, Forrester Research estimated that mobile
devices using the Google Android operating systems would
account for 10% ofthe mobile device market in 2010, due in large
part to significant support from Qualcomm, Verizon, Motorola.
and Google [http: / /www.inetworkworld.com/ news/2009/ 1224
09-forrester-enterprise-mobility-trends- android.htmlI. In early
April 2010, comScore, "a global leader in measuring the digital
world and the preferred source ofdigital marketing intelligence,"
released its report on key trends in the U.S. mobile phone indus-
try for the 3-month period between November 2009 and Febru-
ary 2010, which supported this prediction. Based on its research,
comScore found that more than 45 million Americans owned
smartphones during the period, an increase of more than 20%
from the previous quarter.
Research In Motion (RIM), maker of the BlackBerry line of
devices, remained the mobile smartphone platform leader in the
country, with a 41% share of the U.S. smartphone market at the
beginning of 2010. According to a pessimistic article in Vhe New
York Timesciting a Gartner report lhttp:/ /www.nytimes.com/2010/
07/26/business/26views.html? r=I&ref=research-in-motion-ltd1,
www niolotday co,ivo ,rchor September 2010

2. MOBILE
RIM's 41% share represented a 14% drop from the first quarter
of 2009. During that same period, the share held by Apple
iPhones and Android smartphones rose to 49%, up 23%. Specif-
ically, Google's Android platform increased its share to 9.0%
(from 5.2% in the previous period). In its report, comScore notes
that the increase was due in part to the introduction of more
Android-compatible devices [http://tinyurl.com/ykuual7]. (See
also http://blogs.computerworld.com/15692/android_market
share growing_iphone-shrinking-says-quantcast.)
Android Apps
Although the Android Market [http://www.android.com/
market] - the "online software store developed by Google for
Android devices" - had fewer than 175 applications available 1
week after its launch October 2008, the number has increased
significantly since [http://tinyurl.comlyh6yb7c].
According to recent statistics from AndroidLib.com [http://
www.androlib.com/appstats.aspx], more than 9,300 new mobile
applications were added to the Android Market during March
2010 alone. In December 2009, there were more than 3,800 new
applications, while in the first 2 months of 2010, more than
10,000 were added Ihttp://tinyurl.com/yh6yb7c]. Interestingly,
the Android Market only surpassed the 10K apps mark in Sep-
tember 2009, nearly 2 years after its launch. By mid-April 2010,
-
- "'"' -
there were more than 45,000 Android apps and games available
in the market lhttp://www.androlib.com/appstats.aspxj. Of
course, the Apple iPhone apps market dwarfs that count.
Android Market
The Android Market is "an online software store developed
by Google for Android devices." An application called Market is
preinstalled on some Android devices and allows users to browse
and download the applications published by third-party devel-
opers hosted on Android Market. The Android Market was
announced in late August 2008 and became available in mid-
October 2008. The website provides details for limited subsets
of available apps, in particular those categorized as Featured,
Top Paid, and Top Free. A comprehensive, up-to-date list of all
Android Market apps is available from a handset.
In mid-April 2010, the Featured apps included Bonsai Blast
Abduction! World Attack, WHERE, Google Sky Map, Documents
To Go 2.0 Main App, Movies by Flixster, Google Maps, Layar Real-
ityBrowser 2.1, Mystique. Chapter 1: Foetus, Twidgit Lite, Wape-
dia, Facebook, CardioTrainer, Devilry Huntress, DoggCatcher,
FeedR News Reader,Hyperspace, PicSay Pro,wpToGo, Amazon.com,
Qik, SportsTap, LCI, Spreadsheet, DroidLive, Scan2PDF Mobile, Fuel
Prices Plus UK, Listen, WiFi OnOff, Spotify,Pandora, Mother TED,
GolfCard, Cam"Matey,and OpenTable.
