Job: Software Engineer – Mobile in UK

Job Description

This role will be involved in the development, deployment, maintenance and testing components of the DECIDE programme, primarily “App Lab”, a private App Store that will provide a large scale testing environment to support start-up and other companies with private trialling of their applications. The role will also include helping design, prototype and run mobile app deployment, as well as helping develop the best practice policy and guideline documents for development, testing and deployment.

Skills & Requirements

You must be a skilful, hard working and innovative engineer, with highly developed technical skills and able to effective communicate with and work within a team. Good at problem solving, and analytical thinking. You must be able to demonstrate excellent organisational and interpersonal skills, the ability to take on responsibility and exercise skills in time management. Specifically you need to be able to demonstrate the experience and competencies mentioned in the job description.
A full job description can be found here (Ref:1428357).

About UCL

UCL Advances, UCL’s centre for entrepreneurship, has been formed to develop new links between UCL and businesses of all kinds, with a particular focus on entrepreneurs and small and medium–sized enterprises.
DECIDE helps London’s entrepreneurs test, iterate and launch ideas. Part of Advances, UCL’s Centre for Entrepreneurship, we work with startups and leading companies to transform and validate ideas through early stage product development and pre-commercial testing. We offer 3 core services; UX Lab, a user experience evaluation and design service, Device Lab, London’s largest open device library, and App Lab, a private app store for in-the-wild user testing on UCL’s community of 35,000 people.
DECIDE is a diverse and ambitious programme, with App Lab currently being one of the most interesting open innovation projects in the country, making this a unique opportunity. The successful candidate will be joining a dynamic, highly motivated, fun and entrepreneurial team – described as fantastically strange by one of our inters!

How to apply

We ideally want someone these posts to be filled and for the candidates to start as soon as possible, there are therefore two options when applying:
1) Apply for the post full time, the job will be advertised until the 27th of August, interviews will take place in September and the job will start soon after that depending on notice the period. To apply please click on the "apply" link on this page.
2) Apply for the contractor/temporary role which will be filled as soon as we find a suitable candidate and will continue until the full time position is filled – this candidate will equally be welcome to fill in an application for the full time role. To apply using the application form please email c dot newman at ucl dot ac dot uk

Source: http://careers.stackoverflow.com/jobs/65075/software-engineer-mobile-ucl?a=5hHAxcPQ2I&searchTerm=android

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How to create Custom Notification in Android

Customization notification part needed sometimes, that you modified android notification of user request. Here is the sample code for custom notification:

Main.Java code :

public class NotificationToastActivity extends Activity {
@Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);
     
Button button = (Button) findViewById(R.id.toast_button);
button.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {

@Override
public void onClick(View v) {
     
       Toast toast = new Toast(getApplicationContext());

       toast.setGravity(Gravity.CENTER_VERTICAL, 0, 0);
       toast.setDuration(Toast.LENGTH_LONG);
     
       toast.setView(getLayoutInflater().inflate(R.layout.custom_toast,null));

       toast.show();
}
});

    }
}

main.xml code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical" >

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/toast_button"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_centerInParent="true"
        android:text="Show Toast"
        android:textSize="24sp" />

</RelativeLayout>

and final custom_layout.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:background="#0000FF"
    android:orientation="horizontal"
    android:padding="10dp" >

    <ImageView
        android:id="@+id/custom_image"
        android:layout_width="44dp"
        android:layout_height="44dp"
        android:layout_centerVertical="true"
        android:layout_marginRight="10dp"
        android:src="@drawable/custom_image" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/customtext"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_centerVertical="true"
        android:layout_marginLeft="10dp"
        android:layout_toRightOf="@id/custom_image"
        android:text="Display, Custom Toast Here"
        android:textColor="#fff"
        android:textSize="15sp" />

</RelativeLayout>

Here is the some snapshots:

Happy Coding!!!

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Create custom button in Android using XML

How to create custom button in android using xml style file . which is placed on drawable folder .

Now, just create shape of the ImageButton to have black shader background.

android:background="@drawable/button_shape"

and the button_shape is the xml file in drawable resource:

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<shape 
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <stroke 
        android:width="1dp" 
        android:color="#505050"/>
    <corners 
        android:radius="7dp" />

    <padding 
        android:left="1dp"
        android:right="1dp"
        android:top="1dp"
        android:bottom="1dp"/>

    <solid android:color="#505050"/>

</shape>

Happy Coding!!!

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Differences and Similarities Between Android and iOS.

