In what language are most Android apps coded?

[MannyZ28]

Since I am completely new to the Android universe, and coming from the Pre world where most apps are laggy and programmed in web languages, what am I going to see once I get the Evo? Are apps programmed in java and other web languages as well, or does the SDK for Android provide for C++ apps?

Its really funny, just now that the Pre will soon get PDK apps, I am about ready to switch to Android, hopefully it won't be ugly apps all over again!

 

[Scincidae]

Everything I have seen is in Java, which is nice because my college classes were all in Java (though Java is not my favorite language). You can download the SDK free from Google and you can run the apps in the emulator before you get an Android phone.

 

[MannyZ28]

Eww...so back to the land of ugly apps? Sigh.

 

[Scincidae]

I know some of the libraries are from C/C++ but why does Java mean apps are ugly? Do you mean the code or the look of the apps? I know Java isn't the best language out there but it is the most used in the job word. (Something like 60-70% of programming jobs in the world are for Jav, that could be an old statistic but it is still the top as far as %)

 

[MannyZ28]

Well, I guess I associate C++ apps with pretty looking iphone apps, and web language apps with laggy, slightly primitive looking Pre apps.

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

Don't get me wrong, some of my favorite apps are ugly... and basic looking, but the functionality is there

 

[Scincidae]

Well, I guess I associate C++ apps with pretty looking iphone apps, and web language apps with laggy, slightly primitive looking Pre apps.

I thought most iPhone apps were Objective-C? Anyway iphone apps have built in GUI support for the iPhone style menus and such. It comes down to the programmer and whether or not they hire a designer since most programmers seem to be horrible at graphic art. Lucky for myself my major study before Computer Science happened to be art and I grew up with my father being a graphic artist.

 

[MannyZ28]

I guess if you want pretty, the iphone is the only choice, hm? I just hope that more devs are going to take advantage of the power these new android phones have under the hood.

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

I guess if you want pretty, the iphone is the only choice, hm? I just hope that more devs are going to take advantage of the power these new android phones have under the hood.

There are some pretty apps, but most are basic.
Like some look exactly the same as they do on the iphone. it depends on the actual developer.

 

[MannyZ28]

Some of the Apps I want is a Netflix Manager, DirecTV DVR manager, NewsRoom (which looks just like on the Pre), and some fancy weather apps with animated radar.

We'll have to see how Google builds out the SDK. That crazy unsecure microSD card situation that prevents the big games from being ported over really bugs me still!

 

[flyawaymike]

Java is far from my favorite and all, in fact I'm not a fan at all and I think Objective-C is is the way to go - but as for looks and an app being "pretty"???

The end-user interface has nothing to do with that, be it in C++, Java, HTML5 or what have you.

Well, I guess I associate C++ apps with pretty looking iphone apps, and web language apps with laggy, slightly primitive looking Pre apps.

 

[Eguy]

Some of the Apps I want is a Netflix Manager, DirecTV DVR manager, NewsRoom (which looks just like on the Pre), and some fancy weather apps with animated radar.

We'll have to see how Google builds out the SDK. That crazy unsecure microSD card situation that prevents the big games from being ported over really bugs me still!

Nothing is better than the HTC weather app . It doesn't do radar though. You can browse the market on this site: Find great Android apps and games - AppBrain

 

[Complex Pants]

Well, I guess I associate C++ apps with pretty looking iphone apps, and web language apps with laggy, slightly primitive looking Pre apps.

Lol, the language has nothing to do with what the apps looks like in the end.

Here is a Java app on Android, tell me this doesn't look pretty: YouTube - ExZeus arcade for Android

 

[Bigchris]

Nothing is better than the HTC weather app . It doesn't do radar though. You can browse the market on this site: Find great Android apps and games - AppBrain

Wow, I was looking for a site that listed all the Apps for Android.. This is great, thanks.

 

[Complex Pants]

Wow, I was looking for a site that listed all the Apps for Android.. This is great, thanks.

If you download the Appbrain app, you can also sync apps to your phone via the web. Kind of cool.

 

[MannyZ28]

Well as far as the pretty and java goes.... I am still comparing the initial games we got on the Pre as the ugly ones that just look cheap and do much for you as far as eye candy goes. I see iphone games and the games ported over to the Pre by gameloft that use the Pres PDK, and I think of quality stuff. See what I mean?

 

[Complex Pants]

Well as far as the pretty and java goes.... I am still comparing the initial games we got on the Pre as the ugly ones that just look cheap and do much for you as far as eye candy goes. I see iphone games and the games ported over to the Pre by gameloft that use the Pres PDK, and I think of quality stuff. See what I mean?

The difference between the initial Pre games and the PDK games are the PDK games use compiled code (C++, Java, etc) while the first batch of games on WebOS were using CSS/HTML/Javascript which is much less powerful and cannot do 3D engines yet. When WebGL becomes a standard then yes they will, but right now it will mostly be moving 2D images around.

Look at the Game I linked above. ExZeus is on the iPhone (C++) and Android (Java). The main reason why you haven't see high end 3D games on Android is the initial run of phones did have particularly high end internals. Since the release of the Droid, Android has had access to powerful CPUs and GPUs. What has also happened is the resolutions of phones has started to standardize around 800x480 and most the high end phones are all running Android 2.1 now. Gameloft has already started porting some of their games to Android (Oregon Trail and Uno right now). I have talked to Glu mobile and they said they plan to move most of their catalog to Android as well.

 

[MannyZ28]

Sweet, yeah I got confused between javascript and java.

And you're right, the Droid was really the first high end phone on Android, can't wait to see how pretty all those games will look on a 4.3" screen!

 

[Bigchris]

If you download the Appbrain app, you can also sync apps to your phone via the web. Kind of cool.

Good to know, thanks. I'm really looking forward to my EVO

 

[flyawaymike]

Sweet, yeah I got confused between javascript and java.

And you're right, the Droid was really the first high end phone on Android, can't wait to see how pretty all those games will look on a 4.3" screen!

Manny, again, the language being used, be it C++, Java, Obj-C, etc has NOTHING to do with how "pretty" a game is.

the closest thing you might be thinking of on that topic, is the supplemental SDKs with additional code libraries for gaming, rendering engines, etc.