i'llG
SEARCHER a The Magazine forDatabase Professionals
%N-

3. MOBILE
The Top Paid apps included Power Manager, Open Home
- Full, lewellust, MyBackup Pro, Tangram Pro, aHome, dxTop:
Home Alternative, Aevum Obscurum, Retro Defense, Hello
IM!, WordWrench Full, Lock 2.0, Air Hocke, BetterCut, Caller
ID, Spira Defence Pro, Advanced Task Manager, RepliGo
Reader, PhotoVault, AlphaMixr, Kidd GBC, iLightr, BreakThe-
Blocks Full, HideNSeek, Nesoid (NES emulator). Buka, Archi-
pelago, RockOut Acoustic Pro, and Bejeweled. Among the Top
Free apps were The Weather Channel, ShopSavvy, MySpace
Mobile, Solitaire, Daily Horoscope, Free Dictionary Org,
Sudoku, PAC-MAN by Namco, Mobile Banking, WikiMobile
Encyclopedia, Yellowbook.com Mobile Search, Voice Recorder,
Pickup Lines, NYC Subway Map, aCurrency.Tic Tac Toe, Places
Directory, Mortgage Calculator, Hotels near me, Chess for
Android, Thesaurus, Soccer Livescores, Hangman, Meebo IM,
Translator, Wikitude - Mobile Global Travel Guide, Phone-
book, US Traffic, Last.fm - Personal Radio, Live Chat, Note
Pad, Moviz'langman, and State Capitals.
On the Android Market website, users can browse "free"apps
in several categories, namely Communication, Entertainment,
Finance, Lifestyle, Multimedia, News &Weather, Productivity,
Reference, Shopping, Social, Tools, TYavel, and various Games
groupings [http://www.android.com/market/free.html].
As with iPhone apps (e.g., AppStore HQ [http://www.app
storehq.coml), a variety of websites have been established to
assist users in assessingAndroid apps and devices. Among these
are Absolutely Android [http://www.absolutelyandroid.com]
and Android Guys Ihttp://www.androidguys.com]. In early April
2010, AppStore HQ partnered with Absolutely Android [http://
tinyurl.com/2agkq3j] as well as Android Guys [http://tinyurl.
com/26nids8h], to provide each with a link to its separate
Android apps search and browse service (http://android.app
storehq.com]. AndroidZone lhttp://www.androidzoom.com],
AndroLib Ihttp://www.androlib.comj, and RawApps [http://
www.rawapps.coml are among an increasing number of other
Android apps directories.
As with its iPhone Apps gateway, users of the AppStoreHQ
Android site can not only browse the most recent Hottest
Android Apps on the Web and Hottest on Twitter, but can also
review the Best Android Apps, Free Android Apps, and the Best
Android Games as well. In addition, users can Browse By Cate-
gory (e.g., Games, News &Weather, Lifestyle). After displaying
results for a category, users can refine the results by pricing tiers,
rating, or release date. Users can also search for specific apps in
all categories or limit the search to more than 30 broad cate-
gories (Search for apps in ... ).
In mid-April 2010, RoboDefense, Alphabet Blocks, and Tod-
dler Cards-Food Lite were among the highest-rated apps in
the Games category, while in the News &Weather category,
Weather Buddy, World Newspapers Pro, and WNYC Live
Stream were among the highest rated. In the Lifestyle cate-
gory, Call On Jesus, Egg Boil Chef, and Zen For Americans were
among the top apps.
In the Reference category, PowerVocab Advanced Reader,
1001 Spanish Verbs (Pro), and GREAnalogyAce Exam Prep, were
among the higher-rated apps, while in the Social Networking
group, SMS Tweet, World Cup Followers, and the Justin Timber-
lake Fans Channel were highly rated.
As with iPhone apps, an increasing number ofAndroid apps
are being developed to facilitate access, collection, and use of
data and information.
Books
OverDrive Media Console Mobile for Android
In late December 2009, OverDrive [http://www.overdrive.
com], a "leading global distributor of audiobooks and eBooks to
libraries and retailers ... announced the beta release of an audio-
book app that enables Android phone and device owners to
wirelessly download digital audiobooks. OverDrive's audiobook
app for Android is compatible with MP3 audiobooks from more
than 10,000 libraries and major online retailers, including Bar-
nesAndNoble.com, BooksOnBoard.com, and Borders.com"
[http://www.librarytechnology.org/ltg-displaytext.pl?RC=
144291). The OverDrive Media Console for Android (v1.0) (April
2010) is a free application downloadable from an OverDrive
site [http://www.overdrive.com/software/omc/Default.aspxl.