Diffen.com, summarize between  differences and similarities Google's Android and Apple's iOS.

Differences:

	Android	iOS
Company/Developer	Google	Apple Inc.
OS family	Linux	OS X, UNIX
Customizability	A lot. Can change almost anything.	Limited unless jailbroken
Initial release	September 23, 2008	July 29, 2007
Programmed in	C, C++, java	C, C++, Objective-C
Dependent on a PC or a Mac	No	No
Easy media transfer	depends on model	with desktop application
Source model	Open source	Closed, with open source components.
Open source	Kernel, UI, and some standard apps	The iOS kernel is not open source but is based on the open-source Darwin OS.
Widgets	Yes	No, except in NotificationCenter
Call features supported	Auto-respond	Auto-respond, call-back reminder, do not disturb mode
Internet browsing	Google Chrome (or Android Browser on older versions; other browsers are available)	Mobile Safari (Other browsers are available)
Available on	Many phones and tablets, including Kindle Fire(modified android), LG, HTC, Samsung , Sony, Motorola, Nexus, and others.	iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV (2nd and 3rd generation)
Interface	Touch screen, Smartwatch	Touch screen
Messaging	Google Hangouts	iMessage
Voice commands	Google Now (on newer versions)	Siri
Maps	Google Maps	Apple Maps
Video chat	Google Hangouts	Facetime
App store	Google Play – 1,000,000+ Apps. Other app stores like Amazon and Getjar also distribute Android apps. (unconfirmed ".APK's")	Apple app store – 1,000,000+ Apps
Market share	81% of smartphones, 3.7% of tablets in North America (as of Jan'13) and 44.4% of tablets in Japan (as of Jan'13). In the United States in Q1 2013 - 52.3% phones, 47.7% tablets.	12.9% of smartphones, 87% of tablets in North America (as of Jan'13) and 40.1% of tablets in Japan (as of Jan'13)
Available language(s)	32 Languages	34 Languages
Latest stable release	Android 4.4 Kitkat (October, 2013)	7.1 (March 10, 2014)
Device manufacturer	Google, LG, Samsung, HTC, Sony, ASUS, Motorola, and many more	Apple Inc
Upcoming releases/Release dates	Unknown	Unknown
Working state	Current	Current
Website	android.com	apple.com

Similarities 

	Android	iOS
Dependent on a PC or a Mac	No	No
Upcoming releases/Release dates	Unknown	Unknown
Working state	Current	Current

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What is Context in Android?

Interface to global information about an application environment. This is an abstract class whose implementation is provided by the Android system. It allows access to application-specific resources and classes, as well as up-calls for application-level operations such as launching activities, broadcasting and receiving intents, etc. More: http://developer.android.com/reference/android/content/Context.html

and simple answer on stackoverflow gives by Sameer Segal.
As the name suggests, its the context of current state of the application/object. It lets newly created objects understand what has been going on. Typically you call it to get information regarding another part of your program (activity, package/application)
You can get the context by invoking getApplicationContext(), getContext(), getBaseContext() or this (when in the activity class).
Typical uses of context:

• Creating New objects: Creating new views, adapters, listeners:
  

  TextView tv = new TextView(getContext());
  ListAdapter adapter = new SimpleCursorAdapter(getApplicationContext(), ...);

• Accessing Standard Common Resources: Services like LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE, SharedPreferences:
  

  context.getSystemService(LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE)   
  getApplicationContext().getSharedPreferences(*name*, *mode*);

• Accessing Components Implicitly: Regarding content providers, broadcasts, intent
  

  getApplicationContext().getContentResolver().query(uri, ...);

Code Here Code explain on video , Watch on youtube:

Vogella gives example, you can check the size of the current device display via the Context.

The Context class also provides access to Android services, e.g., the alarm manager to trigger time based events.
Activities and services extend the Context class. Therefore they can be directly used to access the Context. More: http://www.vogella.com/tutorials/Android/article.html

Happy Coding!!!                                

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Android error: Failed to install *.apk on device *: timeout

Do most important this, when your faced this problem, lets hope you have to through away this problem.

Try changing the ADB connection timeout. I think it defaults that to 5000ms and I changed mine to 10000ms to get rid of that problem.
If you are in Eclipse, you can do this by going through

Window-> Preferences -> Android -> DDMS -> ADB Connection Timeout (ms)

Sometime, it works by doing this also:

don't use USB 3.0 ports for connection beetwen PC and Android phone!
USB 3.0 - Port with blue tongue
USB 2.0 - Port with black tongue

Happy coding!!!