0
U-
U
* -
o-
a
®DDw
www ilOoday corillsearche,
September 2010 9
OverDri" Media Comsoleý

4. MOBILE
Download and installation instructions are also available
Ilhttp://www.overdrive.com/software/omc/downloadinstruc
tionsandroid.aspl as well as an FAQ [http://www.overdrive.com/
software/omc/faq.aspl.
OverDrive Media Console Mobile "offers title navigation,
bookmarking, and the ability to resume from most recently
played point." OverDrive titles "are often divided into 'Parts' to
make downloading quick and easy. Each Part is no larger than
40MB," allowing the user to listen immediately after a Part has
been downloaded; the user need not wait until an entire work
is downloaded to begin. In addition, one can download specific
Parts of interest, in any order. Parts are divided into logical sec-
tions (i.e., chapters for audiobooks). One can navigate to an
individual section by clicking on the MediaMarkers of interest;
the marker is a feature that indicates a section's beginning point.
The OverDrive Media Console allows the user to skip back 15
seconds, advance to the point furthest played, or to bookmark.
With the console, a user can also create and maintain a com-
prehensive library of downloaded media and sort by title, cre-
ator, and date last played [http://www.overdrive.com/software/
oimc/default.aspxl.
OverDrive provides an OverDrive Digital Media Locator
Ihttp://search.overdrive.com], which allows a library patron to
determine if his or her library offers the OverDrive service. The
interface allows a search by standard bibliographic data (e.g.,
title, creator, publisher) separately or in combination; by ZIP
code; and/or to browse by geographic location (e.g., United
States, Canada, Ireland).
For those interested in purchasing titles, OverDrive provides
a Digital Bookseller Search [http://eBookLocator.com/retail],
where one can search a database of thousands of audiobooks
and ebooks sold at retail sites. OverDrive also offers Free
Audiobook Samplers [http://www.overdrive.com/software/
omc/audiobooksamples.aspl.
Instruction
Blackboard Mobile Learn
In mid-March 2010, Blackboard, Inc. [http: /www.blackboard.
coml "announced plans for an application that will bring two-
way teaching and learning to mobile devices, creating an inter-
active mobile learning experience for students and teachers on
the go." Its Blackboard Mobile Learn will enable students "to
check grades and assignments, add comments to discussion
boards, email instructors and classmates and post comments on
blogs - all from their mobile devices."
Blackboard, Inc. is a software company that "develops and
licenses software applications and related services to over 2200 edu-
cation institutions in more than 60 countries" which "use Black-
board software to manage e-learning, transaction processing and
e-commerce, and online communities." Blackboard Mobile Learn
"will recreate and enrich thecourse experience ofBlackboard Learn
... in native mobile applications..." [http://www.blackboard.com/
Company/Media-Center/PressReleases.aspxl.
A related service, the Blackboard Mobile Central [http://
www.blackboard.com/ Mobile/Mobile-Central.aspxi application,
"already delivers mobile campus experience that includes news,
events, maps and sports among a range of student life and serv-
ice options." As of mid-April 2010, this Blackboard Mobile Cen-
tral service was available for only the BlackBerry and iPhone/
iTouch devices.
Wi-Fi access to Blackboard Mobile Learn devices can be
implemented through a partnership with Sprint on select smart-
phones powered by the Now Network [http://now.sprint.corn].
10 SEARCHER rThe Magazine for Database Professionals

5. MOBILE
The Blackboard Mobile Learn Information Site lhttp://black
board.com/Mobile/Overview.aspxl links to an overview, rele-
vant resources, and additional details about this new initiative.
(See also http://chronicle.com/blogPost/Blackboard-Bets-on-
Mobile/21949.)
Blackboard Mobile Learn became available in June 2010 and
can support popular mobile devices that include those on the
Android platform as well as BlackBerry and iPhone. It is available
through an annual license, branded underthe school's name,and
downloadable at mobile application stores [http://www.black
board.com/Company/Media-Center/Press-Releases.aspxl.
Research
EpiCollect: Data Collection Using Mobile Phones
EpiCollect Ihttp: / /www.epicollect.netl provides generic soft-
ware for the Android operating system that "allows multiple data
records to be entered and stored on a mobile phone (text vari-
ables, GPS position, photo etc.) and sent to a central web data-
base." It is hosted by Spatialepidemiology.net. Along with pre-
viously collected data, newly collected data can be displayed and
analyzed using Google Maps or Google Earth. Similarly, data
from the web database can be requested and displayed on a
mobile phone, again using Google Maps.
Three options were initially available when EpiCollect
launched: New Entry, List Entries, and Display Map. Selecting
New Entry creates a new data record within the phone inter-
nal database and assigns it a unique identification number.
The phone's GPS functionality provides the current latitude,
longitude, and altitude of the user. Three new options are also
available: Photo, Data, and Store. The Photo option allows an
image to be taken using the phone's camera and associated
with a given record, while the Data option displays a data entry
screen containing common form fields (e.g., text fields, list
boxes, check boxes). The specific fields correspond to those
created for a project's database structure. A user can enter data
via a touch-screen keyboard or with a hardware keyboard if
provided by the phone (e.g., T-Mobile GI [http://www.t-mobi
legi.coml). Following data entry, the Confirm button returns
the view to the entry screen and selecting Store saves the cur-
rent record with the associated date and time.
All records stored in the phone's database can be viewed, and
amended if necessary, by using the List entries option. Data can
be synchronized with the central database from this screen, with
confirmation of successful data transfer. A Display Map option
allows all locally stored records to be displayed using a built-in
Google Maps application. The central database can be searched
by any appropriate field and the results displayed in a Google
Map, with the locally stored records if desired. The standard
click-drag-zoom interface permits map navigation and, by using
the GPS, can zoom to the phone's current location.
While EpiCollect was originally designed to facilitate the col-
lection of epidemiological data, it clearly can be utilized in other
situations in which two-way communication between mobile
phones and a central database would be beneficial. Biodiversity
research, in which multiple researchers record details (and
photographs) of the presence and distribution of a particular
species, is an obvious application. EpiCollect would be an excel-
lent tools for citizen science [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citi
zen-science], permitting individuals "to directly submit their
data to the project database from their mobile phone and could
significantly increase the collection and collation of data for
these types of community projects."
EpiCollect was developed using the Android Operating Sys-
tem SDK. Testing was undertaken using both the developer and
commercially available T-Mobile GI phone running both
Android version 1.0 and 1.5. For the project- specific websites,
go to http://www.spatialepidemiology.net. The interface devel-
opment utilized the ExtJS, Prototype, Script.aculo.us, and Map-
straction JavaScript libraries. The Google Maps API used 2D
mapping, the KML specification used for creating output for
Google Earth, and the Google Charts API for rendering graphi-
cal summaries. Server-side scripting was written in PHP and all
data were stored in MS SQL Server.
The generic nature of EpiCollect allows it to be used for sub-
mitting data to any online database; EpiCollect is provided as free
software and will further develop a tool to allow online project
definition of variables for the immediate download of versions
of the software tailored to specific needs littp://www.plosone.
org/article/ info:doi%2FbO. 1371%2Fjournal.pone.0006968). For
more information, go to Aanensen DM, Huntley DM, Feil EJ, al-
Own E Spratt BG, 2009 EpiCollect: Linking Smartphones to Web
Applications for Epidemiology, Ecology and Community Data
Collection. PLoS ONE 4(9): e6968. doi: 10.1371 /journal.pone.
0006968 [http://www.plosone.org/article/iinfo:doi%2F,10.1371%
2Fjournal.pone.00069681.
What Next?
Clearly, the Apple iPhone remains a dominant smartphone
market leader, but Google is no lightweight competitor. Keep
you eyes open and your ears to the ground - or,actually, your
ears fastened to your smartphone. *
ww- rlfoloday ComWs-arhr
Seplember 2010 11

6. COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
Author:
Title:
Source:
ISSN:
Publisher:
McKiernan, Gerald
‘A’ Is for ‘Android’
Searcher 18 no7 S 2010 p. 7-11
1070-4795
Information Today, Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055-8750
The magazine publisher is the copyright holder of this article and it is reproduced
with permission. Further reproduction of this article in violation of the copyright is
prohibited. To contact the publisher: http://www.infotoday.com
This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, re-distribution, re-selling, loan or sub-
licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make
any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently
verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever
caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material.