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Jar Mismatch Found 2 versions of android-support-v4.jar in the dependency list

Step #1: Undo all that. If you are messing with the build path, on R16 or higher version of the ADT plugin for Eclipse, you're doing it wrong.

Step #2: Pick one of those two versions of the JAR, or pick the one from the "extras" area of your SDK installation.

Step #3: Put the right JAR in App Library.

Step #4: Delete the one from App Free, since it will pick up that JAR from App Library.

You are welcome to instead have the same actual JAR file in both spots (App Free and App Library), though that just takes up extra space for no reason.

This wrote CommonsWare.

may work some time for this:

Delete android-support-v4.jar from library and project. Then go in <sdk>/extras/android/support/samples/Support4Demos/ and copy android-support-v4.jarand paste in libs folder of both.

and finally all of not working, then try this:

1. Delete android-support-v4.jar from App Free
2. Add the same file from App Library to App Free

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How to disable orientation change in Android?

Some of the application that if you want to disable orientation in android, then try some of the tricks, which is not 100% working all level of API.

In Stackoverflow, Intrications   give most reliable and useful answers, 
Add android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation" to your AndroidManifest.xml. This tells the system what configuration changes you are going to handle yourself - in this case by doing nothing.

<activity android:name="MainActivity"
     android:screenOrientation="portrait"
     android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation">

See http://developer.android.com/reference/android/R.attr.html#configChanges for more details.

However, your application can be interrupted at any time, e.g. by a phone call, so you really should add code to save the state of your application when it is paused.

Update: As of Android 3.2, you also need to add "screenSize":

<activity
    android:name="MainActivity"
    android:screenOrientation="portrait"
    android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation|screenSize">

From http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/runtime-changes.html#HandlingTheChange:

Caution: Beginning with Android 3.2 (API level 13), the "screen size" also changes when the device switches between portrait and landscape orientation. Thus, if you want to prevent runtime restarts due to orientation change when developing for API level 13 or higher (as declared by the minSdkVersion and targetSdkVersion attributes), you must include the "screenSize" value in addition to the "orientation" value. That is, you must declare android:configChanges="orientation|screenSize". However, if your application targets API level 12 or lower, then your activity always handles this configuration change itself (this configuration change does not restart your activity, even when running on an Android 3.2 or higher device).

Or , Yoni Samlan gives highest voted in stackoverflow about orientation change in android.  Add android:screenOrientation="portrait" to the activity in the AndroidManifest.xml. For example:

        <activity android:name=".SomeActivity"
              android:label="@string/app_name"
              android:screenOrientation="portrait">

and followed of other answers where you may be use this,

@Override
public void onConfigurationChanged(Configuration newConfig) {
    super.onConfigurationChanged(newConfig);
    setRequestedOrientation(ActivityInfo.SCREEN_ORIENTATION_PORTRAIT);
}

Sometimes it works also, don't forget to set this, if the above not working,

android:screenOrientation="nosensor" android:configChanges="keyboardHidden|orientation"

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How to create Transparent Activity in Android?

You have to add the following style In your res/values/styles.xml file (if you don’t have one, create it.) Here’s a  gnobal code from stackoverflow.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
  <style name="Theme.Transparent" parent="android:Theme">
    <item name="android:windowIsTranslucent">true</item>
    <item name="android:windowBackground">@android:color/transparent</item>
    <item name="android:windowContentOverlay">@null</item>
    <item name="android:windowNoTitle">true</item>
    <item name="android:windowIsFloating">true</item>
    <item name="android:backgroundDimEnabled">false</item>
  </style>
</resources>

(the value @color/transparent is the color value #00000000 which I put in res/values/color.xmlfile. You can also use @android:color/transparent in later Android versions)

Then apply the style to your activity, for example:

<activity android:name=".SampleActivity" android:theme="@style/Theme.Transparent">
...
</activity>

Another way to make transparentable, like this

<activity android:name=".usual.activity.Declaration" android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Translucent.NoTitleBar" />

 If you want to using ShowCaseView then try this:

 https://github.com/Espiandev/ShowcaseView.

Using this:

View showcasedView = findViewById(R.id.view_to_showcase);
ViewTarget target = new ViewTarget(showcasedView);
ShowcaseView.insertShowcaseView(target, this, R.string.showcase_title, R.string.showcase_details);

Here is the best example of dwonload code from : AndroidHub4You 

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